Several days later, Chier County City appeared at the end of the road.
The setting sun shone on the city walls.
The merchant caravans coming and going had already begun packing up their goods, preparing to enter the city before the gates closed.
Haeru raced along the main road.
It did not deliberately release its aura, but the horses on either side of the road still backed away in terror. A Wind Wolf carrying a knight even dropped straight to the ground, not daring to raise its head.
"Boss, this place hasn't changed at all," Bebe said through Soul Transmission, standing on Haeru's back.
Linley looked ahead.
The city walls were still the same walls from five years ago.
Outside the gates, however, two rows of newly built stone houses had appeared, and the road was much wider than before. The Jax Family's flag hung above the gates, and several guards wore brand-new armor.
Haeru slowed down.
The gate guards had already gripped their spears.
After getting a clear look at Linley on Haeru's back, the guard in charge froze for a moment.
His gaze fell on the giant black panther and Bebe beside Linley's shoulder, and his expression abruptly changed.
"Lord Lei?"
Linley looked at him.
"You know me?"
"Five years ago, I was a guard at the city lord's residence." The guard immediately bowed. "The city lord gave orders long ago. If a young lord riding a giant black panther arrives in Chier County City, we're to let him through immediately and send someone back to the castle to report."
Five years had passed, but Linley's appearance had not changed much.
The former guard at the city lord's residence, however, had become the captain of the gate guards.
Linley nodded.
"I'm here to see Keane and Jenny."
"The city lord has already received word."
A guard immediately rode into the city.
Haeru walked through the gates.
Pedestrians on the street hurried out of the way.
Linley paid no attention to those awed gazes. His spiritual energy swept across the street, and he soon discovered a middle-aged man in gray staring at him.
The middle-aged man's gaze lingered for only an instant.
Then he turned and walked into a nearby alley.
His movements were natural.
But he had left too quickly.
Linley glanced at the alley but did not follow.
Haeru continued toward the city lord's castle.
Before they reached the castle gates, the sound of hooves came from ahead.
A group of knights approached from the other end of the street.
The young man at their head wore dark blue noble robes and no longer had the childish air of five years ago. He had grown much taller, and faint stubble covered his face.
It was Keane.
Keane spotted Linley on Haeru's back at once.
"Big Brother Lei!"
He jumped straight off his warhorse.
Linley also dismounted from Haeru's back.
Keane rushed up to him and threw his arms around him.
"You really came back!"
Linley patted his shoulder.
"Five years apart, and you've already grown up."
"I'm nineteen this year." Keane released him, his face full of smiles. "I officially took charge of Chier County City two years ago. Last year, I got married, too."
At that, he seemed to suddenly remember something and immediately turned to look behind him.
A carriage had stopped among the knights.
The carriage door opened.
Jenny stepped out.
She wore a pale blue dress, her long hair pinned behind her head. The youthful innocence on her face five years ago had faded, and her expression was gentler.
She stood beside the carriage, looking at Linley.
She did not approach immediately.
Linley looked at her as well.
They stood a dozen or so meters apart across the street, neither speaking.
In the end, Jenny smiled first.
"Big Brother Lei."
"Jenny."
Linley walked up to her.
"I'm back."
Jenny nodded softly.
"I knew you would come back."
Her voice was calm.
But her hands were clasped tightly together in front of her.
Bebe jumped off Haeru's back and landed on Linley's shoulder.
He looked at Jenny, then at Linley, and grinned without saying anything.
Jenny looked past Linley, toward the rear.
"Did Grandpa Doehring not come?"
"He's in Yunfeng Town," Linley said. "There are some other companions there, too."
A trace of surprise flashed through Jenny's eyes.
Five years ago, Linley had only Doehring, Bebe, and Haeru by his side.
Now, he had a new place to stay and more companions.
"Let's head back to the castle first," Keane said. "Grandpa Lambert is still waiting for you. Ailin has prepared a banquet, too."
Linley nodded.
The group returned to the city lord's castle.
The castle's interior had been renovated.
Most of the lavish decorations that had belonged to Lady Weide had been removed. Maps of Chier County City, military rosters, and tax records sent from various places hung on the walls.
Lambert stood at the entrance to the hall.
Five years had passed, and his hair had turned completely white. His back was slightly stooped as well.
At the sight of Linley, a smile appeared on the old man's face.
"Lord Lei."
Linley immediately stepped forward.
"Grandpa Lambert."
"It's good to have you back." Lambert looked him over carefully. "The young miss has been talking about you all this time."
Jenny stood to one side and did not deny it.
During the banquet, Keane kept talking about the changes over the past five years.
Chier County City could now pay its soldiers on time.
All the damaged sections of the city walls had been repaired, and two new tracts of farmland had been opened outside the city. The Magic Crystal Card Linley had left behind had not been squandered. Most of the gold had gone toward the army, roads, and granaries.
Keane's wife, Ailin, sat beside him.
She was a gentle noblewoman who treated Jenny with great respect. She already helped Keane handle much of the government work, and Jenny no longer needed to remain at the city lord's residence at all times.
"I can handle those nobles myself now," Keane said. "My sister can't watch over Chier County City for me her whole life."
Jenny glanced at him.
"Just last month, you mixed up two military orders when you wrote them."
The smug look on Keane's face immediately froze.
Ailin covered her mouth and laughed.
A faint smile appeared on Linley's face as well.
At least Jenny was no longer the person she had been five years ago, who had to stay by her younger brother's side to keep the city lord's residence running.
She could leave now.
After the banquet, Jenny invited Linley to the small sitting room they had used before.
