Myths Reawakened

“What are you thinking?”

“Thinking about Vera and Senior. I’ve separately agreed to be their boyfriends once I go back,” Wayne declared his great ambition. “Good sisters should sleep on the same bed. I won’t have you drifting apart after having a boyfriend. The trio should stay as a trio in the future.”

(눈_눈)

Veronica knew that the scumbag was taunting her on purpose, but she still couldn’t help but get angry. Vera had only been away for a day, yet Veronica’s fist already missed her.

She shook her fist and scoffed.

“Oh, why didn’t you hit me? Did you get car sick?” Wayne chuckled. “Don’t suppress your instinct. It’s normal for siblings to get into fights. We can explain it even if someone sees us.”

Then he lay down on the sofa, waiting for Veronica to mount him. He was used to this position since he had always lain down like this. To play along with Veronica’s fury, he put on an expression that was three parts pitiful, three parts resigned, two parts expectant, and ninety-two parts acceptance for the bites that were to come.

“Hmph!” Veronica didn’t fall for it. She insisted on being the ladylike younger sister. “You can joke around about Vera since she’s always had her eyes on you, but not Senior. She’s a good person. Don’t talk behind her back.”

She is a good person. Not only does she have a nice voice, but she’s also a good student who gives as good as she gets.

Wayne raised an eyebrow, getting an idea. “Veronica, I’ve been sleeping with Kristen in my arms every night for the past few days since Vera wasn’t around. If you don’t believe it, just call her and ask.”

Unable to contain her anger, Veronica straddled the scumbag and punched him in the face. Again, she would not allow him to taint her white moonlight’s reputation.

Wayne grabbed her legs to steady her for better punching. Frankly, he had long noticed that Veronica idolized Senior Kristen and harbored feelings she couldn’t confess. It made sense. Master had been away from home for years, and Veronica had very few friends. Vera could be a playmate with her clownish nature and bravado, but she couldn’t be an understanding sister figure to make up for the love and care that Veronica had been missing.

When Kristen, a gentle, kind, and caring girl, entered Veronica’s world, that yearning of hers was satisfied to some degree. Like a ray of moonlight dispersing the darkness, Kristen had a special place in Veronica’s heart.

Wayne believed that if he hadn’t shown up in time and if Master hadn’t returned to Londan to work, the junior and senior would’ve been exchanging saliva by this point.

He could picture it: on a dark, stormy night, the trio of friends had a drinking party. Vera took a punch and tragically passed out. Then, with alcohol providing some liquid courage, Veronica...

Well, Wayne couldn’t fill in the details since he hadn’t witnessed something like that in person, thus lacking the assets to render the scene. The assets he was familiar with were automatically added instead—he vaulted into the room through the window and joined them under Kristen’s invitation.

A stroke of lightning ignited the tension in the room. The best friends ended up sharing a blanket.

“Muhaha...”

Pow!

Veronica punched him in the face, snarling, “What are you thinking about? Why are you laughing like a pervert?”

“I’m thinking of you.”

“Liar.”

“I’m thinking of Senior.”

“I told you to stop!”

Furious, Veronica continued to rain regular attacks down on the scumbag. She was convinced that Kristen would never steal anything from her. The scumbag was just slandering her white moonlight.

“It’s fine when you don’t believe my lies, but if you don’t buy it when I tell the truth, what’s the point of my honesty?” Wayne glanced at Veronica. Seeing that she didn’t believe him at all, he pressed tauntingly, “Well, keep going if you’re so stubborn. You better not get angry when you see Kristen and me kissing in the future.”

Veronica insisted on defending her moonlight’s honor. Their conversation escalated, and the tension in the air thickened.

After the setup was done, Wayne made the decisive move. With his face flushed like an obsessive gambler, he said, “Whatever I say, you refuse to believe me. Then give me written proof that you won’t get angry when the truth comes out.”

“You think I won’t? If you’re lying, you’re going to apologize to Senior in front of me.” Veronica snapped, her eyes reddening. She demanded that Wayne write down the conditions and quickly signed her name.

They both signed the two copies, and they both believed in their victory.

Satisfied, Wayne changed the topic and put his arms around her slim waist, whispering sweet nothings to her and leaning in for a kiss.

Bam!

“Die!”

He ended up kissing her fist.

***

That night, Wayne got changed and took Veronica to greet their neighbor.

“I’m warning you. You’d better not get involved with other candidates. And don’t use honeytrap as an excuse. That’s not going to fool me.” Veronica warned the scumbag to behave himself as they walked along the trail in the forest.

