Chapter 52: The Imperial Capital in the Rain

A light rain slowly dripped down from the sky.

Lord Elvis finally finished spouting his nonsense and dismissed everyone. 

Not long after they dispersed, the sky began to sprinkle with raindrops.

The rain in late autumn was chilling. 

Coupled with the biting cold wind that blew intermittently, it pierced right through to the bone.

Li Xian watched from afar as that solitary figure walked quietly at the edge of the crowd. 

Her purple hair was soaked by the fine droplets of rain.

Opening the paper umbrella he had bought from a shop near the Academy, Li Xian held Sara’s hand and headed toward the Inn.

He didn’t care at all what the assessment the next day would be about, but…

“Karinya !” Through the curtain of rain, the blonde girl dashed over holding an umbrella and reached Karinya’s side.

“Princess Ellie.” Karinya said the title after several attempts.

“Karinya…” A sharp ache bloomed in Ellie’s chest, a stifling feeling that made it hard to breathe.

Her slender arm stretched straight out as she struggled to hold the umbrella above Karinya’s head. 

The rain was immediately blocked, dripping down the umbrella’s edges as if beneath this small shelter lay another world entirely.

“Karinya, congratulations on passing the assessment.” Ellie gave her a wide smile that seemed to glow faintly under the gloomy sky.

“Hmm…” At last, Karinya bent down and took the umbrella from Ellie’s hand, gently stroking the girl’s hair beside her.

“Thank you, Ellie.”

She held the umbrella, took Ellie’s hand, and said, “Let me walk you home.”

“Mm!” Ellie nodded firmly, unable to hide the joy radiating from her face.

Under the dark clouds, the figure gradually moving away from the crowd no longer seemed so lonely. 

Somewhere beneath the umbrella, raindrops silently slipped down…

The drizzle soon turned into a heavy rain, and the city seemed to grow quieter.

Those who had failed the assessment earlier had likely already left the Imperial Capital one after another. 

After today, those whose hope had been kindled just two days ago would quietly exit the stage.

***

In a corner of Trash Alley, the sour stench of garbage lingered. 

Almost no one would willingly come near here.

Yet, this place had become a final refuge where some could catch their breath.

A small figure hurried through the rain, splashing wet puddles in disarray as she ran.

By the garbage heap, a simple grass hut stood.

A cloaked figure stopped here and lifted the grass curtain woven from weeds.

The touch was damp; obviously, such a crude curtain could not block the heavy rain outside.

But the stench of garbage served as protection, allowing them to avoid threats far worse than the rain.

“Sister, you’re back…” A weak voice reached her ears as she pulled back her cloak, revealing a pair of furry ears.

The tail behind her was soaked and dripping, weighing her down, making the hungry girl almost unable to stand steadily.

Inside the grass hut, which measured less than two square meters, a young girl curled tightly in the corner. 

The straw beneath her was soaked through by the rain leaking in, and she trembled.

“Sister, you’re wet, cough cough—!” 

The feeble cough pierced Bai Sha’s heart, and she quickly retrieved a paper bag clutched tightly to her chest, pulling out several badly wrinkled flatbreads and handing them to the girl before her.

“Sister…” The girl’s voice was hesitant. 

“You went adventuring again.”

Bai Sha bit her lip and said nothing.

“Sister, didn’t I say? Xue Er knows her own body well enough. She doesn’t need to…”

“Your illness will get better.”

Before she could finish, Bai Sha interrupted her, her voice trembling with fear and helplessness.

Xue Er gave a helpless smile, her gaze indulgent as she looked at her stubborn sister.

“All right, all right… cough cough cough— It’ll get better…”

“Eat.” Bai Sha pressed the flatbread to her sister’s mouth. 

Her tone wasn’t harsh, but there was an unmistakable resolve that brooked no refusal.

“Then, we split it in half. Otherwise, I won’t eat.” Xue Er still looked calmly at Bai Sha, seemingly unafraid of her firmness.

“…” Bai Sha stared at her for a long moment before tearing the flatbread in two and handing half to Xue Er.

This time, Xue Er no longer refused but smiled and opened her mouth.

“Sister…” As she ate, she watched the raindrops drip from the roof and said, “If, I mean if… if I were to die, where would you go? Would you still stay here?”

“I told you, your illness…”

“I know, I know.” Xue Er waved her hand in resignation. 

“I mean… cough! cough cough! cough cough cough!!!”

She coughed violently for a while, her face growing paler still, but she continued, “I mean, if, think about it, if I die, you can’t stay living here forever, right?”

There was a faint sadness in her eyes. 

She was incurable, and they couldn’t even afford proper food or shelter. 

How could they possibly pay for treatment?

Her illness had already burdened her sister so much… 

She didn’t want to see Bai Sha continue living such a hard life after she was gone.

If only a kind soul existed… but knowing Bai Sha’s stubbornness, even if someone was willing to take her in, she wouldn’t accept it.

Sister’s life was too hard, unbearably hard…

Maybe if she left earlier, her sister’s life would be a little easier? 

After all, things had come to this…

But at the very least, she wanted to wait until her sister found a life of her own, to see her break free from this existence before she could leave peacefully.

After finishing the meager food that was barely enough to survive, weak Xue Er gradually succumbed to drowsiness, curling up and falling asleep in the cold.

Only when her sister saw her fall into slumber did Bai Sha finally furrow her brows and clench her teeth tightly.

She knew—she absolutely knew—if no treatment came, Xue Er would…

She would never allow that to happen. 

Not under any circumstances!

Her hands trembled as she took out from her bosom a deep red crystal flecked with dots of green.

She gripped it tightly until her knuckles whitened, until the edges of the crystal left deep marks in her palm…