Chapter 62: Serenity

Night, Fixed Wing District.

Shigure Reiichi and Caldesia were walking to their apartment building.

"I see... I see..." The woman in the top hat nodded. "So the three of you went to fight the dragon disaster two weeks ago."

Shigure Reiichi nodded in affirmation. His right arm was locked in a grip, and he felt a dull ache spreading through his limb.

"Tell me! Why didn't you take me with you!"

The blonde girl’s demand reminded him of a lion's roar.

"The dragon was terrifying; I was worried you’d get hurt."

"Reiichi! You know that’s exactly what I love!"

That was precisely why he could never let her near such things. Realizing that reasoning was futile, Shigure Reiichi lowered his voice and spoke humbly. "Forgive me."

"Don't keep secrets from me next time."

"Alright, alright."

Caldesia released her boyfriend’s arm, crossed her own, and asked, "How many things have you kept from me over the last few years?"

"...Many."

"Explain them to me, one by one."

"If I did that, Caldesia, you’d be walking with me until tomorrow morning."

That was a slight exaggeration. By his estimation, finishing by the early hours of the morning would be enough.

"That’s fine~ I’ll have you by my side anyway. If some blind thug comes looking for trouble, you can handle it, Reiichi."

The city’s largest gang had been crushed by you only hours ago; finding a ruffian brave enough to cause trouble now would be a difficult task indeed. Even so, he answered as he always did.

"Alright, leave it to me."

The girl seemed dissatisfied again. "Reiichi, you’re still the same even though we’re dating now."

"Should I change my style?"

"No, please don't turn into one of those overbearing, sunglass-wearing, muscle-bound soldier types."

He couldn't even imagine what kind of person she was describing. "Then, should I stay the same as before?"

"No! You really should change a little!"

How troublesome. She demanded change without giving a direction, yet expected him to remain the same. She really was a capricious girl.

He mustered his courage internally. With some hesitation and a touch of timidity, he reached out and gently took the girl’s hand.

"Like this?"

Caldesia leaned into his shoulder. "This is just right."

He truly felt happiness. It was an indescribable beauty. If abandoning everything could make this moment eternal, he would gladly do so.

"...You really are a capricious girl."

"Well, I have someone who will always indulge me, after all."

He walked the girl to the entrance of her apartment, and they chatted about their friends as they usually did.

"It feels like things are progressing between Gongsun Ce and Xiao Qian."

"I think so. They went through a difficult battle together, too."

"What kind of way is that to put it! As if a battle is a date."

"For those of us living in this city, battle is our daily life, isn't it?"

"I don't want that kind of daily life. Do you think Kira-chan will tell us her story?"

"I think she will."

In the City of the Firmament, non-interference and not prying into others' business—cautiously controlling the distance between people without disturbing one another—was the common sense of social interaction. No one knew if the person beside them was hiding a secret, or if that secret would cause harm to others or themselves.

However, after the events of this day, Shigure Reiichi had a new perspective.

"I think... being honest with each other is what makes for true friends."

Caldesia poked his cheek hard. "That’s common sense, Reiichi! You’ve been in the dark corners for so long that you have to say such common sense with such deep realization?!"

Recalling the fire in the movie theater that morning, he smiled bitterly. "In that regard, Caldesia, you haven't been doing too well yourself."

"I am... well... people need to grow! You have to leave me enough space to grow!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

He stopped at the entrance and watched Caldesia walk toward the apartment door.

"Reiichi, the theme for the next club activity is a post-mortem on the 'Date Operation.' Tell those three not to be absent!"

As expected, she wouldn't let that go. He could already imagine the awkward scene in the activity room.

"Alright, alright."

Shigure Reiichi stood in the shadow outside the streetlamp. He touched his nose, feeling a bit awkward. "Next time... I will definitely do better."

Caldesia chuckled, turned her head, and said, "I'll be waiting!"

Her smiling face was as radiant as sunlight, illuminating the young man in the shadows.

