Chapter 128 : Chapter 128

Chapter 128. Song of the Traveler

At dinnertime, inside a small dining room in La Roche Castle, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

An exquisite spread of dishes had been laid out on the round table, and the four of them sat around it. Lucius occupied the seat of honor.

To his left sat the chirping, overexcited Young Duke Constantine.

To his right was Lynn, whose face carried a gentle smile from beginning to end, while Eli sat opposite Lucius.

Constantine seemed to have completely forgotten the exhaustion of training.

From time to time, he brought up amusing little stories or things he had seen around the castle, making Lynn cover her mouth and laugh brightly.

Tonight, Lucius also rarely refrained from discussing any official business. He merely ate quietly,

his gaze warm as he watched the interaction between his nephew and his....... grandniece.

Seeing how happy Lynn looked, Lucius seemed to remember something.

He turned to the steward standing nearby and instructed, “Go fetch that cask of Golden Sunset my elder brother has been saving. Tonight is worth savoring.”

A look of surprise appeared on the old steward’s face, then turned into a smile. “Yes, Sir. That is one of His Grace the Duke’s most treasured vintages.”

He bowed to receive the order and slowly withdrew.

Not long after, the old steward returned carrying a wine jar that looked as though it had already gathered many years.

The moment Eli saw it, he immediately rose and stepped forward to take it from him. It felt heavy in his hands and gave off a cool chill.

Looking at the wine jar, Lucius burst into laughter, a rare sight. “You are all in for a treat tonight!

This is a fine vintage my elder brother has treasured for over twenty years.

It came from the best year of the Midsummer Isles, and even he could hardly bear to drink it lightly.”

The moment Constantine heard it was something valuable, he immediately raised his empty cup toward Eli.

“Baron Eli! I want some too! Pour me some as well!”

Eli looked to Lucius for confirmation. Lucius smiled and nodded.

“This wine has a rather strong kick. Pour him less than half a cup, just enough for a taste.”

Only then did Eli carefully break the clay seal. A rich, mellow fragrance of wine instantly spread through the room.

One by one, he filled the cups of Lucius, Lynn, and himself with the amber-colored liquor.

Then he poured only half a cup for Constantine.

Lucius lifted his goblet, just about to savor this rare taste.

But Lynn suddenly smiled and extended her own goblet forward.

“Great-Uncle! Let’s clink glasses first! To celebrate... to celebrate the fact that we’re eating together!”

Eli and Constantine immediately responded with grins, bringing their goblets forward and lightly tapping them against Lynn’s.

Watching the expectant looks in the eyes of the three young people, the hard defenses in Lucius’s heart seemed to be completely moved at last.

He let out a quiet laugh and also extended his hand, bringing his goblet together with theirs.

“Cheers!” Lynn said loudly, her smile radiant.

“Cheers!” Constantine followed right after, shouting excitedly.

“To reunion,” Eli said with a smile.

Lucius did not call out a toast, but his cup met theirs solidly, and a faint smile rested in his eyes.

A warm and joyful family dinner thus reached its high point amidst the crisp sound of clinking cups.

By the time the dinner ended, the night sky outside was already full of stars.

Lucius had rare enough drunk several extra cups tonight, and that treasured wine had quite a bit of strength behind it.

At this moment, a faint flush had risen on his stern face.

His eyes were no longer as sharp as usual. Instead, they had grown somewhat unfocused, and when he rose to his feet, even his steps were slightly unsteady.

The steward at his side hurried forward to support him and quietly explained to Eli and Lynn,

“Sir Lucius’s tolerance for wine... has always been rather... restrained... since childhood.

He is all right with just a taste, but a little more than that and he becomes like this. Please forgive the spectacle.”

Seeing his uncle in such a sorry state, so completely different from his usual imposing image, Constantine could not help bursting into laughter, as though he had discovered some great secret.

Suppressing his own amusement, Eli respectfully took his leave.

He accompanied Lynn out of the dining room and escorted her back to her room.

When they reached her door, Eli glanced to either side, confirmed that no one was in the corridor, and then lowered his voice.

“Tonight... don’t lock the door. I’ll come see you later.”

A pair of red clouds instantly rose across Lynn’s cheeks, making her look all the more charming in the candlelight of the corridor.

She glared at Eli in embarrassed annoyance and let out a coquettish little huff. “I will lock it! Who’s waiting for you?!”

With that, she swiftly slipped into her room and shut the door with a bang.

Eli shook his head with a laugh and returned to the guest room being kept for him in an excellent mood.

As he prepared to wash up, his eyes happened to sweep across the tabletop.

There he saw the copy of 《A Detailed Explanation of the Western Federation Alliance—With Supplementary Analysis of the Customs, Geography, and Military Characteristics of Each State》 that he had borrowed from the library.

“Oh, right, I still haven’t returned this book.” He slapped his forehead.

He would be leaving early tomorrow morning, so he might as well return it tonight.

With a sigh, he picked up the heavy book and stepped out of the room once more.

He headed toward the library deep within La Roche Fortress, where the lights were always burning.

The fortress corridors at night were quiet and empty, with only the sound of his own footsteps echoing through them.

On the counter at the library entrance, a candle was still burning, giving off a warm glow.

That gaunt old man named Reeves was still exactly as Eli had first seen him.

Wrapped in a gray hooded robe, he was curled up in that broad chair.

Hearing Eli’s approaching footsteps, he slowly raised his head.

When he saw that it was Eli, that signature low laugh came rasping from his throat:

“Heh-heh-heh... so it’s the little sparrow... heh-heh... coming to read again so late at night?

What a diligent little sparrow you are... heh-heh-heh...”

