Chapter 18

Some people are busy, while others are at leisure.

Xialan was very much at leisure.

In the early morning, before the sky had fully brightened, the woman beside him in bed had already left. He knew, because he had woken up, but he did not speak, pretending to be still asleep.

When is a man most relaxed? If she were an assassin, she would choose the moment he released his tension on her, for that is when a man is most vulnerable.

But she did not strike. She had no reason to, and she chose to fully enjoy the pleasure of their intimacy.

Xialan's life was accustomed to danger, and he was always on guard. Even in his moments of abandon, he maintained a clear mind, for he feared death, feared being suddenly killed by a woman.

Even with a deal, he still did not trust this woman.

He did not want to die, and he certainly did not want to die on a woman's body, so he remained vigilant all night. Even in the most stimulating and exciting moments, he did not let his guard down.

The woman left, leaving behind her fluids, her fragrance, and a kiss on his cheek.

He pretended to be asleep until she left, then he truly fell asleep. A night of vigilance had left him mentally exhausted, and he needed sleep to recover. Now, he could let his guard down, feeling a great relief.

Living was tiring for him. Even the most pleasant moments between a man and a woman could not be fully enjoyed, a pain he inflicted upon himself. The past vows were a heavy burden he carried, and he was unwilling to let them go. If he did, he would lose something important, something essential to life, so he chose to bear the pain.

Why live?

People have different lives, some struggling in pain, some wandering in confusion, some immersed in their world. But everyone has a purpose for living. Without one, they are no different from beasts.

Living with desires and a future gives life its value.

It was noon, and Xialan had already woken up. Lunch was brought to his room by a servant. After a hearty meal, he began to think about what to do next.

Nini Luo would bring the plans and data to discuss in the evening, and the system's mandatory task required waiting three days to obtain information from Old Shaker. It seemed he had nothing to do.

Of course, he had things to do. There were multiple free tasks in the capital that he could take on, but he was tired, both physically and mentally. He did not want to deal with too much trouble, especially the trouble of tasks.

His fingers unconsciously touched the void ring, and he remembered Mollen's request to take care of his granddaughter in the capital. She seemed to be at the Royal Central Academy, a place not easy to enter.

Not easy to enter, but not impossible.

Dressed in a simple yet elegant sky-blue robe, with a black and gold sash around his waist and deep blue boots with white soles, Xialan tied his smooth black hair loosely. He glanced at himself in the mirror, nodded in satisfaction.

People are often deceived by appearances, especially by one's attire.

If the inn servant had seen Xialan as a young, wealthy wandering swordsman a moment ago, he now appeared as a noble young gentleman.

Since most people are superficial, entering the Royal Central Academy with this appearance would not be a problem. Although sneaking in directly was an option, this was the capital, and the Royal Central Academy was not so simple. Problems that could be solved with money were not problems. Buying expensive clothes to dress up would achieve the goal, no need for other risky methods.

He fastened a decorative sword to his waist, softened his cold expression, and added a faint smile. Everything seemed perfect, but only he knew it was all an act, one he was very accustomed to.

Riding the horse brought by the servant, Xialan slowly made his way toward the Royal Central Academy.

The Royal Central Academy was very large, extremely large.

It occupied one-third of the most important area of the entire capital. The other two-thirds were the royal palace and the Royal Military Academy.

A saying circulated throughout the entire Adria Kingdom:

"If you want to become the interior minister of this country, the Royal Central Academy is your starting point; if you want to become a general of this country, the Royal Military Academy is your cradle."

The people of the kingdom praised these two academies highly, one for civil and one for military, dominating the entire kingdom.

Xialan dismounted at the entrance of the Royal Central Academy, as riding or even leading a horse into the academy was not allowed. If it were the Royal Military Academy, the rules would be the opposite.

But it was not, so Xialan handed the horse to a guard at the entrance. The guard skillfully numbered the horse and gave Xialan a token, which he would need to retrieve the horse.

As for his identity, everything seemed normal after he tossed a gold tor to the guard. The guard would only marvel at the generosity of this noble young man and not suspect he was an imposter.

