Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

 

A warm golden glow enveloped Academy Street in the twilight.

At the end of the street stood the towering stone gates of Siria Magic Academy. Neat bluestone bricks paved the way there, with low houses on both sides of the street serving as its guiding banners.

Luo Wei and Troy walked along Academy Street, searching for the small figure darting through the streets and alleys.

"Strange, where is he?"

Having reached the end of the street without spotting the little boy, Luo Wei turned to Troy with a questioning look, wondering where he had hidden him.

Troy's face darkened. "You're the one who asked me to accompany you to buy a house."

He couldn't be in two places at once, how could he buy a house and watch the child simultaneously?

"I thought you knew where he was staying now," Luo Wei said, suddenly remembering a place. "Let's go check the alley next to the bakery."

Actually, that was where she had initially thought to look, but later assumed the boy wouldn't dare return there after the assassin incident.

But now, unable to find him anywhere on the street, she couldn't rule out the possibility that he might be hiding there.

About fifteen minutes later, Luo Wei discovered a tattered sheepskin coat under a pile of debris in the alley. It looked as if it had decayed beyond recognition over several centuries, with a large tuft of soft brown hair on it.

Such a young child, already facing the troubles of hair loss?

Luo Wei shifted her gaze from the hair strands back to the sheepskin coat.

She remembered this was the clothing the little boy had been wearing before.

It could hardly be called a coat; it was full of holes, more like a net. Who knows who had discarded it before he picked it up.

Luo Wei dropped the sheepskin net and circled the alley. The sun was about to set, but there was still no sign of the boy returning.

"Let's go, I don't think we'll be able to wait for him," she said disappointedly.

Perhaps the little boy had run off with the money, or maybe he had found a better place to stay and had forgotten about her promise.

Troy glanced at the pile of debris and turned to follow her steps.

The sun sank below the horizon, and the last glow of the sunset was about to disappear.

Backlit, their tall figures looked like two silhouettes, walking silently along the desolate alley.

"Were you looking for me?"

A childish voice, filled with immense courage, suddenly sounded from behind them.

Luo Wei whirled around to see a frail boy with rosy lips and white teeth standing by a crack in the wall. He wore a brand-new linen outfit, his soft hair cut to his ears, tinted with a warm hue in the last ray of sunset.

If he hadn't spoken first, she wouldn't have recognized him as the dirty little beggar.

The little boy clutched his sleeves tightly, looking up at her nervously, his thin body shivering in the autumn wind.

Luo Wei smiled, her smile brighter than the setting sun on the horizon.

"Yes," she said, answering his question.

"I've come to take my little knight home."

The little boy was still cold, but he had stopped shivering. His eyes were filled with starlight, more dazzling than the brightest night sky.

He moved his reddened feet, frozen from the cold, and suddenly lifted them to run towards her, like a fledgling swallow seeking shelter.

Luo Wei opened her arms, thinking he would throw himself into her embrace.

But he didn't. He stopped three steps away from her, anxiously asking, "It's only the second day today, have I passed my test too?"

Luo Wei finally understood what he was afraid of.

She knelt down, looking him in the eye, her face taking on a sacred and solemn expression. "Of course, your performance was excellent, so your test ended early."

The little boy quickly pursed his lips, but couldn't suppress the upward curve of his mouth, which made him somewhat regretful, feeling he had ruined his image of being deep and reliable.

Children's expressions are all written on their faces. Luo Wei couldn't help but want to laugh. Afraid she might actually burst out laughing, she quickly extended her hand to him.

"Come here, I'll hold your hand as we walk."

She noticed his little hands had been trembling constantly, probably nearly frozen.

To her surprise, the little boy took a step back. Even though his eyes were full of longing, he stubbornly refused: "Noble lady, this is not proper etiquette. I cannot tarnish your reputation."

"Puhahaha—"

Luo Wei could no longer hold back her laughter. She stepped forward and took his small hand, which felt like holding a block of ice.

"A qualified subordinate does not refuse his master's request. Let's go, little knight."

The little boy couldn't resist either. His tightly pursed lips gradually spread into a smile, finally reaching his ears as he grinned foolishly.

The warm body temperature from the palm enveloping his small hand transmitted continuously, making his heart feel as if it had been placed in a furnace, warm all over.

He secretly raised his head, stealing glances at the most, most, most gentle, kind, and beautiful lady holding his hand, as if treasuring a bright moon.

Although his bright moon wasn't looking at him.

Luo Wei was talking to Troy, as she noticed Troy's face had been sour since earlier, and she didn't know how she had offended him again.

"What's wrong with you, craving alcohol?"

"If you want to drink, just go drink. I'm not stopping you."

"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you naturally not talkative?"

Troy's forehead throbbed with a pulsing vein. He finally couldn't bear it anymore: "Yes, I'm going to drink. So you'd better go back to school now. As for this little runt, I'll drag him back!"

Luo Wei thought for a moment. This would indeed save time, and it was getting dark, so it wouldn't be good to return too late.

"Alright then, I'll head back to school first. You take Roman back."

Troy nodded slightly, expressing his agreement in a very cool manner.

Luo Wei bent down to speak to the little boy: "I bought a house nearby. Troy will take you there, and I'll come to see you tomorrow."

The little boy's eyes showed reluctance, but he nodded understandingly: "I'll take good care of myself, don't worry."

Luo Wei confidently handed him over to Troy, even instructing: "Troy, pick him up. He's very cold, use your big cloak to shield him from the wind. Roman, hold onto uncle's neck tightly, be careful not to fall."

When Troy obeyed the order and picked up the little boy, both of their faces turned black.

Luo Wei pretended not to see, walking lightly towards the academy gate.

Troy followed for a distance, watching her enter the school gates until she disappeared from sight. He immediately put the little boy down.

The little boy was also struggling, jumping down as soon as Luo Wei was out of sight.

The two separated with such haste, their eyes full of disdain for each other when their gazes met.

"Let's go, you lucky little mouse," Troy sneered.

"Stinky drunkard, my name is Roman, and you're the lucky one," the little boy retorted.

He added after a pause: "I met the lady first. Without me, you would never have met her."

Troy glanced at him, snorted coldly, but didn't argue back.

He was a swordsman after all, why bother arguing with a little brat?

A kid who hasn't even grown his first whisker.

In the moonlight, a large figure and a small one, separated by a distance of four people, slowly walked towards the south.

TBC