Chapter 74 Birthday: Warm Night [VIP]
The song ended gracefully, and Yaris, accompanied by his brother, slowly walked out of the Golden Hall. At midnight, when the moon had risen to the center of the sky, bathed in the light of the lake and the moon, he stood on the balcony and said with a smile to the expectant Maga citizens in the garden:
"I feel very honored that you came to my birthday party."
"Long live His Majesty the Grand Duke! Long live the Holy Family!"
“We feel very honored too!”
"Long live! Long live!"
“…”
In the garden, people cheered excitedly.
Then the crowd moved, squeezed out a clearing, and more than a dozen women in coastal clothing came out.
For tonight's performance, the women decorated their hair with colorful flowers, painted their foreheads with red lipstick, and painted their eyes with fine powder made of glitter. Their fitted clothes outlined their graceful figures, and crisp bells were wrapped around their waists and ankles. They held musical instruments in their hands.
It was quiet again.
Lisa, who was in the lead, looked up at Xiao Yun beside Yaris, her eyes filled with tears.
"Before, we were imprisoned in the red-light district of Kucukia. If we disobeyed, we would be whipped and threatened with being sold to low-class brothels... But now, thanks to the miracle-working 'Red-Light Saint', we have regained our freedom and no longer have to worry about being forced to do things we don't want to do... Everyone is very friendly to us, and no one insults or beats us..."
"Thank you! Master Lucien! Thank you, His Highness Jarris! It is you who have given us a new life!"
“Thank you…thank you…”
Lisa raised her bell while sobbing.
"For years, we've forced smiles and performed songs and dances to please our guests. But today, we sing and dance here to express our gratitude and joy!"
Others also raised their hand drums and rattles, and performed an exotic and passionate dance to the tinkling music and flying skirts.
Looking from a high vantage point, everyone is blooming like a flower, full of vitality and vigor.
The citizens of Maga surrounding them were also infected by the women's joy and began to dance along.
Seeing how happy they were, Yaris whispered to his brother, "...Although this dance was prepared for my birthday, in my eyes, it is a special program you prepared for me."
"The gift I prepared for you..."
"Is this the birthday present Lucien prepared for you?"
Edmund's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting their conversation.
Yaris turned around and saw two tall, muscular, dark-skinned men following Edmund.
"They are..."
"I have selected two men who are similar in build and appearance to Kairusha as extra gifts for you."
Edmund's tone made Xiao Yun feel subtle.
"Brother, why did he suddenly mention Ikarusha... Could it be that..."
【Don't panic, stay calm. 】
Yaris flashed his signature smile, pointed at the man on his right, and said, "He does look a bit like Kairusha, but if you look closely, you'll find Kairusha is completely different from him."
"What's the difference?"
"Karusha is a strong man, he stayed strong no matter what happened, but I don't see that same strength in his eyes."
"Oh. So that's how it is... Yaris, you're a picky person. Even the slightest difference won't shake your heart."
"Why must my heart be shaken for Kairusha?"
"he……"
"He is my good friend, but I have many friends like him."
"Well, your spoiled princess!"
Edmund turned and left.
Yaris continued to watch the performances prepared by the citizen representatives for tonight with his brother.
…
…
Thus, on this beautiful moonlit night, the citizens of Magha, with unparalleled enthusiasm and emotion, lined up with red faces under the leadership of the mayor and presented their gifts to the holy grand prince brothers who walked out of the hall and into their midst.
Compared with the various treasures presented by the nobles and piled up in the Golden Hall, the gifts prepared by the common people were extremely shabby. But no matter how rough and inconspicuous the gifts were, Yaris would show a gentle smile to make the other party believe that today was the best time of his life.
"Thank you for preparing such a precious gift for me."
"I am extremely happy to receive your gift."
"This exquisite fishbone brooch reminds me of an interesting incident when I was ten years old."
“May all of us always be as happy as we are today.”
“…”
As daybreak approached, the team finally drew to a close.
Xiao Yun, worried that his brother would be exhausted from working all night, looked at the end of the team with a melancholy expression.
What are you worried about?
[I'm afraid you'll collapse right after the party...]
[It's okay, I'll fall on you and let you hold me up.]
l They were very close and harmonious, and everyone was laughing.
"--Despite all the unexpected events and setbacks you've experienced, you've finally restored the harmonious love that blood relatives should have. When you stand together, you look like a model couple who have loved each other for many years."
Marina sighed while wiping her tears.
Mikael beside him nodded repeatedly.
"...Since everyone agrees that I should go back and rest, I'll leave the people in the hall to you."
Yaris smiled.
"Yeah, brother is very tired."
Xiao Yun nodded in understanding, and prepared his hands to ensure that his brother could lean into his arms if he suddenly fell down.
"It's okay, I'm not as weak as you think..."
