Chapter 765: Chapter 21 Shadow_3

“——!”

Jane’s footsteps halted; she was just one step away from entering the soft night but stood frozen in the theatre troupe’s candlelight. She turned around abruptly, asking fiercely, “That good-for-nothing?! Why?!”

“Don’t ask me, I’m not a knight,” Kerky shrugged, “Oh right, the Dawn Knight and that Superpower User are getting along pretty well, I think he’s a better assistant than you.”

She hooked Jane’s sleeve with her finger, pulling her to step back. A smile spread across Situ Yi’s face as he said, “Nobility will visit tomorrow, the Crown Prince will see the Dawn. To discern truth from lies, a personal encounter will make it clear!”

Upon hearing the words “Crown Prince,” Jane’s expression underwent a fierce change.

“I… you…!”

After a while, the lamplight departed from the theatre troupe.

Situ Yi returned to his desk and sat down, while Kerky perched on its surface. A third person approached from outside the tent, dressed in an ancient Imperial style black robe but was a child barely over ten, his eyes bearing an aristocratic haughtiness.

“From where does my dear friend come?” asked Situ Yi.

“I went to check on Jane’s progress; everything’s on track. The Hidden Law Master will be able to make his appearance during the royal duel.”

The Hidden Law Master pulled up a chair and sat down, disdainfully remarking, “No Form, I truly don’t understand the use of these chaotic arrangements you make. Why waste energy on such an ignorant person? It would be better to make more chess pieces or set more traps in the Spirit Prison Realm.”

Situ Yi lifted an orchid finger, laughing, “Do you know the surefire way to win at chess?”

Without a second thought, the Hidden Law Master replied, “Overpower with numbers, crush with strength. Send the strong as generals, gather the brave into an army, and with such straightforward momentum, break all deceitful tricks, that is the way to victory.”

Situ Yi covered his face with his sleeve, bursting into laughter, nearly knocking off his top hat.

“Ahahaha! Chess is not a battle, the board is like a theatre. Quality, not quantity, in chess pieces matters—strength without skill is useless!”

The Hidden Law Master shook his head, “‘Force’ and ‘mass’ are the most common wisdom in the world; you don’t understand chess.”

Situ Yi dropped his hand gesture, saying, “Emotion trumps all laws, malice is above the rest. Knives cut deepest when they’re wicked, people are strongest when they hate.”

“I hope you’re right,” said the Hidden Law Master, not entirely convinced. He looked at the silent Kerky, “And you?”

Kerky stared into the candlelight, her gaze unfocused, toying with an exquisite foldable knife.

“I feel like killing someone, or going to bed works too… Are you up for it?”

The Hidden Law Master sighed deeply, “I’ll take my leave without further ado.”

“Boring man, just like that brat,” Kerky grabbed a stack of documents, swaggering out of the tent, “I’m kidding, still gotta deliver these to the old man. Got to work in the morning… what a boring life…”

Kerky left, and shortly after, the lights inside the theatre troupe were extinguished, leaving not a single glimmer.

·

Gongsun Ce got up early the next day, for someone had knocked on his door first thing in the morning. Sleepy-eyed, the young man opened the door to find a silver-haired female knight standing outside, fully arrayed.

“… Morning?” Gongsun Ce murmured groggily, “Sleep some more with me?”

“Good morning, Mr. Gongsun. Let’s continue yesterday’s afternoon practice, we’ll go to the park to observe morning joggers,” Alandia said.

Gongsun Ce glared at her for a good while before saying sincerely, “You’re sick. Seriously, you’re sick.”

They bought croissants and hot coffee for breakfast at the small café behind the building, where the cheerful elderly shop owner remarked they were “again” the first customers of the morning, clearly recognizing Alandia as a regular. A few minutes of walking took them to Wood Park in the Inner City District, a natural conservation-like urban green space. Gray paths meandered through the grass, centering on a large, icy lake. Gongsun Ce sat on a park bench, inhaling the fresh air, chewing on bread while commentating in the Imperial Language on the morning joggers passing by.

“That girl with the short ponytail… hmm… she’s got a great figure.”

“Observe, Mr. Gongsun, rather than verbalizing desires.”

“You can’t blame me; she’s too bouncy… I guess… probably a student?”

“She’s a single mother.”

“And how am I supposed to tell that?!”

When they finished their “morning exercise” and returned home, Orianna and her older brother had finished breakfast. The female knight was frantically tidying up the first floor, like a student preparing for a dorm inspection.

“Is the Knight Order coming for room inspection?” Gongsun Ce asked.

“No! Did you forget what I said last night, Prince Charlie is coming to visit this morning!” Orianna fretted, “I really hope everything goes smoothly… It’d be best to get this over with quickly so we can move on to the museum…”

Gongsun Ce nodded, “It’s just a Crown Prince, why so nervous?”

Orianna looked at him wordlessly, and Alandia explained, “Prince Charlie once attempted to pursue Orianna, hence her poor impression of him.”

Mo Yuankai choked violently on a sip of tea at that comment. Gongsun Ce slapped his older brother’s back as he chuckled, casually asking, “And you?”

“I despise the Crown Prince’s character,” Alandia said.

Orianna’s mouth twitched, “Prince Charlie also… pursued Knight Alandia… in a rather unpleasant manner.”

“Damn, he deserves it?!” Gongsun Ce erupted, “Doesn’t even look in the mirror to see what he actually is!”

At that moment, a carriage passed by the window, and a few seconds later the doorbell rang. Alandia went to open the door. Two rows of soldiers stood outside, and a handsome brown-haired man disembarked from the carriage, dressed in a pure white suit adorned with blue star emblems, his styled hair gleaming enough to reflect light, an absolute dashing nobleman—nothing like what Gongsun Ce had imagined.

On seeing Alandia, his eyes lit up, and, like a seasoned celebrity, he spread his arms wide, seemingly about to embrace her, “Ah, our brilliant Detective Miss—”

Quick as a flash, Gongsun Ce squeezed in front of the door, enveloping the Crown Prince with even more enthusiasm. He patted Prince Charlie’s back with great force, exclaiming with emotional vitality like reciting poetry, “Ah! Crown Prince! After longing and waiting, you’ve finally arrived, please come in, please come right in!”