Chapter 136 - 135: A Scumbag’s Tear, a Performance to Break Your Heart

Chapter 136: Chapter 135: A Scumbag’s Tear, a Performance to Break Your Heart

With Laila’s personal needs taken care of and the issue of trust among them resolved, the group set off once more.

Li Ye used the Wind Element to form a pure white cloud, which carried the girls forward.

No Wind Forbidden Mage had ever wasted Magic Power like this. Even when traveling, they would only use spells that consumed little Magic Power, such as the Floating Technique.

The girls had never had such a romantic experience, and they whooped and cheered in excitement as they sat upon the white cloud.

"Your Eminence, were all Mages from the Ancient Era incredibly powerful?" Elise asked.

"There were more Forbidden Mages back then. And maybe it’s just because I was rather exceptional myself, but at least everyone I knew had immense Magic Power," Li Ye said. "In the Ancient Era, Mages applied Magic Power to every aspect of life—things like magic-powered locomotives, artificial rain, and enchanted kitchens."

"What’s a magic-powered locomotive?" Elise asked curiously.

"They were vehicles that used Magic Elements to power a mechanical core," Li Ye explained. "They traveled between the various cities, and ordinary people could ride them just by paying a few Copper Coins. It was incredibly convenient."

"And artificial rain?" Elsa asked.

"During a drought, a Mage would use Magic to form clouds in the sky and make it rain, helping farmers relieve the dry spell," Li Ye said.

"Your Eminence, the people who lived in your era must have been so happy!" Joey said with a look of longing. "Everyone lived in peace and prosperity, and Divine Spirits would help them overcome disasters..."

"You all can do it, too." Li Ye glanced at Joey and smiled. "The only reason you haven’t is because you lost your heritage. Now, I have shown you a new path. In the future, once you’ve driven out the Undead, every Mage can strive for this. You can restore Magic to its former greatness."

"Unfortunately, there are no Divine Spirits left in the world," Philry said.

"Then become your own gods," Li Ye said. "In my opinion, Divine Spirits are just people who are more powerful than ordinary folk. They have their own joys and sorrows, and there are good ones and bad ones among them."

"’Become our own gods?’" Philry was stunned by this blasphemous declaration.

"That’s a choice you only make when there’s no other way. If I return to the past and save the Gods, you won’t have to worry about this," Li Ye said with a smile. "Who knows, maybe one day in your future, your history will suddenly change, and the sky above will be filled with a whole host of Gods..."

"Your Eminence, if history changed and all the Gods survived, then the Undead Calamity would never have happened. And maybe... we wouldn’t even exist," Elsa said suddenly.

"Elsa, has anyone ever told you that you’re very smart?" Li Ye looked at her in surprise, raising an eyebrow.

"..." Elsa looked over at him, confused.

"You’ve stumbled upon a famous time paradox," Li Ye said with a smile. "If you went back in time and killed your grandfather, would you still exist?"

"If my grandfather died, then my father would never have been born. Without my father, I wouldn’t have been born, so of course I wouldn’t exist," Elsa said.

"But if you don’t exist, then how could you possibly go back in time to kill your grandfather?" Li Ye asked.

"That’s right! If you don’t exist, how could you go back? No grandfather means no you! Elsa, I never would have thought of that. His Eminence is right, you really are smart," Laila said.

"Your Eminence, what’s this paradox called?" Philry asked.

"The Grandfather Paradox," Li Ye said. "It was a forbidden subject of temporal research for the Mages of my era."

"Amazing," Polly said.

"..." Elsa looked at Li Ye, hesitating to speak. Her eyes were filled with worry. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer. "Your Eminence, if the Grandfather Paradox is true, does that mean... even if you go back to the past, you can’t change history?"

"You can’t change history?" Amilia, the Wind Mage, had been studying the cloud. She looked up and said, "So, whatever is meant to happen will happen? The Gods will still be destroyed, the Undead Calamity will still arrive, and it’s useless for you to go back?"

"..." The chattering girls suddenly fell silent.

"So... if you go back, Your Eminence, you might die?" Tears welled up in Elise’s eyes. She looked at Li Ye and pleaded, "How about... you don’t go back! Our world is nice, too. Here, you can become the most powerful and respected person in the world."

"Or, become a new god," the Elf Maiden, Joey, said, glancing at Li Ye.

"No. I don’t belong to this era. I have to go back, even if I can’t change a single thing," Li Ye said, shaking his head. "To fight alongside my teacher... even to die with him in battle would be a blessing.

I was brought to this world for reasons I don’t understand. I never even had a chance to say a single word of farewell to my teacher before I heard the news of his death. Do you know how much sorrow that brings me?"

His expression suddenly darkened. A single tear slipped quietly from the corner of his eye, his gaze filled with sorrow and longing. He spoke softly, "I’m only in my twenties... In this world, I have no one I know. My family, my friends... none of them are here with me..."

Seeing His Eminence Aragon weeping, the girls fell silent.

’It’s true.’

’His Eminence Aragon is powerful, but he’s still just a young man in his twenties!’

’He has no family here, no friends!’

’No.’

’His family and friends all perished in the War of the Gods!’

