Love’s First Stirrings and a City’s Legends

Jing, realizing Mr. Bo Aibiyi had vanished, felt a sense of profound loss. She quietly settled back by the lake, hugging her knees as she gazed distractedly at the tranquil water.

“Umi,” Jing wondered aloud, poking the still surface of the lake, “could this feeling, perhaps, be love?” Rings of beautiful ripples spread across the clear water from her fingertip as she asked, her eyes thoughtful.

“I don’t know either,” Umi replied, “but Mama said love brings happiness and warmth, just like Umi feels for Jing. Being by Jing’s side makes me so happy, and it’s the same for Jing, right?” Umi’s voice, though innocently sweet, brought Jing immense comfort.

“Of course! Umi is my absolute favorite!” Jing happily touched the little yellow chick hairpin in her hair. “But why do I feel so strange now that Mr. Bo Aibiyi has left? While I didn’t feel the ‘happiness’ Umi described when he was around, I do think Mr. Bo Aibiyi is incredibly learned and very polite; he made me feel quite comfortable.” She then looked up at the clear blue sky, speaking softly.

“Maybe it’s because Mr. Bo Aibiyi is gentle with everyone,” Umi chirped. “But Mama said a man who’s gentle with everyone isn’t a good thing! Nicely put, they’re a ‘warm man’; less nicely put, they’re a ‘central air conditioner’! Puh-hahahaha~” Umi burst into giggles at her own joke.

“Umi~ you shouldn’t speak ill of Mr. Bo Aibiyi like that,” Jing protested weakly upon hearing Umi’s words.

“Oh, Jing~ when that ‘central air conditioner’ held your hand, did you feel like you were flying?” Umi asked, using her new vocabulary to describe Bo Aibiyi, like a child with a fun new toy. “Mama said when she first held Papa’s hand, she felt like she soared, and they fell in love instantly!”

“Umi~~ oh, you…” Jing’s cheeks still felt warm as she looked at her hand, which had been held. “Though… I actually didn’t feel like flying. I just felt very shy… Hehe, I suppose it was the first time a boy held my hand!”

“But Umi, is that really how Mama and Papa fell in love?” Jing continued, her ears reddening at the memory of something her father had once whispered to her. “I remember Papa secretly told me once that Mama burst into his house with her [Translucent Blade] and shaved off all the lower body hair of anyone who dared to refuse her, right through their clothes! Then she threatened Papa, saying if he didn’t comply, next time it wouldn’t just be hair she cut.”

“By the way, Umi,” Jing asked in a tiny, curious voice, “besides… well… hair… are there other things on a boy’s lower body?”

“I… I… I’m not a boy! How would I know that!” Umi cried out, sounding a little wronged.

“Hehehe~ So Umi is a cute girl, just like me~” Jing covered her mouth, giggling happily at Umi’s adorable, wronged voice.

****

Meanwhile, Bo Aibiyi had returned to Morgan City. A wave of immense joy surged through him as he looked at the familiar sights. He couldn’t believe he was alive, or rather, he was back to revel in wealth and glory. Once he delivered the news about those two blades to General Baro, he would gain the money and power he had always craved!

As for the girl, Bo Aibiyi didn’t care in the slightest. While she had saved him, he rationalized it as simply his fate not to die. Besides, Lady Luck favored him; his survival guaranteed future blessings, he thought, chuckling to himself.

He even felt that despite walking with a cane, the mercenaries around him were all staring with admiring gazes. ‘Could they already see that I’m about to become a person of importance?’ he mused. ‘Am I radiating some kind of regal aura now?’

‘Though you stare, I won’t remember the faces of you common folk,’ Bo Aibiyi fantasized wildly in his mind.

‘Heh, they’re still looking at me?’ he thought. ‘Tsk, tsk, being the center of attention is truly… delightful.’

However, the ground seemed to be shaking slightly, and the tremors were intensifying. ‘Could it be an earthquake?’

Bo Aibiyi had reached the vicinity of the mercenary guild. Reveling in the admiring stares, he couldn’t help but puff out his chest, lift his head, and stride forward with an air of arrogance.

Bo Aibiyi noticed that the mercenaries’ expressions had shifted from admiration to utter shock. They were whispering amongst themselves incessantly. Unable to curb his intense curiosity, he subtly cast a detection spell to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Look, look! Do you see that lord, the super handsome one?”

‘You certainly have good taste,’ Bo Aibiyi thought, feeling smug. ‘To spot my dashing looks among so many people.’

“My heavens! Could it be, could that be…?”

‘Indeed,’ Bo Aibiyi mused, ‘I am the one who will soon stand above all others in Morgan City, second only to one.’

