Bonus Chapter: Thanks to everyone, Artemis, black_cat, sanityisoverrated, mochiispiider, astory, kofi_supporter, and other donators who donated even earlier, thank you for the encouragement and the support 💕, three more bonus chapters to go before we return to the normal schedule!
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It did not take long for Shen Yu and Kai to travel through other towns in a similar fashion. And by the fifth one, they reached a consensus to stop.
During the time they traveled, their joint training persisted to elevate Shen Yu’s combat prowess, flexibility, and mastery of aura.
As Shen Yu honed his skills, he engaged in battles against various adversaries, including those who were pursuing Malcum, the numerous street thugs, and a persistent level of deranged elven groups.
The passing towns offered little in the way of novelty, their inhabitants mirroring those of previous locales. Some openly harbored disdain for the elf, while others shrank back in fear at the sight of Kai.
However, upon entering the fifth town, a palpable transformation could be seen by the naked eye. There were no disruptive forces, awkward interactions, filthy bandits, or difficult darkened creatures. The sudden clean environment made it difficult to oversee. This made Kai suspicious, and so the both of them unanimously decided to take a rest.
This town boasted a more opulent cityscape, characterized by buildings of uniform solidity and regularity. The city’s outer walls, adorned with intricate designs and carvings, stood imposing and majestic.
The gate was vigilantly guarded by six formidable sentinels, each wielding a weapon of their choice.
The town’s entrance stretched wide, an expansive threshold that unveiled a sight they had never witnessed before. Numerous merchants and ordinary townsfolk formed orderly queues, waiting to gain entry to the bustling landscape beyond. The city gate stood ajar, allowing Shen Yu and Kai an unobstructed view of the inside.
Shen Yu struggled to contain his emotions, his heart nearly overwhelmed with joy as he gazed upon the broad brick-paved streets, towering wagons, and impressive structures that greeted them. Although his countenance remained stoic, internally, he brimmed with excitement at the prospect of encountering such prosperity.
It had been a while since he last saw such good planning and architecture.
With measured composure, he heard the official shouting out at regular intervals, “Welcome to Town Mauryi. Please present your identity cards, state the purpose of your visit, and provide your names when you enter.”
Kai’s eyes locked onto the guard who diligently recorded guest names in a lengthy register, his hand gracefully clutching a pristine white feather quill.
He occupied a modest bench nestled beneath the cool shade of a towering column, positioned beside the unwavering sentinel who barred entry to those lacking permits or identity cards.
When Kai picked out his card, a flash of gleaming silver insignia caught their eye, and an imperceptible shift occurred in the way they regarded the two.
Shen Yu silently appreciated Malcum’s evidently high status within the town.
It was then that the guard’s voice broke the stillness, addressing Kai, “Sir, your companion must also present his identity card. Elf or not, we cannot admit unregistered races.”
Kai smiled impassively, with an air of nonchalance. “Ah, I see,” then he turned to Shen Yu and gestured toward Shen Yu, his demeanor cool as he remarked, “He is my wife. Isn’t there a provision allowing entry for family members when the head of the household possesses an identity card?”
A peculiar hush enveloped the surroundings, leaving even Shen Yu in stunned bewilderment.
Wife?
Whose wife…?
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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[109.3 Trillion Viewer Count]. [Barrage Heat: hot]
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[Rupart_old_man: ….???!!!]
[Shen_¥u45: 666 I applaud, I applaud, let me pack my dog self and move out of the way]
[black_goldfish: Hunter is really playing that game, kekekek]
[29484: Guys, calm down, Hunter is just protecting Shen Yu from those guards.]
[astralnomad_whiteblack: Look at Shen Yu, hahahahaha, i have never seen his eyes widen so much, like small diner plates!]
[pupipuper: What is going on, Hunter is suddenly…??!]
[Mulberry475: Can everyone stay calm? Why are you all acting up, haha]
[fakenews-56: everyone, I just posted this on the gossip network, go a take a look ~]
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He really wanted to know if his brain was faulty, but he couldn’t understand anything. His mind was blank and he was wondering if perhaps, Malcum’s recollection was crooked.
And why “wife”?
Why couldn’t he simply be the adopted sibling?
Or perhaps, a “husband”?
Blank and pitiable, he decided to let Kai pursue whatever course of action he wished, realising it would have no impact on their relationship.
As if finally letting his guard down, Shen Yu unwittingly began to dig a pit that would only grow deeper with time.
“…wife…” The registrar hesitated, his gaze lifting to the androgynous elf who exuded an aura of refined elegance, quite distinct from the eccentric individuals encountered in recent times.
“I enjoy calling him my wife, and he doesn’t mind,” Kai stated casually, brushing aside the issue of gender.
But Shen Yu felt a surge of frustration; of course, he cared! Why would anyone want to be addressed as a female?
“But sir,” the guard coughed, “even if that is the case, can you show us your… partner’s stamp on the card? There is none here.”
“He is the new wife.”
The guard was baffled. But looking at the close proximity of the two strangers, he surmised they wouldn’t lie about this, for the difference between casual relationships and marital one was like heaven and earth. And elves were often seen as the ‘lower race’, so even if the tall stranger lied, with his authority of Silver Card, he could do anything he wanted.
So the guard only tested the elf. “…name.”
Taking control, Shen Yu responded with a sharp, crisp tone, “My name is Vinir, male.”
After completing their somewhat awkward registration, the ‘couple’ presented the silver card again and barged inside the gate, eager to explore. Well, Shen Yu was the most eager, not that it showed on his face.
