"Sir."
Huang Kaiwen was reading a comic in his study when his loyal old butler, Albert, knocked and came in.
"Didn't I say Barbara could handle it? I'm not dealing with the Christmas decorations."
"No, sir." The old butler looked troubled. "Someone says he wants the one-million bounty, and he seems rather mysterious."
"What makes him mysterious?"
Huang Kaiwen set down the third volume of Yasha Crow and looked at the old butler with interest.
"He says his name is Pendragon von Ambrosius, that he's a descendant of Merlin, and that the sword he has is the Sword in the Stone!"
The old butler looked excited as he spoke.
Huang Kaiwen's face darkened. He waved impatiently and said, "Tell him to get lost."
"Sir..."
"You too, get lost!"
Albert left the study, crestfallen.
Huang Kaiwen slapped his forehead, feeling utterly exasperated.
Last time, those frauds had brought him a simplified-Chinese copy of the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. Now they'd come with the Sword in the Stone.
For fuck's sake, the Sword in the Stone had already broken. It had been broken in a fight, all right?
The sword King Arthur used later was the Sword in the Lake!
The Sword in the Stone, my ass. Why didn't he just say he had the Sword of Promised Victory?
If not for the one-million bounty, Huang Kaiwen would never have guessed that a con man could be this stupid.
Albert, too. He was loyal, sure, but whenever anything supernatural came up, his intelligence seemed to vanish. Huang Kaiwen was starting to wonder if he and Ancelotti had the same father.
Sometimes Huang Kaiwen really wanted to ship his butler and coach off to Hogwarts together.
Ah, foolish Europeans.
He checked the time. It was already past two. Huang Kaiwen picked up his phone and called Kaka.
"Ricardo, I heard you didn't go back to Brazil. Hurry over to my place. Stay here tonight, and we'll celebrate Christmas together tomorrow."
On the other end of the line, Kaka looked conflicted. "But..."
"No buts. Don't make me come beat you with my crutch."
In his rented apartment, Kaka heard the call end and sighed.
Well, I'll have to face it sooner or later.
Seeing that Kaiwen was just as warm toward him as ever, he felt relieved. At least it wouldn't affect their friendship.
Kaka changed into something presentable, picked up the Christmas gift he'd prepared, and left.
Huang Kaiwen was taking a stroll around the courtyard with his crutch.
He was starting to regret putting out the bounty. One fraud after another kept showing up at his door.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
As he neared the courtyard gate, Huang Kaiwen heard the doorbell. He hobbled over and opened it.
He hadn't expected Kaka to get there so quickly.
The kid might have said no, but his actions told a different story.
But when he opened the door, Huang Kaiwen saw that the person standing outside was Caroline.
The young woman had clearly dressed up carefully. She wore a fitted leather jacket over a colorful knitted top, which hid her flat chest, and a wool skirt with tights, paired with a pair of expensive-looking knee-high boots.
Compared with her usual jeans and T-shirt, she looked much more mature.
"Come on in. It's snowing out here."
Huang Kaiwen greeted Caroline warmly.
"Wait, Kaiwen. I have something to tell you."
Caroline grabbed his arm.
"Can't you come inside and tell me?"
Caroline pointed to the plane tree by the gate. "It wouldn't be convenient inside. Let's talk out here."
"Okay."
Huang Kaiwen followed her, leaning on his crutch.
Caroline lowered her head and said nothing.
After a long while, she looked up and asked, "Kaiwen, what do you think of me?"
"You're great. You're beautiful, independent, come from a good family, and you respect yourself."
Huang Kaiwen answered without hesitation.
"I... Ricardo and I broke up." Caroline looked into Huang Kaiwen's eyes and spoke softly.
"Oh."
He had long thought that this day might come, but hearing it still surprised him somewhat.
"What do you mean, 'oh'?"
Caroline wasn't pleased with his reaction. She gave him a light slap and asked.
"Caroline, I'm with Barbara."
Huang Kaiwen let out an awkward laugh, trying to ease the tension.
"She doesn't mind you having other girlfriends. Don't think I don't know. The papers said you spent the night with her and that Fendi woman."
"Lies. Complete lies!"
Huang Kaiwen denied it with righteous indignation.
Seeing his expression, Caroline gave a coy laugh and bit her lip. A few seconds later, she stared at him and asked, "I like you. Will you be with me?"
"No."
Huang Kaiwen shook his head without hesitation.
"Why? Am I not good enough?" Caroline hadn't expected that answer.
Huang Kaiwen shook his head and explained softly, "You're wonderful. In all the time I've been in Italy, I haven't met a girl better than you."
"Then why? Don't tell me you don't have feelings for me. I know you like me!"
Caroline's eyes widened, tears already welling up.
"Caroline, you really fit everything I imagine a wonderful woman to be. You're smart, beautiful, well-mannered, and you take good care of yourself..."
"Then why?"
Caroline held her head high and asked, unwilling to accept it.
"There doesn't have to be some big reason. Being with you would hurt Ricardo, and I don't want to do that."
Huang Kaiwen shook his head again.
When the system had shown him [Fate Revealed], he really had been excited. Caroline was wonderful, perfect. At the time, he hadn't felt any qualms. He'd thought Kaka would get divorced someday anyway, so there'd be nothing wrong with them getting together. He'd even felt a little pleased about it.
But after spending so much time with Kaka, they'd become close. Kaka was a good person, and Huang Kaiwen couldn't find a single fault in him as a friend. He couldn't accept Caroline.
When Caroline said those things, the first person Huang Kaiwen thought of was Kaka. There were three billion women in the world, but you only had a handful of close friends.
Never hurt a close friend for the sake of a woman.
Huang Kaiwen had figured that out a few days ago.
The other person involved had parked nearby and had been standing not far behind Huang Kaiwen, listening for some time.
Hearing Huang Kaiwen say that, Kaka was so moved he almost cried.
In Brazil, it wasn't unusual for a girl to date several guys from the same friend group, one after another.
He hadn't expected Huang Kaiwen to be so considerate of him.
Caroline looked at Huang Kaiwen through tear-filled eyes, then glared at Kaka, who was standing not far behind him. She threw the gift in her hand at Huang Kaiwen and shouted, "Then you can be with Ricardo! I hope you two are happy together!"
With that, Caroline ran off in tears.
When Huang Kaiwen turned around, Kaka, caught red-handed eavesdropping, awkwardly held up the bags in his hands and explained, "I walk quietly. I wasn't trying to listen in."
"Do you think I believe that?"
Huang Kaiwen walked over, took the things from him, and said, "Go check on her. Make sure she gets back to the hotel, then come back and celebrate with me. It'll be dark soon."
"All right. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Kaka pulled out his car keys and headed across the street.
Huang Kaiwen shook his head.
At least the whole thing had ended well.
Though Kaka and Caroline's breakup had become inevitable, and that lovely girl would marry someone else one day, as long as he wasn't the one who betrayed Kaka, he could have a clear conscience.
Ah, Huang Kaiwen really was a friend worthy of the name.
Before you continue