1novels 123. Farewell
123. Farewell
"Um……"
Eve tilted her head, her blood-red eyes slightly narrowed, like a cat whose chin had been scratched.
As soon as she finished listening to Xinlai's instructions, she immediately leaned in again. This time, her lips landed on the corner of Xinlai's mouth, then followed his jawline down, paused for a moment at his Adam's apple, and finally returned to his lips.
She was really asking for a kiss, expressing her unwillingness to let go in an almost stubborn way.
Xinlai was momentarily overwhelmed by Eve's sudden offensive.
She clung to him with a light but persistent strength, each kiss carrying an unspoken stubbornness, as if protesting the impending separation in her own way.
He could only let her do as she pleased, gently patting her back as if soothing a tantrum-throwing little animal.
They lingered for a while longer.
The sky had turned from pale blue to grayish-white, and the brightness of the campfire gradually diminished in the morning light, no longer being the most conspicuous light source.
The birdsong in the woods grew louder and louder, and several unidentified birds were flapping their wings in the distant treetops.
The smell of barbecue mingled with the fresh scent of grass and trees in the air, creating a unique aroma that belonged only to this moment.
Xinlai helped Eve straighten her clothes.
Her neckline had been mostly open at some point, and her coat had slipped down to her shoulders, revealing her collarbone and the curve of her shoulders. Large swathes of her fair skin were exposed to the cool morning air.
Xinlai's hands were steady as she pulled the clothes off her shoulders back, neatly gathered the collar, and carefully fastened each button.
Then he looked at Eve, watching her cast a spell, a forced transformation of clothing.
Her fair hands traced simple rune paths in the air, and the magic emanating from her fingertips glowed a pale blue, flowing like water onto the surface of her large outer garment.
After the magic permeated the fabric fibers, the clothes began to automatically shrink, deform, and reorganize. The neckline tightened to the appropriate size, the sleeves shortened to just the fingertips, and the hem extended to the ankles. It automatically split at the waist and was then re-sewn, forming a simple yet completely covering robe.
Xinlai watched her finish doing all this, his gaze sweeping from her collar to her cuffs, and then from her cuffs to her hem. Only after confirming that the robe, which had been modified from his outer garment, was indeed completely unexposed, did he finally feel at ease.
"This bear meat is enough for you to eat for a day or two. If you eat it sparingly, it should last until my men deliver the supplies."
Xinlai pointed to the bear meat chunks that had been cut, portioned, wrapped in clean leaves, and neatly arranged by the campfire. "I'll get them as soon as possible."
"Okay..."
Eve turned her head away, looking somewhat awkwardly to the side.
Her ears were still red, and she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips, but she didn't dare to look directly at Xinlai, and could only look around among the trees and bushes.
Thinking back on that proactive offensive, she felt a little embarrassed, but also a sense of righteous indignation.
We're going to separate anyway, what's wrong with a few kisses?
These two emotions were fighting inside her, and in the end, they manifested as this awkward yet frank expression.
"Thank you for your hard work these past few days." Xinlai took a step forward, bent down, and placed a kiss on Eve's fair forehead. The moment his lips touched her forehead skin, he could feel her whole body tremble slightly, then quickly regain her composure.
He straightened up, took a half step back, and glanced at her one last time.
Eve stood by the campfire, wearing a robe made from his outer garment, her bare feet crunching on fallen leaves and mud. Her long, snow-white hair swayed gently in the morning breeze, and her blood-red eyes stared unblinkingly at him.
She bit her lower lip, without crying or reddening her eyes. She simply nodded vigorously and forced a slightly bigger smile than before.
That smile looked especially bright in the dim morning light.
Xinlai turned around and walked back the way she came.
His footsteps rustled on the fallen leaves, and his silhouette was bathed in the fading warmth of the campfire behind him.
The shadows of the trees swept over him, the light and shadow alternating, as if something was peeling away layer by layer the brief moment of peace he had just experienced here.
Eve stood there, watching the figure disappear among the increasingly dense tree trunks, vanishing into the depths where the morning mist and shadows intertwined.
She raised her hand and touched her forehead with her fingertips, where the warmth of Xinlai's lips still lingered.
The campfire crackled behind me, scattering a few last sparks before falling silent.
She took a deep breath, lowered her hand from her forehead, and instead gripped the collar of her robe tightly. Her knuckles clenched the fabric until her knuckles turned slightly white.
"I'll wait for you," she whispered to the empty woods.
Lin Zi did not answer her; only the wind rustled through the treetops, creating a soft, rustling sound, like some distant echo.
……
……
Due to the unexplained magical fluctuations within the royal city, and Garund's inability to handle state affairs, Bermilt had no choice but to temporarily postpone the punishment of Simeon, allowing him to investigate what had happened.
Sinley learned of this from Gordon's message, but still did not choose to return to the city.
The control over the city gates is definitely stricter than before. If he appears outside the royal city for no reason and then inexplicably returns to the royal city, it will definitely attract Simien's attention.
So Xinlai took out the route map that she had been hiding in the lining, roughly identified the direction and path, and quietly made her way there.
Marquis Tanstin wasn't foolish enough to send 50,000 heavily armored cavalry to the capital to rebel, but he still arranged for two scout squads to secretly garrison and observe the area near Wang City.
The red cross on the route map marks the location where this scout squad is stationed. Xinlai's purpose in going there is twofold: first, to completely control these 50,000 heavily armored cavalry; and second, to take one of the cavalrymen back to the capital to report to his father, King Bemmilt, explaining that he went out of the city to meet with the subordinates of Marquis Tanstin.
When Bermelt meets Marquis Tanstin's men, he will surely have to carefully consider whether to quell the anger of these 50,000 heavily armored cavalry.
Xinlai has probably already figured out her future path.
Simeon's position in the court is currently at its zenith, and once Bermelt steps down, he will most likely step over Garund to become the new king of Asgard.
Xinlai also had reasons to become king. Before that, he not only needed to enhance his strength, but also to have certain achievements in order to have the opportunity to compete with Simien.
Therefore, Sinlai will ask Bermilt to let him go to the border for training. For Bermilt, this is exactly what he wants, so he will most likely not refuse...