The table and chairs had not been replaced.
The trees outside the window, however, had grown much taller.
Jenny took a small cloth pouch from inside her clothes and placed it on the table.
The pouch opened.
A gold coin fell out.
It was the very coin Linley had left as a deposit before his departure.
Beside the gold coin was a bearer Magic Crystal Card.
"The payment from back then, ten thousand gold coins," Jenny said. "You delivered us safely to Chier County City. It's time I gave you the remaining nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine gold coins."
Linley picked up the gold coin.
He left the Magic Crystal Card untouched.
"I'll take back the deposit," he said. "Leave the rest for Chier County City."
"That's not the same."
"Escorting you was something I promised to do." Linley put the gold coin into his interspatial ring. "This one gold coin is enough."
Jenny did not argue further.
She put the Magic Crystal Card away.
The room fell quiet.
Linley looked at her.
"Jenny, do you still remember our agreement from five years ago?"
"I remember."
"Over these five years, you've built a life of your own," Linley said. "Keane can govern Chier County City independently now, too. Now, you can choose again."
Jenny raised her head.
"Big Brother Lei, do you want me to stay?"
"I just want to make things clear."
Linley did not avoid her gaze.
"In my heart, you're more like a younger sister."
Jenny's fingers trembled slightly.
Linley continued, "If you want a different kind of relationship, I can't give you that. You don't need to entrust your future to me just because of what I did for you five years ago, either."
Jenny remained silent for a long time.
The sound of rustling leaves came from outside the window.
She slowly unclasped her tightly clenched hands.
"Over these five years, many people have proposed to me," Jenny said. "Some were nobles from Chier County City, and some were members of the Jax Clan."
Linley did not interrupt.
"Waiting for you wasn't the only reason I turned them down."
Jenny looked at Linley.
"I've helped Keane handle military pay, lived through years of disaster, and seen those nobles fight until their heads bled over a few plots of land. I'm no longer the person who knew nothing five years ago."
"I know following you will be dangerous. I also know that I'm only a third-rank Water Element magus right now, and I can't help you much."
A trace of surprise flashed through Linley's eyes.
He had already sensed the faint Water Element magical power within Jenny, but he had not expected that she had been training in magic for this day.
"But I still want to leave Chier County City and see the world outside," Jenny said.
She paused.
"But I still want to follow you."
Linley recalled what Doehring had said when they left the city five years ago.
At least he had not planned Jenny's life for her.
Five years had passed, and he could not make her choice for her again when the agreed time arrived.
"All right," Linley said.
Jenny froze.
"You agree?"
"I gave my word. If you still insisted after five years, I would no longer refuse."
Linley looked at her.
"This time, I've come to keep that promise."
Tears glistened in Jenny's eyes.
She did not cry. She merely nodded firmly.
"I'll go with you."
The sitting room door was pushed open.
Keane stood outside, clearly having waited for a long time.
"Big Brother Lei."
"Come in."
Keane walked over to Jenny's side.
"If my sister wants to leave, I won't stop her," he said. "But the Jax Clan's annual gathering is in three days. It's being held in Basil Provincial Capital."
Linley looked at him.
"You want Jenny to attend?"
"This will be my sister's last clan gathering as Chier County City's regent," Keane said. "After the gathering, I'll formally hand over some of the family affairs to Ailin. Then my sister can leave without any lingering concerns."
Jenny said nothing.
She was clearly waiting for Linley's decision as well.
"All right," Linley said. "I'll be passing through Basil Provincial Capital too."
Keane let out a sigh of relief.
"Then we'll set out together in three days."
"No." Linley shook his head.
He remembered the middle-aged man in gray who had been leaving when he entered the city.
"I'll leave tonight."
Jenny's expression changed.
"Why?"
"The Radiant Church has been looking for me all this time," Linley said. "I entered Chier County City openly today. Their spies have very likely already heard the news."
Keane's expression turned serious as well.
"There are people from the Church in the city lord's manor?"
"Not necessarily in the city lord's manor," Linley said. "But someone definitely saw me."
He couldn't lead his pursuers to the castle.
Much less let Chier County City become a battlefield.
"I'll go to Basil Provincial Capital first," Linley said. "The Naier Hotel, in the eastern part of the city. I'll wait for you there."
"Big Brother Lei, I'll go with you," Jenny said immediately.
"You stay." Linley looked at her. "Attend the clan gathering, and finish handing things over here. I'm just leaving a little ahead of you."
Jenny fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
"I'll come find you at the Naier Hotel."
Late that night, a side gate of the city lord's castle quietly opened.
Haeru charged into the night.
Standing on Haeru's back, Bebe glanced back at the castle as it grew farther and farther away.
"Boss, what about the man watching us?"
"Let him deliver the news," Linley said through Soul Transmission.
Five years had passed, and the Radiant Church still hadn't given up.
Nor did he intend to keep hiding.
Haeru leaped over the city wall and soon disappeared at the far end of the main road.
An hour later, a swift horse galloped out from the other side of Chier County City.
Its rider was none other than the middle-aged man in gray from earlier that day.
He rode east the entire way, only reaching a small town a hundred li away late at night.
On the edge of the town, a lamp still burned in an ordinary courtyard residence.
The middle-aged man swung down from his horse and strode into the courtyard.
The door opened.
A silver-haired woman stood beneath the lamplight.
She looked no more than twenty, and a faint smile lingered on her face.
"What is it?"
The middle-aged man dropped to one knee.
"Lady Landan."
"Linley has appeared."
The smile froze on the silver-haired woman's face.
It had been five years.
At last, her wait was over.