Aside from the bodyguards arranged by each district, the Holy Maiden candidates were all exceptionally talented, and appearance was also part of the requirement for talent. In other words, all of them would be pretty.

“You know me, sis,” Wayne said easily, sighing like he was the misunderstood victim. “I just have the tendency to run my mouth. Apart from the three of you, I’ve never pursued anyone actively. The crystal ball proved my innocence.”

Veronica ignored his argument and repeated the warning. When they reached the door to their neighbor’s home, she pointed at the doorplate and said in surprise, “Why is number eight next to our number four mansion? Where’s number three?”

It should be one and two together and three and four together. Why are eight and four neighbors?

“Who said that number one has to be next to number two—[1]” Wayne stopped, correcting himself, “Who knows. Maybe it’s arranged by the headquarters. Remember this. Perhaps it’s a clue for a password we’ll need for the selection.”

Wayne went up to knock. Soon, a handsome man gently opened the door and paused when he saw him.

Neighbor’s bodyguard? x2

The young man was eye-catchingly handsome with dark brown hair that was slightly curled. There was a unique air around him—he looked like the typical brooding man.

Wayne didn’t understand. He had always been happy and never broody.

He wouldn’t go into details about the man’s look. Just know that he was as good-looking as Wayne.

“Hello, I’m Wayne Lando, from the number four next door. This is my younger sister, Veronica.” Wayne extended his hand with a bright smile, adopting the persona of a young man with a sunny disposition and wide-eyed wonder.

Why is number four next to number eight?

And Windsorian...

The young man tamped down his confusion and took Wayne’s hand politely. “Alex Lambiel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Just call me Wayne.” Wayne put on an easygoing act to support his innocent persona. “My sister and I live next door. We’re curious about our competitors and decided to visit. I hope we haven’t disturbed your rest.”

“You haven’t. My sister and I have just arrived. We’re going through our luggage.”

“What a coincidence. You came with your sister, too?”

“Yes.”

Alex was a modest gentleman, and it took no time for him to play into Wayne’s hands. He politely invited the Lando siblings in and called over his younger sister, Desiree Lambiel. She was around eighteen and half a head shorter than Veronica. Judging by their hair color and looks, she and Alex were likely biological siblings.

Wayne and Veronica, on the other hand, were so different that they had to use the excuse of having different mothers.

Desiree was quite young. Both her figure and her face were excellent, with perfectly put-together facial features. Her blue eyes were crystal clear. Her long brown hair curled slightly and emitted a pleasant fragrance, adding a demure charm to her.

As expected of a Holy Maiden candidate, she was stunning.

She was the quiet sort. Like Veronica, she stood behind her older brother meekly as the two older brothers carried on the conversation. Alex introduced himself and Desiree as candidates the Franc District had sent to participate in the Holy Maiden selection, and he hoped that they would have a chance to work with the Lando siblings in the future.

“Of course. I’m a big fan of Francan cuisine,” Wayne said in a friendly tone, switching to the Francan language easily. “Victory isn’t the point, but the process itself. Cheers for our friendship.”

Veronica cocked her head. She didn’t know that Wayne knew the language. Where did he learn it? Did he know any beautiful Francan lady?

After an hour of conversation, Alex gave Wayne a ninety out of a hundred score for being a noble gentleman with both humility and grace. It wasn’t a full mark, not because he didn’t want Wayne to be too proud, but because Wayne was too friendly. Alex wasn’t good at dealing with overly friendly people.

“Alex, we’re on Prussian ground. The four candidates from headquarters and the two candidates from Prussia will make a faction of six. They have the advantage in numbers, so we won’t be their match if we don’t band together.”

Wayne analyzed the pros and cons of an alliance and said earnestly, “For our hundred-year friendship, let’s form an alliance!”

Are you sure it’s friendship? x3

Alex was silent for a moment. When his sister didn’t say anything, as if giving her silent agreement, he nodded and grasped Wayne’s hand firmly. “For our hundred-year friendship, let’s fight back at Prussia together.”

Given the current international political climate, Franc and Windsor’s old grudges could be put aside. Anyone could win, but not Prussia.

1. A reference to The Eagle Shooting Heroes, a classic Hong Kong comedy, where a character chased a pair into an inn and, after learning that the pair had taken room number one, asked for room number two. Only after entering the room did she learn that room number two wasn’t next to room number one. ☜