Holy Institution Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Junior make-up exam (4)

Princess Qiaoni had returned to Saint Padeus?

Although he had known before entering the Holy Institution that such a day would come, he hadn't expected for it to come this quickly.

"You owe her money?" Hydin looked askance at him.

"No."

"There's feelings then," He said this with certainty.

Embarrassment emerged on Di Lin's face and he raised his voice, "Of course not."

"Your gaze is flickering," Hydin narrowed his eyes partially, as if bewitching him into being more honest.

Di Lin tilted his head backwards. "Tutor, given your status, I thought your person wouldn't be interested in this sort of complete nonsense." He specially placed emphasis on the words 'your person' and 'complete nonsense'.

"Your person?"  Hydin had on a smile yet not a smile. "Isn't it you[1]?"

Di Lin reflected upon it for a moment and realized that he had indeed frequently used 'you' when addressing the other party. He replied hurriedly, "Both are expressions of my respect for your person."

Hydin, "?"

Di Lin's expression was resolute.

Hydin turned and looked in the direction of the Holy Institution's main entrance. "Given the time, that Qiaoni should be reaching very soon."

A strong wind blew against his face.

He glanced sideways. The person originally standing beside him had vanished, leaving behind only several dead leaves that had been blown into the air.

Was there really nothing?

Profoundness flashed across Hydin's eyes.

The door was pushed open with a bang and was also closed with a bang.

Suo Suo and Rui Meng, who were both huddled together reading manga, raised their heads simultaneously and gazed dazedly at Di Lin, who was standing at the door and panting with a pale face.

"You… Are you okay?" Seeing his sorry figure, Rui Meng felt some shame. If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have forced him to inquire.

Di Lin wiped his face with a hand. His complexion returned to normal. "I was in too much of a rush."

"What did Tutor Hydin say?" Rui Meng looked at him with anticipation.

Di Lin shrugged. "He didn't say anything."

Rui Meng made a hand gesture for a little bit[2]. "Not even one statement?"

"He said many things, but not a single word regarding the crucial question."

Rui Meng was greatly disappointed.

Di Lin sat on the bed distractedly, his mind still whirling with the news of Princess Qiaoni returning to Saint Padeus.

Suo Suo slid down Rui Meng's bed and sprawled beside him. He gently waved his fingers in front of Di Lin.

Di Lin laughed in spite of himself. "You're afraid I went blind?"

"Did Tutor Hydin bully you?" Worry was written all over Suo Suo's face. Ever since that time at the lakeside when he witnessed Hydin's teaching methods, he constantly worried for Di Lin's safety.

"No," Di Lin hesitated for a moment but still decided to speak the truth. "Princess Qiaoni came."

Suo Suo's eyes widened. "She came to get married?"

Di Lin was struck dumb.

Rui Meng was the most sensitive to such matters. His ears instantly pricked up. "Is Princess Qiaoni Shamanril's Princess Qiaoni?"

Di Lin nodded.

Rui Meng's eyes shone. "You're marrying her?"

Di Lin hurriedly denied it. "Of course not."

Rui Meng then had second thoughts. "But, she's older than you, right?"

Suo Suo said, "Two years older."

Rui Meng suddenly halted his banter and asked in a low voice, "It's an arranged marriage?"

Di Lin raised his eyes to look at him. This youth who was usually carefree always displayed his calmness and intellect when he least expected it.

Rui Meng sighed. "I heard that Princess Qiaoni not only has an honorable status but is also a rarely seen beauty in the Continent. Even if it's an arranged marriage, it's still a very beautiful arranged marriage!"

Di Lin, "…" It was a pity that the period his intellect could be sustained for was too short!

Suo Suo widened his eyes and asked with concern, "Are you really marrying her?"

Di Lin replied helplessly, "I've never said that before. In fact, I don't know her purpose for coming either." According to reason, she should still be in the period of self-reflection.

