Betrayal

Autumn, year 9998 of the Yulan Calendar.

At sixteen, An had shed his boyish awkwardness. Standing six feet one, with broad shoulders and sharply defined muscles, he looked more like a warrior than a mage.

For six years, he had never stopped training. Physical conditioning every morning, magic classes before noon, stone carving and meditation in the afternoon, and combat practice in the evening. A Level Seven Mage and a sixth-rank warrior-such a combination had never appeared in the history of Ernst Academy.

But over the past few months, An had noticed that something was wrong with Linley.

It had started in late September. After returning from Fenlai City, Linley had sat alone on the hill behind the academy, staring into space and turning two crystal balls over in his hands.

An knew what those two crystal balls were-Memory Crystal Balls. Linley had spent over a thousand gold coins on them, intending to give them to Alice.

Ever since returning from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Linley had mentioned the girl more and more often. "Alice is a gifted student at Weilin Magic Academy. She became a fourth-rank mage at just fifteen." "Alice looks like an elf in the moonlight."

An had merely smiled as he listened.

In the original story, Linley's first love, a gentle, kindhearted girl, had ultimately chosen Kalan Debs, heir to the Debs Clan, under the weight of family pressure and the harsh realities of life. That relationship had caused Linley a great deal of pain, but it had also been the experience that made him a Level Seven Mage.

An had done nothing to stop it from happening.

In early October, Linley had gone to Fenlai City again and returned looking even worse. When An asked what was wrong, Linley merely shook his head and said Alice had not been home.

In mid-October, Linley had made his third trip to Fenlai City. Upon returning, he had skipped dinner and gone straight to bed. Bebe had crouched beside his pillow, his little eyes full of worry.

"Something's been off with our second brother lately," Reynolds told An in private. "Has something happened with Linley's girlfriend?"

An did not answer. He knew the answer, but he could not say it.

At the end of October, Yale suggested that all four of them go to Fenlai City together. As usual, the four roommates from Dormitory 1987 went to Fenlai City at the end of every month-Yale and Reynolds visited Bishui Paradise, Linley went to see Alice, and An found a tavern for a few glasses of Emerald Green Wine or visited the Proulx Gallery to see how his stone carvings were selling.

"Third brother, come with us this time." Yale patted Linley's shoulder. "Don't keep brooding on your own."

Linley hesitated, then nodded.

The carriage left Ernst Academy and followed the main road toward Fenlai City. By late October, the weather had turned cool. The leaves along the roadside were beginning to yellow, and now and then a few drifted through the carriage window. An leaned against the carriage wall, silently watching the scenery outside.

Bebe crouched on Linley's shoulder, rubbing anxiously against his cheek. Linley stroked Bebe's head and forced a smile.

"Third brother, you'll definitely see Alice this time," Reynolds said reassuringly.

Linley said nothing and merely nodded.

The carriage stopped on Champs-Élysées Avenue in Fenlai City. The four brothers climbed out. Yale and Reynolds headed toward Bishui Paradise with their arms around each other's shoulders, while Linley walked alone toward Ganmo Road.

An stood where he was, watching Linley's retreating figure until he disappeared into the crowd.

"An, aren't you going with Linley?" Yale asked, looking back.

An shook his head. "Let him handle it himself."

He turned down another street, picked a tavern at random, and sat down. He ordered a bottle of Emerald Green Wine and drank it slowly.

The tavern was not crowded. An sat by the window, watching people come and go outside. Fenlai City was the Holy Union's royal capital as well as the Holy Capital, and its prosperity ranked among the greatest on the entire Yulan Continent. Nobles in extravagant clothing were everywhere on the streets, and occasionally he spotted someone in mage's robes.

An took a sip of wine, his gaze drifting casually past the window-

Then his pupils suddenly contracted.

On Champs-Élysées Avenue, a blonde girl in a purple dress was walking hand in hand with a young man in white battle armor. She was smiling, apparently talking about something delightful. The young man had his head turned toward her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.

The two walked hand in hand, utterly intimate.

An's grip on his wineglass suddenly tightened.

He sprang to his feet, knocking the bottle over onto the table. Green wine spilled across its surface. Ignoring it, An strode toward the tavern's exit.

"An! What's wrong?" Yale's voice came from behind him.

An did not answer. Seeing him rush out, Yale and Reynolds hurried after him.

An stepped out of the tavern and stood on Champs-Élysées Avenue, his gaze fixed on the pair. Alice and Kalan were approaching, chatting and laughing, completely unaware of his presence.

"An, what did you see?" Yale caught up and followed his gaze-

His expression changed as well.

"Is that... Alice?" Yale's voice sank. "Who's the man beside her?"

Reynolds ran over too. Leaning forward for a look, he immediately widened his eyes. "Fuck! Isn't that Linley's girlfriend? Why's she hooking up with another man?"

An did not answer.

He strode toward Alice and Kalan. Yale and Reynolds exchanged a glance and hurried after him.

"Alice." An's voice was quiet but clear.

Alice looked up. The instant she saw An, the smile froze on her face.

"An...?" Alice sounded strained.

Kalan saw An too, and a flicker of panic crossed his face.

An's cold gaze swept over Kalan before settling on Alice's face. "Alice, what is your relationship with my brother Linley?"

Alice turned pale.

"I... Big Brother Linley and I..." She stammered, unable to get the words out.

"I'm asking whether you're dating my brother Linley." An raised his voice a little. "You two got together last November, didn't you?"

Passersby began noticing the commotion and cast curious looks their way.

