Street Encounter

Yulan Calendar, 9998, October 29.

Fenlai City was especially lively at the end of the month. Champs-Elysees Avenue was packed with people, carriages rolled by one after another, and street vendors called out from every corner. With the monthly holiday just two days away, plenty of nobles and commoners were out enjoying the good weather.

Akes walked through the crowd with Yale, Reynolds, and George beside him. Linley wasn't with them—he'd said he had things to do and stayed behind at the academy alone.

"It's rare for Fourth Brother not to come with us," Reynolds said, chewing on the dried meat he'd just bought. "Usually, you can't get him to come, and now he's got something to do all on his own."

"He has a girlfriend now, so of course he wants to spend time with her," Yale said, giving him a sidelong glance. "Not everyone's like you, all alone."

Reynolds protested, "How am I all alone? There are plenty of girls chasing me!"

"Plenty? Then how come you're still alone?"

"I... I'm being picky!"

George laughed beside them. "All right, quit bickering. There's a new magic-materials shop up ahead. Want to take a look?"

"Let's go," Akes said with a nod.

There were four of them now. They continued down Champs-Elysees Avenue.

The end of October had brought a chill to Fenlai City, but the sun was bright and warm on their skin. Akes half-listened to Reynolds bragging as his gaze wandered over the shops along the street.

Just then, Reynolds suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

"Third Brother, look over there!"

Akes followed his gaze and stopped in his tracks.

A man and a woman were walking hand in hand out of the café across Champs-Elysees Avenue. The girl had blond hair and blue eyes, and wore a pale blue dress. Her smile was lovely. The man had short brown hair and expensive clothes. He was looking down at her as he said something.

Alice.

The man wasn't Linley.

Akes stood there, watching them walk away together, laughing and chatting. Reynolds clenched his fists, Yale's expression darkened, and George furrowed his brow.

"That guy..." Reynolds ground out. "Who is he?"

"I don't know," George said, shaking his head. "From the way he's dressed, he's probably a noble from Fenlai City."

Yale stared in their direction. "Does Fourth Brother know?"

No one answered.

After a moment of silence, Akes said, "Let's head back first."

They turned and walked toward the academy. No one spoke along the way, and the air felt unbearably heavy.

Back at the academy, the four of them sat down in the dormitory courtyard.

"What do we do?" Reynolds asked first. "Should we tell Fourth Brother?"

"We have to tell him," Yale said. "But we can't just come out and say it."

"Why not?" Reynolds asked, baffled. "Let him see what that woman's really like!"

George shook his head. "It's not that simple. Linley's head over heels right now. If you suddenly tell him his girlfriend was with another man, whether he believes you is one thing, but whether it devastates him is another."

"Then what do we do? Just leave him in the dark?"

They all looked at Akes.

Akes leaned back in his chair and was silent for a while. "I'll tell him."

"You?" Yale looked at him. "How?"

"I'll find him tonight and have a drink with him. I'll sound him out," Akes said. "At least then he'll be prepared. When he sees it for himself, he can decide what to do."

George nodded. "That seems safer."

Reynolds frowned. "What if he doesn't get it?"

"Even if he doesn't, that's better than telling him outright," Yale said. "There's no point in outsiders telling him about something like this. He has to discover it himself."

They reached an agreement.

That evening, Akes took two bottles of wine to Linley's room.

Linley was reading. When he saw Akes come in, he looked surprised. "Need something?"

"I came to have a drink with you." Akes set the bottles on the table. "I'm feeling cooped up."

Linley glanced at the bottles and frowned slightly. "I'm not much of a drinker."

"That's fine. Just have a little." Akes sat down, opened a bottle, and poured two cups. "Keep me company for a bit."

Linley hesitated, then took a cup.

They clinked their cups and each took a small sip. Linley's face scrunched up at the burn, and Akes laughed. "Take it slow. No rush."

Moonlight spilled in through the window, and the dormitory was quiet.

