Volume 5, 4 : Well Deserved Pride

Volume 5, Chapter 4 : Well Deserved Pride

Purity and Meinan, who were also being pursued, made the right decision — found someone powerful to back them up!

As a friend of the strongest female Blue Knight in the school, Meinan wisely decided to grab Purity and ran to the School of Knights, and followed Jasmine wherever she went.

However, if it was just Jasmine, perhaps it wouldn’t be enough to suppress all the angry students. Luckily, Jasmine always had Princess Lanski next to her.

“Sigh, you didn’t do it on purpose, and everyone shouldn’t pursue you like this.”

Jasmine helplessly looked at the surrounding Knights who were looking at them maliciously but didn’t dare to come close to them.

Purity and Meinan both nodded desperately with tears in their eyes, but unfortunately the crowd around them wouldn’t let them go so easily.

If Purity or Meinan got any more than three feet away from Jasmine and Lanski, someone’s sword will immediately accidentally” slip and fly towards them, or magic projectiles would curve around towards them.

These accidents made Lanski and Jasmine extremely tired.

Lanski, with her not-so-good temper, stared at the people angrily, and then said with a prideful voice,

“This is outrageous. Are Knights only good at fighting the weak and helpless? If you guys really are brave, then seek justice with Knight Daylight!”

The surrounding Knights’ faces sank, and some walked off unwillingly, but there were quite a few who stubbornly stayed behind.

The School of Mecha Fighter students completely ignored Lanski’s speech, because they weren’t Knights, so of course they didn’t have to obey the Knight’s code of not harming the weak.

“Hmmph!”

Lanski saw there were many people who remained, and her mood worsened. She grabbed Purity by the hand and dragged her,

“Ignore these people, let’s go eat.”

Seeing Lanski’s actions, Jasmine laughed and also she grabbed Meinan’s hand. Meinan smiled at her gratefully. They had been good friends ever since they were young, holding hands wasn’t anything strange to him.

“Though people probably wouldn’t dare to confront Daylight, but…” Meinan was seriously worried about his companion as he walked,

“I haven’t seen him for a whole day. I hope he didn’t run into trouble he couldn’t handle.”

Jasmine let out a resounding laughter.

“No one would dare to cause Daylight any trouble… Ah, correction, no Knight would dare to trouble him. A few days ago, there were a few idiotic Mecha Fighter students who plotted against him, but after being beaten to the ground by Daylight, he gave them a two hour lecture about how ‘plotting to harm someone is against the Knight’s code’. Since then no one has ever dared to mess with him, or even look at him in disdain.”

Lanski nodded in agreement. “Sir Daylight’s Knightly Spirit is quite exemplary.”

“But still not as good as Silver Mask, right?” Jasmine interrupted with a smile, and her statement immediately made Lanski blush.

“Sigh, if Lanski and Jasmine end up finding out Liola-dage is Silver Mask, then…”

Purity felt sorry for the two girls who were best friends and, though they didn’t know it yet, rivals in love.

* * *

“Barbeque, the most delicious and most outlandish meat are all here in ‘Delicious Barbeque Restaurant’. Pretty miss, don’t leave, inside we have the most handsome and pretty man who would cook for you. Not only will you get the best meal of your life, you can also satisfy your eyes. If you’re brave enough, you can even go touch the handsome cook’s hands!”

“Really….”

“Hehehe, of course it’s real.” That is, if you could move fast enough to touch that man’s hand.

“I’ll let you in another secret, this handsome guy used to be an Assassin, so he looks cold yet arrogant, definitely not something many people would see in their life time. Listen to how many girls are screaming inside, just seeing the beautiful man would make girls blush and scream, if you don’t go in to take a look, you’d be missing an opportunity of a life time!”

‘Cold, arrogant, handsome, and used to be Assassin…’

Meinan and Purity started to feel those adjectives were becoming rather familiar, and the guy who advertising had an even more familiar tone of voice and choice of words.

The two reflexively looked towards the voice, a head of green hair and a face that made people want to punch him the moment they see him, appeared in their sights.

“Kaiser?!” Meinan and Purity both yelled at the same time.

Purity continued hastily, “Kaiser, what did you do to Liola-dage? Don’t tell me… To make money, y-you told Liola-dage to sell his body…”

After Kaiser heard the familiar voice, he turned his head to look at Meinan and Purity, then said in a laid back tone,

“Aiya, you guys are finally here? I thought you two were hiding to the point where you weren’t even going to eat. But you guys were clever; you hid behind the Princess and Jasmine.”

Kaiser babbled on and on for a while, but said nothing about Liola.

