Chapter 71

This high priest, who has never shown his face to anyone, is obviously not a good person.

Like the Son of God, Miao Ling also couldn't find any corresponding information about him; "she" had to doubt how her subordinates were doing things, and she must go back and investigate thoroughly.

Unlike the little saint who was an accident but at least harmless, this man was as dangerous as the other boss.

Miao Ling was instinctively wary of him, but before finding out his basic situation, "she" would not act rashly; what's more, this was "her" territory. Even if it was really a big boss from another sub-world coming to visit, his abilities would be cut down a bit, so there was no need to worry too much.

This is a world where there is a distinction between master and servant. In particular, the authority of the Church is far higher than that of the nobility. Apart from the symbolic Son of God, the status of the universal high priest is absolutely supreme.

He didn't need to explain anything to the housekeeper and maid, but perhaps out of consideration for the little cub, he condescended to say a few more words: "Thank you for taking care of Li. I'll take him back now."

Miaoling was not very happy. Why did this person talk about the little guy as if he were his own cub?

Tan Ning returned to his role as butler and said politely, "This is what we did. However, is it convenient for you to go alone...?"

Now that the High Priest has arrived, the Son of God certainly doesn't need to walk anymore. Should I wake the baby? I feel a little sorry.

The high priest saw the worry behind his inquiry and readily agreed: "Then I'll trouble you, Mr. Tan, for your assistance."

Tan Ning was delighted and wrapped the baby in his arms along with the blanket.

"It's time to go, Your Highness," the high priest said calmly. "When we get back, we need to discuss your leaving the house without permission."

The Son of God remained silent and obediently extended his hand to him.

Just as the high priest bent down and passed his right hand through the bend of his knees, intending to lift him up horizontally as usual, the young man suddenly said, "Don't do that."

The adult paused. "What?"

The boy repeated it in the same tone, seeming to be very persistent.

The other two awake people in the room looked up at the sky and down at the sky respectively, not wanting to make their presence felt at this moment.

If the high priest were just an ordinary guardian, he would have rebuked the child for being willful or just sighed.

But he was not. He had an obligation to keep the Son happy, including agreeing to these small requests.

He lowered his right arm even lower, and after the Son of God sat up, he easily picked up a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy without even losing his breath.

The young man adjusted his sitting position. The light texture of his snow-white robe made him look particularly thin against the backdrop of the high priest's tall figure and cumbersome cloak, like a vine that had to cling to a tree to survive.

The adult held him tightly, a barely perceptible sigh in his voice: "Satisfied?"

The Son nodded.

The raven-feather-like black hair hung down softly, and the long hair faintly touched the chin of the person next to him, the only part exposed outside the hood, leaving a tingling sensation.

The high priest used his other hand to gather up his naughty hair, his voice unchanged: "Mr. Tan, please."

The housekeeper who pretended to be offline finally came back to his senses and followed him with Li Jue in his arms.

Before leaving the room, he glanced at Miao Ling, his eyes conveying the meaning that he wanted the latter to stay here.

The girl stared at the high priest's luxurious cloak inlaid with gold and diamonds. She didn't know what she was thinking about, and she stopped obediently.

"She" watched them leave the room, crossed her arms, and puffed up her cheeks unhappily.

I will eat you all sooner or later!

*

When Li Jue woke up, his limbs were immersed in the warm softness and he thought he was sleeping in the clouds.

After entering this sub-world, he first lived in the utility room, where the bed was not much harder than the floor; these past few days he stayed in the Son of God's room, where the mattress was quite soft, but still far from a real bed.

The comfort at this moment reminded him of his real home. The child's bones were still growing, so his father hadn't bought him a very soft crib, but his own big bed was soft; whenever he didn't want to sleep alone, he would lie on it and roll around, feeling like he was in the clouds.

So soft, so soft, so comfortable, I want to sleep on it again...

Just when the little cub's eyelids were about to close again, he suddenly realized someone was looking at him.

