Also in the deep night, only the sound of the stove burning could be heard in the quiet room.
In the glittering light, Ye Qingxuan was leaning on the bed. Lowering his head, he was browsing through the thick, heavy books. Only the rustling of the pages could be heard in the silence.
Lola showed up in the shadows in the corner. Seeing him at such ease, she slightly raised her long and thin eyebrow. With a sneer, she said, "You look so full of confidence!"
Raising his head, he held his chin in confusion. "Anything wrong with that?"
"Are you really planning to lead this bunch of guys directly into the mist to save the world?" Lola asked in disbelief. "Do I have to remind you how stupid it is?"
"How come? I am not a lunatic."
"You look no different from a lunatic." Glancing at him, Lola said coldly, "It's right to save the world, but you should at least have a plan, right?"
"Don't worry. I do have a plan." Lowering his head again, Ye Qingxuan continued his reading. "Anyway, now that Anglo has become silent, I'm afraid the Fifth Department is the only force that can change the situation. It is the result of Maxwell's painstaking effort. If it is out of control, there'll be no hope for us at all."
"That's your plan? Relying on a bunch of killers and spies? Different people have different skill sets and they are not applicable to all situations. Ye, the world of spirits and demons is totally different from that of humans. They are no help even they are experienced executioners or invincible warriors."
"You don't need to worry about that." Still reading the book, Ye Qingxuan gave a meaningful smile. "They will be helpful. Very soon."
Silence fell again. Only the rustling of the pages of the book in Ye Qingxuan's hands could be heard.
Seeing him so absorbed in the book, Lola couldn't help but curl her lips. "What are you reading?"
"This?" Waving the book in his hand, Ye Qingxuan smiled. "It is about the music theory of a music school called 'Dinar.' It originated from the old schools in the dark age and has been developing itself in Burgundy, quite isolated from the outside world." With Ye Qingxuan turning the pages, some vague moonlight shone on the empty pages. The moonlight outlined subtle yet thickly dotted words and music theories which were flowing on the pages, making refined images that were so true to life. It was like the research notes of some musician, detailing the music movement and research of his.
The images were like a tide that converged with thousands of flying birds, or a marvelous summer night of feasts, drinking, and clamor… Ancient yet strange rituals that turned humans into nightmares, and research on many sorts of weird things, even communication and trading methods with beings in the world of Aether that were unknown to men.
Along with the pages, the young musician described in the book gradually got old and finally became the old musician in the illustration at the end of the book.
After several hundred years, the book coexisted with the oddities and even transformed into oddities itself, somehow becoming a living creature of the Aether world.
"Inherited from the classical school of Fusion of Essence?" Lola sneered, "This sort of outdated research from the old times has been replaced by subdivided segments from long ago. Is it not eliminated yet? There is nothing to study in this dead-end subject. Is there?"
"Some of the theories are quite interesting, though." Ye Qingxuan shrugged. "What a pity! Their research is in the wrong direction; however hard they work and ponder over it, it will never get them anywhere. When the sense of novelty is gone, it is of no use at all." Closing the book, he yawned. "Get some sleep now. We need to get up early tomorrow."
Lola disappeared into the shadows.
Ye Qingxuan closed his eyes and fell into sleep.
-
Bang! In the basement, Auden fell on the ground, feeling powerless. Along with a sound of cracking of the head, Mandel's body lay on the ground. Scarlet and grey liquid spurted out onto Auden's face, painting his face a grey-white. Warm brain fell into his mouth; the salty and fishy taste making him want to vomit.
Feeling sudden darkness falling over his eyes, he almost fainted. He became totally lost… What the f*ck happened? Since the end of his ritual, the old man had been standing there as if he had lost his soul, the Aether around him fluctuating. Sometimes he was like talking to some invisible man, but there is total emptiness in his eyes.
It looked as if his soul was stolen.
Until just now, his head blew up, his body twitching all over.
As Mandel was dead, the Aether stove crackled without a sound. The fire went out, leaving only irritatingly stinky smoke spreading all over the room. The oddities dispersed, screaming in a low voice. Mercury fell from the ceiling as if it was raining. It was bitterly cold.
Auden shivered. He got up from the floor and staggered out.
This place is too dangerous to stay.
-
In the morning, Xavier woke up. Damp sea wind blew through the door, and the quilts were so damp that some moss was growing on them.
He took a deep breath and rubbed his face, feeling relaxed. Maybe it was due to the assurance of master Mandel, he had the best sleep that had been lost to him since quite long ago. It was like he had been given a new life; no tiredness at all.
Then there was a knock on the door. "Colonel, breakfast is ready." The man outside said, "Do you want your breakfast to be served in your room?"
