Chapter 42: Goldfang Grub’s Dream

At the long table of the Oak Barrel Tavern, tonight’s drinks were free, but customers had to get them themselves.

Li Qiuchen was chatting with Jocelyn about going to Phoenix City with Kairui tomorrow. Jocelyn nodded in agreement, mentioning that Naili was packing luggage.

Tide was also preparing to go to the city, intending to investigate the Soul Crystal market on behalf of the mayor.

He was also planning to open a tavern in the city in the future.

“Just right, we’ll also go to the Arcane Workshop. Ask him for our wages for this month, and add one more Silver Tack. We helped him with his work, and we can help him look for a tavern shop location as well.”

Li Qiuchen immediately suggested. Back when he was in the squad, he liked these kinds of communication tasks the most—simple, safe, at worst just time-consuming.

“Teacher, if you need money, I can give you some.”

Kairui took a sip of beer and proposed.

Jocelyn raised her eyebrows with interest, her delicate face puffing slightly.

“A newly recruited student? So filial. Much better than the previous one. Here, two Gold Tacks for your teacher’s good brother to spend.”

Li Qiuchen frowned and nudged her.

“Don’t mess around.”

He turned to Kairui.

“Keep your money. Don’t spend it randomly. Teachers earn money more out of habit than necessity. It has nothing to do with lacking funds.”

Later, even the Demon-Sealing Squad was not short of money.

After all, the Princess’s identity had been made public, and Reina had also become an official Saintess.

But they did not change their frugal lifestyle.

On the contrary, under Captain Belinda’s insistence, it became a rule for their training.

During city supply runs, Belinda would lead them to enjoy delicious food without hesitation, Reina would arrange for everyone to sleep in the best guest rooms.

But once they set out on the path to seal demons, they could only chew on ordinary black bread, sleep in shabby inns, and their equipment was all standard-priced gear.

Sometimes, Li Qiuchen would dream of Belinda, Reina, Hestia, and Squad Four savoring fine food at a noble banquet, leaving him alone in a leaky inn.

He would wake up from the dream, sit up in shock—thankfully, everyone was still there.

Belinda hugged Judgement, sleeping in the corner. Reina sat cross-legged, dozing nearby.

Jocelyn sprawled out, snoring, while outside the tent, Hestia idly tugged at Little Fei’s mane.

Seeing everyone there, a hard-to-describe sense of reassurance welled up in him.

“Hey, are you the mage who defeated Mankor?

Why is there no mana fluctuation on you at all?”

A girl wearing a pointy mage hat walked over from the corner, her voice filled with disdain.

Li Qiuchen glanced at her.

The girl was about one meter fifty-six, with meticulously groomed silver-white hair, skin as pale as ivory from staying indoors, and a cute porcelain-doll face full of suspicion and contempt.

Li Qiuchen looked away and continued chatting with Jocelyn.

“Uncle White should also be going to Phoenix City to find his youngest son. We can go together. He’s looking for his son, we’re searching for a node. Though the goals are different, it’s all like finding a needle in a haystack now. We can act together.”

Li Qiuchen suggested.

“Hmph. Kairui, is this your teacher? What can he teach you? He doesn’t even know magic at all.”

The little loli crossed her arms, raised her chin domineeringly, and snapped at Kairui.

“Aili, don’t say that.”

Kairui frowned.

Li Qiuchen and Jocelyn completely ignored her.

Jocelyn continued.

“I agree. Uncle can make bread for us to eat, so we don’t have to eat black bread anymore. I’ll go ask him—there’s definitely no problem.”

Even for that mouthful of bread, Uncle White must be kept.

“By the way, where’s Uncle White?”

Li Qiuchen looked around, a little puzzled.

“I made him a stone ear and egg fried rice. Uncle said he had to go to the restroom for a bit. Li Zi, do you want to try?”

Jocelyn asked.

“No, no. My body just recovered, so I gave up on rice.”

Li Qiuchen waved his hand to refuse.

“Hey! Do you really know magic? Why won’t you talk to me?!”

The little loli mage puffed her cheeks and shouted at Li Qiuchen.

Her voice was so loud it even quieted the crowd that had been singing and celebrating, drawing their attention to Li Qiuchen.

Li Qiuchen swirled his wooden wine cup and answered.

“Because the dogs in town are all barking.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? What does you knowing magic have to do with the dogs barking in town?”

Aili frowned, asking.

Jocelyn was already suppressing her laughter.

“Mm, beautiful young lady, what does me knowing magic have to do with you?”

Li Qiuchen took a sip of beer and shot back at her.

Aili’s face flushed bright red, instantly realizing she was being compared to a barking dog.

