Knights: The journey of support starting with Faiz

Jiang Ye placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee in front of him, her movements so light they made almost no sound.

"Thank you."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi took the cup, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against the back of Jiang Ye's hand.

In that instant, he felt a strange temperature—not human body temperature, but more like a fluctuation of some kind of energy.

He looked up and met Jiang Ye's calm, still eyes.

What lies hidden deep within those eyes?

Ukiyo Hidetoshi suddenly realized that he couldn't see through this person at all.

"Mr. Store Manager."

He put down his cup and decided to test the waters.

"Regarding my previous conversation with Jinghe, I would like to clarify that it was not my intention."

Jiang Ye smiled, and fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes—not wrinkles, but more like the marks left by time.

“Jinghe is a sensitive child, and sometimes he needs proper guidance.”

"Appropriate guidance..."

Chapter 280 Straight to the Point

Ukiyo Eiju repeated in a low voice, his gaze shifting to Jinghe, who was chatting and laughing with two girls not far away.

The young man smiled without any guard up, radiating a warm aura.

He then looked at Jiang Ye.

This man stood tall and straight, his movements exuding a composure beyond his years.

Ukiyo Hidetoshi narrowed his eyes—how long had he lived? A thousand years? Two thousand years? Or even longer?

The reflection in the coffee cup swayed, showing his thoughtful face.

Hidetoshi Ukiyo decided to get straight to the point.

What are you fighting for?

He looked directly into Jiang Ye's eyes.

"I've asked this question to many people, and the answers vary."

Jiang Ye did not answer immediately.

He turned to look out the window, where sunlight streamed through the glass, casting dappled shadows on his sharply defined profile.

The silence lasted for several seconds, long enough that Ukiyo Eiju thought he wouldn't answer.

"I hope for world peace."

Jiang Ye finally spoke, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"Then I can go home with peace of mind."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi's finger paused on the rim of the cup.

This answer... was surprisingly simple.

There were no grand pronouncements, no lofty reasons, just a simple, almost naive wish.

“Not a bad reason.”

He chuckled softly, swirling his coffee cup and admiring the patterns formed by the floating grease on its surface.

Compared to answers that claim to be for justice or to protect the weak, this answer is more truthful and more...complex.

Jiang Ye suddenly pushed her coffee cup in front of him.

"The temperature is just right now."

He said there was a certain expectation flickering in his eyes.

Ukiyo Hidetoshi raised an eyebrow, took the cup, and took a sip.

The rich flavor bursts on the tongue, with a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness, and the temperature is just right—neither too hot nor too cold.

"How about it?"

Jiang Yewen had a childlike smugness on his face.

"good."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi deliberately downplayed it, but couldn't help taking another sip.

This cup of coffee had a magical power, as if it could dispel the chill that had accumulated in his body.

He recalled the amazing fighting power Jiang Ye had displayed during the match.

That almost ruthless precision and efficiency formed a strange contrast with the person in front of me who was so meticulous about a cup of coffee.

"interesting."

he whispered.

"What's interesting?"

Jiang Ye asked.

Ukiyo Hidetoshi shook his head, offering no explanation.

The pressure of the competition these past few days has been immense, especially Jiang Ye's performance, which has become the biggest threat to his path to the championship.

But at this moment, in this little shop filled with the aroma of coffee, all the tension and calculations seem to have faded away.

His gaze unconsciously drifted towards Misora.

The girl was laughing so hard at one of Miyin's jokes that she was doubled over, her cheeks flushed with a healthy blush.

"She is your girlfriend?"

Ukiyo Hidetoshi asked this out of pure curiosity.

Jiang Ye was visibly taken aback for a moment, then chuckled.

Misora ​​is the daughter of the previous store manager.

His voice suddenly softened.

"I want to take care of her forever."

Hidetoshi Ukiyo noticed the change in his eyes when he said this.

That intense protectiveness and sense of responsibility doesn't seem like the feelings an ordinary shop assistant has for the boss's daughter; it's more like...family?

"I see."

He nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

"Do you feel more relaxed now?"

Jiang Ye changed the subject.

"Very comfortable."

Hidetoshi Ukiyo admitted it.

He hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time.

No need to play the role of a fox, no need to consider competition strategies, just enjoy a good cup of coffee and a moment of peace as an ordinary person.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and enjoy the moment, Jiang Ye slowly stood up.

. ... 0

Hidetoshi Ukiyo opened his eyes alertly and saw the other person take an item out of his pocket.

It was a buckle, but it had clearly been modified, with fine circuit patterns and signs of alteration on the surface.

Hidetoshi Ukiyo immediately recognized the style of modification—it was Sento's work.

"This is a gift for you."

Jiang Ye placed the buckle on the table and pushed it in front of him.

"You and Jinghe."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi's expression froze instantly.

He picked up the buckle and could feel the subtle energy fluctuations on its surface with his fingertips.

This is not an ordinary buckle, but a specially reinforced version, powerful enough to turn the tide of battle at crucial moments.

"why?"

He looked up, his eyes sharpening.

Jiang Ye simply smiled, a smile that contained too many things that Fushi Eiju could not comprehend.

"Consider it...a return gift of coffee."

Hidetoshi Ukiyo lowered his head and examined the buckle in his hand again.

This gift came so suddenly and so coincidentally.

Chapter 281 The Real Purpose

How much does Jiang Ye actually know? What is his real purpose in giving this gift?

"Who are you anyway?"

Hidetoshi Ukiyo finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind.

Jiang Ye did not answer directly.

He turned around and began tidying up the coffee equipment, his movements still as unhurried as ever.

"Just a traveler who wants to go home."

He spoke with his back to Ukiyo Hidetoshi.

"Just like you."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi's fingers tightened unconsciously.

He knew that Jiang Ye knew how long he had lived, knew his inner loneliness, and that "160" might even know all his secrets.

"This cup of coffee..."

Jiang Ye suddenly spoke, pointing to the almost empty cup in front of Ukiyo Hidetoshi.

"The recipe comes from a small village 1,300 years ago. The coffee beans back then were very different from those now, but that warmth... has never changed."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi's pupils contracted.

Thirteen hundred years ago? That was precisely...

"You really are..."

he whispered.

Jiang Ye finally turned around, and the sunlight shone from behind him, gilding his silhouette with a golden edge.

“We all have our reasons for fighting, Hidetoshi. But sometimes, a good cup of coffee and a quiet place can heal the soul more than any power.”

After a long silence, Ukiyo Hidetoshi finally nodded gently.

He carefully put away the strap, stood up, and prepared to leave.

Thank you for the coffee. And... the gift.

Jiang Ye nodded.

"You are welcome to come again anytime."

Ukiyo Hidetoshi walked towards the door, and before pushing open the glass door, he looked back.

Jiang Ye had already returned to the bar and was focused on wiping the coffee machine.

Misora ​​and Mion's live stream seemed to have ended, and Jinghe was helping them pack up their equipment.