"Hey, hey~ Mr. Gu Lao~~ Just admit it! He is just asking you formally. No matter how you quibble, the facts will not change!"
"...Give me back the polite aristocratic lady in the opera."
My whisper made the "noble lady" laugh, and the wooden stick hit the floor again and again in her hand:
"Hahahaha~~ As expected of Mr. Gu! You still want to tease me at this time~~Hahahaha——! I'm really sorry for causing you such a big psychological gap~~"
"It's okay, I didn't have high expectations."
"Hey hey hey~~"
Nonchalantly, the "noble lady" stuck out her tongue at me.
"Mr. Gu, this is Marcia, my friend, and also a guard."
Qian Zhihe introduced me to the true identity of the "noble lady".
"I am Alvin, one of the guards."
The boy next to him said.
I looked at him - dark blond hair, angular face, resolute and courageous expression... another guy who looked like the protagonist.
Well, all in all, I was tricked by three guardsmen brats.
"Okay, okay..."
I reluctantly raised my hands to show compromise:
"I'm unlucky to have met you..."
As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I felt like a villain at the end of my rope.
"Do you really have a divine eye?"
Qian Zhihe emphasized to me again.
"Whatever you think...didn't that kid named Maria say that I can quibble..."
"Who is Mary?! Marcia! Marcia!"
"Hey, my hearing is normal, so don't yell into my ears, and don't come near me with sticks."
"Eh~ Mr. Gu is unreasonable!"
"..."
There is no point in arguing like this. I sighed and asked Qian Zhihe:
"Have you planned to do this all along?"
"Well... the smooth implementation is actually largely due to luck. After all, we can't predict whether your divine talent will see through it in advance... But even if you see through it, it can still be used as a judge.
Do you have a basis for divine purpose?"
After her analysis, she found that predicting in advance actually increased the chance of being discovered... I was indeed unlucky.
"But no matter whether it succeeds or not, I want to try it. After that time, I decided."
The "that time" she was talking about must have been Barrick's bet.
This guy is actually willing to do this...if only he had been more vigilant.
"Okay, okay..."
At this point, it is futile to insist on a negative attitude, although I am still a little unconvinced.
"So, what do you want to do?"
My heart was beating violently, and I was sweating coldly because of my nervousness.
If they ignore my protests and report the matter of divine purpose to the lord, then all the peaceful life I have now will completely leave me.
Or...
"Hey, Mr. Gu, don't you understand yet?"
Marcia sighed exaggeratedly:
"One of the seven great gifts! What a shame that you have lived in a small town for more than a hundred years and are still just a lonely old man!"
"...Since you know my age, please respect me."
"Hey - I don't want it~~ You look about the same age as me, and besides, it's very difficult for me to use honorifics!"
"..."
Phew...Calm down, it is unbecoming of an elder to argue with children.
"Mr. Gu Lao, when you sensed Marcia and Ivan's attack just now, did you obtain multiple pieces of information about the purpose of divinity at once?"
"Yes."
I blurted out, not caring that this was a disguised admission that I had divine eyes.
In fact, I am struggling with this point: Why did the plug-in that usually did not respond suddenly work?
Speaking of which...it seems to have happened in the past...
"Because the divine gift exists for war, only in battle can the divine gift exert its full power."
"..."
"The divine eye can predict threats and, to some extent, provide ways to resolve them."
Alvin added briefly.
"...Why do you understand?"
"You have done too little research on this area~~"
"Well..."
Marcia's smug look annoyed me. I probably read more books than she talked...even though I didn't read much information about divine gifts.
"Hmph, how about it? Your spouse must not be able to tell you anything now, right? In daily life, the ability of divine purpose is considered dispensable!"
"Marcia, please stop saying a few words..."
Thank you, Qianzhihe.
"Mr. Gu Lao, in other words, you had a divine marriage more than a hundred years ago?"
Paper cranes look at me.
Hmm~~Compared to Marcia, I am more willing to answer the gentle Paper Crane...wait, a mate?
"Ah? Dating? I don't have a Dating."
"Ha?!"
When Marcia made a fuss and questioned, Qianzhihe also frowned in confusion.
"Hey, hey, aren't you confessing? You're being too stubborn..."
"Um, Mr. Gu, do you mean that you don't have a mate but you have a gift?"
"Yes."
"But...you may not know that the divine gift is attached to the destined partner..."
"I know, but it's not mine, I promise."
Huh, these kids really treat me like an ignorant old man.
More than seventy years ago, Eleanor told me:
As early as the beginning of the creation of the world, she informed the world of the basic information of divine gifts in the form of "oracles".
Except for the divine eye, other divine gifts are carried in fixed couples. This type of couples is called [divine couples]. According to legend, there are only seven in the world, but in fact there are six. p>
Moreover, once the divinely betrothed host is chosen, the contract will not be invalidated until the host dies.