The drunkard White was the first to burst into laughter, followed by a chorus of laughter from everyone.

The crowd ignored them and continued drinking and singing.

Aili stomped her foot loudly.

“You’re finished! You’re doomed! I will tell… tell Lord Countess about you insulting me. You’ll be punished. You’re finished!”

As she spoke, her lips trembled, her sparkling blue eyes fixed fiercely on Li Qiuchen, as if to burn his face into her memory to draw onto the execution notice.

“Alright, Aili, stop making a scene.”

Kaili’s voice came from outside the door.

“Cloud Yun Wei, why are you up? He bullied me!”

Aili threw herself to Kaili’s side, rambling her grievances.

Li Qiuchen turned to look at Kairui, who showed an innocent face.

“She’s the Countess’s envoy. I saw her at noble banquets with my father before.”

“Whose child?”

Jocelyn asked first.

“I don’t remember. I was too young back then. Later, when father didn’t want to travel far, I never went again.”

Kairui explained.

Li Qiuchen nodded.

Amid the noise, Kaili slowly walked over.

Tide then proposed a toast to Kaili, and everyone raised their cups, the aroma of fresh beer spreading.

After finishing her tasks, Naili sat at the dining table, and White sat down, his face pale.

Kaili sat to Li Qiuchen’s left and couldn’t help but ask.

“Aili said, what’s with your lack of mana fluctuation?”

The little loli mage leaned forward, glaring at Li Qiuchen.

She wanted to see how this villain would answer.

“My Source of Mana is broken.”

Li Qiuchen replied calmly.

Though almost drowned out by the noise, everyone at the table heard him clearly.

White and Kairui both wore serious expressions.

Naili looked confused, Jocelyn drank her beer, and Kaili covered her face.

“It’s alright. It will heal.”

She seemed to be comforting both Li Qiuchen and herself.

“Source of Mana shattered. Then how did you defeat Mankor? Say! Did you take credit for Cloud Kaili’s achievements?”

Aili pressed.

She had always believed it was her cousin who defeated Mankor, but others said it was the northern boy named Li Qiuchen.

Kairui looked worriedly at Li Qiuchen, but he gave his student a reassuring look, and Kairui immediately relaxed.

“It should be curable. Just in time for tomorrow’s departure to Phoenix City. When we get there, we can consult some Archmages.”

Uncle White offered comfort.

“Don’t be so tense. Maybe my Source of Mana will heal after a night’s sleep.”

Li Qiuchen said with a smile, raising his cup, his face showing a reliable expression.

How could it possibly heal?

How could he put on such a careless face?

Such forced strength only made her heart ache more.

“It’s okay if it doesn’t heal.”

Kaili stood up abruptly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I… No, the Temple of the God of War will take care of you. Sorry, I need to go out.”

Under the shocked gazes of everyone, Kaili turned and hurried out of the tavern.

Aili watched in confusion, mouth agape.

She stood up immediately, wanting to chase her cousin, but kept pointing at Li Qiuchen as she backed away.

“You… You, look at you! See what you did to my cousin. You made her cry. You’re finished! I’m telling you!”

The others looked at Li Qiuchen with curiosity.

“I didn’t do anything.”

Li Qiuchen answered truthfully.

“Then why is she crying?”

Jocelyn was skeptical.

“Maybe she was moved? The followers of the Temple of the God of War are all easily emotional.”

Uncle White explained.

When he was in the army, he most enjoyed fighting alongside comrades from the Temple of the God of War.

Their faith in the Goddess of War meant they would risk everything for their companions.

“Maybe.”

Li Qiuchen glanced at the door—Kaili was long gone.

His heart felt heavy.

He turned to look at Tide, who was singing atop the bar.

Tide’s singing was loud and pleasant, like telling a fascinating story.

“The gate of dreams slowly opened, He stepped into His Majesty the King’s dream, He thought His Majesty needed nothing, But unexpectedly, the King fell in love with the Duke’s daughter, pining for her day and night; He begged Grubb to grant him a beautiful dream, And Grubb created the beauty for him.”

Li Qiuchen seemed to sink into it, listening in a daze as the lyrics continued.

“The lover in the dream smiled at him, From then on, the King’s soul was ensnared. People said the King was addicted to drink, but in truth, he was addicted to dreams! He no longer sought his beloved, The Duke’s daughter finally married far away. The King awoke, The beautiful dream was but a prison.”

People whispered excitedly, where in the world could there be such a foolish king?

For the sake of a dream’s illusion, he gave up true love standing before him.

Li Qiuchen simply stared at his cup.

Maybe… such a person really did exist?

Tide’s song continued—bright, pleasing, and as charming as his personality.

