Chapter 180 True Love Hemolysis: Calling in Dreams [VIP]
The wind blew gently, carrying broken clouds with it, passing over the flowing water, leaving white shadows, floating over the heads of travelers, bringing temporary shade, and arriving at a garden where Rosa Marie was in full bloom.
"So you're here."
A slightly helpless voice said this as they quickly walked to the shade of the rosamaria tree.
"ah--"
The person sitting in the shade quickly stood up, hiding the minstrel's harp behind his back, and apologized awkwardly, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be absent, but... well! I admit I don't have any resentment towards Aunt Catherine, but I have almost no feelings for her either. I just want to be with my brother and sing and play music for him!"
Lucien's speech gradually became smoother.
He was already thirty-seven years old, and the shadows of life's rings gradually appeared in his eyes and the corners of his mouth, but his skin was smooth, his chin was almost beardless, his plump cheeks were still full of youthful light, his ocean-like blue eyes were sparkling, his brown curly hair was tied into a bun and hung behind his neck, and his figure was still slim and tall like a youth, so that many people would mistake him for a child when they first saw him.
Being able to be young beyond his age, in addition to having a superior life far beyond that of ordinary people, more importantly, Lucien's mental state is as innocent and cute as that of a young man, even a little unreliable.
In fact, despite possessing the highest status and bloodline in the Western Continent, he never considered using his status to influence a country's policies or diplomacy: "How can someone like me, who knows nothing but music, get involved in something as important as politics?"
His wife, Queen Isabel of Brania, always spoke of him in private with an indescribable mixture of love and hate.
"Indeed, he possesses an exceptionally beautiful and adorable face, but living with someone like him is incredibly difficult. He's too naive, too free-spirited, and easily drawn to novelty, prone to distraction or even loss at any moment. You can't expect him to shoulder any responsibilities, as he needs care like a child. Furthermore, no matter how much you give to him, you can never be the only one in his heart. As a typical descendant of the Holy Family, the only person he deeply loves and adores in this world is his brother. Although His Highness Jaris has passed away, his feelings for his twin brother, the other Lucien, remain just as deep."
At this moment, standing in front of the lazy, naive, childish Lucien who had no interest in politics was the other Lucien mentioned by Isabelle, or in other words, the Emperor Aura I of the Holy Sun Empire and the Head of the Western Continent National Alliance, Claude El Xiao - Xiao Yun.
Unlike Lucien, who often gives people the illusion that he is "as young as a boy" because of his overly innocent and cute mental state, Xiao Yun's body stopped aging after the funeral of his half-brother Yaris, and always maintained the young appearance of twenty-two or twenty-three years old. His original brown hair and blue eyes turned into golden hair and golden eyes overnight. His golden hair was as bright as the sun, and his pupils and irises were golden. His facial features did not change, but people inexplicably felt that he was now more refined, perfect and flawless than before.
Not only that, he also brought out a twin brother from the divine tower who looked exactly like him and had the same name.
If such an unreasonable thing happened somewhere else, it would definitely cause widespread and profound discussion, and might even lead to concerns about the invasion of the Dark Mage. But when it happened to a member of the Holy Family—
People accepted it almost without any doubt or blinking.
After all, the Holy Family is the bloodline of the Twin Gods in the world. Their blood is mixed with peculiarities, including appearance, that cannot be interpreted by magic and science. No matter how absurd or weird things are, as long as they happen to people in the Holy Family, they are reasonable and normal, and are the embodiment of "God's favor" and "God's favor."
What's more - although the emperor's appearance has changed, his abilities have not diminished in the slightest, and have even become more unfathomable and almost perfect.
Although the other Lucien brought out by the emperor from the divine tower was naive and unreliable and could not provide any help to the emperor in political policies, he possessed an extraordinary talent for affinity - every time he accompanied the emperor to social occasions, Lucien could always use his naturally lovely smile to lead aside the insignificant people who tried to get the emperor's attention, ensuring that the emperor's business was not disturbed.
In addition, as soon as Yaris's mourning period ended, Lucien took the initiative to propose to Queen Isabelle of Brania, turning the northern power Brania into a part of the Holy Sun Empire through marriage, laying a solid material and military foundation for the Western Continent National Alliance advocated by Xiao Yun.
…
"...Lucien, I understand your feelings. In fact, I am even more reluctant than you to attend Aunt Catherine's funeral. Although she never did evil with Edmund, she never stopped Edmund's evil deeds either."
