Chapter 620: It Is Still Fate - 620
The date of the small gathering was set for the next day. Skymender did not have to prepare in advance or anything. After all, he was only meeting a Crown Prince and his friends, not an Emperor or a King.
As for who his friends were, Skymender did not know. He went out with Li Youcai and returned to the research institute. He returned around 3 pm. He began to relax and rest in preparation for the next day.
Before going to sleep, he was given a strict cleaning by the servants of the house.
He fell asleep early and woke up early.
The gathering was set for noon. After taking care of various things, Skymender made his way towards the Imperial Palace.
Where else would a Crown Prince hold a gathering?
He set out a bit early, scheduled to be there at 11:30.
However, Li Youcai suggested a detour.
Skymender questioned him. Li Youcai explained.
"That girl you found on the road, Hope, has been training and been through a background check. She came from a wealthy commoner family, but went missing. She has lost a portion of her memory, but everything checks out as it should."
"What does that have to do with me?" Skymender asked.
"She has been training to become a servant, and her results have been excellent. I believe that we should bring her with us."
Skymender wasn't sure. "You want me to bring an untested servant to a gathering with the Crown Prince?"
Li Youcai spoke seriously. "I can attest to the fact that she is just as good as me, with even more potential."
Skymender, hearing Li Youcai's recommendation, reluctantly agreed. They took a slight detour to the commoner district, no more of a detour than 10 minutes in total.
Skymender waited in the carriage for a moment before Hope entered. She looked similar to before, just cleaner and wearing better clothes.
She bowed to Skymender as soon as she entered the carriage.
"Let's go. We don't have that much time."
Hope nodded and entered. The carriage immediately set off once again.
They returned to the route and arrived at the Imperial Palace at 11:45.
They did not need to go through many checks as they were not coming to meet the Emperor.
After everything took place, Skymender arrived at the gathering location at exactly 12.
He did not need to knock on the door, it was opened by a servant.
Looking inside, Skymender saw a lavish room decorated with luxurious furnishings and filled with large windows.
It seemed more like a lounge than a noble gathering place.
Skymender also saw five nobles, as well as some servants. One was naturally the Crown Prince of the Ergen Kingdom himself.
However, the remaining people were equally surprising, if not more so. Three others were also Crown Prince's. In other words, all of the Crown Prince's, save for the Imperial Crown Prince, were in this room.
The only person Skymender did not recognize was an elegant woman, but from the flower embroidered on her clothes, she was clearly from the Flower Kingdom.
She looked at Skymender, and he felt a similar feeling to when he looked at his sister.
The Crown Prince of the Ergen Kingdom looked at Skymender and spoke with a smile.
"Come join us, Skymender. Potential Sword Master Daisy was telling us about one of her travels."
The Crown Prince of the Ergen Kingdom's words confirmed Skymender's suspicions. This was a potential Sword Master, just like his sister.
She hardly reacted to his entrance, merely glancing over. She then turned away and continued to speak in a calm voice with no expression on her face.
Skymender came over and sat down.
The whole thing seemed suspiciously casual.
Everyone was sitting on beanbags, lounging around.
Skymender sat on a beanbag as well, but kept the proper posture.
He listened as the potential Sword Master, Daisy, continued to speak.
She spoke of a journey to an ancient mountain, before she was ever a potential Sword Master. There, she met an old man at the end of his life.
He sat on a rock in the middle of a lake with nothing but a sword across his lap.
Daisy had come through a clearing, instantly able to tell that he was nearing his last breath.
As she became visible, the man looked at her. Although at the edge of death, his eyes were brighter than the sun.
He spoke a few simple words. "Though we only met at the end of my life, it still counts as fate. You are my first and last disciple."
He then stood up, raised his sword, and the story stopped there.
Daisy explained that she would never reveal what happened afterwards, even if she was tortured for a thousand years, or even if all the world's Kings and Emperors tried to force her.
Skymender, like everyone who had ever heard this story, was extremely curious. However, she clearly had no intention to share, as she had said.
After she finished speaking, another Crown Prince began to speak. They all shared stories, until it reached Skymender.
Skymender spoke of his time saving the daughter of the Duchess, a story more interesting than most of the others told.
After he spoke, more conversation went on. Skymender wasn't sure what the goal of this gathering was, but he didn't really care to think too much. The sun soon began to fall. They ate and spoke some more before the Crown Princes all stood up.
"It has been great seeing you all, but it is time to go."
"Likewise."
Everyone dispersed quickly, so fast Skymender was surprised.
Before he realized it, he was leaving the room. Only Daisy remained behind. Suddenly, she spoke.
"Your name. Is it truly Skymender?" She asked.
Skymender turned around and looked at her with confusion. "Of course."
She looked at him deeply before sighing. "Would you like to hear the rest of my story?"
Skymender was surprised, and he did not dare refuse. He walked back over and sat down across from her.