Yaris said with a smile, nodded to the people gathered in the garden, and then was escorted away by his most trusted brother amid the cheers of the crowd.
…
…
As the spiritual sustenance of the holy grand dukes of all generations, the Little Palace of Love has both a magnificent hall filled with art treasures and a courtyard full of family warmth with fruit trees laden with fruits and unknown small flowers scattered around.
At 1 o'clock, under a large fruit tree in the center of the garden, well-trained servants brought the masters' favorite drinks and various snacks, filling the white afternoon tea table.
Yaris lay leisurely on the sofa, looking lazily at the table full of food.
"You look like a lady who is always complaining about her loss of appetite."
Xiao Yun smiled helplessly and poured himself a cup of tea with the exquisite porcelain from the East Continent with flowers, birds, and the moon painted on the surface - although the taste of the tea in this world was quite different from the Chinese tea in his memory.
"I didn't sleep the whole night last night, and Edmund suddenly called you over this morning, so I couldn't fall asleep again..."
Yaris raised his eyelids distressedly: "I have always had a bad sleep problem, but if you stay with me, I will fall asleep easily."
"Be cheerful. After tonight's celebrations, we can send Edmund away, and then—I'll be with you tomorrow night and all day the day after tomorrow."
"Really?"
There was light in Yaris's eyes.
"Of course it's true."
Xiao Yun said this cheerfully, and then pretended to casually put the food he had prepared on Yaris's plate.
As early as when he was in the royal capital, he discovered that there was a picky and willful little princess living in Yaris's heart. Not only did she not like to eat at normal meal times, she was always uninterested in meals carefully prepared by others. However, if food that did not look like a regular meal was put on his plate outside of meal times, he would gladly accept it.
(…"Dark Night Mentor" is an old dog, but the nickname "Princess Highness" he gave his brother is indeed very appropriate.)
"Lucien, what are you thinking about? Why is there a sudden smile on your face?"
"Um... I was wondering... what kind of expression will appear on Edmund's face when he sees the four birthday presents I prepared for his brother tonight..."
Xiao Yun suddenly had an idea and changed the topic to Edmund.
"Whatever expression he made, it must have been something like pain."
Yaris said in a very good mood.
"Actually, compared to the three consecutive days of lavish birthday banquets that have gathered almost all the nobles, including the emperor, I would rather celebrate my birthday with the people I love and enjoy a quiet and warm night."
"That's what I thought."
Xiao Yun deeply agreed.
It is no exaggeration to say that Edmund's arrival ruined the mood of almost all the guests.
"It's a pity... after the birthday party, you will leave me again..."
Yaris sighed in frustration, breaking the food his brother had put on his plate into small pieces and putting them into his mouth.
"I've always hoped that you would stay with me forever, but..."
"A moment of separation is for a longer time together in the future."
Xiao Yun said sincerely: "To me, there is nothing more important or more precious than you in this world."
"I understand. Everything now is fate's test for us."
Yaris started to laugh.
At this time, a magician walked out from the darkness.
"Owner--"
"What is it?"
"'Dark Night Mentor' requests to speak to you."
"he?"
Yaris and Xiao Yun looked at each other and said with a smile: "It's okay, just move the crystal mirror over here."
…
"—Ah, Princess, you have become even more beautiful today."
The old face of the "Dark Night Mentor" covered with wrinkles like dirt appeared in the crystal mirror with confidence. After complimenting Yaris, he immediately looked at Xiao Yun who was beside Yaris.
"Young Master is becoming more and more radiant. As expected, happiness is the best secret to beauty."
"Thank you for the compliment, although I don't know how to respond to your sudden words to us."
Xiao Yun tried to appear calm.
"But you must also admit that you both have beautiful faces. Staying up late hasn't left any traces on your faces. Your skin is still so smooth, your lips are the color of coral, and your eyes are as bright as the sky. I mean, your Highness's eyes are like the deep night sky, and yours are like the clear blue sky."
"——Let's get down to business!"
Xiao Yun couldn't help but interrupt the "Dark Night Mentor"'s chatter.
"The real business is - happy birthday, Princess."
The Dark Night Mentor said pretentiously, "May your heart be as beautiful and elegant as your appearance."
"Thank you very much for your well wishes."
Yaris looked at the "Dark Night Mentor" calmly: "If you came here just to say 'Happy Birthday' to me——"
"—I also brought a piece of news that may be closely related to the fate of the Western Continent, as a birthday gift for Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"What news?"
“Is it related to Him?”
Yaris and Xiao Yun said at the same time.
Seeing that his speech had successfully attracted the attention of the two, the "Dark Night Mentor" smiled proudly: "This information is worth a lot of money, I can't..."
"You want to sell it at a high price?"
"No, no, no! Although I am an ambitious black magician, I have no interest in worldly wealth."
