Holy Institution Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Junior make-up exam (7)

Princess Qiaoni slowly shifted her gaze from his face to the roadside.

Beneath the tall trees, strands of tender grass grew unsteadily at an angle, wantonly flaunting their vitality.

Di Lin kept his cool. If not his somewhat rushed breathing, he would have covered it up quite well.

"I cannot accept that."

Princess Qiaoni said serenely.

Di Lin wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Every person has a different goal at different stages of their life. Just like how I liked eating sweets of all colors when I was five and wearing skirts of all colors when I was twelve. The decision you make now cannot represent your future," Princess Qiaoni's eyes shifted. An incomparably fervent anticipation blossomed within the eyes that possessed such beauty they could even eclipse gems. "Don't reject me straightaway. At least not before the day of your eighteenth birthday."

Stupefied, Di Lin said, "But, princess…" When he turned eighteen, Princess Qiaoni would already be twenty years old. This age was not considered young for any nation's princess, especially so for the conservative Shamanril. Princess Qiaoni's nearly one-year delay of her marriage had already incited a lot of gossip. He did not think that allowing the rumors to become even more exaggerated was a good idea.

"There's only eight months left," Princess Qiaoni smiled, in high spirits. "Just take it as a small bet of mine."

This was definitely not some small bet.

……

It was immense pressure.

Di Lin inhaled deeply. Raising his head, he said steadily, "If Princess Qiaoni is delaying marriage because of a lack of suitable candidates, then I will support the princess' decision unconditionally. But if it's because of this hopeless bet," He paused and carried on in the next breath. "I think there is no need."

"A hopeless bet?" Princess Qiaoni blinked, though she was definitely not as innocent and without guilt as her expression showed.

"Yes," Di Lin stated. "I already have someone I like. Even if I return to Shamanril one day, I will hope that I can bring that person along." In the face of a crisis, even his lies were said with conviction and boldness.

Princess Qiaoni's tone of voice gradually chilled. "This concerns your future and its prospects and should not be rashly decided."

"A man's future and prospects are decided by capability!" Di Lin's brows rose, his young face seemingly emitting light.

Princess Qiaoni turned abruptly. She straightened her back, raised her head high, clutched her skirt with both hands, and slowly walked ahead.

Di Lin blindly followed after her.

The road seemed very long and very short at the same time.

Di Lin waited for her to speak; even a word was fine. But she never uttered a word from beginning to end.

Till the Fifth Library[1], which had its roof renovated into a gigantic round disk, appeared in front of them.

Princess Qiaoni saw Macreis and the rest, who were already waiting at the entrance to the Fourth Library, and slowly came to a stop. "You were right. I will give careful consideration to your suggestion."

Di Lin was unable to make out exactly which aspect she was going to consider.

"Then, before this matter is completely resolved, can you host this meeting just like a friend who had grown up with me since young?" Princess Qiaoni finally turned her head.

The rims of her eyes were slightly red, though from her expression, it seemed as if nothing had happened.

"That would be my honor," Di Lin also acted as if nothing had happened.

After linking up with Macreis and the rest, Di Lin accompanied Princess Qiaoni to tour the Fourth Library. To tell the truth, it was his first time here as well, so he was not as familiar with the place as Princess Qiaoni. So, rather than say that he was acting as a host, it would be better to say that Princess Qiaoni was hosting him.

There were many students from the secondary school reading in the library, but upon seeing Princess Qiaoni, they stood up one by one to salute her.

Princess Qiaoni returned their greetings one by one, her attitude cordial and her bearing poised.

Macreis spoke softly to Hydin, "I feel like we've been reduced to attendants."

Hydin looked askance at him. "We?"

Macreis shrugged his shoulders. "I understand, you only want to 'we' with Di Lin now."

Hearing his name mentioned suddenly, Di Lin turned and looked at them suspiciously.

Hydin waved a hand at him.

Di Lin hesitated for a moment but still walked over.

Hydin asked, "Is that how you treat your beloved?" He didn't lower his voice, so this question very quickly spread.

Princess Qiaoni's back stiffened. However, she didn't cease her footsteps. Instead, it was Justin who turned around and shot a glare at them.

Di Lin had a feeling that he had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

If he had known it would be like this, he would have withstood the pressure at that time and promptly chose Macreis. At least Macreis' skin was a lot thinner than Hydin's.

Hydin suddenly shifted close to his ears and spoke in an ambiguous tone, "Are you thinking of using me?”

Di Lin's ear reddened all of a sudden because of the hot air that he blew out. "Tutor…" His neck leaned towards the right discreetly.

"Isn't it Hydin?" The corner of Hydin's mouth curved. "I thought you had already grown used to addressing me that way."

Di Lin's other ear was also on the road to turning red. "Tutor Tagilis…"

"Oh," Hydin straightened his body and smiled insincerely at him. "It looks like I'll have to reject your feelings."

Di Lin's footsteps suddenly paused.

Princess Qiaoni and Justin paused as well.

Macreis was too engrossed in eavesdropping on their conversation and nearly bumped into Justin in his absent-mindedness.