Purity raised her voice a full octave and yell, “Kaiser, what about Liola-dage?!”

Kaiser smiled, and his flashing white teeth made Purity and Meinan shiver.

Kaiser pointed at the ‘Delicious Barbeque Restaurant’ behind him, “Inside, but if you guys go in and don’t order you guys will be damned.”

“Kaiser, why are you advertising for this restaurant?” Meinan was shocked. It would be fortunate for them if Kaiser didn’t destroy the restaurant, but he’s actually helping them advertise?

Hearing this, Kaiser’s face sank again and again, and then said a word that sounded like a mystery.

“Auntie…”

“Auntie?” Meinan was stupefied. He began to think of who they would call “Auntie”. Furthermore, how was the person able to compel the lazy Kaiser to stand obediently at the door and advertise?

“Liola is inside?” As soon as Jasmine heard Liola’s name, she ignored everything else, dragging Lanski and Purity to charge inside the restaurant.

The moment she walked in, like the other girls in the restaurant, she stared blankly at the center of the barbeque stand where Liola was.

Liola stood inside a circular barbecuing station. He had a shovel in each of his hands, and the clothes he wore were the same one from when he and Jasmine had a date.

On his upper body, he wore a tight shirt, and the middle of which had a pentacle sewn on it with gold lining. On his lower body, he wore a pair of undecorated, tight-fitting pants. Along with his black boots, his black outfit accentuated Liola’s night-like temperament.

In one moment, Liola looked like an unmoving constellation in the dark night sky, in the next he started to move at the speed of a shooting star. The simple act of turning the meat to cook the other side looked like a sword dance in the hands of Liola.

Liola used the shovel in his left hand to toss the meat, and the beef lightly flew and spun in the air. His right hand didn’t sit idle either. After lightly putting the vegetables into the cooking station and a few dexterous moves later, the vegetables were cooked and lined up perfectly.

At this time, Liola paused briefly, and the crowd’s breath seemed to have paused as well. The real show was just about to start.

Liola’s hands moved quickly, sometimes they would cross one another and sometimes they would draw circles, and the food on the station seemed to happily dance in the air. Then even the seasoning joined the dance atop of the cooking station.

The food dance not only looked elegant, it even had a fatally delicious scent drawing everyone closer to the station.

Finally, Liola flung his finger, and a clean, white plate crossed paths with the dancing barbecue, catching the dancing food one by one.

Liola swung his hand around and securely set the plate on the table next to the cooking station.

Next to the table sat a Knight with a clean white uniform. Judging by the lining of the uniform, the person was actually a Blue Knight. He used his silverware and grabbed a bite from the plate. After chewing slowly for a while, he turned and gave a thumb up towards Liola.

“This is practically the most colorful, most delicious, and best smelling dish, Liola.”

Liola smiled at Daylight, and then started the barbecue dance again and again. Because the restaurant was completely packed, it didn’t allow him to have even a little bit of time to rest, and waiters beside him also anxiously waited for him to cook, so they could bring the meals to the customers.

“Daylight, why are you here? And what is L-Liola-dage doing?”

Purity was so shocked; her mouth was hanging wide open. Liola being so busy, he had to greet them with nothing but with his eyes after hearing their voices. Thus, Purity could only throw all her questions at Daylight who was eating leisurely.

“Are you guys here for dinner too? Come sit with me, let’s eat together.” Daylight heard Purity’s voice, and beckoned everyone to eat together.

Purity sat down next to Daylight, and a pink face got closer to closer to Daylight, to the point of almost touching his face.

“Tell me! What the heck is Liola-dage and Kaiser doing?”

Seeing Purity’s face almost on top of his, Daylight felt rather awkward, and tried to back up, but Jasmine’s fist was on his back, and she looked like she was saying “get away”:

“Sir Daylight, could you explain why Liola is here selling meat, please?”

[T/N: ‘Selling meat’ is a double entendre here, it could mean literally selling meat, or it could mean prostitution]

Though Jasmine had been satisfied after seeing Liola’s performance, and even excited because she saw Liola’s smile.

However, the moment she saw Liola surrounded by blushing and screaming girls, it made her unhappy, as if her personal belonging was being shown off in a museum to the rest of the world.

Under the pressure of these two girls, Daylight had no choice but looked at Purity’s big glasses and said, “Liola and Kaiser are working here, I heard it’s for Baolilong’s meals.”

“Liola-dage perhaps would work for Baolilong, but the lazy bum Kaiser would never do that!” Purity grabbed Daylight’s shoulders with her hands and started to shake him.

Daylight hurried to explain. “I-I don’t know either. That’s what they said. I was just walking by, on my way to get dinner, and I saw Kaiser advertising outside, so I walked in.”