He went on singing.

“You trapped me with false phantoms.

Is a lifetime’s desire just a mirage?!

Grubb, ashamed, tried to bid farewell,

But the King grabbed his sleeve.

The beloved is gone,

What else can I do?

Let that phantom

Remain in my dreams forever!”

“This king is shameless. Not only does he fantasize about others, he even grandly asks to keep the illusion in his dream forever.”

The drunkard White couldn’t help but grumble.

Li Qiuchen, however, looked down at his cup and said nothing.

Who besides the foolish king longed to keep an illusion in their dreams?

Did Lord Horne not always want to keep that enchanting phantom after his lover’s death?

That bastard who disguised himself as Father Aescher—could he not endure loneliness, memorizing countless magic spells in a tree hollow?

In pursuit of power, he fused with Mankor, only to die from Mankor’s excitement and terror.

Was not the power he sought a phantom as well?

The world is unpredictable.

There are always those who choose obsession.

After all, mountains are hard to climb; without persistence, nothing is accomplished.

But what’s scary is some people place their obsession upon others.

To make up for regret, they exhaust endless time and resources, at any cost, by any means, chasing phantoms for satisfaction.

Li Qiuchen unconsciously thought of those three pairs of eyes filled with pathological possessiveness.

The cage they built seemed to trap not only themselves, but also him.

The song drifted away, as did Li Qiuchen’s thoughts, floating out the window, up into the pitch-black sky, and towards the round moon.

Far away in the imperial palace of the Taya Empire, Li Qiuchen and Belinda looked upon the same moon.

Belinda had already woken from her dream, the scar on her chest fully healed, without even a mark, but the pain remained unforgettable.

Belinda was drawn by the singing from a distant palace.

She turned her head slightly, recalling the ball that year in Silver Tears City.

She had dressed up with all her might, just to give that blockhead a little stimulus.

But it seemed she had chosen the wrong approach.

The boy walked with his head down and lightly held her hand.

They danced together.

She gazed at his profile, sketching it again and again in her heart, never satisfied even after seeing it countless times.

After the dance, she sat quietly beside the Countess, not daring to look up.

No matter how strong she usually was, at that moment, her heart was shy.

A hand after another was extended for a dance, and she carefully examined them.

She so wished to see a certain hand—the one that had applied medicine for her, cooked for her, and worked for her.

She would recognize it first, then slowly look up, smiling as she held it tightly.

They would dance another song.

If possible, she would dance with him until the end of the banquet, until the last note faded.

But she never saw that familiar hand.

The boy’s figure only busied itself in the dining area.

She withdrew all initiative, wanting to see if he would come find her first, only to realize in the end that she was the only one waiting.

Belinda’s figure left a long shadow on the garden path, moving farther from the direction of the ball.

That night, on the carriage, she pretended to sleep.

The boy climbed onto the carriage, glanced at her, and then did nothing more.

He didn’t even notice the special dragon roast meat lunchbox she had packed for him, nor was he grateful for her effort.

Did he not like roast meat?

He simply ignored her, paying no attention to her carefully dressed beauty.

She sat up abruptly, glaring at him.

Even now, she still remembered his panic and helpless movements.

Very… cute.

He wasn’t doing it on purpose.

He was just a block of wood.

She turned to look out the window, still seeing the little warlock’s bewildered face.

Her anger slowly faded, leaving only amusement and affection.

Liking someone must be like this.

All your joys and sorrows become bound to them, and you yourself become a puppet.

***

“Your Highness, why are you here?”

The voice of Vice President Lemit of the Magic Association pulled Belinda from her memories.

He was looking at her with excitement.

“Lemit, what is it?”

Belinda hated being interrupted from her thoughts.

“Your Highness, do you still remember that Philosopher Mage relic left behind in the dream?”

Lemit knelt on one knee, removing his pointed hat in salute.

“These past days, I’ve searched desperately and finally found a great mage deeply skilled in dreams. He can surely help you acquire it!”

Lemit had always felt uneasy about the battle with Talaide and the Time Temple that day, especially the legendary treasure.

He was determined to help Her Highness obtain the Philosopher Mage’s relic.

On one hand, it would please the Princess, now appointed heir.

On the other, the study of the relic would definitely fall to their Magic Association.

That was the relic of the late hero Philosopher Mage Ellen, a treasure a hundred times more powerful than the Zhesi Gem.

How extraordinary!

With this treasure, would the Magic Association still fear the Gnome Association or the Light and Shadow Trickster League?

But Belinda’s ears caught only one key word: acquire him?

Belinda’s eyes narrowed slightly, her red pupils like two burning flames in the garden.

“Rise. Take me to him.”