Chapter 621: More Baggage - 621
Potential Sword Master Daisy waved her hand and sent all of the servants in the room away, including Li Youcai and Hope.
Skymender and her were left alone.
Daisy began to speak. "My Master only ever spoke one sentence to me, the one you heard me tell. However, as he raised his sword, he uttered another word."
She paused, seemingly hesitating, before speaking. "Skymender."
Skymender was confused.
"Those were the last words I heard him speak before swinging his sword down."
Skymender was surprised, but also curious. "What happened next?"
Daisy responded. "He destroyed the sky, then mended it back. It was as if nothing ever happened, but he disappeared after that."
Skymender did not believe it. Even a Sword Grandmaster could not destroy the sky itself.
Daisy, seeing the look on his face, explained in more detail.
"As he swung his Sword down, it felt as if it was connected with the world itself. His sword destroyed the sky above as it traveled, and just as soon as it happened, the sky mended itself back together, destroyed, yet recreated instantly. I'm not saying what I saw was the truth. It could have been an illusion, perhaps I never met him at all, but the feeling was absolutely real. That is why I, someone with no talent in the sword, am at the level of a potential Sword Master. As for why I am telling you, perhaps it is fate. Your name was spoken as the last words of my Master. Perhaps we were destined to meet today."
Skymender nodded, but he truly found it impossible to believe. However, Sword Master Shang was already a mythical existence that Skymender could not comprehend, perhaps there was truly a being capable of breaking the sky and mending it. And the odds of him saying Skymender were miniscule, but he had.
Perhaps, as it was said, everything was fate.
Daisy looked into the distance. "I'm not sure if I could ever emulate a percentage of that slash, but if I could, I could die happy. Seeing it, it was as if the earth and the sky were prostrating, as if all living beings lived under its allowance, as if the sky was being punished, and did not dare to retaliate. Perhaps the path of one day recreating that attack lies with you."
She looked back at him. "I used a favor with a Crown Prince to create this gathering, all for the sake of meeting you."
"So what is the point of all of this?" Skymender asked.
"Well, for the future, I plan to follow you. I want to see what fate has in store for me. If I find that perhaps it really was just a coincidence, I'll leave you alone and that will be the end of it."
Skymender nodded, giving his agreement. "Then let's go."
Daisy nodded and stood up. She followed him out of the room where they met up with their servants.
Daisy told her servants to go home without her. She left with Skymender, Li Youcai, and Hope in the carriage.
Li Youcai obviously had some questions, but this wasn't the time. Hope was the same.
They soon returned to Skymender's aunt's house. He entered without knocking and walked to his room.
Along the way, his aunt saw him. She opened her mouth to speak when she saw Daisy.
She furrowed her brows for a moment before recognizing her.
She stood up and walked over. "Potential Sword Master Daisy from the Flower Kingdom?"
Daisy nodded. "Yes."
Skymender's aunt nodded before introducing herself. After the pleasantries, Aunt Skyless spoke. "So, what exactly are you doing here?"
Daisy spoke. "I'll be following Skymender around for a while."
Aunt Skyless looked at Skymender with suspicion and some worry. "This isn't another Melly situation, is it? We really couldn't face the consequences this time."
Skymender shook his head with a chuckle. "I can't say I'm sure why she decided to do it, but I don't mind. Can you arrange her a room?"
Aunt Skyless nodded and called a house servant over. They quickly arranged a room for her. It was near Skymenders.
Before they parted ways, Daisy spoke to him very seriously. "If you are going to do anything, make sure you come and get me first."
Skymender nodded in agreement and returned to his room.
Until he fell asleep, he did nothing but think.
The next morning, he woke up a bit early. Li Youcai entered with breakfast, and as he ate, Li Youcai spoke.
"What did you think of Hope's performance yesterday?" He asked.
"Good enough." Skymender said. "Why are you so interested in having her serve me? Don't tell me you fell in love."
Li Youcai shook his head. "Of course not. But, don't you think it could be more than sheer coincidence that we found her that day. Perhaps it is fate."
Skymender paused mid way into scooping his food from his bowl. His eyes looked deeply at the soup, but it could be better said that he was unfocused and staring at space itself.
"I've been hearing that word a lot lately."
His true thoughts could not even be thought at this moment, for he feared that they may be heard.
Suspicions formed in the depths of his mind. His green eyes unnoticeably flared for a moment before returning to normal.
He continued to eat while Li Youcai served him.
After finishing breakfast, he went and found Hope, as well as Daisy. Then, he went to the Imperial research institute. What happened there did not need to be explained deeply.
He continued to read, studying books everyday. This cycle continued, his knowledge growing deeper and deeper, until a very exciting day.
As he walked with Li Youcai, Daisy, and Hope, he saw someone leaning against a wall. In the Noble area, this was a rare sight.
Even walking was rare, but it was a nice summer day and he had decided he might as well.
He turned to look at the person for a moment before looking away. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he did a double take.
"Hey. It's been a while."
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