Arc 3
The Glory of God (10)
Hearing that, Ye Chen’s heart warmed.
She quietly lay on Elt’s back, lulled to sleep.
Much later, she roused with a start. She heard Elt yell, “What are you doing!”
Soon afterward, she was tossed to bed. There were loud rackets next to her. When she was fully sober, she caught the scene of Kyle cornering Elt. By Kyle’s neck was an ice sword formed from Elt’s magic while Kyle’s sword was an inch away from stabbing through Elt’s head. In a span of a moment, both parties could heavily injure the opponents.
They both paused their actions when they heard Ye Chen’s groan and stayed still.
Ye Chen bounced out of the bed in a flash and grumpily yanked Kyle away, “Disperse! Disperse! Both of you, disperse!”
“Why is he here?!” Kyle roared. Elt patted the dust on his body and got on his feet. He glared at him and gave a brittle laugh, “Why can’t I be here?”
“Why is he here?!” Kyle repeated, eyes full of wrath, “You are my fiancee. Ye Chen, don’t you remember? You are my fiancee! You let a man in your room in the middle of the night, where do you place me!”
Ye Chen blinked, a moment later, she delivered a fatal blow to Kyle, “In the past two years, hasn’t he always stayed in my room every day? I never see you complain about it, though?”
Kyle, “……”
From her behind, Elt burst out laughing.
Ye Chen was aware of Kyle’s dissatisfaction. But, how much could he like her? With so many women around him, one less Ye Chen wouldn’t affect him much.
Thereupon, Ye Chen drove him out, a little weary, “Stop it. Get out. I want to have a good sleep. I will go terminate our engagement tomorrow.”
“What did you say?” Kyle froze. Ye Chen raised her eyelids, staring at him oddly, “Terminate our engagement. Haven’t I said it clear enough?”
“Have you asked me? “Kyle shook like a leaf, “This matter involves two of us, you should at least ask me…”
“Didn’t you say it yourself?”Ye Chen felt slightly strange, “You told me back then that you wouldn’t mind if I found a lover. Since you don’t mind me finding a lover, why would you mind if I step out of our engagement?”
“Kyle,” Ye Chen sighed, “Let’s part on good terms[1]…”
“I don’t want to part with you!” Kyle raised his voice and grabbed Ye Chen. Elt instantly produced a barrier between them and strode up to him, “You don’t have the final say on whether to part with her or not.”
Ye Chen, “……”
Both of them acted like this, didn’t they pretty much look like the Villain from the face-slapping story that got beaten because of the matter of terminating the engagement?
So, she cleared her throat. Softly and carefully, she spoke, “Kyle, over the years, I have helped you a lot, haven’t I?”
Kyle was taken aback. The agitated emotions slowly alleviated. His eyes sunk and he assented. Ye Chen smiled, “In that case, even if it is only to pay the debt of gratitude, you must have hoped for me to live well, don’t you?”
He could only watch as Ye Chen held Elt’s hand. She added gently, “So, I hope you wish me happiness.”
“This person,” She lifted her hand that hold Elt’s hand and said in an earnest voice, “I like him, so much. I am happy with him. Every minute and every second I spent with him made me all the happier. If you really hope for me to live well, I hope you can give your blessing to us.”
“But…” Kyle’s voice was hoarse, “You certainly like me…”
When his voice came out, he recalled that many years ago, he and Ye Chen went to the Imperial Capital together. Regardless of the wind and rain, Ye Chen always helped him and watched over him all along.
She certainly liked him…
However, after he uttered that sentence, he regretted it because he was distinctly aware that Ye Chen’s response was not something he could accept.
And just as he expected, Ye Chen parted her lips and said, “But, I don’t like you anymore.”
“Kyle,” her voice was so gentle, “Everyone has times when they are tired. I am tired of this feeling. I hope that the next time you meet another girl in the future, you can cherish her better.”
Kyle stared blankly at her. He dared not speak.
He stared at the girl with a warm smile before him, at her fine clothes, at her soft facial features.
He knew Elt took good care of her. This Young Master, Elt, had wealth, power, and a superb aesthetic. After Ye Chen got together with him, he personally picked out an entire cabinet of clothes and jewelry for her; Ye Chen could wear those clothes for seasons without requiring to wear the same thing. He bought the pastries she liked every day; He blocked all the troubles for her. Day by day, she became more delicate and soft, she was no less than any noble girl born and raised in the Imperial Capital.
