There's only a thousand days of being a thief, but no thousand days of guarding against a thief.
As long as Manner squatted at the entrance for one more day, they wouldn't dare to do anything. After all, no one here dared to say they could take on Manner Lim Kwong, even if someone did, they would only be met with looks of utter disbelief.
Manner Lim Kwong's deterrent power was that great. He did nothing but sit at the entrance, yet he was like a Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva suppressing the demons of hell, practically making these people sick with anxiety. More importantly, they still didn't know what Manner truly wanted. Logically, if he really wanted to get rid of them, he just needed to come in and start cutting, but he didn't—he just sat there reading the newspaper, rain or shine, even bringing his own umbrella.
More than one person had suggested just fighting him. Maybe Manner had forgotten how to use a sword after his long corporate slave life, or perhaps he had become a weakling?!
It wasn't impossible, right?!
However, the person who said this probably didn't even believe it themselves. If Manner truly wasn't as strong as he used to be, how would he dare to block the spring, and none of the people in the spring would dare to leave?
"…I'll go see him…" At this moment, the tall Kuranta knew it was time for him to step forward and said, "Perhaps… he just wants to see an old friend?"
"…You know him?" At this point, the High Tower Sorcerer no longer had the energy to contend with this Kuranta. "That's right, you're the Silverlance Pegasus. You should know him! Make him leave quickly!"
"…I'm just going to meet him. As for why he's doing this… I can't control it, and no one can control him. The people who could control him are no longer here, at least not in Kazimierz." The tall Kuranta gave the High Tower Sorcerer a cold glance. "Remember, I am not on the same path as you all. This is only a temporary cooperation. You have no right to order me, and even less right to interfere with my business with him."
"You!" The High Tower Sorcerer could be said to be furious but dared not speak. Against a Silverlance Pegasus, she was indeed still a bit too green, and this was an assigned partner from her superiors. She truly had no standing, let alone the ability, to oppose him.
Watching this Kuranta change clothes and walk out of the Howling Guard, everyone stared intently at the surveillance, watching the scene unfold.
"You've come."
"I've come."
"You shouldn't have come."
"But I still came."
Silence fell. Two acquaintances stood under a park streetlamp. One was dressed in battle robes, looking like a white horse prince from a fable. The other wore a suit, his brow tightly furrowed. If not for the sword at his waist, no one would think this middle-aged office worker posed any threat. He seemed to have known long ago that the other person would come to him, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Chesper, I'm waiting for your answer," Manner said, his voice devoid of anger, sorrow, or even regret, only pure confusion. "Why?"
"…Why are you associating with Letanian people? Why are you here? Why did you illegally enter the Great Knight Territory? What exactly is your question?" Chesper asked with a smile, "I am a Kazimierzian. Why can't I enter the Great Knight Territory? The question itself is ridiculous."
"You know that's not what I'm asking." Manner raised his eyes, "What I want to ask is, why did you lay hands on Noah?"
"…" Chesper suddenly fell silent. Indeed, regardless of grand principles, harming two innocent children was an act of extreme baseness.
Chesper had originally wanted to explain. He didn't know the specific situation; the people who acted had done so without prior approval, and by the time he knew, it was already too late. He had even notified Tolan to help search for Noah and Margaret, but these were merely his 'compensations.' This matter was inextricably linked to him.
He knew, but he was unwilling to show a weak side in front of Manner.
He seemed to be questioning why he was so… distorted, so… malicious at this moment.
"…No reason." Chesper didn't explain, "Because their very existence would obstruct my path."
—That's right, whether it was the Nightmare bloodline within Noah or a future star of Kazimierz like Margaret, both were unstable factors on the battlefield for Chesper and the Witch King Remnants, who sought to instigate a war between Kazimierz and Letania. Especially after Noah's parents had caused severe damage to the Witch King Remnants, their hatred for Noah was baseless, simply an act of venting.
When the final report reached Chesper, it stated that one of the two children had contracted Oripathy, and the other was severely injured.
Later, Chesper learned from the report that Margaret was the one who had contracted Oripathy, and Noah was the one severely injured. Indeed, these Witch King Remnants had succeeded; they had destroyed Kazimierz's future. And now, what they wanted was to destroy the next… the next Shining Knight, the next Margaret.
If possible, they also wanted to kill the Nightmare bloodline that, though crippled, still lived in this world.
But Chesper was not like them; they were merely temporary allies, so their ideas were, in fact, not consistent.
However, none of this needed explaining—regardless, his actions had already betrayed his creed. No matter the reason, no matter the excuse, nothing could change that.
"Manner, I originally thought that your return to the Great Knight Territory… would change everything."
"…"
"You… have the ability… you clearly could change…"
"I cannot."
"Shut up!" Chesper's roar was deafening in the night, "You can!"
It was as if this "I cannot" did not demean Manner himself; instead, he became even more agitated. Manner gazed at his former close friend. A light rain had gradually begun to fall on the ground, dampening both their hair. Two people, as if abandoned by their era, looked at each other.
"My sword cannot cut through the era."
Manner spoke again, with sorrow and grief.
"I am not omnipotent; there are too many things I cannot cut through."
The era is like a great river, always rolling forward; no one can stop it—no matter how sharp your sword, you cannot cut water with it.
The era has long changed; the age of knights has passed.
Current Kazimierz needs capital; it doesn't need new nobles, nor does it need war. Current Kazimierz has no place for knights.
But you remain in the past…
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