A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 145 Steel Pipe Landing.MP3
Years later, when her husband presents her with a ring, Chaldale Branson, who has spent half her life wandering, will recall that distant afternoon when she and her first love were outlaws fighting for justice.

Back then, she was just a young girl. The world seemed infinitely vast. A light rain was falling in June, and the ancient bells of the Eternal Church tolled outside the window. The man she liked was talking to his friends about something that might be important, related to arcane magic.

She gave them some space, walked to the side hall, and picked up the book she hadn't finished reading, "The Secret History of the Elf Queen." The romantic love story between the elf and the hero Link was impossible for her to grasp; her mind was a jumbled mess, yearning for sunshine like a cloudy day, unable to find peace.

Nowadays
The words on his back were unprepared and blurted out.

Perhaps it was because it was the first time the two of them had been so close, their backs touching, and the warmth of their skin made her feel like it was the perfect time to confess her feelings.

Or perhaps the scenery that flashed before her eyes was too romantic, possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, making her feel that "she had to say something."

A burning impulse surged through him, and the words to express his feelings slipped out.

But Quinn is cunning.

They said something like, "Oh, you really like catching bad guys?"
They're definitely playing dumb.

As they became more familiar with each other, another side of Quinn's personality gradually emerged in front of Xia Dai'er. She liked his occasional unreliable behavior. Although she sometimes didn't quite understand his humor, Xia Dai'er knew that Quinn was very reliable when it came to serious matters.

It's impossible for him not to understand what he's trying to say.

As a result, she felt increasingly aggrieved.

I was rejected.
Tiresia is an elf that the hero Link encountered while traveling the continent. Their meeting is said to have been due to an accident, but it's certain that Link fell deeply in love with this elven royal descendant with divine beauty the moment he saw her, and Tiresia loved him in return. They became intimate during their journey, and most of the rumors about Link's womanizing ways originated from Tiresia; the legendary elven queen was said to be passionate and fiery, captivating Link's heart.

Scanning through the lines of stories summarized by historians.

Xia Dai'er's gaze gradually became unfocused.

feel
It's similar to me.

Love at first sight, a mutual attraction.

Oh my god, this is totally me.jpg
Like Link, Quinn also has black hair and deep black eyes.

But I'm far inferior to Tiresia.
Although Queen Tiresia of the Elves lived 1,400 years ago, her unparalleled beauty remains the undisputed most beautiful woman in Temüran. Even just looking at her portraits is enough to be awestruck by the elven royalty's stunning beauty; I can't possibly compare!
But at least in terms of physique.
Xia Dai'er was quite confident about this.

So what I lack is "fiery passion"?

She turned a few pages, her face gradually turning red.

The Ankuya family's collection of books didn't contain any novels or stories; they were all research-oriented documents. "The Secret History of the Elf Queen" meticulously recorded many of the more credible local legends.

Before forming a hero's party to defeat the Demon King, the first hero Link only had a pet cat and Tiresia by his side. The two of them and the cat traveled across four continents like travelers, eliminating a large number of monsters and mysterious threats left over from the lost era, thus leaving behind many legends.

In early legends, Tiresia was depicted as a "maid." In an era when human civilization was still in its infancy and there was no aristocratic etiquette, the term "maid" was simply a more euphemistic way of saying "prostitute." Some even went so far as to describe her as a "harlot" or "succubus." One can imagine what she and Link did along the way.

Even by today's standards, the scale of those actions seems excessive.

Xia Dai'er took a deep breath, closed the book and put it aside like a hot potato, her soft pink curly hair shaking like a rattle.

No, no, this is a bit too "passionate".
Born into the Branson family and raised in the elite circles of Aswell Hill, Chaldale had naturally heard about some of the outrageous things that happened in these high society circles. However, with a mother from a proper Earl Ron family, raised according to aristocratic standards, and so virtuous that she had never even worn a low-cut dress before meeting Quinn, Chaldale had an instinctive aversion and disgust towards such behavior. She would never do something so shameful before a formal relationship was established.
Xia Dai'er's pretty face grew increasingly red.

Well.
Even though I don't know how to do it, I subconsciously think about it, and the image in my imagination comes to mind.

A moment later, the girl rolled around on the sofa like a hamster, hugging the book, burying her face in the cushions, and making unintelligible humming noises.