"So what do you want?"
"I want to know..."
The Dark Night Mentor raised his eyelids, which were as thick as a Shar Pei's face. "I want to know how you plan to deal with Him, and - can I benefit from it?"
"That depends on whether the intelligence you provide us is valuable enough."
"All right……"
The Dark Night Mentor shook his head and said, "About three days ago, Romila and I came to the ruins of the Eternal Empire's capital in the Death Desert and accidentally found Kairusha, who was nearly dead. He had lost his memory and looked very bad."
"Then he—"
Xiao Yun shouted, "What happened to him? Where is he now?"
"He's with Romila now," the Dark Night Mentor added. "Romila is a greedy succubus, but she won't seduce Kairusha just because I'm not around."
"Why?"
"Because Kairusha is not only seriously ill, his body is also constantly emitting a poisonous substance invisible to human eyes. In this era, we call this thing 'miasma', but in the Eternal Empire era, it was called 'radiation'!"
"radiation?!"
(An ancient nuclear war really happened in this world!)
Xiao Yun was so excited that he almost jumped up.
Yaris held his brother down in time.
[Don't get too excited, or you might fall into the trap of the "Dark Night Mentor."]
【clear. 】
"——Is he okay now? Well... you came all the way to Maga to find us, which means he's at least still alive and well. Even though he's lost his memory, he's unwilling to trust you, so you can't get any useful information from him..."
"As expected, Her Highness always possesses a calmness so rational that it seems to have lost its humanity."
The Dark Night Mentor said solemnly, "After retrieving Kairusha, I carefully examined his body and discovered not only a lethal dose of radiation, but also the White Magecraft of the Death Sage. It's reasonable to speculate that the White Magecraft of the Death Sage allowed him to survive."
"But why would the 'Sage of Death,' who had secluded himself in the depths of the Death Desert for millennia, renounced all contact with the outside world, suddenly rescue an ordinary human exploring the ruins of the capital, and safely deliver him, despite carrying a lethal dose of radiation? If it weren't me who found Kairusha, but a caravan passing through the Death Desert... they and their cargo would have been contaminated by the 'radiation,' and would have brought it back to civilized society, causing unimaginable disaster!"
The Dark Night Mentor spoke in an exaggerated tone, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"...You seem very eager to spread the 'radiation' to densely populated areas through Kairusha?"
Xiao Yun teased the "Dark Night Mentor".
The Dark Night Mentor nodded frankly: "If I could cure 'radiation sickness', I would indeed do so."
“Ah, as expected…”
"So you have no way of curing Kairusha's 'radiation sickness', and you can't gain his trust now that he's lost his memory. So you're planning to send him back to us, where he's of no use to you, so we can help you uncover the Sage of Death's true intentions in rescuing Kairusha?"
"—In fact, I suspect the real 'Sage of Death' has already returned to death, as his name suggests. The one who now lives near the ruins of the Eternal Empire's capital under the name of 'Sage of Death' is a fake supported by him."
The Dark Night Mentor said grimly, "This statement already sounds absurd, but given His strength and His strong desire for the Western Continent and Her Royal Highness the Princess, I believe my speculation is at least logically sound."
"this……"
Yaris paused for a moment, then held his brother's hand. "The banquet tonight is about to begin. We'll give you an answer tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
"Of course, this matter is of great importance, and you need to consider it carefully and repeatedly."
The Dark Night Mentor answered without hesitation.
Afterwards, the crystal mirror dimmed, and the call with the "Dark Night Mentor" temporarily ended.
…
"——Brother, what do you think of what he said?"
"He clearly has bad intentions, but we... I'm considering taking Kairusha to Gola to recuperate. There are ruins of the Eternal Empire in the Gola forest, and perhaps there's a cure for radiation sickness there. Gola borders the Death Desert and Monglis, so if anything bad happens, we can get him back to Monglis in time."
"You really can sense that something bad will happen in the future."
Yaris muttered with a wry smile, "The mountain beneath me, made entirely of resentment and death, is stirring unrest. The dead emit a horrible odor, and the ghosts, obsessed with the past, are becoming increasingly creepy... They probably have a premonition of what will happen next, which is why they're making such a commotion... But no matter what, I'll try to eat and rest as steadily as possible. I must maintain enough physical strength to deal with any future disasters..."
"What can I do for you?"
"I need you to grow faster. Only when exposed to sunlight will the bones and undead souls melt and disintegrate, dispersing with the wind."
Yaris leaned on his brother's arm and said with emotion, "In a sense, the fact that our civilization is still alive is a miracle. But this time... after experiencing this, our world may finally be able to gain true freedom..."
"The future will be..."
“The future will be dangerous, but the future is also full of hope.”
Muttering softly, Yaris slowly stood up: "The dinner is about to begin, let's go back to the room and change into our dresses."
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