NoGift

ZHANG LEI FENG watched the video that was currently trending on [Jiffy].  It started with the Holy Temple being struck with a pillar of light.  When the light subsided, the temple miraculously disappeared.  And then an image of a woman stood in its place.  It had an uncanny resemblance to the statue of the goddess 'Gaia' that the Temple spread all over the country.

When the image spoke and said how disappointed she was and then disappeared right after, it caused chaos among the crowds gathered there.  And when the rain poured down and countless lightning struck the sky, everything became even more chaotic.  That's when the second prince of Albion appeared and calmed everyone.

But with his sudden arrival, it only made the Temple of Gaia appeared like a group of villains.  The way the video was edited even added to that effect.

He never imagined that his rain and lightning would actually look so eerie like this.  It was almost as if he's watching some sort of thriller.  Even the way the camera focused on the second prince of Albion made him appear like he's some kind of savior.  It even captured the frightened expression of the people in the crowd.  Making the video felt real.  As if what happened there could easily happen to just about anyone.  Arousing sympathy and fear to anyone who watched it.   

A small smile crossed Lei Feng's lips.  Argent did a very good job in editing this.  And based on the comments he'd been reading so far, he could tell that she got the effect that she wanted.

The Temple of Gaia wouldn't be able to simply shrug this whole thing off.  If they didn't do something about it, then this event would cause an irreparable damage on their reputation.  Which was probably what Argent was after right from the very start.  She could not only pay back the Temple for the things they put her and her family through, it could also temporarily keep that Pope off her back.

Speaking of the man, Lei Feng wished he had seen him at Victoria City.  His blood still boiled with anger just remembering the wounds on Argent that day.  But surely, their roads would cross one day.  When that time came, he would definitely give him a piece of his mind.  And by that, he meant his rage.

He checked the time and when he saw how many minutes had passed, he put his phone back in the pocket of his trousers.  He then turned off the fire on the stove.  Because the simmering time for the porridge he was cooking was already over.  He took a big bowl and poured porridge on it.  Putting a lid on the bowl, he put it inside a thermal pod – some kind of magical tool that allowed the temperature of the food inside to remain hot or cold, depending on the setting set by the person using it.   

Lei Feng was planning to give it to Argent.  She didn't eat breakfast earlier.  In fact, she didn't even show up.  He was about to cook breakfast for everyone earlier but Aurum literally shoved him out of the kitchen.  Even telling him that there's no need for him to cook since she's there.  Of course, she didn't forget to glare at him while she's at it. 

They still ate at the villa of the Blackbourne's.  But Argent didn't show up from start to finish.  The Duchess said that she'd been cooped up in her lab and was told that she didn't need breakfast.

So after returning back to the villa where he and the elf were staying, he proceeded on making porridge for Argent.  After all, it's not good for the body not to eat breakfast.

After he's done packing, he carried the thermal pod put of the kitchen.  When he walked out of the villa, he saw the elf sitting on one of the big rocks on the yard and staring listlessly on the sky.

"I made some porridge.  You can get some in the kitchen if you want," he said while passing by the elf.

"W-wait!" the elf called.

Lei Feng stopped and looked back.  "Yes?"

Janea jumped down the rock.  He gripped the hem of the shirt he was wearing, fidgeting a bit before managing to say, "Do you know when will we leave this island?"

Although this place was the most comfortable place he'd been in in his entire life – he had a soft bed to sleep on, he could eat delicious food three times a day, there's warm and clean water to bathe in, and almost everyone had been nothing but kind to him – he still couldn't force himself to be at ease.  Because he knew that while he's having a comfortable life here, his mother was suffering.

If not for the connection he had with her, he'd probably long thought of the worst possible scenario.  But he knew that it wouldn't be long before that scenario might come true.  Because that thread of light connecting him to his mother was slowly starting to dim.  That meant that her life force was slowly decreasing.  Once the light in that thread was completely extinguished, then his mother would also cease to exist.

Something that he just couldn't allow to happen.  Not after everything she'd been through.

The hands gripping the hem of his shirt clenched even tighter.  Argent Blackbourne said that he would help him as long as he did something for him.  But this was already the second day since they came to this island and yet he still hadn't talk to him about any of his plans.  Janea hadn't even told him about his real situation.  He couldn't help but feel extremely anxious.

Lei Feng stared at the elf.  Just by looking at his expression, he could almost tell what he was thinking.  "You already made a deal with Argent, correct?"

Janea nodded, not sure what that had to do with his question.  "Yes."

"Then trust him.  If he said that he would help you, then he would do everything in his power to do just that.  That's just the kind of person he is.  So give him a little bit of your trust."

Janea looked down and bit his lower lip.  He wanted to give Argent Blackbourne his full trust.  Truly, he did.  If he would work with him, then trust was very important.  But he couldn't.  His years of mistreatment and abuse under the hands of humans just prevented him from doing that.

Lei Feng no longer gave him his attention and continued walking.

While on his way to Argent's lab, he felt his phone vibrating.  He took it out from his pocket and saw that it was a video call from An Yi – one of his dark guards.  He accepted the call.  An Yi would most likely give him his report of what's happening in Xing.  He told him to give him one every two weeks. 

"Master," An Yi greeted respectfully.

"How is everything over there?" Lei Feng asked.

"The General and the Madame are both in good health.  There's no pressing matter that Master needs attending.  But, the Empress has been making a fuss about Master's disappearance.  It seems like she's been nagging the Emperor to bestow an Imperial Decree to Master so you would have no choice but to marry the sixth princess," An Yi proceeded on reporting.

He had a feeling that it was because of the recent marriage of the fifth prince to the son of the Left Prime Minister.  It's the most talked about scandal in the empire in recent years.  After all, it's not every day that a prince was more than willing to be the male wife of someone.

So, in order to cover the shame of his son's marriage, the Empress wanted the sixth princess to have a grand wedding with someone that the people respected and adored.  Who else was the best candidate but their master?

"What about the people from Silver Corporation?" Lei Feng asked instead, completely ignoring the information about the Empress and her absurd plan.

"I sent An Er and An Wu to protect them just as you've ordered.  But…" An Yi was not sure how to proceed without making the two dark guards looked weak and incompetent.

"What is it?  An Yi, I still have a lot of things to do.  So, don't mumble and just tell me what it is."

"The two were spotted by the lady's bodyguard.  He seemed to be a very skilled swordsman.  Both An Er and An Wu were defeated quite badly."

"I see." Lei Feng seemed to remember that the person acting as bodyguard for the person in charge of the project between Silver Corporation and Xing was Argent's master.  And also the owner of the villa he and the elf were currently staying.  "Give the job to An Si.  Tell him to use his Gift to monitor them.  If they needed help, don't hesitate to give it.  And tell An Er and An Wu to go to the barracks and ask my father to spar with them."

When An Yi heard that, he was already lighting a candle for the two.  "Understood, Master."

Lei Feng ended the call and continued walking towards the direction of Argent's lab.