Subtitle: Li Rong
I barely opened my eyes. I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. I had nothing to do today. All I had to do was pull the blanket over my head to block the sunlight. My eyes slowly started closing. I guess I was pushing myself a little too hard.
Hours later, I woke up again. I must have overslept a bit, because my head was pounding. As I staggered toward the door, I noticed something. There were almost no belongings in my room. I opened and closed my eyes several times, rubbed them, but nothing changed.
I quickly went down to the dining hall. Naiadler and Odasaku were eating carelessly. When they saw me enter, they both looked at me. I took a deep breath, ready to shout.
"WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?"
They paid no attention and even continued eating. Odasaku, with his mouth full, gestured for me to come over. I slowly walked to him.
"Yes, I'm listening."
Odasaku – "They're all in the carriage. Most of them, that is."
"What do you mean by in the carriage?"
Naiadler – "We're going to China."
I froze the moment Naiadler said this. A few minutes later, I managed to collect myself.
"You're joking, right?"
Naiadler – "Nooo."
Odasaku suddenly slammed the table. After wiping his mouth with a napkin, he grabbed my collar.
Odasaku – "Come on, it's time to go to China."
Naiadler happily followed Odasaku, practically hopping. I, however, was being dragged along.
"Naiadler, this didn't come from you, did it?"
Naiadler – "No, ask that old man over there if you don't believe me."
"Is Odasaku telling the truth?"
Odasaku must have been slightly annoyed, because he answered firmly:
Odasaku – "A kid not even fifteen knows nothing about this? What a shame, youth is wasted."
While we were talking, we had already reached the front of the carriage. Reluctantly, I got in and sat in the corner, folding my clothes scattered around. Naiadler immediately climbed in after me and spread out in the center. He was incredibly irritating, but Odasaku was right beside us, so I couldn't start a fight.
The carriage was huge, almost like a small wooden cabin. The entire interior was made of wood. If anyone accidentally dropped a cigarette in there, it would definitely catch fire. There was a small window facing forward. The sound of horses came from the side. I leaned my back into the corner.
The journey was going to be long, so there was no way I wouldn't get bored. Naiadler seemed already fed up. Every few minutes, he asked when we would arrive. I wished we could get there faster, I thought.
Odasaku took out a piece of high-quality paper from his pocket. The writing was in Chinese. He turned the paper toward us.
Odasaku – "Uh… actually, I don't know what it says here. I mean…"
Naiadler snatched the paper from him in one motion, looking extremely confident.
Naiadler – "I can't read it."
He returned it to Odasaku casually.
"How can you not read Chinese?"
Naiadler – "What do you mean?"
"What do you mean? You're wandering around claiming to be Chinese. Your clothes, your eyes—they all scream Chinese!"
Naiadler – "Just because I have slanted eyes and like these kinds of clothes doesn't make me Chinese! AND YOU'RE SHOUTING AT ME 'I'M A VAMPIRE'! I almost freaked out when I opened the closet, thinking I'd find a liter of blood!"
"WHAT! WHAT PART OF ME IS A VAMPIRE?"
Naiadler – "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT PART IS A VAMPIRE? YOUR EYES ARE RED, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"
"EVERYONE WITH RED EYES IS A VAMPIRE?"
Naiadler – "Actually, yes."
I stood up in anger. Odasaku was much faster than me. Both of them hit the back of our heads, handing me the paper.
Odasaku – "Try reading it!"
His tone made it clear that he wasn't saying it kindly. I took the paper cautiously, thinking, I wish this were in a language I could understand. Finally, when I opened my eyes, I could read the writing.
"Wait… this isn't Chinese."
They both looked at me strangely, as if wondering what I was saying.
Odasaku – "What are you talking about? This is clearly Chinese."
Naiadler – "Have you lost your mind?"
"This… this is some kind of joke, right?"
They both kept staring the same way. They weren't joking. I turned the paper around again; it was definitely not Chinese.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped abruptly. I stuck to the floor, unprepared. I got up heavily.
"Are we under attack?"
I turned my head toward Odasaku for an answer. He was getting out of the carriage, turning his back to me with total nonchalance.
Odasaku – "We've arrived."
"YOU'RE KIDDING! DO YOU KNOW HOW FAR CHINA IS?"
Odasaku – "You've been acting weird since you woke up. You slept so much during the journey that we almost thought you were dead."
Did I really sleep through the whole journey? I held my head. I knew it, but… one day, I knew, something would find me and take me back under its claws… I couldn't organize my thoughts properly. I took a deep breath.
When I lifted my head, Naiadler and Odasaku were looking at me worriedly. Odasaku looked at me as if I were a helpless creature. I avoided his gaze.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
I tried to sound strong, but I failed. Odasaku probably still thought I was a troubled kid. He seemed to hear me.
Odasaku – "You don't need to push yourself so hard. Even after ten months, pain is not easy to handle. If I had gone through something like that, I wouldn't have recovered."
