A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 202 Only I, guarding the quiet desert

Chaldale was pressed against the back of the seat of Train 000 by the feeling of being pushed back by the high speed.

As she passed through the dark underground tunnel, the night sky and city lights appeared outside the window. She sat somewhat awkwardly, occasionally glancing at Quinn across the table.

The two glanced at each other briefly, then remained silent.

Amid the rumble of the train wheels, she asked softly, "Isn't this against the rules?"

“Article 41 of the Faculty and Staff Code of Conduct—” Quinn said indifferently, “It is forbidden to bring unauthorized off-campus personnel into the college. Violators will have their salary for this month deducted and will bear possible joint liability.”

Xia Dai'er looked at him quietly, then turned her head to look out the window.

When a girl asks this kind of question, what she really wants to hear is, "I know it's against the rules, but I can break the rules for you." But Quinn is always unusually clueless in these situations, whether it's intentional or not.

He's always like this. Xia Dai'er, a girl with no romantic experience and no experience of love, has tried her best to be proactive in their interactions, but every time he brings up ambiguous topics, he either pretends not to hear or dodges the question with abstract language. I just can't understand him!
It's always like this, always the same thing, saying things like "I didn't say it wasn't you."
They're just trying to cheer me up, and then they'll say things like "Let's stay friends" or "Want to go out on Thursday?"

She took a deep breath and tried to make her voice as clear as possible:
What if I get caught?

"You can't catch them. Nibelung Academy has a fully automated defense array, but that only detects superhumans and arcanists of unknown origin. You're just an ordinary person, no different from animals or plants in the face of magic."

"Just an ordinary person."

Xia Dai'er leaned against the window and muttered, "I'm so sorry."

"For most of my life, I've just been an ordinary person."

Quinn's words were perhaps directed at no one in particular: "If I had a choice, I would rather go back to being an ordinary person."

Are you happier being an ordinary person?

"..." He grinned, "Actually, they're pretty much the same."

"I'm very unhappy as an ordinary person."

“What’s so ordinary about you? Don’t nitpick. By ‘ordinary,’ I mean in a mystical sense,” Quinn said casually. “You’re beautiful, well-mannered, from a good family, and very brave and kind.”

In the past, when Quinn said this, her reaction would usually be shyness, and she would lower her head and say something like "Of course I know." But at this moment, she didn't even look at Quinn and remained silent.

She couldn't even keep up the act of speaking cheerfully anymore.

After a long while, a sobbing voice, seemingly calm yet tinged with a hint of jealousy, finally broke the silence inside the train: "That girl... she's not an ordinary person, is she?"

Fireworks rose from the tower at the end of Cloud Avenue and exploded with a bang.

The starry sky in this world is so bright and dazzling that it no longer needs the embellishment of fireworks. Those red, yellow, and purple fireworks have become like dreamlike bubbles in the eyes of a young girl, blurring her tears into a hazy blur.

She wiped away her tears forcefully, feeling utterly pathetic. She hadn't intended to cry, yet tears welled up uncontrollably. It was all a mess, like she was showing weakness at the mere mention of a rival.
"Actually, I know. I noticed it last night. You like that girl, and I'm so jealous of her. I was here first, and we were having so much fun, but you just don't like me."

Her voice was no longer choked with sobs, as if she were the protagonist drawing a period to the end of a relationship, calmly bidding farewell.

“Before, I met a very, very good person. She told me to think about whether I was acting impulsively or whether various events had led to a misjudgment. She made me wonder if my feelings for you were love or just gratitude. I thought about it for a long time and read many books until I read the Hero's Notebook, which was Merlin's only leaked letter.”

She recited softly and slowly:

"—To Tiresias"

“You told me that you didn’t quite understand why Link saying ‘The moon is beautiful tonight’ was a subtle expression of affection.”

"As I write this letter, I am on a reef in the South Pacific islands. I see the ripples on the sea under the setting sun, the boundless evening breeze blowing orange clouds, and the cape chasing the cat in the sea. Little Black doesn't want its fur to get wet, so it is running around the beach. I think you will laugh when you see this scene."

"I want to share with you the things I find beautiful, like the sunset right now, like the little black dog rolling around, like the moonlight over my hometown."

Quinn listened quietly.

Tiresia was Link's wife. But judging from her relationship with the second hero Merlin, she seems to have a complicated past.

Merlin never married and had no children. His lifespan was the shortest among all the heroes of all time. The Tiresia he saw was already an old woman. The legendary extinct Elf race had a near-eternal lifespan, and their appearance would be frozen at the most beautiful moment of their lives. Was it a disguise?

“That last part was torn out,” Chaldale said softly. “But I think Lord Merlin will write ‘This is what it feels like to like someone.’ I think he will definitely write that.”