Xiao Yun spoke softly. He had just returned from a funeral. A large number of expensive jewel-wrapped amulets hung on his chest. His sun-like golden hair was adorned with a silver forehead ornament without any jewels. The rings on both hands were the Goddess of Love Ring on the left hand, the Goddess of Justice Ring on the right hand, and the Holy Sun Empire Ring on the right hand.
"I came here, not only out of common courtesy, but also because the funeral will allow me to stay in Magadha for a few more days."
Xiao Yun looked towards the white marble temple hidden behind the shade of the trees, and his golden eyes gradually filled with sadness.
"...After I retire, I will live forever in Maga, on the small island of Lake Lilia. Every day, however, I haven't received any missions yet. Although the Western Continent National Alliance has been initially established, it is still far from what he wants..."
, his eyes gradually became moist.
"We've been apart for five thousand years, yet even if we meet again, we're still separated for more than half the time due to various reasons. When I saw the truth, my heart was both happy and painful. I'm glad he's still alive. I hope he can live. No matter his feelings, as long as he's alive... as long as he's alive, I'm happy..."
The servants were all waiting in the distance, and only Lucien was here.
Xiao Yun could cry as much as he wanted.
"But I also know that I can't ask him to live in such despair and pain just because I want him to live. This is too selfish and cruel... He is really gentle and kind. He has been suffering all the time, but... he has never uttered a word of resentment, nor has he taken his pain out on anyone or taken revenge on the world..."
"To this day, I still feel sad for him and even want to resent him... If he had been more selfish and told me about his pain earlier, and let me do something to ease his pain while he was still alive... I..."
"yes……"
Lucien said wistfully, "My brother has always been a demander of perfection and dignity. He always endures the pain and hides his wounds, revealing only his most gorgeous and elegant side, fearing that others would see that he also has moments of confusion and bewilderment."
"However, the more he tried to appear perfect, the heavier the fate he bore became, ultimately transforming him into a ghost, detached from the world. Even the most oblivious people around him could clearly see that his body was becoming increasingly clear and quiet, ready to melt and disappear at any moment."
Xiao Yun said slowly, his eyes turning to Marina and Kairusha who were walking side by side.
…
…
Shortly after Yaris's death, Kairusha, who was living in the capital of the Kingdom of Light as a guest, took the medicine of the "Sage of Death" to cure radiation sickness, and married Marina in accordance with Yaris's last wish.
Two years later, Kairusha returned to Monglis, reconciled with his seriously ill brother, and obtained the Monglis crown from his brother. In September of the same year, Kairusha and Marina's eldest son, Star, was born. In May, Kairusha, as the King of Monglis, announced that Monglis would join the Western Continent National Alliance led by Xiao Yun.
Three days ago, the couple accompanied Lady Lana, the eldest wife of the former King Monglis and sister of the former deposed Emperor Edmund III of the Yula Dynasty, to Maga to attend the funeral of Lady Catherine, the former Queen Mother of the Yula Dynasty.
Lady Catherine's funeral was over. After sending Princess Lana, who was still immersed in grief, back to her residence, the two took a boat to the island in the middle of the lake to visit Yaris.
…
"Come to think of it, we haven't met privately for a long time."
Marina looked at Xiao Yun sadly: "You are still so young, but I am old."
"Because a part of me has already died and is with him forever."
Xiao Yun spoke calmly, leading everyone through the blooming Rosa Marie flowers, and into the exquisite and elegant white marble temple with the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the treetops.
…
The temple was very quiet. The priests and monks stood in the dimness and prayed silently. It was sacred and sad.
In the center of the temple is a three-tiered marble altar, above which stands a white marble statue.
The statue has a beautiful face reminiscent of Yaris, a slender body dressed in an elegant robe, eyes embedded with magic crystals that sparkle even in the dark, thick long hair hanging down to the waist, and a strange-looking snake coiled at its feet - to those who have never seen Yaris in person, this is a great work of art, but in the eyes of those who are familiar with Yaris, it is extremely mediocre and even not worth mentioning.
"Let's go to the backyard and pay our respects to Mikael first."
Marina, knowing that Xiao Yun wanted to be alone with Yaris, said softly and took Kairusha and Lucien away.
"Thanks."
…
After Marina and the others left, Xiao Yun asked the priests and monks in charge of daily prayers to leave, and walked alone to the statue. He glanced at the white marble pitchers filled with crimson Rosa Marie flowers that decorated both sides of the altar, picked up the hanging stove in front of the statue, and slowly walked around the altar. The lavender exotic incense mist gradually filled the silent space.