"No." Xavier got up and said lightly, "I'll go to the dining hall. You go and ask Mr. Ye to go there too."
The man left.
This way, he could enjoy the scene of Ye Qingxuan's body being dragged out during breakfast. The corpse of royal blood may well be nobler and should be good as a side dish.
He took his dagger and shaved in front of the mirror in the living room. Then he looked at himself in the mirror—as majestic as iron.
Xavier nodded with satisfaction.
This was the last day of bitterness. No trouble would remain after Ye Qingxuan was dead. It would be appropriate to embrace his new life with such a good look.
Ignoring the cracks of the mirror, he went out. It was so quiet in the Cloister of Cavern in the morning. In this lightless sea, only the torches on the wall were burning. One could not even tell whether it was morning or evening.
Many people were already up, sitting in the aisle and in the rooms. The chef pushed the breakfast cart over and poured some boiled plaster-like food into their iron cups. The food was shoveled with spoons into their mouths before it got cold. After days of torment, everyone got pale. Lowering their heads, they sat in the corner like prisoners in total silence.
It was almost time.
Pondering over the plans for the next step, he went through the aisle and pushed open the kitchen door. Then he saw Auden sitting in the corner. The clerk-like man sat on a stool, restless and pale, curling himself. Seeing Xavier, he managed a smile but evaded his eye contact.
Xavier paused in shock. A chill ran down his back, almost freezing him.
Something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was. He could only sense that it was bad.
Then, he heard someone speaking from the seat for the host: "Sorry that I took your seat." The white-hair young man sitting in the chair that had been his was leisurely cutting the tender beef on the plate.
"I was quite hungry, so I didn't wait for you. Please don't be angry."
"Ye…Qingxuan?" Xavier trembled, his face twitching.
All of a sudden, it was like an invisible nightmare had caught him and drained all of his strength, leaving fear in his heart and darkness covering his eyes. He stepped back subconsciously. Yet he didn't notice that there were two men standing at the door. They looked at him coldly, saying nothing.
"Sit." Ye Qingxuan pointed at the seat opposite to his. "We have mushrooms on the boat, so I told the cook to make some soup. It is good. Have some while it is hot."
Xavier was paralyzed. He stood where he was for quite long and then, with effort, he moved forward and pulled out the chair to sit. A bow of hot soup was served. He could smell the fragrance of cream from it. He took a spoon but hesitated to eat anything. Pretty soon, there was a layer of frozen oil on the surface of the soup. What a waste.
"You're not hungry?" Looking at him, Ye Qingxuan stretched out and took the bowl. "Give it to me then. I'm not full yet."
Xavier wanted to say something, yet failed to make any sound. In the silence, only the sound of Ye Qingxuan eating soup could be heard.
After a long time, Ye Qingxuan put down the spoon and gave a satisfactory sigh. "Too much cream, but delicious. What a good cook. After such a long time sailing at sea, it is so reviving to eat a bowl of hot soup like this. It is very good. It is a pity that you don't want any."
Xavier didn't speak. He put down the spoon, his figure trembling.
"I just found out that this position is really good. It's just opposite my room." Ye Qingxuan took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth. He said quite casually, "It would be quite good if there were a frozen body dragged out from the room while having breakfast."
In the silence, some rustling was heard from outside of the door. Someone carried a headless corpse from the basement and slowly dragged it along the corridor to somewhere far away. Then, a splash was heard, like something was dropped into the sea.
"Now that we have had breakfast, let's talk business." Ye Qingxuan looked at Xavier's pale face closely, then said gently, "Business about the Burgundians."
Xavier's last hope was put out. His face went greyish pale. It was like he had become old in an instant. He almost fell from his chair.
Ye Qingxuan tossed two passports and a traveler's manual on the desk. The manual, with a cover featuring beautiful scenery at some port, was weathered due to frequent reading. He smiled.
"Calais is a beautiful place. It is spring all year with warm wind from the sea. You can see the harbor through the window, and wild cats napping on the roof.
"You've chosen a nice place for yourself. You have a house there and a money order from the church. You can spend the rest of your life comfortably and even have the money for a decent funeral. You can live there happily, free from all danger and wars.
"I have to say, you've sold your colleagues for a good price. They will thank you from hell."
"Enough!" Xavier finally spoke. Clinching his fists, he stared at Ye Qingxuan angrily. "You know nothing at all! I did that because…"
"It doesn't matter at all what it was for." Ye Qingxuan interrupted him, obviously having interest. "I don't want to hear your difficulties or excuses. You betrayed them anyway. Right?"
