Chapter 211: A state of confusion

Chapter 211: A state of confusion

A pure and sacred haven untouched by the noise and commotion of the mundane world.

Her birth into this world was heralded by a puerile cry that echoed through a palace, accompanied by a cascade of flawless flower petals.

Amidst a golden era of prosperity and development, she had found herself being surrounded by joy and congratulations.

She did not disappoint the expectations of others, showcasing exceptional talents in her youth and earning the appreciation of many of her elders.

The most remarkable part was her appearance and mannerism at a young age. Unlike girls her age who had just awakened to the idea of love, she possessed a refined and educated air while maintaining a certain level of distance with the opposite sex.

At that moment, she had not yet turned 16.

Her future achievement would be nothing short of extraordinary — This was the evaluation given by those who knew her well.

One only needed a moment to like someone, but to love someone required a long time of companionship.

Perhaps it was the decree of fate for this virtually perfect and desireless princess to be taken captive by the poisons of ‘longing’ and ‘admiration’.

At a gathering of various races aimed at fostering friendly relations, her gaze had once glanced over a certain upright and straightforward figure, rendering her unable to avert her eyes ever since.

Letters became the means for both of them to exchange the emotions in their hearts.

All while the fading light of dusk softened and obscured the faces of the loved ones they had lost.

But her youthful shoulders were burdened with the wellbeing of a kingdom.

This led to exhaustion; Everytime the gentle breeze caressed her hair, it evoked her yearning for him, making it hard for her to find peace in eating or sleeping.

Her pen, which she navigated through political affairs with great authority and skill, came to a halt. Despite filling pages upon pages of words overflowing with her heartfelt emotions and longing, not a single piece of her writing had ever reached his hands.

All had been discarded into the wastepaper bin. It was as if she believed that by doing so, she could forget her troubling emotions altogether.

However, her attempts proved futile.

In the end, the virtually perfect eldest princess succumbed to the temptation of love. She was bewildered to discover that this sentiment had been brewing within her heart for a long time and transformed into something uncontrollable.

That night, she made a decision.

Other than a flawless purity, there was only a forbearance as vast and boundless as the ocean and an eternal, unwavering adoration...

‘Contracts, treaties, and even crests can be fabricated. Only this tender and gentle handwriting of hers is something that cannot be forged...’

“These manuscripts had Her Highness Felina’s handwriting on them, and they are all half-finished works that were discarded before completion. Since they were once Her Highness Felina’s belongings, I thought it would be a shame to discard them all and decided to preserve them,” Nael explained with a deep sigh.

At the end of the day, the possessions of the deceased were lifeless objects; they serve as a conduit for living beings to leave their remembrance for the departed.

She wasn’t sure why she had shared so much with a complete stranger from a different race... After all, since Ji Bai would not recognize Princess Felina’s handwriting, he might perceive these items as a forgery.

“...Do you have a rough idea of when she wrote these manuscripts?” Ji Bai’s gaze remained fixated on those slips of paper for a long period, as he fell into a deep silence. After a while, he let out a long breath, unable to quell the emotions within him.

“A long time ago, before the conflict between the factions escalated. Princess Felina had already made the decision to abdicate her position. For fear of disappointing his Majesty, she hesitated and delayed submitting her abdication letter.”

“T-Then why did the Asiatic Cat Army attack Border Passing?...” Ji Bai’s breath became slightly labored as he spoke. The stale air in the basement gave him the feeling of asphyxiation.

“In the wake of His Majesty’s prolonged absence, a minority faction within the Asiatic Cat Race, notably militant zealots, grew concerned about the king’s well-being. They sent troops to the human federation, demanding the return of their king. However, before they could even explain their intentions, the human army charged at them and launched an attack...”

“At the end, Princess Felina wrote a letter to the representative of the militant faction, commanding them to swiftly withdraw their troops, or they would be dealt with by military law if they failed to comply. However, during their retreat, they were pursued by the human federation, resulting in significant casualties among their forces... I still have that letter written by Princess Felina. If Mr. Ji Bai has any doubts about its authenticity and would like to examine it, you’re welcome to do so...”

“Y-YOU DON’T NEED TO! DON’T SHOW IT TO ME!” Ji Bai started to howl out in a low tone.

Ji Bai’s sudden and agitated actions startled both Lil’ Sha and Nael, who were standing by his side.

“Uhm, Obscene Middle-aged man? Are you alright? Is something making you uncomfortable?”

“I-It’s fine, I’m alright, alright...” Ji Bai squatted down, his mouth prattling the same words incessantly as if he was possessed.

At the same time, a scary truth gradually unfolded in his mind...

“No, no! It can’t be... The priest didn’t deceive me! The priest would never deceive me! They were all my comrades, the ones I spend all my time with. There’s no way, no way... No... Aaaah!!”

The blood-stained smile of the girl refused to fade away in Ji Bai’s mind. It lingered like a curse, relentlessly tormenting his nerves.

“Uaaaaah!...” Ji Bai clutched his head as he incessantly let out a series of painful beast-like roars.

“Are you really okay, obscene middle-aged man? ...Hmmm?” Lil’ Sha was slightly taken aback as she approached Ji Bai.

Why did a strand of white hair suddenly appear behind the seams of his helmet?