The Resilient Prince and the Glib Gentleman

“If I may be so bold, has Aoyama ever played rugby?” I asked, a faint smile gracing my lips as I sat on the edge of a student bed in the infirmary, addressing the ‘casualty’ on the neighboring bed.

“Actually, no, I haven’t. Why do you ask, Leidi Colt?” Despite the gauze taped to his face, Aoyama, propped up on the bed, replied with his usual charming smile.

‘You actually didn’t suffer any disfigurement after Xiaobai’s blow… I was tempted to quip, “Is your face as thick as a city wall?”, but I decided against it for now.’

“Actually, I’ve thought so ever since you fell from the tree last time,” I replied with a somewhat wry smile. “It always feels like your body is just unusually resilient…”

Honestly, Aoyama was beginning to pique my interest. After being sent flying several meters by Xiaobai’s kick, I had initially assumed he was in grave danger, yet to my surprise, he had merely… a swollen cheek.

Given how easily Xiaobai had just tossed me into the air and caught me, one could readily conclude that even with her ‘Choker’ on, her strength was fearsome… and this guy hadn’t even sustained a mild concussion.

“Perhaps it’s just an innate ability, hehe,” Aoyama chuckled, scratching the back of his head with a hint of shyness.

“Professional rugby players command a considerable annual salary; have you ever considered that path?” I asked, smiling at Aoyama and forming an upward-facing ‘OK’ gesture with my palm, a universally recognized sign for money in Japan.

“Ugh—I’m terribly sorry! I didn’t mean to!!!”

“Eh?” Both of us, mid-conversation, paused, bewildered.

Suddenly, Xiaobai, lying on the bed I was sitting on, let out a sudden cry towards the ceiling, her brow furrowed in her sleep, then lapsed back into silence.

‘It seemed she was caught in a nightmare… It was hardly surprising; she probably believed the person beside her had been kicked into the next life.’

I silently clasped Xiaobai’s hand, gently stroking her forehead, hoping to ease her distress.

‘I hadn’t expected Xiaobai to faint while standing, still holding her diagonal upward kick pose… while Aoyama, who had been sent flying, merely shook his head and got back to his feet…’

‘The chaotic scene at that time… it was utterly chaotic, to say the least.’

“Leidi Colt is quite gentle as well.”

‘What was with that gentle, almost paternal gaze…?’

“The word ‘too’ is unnecessary, wouldn’t you agree? And just so you know, there’s no reward for complimenting me,” I teased, raising my head and fixing him with a mischievous glint in my eye.

“I’ve already received my reward, you see,” Aoyama said, the corners of his lips curving into a slight smile.

“Oh?” ‘Are you trying to charm me again? That won’t work on me, you know; you’re simply not my type.’

“To be able to imprint the art-like beauty before me into my mind is already the highest reward,” Aoyama declared, his radiant smile, one that seemed to rival the very sun, accompanied by a quick wink.

‘This was a level of shameless glibness that bordered on the absurd…’

‘And he had the audacity to wink. Were it not for that captivating face, he would probably—no, undoubtedly—be branded repulsive…’

“Being excessively glib might prove to be a disadvantage, you know.” Without a trace of blush, I returned his wink with a serene smile of my own. ‘He should understand the implication, shouldn’t he?’

“Mmm—Leidi?” Xiaobai stirred awake, her eyes fluttering open. ‘She probably wasn’t woken by noise; we had been quite mindful of our volume.’

“You’re finally awake! It’s almost lunchtime, you know,” I said, giving Xiaobai a wide, reassuring smile.

“Mmm… Mmm!!! Where’s Aoyama!!!!!” Suddenly remembering something, Xiaobai’s eyes widened, and she bolted upright. ‘She seemed genuinely startled…’

“He’s sitting perfectly well right next to you…” I silently gestured towards Aoyama, who was observing us with a curious expression from the neighboring bed. ‘After all, Aoyama doesn’t understand Chinese; one must make allowances.’