"My thought at the time was, 'I'll share this with you, and you'll tell me I'm right, because you think the same way.'"

Then I understood.

It was a voice that sounded like a lament, a despair, and yet also like joy: "My feelings for you are love."

She still didn't cry, but she didn't look at Quinn either. Her little face looked forlornly out the window. Under the backdrop of fireworks, the city seemed to be immersed in a lively festival. But the train was running on Mirror Lake, and the fireworks reflected on the water were quiet and still, without even a ripple.

"Forget it, don't explain anymore. Sometimes I can't tell when you're lying to me, but I know that when it comes to feelings, you won't lie to yourself. I don't care who you like."

"I feel like you dumped me, I cried so much, I lost several pounds from hunger, and I didn't eat today. I don't know how I could like a man almost ten years older than me, but I'm so happy with you, happier than the past sixteen years combined."

"Then let's be friends." She flashed a bright, seemingly carefree smile. "First, let's try Grindelwald's dining hall, as compensation for the trauma you caused me. I haven't eaten yet today, and then..."

Train 000 took to the sky, under a clear, starry night without a single cloud, but Xia Dai'er's words stopped for that reason.

Instead, Quinn was already standing in front of her.

He had his hands in his pockets, and the two stared at each other for a while before he took them out again. He scratched his head, his dark eyes calm and unwavering, as if he had made a decision but didn't know how to speak.

"What?" Xia Dai'er looked out the window again. "You want me to pay your fine? But you were the one who suggested bringing me along."

“I’m usually very busy with work.” That was the first thing Quinn said.

"I usually don't have time in the evenings either, there's so much to learn, I'm either working or reading." These are the two sentences.

"As you can see, there's not much time, and it's not very romantic. You don't need me to give you any money either. In short, I'm not a good match." This is the third sentence.

Quinn asked seriously, "Even like this, you still like me?"

"."

"Even if one day in the future I might suddenly die, become an enemy of humanity, or simply disappear, would you still like me?"

Even though I rejected you, you still like me?

She had already been very brave, but when he walked up to her, Xia Dai'er became somewhat flustered again:
"Courage, as the brave man once said."

"Where do you get so many abstract quotes? I'm asking you."

"As the brave man said, 'Anyone can handle victory, but only the strong can withstand defeat.' So what if I was rejected? What's the point of talking about the future or suddenly dying?"

She looked like she was about to cry, closed her eyes, and muttered in despair, "I just like it."

"Hey"

A barely perceptible sigh.

"That wasn't what the hero said, that was what the shampoo boy said."

"What—um?"

The moment I opened my eyes, my mouth was covered.

Their eyes met, so close they could almost touch. A strange warmth emanated from the corner of her lips. She stood there stunned for a long time before she finally understood.

Quinn is kissing her.

Xia Dai'er struggled instinctively, but her hands were firmly held down. He leaned over, half-pressing down on the girl in the seat. After a moment, she gently closed her eyes and began to respond clumsily.

On an arcane train traveling through the sky and heading towards the starry night, a young girl experiencing her first love has her treasured first kiss stolen by her beloved.

She separated, panting, her body limp. She wanted to say something, but her words turned into sobs as she looked at his gentle face. "You rambled on and on about how guilty you felt."

"I already said I have someone I like. But I didn't say it wasn't you."

“So, therefore,” she choked out.

The dreamlike alternation of day and night began, the boundaries of time and space were crossed by the train, as if the world had been turned upside down. When the last wisp of fireworks lit up outside the window, she saw the reflected light in his eyes.

"It's embarrassing to say I like you," he shrugged. "Well, I like you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, their lips met again. This time, it was Xia Dai'er who took the initiative. By the time the train touched the tracks, the two on the sofa had changed positions. He held the girl who had rolled over and was riding on top of him. Only then did the kissing and the sound of their rapid breathing come to an end.

"So what exactly is our relationship now?" she asked, leaning against his chest.

"Heh, I was thinking, how about we try dating? Maybe one day you'll realize I'm really not suited to be a boyfriend, and then you'll find a chance to dump me. But since you're crying and saying you want to be friends... ugh, that hurts."

"Ahhhhh."

She was punched twice hard in the chest. Although it didn't hurt, the girl realized what strange things she had said earlier and wished she could knock his memory out of her.

But finally, Quinn heard her whisper, "You have to tell that girl."

"You have a girlfriend."

“Hmm.” Quinn’s eyes lowered slightly, but quickly returned to calm. He rubbed the girl’s back in his arms to comfort her, “I will announce to the whole school in class the good news that I am a married man.”

"Getting married so quickly? I need to get to know you better."

"By the way, why were you at the train station? Most people wouldn't know that the college's Platform 9¾ is right under that passageway."