***

A few minutes later.

Shigure Zero had changed back into her tank top and shorts and was sitting on the sofa drinking beer.

She had been running around all day. Just as she had finally managed to relax in the evening and finished a bowl of noodles, she saw Ming Ke wreaking havoc in the Central District. The huntress truly understood where that gray-haired young man's composure—unshaken even by a collapsing mountain—came from. She had seen so much in just the two weeks since she arrived; Gongsun Ce had lived here for God knows how many years, and his nerves had likely been tempered into monster-level resilience.

Therefore, when she learned Gongsun Ce had gone to fight Ming Ke, she wasn't surprised at all. Her only reaction was: *Ah, that’s something that guy would do.*

Now, after a hard day, the huntress could finally rest. She had just turned on the television to find some entertainment when she heard the sound of keys at the door.

"I'm~ home~"

The landlord walked in, smiling like a fool.

"My, who is this love-struck college student? My landlord is supposed to be a bachelor."

"Times change, you know."

Shigure Zero took a gulp of beer, noticing the blonde lady at the door take off her top hat and twist the brim, looking strangely fidgety for some reason.

"What’s with that expression? It reminds me of a dead fish flipped over in a sewer."

Caldesia said with a sheepish grin, "Alice-chin... am I... supposed to call you 'sister' now?"

"Cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!"

Before she could curse Shigure Reiichi, Miss Shigure Zero choked on her beer.

***

"Next stop, Conghua Road. Passengers heading to the Thorn District, please exit within three stops. Next stop, Conghua Road..."

The last bus played a synthesized electronic voice. The carriage was empty, save for two superhumans sitting in the back.

"You aren't flying back this time."

"I think I’ve flown enough for today. No, I can't do it. No energy left."

"You replenished your food."

"Consider my mental fatigue, will you, Miss?"

The gray-haired young man looked at the passing lights outside the window and asked, "What about Kira?"

"She seems to be staying in the Central District for now. She’ll stay at my place for one more night, for the time being."

"Oh, I see."

Qin Qianbai stared at the ceiling of the bus, expressionless. "I sense a crisis."

"Why? Are you planning to enter the idol industry, too? Give it up; a 'kuudere' martial artist singer won't become popular!"

"I would use martial arts demonstrations instead of dancing as a selling point."

"The audience would probably just be a bunch of old men with thick mustaches."

"I could sell dueling tickets to core fans."

"I’d suggest any fan who buys one of those to also purchase accidental death insurance."

"They can engage in a duel to the death with the idol upon presenting the ticket."

"Don't interpret 'fan service' so literally!"

Thump, thump. The young lady poked him with her elbow in silent protest.

"See, see? That’s punishment for always picking on Ah Ce."

"I could feel that without even looking."

The bus arrived at the stop. The gray-haired young man rubbed his side as he got off, and the young lady hopped down nimbly to follow. They stood at the platform, watching the bus drive away until the last of its taillights were swallowed by the city’s night.

"..."

The expressionless girl said nothing.

Gongsun Ce adjusted his glasses and was the first to speak. "So... is Ming Ke the reason you became the way you are?"

From the time they had met until now, he had never asked why the girl didn't want to show her expressions. That was her privacy, her domain. As an outsider, he felt it was best not to step into another person’s heart. Holding onto that thought, relying only on fragile threads to connect them, was how he had managed to persist in this city until now.

However, was it because he felt they were close enough? Or was it because his stubborn convictions had been changed by the recent series of events? He wanted to know more about this girl. Why did you become this way? Are you dissatisfied with your current state? Even if he were to be rejected, he wanted to ask these questions.

"He is partly responsible."

Phrasing it that way meant Ming Ke was not the only factor in her change.

"If I were to explain it all, it would be a very dull story." She tilted her head to look at him. "Do you want to hear it, Ah Ce?"

"Just explain it within a range that won't make you too uncomfortable."