When Ye Chen was with him, she was always on the run or on the way to escape, either making money or searching for a way to make money.
In his bones, he always regarded Ye Chen as one with him. He gladly helped others, but he never thought that Ye Chen also needed help. He just thought that Ye Chen was his and she could assist him to help others.
He didn’t notice it before, but now looking back, he realized that from a long time ago, he had recognized her as his wife. He never thought about separating from her.
But now, they must.
Because she’s tired.
It turned out that she could be tired from this relationship.
At this point, he finally grew up and understood clearly where he was wrong.
He genuinely wanted to say, Ye Chen, I will treat you well. I will be better than Elt.
But he discovered that he was indeed no better than Elt, maybe never would.
That thought was the thing that distressed him the most,
He was anxious to find Elt’s shortcomings and comfort himself that Ye Chen wouldn’t be happy with Elt and Ye Chen could only find true happiness by his side. She wouldn’t let go of him by then. Nevertheless, he found that Ye Chen probably wouldn’t be happy by his side like he expected.
He had no excuse to keep Ye Chen from leaving him.
So, he just stared blankly at her. The girl asked again, “We terminate our engagement, can we?” and in a cracked voice, he answered, “Okay.”
With his answer, Kyle felt that he could no longer sustain himself to remain in place and departed.
Since that day, Ye Chen hadn’t seen Kyle again. He appeared to be deliberately avoiding Ye Chen.
Kyle avoided Ye Chen, neither Elt nor Ye Chen cared about it.
Every day, Ye Chen went to and fro the academy with him. Elt verbally ordered her not to come to him before becoming his knight, but Ye Chen could intercept him on his way accurately every single time.
Ye Chen’s old illness— picky-eating, started to reappear when she was with him. This one is not delicious. That one is not delicious. As a result, out of human goodness, he would cook Eastern dishes for her.
After dinner, the two would start to prepare for their graduation. Ye Chen practiced swords in the yard, and Elt sat at the window on the second floor to read.
In the moonlight, the figure of the young man sitting on the windowsill was mesmerizing. There were times when Ye Chen would stare too long at him because of it.
Thereupon, she sang to Elt. “Baby[2]”, “The Next Second[3]“. In short, every sweet song she knew.
Elt was fed up with her. He sat on the windowsill and hurled his book at her. “What the hell are you singing about!”
Ye Chen picked up his book, spring to her feet, and leaped to the windowsill. Elt crossed his feet. Ye Chen sat on the windowsill by his side and handed him the book, “Excuse me for my poor singing. How about you sing, then?”
Elt sneered and snatched the book from her hand. Ye Chen leaned towards him and shamelessly requested, “Come on~ Just sing~”
Elt was weak for her and unable to reject her, so he hummed a melody.
What he hummed was a ballad that Ye Chen had heard once. It was the universal song sung by young men in this world to court girls.
The melody was simple, all together with the moonlight, it created a kind of tranquility. The young man tilted his head sideways, with a slight blush dusted on his cheeks. The sweet fragrance of roses was in the air, which made it easy for a person to be in trance.
Ye Chen measured him up. His voice that greeted her ears was gentle and lingering, tickling her heart.
She felt especially warm.
Also felt especially happy.
“I’m done.” After a long time, Elt suddenly said, scattering Ye Chen’s train of thoughts. Ye Chen came back to her senses and glanced at his proud expression.
“Shouldn’t you give me a gift after listening to my song?”
“Mn?”
“Have you filled in the application form to be my Knight?”
Ye Chen, “……”
At his question, she recalled the spectacular event she encountered when she filled in the application.
According to the usual practice, every year, the moment of the Imperial Academy’s graduation was when Knights and Mages select each other. Only Knights and Mages who graduated from the Imperial Academy were eligible to select their candidates. Generally speaking, Knights and Mages made their own private agreement, but there were some cases where Mages didn’t designate their Knights. Sometimes, multiple knights would select the same Mage and there was a possibility that the Mage had long taken a fancy on another Knight.
At that point, the outcome was decided from a duel.
In case there were lots of people competing, it could be turned into a big competition.
Such as in Elt’s case.
As the Eldest Young Master of the Lancer Family, Elt couldn’t choose his own knight. His family had informed the Headmaster about it. When he graduated, Elt’s knight could only be decided through competition. Simply put, who the best was; who Elt’s knight was.
Hence, if Ye Chen wanted to be Elt’s knight, she must win over the other contestants first.
