Eileenburg (21)
Engagement (1)
Ellen's engagement remained unresolved. Mi had already felt enough scrutiny around Ellen Castle; they wouldn't disrupt normal life there, but it only fueled Mi's frustration. Time didn't stop because of these troubles, and the New Year of 507 arrived as scheduled. Because of the previous winter's chill, this year's New Year celebrations were exceptionally grand. The most astonishing news was Princess Denise's engagement to Lord Fonsey, the young master of the Lihua Jewelry Pavilion.
In the Derek Gallery, King Derek's temper grew increasingly unpredictable. Even Princess Denise, who usually brought him joy, couldn't elicit a smile from him, forcing Beth to repeatedly play the role of his confidante. Princess Denise arrived at the Derek Gallery in her latest finery. Beth, seeing her from afar, sighed and stood up to stop her: "Your Highness, His Majesty is having a headache and is not receiving anyone at this time."
“Go and tell them I’m here.” Princess Denise’s irritated expression was exactly the same as King Derek’s. She raised her head and said, “Teacher Beth, if you don’t go and announce my arrival now, you’ll never be allowed to appear in the palace again.” Beth couldn’t wait to leave Derek’s Gallery forever; the glory and enjoyment she had once enjoyed were nothing compared to her current state of trepidation.
"Yes." Beth crouched down, turned around and went inside to report, praying in her heart that His Majesty the King was in a better mood.
"Princess Denise, His Majesty requests your presence." Beth stepped out and reported to the impatient Princess Denise at the door.
"Hmph." Princess Denise lifted her skirt and quickly went inside. Before the door even closed, her complaining voice could be heard: "Father, what's going on with the Council of State? Why does Lord Fonsey have so many gold coins?"
King Derek's headache worsened, his sleep deteriorated, and alcohol offered little relief. He looked at his spoiled daughter, a spitting image of himself. Countless times since Severus's disappearance, he had regretted not making her queen. Ryan was increasingly siding with his mother and the Adventurers' Guild; what could those acropolises and neighboring cities do besides ask for money? But now he had to comfort his daughter: "Denise, what use is Jindri's money in the Lihua Jewelry Pavilion's accounts? Only when it's in my hands can I prepare your dowry."
“Ah, Father, you are so clever.” Denise was immediately persuaded by Derek, and she sat down next to King Derek. “Is all this money for me?”
"Denise, what do you need money for?" Derek looked at Denise. This daughter loved fine clothes and jewelry. She always just went and asked for what she wanted, and she never had a concept of money. Someone had specifically taught her this.
“I don’t want it, it’s Fonce who wants it,” Denise said distressedly. “He ordered a new crown for me, covered with jewels, which will cost a lot of money, and he can’t come up with the gold coins that the Council of Kings is demanding right now.”
“Denise, you are a princess, my most beloved treasure.” Derek stroked Denise’s head. “I’ve given you whatever you wanted since you were little. Denise, I did all this not so that you would fall out of my way for an outsider. If Foncer didn’t have the title of Lord, he couldn’t have married you.”
“Father, I will always love you the most.” Denise rested her head on King Derek’s shoulder and murmured softly, “I’m just afraid that those people in the Council of Consuls will bully Fonsey.”
Derek turned Princess Denise's head: "Denise, your identity comes from the royal family. At all times, you need to uphold the dignity and interests of the royal family. Don't let that Fonce use you. If he can't meet your needs or fulfill the requirements of the Council, send him back to where he came from. Denise, remember, no one can order you around."
“But, Father,” Denise rolled her eyes, “go and tell Mother to let Fonce into the Council of Governors.”
“Denise, you need a teacher.” Derek released Denise. He now understood why the Queen had ended Derek’s bloodline. This daughter was not yet married, but her heart was already leaning towards her husband’s family.
Inside the palace of Nys, Wen quietly entered and reported: "Your Majesty, Princess Denise has gone to see His Majesty the King."
"It's alright. Denise will only ever make demands of her father. She has an instinct like a little animal and won't bother us." Queen Angelis put down her pen. "Go and inform the Royal Minister that Princess Denise is illiterate, and any medals or insignia bearing Princess Denise's name will be invalid."
"What about the princess's wedding ceremony?"
“Denise won’t care about this. Go and tell Denise’s maid to bring over the jewelry that Denise no longer wears. Also, make a new carriage for her, decorated with her old jewelry as extravagantly as possible. The weight limit is only one person’s weight. Tell Princess Denise that it is her own carriage and medal.”
"Practicality is irrelevant; beauty is all that matters," Wen repeated the Queen's request.
"Yes, bring me all her jewelry. Have Galindo handle this. First, draw up a sketch and make a small model. All the outlines, including the wheels, should be made with silver thread, and made to be as sparkly as possible."
"Yes." Wen withdrew. When it came to manipulating Princess Denise, no one could beat the Queen. Even the King's private treasury had been emptied by Denise, and in the end, the Queen took it all.
Eileen Burrimi is forced to confront a cautious Eileen who has refused to enter Eileen's mind, a world that has led her astray.
"Ailian, do you know what marriage is all about?" Mi thought it over and over, but still felt that Grand Duke Swei's proposal was inappropriate. Ailian needed marriage, but it shouldn't be this kind of marriage. She should have a normal family, a normal husband, and several lovely children.
"I know," Ailian glanced at Mi and answered cautiously.
