Looking at the brave explorer
Looking at the man who protects this continent from danger
Looking at the darling of women and children
Looking at the charming man in his prime, with mystical hair color and dark eyes
Looking at a man of high ideals and moral principles
Looking at Gardemarine Gelion
Looking at the Plunderer of Mysteries
Looking at the national hero
Looking at one of his ideals
Elion smiled
Elion's smile expressed:
Anticipation
Excitement
Joy
Happiness
Elion's smile undoubtedly expressed:
Admiration.
...
Led by a blue-green mutant who appeared to have emerged from the depths of the sea, the Gardemarine's squad moved smoothly through the crowded street.
Sitting in a carriage with two ladies on either side, Gardemarine smiled gently and quietly waved to the onlookers.
"Ah, isn't it wonderful that so many people have come out to greet us? They dropped everything to welcome their favorite. It's wonderful!" Said the folk hero, sounding a bit excited.
The two men looked at him strangely, but said nothing. The two women, in turn, pressed themselves closer to him as if wanting to share the people's love. However, their admiring glances were directed at the hero.
"Unfortunately, I can't give everyone my full attention. There are too many of them, and just one me..." The man muttered regretfully.
"You can give us your attention. We are ready to accept it at any moment." The women murmured in unison, adoringly.
"Ah... Of course, I am always ready to give you my attention." The hero replied to the women with a warm smile.
Two men sighed dejectedly and began to talk among themselves.
"The audience here is kind of dull. There are hardly any women to be seen. Tsk..." The first one muttered discontentedly.
"What did you expect? Most of the people who live here are men who spend their whole lives scribbling on pieces of paper. Apart from research, they don't give a damn about anything else." Replied the second man, equally dissatisfied.
"If it weren't for this damn report, I would never have come to this backward place."
"Paul, it's not just a report. You saw how half the sea froze over, and the ice is spreading. God forbid what might be happening at the 'Epicenter'."
"So what? Even the capital couldn't handle it?"
"The capital created this place so it wouldn't have to deal with everything at once."
Paul could only sigh, realizing the unpleasant situation,
"Damn, what a drag..."
The other man silently agreed.
The procession moved smoothly through the crowd of people standing in front of the monotonous, three-story stone dormitories without stepping onto the road. Finally, as they approached the roundabout, the beast began to turn. Then, without taking his eyes off something, Paul roughly grabbed the other man by the shoulder and said in an excited tone,
"Damn it, Dex, do you see that? Damn me if you say I'm the only one who sees it..."
The man looked at him in confusion but followed his gaze and saw what he was looking at; it was undoubtedly striking.
Among the crowd of onlookers stood a woman with a child on her shoulders.
The girl wore a dazzling white-and-blue dress, but her beautiful clothes paled in comparison to her. She gave the impression of reflecting the sun itself. With her delicate, slender figure; snow-white skin; and soft, wheat-colored hair, she was undoubtedly the object of every man's desire. What really set her apart, though, was that she was the only one not looking at the famous "Plumber of Mysteries" squad. Her head was raised, and her gaze was fixed on the boy's silly smile. As if oblivious to everything around her, she looked at him and smiled happily.
Looking at this, Dex could only mutter in astonishment,
"Holy shit..."
Paul was the first to recover. He excitedly approached the leader and said:
"Captain, please stop the carriage. Look at her. Let's take her here."
The midshipman silently looked at the detachment member, then followed his gaze to the girl with the boy on her shoulders, as if choosing food. Smiling slightly, he ordered a little louder,
"Maximus, stop." The beast immediately stopped, leaving the cart a couple of meters away from the girl and boy.
The people around them began to talk to each other in confusion. Ignoring them, Gardemarine remained in the carriage and addressed the girl politely.
"Beautiful lady, my companions have noticed you and would like to share some wonderful stories with you about our adventures. Would you care to step into the carriage and join the conversation?" With these words, Poll quietly jumped out of the carriage and unfolded a small ladder. He stood in an inviting pose.
"..."
"Beautiful lady?"
"Belle, I believe that is your name..." The boy addressed the girl, bowing his head.