Also in the deep night, only the sound of the stove burning could be heard in the quiet room.
In the glittering light, Ye Qingxuan was leaning on the bed. Lowering his head, he was browsing through the thick, heavy books. Only the rustling of the pages could be heard in the silence.
Lola showed up in the shadows in the corner. Seeing him at such ease, she slightly raised her long and thin eyebrow. With a sneer, she said, "You look so full of confidence!"
Raising his head, he held his chin in confusion. "Anything wrong with that?"
"Are you really planning to lead this bunch of guys directly into the mist to save the world?" Lola asked in disbelief. "Do I have to remind you how stupid it is?"
"How come? I am not a lunatic."
"You look no different from a lunatic." Glancing at him, Lola said coldly, "It's right to save the world, but you should at least have a plan, right?"
"Don't worry. I do have a plan." Lowering his head again, Ye Qingxuan continued his reading. "Anyway, now that Anglo has become silent, I'm afraid the Fifth Department is the only force that can change the situation. It is the result of Maxwell's painstaking effort. If it is out of control, there'll be no hope for us at all."
"That's your plan? Relying on a bunch of killers and spies? Different people have different skill sets and they are not applicable to all situations. Ye, the world of spirits and demons is totally different from that of humans. They are no help even they are experienced executioners or invincible warriors."
"You don't need to worry about that." Still reading the book, Ye Qingxuan gave a meaningful smile. "They will be helpful. Very soon."
Silence fell again. Only the rustling of the pages of the book in Ye Qingxuan's hands could be heard.
Seeing him so absorbed in the book, Lola couldn't help but curl her lips. "What are you reading?"
"This?" Waving the book in his hand, Ye Qingxuan smiled. "It is about the music theory of a music school called 'Dinar.' It originated from the old schools in the dark age and has been developing itself in Burgundy, quite isolated from the outside world." With Ye Qingxuan turning the pages, some vague moonlight shone on the empty pages. The moonlight outlined subtle yet thickly dotted words and music theories which were flowing on the pages, making refined images that were so true to life. It was like the research notes of some musician, detailing the music movement and research of his.
The images were like a tide that converged with thousands of flying birds, or a marvelous summer night of feasts, drinking, and clamor… Ancient yet strange rituals that turned humans into nightmares, and research on many sorts of weird things, even communication and trading methods with beings in the world of Aether that were unknown to men.
Along with the pages, the young musician described in the book gradually got old and finally became the old musician in the illustration at the end of the book.
After several hundred years, the book coexisted with the oddities and even transformed into oddities itself, somehow becoming a living creature of the Aether world.
"Inherited from the classical school of Fusion of Essence?" Lola sneered, "This sort of outdated research from the old times has been replaced by subdivided segments from long ago. Is it not eliminated yet? There is nothing to study in this dead-end subject. Is there?"
"Some of the theories are quite interesting, though." Ye Qingxuan shrugged. "What a pity! Their research is in the wrong direction; however hard they work and ponder over it, it will never get them anywhere. When the sense of novelty is gone, it is of no use at all." Closing the book, he yawned. "Get some sleep now. We need to get up early tomorrow."
Lola disappeared into the shadows.
Ye Qingxuan closed his eyes and fell into sleep.
-
Bang! In the basement, Auden fell on the ground, feeling powerless. Along with a sound of cracking of the head, Mandel's body lay on the ground. Scarlet and grey liquid spurted out onto Auden's face, painting his face a grey-white. Warm brain fell into his mouth; the salty and fishy taste making him want to vomit.
Feeling sudden darkness falling over his eyes, he almost fainted. He became totally lost… What the f*ck happened? Since the end of his ritual, the old man had been standing there as if he had lost his soul, the Aether around him fluctuating. Sometimes he was like talking to some invisible man, but there is total emptiness in his eyes.
It looked as if his soul was stolen.
Until just now, his head blew up, his body twitching all over.
As Mandel was dead, the Aether stove crackled without a sound. The fire went out, leaving only irritatingly stinky smoke spreading all over the room. The oddities dispersed, screaming in a low voice. Mercury fell from the ceiling as if it was raining. It was bitterly cold.
Auden shivered. He got up from the floor and staggered out.
This place is too dangerous to stay.
-
In the morning, Xavier woke up. Damp sea wind blew through the door, and the quilts were so damp that some moss was growing on them.
He took a deep breath and rubbed his face, feeling relaxed. Maybe it was due to the assurance of master Mandel, he had the best sleep that had been lost to him since quite long ago. It was like he had been given a new life; no tiredness at all.
Then there was a knock on the door. "Colonel, breakfast is ready." The man outside said, "Do you want your breakfast to be served in your room?"