Xiaobai immediately turned her head, her gaze landing on Aoyama, who was smiling faintly and offering a gentle wave.

“Are you, are you, are you alright!!!” Xiaobai suddenly sprang off the bed, rushed to Aoyama, and frantically prodded him, assessing his injuries, even pressing her chest against him in her haste.

‘……WHA—T F—UCK……’

“Hey! Hey! Leidi Colt, your sister is out of control!” Aoyama exclaimed, his face flushed with panic as he appealed to me for help.

‘I… I… damn it!!!!!’

‘You bastard… how dare you be pawed at by Xiaobai! Don’t you dare feign innocence after such a blatant advantage!!!!!’

I struggled to maintain a composed expression, swiftly maneuvering Xiaobai away.

“He’s fine! Just a few minor bruises! You need to calm down! You’re scaring him!”

‘That last sentence was actually my personal agenda… Just fall for it already!’

“Eh?! Really?!” Xiaobai looked back at me, her face an expression of utter surprise.

‘Good thing you’re so gullible…’

“If you keep touching him, even minor injuries will escalate into something serious…” ‘Xiaobai’s heartbeat now… it shouldn’t be exceeding one hundred thirty-five beats per minute, right…?’

****

“I apologize, that’s what she said,” I relayed to Aoyama with a faint smile, an unnecessary translation on my part.

‘The inherent flaw in the system was now apparent; Xiaobai, even with her ‘Choker’ on, was capable of direct communication. Yet, at this moment, I was exceedingly grateful for this particular quirk of the setting. I absolutely refused to allow Xiaobai to communicate directly with this man…’

‘Over my dead body!!!!!’

“It’s alright, I didn’t suffer any serious injuries,” Aoyama reassured her, smiling as he gazed at Xiaobai, who remained with her head bowed and hands pressed together in apology. “There’s no need to feel guilty.”

“Anything at all, just let me make it up to you properly, otherwise, it will weigh heavily on my conscience! Leidi, please translate for me!”

‘Xiaobai… is your head bobbing like a sewing machine needle…?’

‘And yet…’

‘Why must you invite trouble upon yourself…?’

‘Honestly!’

‘I am forbidden from lying to you when you’re wearing the ‘Choker’…’

‘This is outrageous!!! Outrageous in every conceivable way!!!!!’

“My sister says anything is fine; she wants to make it up to you. Is there anything you need us to do?” My tone was calm, and I fixed Aoyama with a challenging gaze, my smile bordering on a warning. ‘Dare to make any strange requests… I will absolutely obliterate you with economic might capable of sparking World War III!!!’

“Anything at all?” Disregarding my thinly veiled warning, Aoyama smiled, casting an intrigued glance at us.

‘You utter scoundrel… what do you want? If you dare to take advantage of this situation, I swear, you won’t even leave a speck of dust behind! No! Your very existence will be expunged!’

“Then, both of you must pay a visit to ‘Beethoven’ for dessert sometime. I personally vouch for the ‘Crimson Tombstone’.”

“Eh?!” Both Xiaobai and I couldn’t help but stare, utterly dumbfounded.

With his hands clasped, fingers interlaced, Aoyama smiled at us as he proposed a request that was, well…

‘Fine…’

‘It wasn’t unreasonable in the slightest…’

‘Was he actually a gentleman? Had I merely been unfairly demonizing him in my mind all this time?’

‘No, no, no. Perhaps he was the type of strategist who ‘played the long game’, after all.’

‘So-called gentlemen are, in essence, merely wolves with more patience!’

“Then, will both of you grace us with your presence?” Aoyama smiled, seeking confirmation I had no plausible reason to refuse.

“Alright, we will go. We look forward to it.”

‘Fine, then. If trouble comes, I’ll meet it head-on! I’ll just have to see what you’re capable of doing to us!’