The Royal Central Academy did not allow commoners to visit, but nobles were an exception. The strict hierarchy was deeply ingrained, not just in Adria but in most of Eldran.

When most people accept a concept, it becomes a rule, an order.

Walking on the flat, clean stone paths, admiring the neatly trimmed and beautiful flowers, the environment seemed more like a resort garden than a school.

He wandered aimlessly, as he was unfamiliar with the place. He planned to find someone to guide him, but first, he needed to find the person he was looking for. So he stopped a passing student, a male student.

"Do you know Mollen Maggie?"

The student, irritated, shook off Xialan's hand but was taken aback by his words. He carefully examined the young man before him, finding him handsome, elegant, and noble.

"Do you not know?" Perhaps it was the question, his curiosity, or the attire, but he chose to answer, though his tone was odd.

"Do you know her?" Xialan countered.

"Of course I know her." The student puffed out his chest, proud.

When Xialan saved Maggie, she was only a teenager, but even then, she showed the makings of a beauty. After a few years, the little girl must have grown up.

What do students in the academy often talk about? Xialan had been a teacher at the Pablo Dina Academy for three years, so he knew. Among men, the most common topic is women.

Students are also men, and men's conversations often revolve around women, especially beautiful women.

A beautiful woman always attracts men's attention, especially in a small social circle like a school. To find out about a beautiful woman, all he needed to do was find a man.

"Where is she? I need to see her." Xialan's question was direct.

"Who are you? Why do you need to see Maggie?" The student's tone became hostile and confrontational.

"I am her cousin. Her grandfather asked me to bring something to Maggie when I came to the capital." Xialan lied without hesitation, confident and straightforward. To deceive others, one must first deceive oneself.

"Are you really Maggie's cousin? Why haven't I heard her mention you? Do you have any proof?" Xialan's lie was successful; the student's tone softened, and his hostility faded, but his question showed he still had doubts.

"This is Mollen's grandfather's void ring. Maggie knows." Xialan opened his palm, revealing the void ring on his thumb, his expression calm, as if stating a fact.

"Besides, why would she tell you she has a cousin? Are you that close to her?"

Xialan's final question left the student speechless.

The student hesitated, unsure of the truth. But the other's demeanor and the void ring seemed genuine. He had heard of Maggie's background, knowing she had a grandfather, but never a cousin. After hearing Xialan's question, he thought perhaps it was true; Maggie and he were not that close.

No fool could enter the Royal Central Academy, but the dilemma before him was perplexing. So he decided to take Xialan to Maggie and let the truth reveal itself.

"Fine, I'll take you to Maggie. If I find out you lied, I will make you pay for this insult!"

Xialan merely smiled, sensing the student's lack of confidence. But it didn't matter as long as he was willing to lead the way.

The student's threats and intimidation meant nothing to him.

As the student led him through twists and turns, Xialan began to suspect if it was intentional. If the student heard Xialan's thoughts, he would cry injustice.

The Royal Central Academy was vast, and finding someone was not easy. The student did not need to search; he just needed to go to Maggie's dormitory. However, the distance was considerable, and the student was trying to find a shortcut.

"Forgot to introduce myself, I'm Avis from the Finance Department, a classmate of Maggie's." Perhaps the silence was unbearable, so the student suddenly spoke.

"Um, noted."

"You—!" The student turned and glared at Xialan, his steps not stopping, his tone fiery. "Has no one ever told you that you are very impolite? I can't understand why Maggie has a cousin with such a bad temper. For a noble, I truly feel sorry for your family's etiquette education."

Xialan simply smiled, as if the student's sarcasm meant nothing to him.

Choosing to act, some things became less important. Sometimes he felt his act was too deep, and when everything became normal, the actions of his act would occasionally affect him like a dream.

But without the act, many troubles would come his way. He hated trouble, especially avoidable trouble, so the act was important.

If it were his usual way, he would not waste words. He would speak with his sword.

Simple, brutal, efficient.

The page turns, and the AD begins.

The page turns, and the AD ends.