Chapter 17: Xie Lianhua

  Cra and rad sat fag each other in a small carriage, silence hangiween them. Rain clouds loomed on the horizon. Cra's heart thumped rapidly - this was her first time aloh her brother in ages.

  Why am I so nervous with this idiot of a brother? Cra wondered.

  She stole a g him.

  He seemed so different from before. Much calmer, smiling more, nuing about everything. He even dressed er now, looking almost... handsome. Must be that Xie girl's influence.

  Cra felt a surge of annoyance. So some strange girl is more important than your own sisters? You really are an idiot. A big idiot.

  "Cra, how is your studying going?"

  "Huh... aaa... stu- it's awesome," Cra fumbled over her words.

  rad looked at her with fusion. "Did I startle you? Sorry, I didn't mean to."

  Ahhh, why have you bee so nice? You always argued with me before. Did you fet?

  "No... I'm fine... just got caught off-guard by your suddeion."

  rad gave her a warm smile. "Cra, if you need any help with your studies, just tell me without w."

  "Okay..." odded.

  "rad..." Cra opened her mouth, but the words died ihroat.

  "What? Do you wao do something for you? I'm free today," rad offered.

  "No... nothing."

  rad studied her silently.

  Ahhh Cra, were you always this awkward? I mean, I know I don't talk to boys much, but e on. You're ag like a total idiot in front of your brother. Idiot... idiot... idiot...

  Cra berated herself internally.

  "We've arrived, Cra," rad said in his usual tone.

  "Oh... see you ter, rad." Cra's voice carried a hint of deje.

  "Cra..." rad stopped her.

  He walked over, took a hat, and pced it gently on her head. "You fot your hat, my precious sister."

  rad said it half-jokingly.

  "I don't know if it's appropriate anymore... after all, you've grown up quite a bit. But you'll always be my you sister." rad pulled her into a hug.

  Wh... what... are... you...

  "Take care of yourself. I'll pick you up ter this afternoon," rad told her.

  Cra could only nod in response.

  As rad left in the carriage, Cra stood there for a moment before a female voice broke through her thoughts:

  "Who was that handsome guy, Cra? Aren't you going to introduce me?"

  "Maya, keep your eyes off my brother. He already has a girlfriend."

  "What a waste," Maya replied.

  Ihe carriage, rad's mind wahrough a maze of thoughts - from yesterday's is to his newfound power, the mystery of his immortality, and the enigmatiira. He released a long sigh.

  Oep at a time.

  First, I need some way to keep track of everything. I've never written a diary before. Yes, that's it - I'll start writing in English so nobody from this world would uand it.

  Sed, I o figure out my immediate goals. I still don't know why I was transferred into rad's body, but there must have been some hidden i or ritual that triggered it. Then there's Anira, who calls me 'Lord.' I'm still not sure if she means me or the inal rad.

  Everything's such a mess right now. Unknown world, unknown powers, and above all, it's dangerous.

  He anized his thoughts:

  Primary Goals:

  First, write my diary daily.

  Sed, find a way bay world. From all the novels I've read, there's always a reason - I just o find it. It must have something to do with this Brahman. But there are so many plications. The time ditioween these worlds is my biggest right now. If there is a time dition then I o figure out how much bigger that is, if not then I will be fine even if i returned after 100 years.

  rad let out anh.

  It'll be dangerous, but at least Anira's here. She seems trustworthy enough for now, even if just barely.

  I o bee stronger, possibly strohao uand this whole transmigration business.

  Before returning to my world, I want to see my sisters married and free from debt. There's our house me and my education loan from SIXS bank - where Isolde works. It's not just one of Aurelius's biggest banks, but one of Freya's too.

  So much to do...

  I'm overthinking again...

  If Anira were here, my mind might be at ease...

  rad sat up suddenly.

  "Wait, did I just think about Anira? Am I missing her? No way, it's just that she uands me better than others, that's all-"

  "Sir, we've arrived at the Uy entrahe carriage driver announced.

  "Yes, here's your ten sili."

  "Thank you, good sir."

  rad stood before the grarance of Aurealis Uy.

  "Here I am again..."

  As he started walking, a hard sp on his back pushed him forward. A tall man with a long nose and short hair stood beside him, looking like he'd stepped straight out of a novel. It was Isaac Edger, rad Valor's best friend.

  ", why didn't you tell me you were ing? Wait, aren't you suspended for three days? What are you doing here?"

  "Couldn't you ask that without spping me so hard? Do you have any idea how much that hurts?" rad said, rubbing his back.

  "Don't act tough now, Mr. Strong. Think I fot how you threw that muscle-head Jared? I was shocked you could fight like that, and I'm your best friend! 't believe you old me."

  "Not everything o be shared."

  "I don't know what happened while you were away, but I like this titude. Hey, let's head to css together," Isaac said, gesturiedly toward the .

  "No, I'm still suspended, remember?" Seeing his friend's fused look, rad tinued, "I'm just here to check out some books, that's all."

  Isaac jumped backward. "You... books... since when?"

  ", are you alright? Did you hit your head or something? Did you fet you're among the top ten worst students iire uy?"

  rad raised his hands to stop him and started walking. "Yes, yes, I've heard it already. Look, I'm busy, Isaac. I'll see you ter. Have a nice css."

  Isaac stood there dumbfounded as if he didn't know what to think of his friend anymore.

