Chapter 717 : In Ten Years, I Should Be Able to Stand by Your Side, Right?

"Alright, alright, don't cry, don't cry."

Adelina never thought she would one day be taking care of these two.

It was hard to imagine what she had gone through to end up comforting them.

"Miss Adelina, you're so mean! You actually, actually want to punish Brother Felyn!"

"Olivia was talking nonsense! I would never do that!"

Adelina tapped Olivia on the head, making Olivia cover her head with both hands, her eyes welling with tears as she looked up at her pitifully.

"What are you two here for anyway? Don't tell me you're just here to declare war on me?"

"I'm here to find my brother. He's not at the house in Mist Street."

"Hmm?" Adelina frowned. "He was still at home last night. Did he go out early this morning?"

Dorothy shook her head. "We secretly snuck in to take a look. Miss Fiorella's luggage was gone, so we..."

"Wait, you're saying... Miss Fiorella's luggage is gone?!" A trace of panic flashed through her grayish-green eyes. "She didn't stay with Felyn and the others last night?"

"I don't know. It's also possible she left this morning."

Adelina suddenly knelt on the floor, her expression matching the one Dorothy and Olivia had just a few minutes ago.

"In that case, it's also possible Fiorella left yesterday. If that's true, then last night Felyn was alone with Viloti..."

"Wh-what!!!"

Dorothy and Olivia scrambled to their feet.

What have we been protecting!

"Then we have to go and ask clearly. Let's go!"

Mist Street, Felyn's bedroom.

"Do you want me to take off my clothes?"

"N-no... it's fine as long as Mr. Felyn is wearing something close-fitting."

In the end, Fiorella couldn't bring herself to say her heart's request. It felt too embarrassing.

Her hand rested on Felyn's shoulder, and she was in a bit of a daze.

Mr. Felyn's body... is so firm.

Fiorella's gaze unconsciously fell within Felyn's collar, imagining the clothes being... bit by bit...

What am I thinking!

"Fiorella, are you shy?"

"Eh, eh? Mr. Felyn, you..."

"You've fanned up a breeze just by flicking your hair." Felyn turned his head and found Fiorella covering her face with her hand, not letting him see her current expression.

The soft measuring tape wrapped around Felyn's body. Fiorella, having finally regained her composure, carefully measured every one of Felyn's body statistics.

Fiorella used her hands and the soft tape to measure Felyn's body bit by bit, and also recorded Felyn's data in her heart bit by bit.

Arms, shoulders, waist.

When the final measurement was completed, Fiorella squatted on the ground for a long time, unwilling to get up.

If she got up, she would have to say goodbye to Mr. Felyn.

"Mr. Felyn," Fiorella said, still squatting on the ground.

"Mhm?"

"Will I, one day, be able to come and see you too?"

Fiorella couldn't possibly confess, nor could she beg Felyn to take her with him to the royal capital district.

She needed time to be sure of her own feelings.

"Come to the royal capital district?"

Felyn also squatted down, in front of Fiorella.

The sunlight fell between the two, splitting the world in two. Felyn was in the light, Fiorella in the dark.

Dust motes floated slowly in the beam of light, obscuring her emotion-filled hazel eyes.

Fiorella's hand, clutching the measuring tape, began to tremble. "Mhm... I know this might be a dream, but... but I want to try."

She took a deep breath, trying her best to stabilize her emotions.

"I-I want to go to the royal capital district to learn how to make protective gear and clothes. I want to open the best protective gear shop in the royal capital district." After saying this, she closed her eyes, not daring to look at Felyn.

She had just finished her work as a maid, and now she was fantasizing about opening a shop in the royal capital district.

My dream, is it a bit... embarrassing?

"Okay." Felyn smiled faintly. "I'll try my best not to gain weight, so that when you open your shop in the royal capital district, you can make me a piece of clothing based on today's measurements."

Fiorella slowly raised her eyes, watching the sunlight project from behind Felyn.

His facial contours became clearer in the shadow, making Fiorella forget to breathe.

"Mr. Felyn, don't you think... this dream is a bit fanciful?"

"I don't. Building a dream is everyone's right." He pointed to his head and said, "This place belongs to you, so no matter what you think, it's not fanciful."

The sunlight suddenly softened at this moment. The surrounding dust gathered, gradually connecting the two worlds.

