Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 188
Brother William was the only literate person in the village and, naturally, the sole owner of all the nearby books. He had partitioned a very small study next to the confessional for his daily reading and writing. Most of the books there were brought as luggage when he was assigned to Pine Leaf Village.
Although life in the countryside provided enough to eat and wear, saving money to buy many books was unrealistic. Despite the Empire’s early attempts to break the cultural monopoly caused by class differences and establish many public schools with symbolic tuition fees, most farmers still found the associated costs burdensome. The main reason was the lack of affordable books and stationery. Despite Brother William’s efforts, his collection amounted to only about twenty books.
This was already considered remarkable wealth in Pine Leaf Village.
One of these books was a roughly bound miscellany, containing short essays, travelogs, and poems by unknown writers. Among these, there were mentions of a dreamlike paradise on another continent called White Bridge.
Brother William, very intrigued, asked Charlie to tell him more about the rare treasures at the world-famous auction. Were the attendees mostly nobles and wealthy merchants, who spent money lavishly, drinking wine from crystal glasses on large ships that could fill a small river?
Charlie truthfully spoke, as he had indeed been to White Bridge and had just come from there, though his method of travel was somewhat confusing.
Eager to understand his current situation, he described the scenery of White Bridge while feigning sentimentality, wishing that Pennigra could build a White Bridge-like place.
“That’s impossible,” Brother William said straightforwardly, not sensing Charlie’s probing. “The Empire would not allow such a lawless and uncontrolled area to exist, for the dignity of His Majesty the Emperor—” He cut himself off in time. “In any case, it’s impossible.”
“His Majesty has his considerations,” Charlie agreed. “But I believe if he visited White Bridge, he might change his mind.”
“That’s even more impossible than building a White Bridge in the imperial capital,” William laughed heartily. “Our emperor has always ignored the war-torn Doran, and thus forbade his princes from crossing borders. Even the most rebellious Fifth Prince has only ventured to the tundra, certainly never leaving the continent.”
The Fifth Prince.
Charlie took a sip of hot tea. The Fifth Prince of the Modicon Empire had been crowned Crown Prince at twenty-five—this had happened a year before the Duke had driven his carriage past the Lake of Sighs to 22 Paulownia Street in Maplewood. Since then, the common people had changed their address for him to Crown Prince.
Did Brother William still call him “Fifth Prince” because he wasn’t yet twenty-five?
The monk didn’t notice Charlie’s change in mood and continued boldly, “But if the Fifth Prince inherits the Empire, further opening up is very likely. He has always been brave and resourceful and enjoys challenges.”
“Inheriting the empire… By the way, how old is the Fifth Prince this year?” Charlie asked casually.
“Thirteen…fourteen?” Brother William thought for a moment. “I’m not sure about his birth month.”
Charlie laughed hollowly, feeling his laughter was very fake.
Because he couldn’t actually laugh.
Because Fifth Prince Dillon was the same age as him, born two months earlier—he should be twenty-six by now.
Thirteen?
Thirteen???
He instinctively touched his chest pocket, feeling the hard outline of a ring through the fabric. His thoughts were as hazy as the candlelight on the table.
Though he couldn’t remember when Dwight had secretly slipped the ring to him, this successful item that turned his face human again was the only proof that Charlie wasn’t too far from Dwight, Louis, and the others. But Brother William’s words shook his confidence.
He stared at Brother William through the candlelight. William looked spirited, relaxed, genuinely curious, and respectful of Charlie, a well-traveled stranger. Most importantly, he had very honest eyes.
He wasn’t lying.
A sleepless Charlie bade farewell to Brother William, hitching a ride to the city on a windfall ox cart for the price of a box of cigarettes, including the silver cigarette case. The cart was loaded with roughly milled flour and bags of apples, which Old John said were regularly sold to taverns in the city.
There was no passenger seat, so Charlie arranged the flour bags into a makeshift sofa and lay on them, lost in thought. Although Dwight often said he was “dissolute”, Charlie actually had good manners, not looking too disheveled, even on the flour bags.
In extreme situations, people often develop strange, hopeful thoughts. Charlie decided to first confirm the current date in the city before making plans. If time had really been thrown off by thirteen years due to Khalif’s magic—Charlie had thought all night and felt it wasn’t unacceptable.
Better than fifty or a hundred years.
Thirteen years ago, he was thirteen, happily showing off at school, oblivious to humility. Elena hadn’t enrolled yet. It was probably the most carefree time of his life. This memory was always pleasant, which might be why Charlie didn’t mind “thirteen years ago”.
