February 4, 2023
"Have you registered yet, Sizhu?"
Standing at the registration desk, Mei Mei asked as she wrote down her name.
Sizhu, who stood beside her, just shrugged.
"I thought someone would come to handle that for me soon."
Right as he finished saying that, someone approached their group of three.
It was a young boy walking beside someone older.
"Ah! Finally found you!"
The boy ran up to his little sister who had wandered off somewhere.
"Yaoyao! Didn't I tell you to wait for me if you wanted to look around?"
It was Qing, dressed in a blue t-shirt and black knee-length shorts.
"Qing?" Sizhu realized immediately it was Qing.
"Ah! Brother Sizhu! We were looking for you too, you know."
Sizhu lowered his head, feeling too guilty to say sorry to Qing for failing to save his father.
He remembered that moment clearly, when Qing father's head was cut off, fly to mid air and then fall into the wet ground just as Sizhu arrived at the village center.
Seeing Sizhu silent, Qing gently tapped Sizhu's thigh.
"I already know. It was Father's decision. He sacrificed himself to save us from those giant wasp chasing after him. Brother Sizhu, you're not at fault for Father's death."
"I'm sorry. If only I'd been five steps faster…"
Qing looked at Sizhu's face, at the furrowed brow and the sorrow in his eyes. He could see how deeply Sizhu regretted what happened.
Qing sighed. "I told you, it wasn't your fault. Stop blaming yourself for Father's death. He wanted us to stay strong and keep living."
Sizhu lifted his face and saw Qing smiling while fighting back tears. Qing then hugged Sizhu tightly, burying his face into Sizhu's belly.
Sizhu could only crouch down and return the hug.
Even though Qing was trying to stay strong as the eldest son, grief can't always stop the tears from falling.
At least those tears showed that Qing truly accepted his father's death and would grow stronger in the days to come.
Yaoyao also hugged both of them.
The sight moved everyone standing in line at the registration desk, including those who were just watching, leaving them silent and touched.
"Are you all done hugging?"
The sharp yet calm voice belonged to Jianying, who had been helping Qing look for his sister while also searching for Sizhu, who had vanished from his room earlier.
Mei Mei, who had just been wiping her damp lashes, froze in place as if she was seeing an angel—literally.
Another handsome guy?!
Her cheeks flushed pink just from seeing Jianying walk closer.
"You, if I'm not mistaken, you're the top senior student from the Lake major, right?" Jianying asked Mei Mei, who had unconsciously opened her mouth in awe.
Mei Mei was so captivated by Jianying's handsome face that she barely heard his question.
"Ah, yes, mm, yes…" she nodded repeatedly, agreeing with whatever Jianying had just said.
"What are you doing here?" Jianying asked again.
Mei Mei stammered, "Uh? W-well, I was just accompanying this little girl to look around the academy. Then we met this young man named Sizhu who entered our dorm without permission, and now we're here to register for the Zhan Dou tournament." She said it all in one breath, running out of air by the end.
He's so handsome, it makes me so nervous!
In her mind, Mei Mei kept fantasizing about the two handsome men she'd met tonight.
Her face turned redder just from imagining it.
Jianying nodded once. "Thank you for watching over the little girl—and him too." He pointed to Yaoyao with his finger, then gestured to Sizhu with just his eyes, which slightly offended Sizhu.
Why not point with his finger too?
Jianying and Sizhu locked eyes for a moment so long that people watching thought they were about to fight.
Meanwhile, Mei Mei blushed even more because Jianying had thanked her directly—a stranger she didn't really know, or hadn't realized she knew.
He thanked me! I have to reply!
"Y-you're welcome…" Mei Mei finally managed to say, her voice as soft as a squeaking rabbit.
"Get ready, Sizhu. The Zhan Dou tournament will start soon."
"What should I get ready for?"
Jianying turned away and gestured for Sizhu to follow.
"Come with me."
All four of them—Qing, Yaoyao, Mei Mei, and Sizhu—hurried after Jianying.
Leaving behind the other participants, still confused about what had just happened.
"Such incredible soul energy…" murmured someone wearing round glasses and a bowl-cut hairstyle as the black-haired, green-eyed young man passed by.
***
"Hey there, beautiful girl. How about we form a temporary alliance for the tournament? If I'm not wrong, tonight starts with the group elimination, right? Wouldn't it be safer for a pretty little girl like you to join forces with a strong, handsome man like me?"
A tall man with a crooked nose and thug-like look asked the blonde girl with a wide, leering grin.
His two friends behind him—one bald and one with a spiky hairstyle—grinned too. Their appearance same as their face. Bad boys clothes.
The blonde shook her head. "Sorry, but I'm not interested in making alliances with anyone." She turned to walk away, but the tall man blocked her path.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Every place has its rules, little girl. It's fine if you refuse us, but you'll have to accept the consequences in the arena. Maybe your pretty face and smooth body will end up with some lovely scars."
