The Sword of Destruction

Xie Shenhong found himself utterly bewildered.

‘Could someone responsible for the slaughter of four hundred thousand of your imperial compatriots truly be described as gentle and kind?’

‘You must be jesting!’

As for enthusiasm, he had to concede that, from Lyte’s unique perspective, it might indeed appear that way.

‘But why on earth would you voice such a thing?’

‘Even if I were to accept that, what in the world did he mean by “mischievous”?’

The other students, too, swiftly recognized the peculiar nature of Lyte’s statements.

“Is that truly the case? How utterly surprising… Could it be that Lady Hai Zhu reserves such treatment solely for you, Lyte?”

“Oh, wow, is it possible Lady Hai Zhu harbors feelings for Lyte?”

‘There! Is! No! Such! Thing! At! All!’

Xie Shenhong roared inwardly, unsure if his fervent denial was directed at Lyte or at his own conflicted feelings.

“No, I believe Lady Hai Zhu simply holds me in higher regard,” Lyte stated with clear-headed composure.

“Well, that’s still quite splendid!”

“I, too, wish to be held in high esteem by Lady Hai Zhu!”

The crowd offered their congratulations or voiced their envy, and the notion of romance no longer lingered in anyone’s mind.

“…”

‘It’s a good thing you’re sensible.’

With that, much of Xie Shenhong’s simmering irritation began to subside.

As the teacher arrived, the students promptly returned to their respective seats. During the ensuing break, a few curious individuals still approached with questions, yet their numbers had noticeably dwindled.

Such is the way of people with novelties; their enthusiasm often burns out swiftly, especially when the world of Saintess Hai Zhu felt impossibly distant to them. Though, ironically, the two individuals directly involved were both right there.

Still, Xie Shenhong was not about to reveal his identity as the user of the Hai Zhu puppet—

[Shenhong, would you like to come along?]

The sudden message from Lyte left Xie Shenhong utterly dumbfounded.

‘Exposing myself… that’s certainly not what he’s implying.’

‘What on earth does this fellow think a mission entails?’

‘Just as I suspected, this guy’s supposed respect is nothing more than empty words…’

[This is your mission, isn’t it?]

[Indeed, but you are my retainer, and moreover, an acquaintance of Lady Hai Zhu. I don’t foresee any issues.]

‘Alright, your reasoning is sound, but regrettably, he isn’t merely an acquaintance; he *is* the person herself.’

[Perhaps not. I wouldn’t want to risk incurring Lady Hai Zhu’s displeasure.]

[Oh, she wouldn’t. Lady Hai Zhu is an exceptionally kind individual.]

[No, but why is it imperative that I accompany you?]

[You appeared rather upset earlier… so I wondered if you might also wish to attend.]

[There’s no such thing! Just go by yourself!]

Xie Shenhong, utterly speechless, tucked his phone away.

Ordinarily, he would have addressed Lyte with a gentle tone, yet a sudden realization had just struck him.

His emotions, which he had meticulously believed to be well-concealed, had once again been seen through by Lyte.

Lyte certainly possessed no mind-reading abilities, and while his observational skills might be extraordinarily sharp, the most probable explanation was simply that Xie Shenhong himself was far too transparent.

The mere thought that even the Crimson Knights and his classmates might be able to discern his true feelings caused Xie Shenhong to seethe with self-reproach.

“My apologies.”

Noticing his reluctance to look at his phone, Lyte spoke in a hushed tone.

Xie Shenhong lowered his gaze, remaining utterly silent, uncertain how to even meet Lyte’s eyes.

Only after the lunch break concluded and Lyte departed the campus did Xie Shenhong finally allow himself to exhale.

Yet the underlying issue remained unresolved, unless—

“It seems I must rely on my puppet form… Transform.”

In the blink of an eye, Xie Hai Zhu gracefully tossed her flowing azure hair, a subtle glint of mockery flickering within her ruby-like eyes.

“Honestly, what’s so challenging about this?”

Teleporting away from the school, she arrived at the predetermined rendezvous point in short order. Xie Hai Zhu conjured a table, chairs, and an outdoor parasol, then gracefully settled down to sip green tea.

Few things in this world could evoke a sense of home for Xie Hai Zhu, yet tea, by a narrow margin, managed to be one of them.

As early as five years prior, she had invested a substantial portion of her earnings into cultivating tea. Thus, this was merely for her own consumption, certainly not an act of ostentation… Of course, staging such a display to assert dominance over Lyte was an absolute necessity.