That is "lifelong contract".
"Well..."
Qian Zhihe thought for a while and said:
"I believe that Mr. Gu Lao... has never had a divine purpose owner in the past. It is normal for the relevant records to deviate from reality."
"Well~~I support Crane!"
Tsk tsk, this guy has no opinion at all. But I’m really lucky that I don’t need to waste any more words.
"Mr. Gu Lao, why don't you join the war?"
Alvin, who had not spoken for a long time, asked a question, and the expressions of Qianzhihe and Marcia also became serious.
"Your talents were born for war, but you hold back and don't show them. Don't you think it's a waste?"
"What a talent...Oh, after talking for a long time, I finally got back to the topic."
Naturally, I have not forgotten what the three young people in front of me are thinking.
Encourage more people to join the war, serve the honor of the empire, and break the shackles of "eternity"... These voices still echo in my brain.
They are the main force advocating "change" in the town.
"What I do is my freedom, right?"
It's impossible, I will never change my current situation.
"I can't use magic, don't ignore this."
"It doesn't matter~~Mr. Gu Lao, the best match for the divine eye is physical skills. If you can't use magic, it doesn't matter!"
Huh? What is this guy thinking? It’s obviously the magical world...just ignore it.
"...If you just want to say this, then I will leave first."
"Hey, don't ignore me, Mr. Gu!"
Arguing with these young people makes me physically and mentally exhausted.
"Qian Zhihe, thank you for your hospitality. The opera is quite good."
I looked at the hesitant Paper Crane.
"Ah, you're welcome... Do you really want to leave?"
"The atmosphere here is too depressing...especially when there are two guards with wooden sticks standing next to me. Besides, Raya is waiting for me."
"Well..."
Qian Zhihe lowered her head, and I knew she was feeling guilty:
"I hope you will think about it again... We will keep your matter confidential."
"Thank you...but I beg you, please stop meddling in other people's business."
I heard a hint of comfort in Qianzhihe's kindness, which actually made me more and more annoyed.
"Sorry!"
As if seeing through my thoughts, Qian Zhihe apologized again.
"Sorry..."
At the same time, Marcia and Alvin also apologized seriously.
"..."
I left without looking back.
......
When we left the theater, it was raining heavily outside.
Without an umbrella, I ran wildly in the rain, trying to extinguish the unknown fire in my heart.
Damn...those gang...
I gritted my teeth.
My whole body was filled with some kind of impulse, and I had nowhere to vent it. I tried to calm myself down with a deep breath.
Big raindrops hit my face mercilessly, consuming my energy.
I almost couldn't control my emotions in front of those three brats.
Invite me to the theater on the pretext of apology, and set up traps in advance to test me...just to expose my secret? Haha, you are really mine.
"Huh...huh..."
Calm down, calm down...
Children just don't know what's important... Don't care too much, you have to forgive them... They are the future of the town...
But...
Childish! Stupid!
It is no exaggeration to say that at that time, for a moment, I even had murderous intentions.
I know very well what the divine eye means.
Once I attract attention, my freedom will no longer belong to me, and the life I have been accustomed to for more than a hundred years will undergo a complete change...
All the people I know well will look at me differently, and all the things I cherish will become unfamiliar.
In other words, if they really report it to the empire, all I can choose is to accept the arranged fate, or commit suicide... They don't understand at all, all they think about is war... So boring!
Hateful young man...
......
"Ah - sneeze -!"
Sure enough, as a result of being exposed to the rain, I caught a cold as soon as I returned to the hotel.
But fortunately...at least the bad mood was put aside.
Raya, who was sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for me, saw me coming back and immediately put a towel on my shoulders.
"I clearly told you to bring an umbrella when you go out."
Raya stared at me reproachfully.
"Sorry."
"I bought some medicine for you and put it on the big wooden table in your room. Remember to drink it later."
"Well..."
"You go change your clothes and go to dinner in fifteen minutes."
"OK, I'm so thoughtful, so troublesome~~"
"I'm afraid that if you have an accident, you will be in many times more trouble."
After finishing the explanation, Raya blinked and made sure she had nothing else to say, then went upstairs.
"..."
I silently grasped the towel tightly, and my breath was trembling for some reason.
...That's it, it turns out I'm still afraid.
However, how can I not worry?
I don’t long for anything else, just stay in the present moment - isn’t it wrong to just do that?
As expected of me, when this happens, I sigh and feel helpless.
I walked up the stairs step by step and slowly walked into my room.
"Forget it, I can't think too much about it."
I slapped my face a few times and shook my groggy head.
Change your sad face and make a smile.
"Whatever troubles there are, don't let me have dinner with Raya~~"