It felt as though he had slept for a very long time.
When he woke, his whole body felt light and soft, as if he had just finished a nap on a warm afternoon, utterly languid.
When he opened his eyes, he found that it really was a warm afternoon...
Just as he had imagined, he lay beneath the cool shade of a tree. The soft recliner swayed slightly with his movements, while a platter of fruit and chilled Happy Water sat on the little table beside him.
A gentle breeze blew past, carrying birdsong and the scent of flowers.
It was so peaceful.
The only thing he had not expected was the middle-aged man sitting in the chair on the other side of the table, reclining in an identical rocking chair.
He had long black hair, slightly dark skin, a high nose bridge, and lively eyes that seemed to possess a strange pull. The longer one looked at him, the more one could not help but feel fondness and trust.
He wore a loose linen robe, and an oddly familiar crown rested against his chest, making Huai Shi involuntarily... stare.
He rose on instinct, his scalp prickling.
"Mm, you're awake?"
The middle-aged man nodded slightly. "Hello, Huai Shi."
"You are..."
Huai Shi stared blankly. "The White Crown King?"
He secretly flipped through the records in the Book of Destiny for comparison and discovered that the man's appearance was exactly the same as the White Crown King he had once seen in a dream.
Yet he lacked the majesty and coldness Huai Shi had seen before. Instead, he was gentle and amiable, like some kindly uncle.
What startled Huai Shi even more was the name the other man had spoken.
"You know me?"
"You saw me, so I saw you."