The streets were spacious, lined with charming old brick houses, and teeming with shoppers, as practically every building housed a shop at its base.
The townsfolk donned attire similar to what Shen Yu and Kai wore, sparing them the trouble of changing their outfits.
However, it was evident that this town didn’t harbor the same fear of elves as others. Many people displayed genuine curiosity and interest in Shen Yu, their gazes burning with curiosity and devoid of any fear.
“Wife, perhaps this town is situated farther from those eccentric elves,” Shen Yu remarked, with a distinct emphasis on the word “wife.”
Kai chuckled softly, his fingers playfully grazing Shen Yu’s neck. “Wife is absolutely correct. This town is a considerable distance from that dense forest, shielded by numerous other villages, I’d say.”
“Wife is right.”
Shen Yu spoke knowingly, unapologetically asserting that Kai, too, could assume the role of a wife if they wished to play along with that notion.
“Since my dear wife seems so enthralled with this new honorific, why don’t we adopt it from now on?” Kai suggested, leaning in closer to Shen Yu’s ear and encircling his waist with an arm.
Suddenly, an acute awareness of their proximity to each other and the curious gazes of onlookers overwhelmed Shen Yu. He tried not to stiffen but couldn’t help but do so. Kai was so audacious!
He gently pushed Kai away and retreated two steps, standing still. He couldn’t determine if the warmth he felt was from the sun or if his heart was beating too hard to keep him warm. What other explanation could be there?
“Haha, let’s proceed, my dear wife. We ought to gather a few essentials before we can properly unwind,” Kai chimed with a cheerful tone, playing no heed to what Shen Yu had to say.
He extended his hand in a nonchalant manner, showing little concern about potential judgment from others should Shen Yu decline. “Plus, we should find something to manage that hair of yours. This town surely offers quality products.”
After a brief moment of hesitation, Shen Yu took Kai’s offered hand, somewhat puzzled by the need for hand-holding when he was perfectly capable of following Kai without assistance. He wasn’t a delicate flower; he was a resilient blade of grass.
Until now, Kai had refrained from ever reaching out to hold Shen Yu’s hand, even in moments of fatigue when Shen Yu expected he might. Throughout their academic journey, there had never been a specific cause for such an action.
However, Kai’s sudden insistence on hand-holding struck Shen Yu as rather unusual. What made it even more peculiar was Kai’s habit of affectionately referring to Shen Yu as ‘wife,’ which seemed to play a part in this newfound closeness.
Though initially hesitant, Shen Yu was pleasantly surprised to discover that hand-holding transcended mere displays of affection; it offered an unexpected level of comfort.
Such comfort wasn’t meant to display outward affection that others could judge, Shen Yu felt nothing but calm when he held Kai’s hand.
Whenever Kai led the way, either through narrow streets or massive crowded ones, Shen Yu just had to dutifully follow; there was no need to verbally chatter and make decisions.
So when fatigue crept in, Kai would pull him along like cherished cargo, giving him strength and a gentle tug of comfort. And whenever Shen Yu felt anxiety creeping in, Kai’s reassuring hand squeeze was all it took to put him at ease. He knew he had unwavering support, and no one dared question or criticize him without reason.
In social situations, where people would approach them out of curiosity, Kai effortlessly guided Shen Yu, sparing him the need to interpret subtle cues; Kai just placed him where he needed to be.
In congested places, Shen Yu had no trouble staying close to Kai; their connection was unbreakable.
Shen Yu acknowledged his imperfections; he wasn’t exceptionally intelligent or overly kind. He found that there was a different kind of solace in allowing Kai to navigate.
On the other hand, when watching the two from a different perspective.
Kai immediately seemed more warm and inviting when compared to the cold faced elf, Never causing offense or driving people away with the same icy indifference. Shen Yu’s silence only contributed to the perception of him being an enigmatic and regal elf companion.
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“…here.”
Shen Yu took the wrapped package carefully, immediately savoring the natural and delightful fruit salad along with some fruit bread.
Finally, he found a moment to sit alone, his gaze fixed on the bustling eatery nearby, where patrons queued up to place their orders. Shen Yu occupied a bench at the periphery of a quaint garden, where several young children engaged in an animated game of catch.
Kai had walked off to inquire about accommodations, leaving Shen Yu engrossed in his meal.
As he indulged in the flavors, he couldn’t help but notice the itchiness of his empty palm. It had been only a couple of hours at most, yet Shen Yu already found himself yearning to hold hands again. He finally understood why couples would insist on doing this. It was… pleasant.
He pondered if this public display was merely a strategy to convince others that their relationship was genuine. Strangely, Shen Yu felt a pang of disappointment when he arrived at that conclusion.
Was he wrong to feel tempted?
He wasn’t sure, maybe holding hands meant more to him than to Kai. Wasn’t Kai just doing this for the sake of the mission…
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A/N- I was supposed to post this chapter 42 earlier this week but I forgot to set the date to my draft. So it was still lying in the draft 😅 And I still have to edit the later bonus chapters, 43, 44, 45. hehehe Despite having written the chapters, the editing takes me the most time.
[So, Next Bonus update: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Normal Update: Friday]
Thank u for the chapters🙏🏼🙏🏼
You are welcome 🤗
Ahh thank you for the update!! I miss you author it’s been four months since the last time you write😭😭 I’m really loving this novel specially when the mc is such a cutie piee❤️❤️
Thank you soo much for your patience and for loving this novel!!! I will continue to strife for a commited schedule ~ A long journey awaits Shen Yu and Kai!