For if Xie Shenhong were not her male counterpart, Lyte would effectively be bringing an unwitting “third wheel” to their rendezvous, and a cross-dressing one at that… Even with her fondness for Lyte, Xie Hai Zhu couldn’t help but feel a touch of annoyance.

“My apologies, Lady Hai Zhu, I am late.”

Moments later, Lyte arrived, and upon seeing Xie Hai Zhu’s appearance, which suggested she had been waiting for quite some time, he promptly stepped forward to offer his apologies.

This was despite the fact that the agreed-upon time was still a full ten minutes away.

This, however, was precisely what Xie Hai Zhu desired. She gently set down her teacup, a mischievous curve subtly gracing the corner of her lips.

“Lyte, my knight, do you not find a mere verbal apology to be rather lacking in sincerity?”

Lyte immediately lowered himself into a knight’s bow.

“Lady Hai Zhu, I beg you to mete out my punishment!”

“It’s hardly a sin, yet a suitable penance is certainly in order.” Her slender finger delicately tapped her cherry-red lips as Xie Hai Zhu tilted her head, feigning contemplation for a moment. “Let me consider… I shall punish you by having you recount any troubles you’ve encountered at school.”

Lyte paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, before nodding with profound emotion. “As you command,” he responded.

“Very well, let us converse as we proceed.”

Xie Hai Zhu gracefully waved her hand, causing the tea-drinking furniture to vanish, then strolled leisurely towards the ruins.

For her, the trifling task of clearing ruins was almost laughably simple.

With a mere flick of her exquisite finger, she could effortlessly sweep all obstructions aside.

In the span of a single thought, she could restore everything to its state of a decade prior.

However, Xie Hai Zhu had no intention of performing such a thorough restoration.

Firstly, Duanmu Yun’s plan involved the complete reconstruction of the old district, capitalizing on this opportunity to launch extensive infrastructure projects and provide employment for the remaining impoverished residents of the Royal City.

Secondly, Xie Hai Zhu intended to seize this occasion to stage an elaborate performance for those manipulating Lyte, ensuring they would believe her puppet form had yet to fully recover its power.

Consequently, Xie Hai Zhu worked in a rather leisurely fashion, almost alternating between a minute of effort and a minute of rest.

Her method of dealing with the ruins involved merely shifting them to the roadside and pulverizing them into fragments small enough for ordinary individuals to transport.

Simultaneously, she engaged Lyte in conversation, her attention divided.

“Well, have you decided what you wish to share?”

Lyte remained silent until Xie Hai Zhu paused for a moment of rest, then he finally spoke:

“Lady Hai Zhu, to be frank, I find immense joy in my time at school; there is nothing truly troublesome to speak of.”

‘His psychological defenses are remarkably robust… Or perhaps he simply wishes to spare me worry over trivial matters?’

Regardless of the underlying reason, Xie Hai Zhu’s estimation of Lyte subtly rose within her heart.

“However, I heard that child, Shenhong, is also attending the school… He is quite a stubborn individual, is he not?”

“Indeed, nothing escapes your notice, Lady Hai Zhu…”

With such a direct prompt, Lyte could no longer feign indifference. “I am genuinely quite concerned about Shenhong,” he admitted.

“In what regard?” Xie Hai Zhu pondered for a moment. “While that child lacks self-confidence, to my knowledge, his abilities are truly exceptional. He has rendered immense service to the kingdom’s development, and it is no exaggeration to say that throughout the kingdom, people, no matter where they travel, are reliant on Shenhong’s innovations.”

When it came to extolling her own virtues, Xie Hai Zhu could easily speak for an hour, and she greatly welcomed those who adored her to present her with banners or to serenade her in formation.

Naturally, she would not become complacent, for she was merely stating objective truths.

“Indeed, Shenhong is already exceptionally brilliant, yet he perpetually harbors dissatisfaction with himself… Though he has undergone some recent changes, he merely conceals this discontent within his heart, believing that if he doesn’t reveal it, others will find happiness…” Lyte spoke with a note of sorrow.

“How did you discern Shenhong’s thoughts?” Xie Hai Zhu interjected. “To my understanding, that child is remarkably adept at concealing his true feelings, is he not?”

“Yes, Shenhong excels in that aspect, and he no longer causes worry for those who care for him… However, that only holds true for those who aren’t intimately familiar with him, or who cannot observe him constantly.”

“So you discerned this by observing his subtle shifts in expression? Or perhaps you’ve witnessed him in moments of genuine emotional candor, using that as a benchmark for comparison?”

“Both, but there is one additional factor.”

Lyte offered a self-deprecating smile:

“It is empathy… I recognized my past self reflected in Shenhong.”