Chapter 579: Chapter 53: Love is a Battle_3

“Goodbye, boring big sisters. Please quietly enjoy the plain friendship on this boring night, and be careful on your way home since there have been disappearances recently!”

Ayane walked away, talking to herself, and quickly disappeared from their sight.

“She’s a strange kid…” Qiluo said.

“After all, she’s a friend of the doctor.” Qin Qianbai said, “I think ordinary people cannot establish a friendship with her.”

After parting with her late-night friend, Qin Qianbai headed toward home. She thought that when the things she used to fear actually happened, she felt no fear of loss anymore.

When would Ah Ce change? Or, should she actively force him to make a decision as Kardesia had strongly urged?

But Qin Qianbai still hoped he could be happier… considering love as love only, not a duty or a necessity.

With all these messy thoughts in her mind, the girl entered the apartment where she had lived for three years. Coming out of the elevator, she was puzzled to find her neighbor standing at his door.

“Ah Ce?”

“You’re back, Miss,” Gongsun Ce said nervously, “I mean, that…”

“I didn’t argue with Qiluo.”

Gongsun Ce sighed in relief, not even sure why he felt relieved.

“That’s great—”

Qin Qianbai expressionlessly interrupted him, “Sorry, I didn’t catch that, was thinking about beating up Ah Ce.”

“You’ve skipped straight to beating without any punishment or revenge?!”

“Should it be a hidden hit, Crescent Moon, or Four Dire Killers?”

“No matter which one Mr. Gongsun gets hit with, I’d probably die!” Gongsun Ce screamed.

“Just kidding.” Qin Qianbai said, “I am a magnanimous woman.”

Your actions are always a bit short of magnanimous.

“So am I a petty man?”

“You see, this is a mocking expression. Ah Ce is particularly petty about himself,” the Miss tilted her head, “To be honest, I was planning to move into Ah Ce’s place tonight.”

“Mr. Gongsun, where would my personal privacy go?!”

“However, after seeing Ah Ce, I changed my mind.” Qin Qianbai patted her neighbor’s face, “Ah Ce, have you looked in the mirror?”

“…Does my face look very bad?”

“Very bad. Like someone who is stabbing himself with a knife while trying hard to smile; it reminds me of when we first met.”

Qin Qianbai raised her hand, patted her neighbor’s head seriously, and said, “If you feel too uncomfortable, then don’t think about these things, just live your life as usual. Whatever decision you make, I will support you, Ah Ce. Because what I hope most is for you to be happy.”

Gongsun Ce lowered his gaze, smiling bitterly.

“…You’re really kind.”

“I’ve always been a kind and considerate good girl,” Qin Qianbai walked to her own door, “So, good night. Tomorrow, I will live life as usual.”

“Good night, Miss. Tomorrow, I will proceed with the original plan.”

After watching his neighbor go home, Gongsun Ce felt his tightly wound nerves finally relax a bit, like a drowning person being pulled back to shore. This allowed him to finally think about other things, considering what he should do now.

The top priority, of course, was to practice Divine Communication Skill, followed by Mr. Lan’s request. He needed to check on the doctor’s situation and, if absolutely necessary, Budman’s situation as well… He would catch up on the lessons he missed when he had time…

Gongsun Ce sent a message to Shiyu Lianyi, setting up the time for practice the next day, and closed his eyes amidst his chaotic thoughts.

·

The following day, at dawn.

The location was Gongsun Ce’s room, accompanied by Shiyu Lianyi and the curious onlooker Kardesia.

Gongsun Ce, who hadn’t slept through the night due to a lengthy sleep session, closed his eyes amidst his friend’s stifled laughter and sank into a dream world.

He silently recited the incantation taught by Yan Qi and stepped onto the path of Silent Phase. This time there were no dreams, no illusions; the process of clarifying his self was long finished. The scenery around the path changed imperceptibly, and when he came to, he found himself standing in front of the door to his childhood home.

“Whew…”

Gongsun Ce took a deep breath, continuously psyching himself up. The current him was no longer as he was during the Spirit Light phase, and after the myriad of ordeals, Gongsun Ce had undoubtedly grown! Be a bit steadier, a bit more mature, don’t yell and shout, let her see the refined version of yourself!

The young man with gray hair pushed open the door of his childhood room and cheerfully started with his opening remark.

“It’s been a while, Alandia!”

As expected, the silver-haired knight was sitting at his desk. Dawn Knight displayed no surprise at his arrival; she turned her head and with those indifferent gray eyes, gazed into his.

“You’ve come, Ce.”

Gongsun Ce nodded, swung the door shut behind him, sat on his bed, took off his glasses, and meticulously cleaned them before putting them back on.

“…”

Gongsun Ce took off his glasses and, under the calm gaze of the Dawn Knight, repeated the earlier actions. He closed his eyes, smacked his own face vigorously, and then in a manner neither mature nor steady, he shouted, “What on earth is going on?!”

“Your expressive abilities have somewhat deteriorated over a not so lengthy period.”

“It’s not my words I’m talking about, it’s your unprecedented attire!”

Miss Knight’s position hadn’t changed, her attitude hadn’t changed, and the only difference in the room since his last visit was Miss Knight’s attire. Today, Alandia looked less like a detective, even less like a knight. She wore a fitted white blouse and a black utility skirt, black stockings, high heels, and a pair of silver-framed glasses.

This attire struck Gongsun Ce quite hard; on the one hand, he had to admit she looked beautiful and it flaunted her figure, on the other hand, he felt she shouldn’t be dressed like that.

“Can you give me a reason, Alandia? Why were you a detective last time and now you’ve turned into an office worker wearing utility clothes?”

Could it be that your wardrobe is hidden in this cottage somewhere?

What exactly have you transformed my room into!

Dawn Knight calmly stated, “This is your mind, Ce. My appearance merely reflects your intents and directions.”

“I don’t recall wanting to chat with a female executive.”

“So, this outfit represents a different identity in your perception.”

Alandia pushed her glasses up from the side, a movement Gongsun Ce found oddly familiar; he remembered many female teachers in animations often did that…

“I’m not, okay?” Gongsun Ce said awkwardly, “So maybe… a teacher?”

“Last time you wanted my help to find Spirit Light, this time you want my help to learn Divine Communication.” Alandia pulled open a drawer of the desk, “And you know how I would respond…”

“Some things can only be resolved by oneself,” Gongsun Ce replied lacklusterly, “Now that we’ve gotten the principles out of the way, can we start the learning phase? I can’t wait for your one-on-one tutoring.”

“Mind your manners, Ce.”

Gongsun Ce whistled, “Teach me, Miss Alandia!”

Alandia reached into the drawer and pulled out an item too large for the small desk. It was a great sword, to be wielded with both hands, which radiated a cold sharpness yet emitted a warm light.

“…We’re, going to start, one-on-one teaching, right?”

“Indeed.” Dawn Knight grasped her companion sword, “Please stand still.”

Then, the pure white blade descended towards Gongsun Ce.