Purity stared at Daylight, trying to figure out if he was lying. But as soon as she remembered Daylight’s exemplary Knightly spirit, she thought it would be impossible for him to lie.

Purity moved her face away, and settled her attention on the plate before her. It was then when she realized Meinan was zealously munching away. Seeing Liola’s food being quickly exterminated by Meinan, Purity hastily joined him. She completely didn’t notice Daylight sighing in relief, but also seemed to be blushing.

“You’re working to feed the baby? Okay.”

Hearing Liola’s reason, Jasmine thought of the last time she and Liola went out to eat and the bill from all the steaks Baolilong ate… She had to live off of Lanski for a whole month after that.

Although she didn’t like Liola attracting other customers, and thus getting her countless love rivals, but since it was all for the baby’s terrifying appetite, Jasmine pouted and joined the barbecue extermination squad. Since she couldn’t get Liola to bite, she could only take a bite of his food as way of comfort.

“Why does this look… very familiar?!” Lanski looked at Liola’s dance with shovels and food, and felt his moves looked very familiar, as if…

Everyone (except Jasmine, of course) heard Lanski, and almost choked on the barbecue in their mouths. All of their eyes widened, worried that Lanski might have discovered Liola was the same person as Silver Mask.

In fact, telling Jasmine and Lanski about the truth wouldn’t have mattered much considering they had been well-acquainted with Liola, and these two people could keep secrets well, but just as luck would have it, they were both in a love triangle they weren’t even aware of.

This situation made Daylight, who told everyone not to lie, choose to temporarily play dead, to try to avoid the deadly love question. But Lanski became more suspicious, and things made a turn for the worse.

“Of course it would look similar. This barbecue move was taught by Silver Mask himself. That idiot Liola had to train for ages before he could do this. Had I not been too cute and thus lack an imposing aura when I do it, I would have told Liola to move over and let me do it.”

Kaiser sat down next to them, forgetting his job as a waiter in the restaurant, and actually started to grab silverware to eat the meat meant for the customers.

Lanski was shocked for a moment, then she hurriedly turned her head to ask, “Silver Mask is back?”

“No, he taught Liola before he left.”

Kaiser continued to lie without flustering at all.

As for Daylight, who was strongly against lies, did nothing except frown, then lowered his head and continue eating. Even for him, someone who didn’t understand feeling and love, it would be difficult to have an ideal outcome for all of this.

“Is that so?” Lanski couldn’t seem to cover her disappointment.

“Silver Mask has an important order, and for a long time will be traveling around the world. He wouldn’t have any free time to himself, let alone time for a girlfriend. I think he probably wants to be single for the rest of his life.”

Kaiser purposely sighed and shook his head, and at the same time trying to hint at Lanski.

Sure enough, Lanski’s body briefly shook intensely. Her otherwise bright face looked darkened.

She remembered that, ever since meeting Silver Mask, she hadn’t actually been with him many times, and Lanski’s heart felt even more bitter. Her eyes began to water, and Lanski immediately stood up to say goodbye,

“S-sorry, excuse me…”

Before she even finished, her voice started to choke. As a Princess, she would never allow herself to cry in front of others. Before she actually completed her farewells, she rushed out the door.

Jasmine, who saw her good friend being heartbroken, and immediately left to catch up to her. Before she left, Jasmine turned around to look at Liola one more time, and at the same time feel happy the man she loved was as ordinary as him, and didn’t need to run around the world because of some important orders. At the same time, she also felt a heartache for her friend Lanski, who loved such an extraordinary person; Silver Mask.

Having seen everything, Liola frowned and thought, could the barbecue he cooked taste so bad that Lanski had to rush out the door?

“Hey, Kaiser, you made the Princess feel bad.” Purity felt the need to correct the injustice done to the Princess.

“Hmmph, feeling bad now would be better than turning those two good friends into enemies in the future, right?”

Kaiser grunted, and then continued, “Especially now that Liola lost all his Kung Fu, and would never disguise himself as Silver Mask again. It would be better for the Princess to give up on her hopes. The longer it drags on, the more heartbroken she will be.”

When Kaiser finished talking, he realized everyone was staring at him strangely.

Kaiser felt an itch in his back and yelled, “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you all in love with me? Let me say this out straight, I’m not interested in any of you three! But if big boss Purity is interested in providing for me, then I might be a little bit interested in you.”

“Kaiser, don’t be rude to the customers.”

Alongside with the deep soft voice and a giant shadow, Kaiser was picked up like a kitten.

The others raised their heads to the point where their necks were forming a right angle with their body before they were able to see the face of this person.

