gentle and affectionate

Chapter 58.

The water that should be flowing is not flowing, and the people who should be around can’t see each other. The brightly lit fasting pool is the same as before, and it will always be the same as before. Everything is quiet, so quiet that we can hear each other’s breathing , with a sad long-cherished wish that spans time and space.

"so……"

My throat was too dry to make a sound, and my heart seemed to be heavy with lead. I, who have lived a lonely life for more than a hundred years, can understand the seven years of my youth too well.

"So... you're just that one person... looking for seven years?"

The young man gave me a serious look and nodded slowly.

I am silent.Imagine a young child who left his hometown and came to a foreign country. Even if he could be taken care of by the royal family and good people in terms of food and clothing, the topic of life itself cannot be covered in a few words.

Not only that, but the seven-year-old coyote also bears the heavy responsibility of saving Princess Sakura.The beloved is cursed with death for no reason. This is something that no one can stand by. But how can it be easy to erase the magic that even the witch of the dimension cannot easily undo?There is no way out, but he can't give up, no matter for responsibility or agreement, and his own heart that cherishes the girl, I think in those seven years, he must have traveled all the countries he could go to and searched all the relics Ancient techniques, but in the end... nothing was achieved.

What kind of mood did he set off again and again, and what sadness and despair he had to return, but he who missed Sakura because of hesitation on his seventh birthday—the little knight who swore to protect the princess How do you feel to face the princess who greets you with a smile?

The smile of his beloved princess was covered with a dark mark of death, all because he failed to protect her well that day, but now he broke his leg while running, but there is nothing he can do.

He was so wronged and desperate that he wanted to cry, but facing her smile, he could only smile back.Someone once told me that false tears hurt others, and false smiles hurt myself... I can really empathize with this, and because I can empathize, I can't say a word to comfort him.

Hei Gang is no different from me, not to mention that he is not good at speech, so I can only vaguely hear his sigh.

"The little wolf...have you met your father and mother after talking with Yuko?"

In the end, it was Mokona who broke the silence softly.Her voice was slightly crying, or perhaps because she was standing on the boy's shoulders, her voice was extremely thin, but in this completely still space, she could hear it very clearly.

The concern from the bottom of my heart broke the silence, and the blood finally started to flow again.

"Ahhh...after the injury is healed in the store, I will go directly back to Jiulou Kingdom."

The little wolf talked about his affairs calmly, as calmly as if he was telling a bedtime story, and stretched out his not wide hand to comfort the little guy who was about to cry.

I heard the ninja sigh.

"You speak of the past... because it will be necessary in the future battle?"

We all know that re-exposing old wounds is extremely painful. Thinking that he also lost his parents and left his hometown since he was a child, he probably couldn't bear to hear this, so he said this.

We don't need to know these things. Although we care about it, we don't have too much curiosity. Therefore, Hei Gang and I also looked at the little wolf.

"...that's one of the reasons."

"The others?"

The boy lowered his brows and eyes, and after being sad, he showed a tired expression.

"There is another reason... I know the past of the two of you," he said with a little apology, "one is in the phantom that is deliberately watched by others, and... through the eyes of another me, from the memory Seen in the book."

He was talking about the past events of the Snow Country shown by the king's magic barrier in Thrace, and the black steel memory book that the little wolf had inadvertently opened in the Rekrut Bookstore.Having our terrible past exposed to others, while it wasn’t our intention at the time, doesn’t seem to matter now, rather it makes us more honest with each other.

"But..." Hei Gang glanced at me, "That's not what you deliberately wanted to see."

"Even so, I still feel that I should tell the truth to you who are traveling together," the boy said solemnly, "No matter what you think or what choice you make after this."

The young man's expression suddenly became serious, and his brown pupils shone with complexity and firmness at the same time. That seriousness and persistence moved us at this moment.

Hei Gang and I stared at each other for a moment.

"Go on."

The ninja said so.

When I saw her again, everything was as it was at the beginning.

Light chestnut hair, green eyes, by the huge clean pool, they met when they were little.The gurgling water was the same as the day before, and the lights warmed the room gently, but the girl's formal attire was changed to a normal attire, and she was able to call out his name accurately.

"Little wolf!"

She ran up to him with pure joy on her puffy little face.

"...What about fasting?"

"Ah...it was over seven days ago, so it's okay if you can touch me..."

The girl said, but she was a little bit embarrassed, trying to get away with a smile and small talk, and it was nothing more than an interesting thing that happened in the past few days.Little Wolf thought those things must be very interesting, but he didn't care to listen at this time, not because he didn't want to share those joys with her, but because he couldn't find a way to really laugh.

A girl like Little Sun, who understands the flow of human nature, the gentle and honest light, nothing has changed, even the way of meeting has not changed, but that bright smile has been blinded by the dark imprint of death, always reminding the god of death The day will come.

The young man thought, this is all his fault, he blamed himself for not protecting her well, the moment of hesitation actually ruined the entire lives of the two of them.

He pulled her into his arms, ignoring her screams and subconscious struggles, and hugged tightly the girl he swore to protect.

I'm sorry, Sakura.