"How are things with Alice lately?" Akes asked.

Linley glanced at him, a faint smile on his lips. "Pretty good."

"How so?"

Linley thought for a moment. "She... understands me pretty well. Last time I went to Fenlai City, she spent the whole day walking around with me. She even bought me this." He took a palm-sized amulet from his clothes. Delicate patterns were embroidered on it.

Akes examined it, then handed it back. "Nice."

Linley put it away and took a sip of wine.

Akes chose his words carefully. "Fourth Brother, there's something I'm not sure I should say."

"Go ahead."

"Love..." Akes looked at his cup. "Sometimes, the more you put into it, the more it hurts if something goes wrong."

Linley paused and looked at him.

Akes continued, "I don't have much experience. I'm just talking off the top of my head. But I think that when two people are together, you can't just focus on how good things seem on the surface. You have to think long term. It pays to keep your eyes open."

Linley was quiet for a while, then nodded. "You're right."

"So you..."

"I know," Linley interrupted. "I'll be careful."

Akes looked into his eyes and realized Linley hadn't understood. Linley thought he was offering general advice about relationships and showing concern for him. It hadn't even crossed Linley's mind that Akes might be hinting at anything specific.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but in the end, he swallowed the words.

"Good." He raised his cup. "Come on, have another sip."

They clinked cups.

After leaving Linley's room.

Yale and the others were still waiting in the courtyard. When they saw Akes come out, they all looked up at once.

"How'd it go?" Reynolds asked.

Akes shook his head. "He didn't get it."

"He didn't get it?" Yale frowned. "What did you say?"

"I hinted that people ought to be careful in relationships," Akes said, sitting down. "He agreed it made sense, but he didn't think it had anything to do with this."

George sighed. "That's normal. All he can think about right now is Alice. How could he imagine her being with someone else?"

"Then what do we do?" Reynolds asked anxiously. "Just wait?"

Akes leaned back in his chair and looked up at the night sky.

The moon shone brightly, and only a few stars were visible. Now and then, the distant chirp of an insect drifted over.

"We wait for him to discover it himself," he said.

They fell silent.

After a long while, Yale spoke. "Third Brother, who do you think that guy was?"

"I don't know," Akes said. "From the way he was dressed, he was probably a noble from Fenlai City."

"Could he have been the one from the Debs Family?" George suddenly asked.

Akes looked at him. "The Debs Family?"

"Yeah." George nodded. "The Debs Family is a major clan in Fenlai City, and they work with the Dawson Chamber of Commerce. They have a young master named Kalan, who seems to have been childhood friends with Alice."

Akes's heart stirred.

Kalan. That was indeed the name in the original story.

"How do you know?" Reynolds asked.

George shrugged. "I heard about him while talking with Yale last time. His family has a bit of a reputation in Fenlai City."

Yale frowned. "The Debs Family... I vaguely remember them. Their head of family has done business with my family's trading company, but I don't know them well."

The next day, everything went on as usual.

Linley went to the back mountain to train that afternoon and headed to Fenlai City to see Alice that evening. When he returned, his expression was calm. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Akes didn't ask, and neither did the others.

Several days passed like that.

One evening in early November, Akes was training alone in the back mountain. The sun was setting, and the evening clouds dyed half the sky red. He sat on a rock beside the waterfall, meditating with his eyes closed.

The Fallen Heart Flame pulsed slowly within him, and the Fire Spirit Bead glimmered faintly. Fire elements continued to pour into his body, and the magic power in his middle dantian grew at a steady rate.

He was in the late sixth rank, still a long way from the seventh.

[ Ding—The check-in opportunity for this month has refreshed. ]

[ Check in? ]

Akes silently thought, Check in.

[ Check-in successful. ]

[ Reward acquired: Azeroth Arcane Brilliance (permanent)—increased mental perception and a ten percent boost to meditation efficiency. ]

A cool sensation surged into his mind and spread through it in an instant.

Akes closed his eyes and focused on the subtle change.