My Sweetheart

Helen waited alone on the beach at the southern end of the pier. The cold night sea breeze ruffled her purple hair, strands obscuring her vision, yet Helen remained oblivious, her gaze fixed intently on Mount Tianshan in the distance.

Meanwhile, Du Chen… he had been busy all day, engaging in back-to-back battles. Even with the sustenance of his Lotus Internal Force, he felt a touch of exhaustion. So, he casually drifted on his lotus to a small eatery by the pier, ordered a bowl of Battle God Isle's specialty Leaping Belly Noodles, and contentedly savored a delectable street food feast before strolling back to his dormitory!

After he knocked, Kristina, quicker than Harry, rushed to open the door. She then pointed at Du Chen's nose and exclaimed, "Francis, you'd better explain yourself right now—"

Du Chen wagged a finger, stating with an aristocratic air, "Miss Kristina, please mind your tone. By seniority, your father, Mr. Pied, would even have to address me as 'Thirteen'!" This single sentence choked Kristina into silence, her temper extinguished. As a scion of a powerful underworld family, she naturally understood Du Chen's standing in the Clandestine Circles!

"Furthermore, why are you in my home? It's almost midnight, you know!"

"I—I came with your fiancée!" Kristina retorted, forcing herself to defend. "Oh, and your fiancée calls me 'older sister,' so you should call me 'older sister' too!"

Harry quickly explained the situation to his "clueless" master. At that moment, Annie, Avril, and Professor Mina also emerged from the room.

Annie and Avril wanted to speak, but upon seeing Du Chen, their pretty faces flushed, and neither dared to utter a word first.

Du Chen emotionlessly surveyed the women, his gaze finally settling on Professor Mina, an inquiring look in his eyes.

The beautiful spy flashed a charming smile. "Francis, dear student, I'm here to brief you on some Student Council matters. Oh, drat, those rascals have no idea where they've run off to chase girls, forcing older sister here to personally seek you out in the dead of night… It's nothing major, just about the Crystal Tower!"

What sounded like an ordinary remark, to Du Chen's ears, carried an entirely different meaning: "Your Excellency, White-Robed Archbishop, I have a mission of utmost importance for you, concerning a grave matter of the Papal Curia's highest confidential rank—Crystal-tier!"

"Could something major have happened with the Papal Curia!? But for him, matters of women were always paramount!"

Du Chen nodded and smiled at Professor Mina. "I understand. However, Professor, as you can see, I have some urgent matters to attend to right away. Would you perhaps wait a moment?"

Professor Mina's beautiful eyes flickered; she nodded and left the courtyard. Meanwhile, Du Chen's gaze was already lingering between Avril and Annie...

Both women's hearts immediately leaped with tension. They both knew that whoever Francis called first would signify who held a higher place in his heart!

Du Chen remained silent. Kristina, however, grew impatient. "Speak up already! Avril or my sworn sister—who do you want?"

Du Chen rubbed his nose. "Annie..."

Avril's eyes quickly dimmed, and the fair complexion on her face paled considerably. Annie's pretty face, however, was flushed crimson, her hands fidgeting nervously. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Du Chen say with a gentle smile, "Could you and Kristina wait a moment? I have some Private Affairs to discuss with Avril!"

Instantly, Avril's and Annie's expressions swapped places. It was Avril's turn to beam with delight.

Kristina felt a surge of injustice. Grabbing Annie's hand, she was about to retort loudly, but Annie, with her head bowed, pulled her out forcefully. "Alright," Annie murmured, "I'll wait for you, but I hope it won't be too long..."

Du Chen looked back at Kristina, suddenly giving Harry a meaningful look!

Harry's heart stirred. His master was giving Kristina a look... Harry understood. Given Kristina's temperament, she would surely... He had to create the right conditions for his master! He said with a grin, "Miss, Andy, let's go for a stroll by the Water River!"

Watching everyone leave, Du Chen gestured for Avril to enter the inner chamber first. He then sat down opposite her, rubbing his nose as he let out a sudden sigh.

Avril kept her head down, too shy to meet Du Chen's gaze, and murmured, "Francis, I..."

"Heh heh!" Du Chen interrupted her with an apologetic smile. "Let's be direct. The truth is, it wasn't that I didn't want to get married in Saint John City, nor was it merely to spite Duke Arges by refusing the marriage because of our disagreement! It's because... I already have a sweetheart. I won't marry anyone but her, and she will be the only one I marry!"

Having said this, Du Chen felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted, a great sigh of relief escaping his heart. Inventing a sweetheart was the best solution this two-lifetimes-old bachelor could come up with. At least, it should make Avril give up.

Secretly, he circulated his Lotus Internal Force to detect any movement outside the window—knowing Kristina's temperament, she must have already dragged Annie to eavesdrop by the wall. Du Chen waited anxiously for Avril's reaction: would it be sadness, anger, or astonishment? What would her reaction be?

Avril gave an answer that Du Chen could never have imagined. A trace of sadness flickered in her sky-blue eyes, then she smiled brightly. "Francis, dear student, you have a sweetheart, but that doesn't prevent me from considering you my sweetheart, does it?"