My eyes lit up. I never expected to hear that. He always acts indifferent, but now he seems to have experienced a lot. I wished my problem was my sister's death. I stood up firmly.
"Don't be ridiculous. I've long forgotten those things."
Odasaku and Naiadler – "PUUUU. How can you forget so quickly? If you were my sister, I'd beat you up."
I swear I turned bright red with anger. Just as I was about to speak, they threw me outside.
I stroked my head. When I lifted it, I was on a crowded street in China. In front of me was a huge statue. It was so tall it seemed to reach the sky. Strangely, it looked a lot like Naiadler.
The streets were crowded, giving a market-like vibe. In the distance, there was a giant mountain and a long red building, each floor having a roof. Incredible. The ground was covered with marble or stone. Was the capital always like this?
I was completely overwhelmed by the grandeur of the crowd. I turned my head to see the others' reactions. Naiadler was staring at the statue. Odasaku seemed to have seen all this before; his eyes showed no amazement.
Naiadler stood there for so long that I started getting worried. I slowly approached him and said his name several times.
Naiadler – "WHAT! Sorry, I was daydreaming."
His behavior was definitely not normal.
Naiadler – "You brought us here, and we've been waiting for how many minutes? We didn't get lost on the street, right?"
For a moment, I considered that possibility. Even though Odasaku was a hopeless adult, he surely hadn't forgotten.
After these questions, Odasaku seemed to take a step back as if counting something. He slowly turned around.
Odasaku – 你一如既往地准时.
Old man – 很高興在這裡見到您,奈特先生..
I turned to Naiadler.
"What did they just say?"
Naiadler – 我怎麼知道?
He was doing it on purpose. So I could understand. I grabbed his coat tightly and pulled.
Naiadler – "What are you doing? It'll tear!"
The old man looked at us judgmentally.
Old man – 你們叫什麼名字?
I felt like a child who had just had candy taken away. Frozen.
"What did he say, Naiadler?"
Naiadler – "How would I know? I don't know Chinese."
"That was just now the old man speaking Chinese!"
Naiadler – "I only know these words, okay?"
He seemed scared while saying that. Like a child afraid to remember something.
The old man came closer.
Old man – 藍頭髮的男孩!你看起來好熟悉.
Naiadler – 我以前從來沒來過這裡,懂了嗎 !
At that moment, I truly wished I could understand what they were saying. How could I be somewhere without even knowing the language? I hadn't really come here; I had been forced. When I heard Naiadler shouting, I reflexively turned my head.
Naiadler – "LOOK, OLD MAN! YOU LOOK FAMILIAR FROM SOMEWHERE!"
Old man – "Calm down, son. There's no need to get so angry."
Odasaku stepped in front of Naiadler as if trying to intervene. He made one hand a fist, bending the other around him.
Odasaku – "I apologize on his behalf. The journey must have been hard for him. If he rests, I'm sure he won't act like this tomorrow."
Odasaku grabbed Naiadler by the nape and pulled him aside. I followed.
Odasaku – "Do you want to rot in prisons? THEY WOULD THROW OUR ANCESTORS INTO DUNGEONS!"
I couldn't hold back. I started giggling. Odasaku looked so funny.
Naiadler – "Adolescence. Sudden mood swings, etc. Leave me alone."
My smile vanished. Naiadler's voice trembled as he said that. Someone tapped my shoulder. When I turned around, the old man was there.
Old man – "It's bad to eavesdrop, son. Especially if someone is young and injured. Come, I'll get you some sweets."
He pulled my hand. We stepped into the square. A girl appeared in front of us.
Her eyes were green, but not like grass; more like a field trampled by thousands of carriages. Her hair was dark brown with braids like basket handles. She wore a qipao. Her outfit was mostly black, with emerald green tips on the sleeves and hem. The costume was clearly expensive and high quality.
Rich girl – "Were you fighting or something?"
The old man turned to me.
Old man – "This girl's name is Li Rong. She's of marriageable age, isn't she? Everyone her age disappeared. Such a pity, isn't it?"
…Wait, she was the same age as me? My stomach churned. I quickly covered my mouth. Li Rong approached and leaned toward my ear.
Li Rong – "Don't even think about marrying me! If I even suspect it, I'll poison you like those pedophiles!"
Li Rong slowly passed me and went to the old man.
Old man – "Li, I think it's time to break your stubbornness."
Li Rong – "You just think so. Anyway… I hope you have a good day, Cheon Muhan."
Li Rong ran off. At that moment, I remembered a phrase my sister once said.
Sister – "Being a woman is hard. In some places, you're just a tool."
Zero – Here's a new one, I thought, but her spirit was fragile and yet somehow rebuilt. I turned around.
Zero – "How much longer are you going to talk like that? I'm uncomfortable, kid."
Zero – "Isn't it rude for you to talk like that? Forget it, someone noticed us."
End of Chapter
Author's note: I know this chapter was delayed, sorry. I hope you enjoyed it. Finally, we saw Rule 2! How can someone be so obsessed with a character they wrote themselves? "I guess it has something to do with time."