No, it wasn't just now. He had probably been staring at me like this since before he woke up.

The cub turned his head and met the face of the Holy Son so close to him.

The boy lay on the edge of the bed with his hands, his chin resting on the back of his hands, his long black hair draped behind his back, like a quiet and mysterious black cat concentrating on hunting.

The little cub being "hunted" was not on guard at all. Still confused, it smiled and said, "Brother!"

The Son of God didn't really intend to be a hunter, so he didn't say a word, and a blink of his eyes was his response.

Li Jue didn't get up. He rolled over and lay face to face with the boy. He also imitated him and rested his head on the back of his hand. "Brother, what are you doing?"

"Observe," the Son said, his tone rigorous, as if he were conducting a scientific experiment.

Li Jue's eyes sparkled, and he pointed at himself: "Observing the cub?"

The Son nodded.

Li Jue asked: "Why?"

"Because..." The Son of God thought for a moment and gave the most appropriate answer, "You are cute."

The baby is not one to shy away from compliments. Even after being praised countless times, he still curls his eyes happily and says, "Thank you, brother. You are so beautiful too!"

The boy's expression, always aloof as if separated by a barrier, softened a little. He looked at Li Jue as if he were a beloved little animal.

"Not sad anymore?" he asked.

Zizi was stunned for a moment before he understood what he was asking.

Speaking of this, the little fellow who was still smiling just now curled his lips, sat up cross-legged, looked at his hands and feet which were even smaller than before, and said in a sullen voice: "Xixi, you don't recognize me anymore."

The Son asked, "'Xixi'?"

Li Jue nodded: "Xixi."

Just one question and one answer, absolutely no progress.

Fortunately, the young man had not forgotten the young master of Count Custer's family whom he had met at the castle gate the day before, nor had he forgotten his full name: "Xu Lingxi?"

Li Jue's eyes lit up: "Xixi is here, is this what you call her?"

The Son didn't understand what he meant by "here", but nodded to the latter question.

Then he asked again: "He is your..."

"He's Zaizai's best friend!" Li Jue said this proudly, "He's my little brother."

"Brother." The Son of God repeated the word, his expression somewhat vacant.

Little Zizi thought that this boy, who seemed to live in a different environment from others, didn't understand what brothers and sisters were, so he comforted him, "Zizi has many brothers, we can give you one!"

Brother Mimi, Brother Yaoyao, Brother Meimei, and more...

The Holy Son interrupted him to read the family tree, his voice as light as a wisp of smoke: "I also had an older brother in the past."

Not only did his expression not show any trace of nostalgia, but there was even a hint of hurt in his eyes.

Li Jue asked cautiously: "Bad brother?"

The boy was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Bad brother."

The cub's tiny body was filled with an overwhelming desire to protect. He knelt on the bed with his arms outstretched: "Don't be afraid, I'll protect you! Beat the bad brother away!"

The Son of God looked at him, looking like he wanted to smile, but seemed to have forgotten how to smile.

After a while, he whispered, "Thank you."

Li Jue didn't get a hug in response, and he slowly remembered that the housekeeper and the maid had both warned him not to touch the Son of God.

But it doesn’t matter, the baby won’t be easily discouraged by such a small thing.

Instead, he patted his chest and said righteously, "Then, I'll be your big brother!"

The Holy Son also sat up straight. They were about ten years apart in age, so even if the former was under the bed, he was about the same height as the kneeling little Li Jue.

The young man looked the cub in the eye, his voice confused, "But you're younger than me."

Li Jue was stunned and felt that what he said made sense.

But the baby also has his own set of principles: "Whoever protects you is your brother!"

Shengzi felt that what he said made sense, and a soft smile appeared at the corner of his eyes, almost like a smile: "Okay, brother."

The little boy, who was less than four years old, answered the fourteen-year-old boy loudly: "Brother!"

Li Jue was previously worried about how to address his unnamed brother, the Holy Son, to distinguish him from the other brothers, but now he doesn’t have to worry about it anymore.