"This... Heavens above! Why isn't Avril playing by the rules!"

Du Chen was stunned for a moment. He only heard Avril say with a faint smile, "Actually, I came here today to apologize to you! However, Miss Kristina was rather aggressive just now, and I became a little impatient, so we argued before I could explain things clearly..."

Under Du Chen's astonished gaze, she stood up and bowed slightly with the decorum of a noble lady, apologizing. "In Saint John City, my grandfather and I caused you quite a bit of trouble, for which I am truly sorry! However, I've also come to understand a truth—that a beloved person isn't won through family power, but by heartfelt affection... I'm regretful to hear you already have a sweetheart, but it's still as I said: you have a sweetheart, yet that doesn't prevent me from considering you my sweetheart... When will you two get engaged? I will wholeheartedly wish you well!"

Outside the window, Kristina, who was indeed eavesdropping, flashed a victory sign at Annie, laughing far more heartily than the shy Annie. "Heh, I told you so! Avril couldn't compete with you!"

Annie smiled happily, her head bowed, but then she murmured with a hint of worry, "Miss Avril is actually very nice, Kristina sis, we were quite rude just now..."

Inside the room, Du Chen hummed a few times and chuckled dryly, "My sweetheart and I have vastly different statuses, and there's significant opposition to our engagement, so it might be some time before we can get engaged!"

Kristina, still eavesdropping, immediately scowled. "Annie sis, your family is indeed far more powerful than the Saint Sigurd Cain family. But a good man like Francis, who's practically an endangered species, is hard to find. Go talk to your grandfather and get engaged soon!"

Annie nodded, her face flushed. So that's it—Francis had been hesitant to state his intentions because he was worried about the disparity in their statuses!

Inside, Avril suddenly understood and chuckled. "Although Miss Annie didn't explicitly say it just now, I gathered something. Her family must be incredibly powerful..."

"No, I think you've misunderstood!" Du Chen breathed a sigh of relief, things having finally returned to his anticipated course. He said in a low voice, "My sweetheart isn't Annie, but someone else. However, it's inconvenient for me to reveal her name right now. You see, the issue of vastly different statuses forces me to conceal her name, otherwise..."

Avril paused for a moment, then turned and walked towards the door. "I understand. I wholeheartedly wish you well..." She then changed her tone. "But, I will continue to prove that I am the one who loves you most, the one most suited for you—but not someone who causes you trouble!"

Du Chen stood up, intending to see her off, but upon hearing Avril's last words, he froze. After a long moment, he whispered, "I'm sorry..."

Avril had already walked out. It was unknown if she heard Du Chen's "I'm sorry," but even if she did, she probably wouldn't have realized what Du Chen was truly apologizing for: that he chose Avril to be rejected and hurt to her face, while the other person received a far easier and more acceptable method—eavesdropping!

He sat silently for a long time, sensing Avril's departure, and that Kristina, who had been eavesdropping, had also left, chasing after Annie. Du Chen let out a long sigh of relief. Regardless, he had finally made them understand that he wouldn't marry either of them!

He waved his hand and released Deboning. "Flaying has appeared; he's nearby. Go contact him first! I need to see Professor Mina—something major has happened with the Papal Curia!"

Deboning took a step and hesitated. "Young Master, your emotions seem quite..."

"Forget it!" Du Chen waved his hand, cutting Deboning off. Whether to Deboning or to himself, he said, "Flaying is right. In matters of the heart, if one hesitates to cut ties, one is bound to suffer! Better a short, sharp pain than a prolonged agony!"

An expression of extreme astonishment appeared on Deboning's deathly face. "Flaying could say such a thing? He—he's changed! He's truly changed! That butcher, renowned as the coldest among the Papal Curia's fourteenth generation of Saints, actually understands matters of the heart now!"

Du Chen asked, intrigued, "What? Is Flaying, in your impression, merely a boorish butcher?"

"Not just me, everyone who knows him thinks so. Even your mother, Saint Phil, is no exception!"

"That Flaying!" Du Chen shook his head.

A short while later, Professor Mina, who had feigned departure but was actually waiting outside, swiftly infiltrated the attic and appeared before Du Chen. Her first words were, "I have two pieces of news for you..."

Du Chen suppressed a strange feeling and quipped, "One good news, one bad news, right? I want to hear the good news first—my mood has been terrible lately!"

To his surprise, Professor Mina shook her head and said with an uncharacteristically solemn tone, "Wrong. It's one bad news, and one even worse news!"

Du Chen suddenly sat upright. "Then tell me the relatively better one first!"

"The relatively better bad news is that your teacher, His Excellency Zigurd, the 'Eternal Glory'—Titled Battle God of the Holy Church, Dean of Battle God Academy, and one of the Five Peaks of Myriad Streams—has been severely wounded!"

*Slam!* Du Chen shot to his feet, slamming the table. He asked in a chilling voice, "That's the 'relatively better' bad news? Then what's the even worse news?"