After the walk, Xiao Yun put down the hanging stove, sat on the steps in front of the statue, and gently stroked the base of the statue - the base contained Yaris's golden urn.
"I haven't come to the temple to see you for so long, do you miss me?"
"Ever since I realized your love for Bisarua wasn't genuine, I've started to hate using this scent."
“…”
As he murmured, Xiao Yun reached out and gently stroked the feet of the statue. With his ear pressed against the marble, he could faintly hear the sound of wind blowing through the leaves and ripples on the lake in the distance, as well as the sound of fishermen busy casting their nets on the lake.
"This place is indeed very quiet, a suitable place for you to rest. Although I know your soul is not here, your body has indeed been cremated and placed in a small box, hidden in the base of the statue..."
"For the past thirteen years, I've been very busy and unable to visit you often... There are so many things I need to deal with... John Deere and Ulysses are both very capable people. Thirteen years of universal education and the civil service examination system have continuously unearthed new talents for the country, but the progress of unification is still very slow..."
"I know that unification cannot be achieved hastily... The army can conquer land, but it cannot conquer people's hearts. We must ensure that the majority of people live a happy life under the new system, so that unification can truly take root in their hearts..."
"For some reason, I sometimes feel like everything I'm experiencing is a dream. I often close my eyes and then open them again, trying to wake up from this long dream so that I can see you again... Unfortunately, until now, I haven't woken up from the dream... But I know that there is a connection between you and me that no one else can surpass... This connection has not been broken to this day..."
Having said that, Xiao Yun withdrew his hands from stroking the statue, folded them tightly in front of his chest, and made a prayer gesture.
"When I complete the task you entrusted to me, I will meet you... I live in this world only to fulfill the promise we made... an eternal promise..."
A low voice drifted under the temple ceiling along with the lavender smoke.
After finishing their worship of Mikael, Kairusha and others returned to the temple. They said nothing, closed their eyes quietly, and prayed silently with Xiao Yun.
In a trance, they seemed to see Yaris - wearing a loose white robe and a wide belt, surrounded by Kelly and others, under the protection of Mikael, with fluffy and thick black hair, sitting leisurely on a lounge chair, looking at them with sparkling eyes, and a beautiful and gentle smile.
Moreover, this Yaris was not the Yaris who was tortured by illness, bedridden for a long time, and had pale cheeks. His skin was fair with a rosy glow, his arms were slender but strong, he could ride a horse, dance with a sword, and sing and dance to his heart's content in social occasions...
…
The lavender smoke gradually dissipated, and the people immersed in false fantasies gradually woke up, looking at the cold statue with melancholy.
(He's gone, he's never coming back...)
(Many people have already left, but we are still living in the present...)
(There will never be another soul like him in the world...)
(One day, we will leave this world and we will be together again...)
The grief poured out like a boiling hot substance. Xiao Yun gritted his teeth, wiped away his tears, and said to the statue, "Yaris, I still have some things to deal with. I can't stay here with you any longer, but tomorrow, the day after tomorrow... As long as I have free time, I will definitely come to see you..."
"Compared to the years immediately following my loss of you, my emotions have calmed down a lot, but as time goes by... my loneliness grows stronger... Only when I talk to you does the loneliness in my heart temporarily subside..."
Xiao Yun muttered to himself as he prepared to leave the temple with everyone else.
At this time, a figure appeared at the entrance of the temple.
He was wearing a loose white silk robe with a loose belt, and a dark embroidered sleeveless robe over it. His long black hair was draped over his shoulders, and he looked very much like the person they missed.
However, when the newcomers came close enough for their faces to be clearly identified, everyone showed bitter expressions.
"Alfonso! You—"
"Ah, is it my uninvited presence that makes you feel uncomfortable?"
Alfonso, who had deliberately dyed his pure white hair black, had a confused expression.
"No, I just—"
Xiao Yun sighed: "Why dye your hair black?"
"I want to see him... I've been feeling terrible lately. I want to see him and talk to him, and then I dreamt about him..."
Alfonso said with a dazed look in his eyes.
"What did you say? You dreamed about him?!"
"Um."
Alfonso nodded firmly, his emotions gradually becoming more and more excited, as if he was bewitched by something unreal, and his intoxication was mixed with a kind of hallucination that was almost terrifying.
