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Join the Server“So, why exactly do you refuse to leave this place?”
Qi Lin, arms crossed, leaned back in his chair, his brow subtly raised as he observed Aali.
She sat on the stool opposite him, her fists clenched tightly, her head bowed, her gaze fixed on the floor.
“I… do you remember what I told you not long ago?”
Aali lifted her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Not long ago? What was it?”
Qi Lin’s expression was one of genuine bewilderment.
Wiping away her tears, Aali met Qi Lin’s gaze with her reddened eyes.
“My brother…”
“Brother?… Ah, now I remember!”
Aali’s prompt brought back to Qi Lin the conversation they had shared at Manrot’s home just a few hours prior.
‘My brother has vanished, neither alive nor dead, simply gone.’
As the memory faded, Qi Lin pressed his lips together.
“So… you’re unwilling to leave because you want to wait for your brother to return, lest he can’t find you? Or perhaps can’t find the clan…”
Aali nodded, then lowered her head once more, her eyes fixed on the floor.
Observing Aali’s demeanor, Qi Lin found himself at a loss for words, recognizing that, ultimately, her predicament had little to do with him, an outsider.
At this moment, Qi Lin felt utterly overwhelmed.
From the perspective of sibling affection, Aali’s actions were entirely understandable.
However, when viewed through the lens of the collective, Aali appeared to be somewhat of a hindrance.
Sighing, Qi Lin, following Aali’s lead, also fell into a profound silence.
After a considerable pause, Qi Lin finally spoke, his voice measured.
“…Aali, we’ve only known each other for less than a day.
Regarding this matter, you should truly consider it yourself.
I can’t offer you any advice, as I…”
‘I don’t have a brother.’
Just as the words were about to escape him, Qi Lin abruptly swallowed them back.
His current persona was that of someone suffering from amnesia; stating he had no brother might imply his memory had recovered.
Regardless of whether it would arouse suspicion, it was better left unsaid.
Prudence was always the wisest course.
“Ahem, in any case, please think about it on your own!”
Clearing his throat, Qi Lin silently rose and headed towards the treehouse exit, leaving Aali alone in the living room.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Aali lifted her head.
She watched silently as Qi Lin unlatched the door and stepped outside, departing.
****
Outside the treehouse, bathed in the sunlight, Qi Lin took a deep breath.
“Ah, the outdoors are truly better.
Being with Aali right now feels far too stifling.”
After standing with his hands on his hips for a moment, Qi Lin set off towards Manrot’s home, guided by the memories in his mind.
Along the path, Qi Lin observed numerous elves diligently packing their belongings.
This sight stirred a sense of lament within him, reflecting on the arduousness of life in such turbulent times.
‘…Wait, why am I lamenting so idly?’
‘I am, after all, a part of their migration now! Moreover, I was the one who eliminated those War Fiends…’
Blinking and shaking his head, Qi Lin dislodged the jumble of thoughts from his mind.
He then arrived at the doorstep of Manrot’s home.
With a sigh, Qi Lin raised his hand and knocked on the door.
*Click.*
Manrot opened the door.
“It’s you.
Is there something you need here? And… hmm?
What’s with your clothes?”
Manrot, recognizing who stood at his door, spoke genially, but his words trailed off into a stunned silence towards the end.
Upon hearing this, Qi Lin, who had previously convinced himself he no longer cared what others thought of his current attire, immediately flushed crimson, his face resembling a ripe red apple.
“…Mayor, could… could we perhaps not discuss that?”
Observing Qi Lin’s reddened cheeks and his hesitant words, Manrot chuckled and nodded.
He had already surmised the situation, certain that Aali, that mischievous girl, was responsible, as she always delighted in such antics.
“Ahem, alright, I won’t mention it again.”
Manrot’s expression softened into one of benevolence.
“Tell me, what brings you to this old man?”
“Whew, I’d like to consult some books about this world.”
Exhaling, Qi Lin stated earnestly.
“Is that so?… Hmm, I understand.”
Having learned Qi Lin’s purpose, Manrot invited him inside, then proceeded with steady steps towards the upper floor.