Zizi has many older brothers, and this is the first time he has a younger brother~

The child was so happy that he kept jumping on the bed, and even the little golden curls at the ends of his hair jumped along with him.

The Son of God lay down on the edge of the bed again and looked up at Li Jue. Seeing her crescent-shaped smiling eyes and dimples, his mood also brightened.

No more sadness, he thought.

*

The window of Xu Lingxi's room faces the castle garden. On the second morning of the rest day, he was sitting at the table reading as usual. In the afternoon, he would return to the academy to have a small test on the early integration history of the kingdom continent.

He had already memorized the knowledge points, but he still read them a few more times to make sure there were no omissions.

The city of Esteril is the most prosperous city in the Caster fiefdom and the center of economy and culture. Almost all schools of a certain size are located here.

The children of the Noble Academy, like students in other schools, need to learn various aspects of Fialan's history. The difference is that the characters that appear in the textbooks are not just a series of tedious names without any sense of reality to them. They are their grandparents and great-grandparents, the majestic or loving elders in their childhood memories, the portraits hanging in their homes, and the pride carried in their surnames.

Xu Lingxi silently recited the outstanding achievements of the Custer family in guarding the southern coastline, and imagined how spectacular it would be when the family fleet, which would patrol every year, fired artillery fire at sea.

However, his thoughts were interrupted by the sudden laughter coming from downstairs.

The boy frowned.

The servants in the house remembered the young master's schedule clearly. They tiptoed through the garden on the two days of rest, especially this morning, and consciously created an absolutely quiet learning atmosphere for the hardworking future heir.

Who is so unruly?

Is there a new arrival——

His thoughts paused.

He was the only new servant in the family recently.

Xu Lingxi put down his quill, closed his textbook, opened the window and looked down. Sure enough, there was a small figure running between the flower beds of hibiscus and osmanthus.

The light golden hair that seemed to be kissed by the sun fluttered and shone brightly into his eyes.

The little servant had been feeling very depressed since he returned home two days ago and ruthlessly ignored him.

When they meet me, they either take a detour. If they can't avoid me, they will put on a gloomy face and call me "Young Master" in a muffled voice, not even willing to look up at him.

Now I'm having a lot of fun.

Xu Lingxi didn't think there were no other servants in the house who warned the child not to enter the garden during this time, especially not to make any noise. He looked away with a look of displeasure and confusion.

Soon, the Son of God and the high priest standing beside him like a guardian god were seen on the wooden swing in front of the colorful hydrangea wall.

No one has yet told the young master that the little servant has been sent to the Holy See by the Count.

The boy watched the cub play wildly for a while, then happily ran to the swing, chattering to the boy - he was too far away to hear a word, but he could tell that he was very happy - and a flame of anger suddenly ignited in his heart.

The little boy servant was a gift from his father.

Why—why are you smiling at others now?

He still remembered the child's expectant eyes when he first looked at him, his timid expression after being rejected, and how he peeked at him from a distance like an abandoned little animal.

Now, have you turned to act coquettishly towards His Royal Highness the Holy Son?

Would he also call the Son of God's name so affectionately—oh, that's impossible, the Son of God's name is not something that mortals can know—in short, would he also look at others with those big, shining light-gold eyes?

Because you can't be his friend, have you looked for other friends?

Are you so impatient?

Xu Lingxi clutched the manuscript paper, which was deeply wrinkled. He saw his angry eyebrows reflected in the window glass and was very surprised.

Am I angry?

……Why?

This is totally unlike him.

Xu Lingxi is the heir of the Custer family, so of course there are many children in the academy who curry favor with him and flock around him; there are also some who are of similar family background and have similar interests and can become true friends.

He has always been open-minded about this matter. If they are willing to play together, they can play together. It doesn't matter if others have better friends. After all, friendship only occupies a part of life, and even an unimportant part.