They walked along the road toward the apartment building. The girl hopped onto the edge of a flower bed as she usually did, walking backward. She talked about her childhood. Practicing martial arts, going to school, learning from her family, meeting Uncle Ming, meeting Uncle Ming's classmates... she talked all the way until that snowy night, the birth of Ming Ke.

Qin Qianbai summarized it thus: "I feel that from that day on, my personality became less positive than it used to be."

The superhuman took a deep breath.

"—That’s not a question of being positive or not! A seven-year-old child seeing those things would be traumatized; it would leave deep psychological scars! And that man had the nerve to put on the air of an elder and say, 'You should smile more'! Damn it, does he have no concept of what he’s done?!"

"You're speaking very fast."

Gongsun Ce sighed, holding his forehead. "...I regret not hitting him harder this afternoon. I should have used my sword."

"It’s better not to use such dangerous things."

Gongsun Ce clicked his tongue, very annoyed. "That bastard. When I master my skills, I’ll settle this score no matter what."

The girl jumped down from the flower bed and stepped in front of the young man. "It’s my story, so why is Ah Ce getting angry?"

The gray-haired young man was momentarily speechless.

"...Anyone would feel indignant for you after hearing that! What a terrible uncle!"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, that’s exactly how it is!" He rubbed his hair. "So, you really want to surpass him?"

"Yes. As a martial artist and as a junior, I want to surpass that man."

Wanting to surpass someone, wanting to prove one's own strength. Gongsun Ce rarely experienced such emotions. He was not the strongest; there were plenty of people better than him. He always felt that winning or losing a fight was secondary, as long as the goal was achieved.

"I was also very annoyed that I got slashed so badly this time, Mr. Gongsun. Next time, let’s defeat him together."

"You're lying; you don't care about winning or losing, Ah Ce."

Being seen through every time he lied was embarrassing. He’d have to weave a better lie next time.

"Don't say that; I have a competitive spirit, too. It’s a deal."

"Yes."

The two walked back to the apartment and took the elevator to the seventh floor. Before entering, the young lady said, "I remembered, Ah Ce still owes me 24 hours."

"You still remember that at a time like this?! Can we just agree to throw it to the back of our minds along with this morning's unpleasantness?!"

The girl used her fingers to prop up the corners of her mouth, making a smiling face.

"No. Good night."

He mimicked her, making the same gesture.

"Yes, yes, good night."

***

Gongsun Ce walked into his room. The half-read letter and the unopened package were still lying on the table. He remembered the unread second half of the letter, which contained the Knight’s evaluation and her recent situation.

"Sigh..."

The pleasant mood faded bit by bit, and tension and anxiety reclaimed his body. He felt a dull ache in his stomach; even when facing Ming Ke’s "Pure Land of Non-Existence," he hadn't felt this tortured. How would she evaluate his actions? He didn't want to know. He was afraid to know. Now was the time to escape reality! He should just put the letter away, pretend he hadn't seen it, crawl into bed, sleep it off, and wait until he was in a better mood the next day to pull it out and read it!

Gongsun Ce sighed repeatedly.

"...If only I could escape it."

He sat at the desk and slowly reached for the letter. He finally made up his mind to open his eyes and cast his gaze toward the first line of handwriting.

"Regarding the evaluation of you, and my recent situation."

"I am glad you wrote to me in the Common Tongue, which shows you have not forgotten the proper etiquette. At the same time, I am surprised by the number of grammatical errors in the letter. Ce, your level of Common Tongue has regressed compared to three years ago."

"I have made a copy of your letter, and both the errors in the writing and their corrections are noted in the copy. I have included 'Fundamentals and Applications of the Common Tongue' and 'The Collected Correspondence of Aven Polly' as gifts. The former is an introductory manual for the Common Tongue compiled by the Morton Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for foreign guests; it is detailed and will help you consolidate your foundation. The latter is a collection of correspondence from a well-known 19th-century writer, with elegant prose that can serve as a template for your own letters."

