Chapter 26: Purple in the Night Wind (Part 2)
In the evening, the four brothers of Dormitory 1987 walked along the quiet paths of Ernst Institute, casually chatting about the events of the past two months.
“That brutal?” Reynolds exclaimed in shock, lifting Linley’s shirt to reveal the hideous wounds on his abdominal muscles, like writhing earthworms. He couldn’t help but hold his breath. Beside him, George fell silent for a moment, while Yale grinned and said, “Haha, you’ve seen too little. When I was a kid, I saw things even worse than this.”
“Big Brother Yale, really?” Reynolds asked in astonishment.
Yale smirked smugly. “Of course it’s true, and I saw plenty—like torturing prisoners to death, or watching real people fight magical beasts barehanded. When people fought beasts, a bunch of rich folks would watch. The scenes were bloody as hell.”
Hearing Yale’s words, Linley could easily imagine such spectacles in his mind.
“The Institute is still the best place,” George sighed.
Linley nodded in agreement. Now, in the evening, pairs of boys and girls could often be seen walking together on the quiet paths of the Institute, holding hands or riding magical beasts side by side. Life at the Institute was leisurely.
“By the way, Big Brother Yale, aren’t you supposed to hang out with your girlfriend tonight? Why aren’t you going?” Reynolds suddenly asked.
Yale shrugged nonchalantly. “Girlfriend? Today, my brother came back from the Magical Beast Mountain Range after facing life and death, and I’m supposed to go with my girlfriend? Reynolds, remember this: brothers are like limbs, women are just clothes. It’s just for fun.”
Reynolds immediately shot him a look of disdain.
“Linley!” A surprised, joyful voice suddenly came from afar.
The four of them turned to look. A tall, slender girl with flowing golden hair ran over cheerfully, stopping in front of Linley with a delighted expression. “Linley, you’re back from the Magical Beast Mountain Range! That’s wonderful! You were gone for two whole months—I was so worried. Did you get hurt anywhere?”
“Dylia, I’m fine,” Linley replied with a smile.
Dylia was someone Linley had met right after entering Ernst Institute. Their relationship was very good. When he was with Dylia, Linley felt he could completely relax, without any mental burden. It was just like being with his three good brothers.
“Dylia, Uncle’s carriage is waiting outside. Don’t waste time.” A cold voice rang out.
Linley looked up and saw a young man in an Institute robe standing in the distance. It was Dylia’s older brother, one of Ernst Institute’s two geniuses, ‘Dixie.’ Dixie’s Institute robe was immaculate, without a single stain. His eyes were also remarkably clear.
“Oh.” Dylia responded with some disappointment, then looked at Linley. “Linley, Father told me and my brother to go home. The carriage is waiting outside, so I’ll head off now.”
“Alright, Dylia. We’ll talk when you get back,” Linley said with a smile.
“Mm, goodbye.” Dylia was clearly disappointed that she didn’t have more time to chat with Linley. Dixie walked over from afar, glanced at Dylia, and she moved toward him. But Dixie looked at Linley and said, “Linley, I heard you went on a trial in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Congratulations on succeeding.”
Linley was taken aback.
Dixie was actually talking to him?
Dixie’s coldness was well-known throughout Ernst Institute. Most people felt pressured just being around him, especially when his clear eyes fixed on someone—the psychological strain could make them feel like breaking down.
“Oh, thanks,” Linley replied.
Dixie gave a slight nod, then led his sister Dylia toward the Institute gate.
…
The next morning, at the Pruss Chamber in the holy capital, Fenlai City.
“Ah, Linley, please have a seat,” Ostoni said warmly. “Yale, all of you, sit down and rest.”
Ostoni studied Linley carefully and exclaimed, “Linley, I have to say, you’re a true genius—a super genius! A fifteen-year-old boy becoming a top student at the number one magic institute on the entire Yulan Continent. Not only that, but your skill in stone sculpture has reached an extremely high level.”
“What you’ve accomplished is nothing short of a miracle.”
“Forget being a magic prodigy—in the circle of master stone sculptors, in this era, being invited by Ernst Institute to set up an independent exhibition room at the Pruss Chamber usually requires being over forty years old. You’re the youngest. Even in history, only two other peerless geniuses can compare to you. But what sets you apart is… you’re not just a stone sculpture genius, you’re also a magic genius. Mm… a genius indeed.”
Ostoni’s flattery made Linley a bit embarrassed.
“Ostoni, stop wasting time. Get the business done so we four brothers can go out and have some fun,” Yale urged.
Ostoni then acted as if he’d just remembered, quickly pulling a silver magic crystal card from a nearby folder and handing it to Linley with a smile. “Linley, this silver magic crystal card was custom-made for our Pruss Chamber by the Four Kingdoms Bank. The silver card signifies your status as a master sculptor. From now on, all gold coins from your stone sculpture sales will be directly transferred into this card.”
“Right now, this card is unbound. Please use your fingerprint to register it first. After that, you can use it.” Ostoni handed the card to Linley and quietly asked, “Linley, did you bring any stone sculptures with you this time?”
Linley nodded slightly. “Yes, three pieces in total.”
Ostoni’s smile grew even brighter.
…
Night fell. In a private room at the Azure Water Paradise, only Linley and George were there, drinking and chatting with two girls, while Reynolds and Yale had long since taken their ladies into their rooms.
“Big Brother and Little Four, honestly…” Linley downed a glass of wine and said to George, who was deep in conversation with a girl, “Second Brother, my head’s a bit dizzy. I’m going out for some fresh air.”
“Alright,” George replied, then continued chatting with the girl beside him.
Linley left the Azure Water Paradise. As soon as he stepped out of the noisy establishment, the cool night breeze hit him, clearing his mind. Compared to the clamor inside, the outside was much quieter. Linley began to stroll aimlessly along the streets of Fenlai City.
The night wind blew, cool and pleasant.
On the side of Ganmo Road stood some noble estates, but compared to Lvye Road, the residences here were clearly a step lower in class. On the balcony of a two-story building, Alice stood, enjoying the cool night breeze.
Gazing at the bright moon in the sky, Alice couldn’t help but think of Linley, who had saved her life.
In that moment of life and death, when she was in despair, Linley had descended from the sky and killed the Bloodthirsty War Pig, saving her. The shock of seeing Linley appear in her moment of hopelessness was immense, leaving an indelible mark on her heart.
“Brother Linley is a bit quiet, but when he talks about magic, he’s pretty handsome,” Alice thought, a smile creeping onto her face.
Suddenly, she noticed a figure on the street below her building. The silhouette was very familiar. After a closer look, her face lit up with surprise, and she quickly waved and called out, “Brother Linley! Brother Linley!”
Linley, enjoying the tranquility of the night as he walked, heard someone calling him and looked up in confusion.
On the balcony of the distant building, a figure in purple stood against the backdrop of the bright moon. She looked like an elf bathed in moonlight, her purple dress fluttering gently in the night breeze, along with her flowing hair. In a daze, Linley seemed to catch the scent of Alice’s hair again.
That fragrance was so enchanting.
“Alice.” Linley couldn’t help but walk toward that small building.