Anabel looked away from Elion. Her warm smile turned into a calm, slightly dissatisfied expression, as if she had just been torn away from her favorite pastime.
"What?" She said neutrally, looking at the people's favorite. She didn't notice the angry glances from the ladies in the carriage.
Gardemarine raised his eyebrow slightly and repeated,
"Dear lady, my companions and I would like to invite you into the carriage to share stories of our glorious adventures and enjoy a pleasant conversation. Of course, you may bring your boy with you as well."
Hearing this, Elion excitedly said to his sister,
"Belle! Belle! Let's go! Please let's go!"
Annabelle listened to the boy and calmly glanced at everyone in the carriage, not overlooking the poor animal pulling the sleigh. Then, looking into the hero's eyes, she replied indifferently.
"Thank you for the invitation, but my brother is late, so we can't join you."
"But today is the last day of..." The boy began to object.
"Elion." The girl said calmly.
With her sister speaking in such a tone, the boy had no choice but to remain silent.
Realizing the opportunity was slipping away, Paul quickly recovered and began to persuade them.
"Listen, you're missing out on a wonderful opportunity. Our exploits are famous throughout the continent. Anyone would give a fortune to hear them firsthand and spend time with the Gardemarine's squad: Stella the Striking, Moon Helen, Cold Dex, Gardemarine Gelion, and me, Cunning Paul — are ready to welcome you. Please don't miss out on an opportunity that everyone can only dream of."
"..."
"Dear lady?" The man muttered in confusion.
"Belle, it seems like it's you again..."
No one noticed how the girl's gaze shifted back to the boy, but she had to look away again.
"What? I already said my brother is late. If that's all, then we're leaving." The girl said, openly dissatisfied. She began to turn away.
"But still. If the problem is your business, we could meet after that. Just tell me where you live!" the man said hurriedly, trying to persuade her somehow.
"Oh, we live at the end of white dist..." The boy began, trying to be good-natured.
"Elion." His sister interrupted him, her voice slightly raised, and she strode away, pushing through the crowd of puzzled onlookers.
Gardemarine's squad watched this silently for a couple dozen seconds. Afterward, the leader quietly said,
"Noted..."
...
Annabelle finally emerged from the crowd and walked quickly straight to the school.
Elion, still sitting on her shoulders, noticed her slightly nervous behavior and asked with concern,
"Sis, is something wrong?"
Seeing his affectionate tone, she smiled gently and replied,
"Not at all."
Still concerned, Elion asked insistently,
"Did.. I do something wrong?"
His sister tilted her head back, looked at him warmly, and said softly,
"Elion, you didn't do anything wrong. The thing is, not everyone is as good-natured as you. Those who seem so at first may not actually be. Their true nature is always hidden, and you should never blame yourself for who you are because of someone else's hidden motives."
Elion looked at his sister silently, pondering what she had said.
Anabel decided to say one last thing to him.
"Sunlight cannot penetrate thick clouds, so you don't need to try to do that either."
"Belle, you're implying that the true meaning is always concealed and not apparent at first sight, correct?"
"Yes."
"Come to think of it, didn't you fall in love with me at first sight?"
A few inches apart, they stared at each other. One looked down; the other looked up. One smiled innocently; the other was stunned.
"Well..." Annabelle muttered, her face slightly reddening, as she lowered her head in embarrassment.
Under normal circumstances, Elion would have teased his sister, but he was still thinking about Anabel's words and chose to let her go.
He rested his head on her soft crown, hugged her neck tightly—which made Anabel squeal with joy inside—and finally settled into a comfortable position. He began to ponder the phrase that interested him.
Sunlight... Clouds. What does she mean?
Doesn't the sun shine independently? Not because of the sky, the moon, the seas, or the clouds.
And doesn't it happen that its rays seep through dark clouds?
The boy enjoyed the close contact from above, rejoicing that he did not have to look his sister in the eye. Lost in thought, Elion didn't notice how close he was to reaching the school.
Just as he was unaware of the distance he had traveled, he also failed to notice that the circus advertisement sign had mysteriously vanished.