The Headmaster initially planned to do it quietly. Who knew that over the years, Elt had been in the limelight. When the news that Elt was going to use this method to choose his knight, the whole academy was boiling. Thus, the Headmaster had to work out an application form.
When Ye Chen went to get her application form, she saw a sea of beautiful women instead. She almost believed she had gone the wrong way.
Where was it the Knight application form?! It was clearly the Wife application form!
So when Elt questioned her about Elt, Ye Chen unloaded her complaints. Elt raised his eyebrow at her “Wife application form” and repeated his question, “So, in the end, have you filled it in or not?”
“I have!”
Ye Chen’s voice was firm. The corners of Elt’s lips curled up, “Hmph. I knew it. You loathe to part with me.”
Ye Chen, “……”
Ha, ha. Wait for the day I abandon you, you better not cry.
In the Imperial Academy, Elt, who was practically destined to be part of the Divine Tower and became the Arch-Mage, was a figure whose popularity matched his supreme arrogance. At the time the news spread, nearly all graduates signed up.
Like on the day of the entrance examination back then, Ye Chen braved herself and overcame all her opponents[4] all the way until the final battle. Ye Chen was stunned as soon as she saw her opponent.
Kyle was her opponent.
She hadn’t seen him for some time and he had become a lot more haggard since.
Ye Chen couldn’t help but blurt, “What are you doing here?”
You want to be Elt’s wife, too???
Kyle’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Chen,” His voice as haggard as his appearance, “I have lost you. I don’t want to lose my dream too.”
“Becoming the Knight of the Arch-Mage and accompanying him to watch over the Divine Tower is my sole dream now.”
Ye Chen didn’t reply. She gazed at the sorrowful expression of the person across her. At long last, she raised her sword and stated seriously——
“Please start your performance.”
The author has something to say,
[Mini Theater · Doctor]
Doctor, “You should have been discharged from the hospital.”
Mo Shu Bai, “I can’t let myself be discharged!”
Doctor, “You keep fooling around like this in the Mini Theater every time, why bother?!”
Mo Shu Bai, “Heh. You don’t understand, do you? I call this— Selling myself for the fans!”
Doctor, “……”
The world of young people, he couldn’t understand it.
Footnotes
Original line is 好聚好散 – hǎo jù hǎo sàn; lit. Gather well, Disperse well. Get along happily when you are together, and be friendly when you are not together anymore. To part without hard feelings. To cut the knot as smoothly as you tied it.↵
宝贝 – bǎobèi by 张悬 – Zhāng Xuán, also known as Deserts Xuan/Deserts Chang/Deserts Anpu. There is a subbed version on Youtube. A short simple sweet song.↵
下一秒 – xià yī miǎo by 张碧晨 – Zhāng Bìchén, also known as Diamond Chang. There is a subbed version on Youtube. Soundtrack of Love 020 (CDrama, adapted from a novel).↵
Original line is 过五关斩六将, it is a plot from “Romance of the Three Kingdom” in which Guan Yu “passes five gates and kills six Generals” (过五关斩六将). So 过五关斩六将 becomes a metaphor for being brave or determined to overcome difficulties and obstacles.↵
Ry’s Corner
Wo de bao bei bao bei, gei ni yi dian tian tian~ rang ni jin ye dou hao mian~
“Selling myself for the fans!” because the readers like reading the Mini Theater lol.
Enjoy the sweet while you can.
A make-up chapter for the missed updates!
3 out of 6 done.
Please consider checking ‘The Memory Lost in Space‘ in case you like a good read(feels)! I’m gonna always put this here because I’m obsessed with it! No thanks needed.
If you like what I do please consider buying me ko-fi! Who needs sleep, anyway. I don’t offer Advanced Chapters like Lyre yet, but you are free to water this thirsty cat!
Words count (excluding title, footnotes, TL’s corner): 2251
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The chatting guest on the seat went, so the book slept.
Oml. The “Baby” one is so cute? Hello???
I think I know why Elt’s hurled the book at her. It’s so childishly cute that I applause Ye Chen for her confidence on singing it loud.
The Ayn in your pfp is way cuter than “Baby.” 😳
With Elt’s thin face I’m surprised his patience lasted more than two songs lol
So sorry to Elt, but i cannot wait for arc 4 which is really exciting XD. HAHAHAHA
Thank you for the translation!
Arc 4 (ノ^o^)ノ