Gongsun Ce opened the package with an expressionless face. Resting on top was his own letter, covered in red ink marks, looking exactly like a primary school composition corrected by a dedicated foreign language teacher. Beneath the copy were two brick-thick books. He grabbed them, flipped through them briefly, placed them very slowly on the corner of his desk, and then slammed the letter down onto the table.

"Are you out of your mind, you woman?!"

The next line read: "I imagine you are uttering your habitual curses; this is not a good habit."

The gray-haired young man roared, "So what if I curse?! I’m sick of acting all refined; I was never suited for this kind of behavior, Mr. Gongsun!"

"If your mind is dominated by irritable emotions, please calm down for five minutes before reading the letter."

Gongsun Ce went to the bathroom to wash his face. He marveled at the Knight’s high level of skill, which hadn't diminished over the years. There probably wasn't another person in the world who could make him blow a fuse just by writing a few lines.

He returned to the desk and picked up the letter again.

"I assume you have regained your composure."

"Ce, you know your character flaws; you are not an easy person to get along with. When I saw you talking about your new friends, I was surprised. You are always accustomed to closing off your heart, which makes it difficult for you to make true friends."

"You told me about how people in the City of the Firmament interact. To me, it sounds like fragile and lonely hedgehogs, longing to get close to each other, yet worried about pricking one another. This is not surprising; many growing boys and girls have similar feelings. But in your city, this has become a truly worrying problem: the default rules have legitimized alienation, giving everyone an excuse to avoid communication."

"Human beings grow through pain. You are all alienated from one another, holding powerful strength, yet your hearts are not necessarily as mature as your appearances."

Gongsun Ce gripped the letter tightly. If it had been before today, he would have had something to say about this evaluation. Now, he had to admit that her words were correct to a certain extent.

But in this city, alienation was a form of protection. To keep those they cared about away from danger, they always had to keep their distance from each other.

"You will argue that this is to protect each other and keep disaster away. Ce, perhaps others must live this way, but you are different. You possess the wisdom and strength to protect those around you."

*You're overthinking it.*

"You will deny my words. You believe you are powerless because you always want to do everything perfectly, thinking you should take responsibility for everything—this is a manifestation of arrogance and an excuse for self-loathing."

Her words were sharper than Mo Yuankai’s. She never gently considered his feelings; she only frankly stated her views.

"Neither of us is the center of the world's rotation. If we were to pass away at this very moment, all we could influence would be our close friends and family. Therefore, when I saw your self-reproach in the letter, I was extremely surprised—why do you think you deserve to be blamed?"

He stared at the words on the letter, moving his gaze inch by inch. The gears in his brain seemed rusted, his thinking stuck in front of an obstacle, unable to move forward, let alone fill his cognitive circuits with the information he was understanding. He read subconsciously, reading quickly, wishing he could stuff the letter into his pupils.

"Three years ago, we went through a painful catastrophe, and many people died that day. The Disaster of the Nether, the Disaster of Glaze, the Order, and that evil, despicable man. We fought so many enemies, and you participated in every battle and personally brought the final disaster to an end. This achievement is worth being proud of; I do not understand where your self-reproach comes from."

Very slowly, he converted the text into information and processed the information into cognition. He felt it took him a long time to understand her words. He felt a tightness in his chest, followed by a warm sensation, like a fluid flowing through his limbs, gathering in his eye sockets, nearly turning into liquid and spilling out.

"If you are still struggling with the fact that you failed to kill the Dragon of Glaze, I must repeat again: there are limits to human power. Under the circumstances at the time, you did your best."

He pressed his eyes hard, not using his supernatural powers. After a long while, he let the next line enter his view.

"Three years have passed. You should look to the present and the future, step out of the past, and bravely welcome a new life."

"Don't be afraid of being hurt; open your heart to the people you care about. I know your resilience and strength."

"You are my best assistant."

Warm liquid dampened the letter, blurring the words into black ink.