Felyn continued, "I didn't completely lie to you either. Before I became a noble, ah, including now, I've always been providing emotional value to various young ladies to earn money. A few years ago, I was worse off than you. I had no dreams at all, couldn't find anything I liked to do, only knew how to make money, only wanted to survive."

"I was just a commoner. Who would have thought I would transform and become a hero who saved the Empire."

He turned his head to look at the desk beside him. He had spent countless nights there, staying up late to write analysis reports on the preferences of various young ladies.

This was the place he stayed the most. Hope, fatigue, happiness, anger, all emotions were piled up here.

The him of that time would never have imagined what was happening now.

"If it's Fiorella, I believe you can definitely do it."

"If I were you, I definitely wouldn't love life as much as you do. I complain a lot, I'm always complaining to Olivia. So, I really admire you."

"Although it might take you a few years, or even more than ten years, there will come a day when I can wear the clothes you made in the royal capital district."

"Until then, please work hard. I'll be waiting for you in the royal capital district."

Fiorella and Felyn squatted on the ground, their gentle gazes beginning to intertwine.

The wall between the two worlds completely merged at this moment.

The sunlight that had separated their worlds became the most beautiful light and shadow, rendering the scene of this moment.

"Mr. Felyn, then, then can you touch... touch my..." Fiorella buried her head, only daring to show a little bit of her eyes. "Can you touch my head?"

Felyn raised his hand and placed it on Fiorella's head, stroking it gently.

"Fiorella, it's been hard for you to get to this point. In ten years, let's meet in the royal capital district."

Fiorella gripped her sleeves tightly, trying hard to control the corners of her eyes.

I am a commoner. I can't stand by Mr. Felyn's side right now.

Mr. Felyn is like the sun in the sky, warming me, but I can never touch him.

But... but as long as I walk step by step, as long as I chase in his direction step by step, maybe one day, I can stand behind him.

When that time comes, I can take a good look at Mr. Felyn, and I can let him see my achievements too.

Mr. Felyn, I will work hard. I will walk towards you step by step.

Even if the road is long, even if the journey is arduous, I will do it.

Because... because I want to be a little closer to Mr. Felyn.

The Sivisius Empire's Lianlors Hero's Festival had a total of three trials.

"Relic Scramble," "Embark on the Journey," and "Slay the Evil Dragon."

Felyn had already completed the first two. He had walked on this road long enough. After returning to the royal capital district, he would have to face the evil dragon blocking his path.

And Fiorella was about to embark on a long journey. In Felyn's house, she would embark on a path that Felyn had once walked.

But she was not doing it to slay an evil dragon, but to get closer to the light in her heart.

That light that had burst into her dark world, flashed by, stayed for a short while, but was incomparably bright.

Good feelings, budding emotions, longing, admiration, gratitude—these complex emotions would become the driving force for Fiorella to persevere, to set her on the path of chasing the light.

"Mr. Felyn, thank you."

The voice, tinged with a maiden's affection, was incredibly pleasant. Fiorella curved her eyes, faced the sun, and gave Felyn a smile stained with tears.

At this moment, Fiorella, reflecting the sunlight, was herself glowing.

"Mr. Felyn, see you next time."

"Mhm, see you next time."

The bedroom door was not closed.

At the corner of the stairs, Dorothy lay on the ground, staring blankly at Felyn in the bedroom.

Once, Felyn had saved her just like this. Once, Felyn had also made a promise to her. Once, Felyn had also smiled at her like this.

Brother Felyn said that everything he did back then was because of the contract, that his smiles and promises were fake, that he was not that gentle of a person.

But now, Brother Felyn's smile for Fiorella was real. They were not in a contract.

Brother Felyn, you lied to me again.

The you in the contract was the real you, it's just... it's just...

It's just that now you're unwilling to smile at me; it's just that now you're unwilling to pay attention to me.

Brother Felyn...

The pinkish-purple long hair on the ground began to curl up. Dorothy's shoulders slowly began to tremble. Her forehead was pressed tightly against the floor. Listening to the conversation between the two in the room, she didn't even notice that Fiorella and Felyn had already left the room.

"Dorothy? What are you doing lying here? Are you not feeling well?" Felyn walked over quickly, subconsciously wanting to help Dorothy up.

(End of Chapter)