Watching Manrot ascend the stairs, Qi Lin quickly followed.
On the second floor, the two men paused outside a room.
“This is my study.
Inside, you’ll find books I’ve collected from various parts of the world over the past few years, all relatively well-preserved.”
“Feel free to browse them as you wish! I hope they’ll aid you in recovering your memories.”
“Now, I must continue packing my belongings to prepare for the migration.”
Opening the door and gesturing towards the room’s interior, Manrot then departed.
Watching Manrot’s retreating back, Qi Lin pressed his lips together.
He then stepped into the room.
Gazing up at the rows upon rows of bookshelves, Qi Lin found himself somewhat dumbfounded.
‘Are there not an exorbitant number of books in this room?’
‘Or rather, why is this room so vast?’
‘It’s almost the size of a small library, isn’t it?’
‘Mayor Manrot truly has a passion for reading…’
He casually pulled down a book, leafed through it briefly, then tucked it back into its place.
After a few steps, Qi Lin took down another volume.
Seeing “Elf Spellbook, Toddler Edition” inscribed on the cover, he knew it wasn’t what he was looking for and returned it.
Thus, Qi Lin continued, stopping and starting, taking out books and putting them back, for several tens of minutes.
“Why are they all extracurricular or spellbooks?”
Qi Lin, who was not inherently one to focus intently, began to feel a surge of irritation after searching for so long.
‘No, I must remain calm!’
Qi Lin, ruffling his hair in frustration, took several deep breaths.
He then resumed his search for books.
Perseverance paid off; after another twenty minutes of searching, Qi Lin finally discovered the book he needed.
“World in Flux!”
Gazing at the prominent title on the cover, Qi Lin settled onto the floor and began to read.
During the time he spent reading “World in Flux!”, Qi Lin’s brow would furrow in concentration, only to clear moments later in a sudden realization.
An hour elapsed.
Qi Lin abruptly snapped the book shut, sending a puff of dust into the air.
Fanning away the lingering dust, Qi Lin rose and returned the book to its rightful place.
“The Three Great Empires, you have truly committed countless atrocities!”
Recalling the book’s accounts, Qi Lin’s tone grew heavy.
Presently, the continent of Canradi was home to only three nations: the Candirac Empire, the Lasacolu Empire, and the Ditess Empire.
Among them, the Candirac Empire was the oldest on the continent, its ruling emperor a Youth named Novas.
The Lasacolu Empire, on the other hand, had been established two hundred years before the advent of the War Fiends, and was governed by an Old Man named Thomas.
As for the Ditess Empire, it boasted formidable naval power, with the combined maritime forces of the other two empires unable to match it.
However, its land and air combat capabilities were lacking.
Its ruler was a Young Man known as Eren Walker—indeed, a promising talent despite his youth.
Regarding methods for controlling the War Fiends, the book contained no records.
Furthermore, the Three Great Empires had each commanded War Fiends to slaughter nearly a million rebels and enslave hundreds of thousands more.
Therefore, Qi Lin’s most significant takeaway from reading “World in Flux!” was merely identifying the three great empires, learning the names of their rulers, and understanding the extent of their use of War Fiends to slaughter and enslave people.
“…So little of it was useful! I had hoped for information on how to control the War Fiends…”
‘Then again, how could such knowledge ever be recorded, let alone printed in a book?’
Qi Lin voiced his thoughts, unable to hold them back.
After finishing the book, Qi Lin resumed his search for other useful volumes, but found nothing else of significance; “World in Flux!” remained his most valuable discovery.
Realizing there was no other information concerning the Three Great Empires, Qi Lin began to return to where the “Elf Spellbook, Toddler Edition” was kept.
He carefully perused the book, memorizing several useful spells.
He resolved to try these incantations later, despite his uncertainty about whether he, a non-elf, could actually cast them.
“Huh, all these books here, so many of them, are actually records of landscapes, adventures, and elven spells.”
Holding the newly discovered volume detailing the continent’s strange tales, wonders, and scenic beauty, Qi Lin voiced his surprise.
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