Chapter 19

The sun was warm, and the clouds were fluffy.

Standing at the entrance of the dormitory, Avi, the male student, was already drenched in sweat, as if he had exhausted all his strength. He leaned against a long bench, gasping for breath with his mouth open.

"I can't go on. Let me rest a bit before I help you find Maggie," he said in one breath, then closed his eyes to rest.

"You're in poor shape," Xiaolan said bluntly, standing beside him.

"Hmph—" Avi opened one eye and glanced at the young man who claimed to be Maggie's cousin, feeling somewhat resentful. However, the other person remained calm, without a trace of sweat or fatigue. He indeed had the right to criticize Avi, but that didn't mean Avi was willing to accept it.

While the male student rested, Xiaolan looked around with a lack of interest.

Surrounded by green trees and blooming flowers, the white-walled, red-roofed buildings were scattered in a neat and orderly manner. The place was tranquil and elegant, beautiful and pleasant, but this was the dormitory area of the Royal Central Academy.

"Something seems to be missing," Xiaolan muttered to herself.

"It's missing people," Avi yawned, stretching his arms and waist, and said listlessly. "Today is a holiday."

"Hmm? Then will Maggie be here?" Xiaolan asked.

"Of course. Even if others are not here, Maggie will definitely be."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course." Avi's face showed pride, as if to prove something. "Maggie has the habit of taking a nap in the afternoon. She must be here at this time. But to be honest, with such pleasant weather, if you hadn't disturbed me, I would already be lying on a comfortable bed enjoying my nap. If Maggie finds out you tricked me, I won't let you off!"

There it goes again, Xiaolan shook her head in boredom.

"Do you know that person?" Xiaolan suddenly pointed to a female student coming from a distance.

"Let me see... It seems to be Rache. Looks like we have good luck. She is my classmate and Maggie's roommate." Avi squinted in the direction Xiaolan pointed. After a moment, his tone became excited. "Wait for me, I'll go talk to her."

Saying that, Avi quickly stood up and ran over, showing no sign of the exhaustion he had just displayed.

Avi chatted with the female student for a while, occasionally turning to point at Xiaolan. Seeing the female student look at her, Xiaolan smiled in response. The conversation seemed to go smoothly, and when Avi returned, the female student walked toward another building.

"Hmph! Just wait, Maggie will be out soon." Back on the bench, Avi's mood was not good, apparently having been upset during the conversation with the female student.

Damn! Every woman goes gaga over handsome men, but why does no one pay attention to a man as excellent as me? Thinking of this, Avi turned and glared at Xiaolan, who was puzzled.

Men can be infatuated with beautiful women, and similarly, women can be attracted to handsome men. A good appearance always leaves a positive impression on others.

Avi sulked in silence, while Xiaolan occasionally looked in the direction the female student had left.

When the female student and Maggie appeared in his sight, he saw Maggie's face clearly, thanks to his excellent vision.

Maggie was surprised. She hadn't expected to see him after several years, the cold and aloof brother who had once saved her life. But now, she was even more surprised because the brother she knew had transformed into a refined gentleman, especially the smile on his face, which made her doubt what her eyes were seeing.

"Brother Xiaolan?" Maggie's large, round, watery eyes were cautious and doubtful.

"Years have passed, and I didn't expect little Maggie to have blossomed so beautifully. It's truly surprising," Xiaolan nodded and smiled.

"But you—" Maggie pointed at his attire and appearance, full of disbelief.

"Occasionally changing my appearance, otherwise how could I appear here?"

Xiaolan's explanation made Maggie nod in understanding. The mysterious and cold brother in her memory always had some inexplicable behaviors.

"Maggie, is he really your brother? Are you sure?" Avi, finally able to interject, immediately jumped up.

"This—" Maggie glanced at Xiaolan, who nodded slightly, giving her confidence. "Yes."

"How can that be?" Avi clearly noticed the exchange of glances, feeling angry and questioning, "Why didn't you mention you had a brother before?"

"Avi! That's enough!" Before Maggie could speak, Rache, the female student beside her, suddenly stepped forward. "Maggie hasn't even told me she has a brother. Why should she tell you, an outsider? Who do you think you are? Maggie has acknowledged this brother, so why are you still纠缠 (harassing)?"

"You... you..." Avi's face turned red with anger, his clenched fists revealing his inner emotions. After staring at Rache, Maggie, and Xiaolan, he angrily stormed off, saying, "I don't care! You do as you please!"

"Get lost! Get lost quickly! Don't think your father being a finance minister gives you the right to throw your weight around!" Rache continued to scold Avi as he left, "If you dare to bully Maggie again, I'll make your father punish you!"

Xiaolan was somewhat stunned by Rache's sudden outburst, clearly surprised by the other side of this seemingly gentle and cute girl.

