Moonlight Like Water (6)

Chapter 20: Moonlight Like Water (6)

Yes, he once believed this love would last forever, so sweet, so passionate. At that time, he was so proud, moving out of the small dorm room at the academy and living with Wenna.

Lorist was both a student and a swordsmanship instructor at Dawnlight Academy. Because he was not favored by the Silver instructors there, he was too lazy to live in the instructor's dorm assigned to him by the academy, to avoid being looked down upon. He had always stayed in the student dorm he occupied since his transmigration.

When did the relationship between the two gradually change? Was it the first argument that occurred because his Battle Qi stagnated at the peak of Black Iron and couldn't break through? Or was it when she pestered him to design two evening gowns for her so she could have face at parties, and he criticized her for being so vain, making her very angry? After that day, she found excuses not to return to their home in the East City. She purchased another building behind the specialty store, decorated it extremely luxuriously, and made it the headquarters of the Winsor Chamber of Commerce in Molent City. She lived there and often held parties, turning it into a famous salon in Molent City.

There was also the last intimate moment between them last year. After the utmost joy, she leaned lazily in his arms and spoke of her future plans for him. She hoped he could break through to the Silver rank as soon as possible and become a family knight of the Winsor family, so he could be dispatched to the family's old territory to lead the rebels.

The situation there was now excellent. The new lords were in a frenzy over the riots in their territories, rushing to put out fires everywhere with little success. The military expenses for quelling the rebellion had far exceeded the territories' income. The new lords had no choice but to increase the burden on the commoners, and the suffering commoners began to defect to the rebels, further increasing the difficulty of suppression for the new lords.

The latest news from Knight Som said that the rebels had now turned their attention to the original territories of the new lords, preparing to set fire to their backyards and place the final decisive weight on the already heavily tilted scales of war.

Miss Windsor hoped that Lorist could become a Silver Knight of the family and establish merit in the war to reclaim the family territory. This way, she could legitimately marry Lorist without being ridiculed for loving a mere Black Iron swordsman. Afterward, Wenna could entrust the family territory to Lorist for governance until her brother grew up. She herself would only need to manage the Winsor Chamber of Commerce and the specialty store, providing continuous logistical support for the family. She believed that it wouldn't take long for the Winsor family to prosper again.

The request from the jade person in his arms made Lorist want to agree at that moment, but a trace of pride and persistence from the bottom of his heart made him hold back. He seemed to see a sturdy nobleman, holding a two-handed sword, proudly declaring: "Except for the Emperor of the Krissen Empire and his elders, the Norton Family will not bow to anyone."

This was the persistence of the original owner of this body, Little Locke, the pride of the Norton Family etched into his soul. Lorist hesitated. Becoming a family knight of the Winsor family meant he would bear the responsibility for the rise and fall of the Winsor family, and he would also have to bow before the mermaid emblem.

Seeing her lover hesitate, the girl reached out to stroke his face and said gently, "Locke, aren't you planning for our future? As long as your Battle Qi breaks through the Black Iron rank, you can become a family Silver Knight, and no one will be able to stop us from being together..."

Right, and Battle Qi. Lorist gave a bitter smile. He couldn't tell the pestering lover in his arms that he was now cultivating the Golden Water Art, a family heirloom from his previous life, and it had already stalled at the peak of Manifest Force. This was the deepest secret in his heart, which he couldn't share with anyone, not even his closest lover. And the Hexagram blood circulation for cultivating Battle Qi had become a sieve, unable to retain even a trace of Battle Qi. It was highly possible that he would never break through the Black Iron rank in his life.

He could tell the girl that he was a dual Gold instructor at Dawnlight Academy, that he was invincible among the Silvers at the academy, and that he could complete mercenary missions alone that even three peak Silvers couldn't. But what was the use? The girl didn't understand Battle Qi. She only knew the traditional customs of noble families. Only by becoming a Silver Swordsman or a Silver Knight would the family place high hopes on them, deeming them promising and capable of handling matters independently.

Unless it was a noble family with very few descendants, no noble family would let a child who couldn't awaken Battle Qi or had weak Battle Qi inherit the family title. Therefore, Miss Windsor naturally assumed that her lover's outstanding qualities were his intelligence and talent, with weak Battle Qi. She would rather her Locke not awaken Battle Qi than have Lorist constantly wear a Black Iron badge in public. As long as Lorist wasn't going to the academy or the Mercenary Guild, she wanted him to take off the Black Iron Battle Qi badge on his chest to avoid embarrassment.