He said this silently in his heart, feeling the girl gently hug him back, he couldn't help feeling more bitter.

……

"The king and princess decided not to tell Sakura about the engraving, and that imprint is in Jiulou Kingdom, and only I and the queen who is a priest can see it... I think that man probably did it on purpose," the young man lowered his head. , "Probably to remind me of his wishes and... my wishes."

Hei Gang and I looked at each other and saw the same look in each other's eyes.

——Hope that the one you love will come back to life.

Everyone is afraid of losing, let alone saying goodbye to an important person. It is a pain that people who have never experienced it will never be able to empathize with. Hei Gang, a young man who watched his parents die tragically, lost control and went crazy. The method of resurrection, it doesn’t even matter if I hand it back to him by my life… I just think, if only they could open their eyes and see us again.

But we all forget that birth, old age, sickness and death, like spring, summer, autumn and winter, are the laws of this world.

The way of heaven is eternal, but it is also extremely cruel.

"In this way, I stayed in the Nine Towers Kingdom, looking for a way to remove the engraving, and it has been... for seven years."

In mid-spring, even the desert, where no grass grows, is always full of vitality.In the desert spring evening, the oasis is gilded by the dusk. People in the market gradually put away their stalls. Those children who went out to play games because of the warmer weather are gradually facing the smoke, jumping up and down, following their parents. went home.

Warm and warm in the distant village, the smoke in Yiyixu.The mothers prepared meals at home, waiting for the return of the children from the long journey, ushering in this day of family reunion; even the only house that did not light up the fire for cooking finally welcomed its owner back today .

The boy pushed open the door after a long absence, and what greeted him was a faint smell of dust.

Even so, it is thanks to the aunt next door who helped to take care of it in her busy schedule, otherwise there would be a thick layer of dust on the table.The young man was very tired, so he, who was always industrious, didn't do housework right away, and he didn't even bother to start a fire. He put the burden on the table casually, and pulled down the cloak and hood that helped him block the wind and sand all the way. The dusty face was revealed, clearly the appearance of a boy seven years ago.

Of course, there are changes, but it is melancholy that accumulates the most.

Half a year ago, he heard the chats of the past merchants, and the magic circle described in his mouth was very similar to the imprint pattern he had been looking for. He clings to a glimmer of hope.He hastily bid farewell to his neighbors and went on a long journey alone. He went away for more than half a year, but it was a pity...in the end he returned without success.

Speaking of this time, it really took a long time.

He picked up the mirror frame on the bedside table, brushed off the thin dust with his hands, then bent his habitual smile and said:

"I'm back, Dad, Mom."

The couple in the photo smiled lovingly, as if they were not taking pictures, but really smiling at him through the frame; but the child under their knees who looked at him with a stubborn face can only look at him seven years ago with a wry smile. of myself.

In a few days, it will be seven years.

In a few days, it will be his and Sakura's 14th birthday.

In a few days……

The knock on the door interrupted his mood, and he was full of the eagerness of the people outside the door. He quickly put down the frame of the mirror and rushed to open the door.

"Which..."

The polite inquiry was stuck in the middle, because the girl standing at the door was too familiar, whether it was the soft chestnut hair, or the pair of bright green eyes that looked at him with undisguised joy.The half-year separation didn't make her look fade in the slightest, on the contrary, it became clearer day by day as I described it in my heart day and night.

She grew a little taller, the end of her eyes narrowed a little, her little face got a little tanned, and... a little more beautiful.

And every time this time, the boy would realize that he really liked her so much.

"Little wolf!"

As the saying goes, the Eighteen Changes of the Women's University, even the slightly savage Princess Ying, who devoted herself to fighting her prince every day, is now slim and graceful, and she is a princess of a country abroad. It is only for the sake of embarrassment for my father and brother, which makes people completely miss the firecracker temper when I was a child; but as the saying goes, it is easy to change the country, but the nature is hard to change. A lady knows etiquette outside, but she should talk about inside...

"How is the country you're going to this time? Did you get hurt on the way? Did you have a fever? Why didn't you let me know when you came back? I thought..."

The little princess asked questions like cannonballs. In the past, even a fearless young boy couldn't resist. Fortunately, the latter is used to it now, so he welcomed her into the room with a smile, and gently answered her: :

"Ah, I'm fine," he thought for a while and said, "Princess, you..."

"Sakura!"

"?"

"I've been calling you little wolf by your name, you can call me by my name too... okay?"

Facing the girl's expectant eyes, Xiaolang can't always refuse.

"Hmm..." He held her hand up, "I'm back, Sakura."

The two sat down on the edge of the bed.Sakura was holding the freshly brewed hot tea, blinking green eyes full of thirst for knowledge, looking at Mr. Xiaolang, who couldn't help but smile, then turned around and took out a small package from the luggage.

"Here."

"what is this?"

"It's the food reserves of the country I'm going to," he watched as she unwrapped the package. "It's made of fruits that are very similar to apples."

Apples are Princess Sakura's favorite, which is known to almost everyone in Jiulou Kingdom, and the payou made of apples is a dessert that the princess often eats.Xiaolang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and took advantage of the heat of the tea, pretending not to see her surprised expression at that moment.

