Chapter 1415: Chapter 146: The Dragon Rises in Power
Without Kino’s fervent gaze upon her, Yue Ji always felt as though something was missing. Turning her gaze towards Kino beside her, she reproached mildly, "Why are you looking down? There’s no gold on the ground."
Startled, Kino looked up bewilderedly into Yue Ji’s eyes. Gazing at the familiar delicate face before him, a hint of infatuation surfaced in his eyes as he murmured, "I... It’s nothing."
Yue Ji sighed softly and said, "Are you worried about Ah Dai? But really, what’s the use of worrying? Ah Dai is truly foolish to have heedlessly believed that villain’s slander and abandoned Yue Yue like that. It’s no wonder Yue Yue is angry. If it were me, I would never pay attention to him again. Yue Yue is already being quite forgiving to still give him a one-year chance. Let’s hurry up. Once we get back, we can mobilize the power of our Mercenary Corps to find him sooner."
Listening to Yue Ji’s words, Kino nodded and said, "Yes! Boss Ah Dai is really too silly. If anyone dared to say you had anything to do with him, I would burn them to death with Fire Magic."
Yue Ji’s heart fluttered at Kino’s assertive tone, and she feigned anger, "What are you saying? What does it have to do with you who I associate with?"
At a loss for words, Kino’s facial muscles twitched several times as a tinge of melancholy shone in his eyes. Lowering his head once more, he continued on slowly. The more time he spent with Yue Ji, the more hopelessly he found himself falling in love with this capricious and willful girl. Her every frown and smile deeply tugged at his heartstrings, and he knew, in all likelihood, that he would never come to love another woman in this lifetime. However, despite his deep affection, Yue Ji had never responded in kind. Although she didn’t reject him outright, she only regarded him as a regular friend. The prospect of arriving at the Red Charming Clan soon made Kino not only worried about Ah Dai but also shadowed by the sadness of parting ways with Yue Ji. He feared that this departure might mean not seeing her again for an indeterminate amount of time.
Yue Ji, watching Kino walk ahead of her, churned with various emotions. She didn’t know how to face this somewhat dense young man. After having spent so much time together, how could she not understand everything Kino had done for her? It’s just that she was unwilling to face it or accept it. At twenty-four, she too longed to be cherished and loved, but it felt to her that it ought to be by a tall, handsome man with great strength. Though Kino was tall, he wasn’t exactly handsome. Yet, she didn’t understand why, having been around Kino for so long, she had grown somewhat accustomed to his care and the sensation of being held in high regard by him. It was a feeling she couldn’t quite articulate. Yue Ji had once quietly asked herself whether she had started liking Kino, but she never had a definitive answer.
Varo City was already in sight, and Kino’s complexion grew increasingly grim. He truly did not know how he would cope after parting ways with Yue Ji. Was he going to return to the orderly yet dull life in the Empire of Tian Jing?
Yue Ji, looking towards the distant Varo City, sighed, "I didn’t expect to come back so soon. I haven’t had enough fun outside yet. This is really boring. Hey, hey, why are you always looking down?"
Kino looked up blankly, gazing at Yue Ji and muttered, "Miss Yue Ji, I should not escort you any further. Varo City is the base of the Moon Scar Mercenary Corps, and around here, there should be no danger. I’ll head north now, goodbye. Please take care of yourself in the future." Having said this and trying to resist his inner impulses, he took uneasy steps towards the direction of the Northern Skygold Empire.
Yue Ji stood her ground, watching Kino slowly walk away. A strong sense of loss welled up in her heart, and at that moment, she suddenly felt an urge not to part with Kino. Clenching her teeth, she called out loudly, "Kino, stop right there! Who said I would simply let you leave like this?"
Kino, having only walked twenty meters, turned around blankly upon hearing Yue Ji’s shout and said, "Miss Yue Ji, is there anything else you need?"
Yue Ji’s cheeks flushed slightly as she said, "Come to the Moon Scar Mercenary Corps with me. Then we can go back to the Empire of Tian Jing together."
Kino replied with a wry smile, "No, I think it’s better if I leave now. Yue Ji, do you know how hard it is for me to resolve to leave you? If I go to the Moon Scar Mercenary Corps with you, I might find it even harder to leave. Plus, I need to report back to my teacher in the Empire of Tian Jing about Ah Dai. And besides, I know deep down that you will never like me. I’m so ordinary, how could I ever be worthy of you? I don’t want to fall deeper, it’s better to endure short-term pain than long-term pain. Take care, goodbye." After speaking, he turned around once again and started walking unsteadily forward.
Seeing Kino’s forlorn and weary expression, Yue Ji’s heart ached. She floated forward, blocking his path, and said with a hint of anger, "Did you not understand when I said I want you to come to the Moon Scar Mercenary Corps with me? You are not allowed to argue, not now, not ever. You promised to protect me, have you forgotten that? Come back with me to the corps, and after we’ve informed Big Brother Ah Dai, then you can leave."
Kino, unable to bear refusing Yue Ji’s somewhat indignant face, replied helplessly, "Alright then, but I must leave immediately after escorting you to the Mercenary Group Headquarters."