When they saw the person’s face, their eyes widened, and their mouths became “O”-shaped, plus their bodies felt petrified. They all looked like they were little clay dolls.

“Auntie, I was wrong…”

Kaiser performed a 180 degree turn in the air he seemed to have gotten used to, and then looked at Auntie with his sparkling eyes.

“Auntie, I will go help immediately. Ah, look over there, I think they don’t have enough waiters. Auntie, let me down, I have to go over there to help.”

As if he was trying to convey his willingness to help, Kaiser’s arms and legs were waving in the air, and Auntie nodded with satisfaction.

She put Kaiser back down on the ground, and Kaiser planned to run back to the restaurant door to continue the easiest job: running his mouth.

Who knew the back of his collar would be grabbed by Auntie, and Kaiser’s escape plan failed.

He let out a bitter laugh, widened his eyes innocently, and asked, “Auntie, what else do you need from me?”

Auntie cracked open her mouth with a smile, “Remember to free up some time next weekend. Auntie will bring you guys to a grand occasion.”

“Grand occasion?” Kaiser asked hesitatingly.

Ever since he had known Liola, hadn’t he seen enough of those? He was afraid that with Liola and himself there, they might end up in the history books.

“Yeah. The leader of every world will be gathering at Aklan Academy. Our restaurant was asked by the principal to provide 30 dishes. You two can act as accompanying waiters~.”

Auntie’s elongated syllable at the end with her deep voice gave everyone goosebumps.

“Papa/Mama will be here?” Meinan and Purity both stood up and asked in unison.

“Hmm?” Auntie’s big eyes looked towards the two, and questioned loudly.

Meinan and Purity looked at each other uneasily.

Though the two had no interest in their parents’ position or power, but at least they knew that unless something important affects the world had happened, they would never meet each other like this. After all, their relationship wasn’t the greatest, but now they are actually going to meet?

“Something’s up, I have to go ask papa.”

Meinan felt uneasy, and immediately ran out the restaurant without saying anything else, leaving Purity behind, who felt just as uneasy, but couldn’t run back to the Commerce Alliance.

Kaiser, who understood the world’s situation, frowned as well, but instead he wondered if he should attend?

If he goes, Kaiser was honestly worried he and Liola might mess up the meeting, then they really have to run to another world to hide. If he doesn’t, Kaiser secretly felt they would eventually be caught up by whatever the issue was…

“Auntie, can our classmate come with us?” Kaiser calmly pointed at Daylight, and thought if he’s going, at least he will be dragging along a bodyguard.

“Of course he can.” Auntie smiled as she touched Daylight’s head, and it almost pushed Daylight’s head into his neck like a turtle.

Daylight was slightly stunned by Kaiser’s request. But when he thought of Liola who lost all his Kung Fu, letting them go by themselves was indeed not the best idea. Daylight therefore did not protest to Kaiser (ab)using him as such.

Kaiser suddenly laughed with his teeth showing, “Then to not make a fool out of yourself, Daylight, come here and enjoy the feeling of being a waiter.”

“Hmm?” Daylight suddenly remembered what Kaiser said to advertise…

‘He’s not going to add something about a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to see an Aklan Academy Blue Knight being a waiter or something like that, right?’

* * *

Jasmine finally caught up to Lanski, but she saw the string of tears on the ground. Knowing Lanski’s stubbornness, Jasmine could only grab Lanski and walk her to the only quiet place she could think of; the place where Jasmine met with Liola for the first time.

After it all quieted down, the only thing Lanski saw with her head held down, was a blurry field of grass. She probably understood Jasmine must’ve brought her to somewhere deserted.

Lanski finally gave up caring about Princess’ etiquette. She knelt down on the grass, and put her head between her knees, with her shoulders twitching.

Jasmine knew it was rare for Lanski to cry, and decided not to stop her. Jasmine thought it was time for Lanski to let all the tears out.

“Jasmine… a-am I hated by everyone?”

Lanski didn’t even raise her head, and her voice grew quieter after each word, fearing the answer would be “Yes”.

Instead, Jasmine burst out laughing.

“What is there to hate about you? If you act obnoxious and everyone hated you, why would I treat you as my best friend? Unless you think I’m using you to increase my status?”

After saying so, Jasmine even sported an angry face, and Lanski hurriedly raised her head to deny,

“Of course you’re not. Jasmine’s nobility is not any less than Sir Daylight’s Knightly spirit.”

“Hahaha… nobility? Lanski, you make it sound like I’m a hermit. Should I go take a string and live in the mountains?”

Jasmine started laughing, and Lanski could finally let go of the uneasiness she felt.

