Mei never imagined that returning to Border Town would fill her heart with such anticipation.
The woods along the Chishui River had begun to turn yellow, and a cool breeze carried a hint of chill. The river, shimmering with ripples, churned beneath our feet, and from time to time, we could see fallen leaves gliding past the boat's side.
Without the previous restlessness and unease, the surrounding scenery of autumn has become poetic and picturesque.
"Miss May," a reverent voice called from behind, "is the script for your performance of 'Witch Diary' actually written by Your Royal Highness herself?" May turned around and saw a group of actresses gathering around her, the lead performer staring at her nervously. She remembered the woman's name sounded like Swallow.
"Aha, sorry," Irene waved at her from the bow of the ship with a loud laugh. "I can't answer their question, so I'll have to ask you instead." The fool... Mei rolled her eyes inwardly. In the past, she would've just sneered it off. But after spending so much time with Irene, her patience had somehow grown. "It wasn't written by Your Highness for me, but by the Education Minister of the City Hall, the Scholarly Sir for Witch." "Uh, is that so?" Swallow blinked her eyes. "When you argued with Bella, we both thought it was true." The difference between "Your Highness wrote it himself" and "Your Highness wrote it for me" was worlds apart. How did these people misinterpret the first half as the second? "But both the script and the performance were approved by Your Royal Highness. So when Bella mocked the script, it was like mocking Your Highness himself. I didn't bluff her." "Have you ever seen Your Royal Highness?" "I heard he has royal gray hair and an extraordinary handsome face. Is that true?" "I also heard he's naturally promiscuous and has many lovers!" "Oh, really?" "..." Gazing at these lively young girls, Mei frowned. Damn, she shouldn't have responded to their curiosity.
"Alright, don't bother Miss May anymore." Rosa stepped forward, shoved them away, and gave May a look of apology.
"Never mind," she shrugged, continuing to admire the coastal scenery. "After all, it was my own doing." "I... don't quite understand," Roxie scratched her head. "Why did you bring them along when you left? Of the thirty-five people, only two had ever performed on stage, and twenty-six hadn't even completed all the drama courses. According to your previous statements, they're not even fledglings—they're still in their shells... Even Lord wouldn't accept them, given his low standards for drama. If you want to take revenge on Bella, you should recruit those seasoned supporting actors." "I didn't intend for them all to perform." "What?" The other person froze in place.
"They can all read the script, right?" Mei smiled. "Though they're still far from performing on stage, at least they can read and write. Haven't you noticed that Your Highness needs such talents most right now?" She paused briefly. "Do you really think Your Highness Roland Wimbledon brought us here because he loves theater?" "This..." "If it were Lord Pei Luo, the answer would certainly be yes. Before taking over the Long Song Fortress, he had a weekly theater habit. But Your Highness Roland's words—except for the premiere of new plays—won't appear on the town square. So his promotion of theater isn't out of personal preference, but rather to use it as a platform to spread his ideas to the public." Mei continued. "Compared to the original emphasis on resisting oppression and the notion that witches aren't evil, the new scripts 'Dawn' and 'New City' lean toward recruiting people and wealth through hard work. I'm just following his lead, contributing my humble efforts." "Oh, I see. I never thought about these..." Rosa gasped.
"Crafting a script requires not only immersing oneself in the character's perspective but also comprehending the core message the story aims to convey—a quality essential for an accomplished actor." "Yes, thank you for your guidance!" she replied with a bow.
"Rest assured," Mei said with a smile, "if you're done with acting, you can find a decent job in Border Town. You might even land a position in the town hall as an administrative officer. After all, Your Highness doesn't require social status or family background—this path is far more accessible than becoming an actor."
As the ship docked at the town, Mei immediately spotted Filin Hilt standing by the pier to greet them.
Of course, he came for Irene.
She sighed softly when she saw the girl running into his arms.
"Isn't that the Dawn's Light?" "So he wasn't exiled by Your Highness." "The West's finest knight—well, that's impressive," Yanzi said enviously. "I thought he'd be paired with the Theater Star—" "What nonsense," Mei's icy command silenced the crowd. "Pack your bags and disembark now. Gait and Rosa will register your identities at City Hall. The rest is up to them." "Understood," everyone replied with deference.
As they left the dock, Philin approached his wife, gently patting her chest. "Miss May," he said, "Eileen just told me about the incident at the theater. Thank you for your kindness." "You're welcome," May replied nonchalantly. "They seemed to be after her, but they were actually targeting me." "Still, I owe you a debt of gratitude," Knight said with a hearty laugh. "Without you, she would have burst into tears right then." After they departed, May pouted and set off alone, carrying her luggage toward the residential complex.
Though she had let go of that feeling, seeing the scene still stirred emotions in her heart. The familiar figure never appeared, yet in the letter, it vowed to surprise her.
Well, after all, he's a key figure close to Your Highness, so he can't move around as freely as Fuxiao Chenguang, can he?
Back home, Mei set down the package, and a long-lost sense of relaxation washed over her. She let out a long sigh, took out the baijiu from the cupboard, and was about to take a sip when a knock came from outside.
When I opened the door, there stood Carter Lannis.
"I didn't expect you to arrive half an hour early," he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I heard the ship from Changge Fortress had arrived, so I rushed over from the barracks." For some reason, though he hadn't seen him at the dock or received his message, Mei's mood instantly brightened when she saw him. "Want a drink?" "No, I've got an afternoon mission," Carter waved his hand.
"Um," she nodded, "Your Highness has entrusted us with a more important matter." "I came to present you with a gift," Chief Knight said, pulling a small white wooden box from his pocket and handing it to her.
"Is this the newest addition to the convenience store?" Mei Yi asked curiously as she took the wooden box. Opening the lid, she found an orange ring resting quietly at the bottom, its top adorned with a dazzling transparent gemstone that shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors under the autumn sunlight streaming through the window.
There was no doubt this ring was worth a fortune—it was highly unlikely to be sold at a flea market. Moreover, Noble's act of gifting the ring implied... She instinctively covered her mouth.
"Miss May, would you marry me?" Carter asked earnestly.