Lorist wished his beloved girl could understand him and not dwell on his Black Iron Battle Qi. It was enough for two people to be happy together; why care about what others thought? But he couldn't convince the girl. In her world, with money, one should flaunt it more conspicuously. The more one flaunted, the more face the family would have, because she was the head of the Winsor family, and this was how people wouldn't forget the Winsor family. Therefore, she couldn't tolerate the family's reputation being slandered. She wanted Lorist to become a Silver Knight and appear before people with her openly, not as a Black Iron swordsman to be ridiculed.

Just like three years ago, after Madam Winsor gave birth to that baby without a father, Miss Windsor immediately ordered someone to take the infant away and give him to any farmer. Even Madam Winsor couldn't get a good look at her child. This made Madam Winsor heartbroken for a long time after childbirth, almost going mad. It wasn't until Lorist found out and, out of sympathy for a mother, found the infant's whereabouts and arranged for Madam Winsor to visit him that her sanity gradually returned to normal.

Lorist slowly shook his head. He told his lover that he could go through fire and water for her, and he could also set off immediately for the Winsor family's old territory, not to lead, but to assist Knight Som and Knight Hurd in commanding the rebels against the new lords. However, he cultivated his family's Battle Qi and couldn't switch to anything else. Now that he had lost contact with his family, he could only wait. In the short term, he was afraid he would disappoint the girl; he couldn't break through the Black Iron rank.

Furthermore, he couldn't agree to become a family knight of the Winsor family. Even if he was an outcast from his family, he had to wait for the Norton Family's summons and couldn't serve another family. Of course, this was just Lorist's excuse. As a transmigrator, his nature was to love freedom. Deep down, he resisted the strict hierarchical noble system and couldn't accept the constraints of so-called family rules and precepts. Just as he once told Fatty Shi at the academy, he wished to buy a large house on the scenic Brin Mountain in Molent City and live a happy and free life with Wenna. This was Lorist's wish.

Hearing Lorist's answer, the girl remained silent. She got up, dressed, and before leaving the door, she turned her head and said coldly, "Lorist, you know in your heart that you don't truly love me. You're just like those men, saying nice things but only meaning them in words. You truly love yourself, and you've never considered me..."

Lorist lay powerlessly on the bed. Did he love her? Of course, he did. This was the first person he had truly loved in two lifetimes. In his previous life, he was forced into an arranged marriage by his parents when he was older. They got married less than two months after meeting. A year later, they had a son. They treated each other with respect but lacked passion, and life was always bland. It wasn't until after he transmigrated that he truly understood that the love described in books wasn't fictional. Love was a fierce, passionate fire, making one willingly throw themselves into it and burn to ashes. A soft word could move the heart, a hidden glance could create telepathy. Love was when my eyes were only on you, and your eyes were only on me.

When did this love become one-sided giving without asking for anything in return? Should his inner persistence and principles all change for love? Wasn't love supposed to be mutual understanding and reliance between two people? Was he being selfish, or had her heart changed? Lorist couldn't figure it out, nor did he bother to think about it. Perhaps it was a good idea to let both of them calm down first and then have a good talk.

However, Lorist didn't expect that after that day, he never saw her at home again. Even when he needed new design drafts, Susie would come over. When he went to the Winsor Chamber of Commerce headquarters, she would either use the excuse of being busy and not see him or give him a brief, perfunctory reply and leave. Lorist thought she was just throwing a tantrum like a spoiled young lady. It wasn't until that night, in the garden of the Winsor Chamber of Commerce headquarters, that he saw her leaning intimately with that middle-aged nobleman, smiling charmingly, her eyes sparkling, full of spirit.

It was that night that she formally asked him for a breakup. That night, his heart truly ached, indescribably. It was a suffocating feeling, as if his heart had split in two, the intense pain deeply etched into the depths of his soul.

Lorist only remembered that when he stumbled before them that night, her smile froze, and her face instantly turned deathly pale. It was the middle-aged nobleman who elegantly shielded her behind him and asked with some confusion, "Sir, what's wrong?"

He glanced at the girl hiding behind him, then turned back to look at Lorist, his expression becoming serious. "Who are you? What is it?"

Lorist couldn't speak at that moment and merely pointed at the girl.

The girl's expression changed. After hesitating for a moment, she finally walked out from behind the middle-aged nobleman. "Locke, I'm truly disappointed in you. You have your principles, and you never compromise yourself to accommodate me. Although you've given me the greatest help and saved me and the Winsor family, I've thought about it for a long time. We're not suitable for each other. For the future of the Winsor family, I can only choose to break up with you. You're a good person, please understand me."