"No." Xavier got up and said lightly, "I'll go to the dining hall. You go and ask Mr. Ye to go there too."
The man left.
This way, he could enjoy the scene of Ye Qingxuan's body being dragged out during breakfast. The corpse of royal blood may well be nobler and should be good as a side dish.
He took his dagger and shaved in front of the mirror in the living room. Then he looked at himself in the mirror—as majestic as iron.
Xavier nodded with satisfaction.
This was the last day of bitterness. No trouble would remain after Ye Qingxuan was dead. It would be appropriate to embrace his new life with such a good look.
Ignoring the cracks of the mirror, he went out. It was so quiet in the Cloister of Cavern in the morning. In this lightless sea, only the torches on the wall were burning. One could not even tell whether it was morning or evening.
Many people were already up, sitting in the aisle and in the rooms. The chef pushed the breakfast cart over and poured some boiled plaster-like food into their iron cups. The food was shoveled with spoons into their mouths before it got cold. After days of torment, everyone got pale. Lowering their heads, they sat in the corner like prisoners in total silence.
It was almost time.
Pondering over the plans for the next step, he went through the aisle and pushed open the kitchen door. Then he saw Auden sitting in the corner. The clerk-like man sat on a stool, restless and pale, curling himself. Seeing Xavier, he managed a smile but evaded his eye contact.
Xavier paused in shock. A chill ran down his back, almost freezing him.
Something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was. He could only sense that it was bad.
Then, he heard someone speaking from the seat for the host: "Sorry that I took your seat." The white-hair young man sitting in the chair that had been his was leisurely cutting the tender beef on the plate.
"I was quite hungry, so I didn't wait for you. Please don't be angry."
"Ye…Qingxuan?" Xavier trembled, his face twitching.
All of a sudden, it was like an invisible nightmare had caught him and drained all of his strength, leaving fear in his heart and darkness covering his eyes. He stepped back subconsciously. Yet he didn't notice that there were two men standing at the door. They looked at him coldly, saying nothing.
"Sit." Ye Qingxuan pointed at the seat opposite to his. "We have mushrooms on the boat, so I told the cook to make some soup. It is good. Have some while it is hot."
Xavier was paralyzed. He stood where he was for quite long and then, with effort, he moved forward and pulled out the chair to sit. A bow of hot soup was served. He could smell the fragrance of cream from it. He took a spoon but hesitated to eat anything. Pretty soon, there was a layer of frozen oil on the surface of the soup. What a waste.
"You're not hungry?" Looking at him, Ye Qingxuan stretched out and took the bowl. "Give it to me then. I'm not full yet."
Xavier wanted to say something, yet failed to make any sound. In the silence, only the sound of Ye Qingxuan eating soup could be heard.
After a long time, Ye Qingxuan put down the spoon and gave a satisfactory sigh. "Too much cream, but delicious. What a good cook. After such a long time sailing at sea, it is so reviving to eat a bowl of hot soup like this. It is very good. It is a pity that you don't want any."
Xavier didn't speak. He put down the spoon, his figure trembling.
"I just found out that this position is really good. It's just opposite my room." Ye Qingxuan took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth. He said quite casually, "It would be quite good if there were a frozen body dragged out from the room while having breakfast."
In the silence, some rustling was heard from outside of the door. Someone carried a headless corpse from the basement and slowly dragged it along the corridor to somewhere far away. Then, a splash was heard, like something was dropped into the sea.
"Now that we have had breakfast, let's talk business." Ye Qingxuan looked at Xavier's pale face closely, then said gently, "Business about the Burgundians."
Xavier's last hope was put out. His face went greyish pale. It was like he had become old in an instant. He almost fell from his chair.
Ye Qingxuan tossed two passports and a traveler's manual on the desk. The manual, with a cover featuring beautiful scenery at some port, was weathered due to frequent reading. He smiled.
"Calais is a beautiful place. It is spring all year with warm wind from the sea. You can see the harbor through the window, and wild cats napping on the roof.
"You've chosen a nice place for yourself. You have a house there and a money order from the church. You can spend the rest of your life comfortably and even have the money for a decent funeral. You can live there happily, free from all danger and wars.
"I have to say, you've sold your colleagues for a good price. They will thank you from hell."
"Enough!" Xavier finally spoke. Clinching his fists, he stared at Ye Qingxuan angrily. "You know nothing at all! I did that because…"
"It doesn't matter at all what it was for." Ye Qingxuan interrupted him, obviously having interest. "I don't want to hear your difficulties or excuses. You betrayed them anyway. Right?"