"I'm not an ordinary person; my family was involved in the station's construction, so of course I know about it."

She buried her face in Quinn's chest and said in a muffled, hurried voice, "I still wanted to know what you were going to say to me, so I came. But I wasn't sure if I could wait for you at the agreed place, so I waited at the train station and tried my luck."

"Thank goodness it arrived."

Quinn frowned slightly, but seeing the train arrive at the station, he stopped thinking about it.

Although it seemed a bit strange, the girl's explanation was reasonable.

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters has existed for a thousand years, but as the gateway to the College, it has always been the most mysterious urban legend in Eswell. Most of the powerful and influential people know that students will travel to the College by train, but they do not know that there is a platform specifically built for the College.

The location of this platform is strictly forbidden to be revealed among students, so as not to disturb teachers and students.

"I, we."

Xia Dai'er wanted to say something, but her stomach growled again, making her pretty face turn bright red.

The girl was right; she was indeed much lighter. Compared to when she was carried on her back before, she felt as light as a feather when held in her arms now.

"Let's go eat first."

He picked Xia Dai'er up from his arms, and she nervously tidied her hair. Then, the two of them walked hand in hand to the empty Platform Nine and a Quarter.

After nervously looking around, the girl quickly exclaimed in amazement at the enormous castle floating in the air:

"Wow, that's Grindelwald?!"

"This way," Quinn led the way.

"How are we supposed to get up there?" After the initial happiness and shyness, Chalice's excitement at arriving at Grindelwald's legendary academy came through: "Riding brooms? Riding brooms?!"

"Um, let's take the stairs."

Quinn felt truly sorry; his mental strength was still far from being able to fly on a broomstick, and he was twenty times weaker than Celia.

What if someone finds out?

"Just stay calm. Don't touch anything around you, absolutely do not touch anything."

"Whoa, why is this painting moving?"

"The stairs are upside down! No, no, no! I can actually walk on them!"

"Is the cafeteria far? Uh..."

Before the words were finished, a girl carrying a birdcage and an owl walked down the upside-down staircase above their heads.

Xia Dai'er was so frightened that she dared not utter a sound. She tried to let go of Quinn's hand, but he held it firmly.

But when the girl saw Xia Dai'er, she only glanced at her briefly before walking past.

The glance I gave her wasn't because she was a stranger, nor because she was holding hands with Quinn, but because beautiful women in evening gowns were a rare sight at the academy.

“You see,” Quinn reassured, “In this place, all people care about is arcane magic and their studies; strangers don’t matter.”

He navigated the winding, upside-down stairwell, casually introducing her to the unique features of the academy along the way, until they finally arrived at a tall oak door. Quinn turned the bronze handle and let the girl, who was as nervous as a thief, go inside first.

He stood at the door for a long time, but in the end, he did not choose to turn over the doorplate hanging on the door. Instead, he went inside and locked the door from the inside.

If the door number is not turned upside down, it means that no one is home and visitors should come back another day.

The living room has the atmosphere of a Nordic hunting lodge, with a large leather sofa, fireplace, telephone, typewriter, and a gold magic circle painting.
Xia Dai'er watched all this in amazement and exclaimed, "As expected of Grindelwald, even the dining hall is so considerate of privacy. How unique!"

"This is my dorm room."

The girl froze, realizing the implications of bringing her back to the dorm, her ears quickly turning bright red. But Quinn casually said, "Have a seat. You can order food and have it delivered. After the party, they'll probably have a get-together in the cafeteria, and having a nasty woman around will be troublesome to explain."

He noticed two extra boxes in the fireplace, so he went over and picked them up. He found that one was from the school administration office and the other was from the academic affairs office.

The teaching affairs office sent over a new immortal totem.

The box sent by the school administration office couldn't be opened. There was a piece of paper stuck on it, and Quinn could almost see Hermes's serious, cold face from the handwritten words.

[The contained items, instructions for use, and Sequence 7 formula are inside the box. Simply inject your mental energy into the mechanism to open it.]

【as well as.】

You must leave before class tomorrow morning. According to Article 41 of the Staff Handbook, your salary for next month will be deducted.

Quinn gave a wry smile. Damn it, he'd been caught.

Immediately, he turned around as if nothing had happened, and said with a smile:

"What would you like to eat? Grindelwald's canteen."

The girl's dress had fallen to the ground sometime earlier.

Quinn paused for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "I didn't mean that."

"You locked the door."

"I'm afraid someone will come in."

"Are you still planning to push me away now?" Xia Dai'er asked, biting her lip.

The two stared at each other for a long time before Quinn finally sighed, put down the Sequence 8 seal in his hand, and walked towards her.

"...Don't make me sound like I'm worse than an animal."