"This... this... Rache and he have been like this since childhood, don't mind it. Rache is actually very nice to others," Maggie, trying to defend her friend, blushed slightly and tugged at Rache's skirt.

"Sorry for the trouble, you and Maggie can chat. I'll leave now." Rache, reminded by Maggie's tugging, realized her behavior and said goodbye somewhat embarrassedly.

But she seemed to be heading in the direction Avi had left.

"Rache and Avi are from families with a long-standing relationship. They grew up together since childhood. Avi's father likes Rache, and Rache's parents are satisfied with Avi. So the two families decided to hold their wedding after they graduate from the academy," watching Rache walk away, Maggie explained, trying to salvage her image. "Don't look at them like that. They often bicker, but their relationship is actually good. Just now, he might have been worried about Rache, so—"

"I see." Xiaolan nodded in response. "At first, I thought the male student was your suitor, but I didn't expect such a twist."

"No, no." Maggie's face turned red, and she shook her head to explain, "Because I receive a lot of harassment in the academy, Avi often helps me get rid of those troubles. He is actually a good person."

"It seems there's a misunderstanding among the three of you." Xiaolan hesitated for a moment, thinking.

"This... maybe a bit..." Maggie lowered her head, fidgeting with her skirt, and said nervously and worriedly.

"It seems you've really grown up." Xiaolan sighed, leaving Maggie somewhat puzzled.

The two walked aimlessly along the academy's path.

"By the way, my grandfather asked you to bring me something," Maggie suddenly remembered and asked.

"There's nothing. It was just an excuse to find you. But when I leave, your grandfather entrusted me to look after you in the capital," Xiaolan said casually.

"I didn't expect he would still think of me!" Mentioning her grandfather, Maggie's good temper was tinged with a bit of resentment.

"..." Xiaolan usually didn't like to get involved in others' family affairs, so he changed the topic, "Don't think too much. When I'm in the capital, you can always send someone to the Golden Rose Inn to find me. If I move, I'll let you know."

"Um..." Xiaolan's words made Maggie lower her head and respond softly, her face blushing. Recalling the time Xiaolan had protected her, the memories were unforgettable.

Suddenly, a deafening roar of voices reached their ears. Xiaolan looked in the direction of the sound, asking Maggie, "Why are there so many people shouting over there? Is something happening?"

Maggie followed Xiaolan's gaze and, realizing where they were, frowned slightly and thought for a moment before saying, "I remember, this seems to be the place of the Red Flag Association. They are probably giving speeches and discussions again."

"Red Flag Association?" Xiaolan asked, puzzled.

"Yes, it's an association formed by some radical students in the academy." Mentioning this association, Maggie's face showed disgust.

"What do they do?" Seeing Maggie's expression, Xiaolan became even more curious.

"They mostly give speeches and promote certain ideas. Often, you can see their members pulling students around the academy, trying to get them to join their association."

"Do you find them annoying?"

"Yes! I've encountered several of them in the academy. They always pester you, promoting their theories, like sticky gum that's hard to get rid of."

"What theories do they promote?"

"Brother Xiaolan, are you interested?" Maggie asked, somewhat surprised.

"Not really, but I want to know what they say that makes little Maggie so angry." Xiaolan smiled and teased her.

Maggie shyly turned away from Xiaolan's gaze and stammered, "They believe that Adria has fallen into decay and decline, and the central government's control over the local nobility is becoming increasingly weak. The kingdom's finances are deteriorating, and the military is exhausted. The war with Ossau during the Fog Flower Year, which seemed to be a victory, has dragged the kingdom's finances into a deep abyss. Now that Ossau has recovered and Sugro has been unified, Adria will soon be caught in a war with both. The current kingdom is unable to support a major war. If that day comes, Adria will face the destruction of the country."

"Ha ha—" Xiaolan squinted, seemingly recalling something, and laughed mysteriously. "Interesting, go on."

After speaking in one breath, Maggie panted slightly, but seeing that Brother Xiaolan found it interesting, she continued with renewed enthusiasm, "So, to change the kingdom's current situation and avoid the worst-case scenario, the kingdom must reform everything! Their existence is the fresh blood and sharp blade that will save the kingdom, and they are the only hope for the kingdom's future."

"Will the academy allow such an association that is detrimental to the kingdom to exist?" Xiaolan asked.

"No, but it's said that the association has powerful figures backing it, and many noble students are members. The academy's administration can't afford to offend the combination of these two forces, so not only do they exist, but they are also growing stronger."

"Interesting." Xiaolan seemed to be thinking of something, smiling as he heard the distant, deafening sounds.

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ps: This book is slow-paced, as mentioned in the introduction. I have put a lot of thought into it, and every person or event in the story has its significance and is not just there for the sake of it. The story gradually builds up to a climax, presenting a grand picture.

I hope you, my dear readers, will look forward to it and support it.