Was this the feeling of betrayal? Heart-wrenching...

He never expected to receive his first "good person" card in this other world. Lorist wanted to collapse to the ground and breathe deeply, but the suffocating feeling made him unable to catch his breath. However, a faint pride in his heart supported him. He nodded firmly and turned to leave with faltering steps.

Lorist couldn't remember how he got back. He only knew that Rina, who opened the door, was greatly frightened by his zombie-like state.

The next day, Lorist was still lying in bed, groggy, when Rina came in to say there was a visitor. Then, the middle-aged nobleman who had been with her last night appeared before him.

The middle-aged nobleman spoke in a gentle tone. He told Lorist that he knew the whole story. Although he sympathized with Lorist, love was selfish. He loved Wenna very much and couldn't blame her for it, so he could only apologize to Lorist. Now that Wenna had broken up with Lorist, and although Lorist hadn't spoken, he hadn't objected either. Under these circumstances, he personally felt it was inappropriate for Lorist to continue living in Wenna's house. Therefore, he had come to see what compensation Lorist needed, and he would agree as long as he could fulfill it.

Only then did Lorist notice the golden firebird emblem on the middle-aged nobleman's chest, a Battle Qi badge. Gold represented the Gold rank of Battle Qi, and the firebird could be considered a family crest and also represented the Fire Attribute of Battle Qi. He hadn't expected this middle-aged nobleman with excellent demeanor to be a master.

Lorist shook his head, his voice hoarse, stating that he didn't need any compensation and thanked him for his kindness. As for moving out, he would do it today without his reminder. After exchanging pleasantries, the middle-aged nobleman politely took his leave.

Lorist packed a few clothes simply and left the place where he had stayed for three years. This place held his and her laughter, sweet words, vows of eternal love, as well as quarrels, disagreements, and pain etched into his soul, and finally, that "good person" card.

Lorist moved to the Red Raven Tavern, rented a room on the third floor, and then entrusted his friend Er to investigate the middle-aged nobleman's background.

Soon, the information about the middle-aged nobleman was placed before Lorist. The middle-aged nobleman was Rophie.Fosta, thirty-eight years old, Gold One-star. He was a Marquis of the Kingdom of Chigda and was highly regarded by the royal family. It was worth noting that his father was a cousin of the King of Chigda and controlled the Kingdom's Imperial Guard. He was a powerful military nobleman and also His Highness the Prince of the Kingdom of Chigda.

This Marquis Rophie was ordered by the King last year to bring a batch of gold and silver to Molent City to discuss the processing of gold and silver coins with the Commercial Alliance. He heard of the specialty store and, with his wife, went to purchase clothing, and then met Miss Windsor. As they belonged to the same kingdom, their relationship was harmonious. After completing his official duties, Marquis Rophie used an excuse to stay in Molent City for half a year and launched a passionate pursuit of Miss Windsor.

"His wife doesn't know?" Lorist asked.

"She knows," Er said. "Not only does she know, but she also strongly supports it. Moreover, Miss Windsor and his wife are very good friends, talking about everything."

Damn, that woman is sick, Lorist thought.

Er shook his head and wagged his finger. "Forget it, brother. I've seen a lot of things between men and women. When a man's heart changes, the woman is pitiful, but the man still has a chance to turn back. But when a woman's heart changes, it's detestable. She basically goes all the way to the end, and won't turn back even if she hits a wall. Besides, what can you compare with that Marquis? Family background? Wealth? Strength? You're not a match for him. That Lord is knowledgeable and elegant, praised by everyone, and he's only thirty-eight years old and already Gold One-star, with immeasurable prospects. That's why your lover fell for him."

"To put it bluntly, this Lord is not like those decadent noble youths of the past who coveted beauty and wanted both money and sex. He wouldn't ambush you or challenge you to a duel after finding out you're the young lady's lover. He doesn't even consider you an opponent of the same rank. Even if you wanted to challenge him, don't forget he's Gold One-star, and you're just a Black Iron swordsman who can only bully us Silvers. You can't beat him," Er advised earnestly.

Lorist remained silent. Three days later, he registered at Dawnlight Academy to join an expedition team to the Ruin Islands. Perhaps, at that time, he still hoped that after half a year, things would change when he returned. However, he returned, and what awaited him was still disappointment.