"You're going to die, Chaldie."

After a long while, she sat up straight again, took off a beautiful necklace from her neck, and held it in her hand.

Chaldale decided to pray to the goddess.

The necklace in her hand was beautiful; it was a small, pure silver bell. Unlike the personal ornaments of other religions, which are either deeply meaningful or strangely shaped, the White Religion's tokens are exquisite, like works of art. They can be worn as jewelry without any problem, which is one of the reasons why the White Religion is popular among the wealthy.

Her father was a believer in the Sun Church in his early years, but influenced by the friction between the academy and the Vatican, he simply converted to the White Church, just like her mother. Chaldale grew up in the White Church environment. Although she was not as devout as her mother, she also believed that praying to the goddess could clear away distracting thoughts and restore a pure heart.

The doctrines of the seven major theocratic religions of the Taimuran are very different. The Sun Church has the most followers, but its doctrine is the simplest. It only requires praising the sun. Even if believers convert, it is not a big deal. After all, the sun is the creator god and is superior to the gods. Believers of any religion can praise the sun.

Other religions view "conversion" as betrayal or blasphemy, and in severe cases, individuals may be arrested and punished by the religion. There are also occasional frictions between major religions due to competition for followers.

Given that beliefs cannot be easily changed, the doctrines of various religions become particularly important, serving as their primary means of attracting followers. The Eternal Church advocates asceticism and poverty; the Sacred Tree Church has a set of "laws" that supersede the law; the Death and Birth Church only accepts the dying or the destitute; and the Deep Sea Church is filled with reverence and dedication.
Compared to the many religious sects mentioned above that are heavily bound by rules and regulations, the White Sect is much simpler, and it doesn't even have any doctrines—"obeying order" and "maintaining the purity of the soul" are the requirements that the Order and the Holy Spirit Goddess require of believers.

Prayers to the goddess are also believed by believers to have the effect of purifying the soul.

Xia Dai'er felt she should pray; whether it was her complicated thoughts or her recent embarrassing ideas, she needed to calm down.

Holding the small silver bell in both hands, he softly praised the goddess.

But then, something strange happened.

Chaldale found that, unlike usual, her heart did not find peace as she prayed; the goddess's merciful winds did not soothe the restlessness within her.
Instead, it was the storm churning the sea that made her increasingly restless, as if some emotion was rising like waves, each one more unstoppable than the last.

"Please bless me and my family with good health and happiness. May your will be fulfilled in my life."

After the prayer was completed, Chaldale opened her eyes.

She instinctively looked towards the door.

Quinn should still be in the living room; her first thought after opening her eyes was to go find Quinn.

No, why would I go find him? To ask him when he's going to fight the bad guys again?
Chaldale forced herself to suppress her emotions and decided to pray one more time.

“Perfect order and Holy Spirit, your child, Chaldale Branson, prays to you—”

"May your will be done in my life."

This time, not only did her mood become urgent, but even her speaking speed changed, which shouldn't have happened. Even the most ordinary believers know that there are specific rules for the speed, tone, and posture of prayer, but Xia Dai'er now looked like an anxious and helpless little girl.

She did not choose to open her eyes.

One more time, one more time.
Don't think about Quinn.

Focus on prayer. Don't think.
Health and joy give me the opportunity to continue living, learning, and—

Xia Dai'er suddenly opened her eyes, her hands tightly gripping the bell pendant as if clinging to the favor of a goddess. She murmured, "Love."

The prayer came to an abrupt end.

As if she had suddenly made up her mind, her impulsive emotions overwhelmed her rational defenses, and the turbulent waves transformed into courage. She affirmed to herself, "Quinn likes me."

"He fell in love with me at first sight. That's what my brother said, and that's what Miss Peipei said too."

"Yes, if he didn't like me, why did he save me? Why did he take me to do these things every week? He always compliments me on how cute I am."

The reason he laughed it off was because—

The girl's eyes hardened.

"I wasn't being direct enough."

She pressed the bell to her forehead, silently chanted "Goddess bless me," and stood up as if gathering her strength, quickly walking towards the living room.

I want to tell him directly.
My feelings.

When they opened the door, there was no sign of the two people in the living room. On the cabinet next to the door was a bottle of wine that had not yet been finished.

Xia Dai'er hurriedly ran to the door and found that Quinn's shoes were still there. He would never leave her alone; he would always escort her home like a gentleman.

