Moonlight Like Water (I)

Chapter Fifteen: Moonlight Like Water (I)

Night was about to fall. All along the streets, people who had hurried through an exhausting day were rushing home. Candles or oil lamps had already been lit in some of the houses lining the streets. The dim yellow light and the occasional waft of stew made the people in the street quicken their pace involuntarily. Perhaps, at that moment, a simple yet cozy dinner was their greatest longing.

A light hired carriage slowly rolled over. The uniformed coachman tugged on the reins from time to time, slowing the Draimon Striped Horse pulling the carriage to avoid the people crossing the street. This made the Draimon Striped Horse somewhat impatient, and it repeatedly raised its neck and snorted heavily.

The coachman turned around and respectfully asked, "Sir, we've arrived at Phoenix Tail Flower Street District in the eastern part of the city. Where would you like to get off?"

Lorist came back to himself with an "Ah." He looked around, then pointed ahead. "A little farther. See that four-story attic with the pointed roof? Stop at the alley entrance beside it."

The hired carriage stopped at the alley entrance.

"How much?"

"Thirty coppers, sir."

Lorist took out two small silver coins and handed them over. The coachman counted out ten copper coins in change.

Lorist took only five of the copper coins. "The remaining five are my thanks for your service."

The coachman happily removed his hat and bowed. "Thank you for your generosity. I wish you a pleasant evening."

In Molent City, people were accustomed to using the four kinds of metal currency issued by the Forde Commercial Alliance. The first was the gold coin, bearing the portrait of Grand Duke Fude Molent, also known as Gold Fude. The second was the silver coin, decorated with the image of a large sailing ship. Its official name was the White Sail Silver Coin, but because it was large and heavy, people called it the large silver coin. The third was also a silver coin, bearing the image of Molent City's walls. It had originally been called the Wall Silver Coin, but because it was only one-third the size and weight of the large silver coin, people called it the small silver coin. The last was the brass coin, the most widely issued currency. A crude five-pointed star was stamped in its center, and people sometimes called brass coins coppers.

One Gold Fude could be exchanged for twenty large silver coins, one large silver coin for five small silver coins, and one small silver coin for twenty coppers. As the Forde Commercial Alliance developed and expanded its sphere of influence, these four currencies became the standard currencies of more and more countries and regions. Some kingdoms and grand duchies had even stopped issuing their own currency, instead paying the Forde Commercial Alliance in real gold and silver to mint these four kinds of coins for them as reserve funds.

The owner of a fruit shop at the alley entrance, who had not yet closed for the day, saw Lorist approaching. He froze for a moment, then called out excitedly, "Hey, Little Locke, where have you been all this time? I haven't seen you for more than half a year. Come, try some newly arrived strawberries. They're very sweet."

Lorist smiled and nodded in greeting. "Uncle Jiro, how's business? I went out of town some time ago for matters concerning the academy. I only just got back."

Picking up a strawberry and taking a bite, Lorist praised it. "Not bad, it's very sweet. Uncle Jiro, weigh me two pounds. Oh, and give me a box of those honey fruit candies too."

"All right." As the fruit seller began picking out strawberries, he glanced around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he lowered his voice and asked, "Little Locke, what happened between you and Miss Winsor? While you were gone these past six months, I often saw a middle-aged nobleman escorting her home, then leaving with her again the next morning. And last month, a group of guards and knights came with several carriages. They said they were taking Madam Winsor and Young Master Billingham back home to inherit their territory. Do you know about this?"

Lorist nodded, then shook his head. "I know about some things, and there are some things I don't want to know. Uncle Jiro, the truth is, we broke up half a year ago. I only came back this time to collect my luggage. If you need me in the future, go to the academy to find me. I live there now."

"Ah! So that's how it is. What a shame about the two of you. Sigh! That'll be three small silver coins." The fruit seller sighed as he handed over the strawberries in a paper bag and a box of honey fruit candies.

Lorist paid, took the strawberries and candies, and smiled. "Everyone has their own aspirations. You can't force things. If two people get along, they stay together; if they don't, they break up. It's no big deal. Goodbye, Uncle Jiro."

When Lorist turned around, his smile disappeared and his face darkened. She had actually dared to openly bring her lover home for the night, letting the neighbors gossip. She had been forcing him to break up with her. She really was ruthless.

The alley was not large, only wide enough for a single carriage, and it was not long either, stretching barely ten meters. At the end of the alley was a small open space. Three four-story, dark-red attics with pointed roofs stood at the far side, while two- and three-story flat-roofed buildings of varying heights, constructed from earth and wood, flanked the open space.