  "So... people really do ge... I think I should work hard," Isaac muttered to himself.

  "Why does everybody have to remind me how worthless I am?" rad muttered to himself, walking alone in the hallway that led to the uy library. "Freaking rad, I will not five you. Well, you are dead so what I say..."

  After a few minutes of walking ihe granur uy, rad found the library. A massive crystal delier hung from the ceiling, while mahogany bookshelves three times the height of a human stretched to the walls, taining tless volumes of history, stories, and thought. The entire space sparkled under warm LED lights, reminding rad how this world - or maybe this try specifically - blended Victoriahetics with modern teology.

  The floor was made of oak with beautifully cut marble inys. A window of stained gss depicted Aurealis's first king from the monarchy era, the sight leaving rad somewhat mesmerized.

  This is a good pce to read, rad thought to himself. Walking towards an elderly man sitting behind a tall desk, rad asked, "Sir, where I find books on the history of onry used in wars?"

  The old man, who was reading a thick book with a deep brown cover, looked up at the young man.

  "I have never seen you before... are you o the uy?"

  "No sir, I'm actually in my final year. I just never got a ce to visit the library until now."

  "Final year? Oh, so you must know Xie. She's a regur here."

  "Yes..." rad felt lost for words.

  "rad...?" A voice called from behind. Turning, his eyes met with a familiar face he had never seen before but reized immediately.

  Before him stood a woman of pastrad eternal elegance. She wore a blue and white hanfu, imported from outside Aurelius, with delicate floral motifs patterned on the beautiful fabric. Her intricately designed colr and cuffs resembled the color of jasmine flowers. Her beauty could only be described as timeless and pure. Her eyes were blue like rad's but lighter, ahin hair swept back gracefully. She wore a straw hat adorned with ribbon and ce. She was her than Xie Lianhua, the girl rad was supposed to be dating.

  rad looked at her in awe, his heart rag.

  She's... beautiful... my heart is rag like crazy... is it me or this body's owner? I don't know, but I want her... I want this girl to be mine... I've never felt this way. Do I really love her? Love at first sight?

  A certain girl's image floated in his mind briefly before disappearing.

  Huh? What was that? Why did I think of her suddenly?

  rad calmed his mind, then said, "Xie... I heard you're a regur."

  Xie gave rad an odd look. "rad, we talk for a few minutes?"

  "Yes, sure..."

  Watg the young couple leave the library, the man behind the desk let out a sigh.

  "Being young must be nice."

  Walking side by side outside the library in a wide hallway, Xie stopped suddenly to look at rad.

  "rad, I've been thinking of you for the whole week," Xie said with a hint of sadness.

  "Me? Yes, sorry I didn't talk to you much this past week. I should have written you a letter," rad replied.

  "No... not that... I just o expin something to you."

  She took a breath, closing her eyes for a few seds before looking directly at rad.

  "Listen rad, what I'm going to tell you might sound odd sidering i accepted your proposal but"

  Before rad could ask anything, she tinued:

  "Let's end our retionship here. I used you for my be but now you do not have any use for me. Leave me alone for now..." Saying this, Xie turned away from rad.

  "What? But you accepted my proposal... What happened in just a week?" rad grabbed her hand.

  Shocked by his grip, Xie turo look at the young man before her.

  "I..."

  “Do you think I am stupid? There must be a re-”

  “There is no reason,” Xie shouted while trying to get rid of rad's hands “I am tired, tired of everything. Yes I was fused that day. Now I see clearly you are not worthy of me. I do not want anything from anyone”

  Xie’s eyes reddened as tears started to visible on her eyes.

  rad released his grip suddenly and said, "You go, Xie. But I won't end our retionship. e back after a few days, and if you haven't ged your mind by then, I'll ply with your request."

  "Okay..." Xie said in a low voice.

  Thank you rad, I know you love me, but I ot put you in danger. I ot waste your love on a woman with such a curse...

  After Xie left, rad stared into the distance, lost in thought.

  I sense some fluctuations of Brahman around Xie. She's being followed. These rumors about her... I remember hearing something about how anyone who proposed to her disappeared after a month. It must be reted to some Essentia. I need Anira's help with this... but I want to ha myself as much as I . After all, I o get strooo.

  rad returo the library and asked the elderly man, who was still reading his brown-covered book, about oed texts.

  "I don't think we have too many books on such topics, as Aurelius is primarily teocratic, so we tend not to focus on war. Even though we have one of the stro armies in Freya, books on these subjects are mainly kept in bat training schools. We do have some copies, but they're very limited in terms of information."

  "That's fine, I'm just looking for some information out of curiosity," rad said with a gentlemanly smile.

  "I like your attitude toward learning. Curiosity is the best trait one have. I think you check the historical war se over there. You might find some books on ons and such."

  "Thank you, sir." As rad was about to walk away, the man stopped him.

  "If you don't mind, may I ask about your retionship with Xie?"

  "Is there any particur reason you want to know?"

  "She's a very odd girl, always alone. As far as I know, she doesn't talk to anybody. Whenever I ask about her, people only mention strange rumors. I see through people very well, and I know Xie is a good girl. I heard her parents and brother died. Holy, she resembles my te daughter a bit, and I don't want anything to happen to her."

  After the man finished, rad gave him a warm smile.

  "She is my girlfriend.”