“It’s the ‘Silver Reaper,’ Lord Domu! The living legend of the mercenary world!”

‘Hahaha, of course! I am the leg— wait. “Silver Reaper”? “Domu”? Who is that? Aren’t they talking about me?’ Hearing this, Bo Aibiyi turned his head in utter astonishment.

Before Bo Aibiyi stood a tall, imposing man clad in dazzling pure white full-body armor. The suit itself appeared incredibly valuable. Bo Aibiyi couldn’t even detect any aura from it, leading him to realize with surprise that it must be a metal armor with magic-blocking properties and extremely high magic resistance.

What astonished Bo Aibiyi even more was that this man, known as the “Silver Reaper,” was currently shouldering a colossal beast. It stood ten meters tall and weighed at least several thousand pounds. Bo Aibiyi gaped, utterly dumbfounded by the sight.

A wave of fear washed over him. That monstrous creature was none other than one of the strongest beings in the Velsen Forest: the “Scarlet-faced Tyrant,” known as the King of the Forest. It was also the King of the Laughing Bears.

Thinking of the Laughing Bear that had nearly claimed his life, and then seeing the Scarlet-faced Tyrant slung over this man’s shoulder like a mere sandbag, Bo Aibiyi’s injured leg went weak. Just how terrifyingly powerful was this man? Bo Aibiyi couldn’t even begin to fathom it.

And… the mercenary had just called him Domu… Domu… Yes… that’s right… General Baro had mentioned him more than once: the legendary mercenary who had suddenly risen in the Morgan City mercenary guild… Domu.

Then there was that day… the terrifying sensation that had only lasted a moment, but which Bo Aibiyi would never forget. That instant of despair and terror. He had no doubt that if that feeling had lingered even a few seconds longer, he might have been driven mad.

It was because Kase, the brash young master of the Venomous Scythe, had openly provoked this man, causing him to unleash that aura of fear and despair. And that same Kase was still bedridden, unable to move, perhaps even a vegetable.

Bo Aibiyi quickly hobbled to the side of the road with his cane, yielding the path to the “Silver Reaper” behind him. He hid away, struggling to control his emotions and stop his legs from trembling.

Standing aside, Bo Aibiyi watched as the mercenaries who had previously surrounded him now followed the “Silver Reaper” like fervent fans. They exclaimed and shrieked, acting like devoted admirers, until the “Silver Reaper’s” figure vanished from Bo Aibiyi’s sight.

‘What’s so great about that?’ Bo Aibiyi thought, disdainfully. ‘Once I have money, I’ll hire a bunch of sycophants to follow me around every day, shouting “Lord Bo Aibiyi is the most handsome!” “Lord Bo Aibiyi is super strong!” “Lord Bo Aibiyi is the most enduring!” Hmph, what’s so great?’

Controlling his still-trembling legs, Bo Aibiyi leaned on his cane and walked step by step towards the City Lord’s manor.

His legs were shaking quite badly, so Bo Aibiyi’s pace was slow. He had only just reached the vicinity of Rainbow Plaza. However, he was almost there; the City Lord’s manor was not far now. Bo Aibiyi felt a surge of excitement for the impending wealth and glory.

“Heishoo~ Heishoo~ Heishoo~ Heishoo~” A soft, sweet little girl’s voice, chanting a rhythmic beat, drifted from beside Bo Aibiyi.

Although Bo Aibiyi possessed strong curiosity, he wasn’t typically one to meddle in others’ affairs. Yet, the little girl’s voice sounded so endearing that his curiosity flared. He wanted to see if the girl making such sweet sounds was as cute as her voice.

Thus, he foolishly turned his head, looking towards the source of the sound.

The little girl’s appearance certainly didn’t disappoint Bo Aibiyi. She had soft, long white hair that nearly brushed the ground, rosy cheeks, ruby-like eyes, and a delicate face. Bo Aibiyi had no doubt this adorable child would grow into an unparalleled beauty.

However, the moment he saw the girl, Bo Aibiyi’s jaw dropped, his mouth wide open as if his chin might hit the floor. His face was etched with shock.

What shocked Bo Aibiyi wasn’t the little girl herself, but the small ‘pet’ she was leading. Yes… a seemingly soft, adorable, harmless… little rabbit with three red eyes.

No… no… who said it was a little rabbit? That was clearly the overlord of the Velsen Forest… the incredibly powerful magical beast… the Balyaas Rabbit!

“Oh my gods!” he inwardly screamed. “Someone tell me, why is the overlord of the Velsen Forest in Morgan City? And why… why is the overlord of the Velsen Forest being dragged along the ground by a little girl like a dead dog!!!”