Xu Lingxi had never been jealous of his friends in his life, let alone... what's more, that little boy servant was not his friend at all!

etc.

Was he thinking "jealous" just now?

The child's expression changed again and again.

He was only seven years old, not yet at the age of falling in love. It was true that there was a tradition among the nobility to arrange marriages for their children at an early age, but this did not exist in the Custer family.

Xu Lingxi was precocious. From literary works, he vaguely understood that the emotions between adults and children were different. There was a special feeling called "possessiveness"; and its most common manifestation in daily life was jealousy.

What does it feel like to be jealous?

Is it the same as now, with my stomach feeling knotted and knotted, my heart feeling sour and my throat feeling bitter?

The boy thought vaguely, if this is "jealousy", does that mean he likes the other person?

What's so good about that little servant?

Isn't it just that it looks cute and like a moving doll?

Isn't it just that the beautiful eyes are especially bright when looking at me?

Isn't it just the sweet and soft voice of the little baby calling his name...

...No, it seems like all of them are advantages that will make people like them!

Xu Lingxi went from being angry at Li Jue to being angry at himself.

When he wanted to lose his temper, he would sweep down all the books, pens and ornaments on the table, smash the expensive vases and lamps, and then make a big fuss among the ruins, attracting all the servants to come over and coax him, kneeling on the ground to beg him to calm down; the Duke of Middleton's sister and Viscount Leonard's nephew often did this.

But he is the young master of the Custer family, and these uneducated things will never happen to him.

The only thing Xu Lingxi could do was to use more force than usual to close the window, making a bang.

He sat back at the table, reopened the book, and tried to immerse himself in the magnificent history of Fialan, but found that the characters that were easy to read before were now winding like earthworms, gnawing at his heart and making him restless.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to learn today, the child lay down on the table in frustration.

His chest felt tight and uncomfortable, and he didn't know how to relieve it. His eyes were sore and swollen, and he had the urge to cry.

*

The autumn afternoon sun is the warmest and most comfortable, gently and lingeringly shining on the world.

Li Jue was lying in the middle of the flower bed, happily waving his arms and legs like a little butterfly flapping its wings.

He was clearly lying on top of the flowers, yet he did not crush any of them. Instead, thousands of flowers fell towards him, and their delicate petals overlapped with each other, forming a shimmering and beautiful sea, reverently holding up this little Son of God who had come to the world.

With His Royal Highness the Son of God present, it was inconvenient for the servants of the Caster family to enter the garden directly. Any news had to be passed to the high priest through the followers first.

Unable to get down directly, the boy had to stay sitting on the swing. He raised his head and watched his guardian walk towards him. He leaned over and whispered something.

"That's it." The high priest stood up and looked at the child he had raised. "Should I tell him?"

The Son hesitated for a moment and nodded: "If you don't know, you will be sad."

The high priest's eyes were inquiring. "You seem to care a lot about whether he's hurt or not. I've never seen you care about anyone else like this before."

The Son of God met his gaze without dodging or avoiding it: "Including you?"

The high priest said frankly: "Including me."

The Son of God looked at the smiling child buried in the sea of ​​flowers and said, "He is very cute."

The man remained silent.

He actually didn't mind. To the Son of God, the child was like a new pet. There would always be a period of freshness when he couldn't let go of the child, but it would not become a long-lasting and shining love.

The little saint's eyes will not always look at others. They cannot look at anyone other than themselves for a long time.

He doesn't allow it.

The high priest bowed and said, "Then I'll go."

However, the movement of turning around was stopped by a small force.

He looked down and saw the boy grabbing the corner of his clothes, his eyes pleading: "I'll do it."

These were all small, willful requests that could be granted. The man looked at the boy's bare feet and said, "I'll carry you over."

But I got a shake of my head and a weak but insistent answer: "I'll go by myself."

The man frowned reflexively: "You can't..."

"Yes." The Son of God looked down at the yellowed autumn lawn, a rare rebellious spirit in his heart. "The flowers are very clean."

