Capítulo 20: Childish Caesar
Alice reached out her slender fingers and gently tugged at Caesar's sleeve. In an instant, a shimmer of magic surrounded them, and before she could even blink, she was whisked away to experience the wondrous sensation of instantaneous translocation. It was as if time and space had contorted and folded in that very moment. One second, she was still rooted to the spot, and the next, she found herself in an entirely unfamiliar yet fascinating place, with the surroundings changing in a dizzying whirl, leaving her scarcely able to take it all in.
"Brother Caesar is truly amazing!" Alice exclaimed, her face beaming with a bright smile that radiated pure admiration and joy. Her eyes sparkled like the brightest stars, fixed on Caesar with an almost childlike wonder.
Caesar, as always, maintained his lofty and detached demeanor, merely emitting a soft "hmm" in response. However, if one were to observe him with a discerning eye, they would notice the subtlest signs of his rather pleasant mood. The corners of his mouth were ever so slightly upturned, and his eyes, usually as cold and deep as the ocean abyss, now held a hint of relaxation, like a calm sea on a gentle day.
Caesar stood tall and imposing, his stature reaching nearly six feet three inches. Beside him, Alice, at five feet seven inches, created an unexpectedly harmonious tableau. Both were attired in masculine garb. Alice seemed to exude a youthful exuberance, her every movement brimming with the untamed energy of adolescence, still bearing a touch of naivete. Caesar, on the other hand, emanated an air of unwavering calm and introverted strength. There was an undercurrent of a low-key yet undeniable authority of a superior that seemed to flow through him, as if he were a king in disguise, his regal bearing evident even in the simplest of gestures.
Even with a mask concealing his features, Caesar's unique charisma shone through like a beacon in the night, making him the most dazzling star in any crowd. His presence was magnetic, drawing countless pairs of eyes towards him. Many a woman found herself irresistibly drawn to him, their gazes lingering on him with a mixture of admiration and curious fascination.
The streets at night were transformed into a veritable wonderland, adorned with a riot of colorful lights. The flickering candles danced merrily in the gentle breeze, their warm glow casting a soft, inviting light. The vibrant magical lanterns emitted a kaleidoscope of hues, painting the scene with an otherworldly charm. And the twinkling star-shaped lights seemed to have fallen from the night sky itself, creating a celestial spectacle on earth. The laughter and chatter of the townsfolk, along with the myriad scents and sounds of daily life, wove together to form a rich tapestry of life, filling the air with a palpable sense of vitality.
Suddenly, Alice's eyes lit up like twin beacons as she caught sight of a humble stall not far ahead. The stall was selling what appeared to be delicious noodles, and the steam rising from the pots was like a siren's call, carrying with it an alluring aroma that seemed to possess a magical allure of its own. It instantly kindled a fierce hunger within her, making her taste buds tingle with anticipation.
"Let's go and have some noodles!" Alice cried out excitedly, her voice ringing with eagerness as if she had just stumbled upon a hidden treasure.
Before Caesar could even formulate a response, Alice had already grasped his wrist with a firm yet eager grip and was tugging him along hurriedly. Caesar, resigned to the situation, had to swallow the refusal that was on the tip of his tongue. He let out a soft sigh inwardly, thinking to himself, "Well, I might as well just go along with her this time."
"Two bowls of noodles, please!" Alice chirped merrily to the kind-faced old man as soon as she settled herself on the stool.
"Coming right up!" The old man replied with a hearty bellow, his voice full of the warmth and enthusiasm that comes from a life spent serving customers. With practiced ease, he immediately set about preparing the noodles. He deftly spread out the noodle dough, which unfurled like a delicate flower, and then swiftly filled it with the succulent filling, as if tucking precious jewels inside. Next, he gently dropped the filled noodles into the boiling pot, where they bobbed and danced like lively little sprites, as if celebrating their own creation.
Alice cast a sideways glance at Caesar, who was standing beside her with his back straight as an arrow and an air of noble refinement about him. She couldn't help but suspect that he might have a touch of fastidiousness when it came to cleanliness. So, she reached into her bosom and retrieved a dainty handkerchief, embroidered with intricate patterns that seemed to shimmer in the light. She then meticulously wiped the stool beside her, leaving no spot untouched. Looking up at Caesar with a glint of mischief in her eyes, she said, "It's all wiped clean. It won't be dirty at all."