Making out his doubts, Rui Meng suddenly leapt off the bed. He nimbly put on his shoes and shouted while rushing out, "I'll go ask around."

Deep in his heart, Di Lin was extremely curious, so he naturally wouldn't stop him.

Roughly an hour later, Rui Meng came back. When he came in, his entire face was red. Clearly, he had ran very quickly. "I know how she came."

From the moment he left till now, Suo Suo and Di Lin had been quietly waiting for him. Thus, upon hearing him say these words, Suo Suo instantly asked, "How did she come?"

Rui Meng smiled in ridicule. "Of course, she came by boat."

Suo Suo didn't realize that he was teasing him and came to a sudden realization. "So she came the same way as us."

Seeing that his joke hadn't resulted in his anticipated outcome, Rui Meng coughed dryly and said, "She specially came to express her sympathy as a representative of Shamanril."

Di Lin guessed the excuse Princess Qiaoni had used with just a roll of his eyes. "Due to the Nightmare Forest?"

Although the Nightmare Forest's resurrection had only involved the junior school, the matter had already created a huge buzz. Presumably, the news had long reached the secondary and senior schools. It was also a matter of time that Shamanril and the various countries would come to know of it. However, he hadn't expected that Princess Qiaoni would think of using this issue to return to the institution so quickly.

Rui Meng answered, "Yes."

Di Lin heaved a slight sigh of relief. If she merely wanted to return to Saint Padeus, then she probably wouldn't have too many links to him. After all, they were now under the junior and secondary schools. Moreover, there was a benefit to her arrival - the people influenced by her wouldn't disturb him.

"But," The topic took a turn. "I heard she's only staying for three days before going back."

Di Lin stared blankly for a while. "Only three days? Was it the institution's decision?"

Rui Meng shook his head. "Princess Qiaoni just went to see the school chairman and hasn't come out yet. Her attendant was the one who said she would be staying for three days."

"Her attendant?" Di Lin's spirits were roused. He leapt up and asked, "What's the attendant's name?"

"Justin."

Di Lin dragged Suo Suo along as he raced out.

Justin was very famous in Shamanril. Furthermore, the method by which he made his name differed from Di Lin's. He didn't possess an illustrious background like Di Lin's but instead came from a nondescript small town in Shamanril. The reason why he caused a sensation in Shamanril was because the year he turned nineteen, faced with sneers of ridicule, he defeated the head of the imperial guards - the person who was at that time known as Shamanril's number one knight.

Di Lin was on relatively good terms with him and the two of them had frequently swapped pointers in swordplay in the past. At least half of Di Lin's swordplay now came from his teachings. The two people could be said to be both teacher and friend.

Di Lin didn't want to see Princess Qiaoni, but compared to passing him by, he felt that it wasn't that terrible anymore to meet Princess Qiaoni.

It was very easy to find Justin.

Princess Qiaoni was seeing the school chairman, so he would definitely be guarding the surroundings.

Hence, Di Lin very smoothly saw him at the entrance to the office of the school chairman.

"Di Lin?" Justin was also pleasantly surprised to see him. "How did you know I'm here?"

Di Lin smiled delightedly. "Isn't it because you burst into my territory?"

Justin couldn't help laughing. "It looks like you're doing quite well here. But I still feel that it's a pity that you didn't choose Saint Sauvy."

"At least, I haven't regretted it to this day," Di Lin smiled.

As a knight, Justin had made a supreme effort in recommending the Continent's top school for knights, Saint Sauvy's Glorious Institution, which was also his alma mater. They had argued about this quite a few times, but it was still Di Lin's determination which won out in the end. Despite that, going by his expression now, Justin was evidently still brooding over that matter.

"All right, my great mage," As he spoke, his gaze finally shifted to Suo Suo, who was standing beside Di Lin. What was originally a smile became significantly blander, and Justin greeted him indifferently, "Long time no see, Your Highness Suo Suo."

