A Bitter Farewell and a New Journey

As dawn broke, Tang Wenxu was already awake.

He sat in the empty hall, a faint, bitter smile touching his lips as he gazed at his packed luggage.

“Don’t wear such an expression,” Kuroki Nao said, having woken at some point. “Nao will follow you for a lifetime, you know.”

She stood behind him, her gentle hand caressing Tang Wenxu’s cheek.

Tang Wenxu nodded.

He opened the window, inviting the crisp air and the gentle, swaying breeze into the chapel. He had nothing left to give, save for these elements he bequeathed to the church.

He and Kuroki Nao stood by the window, silently enjoying the breeze.

After a while, Silver Bud entered the hall from the courtyard, holding a parasol. She cast a fleeting glance at the luggage on the floor, then smiled.

“It seems you’ve made up your mind,” she said.

“Mm.” Tang Wenxu nodded softly, yet his demeanor conveyed a sense of unshakeable resolve.

“A fine expression indeed, Tang,” Silver Bud remarked, a hint of approval in her tone. “Shall we wait for them to wake so you can bid farewell?”

Only Tang Wenxu, Kuroki Nao, and Silver Bud were in the chapel hall at that moment. It was still very early, and everyone else remained asleep.

“No, let’s leave now,” Tang Wenxu said, uncharacteristically asserting his own will. He hoisted his luggage onto his back, took the parasol, and quietly positioned himself behind Silver Bud to hold it for her.

Kuroki Nao watched the two walking side-by-side with a complex expression. A flicker of displeasure crossed her face as she followed them towards the carriage waiting by the courtyard gate.

“Are you really not going to say goodbye to them?” Myles asked, a touch of sadness in his voice.

He spoke to the little loli, who was peering through the peephole of the door with him.

“No need. This is fine,” the little loli replied, watching the carriage carrying Tang Wenxu and the others disappear into the distance. Her tone was almost flat.

“This is fine…”

Myles stood behind her, gently patting her shoulder, as they both watched the retreating figures.

Tang Wenxu had once said he was a little knight. As a knight, he had to protect everyone. He clenched his small, tender, yet firm fists. For now, their priority was to help everyone overcome their sadness.

Just then, he saw Tang Wenxu, driving the carriage in the distance, appear to wave at them.

Myles, too, waved vigorously in return, even though they couldn’t see him. He waved relentlessly, as if enchanted.

Seeing Myles’s actions, the little loli broke into a smile through her tears, mimicking his wave towards the distance.

In truth, Tang Wenxu couldn’t see the children in the chapel at all. He simply wanted to wave; it was a habit of his. Every time he left home for a long journey, even if no one was there, he would wave at the house like a fool, because to him, his home felt like a living entity.

A lingering sadness still clung to him.

Ever since he had been forced to leave the villa imbued with his mother’s scent due to his transmigration, he had felt a void in his heart. That villa, at some unknown point, had become like a family member, and his transmigration to this world felt like a permanent farewell to a loved one.

Now, he was once again bidding farewell to his family. He was deeply saddened. However, recalling that all of this was for a better reunion, he pulled himself together, just as Mia had ‘said’.

His current destination was Komi City Port, which they should reach in four or five hours, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

He sat outside the carriage, driving it.

From the first time he met Silver Bud, Tang Wenxu had sensed a certain incompatibility between Kuroki Nao and the noblewoman. After all, there was a saying that one mountain cannot hold two tigers, and coincidentally, both were beautiful maidens.

He glanced worriedly through the carriage window at the two young women. They didn’t seem to be arguing; instead, they were conversing. Their expressions were pleasant and amiable, as if they were good sisters. ‘It must have been a misconception,’ Tang Wenxu thought, and he relaxed, focusing on driving the carriage forward.

He remained unaware that the moment he turned his head to face forward, the two beautiful maidens, who had just been amiable, instantly adopted faces as cold as icebergs.

By noon, they finally arrived at Komi City Port.

Since their ship had not yet arrived, they had no choice but to enter a rather secluded-looking cafe. Patrons who drank coffee were generally well-behaved gentlemen. However, as their group walked in, Tang Wenxu still felt numerous intense gazes fixed upon them.

This was unavoidable, as the two young women were simply too beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful maidens, how could one avoid persistent suitors? Several men, who considered themselves quite exceptional, approached them like flies, attempting to strike up a conversation.

In response, the two young women simultaneously linked their arms through Tang Wenxu’s, one on each side.

When Silver Bud linked her arm through his, he initially intended to pull his arm free. However, seeing the ardent stares from afar, he could only offer a helpless smile and abandon the idea, resigning himself to enduring the jealous gazes of the other men.

“Master, would you like anything to eat? How about black sesame cake?” Kuroki Nao asked, looking at the menu.

“No,” Tang Wenxu shook his head. The prices listed were hardly friendly to a proletarian.

“My treat,” Kuroki Nao said, appearing very generous.

“No, I am his master. It should be my treat, shouldn’t it?” Silver Bud interjected.

“He is my Master too! It’s only right that I treat him.”

Tang Wenxu watched the two chattering maidens with a dark expression, sighing.

He suddenly felt like a kept man, utterly losing face. To distract himself, he rummaged through his luggage for dry rations.

He didn’t find any rations, but instead discovered a small, intricately crafted iron box in his bag.

He didn’t recall putting this small iron box in his luggage. Curious, he opened it.

Though their shapes were somewhat peculiar, Tang Wenxu recognized them as cookies. A small note lay atop them, the handwriting messy and uneven.

‘For the one I like.’ That’s what the note said.

“Master, why are you crying?” Kuroki Nao, who had been arguing moments before, suddenly looked at Tang Wenxu.

“These…” Tang Wenxu sobbed. “These cookies are so awful…”

Despite his words, Tang Wenxu continued to stuff the cookies into his mouth.