"I have reached the state of Bigu and have no need for..." Caesar began to protest, his voice as cold and aloof as ever, like a distant mountain peak shrouded in mist.
"But they're already ordered! Just have a try." Alice persisted, her tone firm yet coaxing, as if she were determined to break through his stubborn resolve.
Caesar's brow furrowed slightly, a rare sign of indecision marring his otherwise impassive face. After a moment's hesitation, he finally lowered himself slowly onto the stool, muttering under his breath, "I'm only sitting down. I don't intend to eat." His voice held a note of stubborn defiance, as if he were making it clear that he was merely indulging her whim and not actually interested in the noodles.
Alice regarded him with a mixture of surprise and amusement, feeling for the first time that this usually noble and elegant man seemed to possess an unexpectedly endearing side. She tilted her head slightly to one side, her eyes narrowing as if trying to decipher this new aspect of his personality.
Alice then curled her lips into a faint smile, a glimmer of playfulness in her eyes as she said, "Okay, then you can just watch me eat."
At these words, Caesar immediately jerked his head away, as if stung by a wasp. He shifted his gaze to the far distance, pretending to be completely unconcerned, though his eyes betrayed him by involuntarily flickering to other places, as if he couldn't quite help himself from stealing glances.
"Here they come!" The old man announced cheerfully as he carried over a bowl filled to the brim with steaming, fragrant noodles. The noodles were nestled in a rich, savory broth, and the aroma that wafted from it was enough to make anyone's mouth water. He placed the bowl carefully in front of Caesar and then promptly returned with another bowl for Alice.
"Thank you, sir!" Alice turned her head and bestowed upon the old man a smile that was as warm as the sun on a spring day. It was a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts, filled with genuine gratitude and kindness.
"You're welcome, you're welcome! Hahaha." The old man's laughter boomed out, echoing through the street and filling the air with a sense of jovial camaraderie. His laughter was like a gust of fresh air, carrying with it the simple joys of life.
Two bowls of steaming hot noodles now sat on the table, their enticing aroma filling the air around them. Alice could scarcely contain her excitement as she reached for the utensils. She deftly rolled up a strand of noodles and quickly popped it into her mouth, only to yelp in pain as the scalding heat nearly burned her tongue. But despite the initial discomfort, the delicious taste of the noodles soon took over. The noodles were cooked to perfection, with a perfect balance of chewiness and tenderness. The broth was rich and flavorful, infused with a medley of spices that danced on her taste buds. She found herself unable to resist taking one bite after another, completely lost in the enjoyment of the meal.
Alice was so engrossed in savoring the delicious noodles that she scarcely noticed the proud and somewhat sulky Caesar sitting beside her. However, for Caesar, even the faintest sound of Alice eating noodles was as clear as a bell in his ears, thanks to his acute auditory senses. The soft slurping sounds, the gentle chewing noises, all seemed to be magnified in his ears, like an incessant symphony that he couldn't escape. For some inexplicable reason, Caesar felt a growing sense of irritation. It wasn't that the aroma of the noodles was overly tempting, or that he was envious of her enjoyment. Rather, it was the fact that he felt completely ignored by Alice at that moment. It was as if he had become an invisible bystander, and a pang of indescribable loss welled up in his heart, making him feel oddly out of place.
After Alice had polished off one bowl of noodles, she finally tore her attention away from the food and looked up at Caesar. There was a touch of concern mingled with a hint of gentle inquiry in her eyes as she asked, "Caesar, are you really not going to eat? These noodles are really good. Do you want to have a taste?"
"Finished? Let's go." Caesar's voice was as cold as ice, each word seeming to be encased in a block of frozen ice that sent shivers down one's spine. His tone was curt and commanding, leaving no room for argument.
Suddenly, Caesar stood up with a swift, fluid motion. His tall figure seemed to tower over everything, and as he rose, a powerful aura of pressure emanated from him, as if the very air around him had solidified into a tangible force. His eyes, cold and piercing like daggers, seemed to cut through the air as he glared at Alice.
"Aren't you leaving?" Caesar's voice was laced with a menacing undertone, as if he were issuing a stern ultimatum.
Alice was taken aback by his sudden and rather brusque reaction. She stared at him, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, completely at a loss as to what had just happened. Her mind was awhirl with confusion, unable to fathom why he had become so angry all of a sudden.