Listening to that hurried, wheezing breath that made one worry for his health, Eli set the book in his hands down on the table before him.

“I’m here to return the book. I finished it.

You should talk less too. Just listening to you is exhausting.”

Not only did Reeves fail to take offense, he seemed even happier.

“Heh-heh-heh... don’t worry... perhaps... heh-heh... I’ll live longer than you yet... heh-heh...”

The corners of Eli’s mouth twitched. Too lazy to argue with this strange old man, he instead remembered something and asked,

“By the way, Reeves, you’ve been here a long time.

Do you know whether Chris Russell... left behind any other writings besides this one?”

Under the candlelight, something seemed to flicker in Reeves’s clouded eyes.

He tilted his head, as though searching through distant memories. Only after a long while did he slowly nod.

“Heh-heh... I think... there was another one... I remember it was a very small notebook... placed... heh-heh...”

He spoke in broken fragments, as though he could not catch his breath.

He beckoned to Eli, then pointed at his own back.

“Come here... carry me... over there to get it... I can’t walk anymore... heh-heh.”

Hearing that, Eli brightened at once. So there really was another one!

But upon hearing Reeves’s absurd request, he could not help feeling a wave of helplessness.

Looking at the old man’s frail body, as though a gust of wind could knock him over, Eli finally resigned himself, turned around, and crouched down.

“All right, all right. Just hold on tight.”

Reeves let out a smug little laugh and shakily climbed onto Eli’s back.

Eli stood up with the slightest exertion, inwardly startled. This old man... was far too light!

It was as though he were carrying a bundle of dry firewood, almost weightless.

“Where to?” Eli asked.

“Go farther in... left side... yes... farther ahead...

second turn to the right... the innermost bookshelf... top shelf...”

Lying on Eli’s back, Reeves guided him through this vast maze of bookshelves.

At last, following Reeves’s directions, Eli arrived before a huge bookshelf in a secluded corner.

Reeves stretched out one skeletal hand and pressed against Eli’s hair to steady himself.

With the other, he pointed shakily toward the corner of the highest shelf.

“There... that little booklet... with the black cover...”

Rising onto his toes, Eli carefully took down the thin black-covered booklet.

He quietly read the title on the cover aloud—

《Song of the Traveler》?

He assumed it was probably another account of the man’s travels.

Then, holding the booklet, he carried Reeves back to the chair by the entrance and gently set him down.

Reeves seemed especially happy now, the corners of his mouth beneath the hood stretched the whole time.

That continuous heh-heh wheezing kept coming out of him.

Eli could not quite understand it, and could only assume that the old man had spent too many years alone guarding the library.

If someone kept him company for a little while, or even carried him on a short trip like that, it was enough to make him this happy.

“Ahem.” Eli shook the little black booklet in his hand.

“Reeves, I won’t register this one for now. I’m borrowing it to take a look, and I’ll return it the next time I come to Thorne, all right?”

Reeves merely smiled and nodded, waving his thin hand as though to say: Take it, take it.

Eli turned and left.

Behind him, Reeves watched his departing back.

Within those clouded eyes, a trace of indescribable light seemed to flash.

“Heh-heh... Primeval Forest, bless you... child... heh-heh...”

After leaving the library, Eli did not immediately return to his guest room.

After confirming that no one was around, he slipped soundlessly into Lynn’s unlocked room like a nimble night cat...

...

Morning came, and sunlight once more spilled across Thorne City.

With Wolfgang and several Black Crow Knights at his side, Eli had already finished making preparations at the gates of La Roche Fortress.

The horses were spirited and ready to depart at any moment.

Eli turned back and looked up toward a terrace high on the fortress.

There stood a single figure—Sir Lucius La Roche.

He had changed back into his usual severe attire, and his expression had recovered its customary composure, as though that slightly tipsy elder from the previous night had only been an illusion.

A smile appeared on Eli’s face. He waved forcefully toward the terrace and shouted loudly,

“Sir Lucius! Farewell! Thank you for your hospitality!”

Standing on the terrace, Lucius looked at the vigorous Eli below and remained silent for a moment.

Then, hesitantly, he raised his hand and gave a light wave in Eli’s direction.

He kept watching until Eli swung himself onto his horse, led his group away, and vanished at the end of the street. Only then did he slowly lower his hand.

A complicated emotion, one he had never before experienced, spread quietly through his heart.

For some reason, he thought of a very long time ago... a very long time ago indeed, of his mother—a lady who had once possessed a deep fascination with ancient divination.

For a time, she had been passionately devoted to studying the stars in the sky and..... destiny.

At that time, while he was still very young, he had naturally become her finest little subject for experimentation.

Back then, looking at the blurry image within her crystal ball, she had gently stroked his head and said to him,

“Ah! Lucius, my child, look!

The gods are telling me... that in the future, you will have a son who makes you incomparably proud!

And you too will become a son who makes your mother proud! Won’t you?”

Later, his mother’s enthusiasm for divination had faded, and that prophecy had gradually been forgotten as well.

Yet his mother’s prophecy about his fate had only gone slightly astray.....

Lucius had remained unmarried his whole life, with neither son nor daughter......

But now, as he gazed in the direction where Eli had disappeared, a kind of complicated emotion quietly sprang up within him, something he had never experienced before, something akin to...

or perhaps rather, the mingled worry and hope one feels for a younger generation setting out on a long journey.

Why had he thought of that at this moment?

Standing in the morning wind, Lucius gazed into the distance with deep eyes and said nothing for a long time.

He shook his head, as though trying to cast off that absurd notion.

“Heh. I truly am getting old....”