He cannot be contaminated by the mundane world, and never lets his feet touch the ground when he goes out. This is a habit he has maintained for many years since he was eight years old.

Fialan is grateful to nature. Every flower, grass and tree is a gift from God. They are pure, so of course he can touch them.

The high priest could not find any reason to refute it, so he had to let him go.

The Son stepped off the swing, feeling the wondrous sensation of his feet touching the earth for the first time in a long time, becoming one with nature. The tips of the grass pricked his delicate, well-cared-for skin, causing a slight itch and pain, but not unpleasant.

It is a luxurious feeling called freedom.

The Holy Son walked to the flower bed planted with Mirabilis jalapa and Impatiens rosa centifolia. The child was almost falling asleep in the sun.

"Brother." Shengzi called Li Jue as agreed, his voice soft, afraid to disturb the peaceful and beautiful scene. But he only knew how to lower his voice, not how to express it tactfully. "Xu Lingxi, I'm leaving soon."

When Zizi heard the name, he suddenly woke up from his cozy dream and climbed out of the sea of ​​flowers: "Xixi...?"

"Back to school." The Son of God explained simply.

Li Jue suddenly panicked.

It doesn’t matter if Xixi doesn’t recognize him now, he will find a way to make him remember him; even if he doesn’t remember him, they can get to know him again and become new good friends.

But the premise is that Xixi will not leave.

I finally waited for the person I trust the most in this strange world, but am I going to be abandoned again?

Sad again. The Son of God sighed in his heart.

"Want to go see him off?" he suggested, trying to offer comforting and soothing advice like a normal person.

"I do." The cub lowered his head, and his baby voice began to sound like a cry.

The boy wanted to hug the little one, or hold the two twisted hands, but these were forbidden by the Son of God.

He is the being closest to God. He must show mercy to all living beings equally and cannot just love one specific person.

*

Li Jue returned to the room from the garden. Xu Lingxi just came down from the second floor, followed by two or three servants carrying school bags and college uniform cloaks. The carriage was already waiting in the front yard.

One of the children looked up, and the other looked down, and their eyes met.

The little cub opened his mouth and subconsciously wanted to call him, but before he could speak, he remembered that they were no longer the same relationship as in the past world, so he bit his lip and lowered his head.

The boy's heart sank.

He was obviously not familiar with the child, so why would he feel sad because of the other person's sadness?

The Count, leaning on his cane, was also waiting on the first floor.

I have already said what I needed to say. My son is sensible and excellent, and I have never been a worry-free person. There is no need to say anything extra.

Seeing the Son of God enter the house, he greeted him with a smile and chattered on.

The boy didn't react as usual. Someone else would take care of the socializing part for him, and he just needed to keep an eye on his little tail.

It takes more than two hours to travel from Caster Castle to Esteril City. The test is coming up in the afternoon, so we can't delay any longer.

Xu Lingxi said goodbye to the Son of God, but his eyes would occasionally glance at the small figure hiding behind him.

Like all the people of Fialan, he had always revered the Son of God, but he was unable to remain calm and pious while performing the ceremony.

He didn't want to admit that he was jealous.

The Son of God naturally did not respond to his courtesy. His eyes passed over him indifferently and he walked towards the stairs.

Li Jue, wearing white lace gloves, held onto the corner of the boy's robe and followed obediently.

Xu Lingxi watched him pass by her and gritted his teeth.

The two did not say a word to each other from beginning to end.

The boy stepped out of the door, but still couldn't help turning around.

Coincidentally, the little cub turned around at the same time, let go of the corner of the Son's clothes, and raised his hands to him.

Stretch out the four fingers of your left hand straight and raise your thumb.

While holding your left thumb with the four fingers of your right hand, raise your thumb as well.

Keep your hands in this position, resting them against your forehead.

It was the moves he had once taught him. It was their favorite game.

Remember.

Li Jue prayed silently.

Please remember.