Caesar had already stormed off with long, purposeful strides. His steps were heavy and resolute, each one hitting the ground with a thud that seemed to reverberate through the street. Alice quickly fumbled in her purse and placed a few silver coins on the table. The coins glinted in the light, a small token of payment for the meal. She then hastily bid farewell to the old man and scurried after Caesar, her heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and confusion.
Caesar deliberately quickened his pace, his anger burning like a wildfire within him. The thought that this woman had only remembered him after she had finished eating rankled him deeply. Hmph, he didn't need her concern. He walked with a furious gait, his feet pounding the ground even harder, as if trying to stamp out his irritation with each step.
As he walked, Caesar realized that he had already strode far beyond the bustling marketplace. When he glanced back over his shoulder, he was dismayed to find that Alice was nowhere to be seen.
Could it be that she got lost?! Caesar stopped in his tracks and stood there for what seemed like an eternity, his heart skipping a beat with a tinge of worry that he was loathe to admit. During this time, many bold women, drawn by his imposing presence and magnetic charm, were tempted to approach him and strike up a conversation. However, before they could get close enough to even utter a word, they were sent flying backwards by an invisible force, as if they were mere leaves caught in a fierce gust of wind. Having witnessed the fate of those who had dared to approach before, these women, though still harboring a flicker of longing in their eyes, dared not approach again. They could only watch from a distance, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe and curious fascination, as if they were observing a god from afar.
An hour passed.
Caesar reluctantly retraced his steps back to the marketplace to look for Alice. To his surprise, he found her standing right in front of the entrance of a brothel. A throng of scantily clad and curvaceous women had surrounded her, and she was earnestly engaged in the task of divining fortunes for those women of the night.
"Miss, your fate is rather bumpy. You have suffered many hardships and grievances in the early days. Your family has been broken up, and your lover has passed away. However, when you reach the age of thirty-eight, a noble person will come to your rescue and pluck you out of the mire of misfortune." Alice said with a solemn expression and a firm tone, her eyes seeming to peer into the depths of fate itself.
The other women of the brothel, upon hearing this, excitedly flocked around Alice, vying to have her divine their fates.
"What about me? Sir, look at my fortune!"
"Don't cut in line. I was here first!"
"You slut, I was clearly here first. Get out of the way. Sir should divine my fortune first!"
"Sir..."
The shrill cries of "Sir" rang out one after another, creating a cacophony that made Alice feel a bit dizzy.
Alice smiled and tried to calm the chaos, "Don't worry. One by one, please."
At this time, Caesar was standing not far away, watching this scene unfold. The veins on his forehead were visibly throbbing, as if a taut string was on the verge of snapping. It was bad enough that this woman hadn't followed him, but now she was even engaged in fortune-telling here!
Caesar took a deep breath, his chest heaving with suppressed anger. He glared at Alice with a fierce intensity, as if trying to burn a hole through her with his eyes. Then, with a swift motion of his hands, he tore open the void, and in an instant, he disappeared from sight. The act of tearing the void was accompanied by a blinding flash of light and a distortion of space, as if a gateway to another dimension had been opened and then slammed shut in the blink of an eye.
Alice seemed to sense something amiss. She looked up and in the direction where Caesar had left, but all she saw was an empty void, nothingness stretching out before her. A pang of disappointment flickered across her face, but she was quickly distracted by the commotion around her.
In a mysterious place thousands of miles away.
A man in a jet-black robe, his face as handsome as it was inscrutable, was walking along a long corridor. His face was as gloomy as a storm cloud gathering before a tempest, dark and foreboding.
Suddenly, a man in a blue tight-fitting suit walked towards him. The man was first taken aback by surprise for a moment, and then he quickly dropped to one knee and saluted with a deep bow, asking respectfully, "Your Majesty."
Caesar sneered coldly, his lips curling into a disdainful smirk. He didn't even deign to look at the man, simply walking straight past him as if he were invisible. He left the man named Miles standing there in a daze, his mind filled with confusion. Miles wondered to himself if he had done something to offend His Majesty. Why was His Majesty's face so ugly?
Miles tried hard to recall his actions over the past few days, but he could find no fault or misstep...
Suddenly, Miles's eyes lit up as he remembered a woman he had met in a remote forest a few days ago. That woman seemed to have a special relationship with His Majesty.
Could it be...
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