A little girl of four or five, wearing a floral dress, sat all alone on the steps of a two-story building on the left, her head lowered as she played with something. When she saw Lorist emerge from the alley, she gave him a brief glance, then froze. After rubbing her eyes and taking a closer look, she leaped up excitedly and ran toward him.

The little girl's clear laughter was like a sweet spring flowing through Lorist's heart. Laughing heartily as well, Lorist crouched down, opened his arms, and hugged the little girl tightly. Then he stood and spun around several times with her.

"Little Lonie, what were you doing just now? Where's your grandmother?"

"I was waiting for Daddy to come home. Grandma's cooking." Little Lonie answered in a childish voice.

"Hehe, Little Lonie is so cute. Come, let Big Brother Locke give you a kiss."

"No..." Little Lonie giggled and shook her head frantically, dodging so that Lorist could not kiss her.

In the end, Lorist still got his way.

"Hmph!" Little Lonie rubbed her face with one hand, looking very angry. "Big Brother Locke is the worst! You didn't come see me for so long, and you always prick my face with your beard. I'm going to tell Daddy and have him spank you..."

"Hehe..." Lorist laughed happily and took out the honey fruit candy. "Look, what's this?"

"Ah! Fruit candy! Little Lonie's favorite! Big Brother Locke is the best!" Little Lonie's attitude changed immediately as she stared at the candy.

Lorist could not help laughing. He handed the candy to Little Lonie. "Don't eat too much tonight, or your teeth will hurt."

"Mm, I know. Thank you, Big Brother Locke. I'm going to show Grandma." Hugging the candy, Little Lonie ran off at full speed.

Little Lonie's father was Morander, a Silver Swordsman who served in the City Defense Army of Molent City. Little Lonie's mother had died young, and her grandmother had raised her with great hardship. Little Lonie waited at the door every day for her father to come home, but because of his profession, her father only had three days off each month to visit her.

Watching Little Lonie's figure disappear into the two-story building where she lived, Lorist turned around. Holding the paper bag of strawberries, he walked toward the three four-story, dark-red attics with pointed roofs—the place where he had once lived for three years.

He knocked on the antique bronze door ring. The door opened soon after. However, the maid who opened it had not expected to find Lorist standing outside. For a moment, she covered her mouth in shock.

Lorist smiled gently. "May I come in, Rina?"

"Ah, of course. Please come in, Young Master Locke."

After closing the door, the maid named Rina followed behind Lorist uneasily, not knowing what to do with her hands.

Lorist handed over the paper bag of strawberries. "I bought them at the alley entrance. They're sweet and fresh. Rina, take them and try some."

"Ah, thank you, Young Master Locke. You're always so considerate." Rina hurriedly accepted the bag and thanked him.

After half a year away, returning here gave Lorist the feeling of revisiting an old place. "Don't be nervous, Rina. I'm only here to retrieve my luggage this time. Is everything still in my old room?"

"Ah, yes. After you left, Miss wouldn't let us go in to clean it. The door has been locked the whole time. She's only gone in a few times herself."

"Half the furniture is gone too. Are you preparing to leave as well?" Lorist asked as he looked at the spacious yet empty hall.

"Yes. Miss sold this ancestral house. We have to move out before the end of the month..."

"What about the shop on Triumphal Avenue? Was that sold too?" Lorist asked.

Rina shook her head. "I'm not sure about that. But I heard from Susie that they're already looking for a buyer. They just haven't agreed on a price yet."

Lorist sighed. "It seems your Miss has decided to leave and never come back this time."

Rina nodded, then looked at Lorist. "Young Master Locke, shall I make you a cup of tea?"

"All right. I may never get to drink tea brewed by Rina again, so I must have some today."

Rina soon brought over a cup of hot tea. Lorist took a deep breath and praised it. "It's still as fragrant as ever. Your tea-making skills haven't declined, Rina."

Rina lowered her head and asked quietly, "Young Master Locke, are you really going to break up with Miss?"

Lorist stared at the steaming teacup. After a long silence, he answered slowly, "Rina, it wasn't me who wanted to break up with your Miss. She forced me to do it. You know the truth as well, especially what your Miss did during the six months I was away. Don't tell me you know nothing. She's done everything possible to take back the family's territory. As for me, all I can do is leave after wishing her success."

Rina hesitated for quite a while before suddenly saying with resolve, "But... but I always feel that Miss made the wrong choice. She shouldn't have broken up with you..."

Lorist smiled. "Rina, not everyone thinks that way. Your Miss has her own considerations."

As he spoke, Lorist stood up. "All right, I've had Rina's tea. I'll go upstairs, take a look, and sort out my things. They'll be transported away tomorrow morning."

"Ah, Young Master Locke, wait. I'll get you a candle."