"Hydin… Tutor?" Di Lin raised his eyes, his dark green eyes as clear as lake water.

"I am very doubtful of the feelings you have towards me now," Hydin wasn't the slightest bit concerned about the extent of the commotion that his words had caused, his gaze fixed on him.

Di Lin was embarrassed and alarmed, as if his whole body had undergone a beating.

No matter how steady his personality and how mature his thinking, he was still only seventeen years old. It was the time when one was most confused about emotion, and most shy. Having his emotions spoken out loud by Hydin in front of so many people - Even if it was a lie, his self-respect and face was still dealt a heavy blow.

At this time, his entire brain seemed to have exploded. Any rationality had flown unimaginably far away. Only Hydin's enlarged face remained in front of him.

Although Macreis had previously harbored suspicions regarding Di Lin's motivations for saying that he liked Hydin, he couldn't not sympathize with him now. He coughed dryly and helped to smooth things over. "Di Lin's performance in the junior school has always been outstanding. I believe he is definitely expressing the respect and love from the bottom of his heart to his tutor!"

Macreis' deep voice dragged Di Lin out of his startled state immediately.

Di Lin swiftly tidied up his various negative emotions and fixed his eyes on Hydin's enigmatic face. Within a blink of an eye, he made a decision that he would regret for the rest of his life. Of course, at this moment, he felt that this decision couldn't be more correct.

"Tutor Hydin!" He uttered the two words very slowly, so as to give his hysterical heart sufficient time to steady itself. "Please believe my feelings towards you. They are absolutely genuine and sincere."

Hydin didn't express an opinion.

"Because I am sure that you are the most perfect choice of partner among all those that I've seen from my birth till now!" Di Lin's heart went into a mad frenzy again. He had already thrown caution to the wind. Since he needed to perform, then he should perform to the end. Anyway, he was still young and had the chance to have a 'change of affection'.

After saying this statement, Di Lin tried as far as possible not to glance at the expressions of the surrounding people.

The Dream Continent was open-minded, so love between those of the same gender would not stir up very great waves. Compared to them sharing the same gender, people were more likely to pay attention to their identity as teacher and student.

Sure enough, whispers could gradually be heard around them.

The corner of Hydin's mouth curved slightly and warmth gradually entered the eyes so blue that it shone, emitting a chill. He didn't reply, instead inclining his head to look towards Princess Qiaoni.

The entirety of Princess Qiaoni's emotions were laid bare in the hands that clutched her skirt, though there wasn't much expression on her face. She merely nodded slightly in response to Hydin's gaze and then gracefully turned around, continuing to tour along the road she hadn't completed.

After returning from the Fourth Library with much difficulty, Di Lin planted his head on the bed motionlessly.

Suo Suo and Rui Meng watched him worriedly.

Suo Suo asked softly, "The princess didn't believe it?"

Rui Meng also inquired, "Is Head Instructor Macreis' looks not persuasive enough?"

Di Lin was very unwilling to reply; he felt tired just lifting a finger. But the upbringing that had been ingrained in him since young still made him endure his weariness and sit up slowly. "No, I didn't say that Head Instructor Macreis was the person I liked."

Suo Suo's eyes widened. "Could it be the chairman?"

Di Lin shook his head again. At this instant, he suddenly had a thought that the chairman was also not bad, at least when compared to Hydin.

Rui Meng cocked his head and suddenly cried out involuntarily, "It can't be Hydin, right?"

Suo Suo made an 'ah' sound and then looked at Di Lin.

Di Lin nodded with difficulty.

Rui Meng was silent for a very long time before asking in a low voice, "What exactly happened?"

Di Lin told them what had occurred briefly. He hid his conversation with the princess but did not do the same for the dialogue between him and Hydin at the Fourth Library. So many people had heard about the latter. Even if he wanted to conceal it, he wouldn't be able to, so it was better to just openly say it.

Rui Meng and Suo Suo were dumbstruck upon hearing his words.

Rui Meng stuttered twice before managing to utter a complete sentence. "You really confessed to Hydin?"

Di Lin nodded.

"And you even confessed twice?"

Di Lin hesitated. Actually, he didn't consider the first time a confession, only a misunderstanding. As for the second time…

What difference was there between once and twice?

Di Lin nodded again.

Rui Meng collapsed onto the bed in the next instant and covered his face with a blanket. "I must be dreaming."

Suo Suo saw that Di Lin's mood was downcast and quietly tugged on his hand. "Although I'm not very familiar with Tutor Hydin, I will definitely support your decision."

Di Lin wanted to explain but felt that it was useless.

Things had already developed to a point of no return. It was pointless no matter how much he explained. Perhaps what he needed most now was not to explain but to sleep. A sleep that would enable his mind to completely sober up from its faint-like state!

Rui Meng suddenly sat up. His eyes fixed on Di Lin and he asked with a strange look on his face, "Why did… Hydin insist on having you confess in front of so many people?"

Di Lin stared blankly.

That's right, why?

[1] Another inconsistency in details - raws stated Fourth Library but it was Fifth Library in the previous chapter so I went with that instead.

T/N: The secondhand embarrassment >.<

Chapter end