’But he’s still forcing down his grief and helplessness, staying here without a second thought, all because of his powerful convictions and the lessons his teacher imparted.’

’That’s why he won’t allow himself to abandon this world as it faces disaster!’

’What noble character!’

’His usual smile must be a facade!’

’His Eminence Aragon is usually so calm. That time he lashed out at the fortress... it must have been because he needed an outlet for his panic and helplessness!’

’And he’s been teaching us to be independent, self-reliant, and strong...’

’If Elsa hadn’t figured out the Grandfather Paradox, His Eminence Aragon would probably still be wearing that mask.’

’Once he helps us deal with the Undead Calamity, he’ll use Forbidden Magic to go back to the past and walk calmly to his death!’

’That must be his plan! He’s really going to do it!’

’Because his teacher, his family, and his friends are all in the distant past...’

’If they put themselves in his shoes... if they were in His Eminence’s position, they probably would have broken down by now.’

’His Eminence Aragon is truly a great man!’

...

The powerful Li Ye had shown his vulnerability, successfully arousing the girls’ sentimentality and even their maternal instincts.

Their eyes immediately reddened.

"Your Eminence, you’re not alone in this world," Elise said. "You have us. We’re all your friends."

"That’s right. We’re all your friends," Laila added, nodding earnestly.

"What’s in the past has already happened. If you can’t stop it, why must you go back?" Elsa said, looking at Li Ye. "Maybe... maybe your teacher sent you to our world because he didn’t want you to endure all that suffering. He wanted you to live a full life."

"Perhaps," Li Ye sighed. He wiped the tear from his eye and forced a smile, but he couldn’t hide the desolation deep within his gaze.

"Your Eminence, can I give you a hug?" Elsa asked suddenly, looking at Li Ye.

Li Ye froze for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh. "There’s no need. I’m not that fragile. I shouldn’t be wasting time on sentimentality. Come on, let’s go!"

In an instant, his confident demeanor returned.

Watching His Eminence Aragon put his mask back on, Elsa felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.

She stubbornly walked up to Li Ye, opened her arms, and gently pulled him into an embrace. "Your Eminence," she said softly, "I know I’m overstepping. But just this once, please let me be selfish.

Please, drop that strong facade. Accept us. Let us be your friends in this world. No one else will see."

The young woman’s natural fragrance drifted to Li Ye’s nose. Feeling Elsa’s warm embrace, Li Ye froze on the spot.

’Well, damn.’

’I overdid it!’

’What a bunch of kind, simple-hearted kids.’

After a moment, Elsa gently released Li Ye, giving him a smiling nod. "Your Eminence, remember this: I’ll always be by your side."

"Me too." Elise also rushed over to hug Li Ye and comfort him.

"And me..." One by one, as if following a script, each of the girls came over to hug Li Ye.

In that moment, each girl’s gaze was exceptionally gentle. They wanted to use their soft embraces to warm this lonely wanderer.

It was the best way they could think of to comfort him.

"Thank you." After they had all taken their turn, another tear slid from the corner of Li Ye’s eye. He pretended to wipe it away nonchalantly and said with a laugh, "Just this once. There won’t be a next time. I’m a proud Forbidden Mage, the man closest to the gods; I don’t need comfort from a gaggle of little girls."

"Mhm, of course you don’t. His Eminence is the strongest," Elsa said with a sweet smile. At that moment, she felt she had truly grown closer to him.

"Never again, never again," Elise said with a playful blink. "His Eminence is the toughest of all."

"Then does that mean you won’t leave us?" asked Polly, the cat-eared girl.

The words were barely out of her mouth.

when several pairs of eyes shot a glare in her direction.

"Actually, what you’re worried about might not necessarily happen," Li Ye said, looking around at the group with a smile. "Since arriving here, I’ve been pondering a question: Did I really travel ten thousand years into the future?"

"What do you mean, Your Eminence? Gandalf really was a Mage from ten thousand years ago!" Elise said.

"Perhaps the Gandalf of this world did live ten thousand years ago, but that’s not necessarily true for my teacher," Li Ye said. "Elise, do you remember what I said when we first met? I said I had traveled a few hundred years into the future."

"Mhm." Elise nodded. "Maybe you were just mistaken."

"No, perhaps my feeling was correct," Li Ye said, shaking his head. "If the Grandfather Paradox holds true, then maybe I didn’t travel through time, but through space. I came to your world from another world.

Both worlds have a Gandalf.

Your world’s Gandalf died ten thousand years ago in the War of the Gods, while my world’s Gandalf is still alive, still that great Legendary Mage.

Our worlds are parallel, not on the same timeline. That would explain why the things I say are different from what you know, and even why our perception of the time that’s passed is misaligned.

I thought I came from a few hundred years ago, while you believe I’m from ten thousand years ago. Maybe when I return, there won’t be any War of the Gods to fight!"

’When in doubt, blame quantum mechanics.’

’That’s right.’

’Li Ye was covering his tracks. He had to craft the perfect backstory to successfully win the trust of this world.’

’He was from a parallel world.’

’Now, even if the information he provided was inconsistent, no one would be suspicious.’