Lanski heard Jasmine’s compliment and her face blushed. Since she had just cried, Lanski’s long lashes supported a few droplets of tears. She seemed a far cry from the cold, prideful Princess she usually was. She was now an adorable, delicate girl.

Jasmine tenderly wiped away Lanski’s tears as she said,

“Tsk tsk, if you run into Silver Mask in your current state, even if his heart was made out of ice, you would be able to melt it.”

“I don’t think I could. If I am in his heart, then why would he never look for me when he had gone to the academy several times?” Lanski laughed bitterly.

Thinking every time she saw Kaiser and others, she was asking them about Silver Mask, to the point where she felt shameful every time she opens her mouth to talk to them.

A girl asking about a man every time she opens her mouth, “I must be… very obnoxious, right? I must be an arrogant and self-centered Princess.”

Jasmine seemed to disagree and said,

“Are those the rumors spread by those girls who were jealous of you? Lanski, I’ve been around you for almost ten years, and nobody understands you better than me. You are absolutely the cutest girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?”

Whenever Jasmine spoke to her this way, Lanski would usually smile. But now, she started to wonder, was she really as adorable as Jasmine claimed she is?

Jasmine nodded again and again, and she started counting Lanski’s merits on her fingers,

“You have the perfect Princess etiquette. Though I don’t really like your cold face, but if you were a spoiled Princess, it would be even more obnoxious. Even though you act arrogant, it actually suits you. Your arrogance is well-deserved, not like some spoiled brats from some rich families.”

After having said so much continuously, Jasmine tried to catch her breath. She smiled as she remembered the sparring between the two of them.

Though Lanski lost more than she won, but which of those times did she give up easily? And then she thinks back at the time she spent improving herself. And as for taking revenge, she believed Lanski had never even thought of it. To the Royal, arrogant Lanski, losing was because she wasn’t serious enough, or she didn’t try hard enough. If she were to hate anyone, Lanski would probably only hate herself.

“And you are very kind, don’t deny that. Don’t forget, the reason that I’m still alive is because of you.” Jasmine earnestly looked at her good friend Lanski.

Lanski quickly rebutted, “No, it’s because of your own hardships.”

Jasmine laughed bitterly, remembering what had happened once upon a time during a snowy day…

Because her parents died as a result of being in debt, and those people whom her parents owed money forced her into a corner. Just as she was about to be caught and sold off as a slave, Lanski, who walked by coincidentally, was like an angel… no, more like a Goddess of War.

She took out a thin sword, a sword so delicate but was unexpectedly tough, just like Lanski herself. She used a few delicate sword moves to drive off the debt collectors, and her thin body walked arrogantly towards Jasmine.

What was unexpected was Lanski actually took off her expensive white mittens, and then said as she put those on to Jasmine’s frozen hands,

“You have to take care of your hands, because you are going to go with me to the beginner’s Knight School, and be a maid for me in the school. However, if you can beat me, then I will pay off all your debts and tuitions. I will also treat you as equal and a friend. Otherwise, you will be my maid for the rest of your life, and I will forever look down upon you. Do you understand?”

The two grew closer and closer to each other, but Lanski had never gone easy on her during their duels.

Jasmine had even complained about Lanski was merciless, thinking she would never let her win. But when Jasmine was finally able to win against Lanski using her own strength, Jasmine’s tears immediately rolled down her face. However, Lanski smiled as she walked to her and said,

“I lost, and from now on, you are truly my friend.”

Jasmine finally completely understood the person in front of her was a real Princess, and her best friend in this life.

“Jasmine?” Lanski woke Jasmine up from her recollection.

Jasmine turned around to look at Lanski, then climbed up on Lanski’s back and yelled, “Lanski is the person I like the most.”

“Hmm?” Though Lanski was baffled by the action, but she still felt warm in her heart.

Jasmine said while smiling,

“Lanski, since the person you like is Lancelot’s apprentice, and you are practically the closest girl to him. Remember, Lancelot is a Knight for the Dragon Empire, and you are royalty. Wouldn’t it be easy to go ask him where his apprentice is?”

“But… what if Silver Mask doesn’t like me at all?” Lanski quietly replied.

“Then just keep pestering him, and never give up until he’s yours. Just like when you were learning Kung Fu, never give up until you’ve mastered it! The Lanski I know is the most persistent person in the world!”

Jasmine jumped up and yelled in excitement.

Lanski smiled as a result. She raised her head to look at the star-filled night sky.

The dark night looked like Silver Mask’s black hair wavering in the sky. Lanski reached out her hand toward the sky, as if in doing so, she could control the night sky in her hand…