NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 138: No Way, Right?
"Then, it's good knowing you, fellow student" Diluc said as he pulls his hand away, deciding to go with what his parents taught him as a standard eastern greeting, cupping his fist as he bows slightly towards the two, surprising them as they never expected that someone among these western people would have the knowledge regarding their culture.
Seeing this act though, the two of them felt all the more comfortable towards the emperor-like young man, causing them to smile as they return his greeting, cupping their fists as well before they also bow slightly, the three of them smiling at each other for a moment before Diluc decided to lead them towards his group before heading to the resting area.
"Hoh… look at you making friends all around, makes me wonder where that previous high and mighty arrogant genius goes" looking at the two following just right behind him as he returns, Alfia couldn't help but tease with a cheeky smile on her face, earning a brief laugh from her cousin who also inserts her own jest as well.
"Hehe, Alfia, he also told me that he doesn't want to stand out too much, and here he is, the one who stole the entire limelight of this competition, men and their words really shouldn't be trusted~~~" Alea added jokingly, making not only her and her cousin, but also the soft-spoken lady standing beside Changsheng to giggle, said lady, Zixiang, about something regarding these two.
"I agree with your words, fellow classmate, and seeing that we share the same thoughts, I think we can be good friends~~" the soft-spoken Zixiang expressed as she immediately moves away from her martial brother and head directly toward the two elven ladies who both feel like this lady is of the same feather as theirs, allowing them to easily get along with her.
Looking at how these three are teaming up on them, both Diluc and Changsheng merely looks at each other, a camaraderie forming between the two of them somehow, prompting the two of them to nod at each other as they felt like they understand the other's difficulties and challenges having to deal with smart ladies like there three.
'Still, I think I'm a bit better off than him, he had all those three to deal with after all' Changsheng thought to himself as his gaze lands on the last member of Diluc's group, the usually timid young man seemingly wanting to join the group of ladies instead of the two of them, an amused glint appearing on his eyes as he wonders whether this new friend and comrade of his is already aware of something about the frail-looking Michael.
'Hehe, looks like this fellow classmate of mine has yet to know of this…' with his eyes appearing to be glowing as he looks back and forth between the frail-looking young man and the emperor-like young man standing just right beside him, his constantly shifting gaze earning the curiosity of the emperor-like young man.
"Fellow student Changsheng, is there any problem?" wondering why this young man's gaze is alternating between him and his roommate, Diluc asked in curiosity, snapping the young man awake as he looks at him, an odd, seemingly proud and excited smile appearing on his face as he replies to his inquiry.
"Fellow student, no, brother Diluc, I am looking forward to future development between the four of you" the young man Diluc initially thought to be someone quite pessimistic, said with a clearly amused smile plastered on his face, one of his hands moving and placing itself on the emperor-like young man's shoulder, almost as if he is either consoling or encouraging him about something.
"Brother Changsheng, maybe you are interested in those sorts of things, but I don't swing that way" hearing his words, Diluc's face couldn't help but pop some veins out feeing quite offended, as never did he expected someone to think of him as someone like that, making him wonder whether he should beat some sense into this obviously teasing young man.
"I know, brother Diluc, I know" Changsheng replies ambiguously before his gaze shifts once again, now no longer on either the emperor-like young man or the frail-looking young man, rather directing his gaze to his martial sister, her eyes glowing for a bit as well as if she also saw something, the two of them nodding to each other as if they just agree to keep their discovery a secret in order to watch something interesting.
Feeling like there is something that this new friend of his knows about his roommate, Diluc's curiosity about all sorts of things couldn't help but ran rampant, his self-control barely holding it in as he knows that whatever secret it is, this young man will eventually tell him especially given that expression on his face, a look of someone who clearly doesn't know how to keep a secret for long.
"Fufufu~ looks like we will truly get along with each other~" as she looks at the two elven beauties smiling demurely as they both laugh from her words, the soft-spoken Zixiang pointed out causing the two to nod in agreement, expressing their similarity of thoughts in their own words.
"Indeed, who knew ladies from Miss Zixiang's east are really well learned like this~" appreciating the soft-spoken lady's wit and humor, the elven princess, Alea, said after controlling her laughter, her still shaking shoulders a clear indication of the fact that she is barely holding her laughter back as she replies to the other lady's words.
"I look forward to being friends with you, Miss Zixiang~" walking forward and standing face to face in front of the soft-spoken lady, Alfia declared as she acts like a man, placing one of her hands on Zixiang's shoulder, patting it gently as she smiles, making the other party quite comfortable with her as well.
"Please, Alfia, just Zixiang is enough, that also applies for you Alea" Zixiang pointed out making the two elven beauties smile, her next words then sending them to quite the confusion as well.
"I also look forward to the four of us being friends~~" she said cheekily as she sneaked a glance towards the timid looking young man, her knowing gaze making him feel like there was something she saw about him, making him feel wary towards her.
"Four?" hearing her words, both the young duchess and the elven princess asked at the same time in confusion, wondering who is the last one that she is talking about, speculating that it is probably some friend of hers that she will eventually introduce to the two of them.
"Yes, four, there's someone else I want the two of you to meet, don't worry, she's a great girl as well, I think…" Zixiang pointed out before smiling jovially once again, already descending the spires together with the two elven beauties, the last couple of her words being drowned by the sound of the wind unable to reach the two.
Meanwhile, the three young men looks helplessly as the beauties descends, the three of them nodding at each other before they leap from the spire they are standing on as well, heading towards the resting area and intending to make the most of the resting time given to them in order to prepare for the next round.
While all of his friends, old and new, are thinking about how they should deal with the upcoming opponents for the one-on-one matches, the emperor-like young man is currently preoccupied with his curiosity, still wondering what these martial brother and sister found out and why they are being quite secretive about it, the observations he got based on their actions just a few bits shy for him to form a proper image of the situation.
'Thinking that there will be development between the four of us, his clearly talking about the three… besides, seeing Changsheng's expression when I told him that I don't swing that way, it really looks like he is aware of that… but the way he's clearly hinting on looking forward to the development between me and Michael…' as these thoughts starts occupying his mind, the emperor-like young man starts connecting the dots gradually, his mind working quite fast as he starts getting a clearer image of whatever it is that these two easterners had discovered, now with the brief exchange between the martial brother and sister, and the previous words from the soft spoken lady, he just couldn't help but speculate about something.
Suddenly, something snapped as if a puzzle that fits perfectly, a puzzle that reveals why Changsheng acts like that, a fact that he never considered given the absolute enforcement of rule in the academy.
Now directing his gaze towards the frail-looking young man moving just a little bit ahead in front of him and Changsheng, Diluc suddenly starts to realize why he acts so much like how he usually do.
'No way, right? But if that is the case, then that makes so much sense… but then again, no way right!?'