"The night before last, I had a dream. In it, I met His Highness Yaris. Just like when we first met, he was standing among the rosamary flowers in the Silver Moon Palace. He looked at me tenderly and handed me a wine glass."
"He made me drink the wine he gave me and showed me another ring of the goddess of death on his white, soft finger."
"He said to me, 'Do you remember the vows on the ring?'
Alfonso closed his eyes and spoke in a tone filled with morbid longing: "After putting on the ring, you will become my slave. From then on, you will no longer have friends, relatives, lovers, or a future... You will continue to fight and kill, bringing hell to the world with fire and blood..."
"Alfonso, you—"
"Yes, I heard his voice. His Highness Yaris is calling me."
Alfonso opened his eyes, and his golden-green eyes were burning fiercely, flashing with unprecedented fire and passion.
Xiao Yun subconsciously took a step back.
He knew that Alfonso was a fanatic, a man who was obsessed with his dreams, but at this moment, Alfonso was so crazy that Xiao Yun felt trembling.
"Are you sure it was Yaris's voice you heard?"
"I'm quite sure..."
Alfonso murmured
"...I will leave Barakhania and lead my army towards the Eastern Continent. I will find him! Follow his guidance! Bring hell to the world with fire and blood! Then, I will form a true community of destiny with him!"
"--you!"
Marina said bluntly, "I think you've gone crazy! Or perhaps you've been possessed by something! You should go to the Magic Tower right away and ask the Grand Master to examine your brain! Really, you look horrible now!"
"Marina! Do you know what you're talking about? Or—"
Alfonso said in surprise, his eyes falling on each person present in turn: "Didn't you hear His Highness Yaris's call?"
"Alfonso, listen to me, you really need—"
"No! I don't need it!"
Alfonso interrupted Kairusha and said with a smile, "I understand your panic right now, and I also understand why you can't hear His Highness Yaris's call! As King of Monglis, you are no longer the eagle of the grassland! You can no longer understand the great determination to bring your dreams to this world, even if it means turning the world into a sea of blood!"
"If you turn the world into a sea of blood just to bring what you dream of to the world, that would be a true nightmare!"
Kairusha said rudely, "Alfonso, you've been struck by the dark magic!"
"No, no, no! I am very awake and I know what I am doing. I am sure that it was His Highness Yaris who called me in my dream - I heard his call and then took action to respond to his call! Do you understand?"
"Alfonso—"
Kairusha had a splitting headache after hearing this and frowned as he thought about how to pull Alfonso back from his unrealistic fantasy.
Xiao Yun also looked helpless: "Alfonso, what on earth happened to you?"
"Please don't question my statement. I am sober and feel better than ever."
Alfonso emphasized excitedly, "If you think it's too rash to lead the army to the East Continent, I can go alone, just like Xiao did back then."
"Alfonso, my situation back then was completely different from yours now."
Xiao Yun felt like he was about to be knocked unconscious by Alfonso.
He took a deep breath and placed his hands on Alfonso's shoulders. "Listen, Alfonso. No matter how much we grieve, Jarris is no longer with us! I personally sent him off, and when we said goodbye, we made a promise to reunite in the future."
"And then? What do you want to say?"
Alfonso frowned and emphasized, "The voice that summoned me undoubtedly belongs to Lord Yaris!"
"That's not the case..."
Xiao Yun became more and more helpless.
Both out of friendship and to protect Jarris, he must stop Alfonso from being deceived by the man claiming to be Jarris, even though he cannot tell anyone the crucial truth about Jarris.
"Yaris's situation is different from that of ordinary people. Death is a state for him, not a—"
"Death is just a state for any life!"
Alfonso seemed very stubborn and even obstinate.
"No! No! Yaris's situation is different!"
Xiao Yun said solemnly, "Before the Dark Dragon breaks out of its shell, any voice claiming to be Yaris is fake! I'm absolutely certain of this!"
"No! That's not it!"
Alfonso panted and said, "I came into this world to become his knight... However, I was bewitched by ambition and dreams. I made the wrong decision at the most critical moment, and have been heading in the wrong direction ever since... I clearly realized something was wrong, but I still..."
The choking sound reached everyone's ears, making everyone's body stiff with shock.
"Until I met you..."
Alfonso looked at Xiao Yun with burning eyes: "It wasn't until I saw you that I realized I had made a huge mistake. I regret it... I regret it very, very much..."
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