Half a month isn't exactly a long time, but it isn't short either.
For Li Yuan, however, these past two weeks had been quite peaceful—perhaps too peaceful.
Ever since the teahouse was blown up, the rhythm of his life had been shattered. There was no shop to open, no tea leaves to restock, no counter to wipe down, and no strange guests to entertain. For the first time in two years, he found himself with absolutely nothing to do in this world.
To make matters worse, his employer, Lanqiu, and that perpetually drowsy Krieger had vanished to who-knows-where. Li Yuan had returned to the hotel the day after the academy incident, only to find their private suite empty.
As for his wages, Lanqiu had paid in advance. The ten thousand gold coins for ten days of work had been settled on the day he was hired, so Li Yuan didn't feel he had any right to go chasing his employer for an explanation.
Besides, he still had the few hundred gold coins Setis had given him for the peace talismans, along with the five-thousand-gold stored-value card from Krieger. Even after half a month of staying in hotels, eating out, and wandering the streets, he was still fairly well-off. At the very least, he didn't have to gnaw on dry bread to save a few coins—a small mercy for a teahouse owner who had just lost all his property.
At the moment, he was standing before the ruins in the Twenty-First District of the Outer City.
The mess of rubble from half a month ago had mostly been cleared away. The construction crew hired by the City Guard Station had hauled off the majority of the stones and charred timber, and the ground had been leveled, revealing the original stone foundation.
According to the crew, it would take another ten days or so to finish clearing the ruins in this district, after which he would need to apply for a reconstruction permit. He estimated the costs—rebuilding the teahouse would likely run around ten thousand gold coins. That was excluding the cost of books and tea sets, many of which he still had in his small world, which saved him a significant amount.
However, if he could squeeze enough compensation out of that Mr. Ignatius, the amount wouldn't be unbearable. But he had to wait for a definitive word from Hogg regarding the reparations, so there was no rush for now.
As he was thinking, he heard a sudden flurry of footsteps behind him.
The footsteps stopped a few paces away, followed by a voice he knew all too well—one filled with a mix of annoyance, grievance, and a hint of worry hidden beneath the anger.
“Where have you been for the last half month?!”
Li Yuan turned around. Setis was standing a few steps away, glaring at him. She wasn't wearing her academy uniform today, having changed into light-colored casual clothes. Her long golden hair had returned to its usual style, though the ends were a bit messy, as if she had rushed here in a hurry. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her breathing was uneven.
“I’ve looked in so many places... I searched every single hotel in the Outer City, but none of them... I thought you’d left—no, I mean—”
Realizing her tone was slipping out of control halfway through, she coughed twice and turned her face away.
“You could have at least left a message.”
Looking at her like this, Li Yuan felt a pang of guilt.
He truly hadn't thought about leaving a message for anyone. He had spent years on the Kyushu Continent accustomed to being a loner, and it was the same here. Aside from the time spent running the shop, he was mostly on his own and never had the habit of reporting his whereabouts to anyone.
But seeing the worry written all over Setis's face, he felt that perhaps he should change that habit for the sake of an old customer.
“My apologies, it was an oversight on my part,” he said with a slight bow and a gentle tone. “I’ve been wandering the Inner City these past few days, trying out a few restaurants and visiting tea set shops. I simply forgot to mention it. I’m truly sorry for making you worry.”
Hearing his apology, the anger on Setis's face softened slightly, though she refused to let him off easily. “Who said I was worried? I just—I just thought you should at least leave a way to contact you. What if I run out of peace talismans? Where would I go to buy more?”
Li Yuan smiled but didn't call her out.
“Where are you staying now?” Setis asked, changing the subject.
“A fairly decent hotel in the Inner City.”
“A hotel isn't a home,” Setis said dismissively. She took a deep breath as if making a firm decision, the flush on her face spreading all the way to her ears. Her gaze began to wander, her fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of her hair, and her voice dropped several octaves.
“Um... my house... my house is actually quite large.”
Li Yuan tilted his head slightly, not immediately catching her drift.
“There are lots of rooms, too many to use, actually. There are several guest rooms that are usually empty and never used,” Setis said, her words coming faster and faster as if afraid she would lose her nerve if she slowed down. “Would you... like to come stay? It doesn't matter how long. They're just sitting empty anyway, really.”
Her voice was barely a whisper by the time she finished, and she had practically twisted her hair into a spiral.
Li Yuan’s instinctive reaction was to refuse. He was used to living alone; during his years on the Kyushu Continent, he almost never shared a residence with others except in special circumstances, and he had spent over two years here on his own as well. The thought of suddenly moving into someone else's home—especially a place as full of protocols as the Duke's estate—made him feel uneasy.
“I appreciate the kind offer, Miss Setis—” he began, his tone gentle but his phrasing clear.
Then he met Setis's eyes.
He recognized the expression in them.
Back on the Kyushu Continent, the nominal disciple he had taken once had the same look whenever he wanted something but was too afraid to ask—a perfect split between hope and fear. In this moment, facing this young girl, Li Yuan found his resolve wasn't quite as firm as he had imagined.
The words at the tip of his tongue took a sharp turn.
