Chapter 22: Meaning of Hope
We were walking towards the cafeteria. I turned to the girl, she was clutching her flute. Her eyes were completely glued to it like she was becoming more and more obsessed with it.
’If this continues like this, she may go insane.’
I decided to help her out before she went crazy. I snatched the flute away from her. She tried to resist but couldn’t.
Hey, this flute is good, I know, but don’t get too obsessed with it, or you may lose yourself. You can love it, but can’t let it replace yourself.
"Um..."
Ignoring her, I went straight to the cafeteria. As usual, she still followed behind. We entered and found our usual empty table.
While Fatty went to get our meal.
When I was sitting there, I again saw that undead kid sitting a few tables away from me. Everyone seems to be avoiding him.
’Well, this school is becoming more and more interesting. That Vermilion bird, then after that, this ancient darkness descends, and this undead now.’
"Young master, your meal."
After lunch, we went back to our room, and when I sat on my bed, I saw the girl still staring at the flute in my hands. I tossed it back at her.
Sit down.
I decided to give her some divine wisdom before she falls into light. Just like darkness, even light can swallow the world if we don’t create a balance; everything will fall.
She seemed a bit scared but still sat on the bed right opposite me. Her body was shaking continuously, and her grip around the flute seemed to be tightening more and more.
Looking at her reaction, I know that instead of becoming hope herself, she is relying on it. Truly pathetic.
Well, today I will tell you a story.
"..."
None of them started worshipping me as I thought they would. The room remained silent.
100 billion years in the past, there used to be a kid. Who loves swords, his father specially forged a sword for him.
He always played with this sword instead of playing with other kids. Slowly, his love for his sword started to become an obsession. Results were tremendous; he won multiple sword tournaments in his city.
His name spread far and wide, and people started to call him Mad Sword. But he never cared about anything except for his sword.
Year after years continue to pass, his obsession becoming more and more terrifying. The whole world acknowledges his madness; some dare to look down on him, not because of respect, but because of what he has become.
People started to call him the sword demon. Everything was going perfectly until he challenged the greatest swordman of his era.
That day, a huge battle took place until this crazed guy lost, his sword shattered. Nothing remains within him; he has lost everything.
And when he was waiting for his death, he heard a call from heaven, sharing the secrets of the sword path with him.
Then he sat here trying to comprehend the meaning of that divine voice. Years passed, and when he opened his eyes, the sky seemed to be cut in half as he ascended to heaven.
As he walked towards the sky step by step, he saw a figure appear in the sky, wielding a sword. It looked at him, casually cutting his body into billions of pieces so precisely that even one saw what happened.
The story ends.
How was it? I know it was great, but I won’t mind your praise.
Fuck
When I looked at her, she was lying on the bed, her eyes closed, clutching the flute in her arms. This girl has already fallen asleep in the middle of the story.
Well, I was the fool to share my divine wisdom with these idiots.
I really wanted to snatch the flute from her, but decided to let it go. I was about to fall asleep, too, when I saw her body shiver a bit and went to her, covering her in a blanket. Before going to sleep myself.
’These mortals are really lucky to have such a benevolent emperor like me.’
...
"Young Master..."
Let me sleep.
"We will again get late if you don’t wake up now."
Hey, stop snatching the blanket, give me 2 minutes.
After a few more times, I reluctantly decided to wake up. Went through my usual process from brushing to breakfast before walking towards class.
"Young Master, we are again late because of you."
What... it was you who didn’t wake in time.
We arrived in front of the class, and the teacher still hasn’t come.
See, we are in time.
"You are not."
A voice came from behind when I looked back, teacher Lan was standing behind.
"I won’t punish you today, now come inside."
Saying this, she walked forward and entered the class.
We also followed behind, going straight to the last row and last seat.
We sat in our usual seat, looking at the front, and teacher Lan started to explain some things about ancient civilization.
’What the hell is going on with her? If they are already dead, let them be.’
"You kids may have heard about those tales of the giant dragons and phoenixes. Did any of you ever see a real one?"
She looked at all the students, and I, too, followed her gaze, and a girl with blond hair and another boy raised their hands."
’Fuck, why the hell is he raising his hand?’
She pointed at the girl to speak.
"Teacher, I have seen a phoenix when I was passing through White Desert. It was huge, burning in purple flame, flying through the sky; everything in its path seemed to burn instantly, creating a charred path wherever it passed through."
"Wow, you really have seen something wonderful, but unfortunately, the purple phoenix you describe was only a lesser phoenix; a true phoenix represents elegance and royal nature. Not for destruction, only the lesser phoenix creates unintentional destruction."
Then she turned to the boy. This time, all of the gaze focuses on the last desk.
Fatty stood hesitantly before speaking in a nervous voice.
"Teacher, I too saw the lesser phoenix; it wasn’t real."
"You don’t have to worry, just share your experience."
"Teacher, it was green in color, bigger than the school hall."
’Fuck, this mf doesn’t even know how to explain things properly.’
"Hey, stop lying, just accept you have seen any."
As I was letting it slip, I heard some mf jumping in mid. He was a boy with black hair, with a common face.
"Silence! All of you."
Teacher Lan came, but looking at everyone’s faces, I knew this fatty had embarrassed me completely.
I took a green pearl and threw it at the teacher Lan. She caught it easily.
"Li Chen, what does this mean?"
Whole stared at me, I, as usual, on my desk. Silently ignoring all chaos.
"Everyone, silent!"
"Teacher, what is it?"
Everyone also notices their teacher, Lan, observing Pearl deeply.
Fatty’s low voice came into my ears.
"Young Master, what was it?"
You will know.
At the same time, teacher Lan’s voice came
"Where did you get it?"
I raised my reply to her.
Well, I found it in my garden when I was burning some trees; I unknowingly burned a green bird.
"Huh"
Her eyes sharpen.
Teacher, are you planning to steal my dog’s meal? It was founded by him from the ashes of the bird.
She didn’t continue further, giving back my pearl and a deep stare, she continued her topic.
As usual, time passed one after another, and it seems like all of them are competing in who can be more boring.
After so many boring classes, we went to the cafeteria for lunch, as we were eating, I saw now more people were staring at me than usual. Ignoring them, I continued my meal. After this, when all of this was done, I was preparing to go back to my dorm.
"Young Master, you still have martial arts class."
What! I don’t seem to remember that.
"Cause you never attended it."
So, what’s special today?
I looked at their silent faces staring at me, and decided to see what this martial arts class is.
We went out of the teaching building, Fatty leading the way, I followed behind, and that girl tagging along silently.
When I reached the main ground, it was filled with a lot of students, some from our class, and there seemed to be some extras too. Among them, I also noticed the red-haired brat. Sister Feng’s daughter.
I still ignored and looked at all the people in the surrounding area; there were quite a few people present here. But an old man stood out among all the kids.
"Young Master, he is the teacher..."
Do you think I can’t tell?
That old man’s face was covered in scars; likely, he had been quite bad at martial arts at his time, often getting beaten up by others.