Translator: Exodus Tales
Editor: Exodus Tales
Translated by Mianbao
Edited by RED
Little Mulberry Town…
Cold wind rustled. Icy cold autumn mulberry leaves fell all over the courtyard after a night of rain. A large portion of them formed a ripple of leafy tiles on the roof of the house, adding a little bit of wet elegance to this simple little house.
With the mulberry leaves fallen, it was equivalent to the silkworm merchants entering the cold winter season in advance. This period of time was usually when Zhu Minglang became an unemployed person.
Wearing a conical bamboo hat and a woven raincoat draped around himself, Zhu Minglang was clearing away the leaves fallen from the assault of the rain. His head was lowered when he suddenly saw a pair of straight, slender legs approaching him lightly.
Zhu Minglang looked up towards her.
Her cold, unapproachable, yet beautiful amber eyes were exuding killing intent.
She didn’t seem as weak as she was usually, nor did she seem as peaceful as she had. An aura surrounded her; the aura of someone who had truly experienced the baptism of war!
It seemed like she had recovered some of her abilities. Naturally she seemed different from before. Zhu Minglang had heard many tales of her power before.
“You’re going to take revenge?” Zhu Minglang asked.
As he spoke, countless silver strands of silk flew out from the Valkyrie’s sleeve. They were incomparably tough, quickly forming a silver silk sword held to Zhu Minglang’s neck.
“And I’m the first one?” Zhu Minglang smiled bitterly.
The sword slid across; the Valkyrie flew past him, light as a feather, and a streak of blood immediately appeared on his neck.
He didn’t move a muscle, waiting for his head to roll to the ground.
However, there was only a shallow mark, and only a little bit of his skin was cut.
-She’s not going to kill me?-
Zhu Minglang pressed at his neck. He turned around to look at the Valkyrie’s tall, graceful back.
He didn’t thank the Valkyrie for her grace in not killing him. After all, if she was truly ruthless, she wouldn’t have pulled him up from the dungeon back then.
“Am I really going to remain a mark in your heart, becoming the disgrace of your life?” Zhu Minglang asked her.
During the past few days, they had heard stories regarding the Valkyrie and a vagrant. One of them belonged high up in the palace of the heavens, while the other was like the dirty water in the sewers. A huge difference in status existed between them, yet they joined together as one in bed.
How shocking of a story was this? In the near future, even people from outside Ever City would hear about this news.
The Valkyrie didn’t answer him, and continued walking away. This time, she didn’t disguise herself like she had a few days prior, exposing her true appearance. She looked simple, haggard, yet her absolute beauty remained.
“Actually…” Zhu Minglang watched as she gradually disappeared, swallowing back the words that were at the tip of his tongue.
He understood.
He wasn’t the Valkyrie’s disgrace. What truly was a disgrace was his current lowly status…
—–
She left. Zhu Minglang felt somewhat complicated inside. He plucked a full, large mulberry leaf and held it in his palm subconsciously. The little ice worm immediately jumped off his shoulder onto the mulberry leaf happily.
“Will we never return to our glorious days in the past?” Zhu Minglang asked carelessly, holding the little ice worm.
It had been so many years, but Zhu Minglang still hadn’t understood how a white dragon was coiled in silk overnight, and in another night, its huge body rapidly shrank within the silk, becoming a little fellow that only knew to eat mulberry leaves in the end.
The little ice worm turned a deaf ear to Zhu Minglang. Its front claws were almost obscured from sight as it lifted the mulberry leaf slightly, like a little doll holding up a bowl several times larger than itself. It began chewing on it, making a rustling sound.
It twisted its plump body, making happy chewing sounds. After eating its fill, its large eyes even fluttered with contentment.
Seeing the little fellow’s simple-minded, lovable appearance, Zhu Minglang couldn’t resist smiling. He couldn’t help but use a finger from his free hand to poke at its full tummy.
The little fellow didn’t know any shame, either. It immediately turned on its belly, allowing Zhu Minglang to massage it, making chirping sounds in enjoyment.
“An ordinary life is pretty good. There’s no pressure, and I don’t have to worry. She didn’t even need me to take responsibility…”
Shaking his head, Zhu Minglang continued cleaning his tiny courtyard. In the coming year, he still had to plant more mulberry trees in the rear mountains. The little fellow’s appetite was growing increasingly large; if he didn’t work harder, he wouldn’t be able to feed the little ice worm, who was his only companion in life.
“Say, it’s not even noon; why do I feel a little hot?” Zhu Minglang hadn’t been cleaning for long when he gradually felt the cold air being dispersed by something.
Streaks of scarlet light broke through the thick clouds, dying the little mulberry town red before anyone realized it. Even the nearby woods became bright red, like a maple forest.
Zhu Minglang raised his head, looking to the skies.
-Isn’t dawn already past? Why is there still such an exaggerated morning light?-
These burning clouds hung down like real flames, turning the vast blue sky extremely gorgeous in a short time!
Creak…
Before Zhu Minglang could understand where this strange phenomenon in the sky came from, the wooden doors were suddenly pushed open. The Valkyrie, who had left not long ago, stepped through the doors with a hasty expression.
Zhu Minglang’s eyes lit up uncontrollably…
-She came back.-
Actually, he knew how to plant wintersweet, too. Zhu Minglang could work harder this winter. -If she is willing to live a simple life with me, and doesn’t mind this little courtyard filled with the odor of silkworm feces, well, I can provide for you!-
-Can you not take revenge?- Zhu Minglang smiled, really wanting to say that out loud.
Before he could speak out, however, the Valkyrie said very quickly with a stern expression, “Pretend to be my clansman.”
Before Zhu Minglang could understand the situation, the courtyard gates were pushed open once more, this time forcibly. A majestic man in a green shirt with red patterns came walking in.
Although his outfit and looks exuded extraordinariness, the most striking feature was his incredibly pale complexion. It was like he was afflicted with some illness. There wasn’t a hue of the blood of a normal person to be seen.
However, his appearance didn’t give off a weak feeling. Instead, it looked so cold that it struck fear in others.
Zhu Minglang looked at the endless fiery light in the sky, then shifted his gaze to this man’s eyes, which emitted scarlet light from time to time, and he very quickly understood something.
A dragon tamer… and a very powerful one, at that!
“The person you said you were going to travel with… is him?” Luo Xiao asked, looking fiercely at Zhu Minglang.
“He arrived here ahead of me, and has already reported my current situation to the clan. I had him erase the traces of my activity here, and we will make our way back to the Ancestral Dragon City State tomorrow,” the Valkyrie replied.
Luo Xiao walked over and scrutinized Zhu Minglang. His stern expression carried a hint of suspicion, obviously not fully believing the Valkyrie’s words.
“My lord,” Zhu Minglang greeted her, saluting her with a cupped fist. He said unflinchingly, “The clan has commanded this subordinate to escort you back, but no permission was given to allow anyone else to travel with us. Given your noble status and your beauty, this subordinate suggests you not trust anyone with unknown origins.”
“What do you mean by unknown origins!? I was originally the clan’s… the clan’s…” Luo Xiao was at a loss for words halfway through his sentence.
“Luo Xiao used to be a servant from my father’s court, and is now a dragon tamer. He’s not someone with unknown origins, as you said,” the Valkyrie explained.
“Oh, then he’s considered one of us. Since that is the case, let’s travel together. We can look after one another as well,” Zhu Minglang said, looking like he agreed reluctantly.
-Cast suspicion on those suspicious of me first, and show a hint of naughtiness under my wit!-
Zhu Minglang couldn’t help sighing in admiration for himself, -My acting skills aren’t any worse than in the past!-