“—Actually, staying at a hotel is quite fine. There are several restaurants in the Inner City with excellent dishes I haven't had a chance to try yet, and it’s convenient for shopping since King's Avenue is right outside.”
“But—” Setis’s mouth hung open, the hope on her face visibly collapsing.
“Besides, reconstruction on the teahouse will start soon, so staying in the Outer City would be more convenient,” Li Yuan added, his tone still mild. “Furthermore—”
“Our head chef is the best in the capital,” Setis interrupted, her tone stubborn. “He worked in the palace for twenty years and can cook any cuisine you want. As for shopping, I can take you anytime; I know the capital better than you do. And the teahouse is only a half-hour walk away. It's not far at all.”
Hearing her rattle off those points, Li Yuan found himself unable to come up with a suitable rebuttal.
It wasn't that her reasons were particularly compelling, but rather that she had entered a state of 'I have an answer for everything you say.' Continuing to refuse in such a state would make him seem heartless.
However, he didn't want to move into the Duke's estate without a clear reason. After all, while he and Setis were acquainted... moving into her family home felt inappropriate.
He thought for a moment and decided to try a different angle.
“Miss Setis, why are you so insistent on inviting me to stay at your home?”
Setis froze instantly. Her lips moved several times, and her eyes darted around before finally settling on the tips of her toes.
“Because—”
She struggled for a long while before blurting out an incredibly flimsy excuse.
“Because you saved us—you saved me and my mother, oh, and my brother and everyone at the academy. So—so we can't let our savior live on the streets.”
“I am not living on the streets,” Li Yuan said with a smile. “The hotel is actually quite nice.”
“A hotel isn't a permanent residence.” Setis’s expression was serious, almost stubborn. “You could check out and leave at any time. They don't even have proper kitchens; if you want to make tea, you have to use that lousy magic stove in the room. If you stay at my house, we can set aside a dedicated study and tea room just for you. Besides, you saved—our lives. This is the least we can do in return.”
Her tone smoothed out as she spoke, clearly feeling that the 'savior' argument was a legitimate one. But she still didn't dare look Li Yuan in the eye, keeping her head down while twirling her hair.
Looking at her like this, the scales in Li Yuan’s heart began to tip.
Having lived for over a century, he had seen enough of the world to guess what was going through a seventeen-year-old girl's mind. But precisely because he could guess, it was harder to refuse directly—especially since she had brought up the 'debt of life.' Declining further would make him seem socially inept.
Just as he was caught in this dilemma, an unexpected rescue—or perhaps a meddler—appeared.
“Mr. Li Yuan?”
Napa walked over from the corner of the street, a clipboard in hand, followed by a few City Guards. He was wearing a deep blue mage robe today, his silver-white hair tied back, looking much more refreshed than usual. He stopped a few paces away, his gaze sweeping between Li Yuan and Setis before landing on Li Yuan.
“What are you doing here? I heard your tea shop was destroyed and couldn't get in touch with you. I was worried something had happened.” As Napa spoke, he glanced at Setis and gave a slight nod. “And this is... the youngest daughter of Duke Sebas? Good talent, almost reminds me of myself back in the day.”
Setis blinked, instinctively straightening her posture and returning the greeting politely. “Greetings, Dean Napa.”
Napa looked back at Li Yuan. “Where are you staying? I have a few temporary relocation centers in the Outer City. The conditions aren't as good as your teahouse, but they're convenient and close by. If you need a place—”
“Thank you, but that won't be necessary,” Li Yuan declined with a smile. “I’m staying at a hotel and doing quite well. No need to trouble yourself with arrangements.”
Napa frowned, his tone carrying the concern of an old friend. “You saved my life; what's a little trouble? The relocation centers are a bit simple, but at least they're free. I imagine your funds might be a bit tight right now?”
Li Yuan was about to say his finances were fine, but Setis didn't give him the chance.
As if triggered by Napa's words, she suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Li Yuan’s arm. Her movement was so swift and forceful it didn't seem like the speed a Rank 2 Magic Warrior should possess.
“He has already accepted my invitation!” Setis’s voice was half a pitch higher than usual, her words coming out in a rush. “He’s coming to stay at my house, at the Duke's estate! There's no need for you to worry, Dean!”
This display of guarding her prize like a fierce tiger left everyone present stunned.
Napa blinked, looking at Setis's hand on Li Yuan’s arm, then back at Li Yuan’s face. His expression shifted from surprise to a certain meaningful realization.
His lips twitched as he fought back a grin.
Li Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something to correct the misunderstanding. He looked down at Setis—only to meet her gaze.
Her golden-brown eyes were no longer filled with stubbornness and hope, but were now glazed with a thin layer of moisture, as if telling him—if you dare let a single 'no' escape your lips, I'll cry right here.
Faced with such an expression, Li Yuan found himself unable to resist. He couldn't think of a good way out... he couldn't exactly just run away, could he? After considering his options, he could only offer a temporary compromise.
“...Then I shall be in your care.”
Napa said nothing more, merely patting Li Yuan on the shoulder and leaving him with a pointed remark.
“The food at the Duke's estate is quite good. I’ve had the pleasure of dining there once.”
He then turned and walked away with the City Guards, who were struggling to suppress their laughter. He even picked up his pace after a few steps, leaving the space to the two of them.
Rate on N.U.