Lorist pushed open the door and stood in the doorway, staring blankly at the familiar furnishings in the room. Rina followed behind him, holding a candle stand, and asked in confusion, "Young Master Locke, what's wrong?"

Lorist came back to himself and reached out to take the candle stand. "Oh, thank you, Rina. Leave me alone for a while. I want some quiet."

Rina nodded in understanding. "All right, Young Master Locke. If you need anything, just pull the bell cord. I'll be downstairs."

After placing the candle stand on the desk, Lorist slowly sat down before it. Scenes from the past flashed before his eyes one after another. In this very room, before this very desk, he and she had endlessly discussed how to design the style of a dress...

To save money, he and she had lain on the floor cutting fabric, sewing the clothes themselves...

He and she had fiercely argued over the shop's decorations...

And that day, when the moonlight was like water, she had taken off her nightclothes before him...

He had lain on the floor while she crouched beside him, mischievously circling her little tongue over his chest and demanding that he draw several more designs for her...

This was actually a very clichéd love story.

That year, Lorist was twenty years old and had just been formally hired by the academy as a swordsmanship instructor. Fatty Shi had brought some wine and dishes and dragged Lorist to the office of the academy's law-enforcement department, claiming that they were celebrating Lorist. In the end, Fatty Shi got drunk himself. Excited and unable to sleep, Lorist wandered around the academy. He eventually reached Moon Lake, where he suddenly heard a burst of soft sobbing. Curious, Lorist followed the sound and discovered a girl by the lake, crying so hard she could barely catch her breath.

At the time, Lorist was very awkward because he had no idea why the girl was crying. If she had been heartbroken or something, would it be inappropriate for him to go over and comfort her? While he was struggling with that dilemma, he suddenly saw the girl leap into the lake. So she didn't want to live after all!

Lorist carried the unconscious girl who had fallen into the water back to the office of the academy's law-enforcement department and kicked Fatty Shi awake. The two of them worked frantically for quite some time before the girl finally woke up. She was very beautiful, but she kept her mouth shut and said nothing. That did not stump Fatty Shi, however. By noon the next day, he had found out what had happened.

The girl was named Windsor Bilina, and she was eighteen years old. Her father was a Viscount of the Kingdom of Chigda. Some time ago, for reasons unknown, the Kingdom of Chigda's two grand dukes had fallen out and begun recruiting troops for armed conflict. Viscount Windsor had unfortunately taken the side of the losing Grand Duke. Since his territory lay on the front line, it became one of the first casualties. His castle was breached, his territory divided up, and the Viscount, seriously wounded while leading a charge, was summoned by the God of War to return to the divine kingdom. Madam Winsor and her seven-year-old son naturally became prisoners.

In wars between nobles, the families of the defeated would not be mistreated, but having them accompany someone for a drink or dance and provide some entertainment was considered perfectly acceptable—an unspoken rule understood by all. Madam Winsor was no longer young, but she still possessed considerable charm, so she was naturally very popular in the military camp. Half a year later, the fighting ended and the two grand dukes made peace. With the Windsor Family's territory gone, they had little value, so Madam Winsor and her young son were released for free. However, Madam Winsor was already pregnant, and it was still unclear which knight or lord the child belonged to. To prevent a scandal, she had no choice but to seek refuge with her eldest daughter, Miss Windsor Bilina, who was studying at Dawnlight Academy in Molent City.

Miss Windsor, who had lived in luxury, had never dreamed that such a day would come. The calamity brought by her mother and younger brother had turned her from a phoenix in the sky into a bedraggled hen on the ground. Losing her father meant losing her protection, and losing the family territory meant losing her source of income. The usually proud young lady had been forced to humble herself and seek help from her admirers, hoping to recover part of the family's territory.

The result was that Miss Windsor was thoroughly humiliated. None of the nobles who knew what had happened to the Windsor Family's territory offered a helping hand, though many had ulterior motives. Deeply disappointed, Miss Windsor lost all hope and felt that death would be preferable to life, so she wandered to Moon Lake in the middle of the night. At the time, Miss Windsor lived in the academy's female dormitory, which was neither very close to nor very far from Moon Lake.

Fatty Shi said that Viscount Windsor had actually been quite good at managing his affairs. Aside from the territory, the Windsor Family also owned a residence in the eastern residential district of Molent City and two shops on Triumphal Avenue. Even without considering anything else, the rent from those two properties alone would have been enough to maintain a respectable life in Molent City.

Lorist could not resist adding, "That's the capital the Windsor Family needs to rise again."

When Lorist turned around, he was startled. The girl, who had remained silent, refusing to eat or drink and making no sound in the office, was now standing before him. She opened her beautiful eyes wide and asked, "You said our Windsor Family can rise again..."