Alice bit her lip and lowered her head. Kalan stepped forward, placing himself in front of her, and forced himself to speak. "An, this is between Alice and me. It has nothing to do with Linley."

"Nothing to do with him?" An gave a cold laugh. "Since late September, Linley has come to Fenlai City four times to see you, waiting until late at night every time. Back at the academy, he recorded himself with Memory Crystal Balls like a fool, just so you could see him whenever you missed him. And now you're telling me this has nothing to do with him?"

Kalan's expression grew ugly as well.

Yale stepped forward, fixing Kalan with an icy stare. "The Debs Clan? Kalan Debs? Do you know whose woman you're stealing?"

Kalan took a step back. Of course he knew who Yale Dawson was-the heir to the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, a scion of one of the most powerful families on the entire Yulan Continent. The Debs Clan was merely one of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce's partners in the Fenlai Kingdom. Put plainly, they ran errands for it. If Yale wanted to ruin the Debs Clan, all he had to do was say the word.

"I... I didn't steal anyone." Kalan's voice lacked conviction. "Alice chose to be with me."

"She chose?" An looked at Alice. "Alice, tell me yourself. What exactly does my brother Linley mean to you?"

Alice's eyes reddened. She raised her head, looked at An, then at Kalan, and finally spoke. "Big Brother An, I'm sorry... Big Brother Linley and I are already over."

"Over?" An's voice grew colder. "Since when? Have you told him yourself? All you've done is stand him up again and again, leaving him waiting alone from dusk until late at night. You've let him carry those Memory Crystal Balls from Ernst Academy to Fenlai City over and over, waiting outside your house like a dog. When have you ever told him, 'We're over'?"

Alice's tears finally spilled.

"I... I didn't know how to tell him..." Her voice trembled. "Big Brother Linley has been so good to me. I was afraid of hurting him..."

"Afraid of hurting him?" Reynolds could no longer hold back and rushed forward. "And you think this isn't hurting him? You've been hooking up with another man behind his back, feeding him lies like 'I'm not back yet' and 'Something came up.' Do you have any idea how miserable Linley has been these past two months?"

More and more passersby gathered around, pointing and whispering.

Kalan's face flushed crimson. He whispered to Alice, "Let's go. Let's not embarrass ourselves here."

"Embarrass yourselves?" Yale sneered and blocked their path. "Now you feel embarrassed? Why weren't you embarrassed when you stole someone else's girlfriend?"

Kalan gritted his teeth and lowered his voice. "Young Master Yale, this is a private matter between Alice and me. You have no right to interfere."

"No right to interfere?" Yale scoffed. "Do you believe I could make your Debs Clan disappear from the Fenlai Kingdom tomorrow?"

Kalan's face went white.

Of course he believed it. The Dawson Chamber of Commerce wielded power the Debs Clan could never resist.

"Big Brother Yale, don't." An suddenly spoke.

Yale looked at An in surprise. "Third brother?"

"Alice, I have one last question," An said. "Do you truly no longer have feelings for Linley?"

Alice remained silent for a long time before finally nodding. "I'm sorry... I don't feel that way about Big Brother Linley anymore."

"Fine," An said. "Then go tell Linley yourself. Make things clear. Don't leave him waiting like a fool."

Alice bit her lip and nodded.

An turned and walked away.

Yale and Reynolds exchanged a glance, then hurried after him. After a few steps, Reynolds turned back and glared viciously at Kalan. "You got lucky, brat. If An hadn't stopped me, you'd have tasted my fists today."

Kalan supported Alice as they stood on Champs-Élysées Avenue, the stares around them stabbing into them like knives.

"Big Brother Linley..." Watching An walk away, Alice murmured softly, her tears flowing without end.

An strode quickly down Champs-Élysées Avenue. Yale and Reynolds followed, neither daring to say a word.

"An, are you all right?" Yale asked cautiously.

"I'm fine," An said. "My brother isn't."

He stopped at the roadside and tilted his head back to look at the gray sky. The October sky was so gloomy it seemed about to rain.

"Linley went to Alice's house on Ganmo Road," An said. "He'll see Alice today, no matter what. Even if she isn't there, he'll keep waiting."

Yale frowned. "Then what do we do?"

"Let him face it himself," An said. "No one else can help him with something like this."

He turned to Yale and Reynolds, his gaze steady. "Big Brother Yale, fourth brother, you two should head back first. I'll wait here for my brother."

"No. I'll wait with you," Yale said.

"I'll wait too," Reynolds said.

An did not refuse.

The three stood on Champs-Élysées Avenue.

"An, are we really not going to tell Linley?" Reynolds could not help asking. "Are we just going to leave him in the dark?"

An shook his head. "What would telling him accomplish? Let him find out before he sees it? That would only hurt more. Some wounds have to be seen with your own eyes before you can let go."

Yale sighed. "Third brother's right. We can't help him with this."

Night fell, and the streetlights came on.

Champs-Élysées Avenue gradually grew busier. Noblewomen and young ladies in lavish evening gowns strolled past, laughing and chatting with their arms linked through those of their partners. Outside Bishui Paradise, several scantily clad women cast flirtatious glances at passing men.

An, Yale, and Reynolds sat in a private room at Bishui Paradise. None of them had called for women to keep them company. Several bottles of hard liquor stood on the table, but no one had touched them.

"What time is it?" An asked.

Yale checked his pocket watch. "Eleven at night."

"Linley's probably still waiting," An said.

Reynolds swore. "That bitch. Look what she's done to Linley."

Yale said nothing, but his expression was grim.