He had escaped for three years, fearing the sound of her disappointed reprimands. Now, he considered himself a little stronger and prepared, only to find that what he had feared never existed. He seemed to see the Knight lady writing at her desk. Three years had left no mark on her; she was still calm, still kind, and her gray eyes shone with the light of reason and wisdom, making it impossible for him to look away.

Gongsun Ce laughed softly. "What kind of psychological counselor are you? It doesn't suit you at all. Really..."

He continued to say meaningless things that he didn't even care about himself. He only felt his body becoming much lighter. The pressure, fatigue, and anxiety accumulated from the past had all vanished with the words in the letter.

He continued reading. The Dawn Knight had written a lot about the restoration of Superbia. The ancient city was gradually returning to its original appearance, and many new types of buildings had been added during the reconstruction. Due to the shortage of manpower, the knight patrols on the streets had decreased, and more hunters in black had joined the official forces; the public had mixed opinions about this... He scanned the descriptions written by the Knight herself, and his mouth curled up happily.

"...Regarding my recent situation. After shedding the burden, the amount of free time I have every day has increased significantly, and I use it for reading and training. I have attempted to watch the animations you recommended at a frequency of one per month; a few were worth watching, but most were tedious and dull."

*You really watched them, huh.*

"Regarding the members of the Order. The position of Captain remains vacant, and we have welcomed two new members: Knight Brana is an introverted gentleman who loves painting; Knight Aquaria is a lady who is enthusiastic about parties and socializing. They are incredibly talented, but still lack experience."

"Knight Gavri is worried sick because of the new members, which might be one of the reasons his hairline shows signs of receding again this year."

"Knight Raquel, upon learning you wrote to me, gifted me a set of high school girl uniforms from the central part of the Empire and suggested I attach a recent photo of myself wearing them. He claimed this would make you feel energetic, a claim I am skeptical of. Considering your habit of sitting at your desk naked, I have decided to forgo his suggestion."

Human brains are truly amazing. A few lines of handwriting could awaken such unbearable pasts. The beautiful past was immediately replaced by embarrassing memories.

"No one wants to see that kind of thing!!" Gongsun Ce screamed, clutching his head. "And besides, you actually still remember a misunderstanding from that long ago?!"

"Knight Oriana has found a new greatsword. In terms of strategic significance, it cannot replace her previous armament, but she claims it is 'very handy.' She has indeed been busy recently and has repeatedly proposed that I return to my duties, all of which I have rejected. As you said, she already possesses the ability to solve difficulties."

"Knight Oriana is very concerned about Mo Yuankai’s recent situation. I am attaching her verbal reminder: 'Gongsun Ce, please be sure to help me urge him to lose weight, or I will cry.'"

*It looks like Big Brother is in trouble.*

"Sending greetings to you and Mo Yuankai on behalf of the knights."

"Looking forward to your next letter."

"Yours sincerely, Elandia."

Gongsun Ce carefully put the letter away and placed it in the drawer. He continued to unpack the package. Beneath the two books lay a locked notebook, which was to be handed over to Yan Qi later. At the very bottom lay a box of cookies, which must have been a return gift from the Knight. Tied to the box with a ribbon was a handwritten card with the same handwriting as the letter.

"May be shared with friends."

Gongsun Ce ate a small piece of the cookie. It wasn't quite to his taste; it was too bland. He tucked the card away, walked into the room, lay on the bed, and stared at the ceiling, doing nothing. Thinking of the scenes he had experienced today, the chaotic thoughts in his mind gradually calmed down.

He felt an unprecedented sense of peace in his heart, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. At this moment, all his troubles had vanished.

Gongsun Ce lay in the comfortable night of the spring, feeling the surroundings. It wasn't the absolute silence of the Rune of Silence; he could hear the noise outside the window, the ticking of the clock, and the sound of his own steady breathing.

A quietness with a slight touch of noise...

The quietness of daily life.