“This Grand Duke Sway is gay. He won’t give you love, and he won’t give you children.” Mi said with a headache. “You deserve a normal family.”
"Mi, it's okay. Everyone else is the same except you." Ailian held her heart and tried her best to make Mi understand that it didn't matter who she married.
“That’s not how it is,” Mi said, somewhat exasperated. “You need to have your own choices, your own ideas, and you need to start your own life.”
“But cultivating longevity isn’t something I can choose.” Ailian was also somewhat frustrated. Her life these past few years had been too smooth, so smooth that she’d forgotten everything. If possible, she shook her head, turning to the mimosa tree in the courtyard. Xiaowei said there were only ever forty-nine mimosa blossoms on the tree; for every new blossom that bloomed, one would inevitably fall—it wasn’t something she could control. She had originally planned to have a child, so someone could take her place and keep Mi company. But in Mi’s mind, only men and women could reproduce. She looked at Mi and asked, “Can you take me with you?”
“No, Ailian, I’m sorry.” Mi didn’t know what to say. Since she stopped dwelling on Ailian’s emotions, she had become much clearer-headed. Ailian’s attitude had also changed; she kept asking her if she wanted to leave. She couldn’t bring herself to say to those pure eyes, “Yes, I want to leave. I’m trying to find a way to leave. I want my own life.” But she also couldn’t deceive her; she had been avoiding the question. She avoided Ailian’s gaze, staring at the tender buds just sprouting from the cracks in the stones on the ground. Spring had come again.
“It’s alright, Mi, it’s alright,” Ailian comforted her. “The destined person has their own life curve. I’m already very satisfied that you can stay in Ailian Castle for three years.”
“If, I mean, if you hadn’t met him, how would you have arranged your marriage?” Mi was trying to bring Ailian back to her life.
"Xiao Wei will arrange everything." Ai Lian relied on Xiao Wei for everything.
“Elian, I am very grateful to you. You made me realize how good and lovable I am. I have been happier in the three years I spent in Elian Castle than in my entire life.”
“Mi, you’ve always been so good. It’s not because you met me, it’s because you’ve always been this good.” Ailian said with a hint of resentment, “Actually, I think everyone has their own unique longevity, it’s just that they haven’t met each other yet. Everyone is good, only their own unique longevity can see their light, and every kind of light is waiting to be discovered.”
“You—” Mi suddenly choked up. She had come all the way from the Witch Forest because there was a girl named Ailian here who could tell her: “You have always been shining, not because of your gender, not because of your achievements. As long as you exist, you will shine. Whether or not there are eyes that can discover you does not affect your shining.”
After calming herself down, Mi still tried her best to make Ailian understand: "You know I don't belong to this world, and I have my own life to live. You have a heartbeat, and you should also pursue your own life. There are so many lovely people and lovely things in this world."
“I know, Mi, I know,” Ailian stopped her. “The world is multidimensional, but Mi, no matter how many dimensions the world has, it is still made up of points forming lines, lines forming planes, and planes forming solids. The most basic connection between people is a straight line. No matter how many turns you take in the future, you will find that your connection with everyone is a straight line, an irreplaceable straight line, a straight line that no shortcut can replace. There are so many lovely people in your eyes. Sometimes I envy Bertram. She can be so naturally attached to you, and she doesn’t hide herself from you at all, opening one straight line after another in front of you. Long-lived species don’t have this ability. For us, the whole world is just a straight line and the whole void.”
"What do you want me to do?" Mi didn't know how to comfort this stubborn mind. What kind of function does life endow with longevity?
“Mi, please continue on your path, I’m alright.” Ailian tried to sit up straight. “That’s how it is with long-lived species. Look, I’m working hard to learn medicine making. Fried has already sent the first batch of medicine to Lin City 17, and soon the border situation you’re worried about will improve. The medicine for long-lived species is very effective. I will become a great apothecary. I think Grand Duke Swei is a good marriage prospect. Joining the royal family will only give me more privileges, and Swei has already said that I don’t need to fulfill any obligations. I think maybe I can participate in the work of the medical officer.”
“Lovely, never use your longevity seed for testing medicine,” Mi thought to King Derek, “Never give up your longevity seed because of anyone’s threats. I will not take your longevity seed.”
“You will need it, Mi. Your appearance was the beginning of everything.” Ailian looked at Mi. “Don’t worry, we have been studying the longevity seed for thousands of years. No one knows the longevity seed better than us. Don’t worry, I have two longevity seeds. Taking one out will have no effect on me. No matter where you go, I will always be waiting for you in Ailian Castle.”
“I mean, don’t accept threats from others, especially threats against me. Remember, no one in this world can catch me.” Mi didn’t know how to explain this to Ailian, so she could only repeat this sentence over and over again.
“Mi, you’ve forgotten, I told you how to get the Longevity Seed.” Ailian whispered in her ear again. “Come on, say it again.” Following Ailian’s instructions, Mi repeated the words she was asked to say. She saw a halo surrounding the two of them. Ailian held a translucent white lotus seed into the halo, and the seed disappeared into the halo, reappearing in her palm. Ailian closed her hand: “Mi, I will not accept any threats, not even from the Longevity Seed. No one can take my Longevity Seed except you.” She held Mi’s hand in her palm and told her that if threats worked, the Longevity Seed would have been extinct long ago. The Longevity Seed is the most affectionate yet the most ruthless race, which is why they can live in the world forever.
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