Ankuya must have gone out, and Quinn isn't in the living room; he'll probably be taking a shower upstairs.

Xia Dai'er's gaze fell on the bottle of whiskey.

The amber-colored glass bottle seemed to gleam with a beautiful luster, like the silver bells of a goddess. After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the loosely capped bottle and prepared to take a small sip, like a soldier going to war in a novel, to bolster her courage.

Xia Dai'er was looking for a cup when she noticed an empty glass next to the sofa where Quinn had been sitting.

Like a thief, the girl looked around several times to make sure Quinn wasn't there, then poured a tiny bit of wine into her glass—only about half a sip. She knew she couldn't hold her liquor well; she had made a fool of herself last time because she got drunk, so she didn't dare drink too much now, just to taste it.

The fragrant aroma of wine spreads across the tongue, like the last gust of wind a kite catches before reaching its destination.

Having done this before, the girl put the wine glass back in its place and resolutely walked up the stairs.

Xia Dai'er decided to wait for him to come out at the door.

But as soon as she reached the second floor, the warm mist enveloped her face, and Xia Dai'er was slightly taken aback to find that the bathroom door was open.

Ankuya was an arcanist, so his home naturally had some unusual features.

For example, all doors automatically close once someone walks through them after they are opened. There is a small but convenient mathematical device on the door hinge that eliminates the hassle of closing the door.

Why is this door open?
In the hazy mist, one could almost see the figure of that person leaning against the bathtub.

Xia Dai'er bit her lower lip.

As if guided by some strange force, she took a step.
The girl stepped into the mist, her clothes rope ripping open smoothly, followed by the soft sound of her skirt hitting the ground.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The sandalwood perfume scent was wiped away by the medicine in the bath, replaced by an unmasked, natural, faint body fragrance that mingled with the rising steam and brushed against Quinn's nose. Her eyes were close enough that her long eyelashes trembled. The aromatherapy candles lit in the bathroom illuminated her cherry blossom-like hair, and water droplets dripped from the wet pink ends, mingling with their heavy breathing. Ripples scattered the snow-white, upright reflections in the water.

This is not a marriage proposal.

Noble marriages are usually only once, and divorce is not common unless one is widowed. The unwavering commitment from courtship to marriage makes the alliance to consolidate power seem romantic. Only young men and women with "pure love" are worth marrying. The sons of great nobles usually do not fall in love during their youth, and women are expected to uphold their chastity.

It's hard to say what they do in private. Judging from the large number of illegitimate children born to noble maids in various countries every year, the young masters probably don't follow the rules very well. But at least they will maintain a respectable appearance in public and won't openly take their boyfriends or girlfriends out before they are engaged.

Although Chaldale was not a noblewoman, it was clear from the fact that her parents sent her to a girls' school instead of a more prestigious public school like Elon's that this was to prepare her for a future marriage alliance. A clean past was one of the keys for merchants to get married into noble families.

But now, Chaldale means that she wants to be with Quinn openly and honestly.

This means giving up everything her family might have planned for her future.

If she cannot marry him, her only options will be those who are not as good as the Branson family, and such marriages of inferiority are often accompanied by unhappiness.

But now that things have come to this, asking that question is completely unnecessary.

Both of their hands had already crossed the line.

Quinn looked into her eyes, somewhat helpless.

The handprints are already made, how can I say no?

But he didn't agree immediately.

A teenage girl can be love-struck and reckless, but he is an adult and has to consider many things.

As a male with normal physiological function, he would certainly like to nod vigorously "yes, I do" and then enjoy the exciting and predictable plot, but...
"Xia Dai'er".

Quinn grabbed her fidgeting hand, suppressing his desire, and whispered, "If you continue, you'll regret it."

“I won’t,” she replied firmly. “Never. I believe you.”

Quinn paused for a moment, then said, "Even if we have no future?"

"No future? I don't care about that—"

She suddenly threw herself into Quinn's arms, splashing water, and was about to be pushed back when a strange, loud noise came from the side.

clang! ! !
Like a steel pipe hitting a concrete floor, the noise startled the two of them. Quinn turned around sharply and saw something fall from his wand and hit the ground.

It turned out to be the katana that I hadn't seen for two months, which had remained in the shape of a tree branch.

(End of this chapter)