The thug grabbed her chin and cheek, threatening her. His friends laughed behind him.
The blonde shook her head firmly, her expression angry, and stepped past them.
"Throw the sticky balloon, Bob. Let's embarrass her right here."
"Got it, boss."
A man called bob took a rubber balloon out of his pocket. He then blew it up, making it the size of a palm, using the filling he put in his mouth.
"Experience my ultimate magic move! She'll be smelling the scent of my mouth fluids for weeks hahaha."
The two of his friend chuckle as seeing bob ready to throw after he enchant a magic into the hand-size balloon.
A balloon flew toward the back of the blonde girl's head.
Before it hit, someone behind her caught it. She turned around, surprised to see someone suddenly there.
The young man who caught it quickly threw it back before it could explode.
Splash!
The balloon burst right on the faces of the three men, covering them in foul-smelling, sticky liquid.
"You! Damn you! I'll kill you in the arena!"
"My master once said: if you hear someone wants to kill you, it's better to kill them first—without shouting you'll do it back."
The sharp green gaze of the mysterious black-haired young man made the three men shudder. They felt he really meant what he said.
Meanwhile, the blonde girl had turned her back and glared at the three thugs, fury in her eyes.
"You've three crossed the line." She raised her hand. "With the might of the lord of night, divine with you, anguish water, shaping the tool of war—sword strike!"
Three swords made of water appeared from thin air, looking solid like glass. They shot toward the three men who had tried to humiliate the blonde girl whose eyes now glowed blue with anger.
"Oh shit! That's an intermediate-level water spell! Run!"
Before the thug leader could say more, the swords had already flown past, slashing into the stone floor.
Blood dripped from the men's waists.
"Ahh!"
"Agh--!"
"My stomach!"
They covered their bleeding sides, wincing in pain.
The blonde girl walked closer.
"You're lucky. If that young man hadn't protected me from your disgusting balloon, tonight your heads would've been rolling."
Her voice was low and cold, her eyes staring down at the three men crawling in pain.
"You… just wait… I won't let you breathe easy tonight!"
One water sword appeared above her hand as she raised it to finish them off.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her raised wrist.
She looked up, startled.
"Let go."
"That's enough. They're still human."
The blonde girl was surprised by the sadness and regret in the young man's green eyes.
She let go of the spell. The water sword turned into droplet dropped and splashed onto the white stone floor.
After seeing it fall, the young man let go of her hand.
The three wounded men struggled up, cursing as they limped away.
I'll kill that girl… and that bastard who stopped me!
When they were gone, the blonde girl let out a deep sigh.
Many people had watched everything, but only the young man beside her had stepped in to help.
"I lost my patience. Thank you for protecting and reminding me, Sir…?"
"My name is Sizhu."
The blonde girl stepped back a little, lifted her skirt, and gave a noble curtsy.
"Nice to meet you, Sir Sizhu. My name is Elizabeth Cassandra Mary Winsor. Once again, thank you, Sir Sizhu." She smiled warmly, still bowing slightly.
Sizhu nodded once, unsure how to properly reply.
They stood silently, facing each other. Elizabeth had been standing quietly since she entered the field, until the three thugs approached her.
Now they faced each other in awkward silence. Some onlookers turned away, losing interest.
"Um… this is a bit awkward. Sir Sizhu, did you come here to join the tournament?"
Elizabeth tried to keep the conversation going, though the answer of question her ask was obvious.
She felt nervous—maybe because it was the first time someone had stepped in to save her, or maybe because she felt something when looking at the young man before her.
Sizhu nodded once in response. He gripped the wooden staff tightly in his right hand.
"I have to win this tournament to meet my master's friend."
Elizabeth remembered that just a moment ago, Sizhu had said something while shielding her from the foul-smelling balloon.
"Sizhu master… he must be a great man. Is he here now?"
Sizhu shook his head. "He has already passed away."
Hearing that, Elizabeth felt a bit guilty for asking. "Ah, forgive me. I didn't mean to bring that up."
Sizhu gave a small nod.
The two of them fell into awkward silence again. They just stood there, facing each other, without saying a single word.
Inside the palace, I was never used to having long conversations with anyone except for Master Alice. I don't know how to make proper small talk with him…
Maybe asking about his life might get his attention?
"Um… Sir Sizhu… do you like wheat?"
The words slipped out without her thinking.
Her cheeks turned red.
What did I just say?!
"Wheat?" Sizhu asked. "What is that?"
"Uh, it's a staple crop from my country. We usually make bread from it, or make it into cereal with milk."
Why did I say that?
Elizabeth wanted to hide her face, but she decided to keep look polite, even her lips slightly twitching smile.
Sizhu quietly nodded. "Oh." He didn't even know what bread was.
"Sizhu! Finally, I found you!"
***