"It's different from Payo! It's like Farr."

"The taste is also very similar. I tried it when I was learning how to make it, so I think...it should be fine."

"Can I eat?"

"sure."

He watched her carefully pick up a piece, and then took a small bite, completely unable to see the wolfish look she had before.

"It's delicious! Little wolf, you are really good at cooking!"

Of course, it is impossible to tell Sakura about the curse, so the reason why Xiao Lang travels can only be explained as he likes to visit ancient sites.Xiao Sakura respects his choice, but the two are often separated, so it is inevitable to miss her, so surprise raids like today are not once or twice. Over time, Xiao Lang has also figured out her temperament, and often prepares some small gifts in advance, and then gives them to her. She talked about the customs of other places.

For example, she really likes the snacks that she specially made yesterday.

After eating the whole piece, Xiao Sakura turned her head to look at Xiaolang, with happiness in the corners of her eyes and brows.

"Speaking of which, when you came to this country for two years, little wolf, you suddenly said that you were going to move out. I was worried at the time... Now it seems that you are completely fine."

What Sakura was talking about was nearly five years ago.When he first came to Jiulou Kingdom, the little wolf was only seven years old, so he lived with him in the palace as a guest, but after only two years, the boy grew up at an astonishing speed. It started gradually from that year.

"Your father taught Little Wolf how to cook, right? He's really good at cooking."

"My mother can also cook, but my father is better."

Little wolf is not a mother-in-law, but he is first-class in housework, so he has the possibility of living alone in a foreign country.When he was young, he felt that his father was very powerful, so he always followed his father to learn this and that, no matter life skills or martial arts, he could do well.The little boy is very proud, and he wants his parents to be proud of him too.

But...Thinking about it now, the way his father raised him back then may not have known that such a day would come.

Could it be that his parents had already expected that he would never go back after he left, but they never mentioned a word to him?The young man didn't dare to think about it, and he didn't want to think about it. He believed that his parents must have their own difficulties.

"Little wolf?"

He came back to his senses and turned around to answer.

"……Um?"

The girl probably saw his tiredness, so she said apologetically:

"I'm sorry, Little Wolf just came back. He's obviously very tired, but I still..."

"It's okay," he interrupted her apology, "I'm not tired anymore, because I saw Sakura."

This person often said very shameful words very naturally. The girl blushed with shame, but she didn't expect the other side to look at her maliciously. The two sat together quietly, even the sunset that came in through the window softened. many.

The girl hesitated for a while, and then began to whisper about today's topic.

"It won't be long before I've known Little Wolf... for longer than I haven't known each other."

"……yes."

"During the few months when you went out, little wolf, I learned a lot and gradually saw all kinds of dreams." She paused, "Little wolf, that, I..."

"Boom-"

The evening bell rang from the castle, urging the returning man's footsteps, and by the way, scared back the little princess's long-awaited thoughts.

Sakura felt that this was really bad.

"I always feel that... Brother Huang is using the city bell to hinder me."

"Hinder?" Little Wolf didn't know why.

"Hmm..." She shook her head, "I have to go back, otherwise Brother Wang will come here again, he's still so wicked at this age."

"Then I'll take you back."

"No, I won't be in danger, don't forget that people in this country are very kind~" She winked at him.

There were only a few steps left and right, and what she said was true, so the little wolf didn't insist anymore.

"That's right."

Even though she was already in a hurry, the girl's steps were still extremely small, and it took a long time to move to the door and stopped again.

"That...that..."

She turned her head, her eyes were bright, as if she was looking at the most beautiful scenery in the world.

"It's my birthday soon..."

"What I didn't say just now, I will say it then."

"Well...you have to look forward to it."

The girl ran away after finishing speaking, while the boy stood in front of the door, watching her back with a smile, and happened to see her turn around and wave, so he also raised his hand in response.

From a distance, he saw her smile deepened again, but his eyes became more and more blurred.

——The huge black magic lines that couldn't be blurred even with tears were about to swallow her whole.

In a few days, it will be her 14th birthday.

In a few days, the time they have known each other will be longer than the time they have not known each other.

But...he still couldn't save her.

He has seen her for seven years, liked her for seven years, and worked hard for seven years. He hopes that she will always show a happy smile, and that he can be her happiness, but the black magic lines remind him that Sakura is about to die all the time. In fact, as long as she was in front of his eyes, he couldn't even forget her briefly.

In vain again and again, telling him the word "protection" is so heavy that it makes people breathless.

……

Finally, on the night before Princess Sakura's 14th birthday, on the night of her family reunion and birthday celebration, the black wing-shaped magic spell was extended again, turning into a sharp blade and piercing the princess' heart. As a priest, the queen tried her best Stand still for a few seconds, and save everything before the end of the world.

The queen said to the boy, protect Sakura.

But after searching for seven years, he couldn't find a way, how could he think of it in a short moment; the young man looked at Sakura who had been pierced through his heart, his face was ashen.

If... If he could do it all over again, he would definitely not let Sakura die.