Chapter 834: Chapter 44: Your Story (Part 1)
Supibia East District, Stark Whiteburn Cemetery.
The cold winter wind blew, making the gray wild grass sway, and the dry branches move with the wind, like the withered, bony hands of the elderly. Under the barren trees, gravestones were arranged in order, looking from afar like a miniature city.
Gongsun Ce stood in front of a newly erected tombstone, holding a bouquet of violets. The tombstone was of the most ordinary style, with a concise and to-the-point epitaph: “A once comrade, a past dear friend.”
“This place is quite bleak in winter, but I’ve seen photos, when spring arrives, the surroundings are full of blooming flowers, better than many places where people live.” Gongsun Ce placed the flowers before Jane Della’s tombstone, “Rest in peace.”
He put his hands in his pockets and turned to leave.
Naturally, he wasn’t the one who erected this tombstone; Jane’s affairs were all arranged by the Dawn Knight, and she hadn’t told anyone about it. However, after learning for over a month, Gongsun Ce could deduce from the slightest clues what Alandia was up to. He likewise didn’t voice it out but just said he was going out for a walk, and alone delivered a bouquet to the enemy he personally killed.
Thinking about it, it’s quite hypocritical; he wasn’t really that sad. It felt like a ritual, marking the end of this matter. What would Alandia say if she knew his thoughts?
“The essence of mourning the dead is to comfort the living…” Gongsun Ce muttered to himself, “That’s it.”
“Oh? Rare to hear something decent from you!”
He looked up, seeing Kerky Hyde waving from not far away, holding a bouquet of purple flowers.
·
“You’re quite a big figure now!” Kerky marveled, “Her Majesty the Queen personally received you, awarded the George Cross, a model of bravery~ Should I call you Sir Gongsun?”
“Enough with that, it’s all predetermined, the formal conferment won’t be until the end of August, and it’s just a title.” Gongsun Ce suspiciously looked at her, “Wait a minute, how do you know all this insider information?”
Kerky gave a sly smile: “How could I, with my position, not have access to such information? You a newcomer expect to match my intelligence network?”
The green-haired girl placed her hands behind her head, walking leisurely as if here for a stroll in the park. Earlier, she tossed the bouquet in front of the grave with a loud “Rest in peace, friend!” and nonchalantly patted her hands and turned away. If Jane Della had any spirit in the afterlife, she’d probably be furious to see an old friend visiting her grave in such a manner.
Gongsun Ce pointed a finger threateningly: “Come on, I think there’s something fishy about you! Honestly, what were you doing on the day of the duel?”
Kerky quickly raised her hands: “Spare me, Sir! If you want a grab, go ahead, no need for excuses, I’ll cooperate…”
“Would you die if you didn’t crack a dirty joke?”
“Such a waste not to tease a young guy!” Kerky replied solemnly, “On that day, I rushed to provide backup first thing, wasn’t I part of the team when Prince Jackson was slaying the Desiring Beast in the East District? Got badly injured hacking monsters, and only just recovered, wasn’t easy for me!”
Gongsun Ce’s expression turned peculiar: “Wait a minute, how did it come to be your turn to protect the Second Prince? Aren’t you the old fool’s apprentice?”
Kerky extended her finger, poking his forehead: “Doesn’t stop me from being a subordinate of the Royal Family, who says one can’t have a dual job?”
Gongsun Ce caught her poking finger between his fingers, smiling wryly: “Aha, you two-faced spy. Stirring trouble, fanning flames!”
“Sir, you seem keen on interrogating me,” Kerky withdrew her finger, crossing her arms, “I’m even a bit eager to see how it goes…”
“Go away, Sir isn’t interested in flat ones.” Gongsun Ce waved her off, extinguishing the suspicions in his heart.
Almost a week had passed since the day of the duel. In this period, they continuously searched for the Creator Realm Mage that fled that day, but to no avail. This was, expectedly, a mission impossible to find a shadowy invisible Creation Realm.
On the other hand, the internal mole investigation was stuck in an awkward situation: the existence of the invisible Creation Realm was confirmed, so how could they find the mole? As long as the Creator Realm Mage existed, information was one-way transparent to the enemy. Even without a single mole, the invisible Creation Realm could create a situation of enemies all around by its advantage. This was just like another “Armor Case”, the battlefield that day was a chaotic mess, each high-ranking official struggled to provide conclusive evidence of their actions’ authenticity, plunging the investigation into a stalemate.
Without considering methods, only motives could be contemplated. Who would benefit from this chaotic situation…
Gongsun Ce pondered aimlessly, hearing the person beside him say: “Don’t be too grieved, if it wasn’t her, the one dead would be you, you weren’t wrong.”
Gongsun Ce instinctively retorted: “What am I grieving about? I just feel she was kind of… how to put it, unworthy? Perhaps if I realized earlier, she might have been saved.”
“I don’t think so.” Kerky turned around, gazing at a distant gravestone.
They stood at a high point near the exit, with a view of the cemetery’s gray and desolate scene, like a delicate ruin. She smiled as she spoke, yet her tone was cold and unsentimental.
“Some things are doomed from the start; some are born strong and kind, while others are inherently fragile and evil, just like how white and black, day and night, cannot coexist. Some can overcome the influence of circumstances and others’ inducement to uphold their will, because they are born on the side of ‘white’, knowing how they ought to live.