He pulled an apple from a loosely tied bag and played with it. The ox cart moved faster than he expected. They left at dawn, stopped for less than twenty minutes to eat midway, and saw the city’s outline just after sunset.
Pennigra’s cities lacked the common defensive structures of Doran. The city gates’ checks weren’t strict either. Inside, the carter asked if he had a place to stay, offering to recommend a reasonably priced inn.
“But a gentleman like you might not be used to our places,” the middle-aged carter said, embarrassed, with the same kind smile as Brother William. “Just four coppers a night, a shared straw bed that might have fleas, and you can’t sleep undressed.”
Charlie declined politely, strolling down the main street at sunset. Cities with populations over 5,000 in the Empire all had a council hall, usually near the public square, which was also the best place for affordable public information exchange.
He quickly found the daily newspaper and other miscellaneous trade information on the bulletin board. The date shattered his last illusion.
Fine. Charlie stood there, calmly thinking: Isn’t this what Khalif—and most people—dream of? Going back in time.
But Khalif craved time reversal due to his aging and waning power, while thirteen years later was Charlie’s prime, wealthy and handsome, with an even wealthier and more handsome boyfriend. Yet, in an instant…
Boyfriend?
Charlie reflexively wanted to wiggle his ears but couldn’t. So, he settled for touching his earlobe.
Thirteen years ago, Dwight was only five.
Charlie had once asked the Knights about Dwight before he became “Dwight”, but their cautious master had forbidden it. He still didn’t know Dwight’s original name.
He was very interested.
……
At the same time.
A girl with long, light blonde hair slipped through the rose wall, standing on the grass and looking around. The garden was empty in the sunset, and the air carried a sweet scent, signaling that tonight’s honey buns were ready.
The girl wore a beautiful blue dress, now speckled with bits of grass. She casually brushed them off and walked towards the wavy-shaped hedges, where she indeed found her brother.
“I knew you’d be here, Arnie.” The girl squatted down, meeting the eyes of the little boy sitting cross-legged on the ground. “What’s wrong? Have you been crying?”
Her younger brother looked more angry than sad. Probably because he had been outside for too long, his cheeks were sunburned, making his tense face look not fierce but rather… cute.
“Dinner time is here,” the girl continued to coax him. “Father and mother are looking for you—let’s go back.”
“No,” the little boy said firmly.
“Oh dear, that won’t do.” The girl pretended to fret. “What should I do then? I can only go back and tell mother that Arnie is determined not to come home tonight. He wants to sleep under the hedges. But mother will surely worry about you. What if it gets dark? There are snakes and owls at night.”
At the mention of snakes and owls, the boy’s expression changed slightly, though he thought his sister hadn’t noticed.
“I’ll tell her Arnie has grown up and can sleep alone at night. What’s the big deal about staying outdoors for a night or two? But they’re leaving tomorrow, and how sad they’ll be if they can’t see their youngest son,” the girl said. “A journey without a goodbye kiss from their son would be very unpleasant.”
“Then they shouldn’t go,” Arnie quickly said.
The girl smiled and patted her brother’s head.
“It’s not just the Duke and Duchess’s duty, Arnie,” she said softly. “If one day in the future I am far away and need you, would you come to find me?”
Arnie looked a bit confused. “Why would you be far away?” Her room was clearly in the castle.
He was still too young, assuming that the family would naturally always be together. The girl didn’t explain further, just asked him, “If I need you, will you come find me?”
Arnie nodded.
“Father treats his brothers the same way. His Majesty the Emperor needs him, so he will rush there,” the girl said. “Do you understand?”
He almost understood, but he was still unhappy. The little boy got up from the ground and reached out to grab his sister.
Priscilla held his hand and stood up, and the siblings walked slowly towards the castle. A knight, seeing their movement, followed them at a distance.
No one would leave the castle heir outside alone for an entire afternoon, but apart from the Duke and Duchess and Miss Priscilla, no one could persuade this little boy, who was more temperamental than his size.
“Will you hug mother later?” Priscilla reminded her brother on the way. “She knows you’re upset, so she allowed you to skip lessons, but don’t be too willful.”
Arnie took big steps to keep up with his sister, ignoring her advice, and suddenly blurted out, “If you call me loudly, I will come find you.”
The girl didn’t react immediately and stopped to look down. Her little brother was also looking up at her, very seriously. “No matter how far, I will come find you, Priscilla.”
The author has something to say:
Dwight is the name passed down through generations of Dukes, without other surnames or names, distinguished by generations in the family tree.
However, before becoming a Duke, each had their own name.
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