Suo Suo was somewhat at his wits' end. "Hello, Justin." He had long ago realized the other party's dislike of him. Moreover, Justin had never concealed this dislike.

Di Lin appeared to be used to the alienation between both parties and didn't take it to heart. He hurriedly changed the topic of conversation. "The princess came because of the Nightmare Forest?" Though he phrased it in the form of a question, distrust showed clearly in his eyes.

Justin didn't intend on keeping him in the dark either. "That's only one of the reasons."

Di Lin waited for him to continue.

"The princess' other purpose is to see you," Justin looked at him fixedly.

Di Li's heart thudded. His gaze took on an additional obscure meaning. "But don't you…"

Justin's expression didn't change as he cut him off. "This is the princess' desire."

Di Lin's brows creased.

One of the reasons why he was extremely against marrying Princess Qiaoni was because he didn't wish to enter the court struggles in Shamanril. The second reason was because he was very clear that this proud and outstanding youth in front of him was better suited to the princess. At least, he had a sincere heart.

Di Lin didn't think that he would be able to catch up to him one day.

Justin saw Di Lin remain silent for a long time and his expression immediately turned heavy. "This is your glory."

"Although its glory…" He truly had no longing to intervene in someone else's emotions. Di Lin glanced at his solemn expression that was bordering on imposing, and a series of denials clogged up his throat. They couldn't go up nor down, smothering him terribly.

"Although its glory?" Justin wrinkled his brows. "Don't tell me you want to reject it?"

Since this marriage had never been formally made public, Di Lin had always used a circuitous and implicit route to 'reject' it. Perhaps it wasn't too clear, but he believed that Princess Qiaoni knew of it. However, if she was preparing to make this matter official, he would need a better way to resolve it.

"Your reason?" Justin treated his silence as tacit approval.

Despite his calm expression, Di Lin could clearly feel the overbearing, imposing aura that was emanating from him.

"I have someone I like," Di Lin said with difficulty. As a youth who had never thought of matters concerning this aspect, calmly admitting that he had someone he liked made him incessantly embarrassed and shy, even if it was a scheme to his benefit.

"Someone you like?" Justin's gaze flickered and he subconsciously looked at Suo Suo.

Mystified by their conversation, Suo Suo looked curiously at Di Lin and asked, "Who do you like?"

Justin's gaze went back to him.

Di Lin secretly sucked in a breath. Justin had also seen Suo Suo's gaze just now, so he definitely couldn't push Suo Suo out. Doing so would bring him huge trouble. His lips moved before he shook his head. "I can't say."

Justin's gaze was akin to a torch. "You can't say, or does such a person not exist?"

Di Lin coolly met his probing gaze. "Do you think there is a need for me to lie?"

Justin blurted out, "Don't you hope for me to…" Reason very quickly made him stop his words.

All three people didn't speak.

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

Michelle, who had been overlooked all this time, suddenly asked, "Would all of you like a cup of coffee?"

The three people looked over simultaneously.

Michelle said, "I think you need to replenish your water levels."

Di Lin tactfully declined, "Thank you for your hospitality, but we don't need it at the moment."

Michelle shrugged her shoulders and went back to being an invisible person.

Justin remained silent for quite a while before uttering, "Go back and have a good think about it. I don't think this is the real answer."

Faced with his gaze that was clear-sighted to the point of being penetrating, the lie that had just set up its pillars in Di Lin's mind collapsed with a rumble.

[1] In the Chinese language, there are two ways of referring to someone - 您, which is the more formal and respectful way, as well as 你, which is more casual and informal. Both translate in English to 'you', since there isn't really a way of distinguishing these terms. In this case, Di Lin used the former in addressing Hydin, and Hydin questioned him because he usually uses the latter. But in this case, translating both terms into 'you' would make for very confusing reading, which is why the former was translated as 'your person' to add a small touch of formality to it.

[2] 

Chapter end