Four Split Personalities

The next day

The last day of the Comprehensive Knight Martial Arts Tournament

...

Game Time AM07:06

Inner Ring of Academy City, Stars High-Level Chain Hotel, Top Floor, Suite Zero Main Hall

"Frank."

With a face full of guilt, Diana looked at Frank, pursing her lips and saying softly, "I’m sorry... I originally planned to spend the whole day with you, but then the head of the Yulifis Family, Lufrayus Yulifis, suddenly sent someone to invite me to watch the competition with him. He’s the father of my brother’s fiancée, so I really can’t refuse..."

[Oh, the Yulifis Family, the largest mage’s renowned family on the Northeast Continent, proficient in spirit summoning and channeling, and always holding a seat in the top three of the Council of Truth in the City of Miracles. Tsk tsk, Ivy’s influence is really something, quite impressive.]

While thinking this, ’Frank Hughes’ gently held Diana’s slender, soft right hand, and affectionately placed his chin on her shoulder with a smile, saying, "Haven’t I already told you many times not to let me interfere with your ’important matters’? Besides, even though I don’t know that... uh, is it called the Yulifis Family? Even though I don’t know what that is, since he’s the father of Kenneth’s fiancée, Diana, as half a family member, you really can’t be impolite."

"Hmm, I... I know."

Diana sighed deeply, playfully messing up Frank’s hair, her face slightly flushed as she whispered in his ear, "But I just want to be with you."

"Do you think I don’t want that?"

Frank squinted comfortably, gently embracing the lover resting on his shoulder, and pouted, "If I weren’t afraid of causing you trouble, I’d hold onto your legs and not let you step out the door."

Diana blinked, innocently tilting her head and asked, "Weren’t you holding onto my legs when you slept yesterday..."

"Ahem!"

A red-haired girl who had been ignored until now couldn’t hold back anymore. She coughed loudly, annoyance and irritation clear behind her round-frame glasses, and urged, "We need to get going, Diana, don’t keep the old gentleman waiting too long!"

"..."

Holding Frank’s face full of affection, Diana lightly pecked his forehead, then made an outrageously cute face completely at odds with her age (she was just over thirty) but stunning enough to take one’s breath away, and dashed out of the room without looking back.

"Tsk tsk, I don’t know whether to call her innocent or naughty."

Feeling helpless about her mentor, who could calmly discuss Frank holding onto her legs while sleeping but got too shy to stay after a forehead kiss, Double Leaf glanced sideways at ’Frank Hughes’, who was already holding a broom to clean the room, and asked casually, "Is this really okay?"

The latter blinked curiously, "What do you mean?"

"You’re meticulously protecting her daily life, yet because of your own mediocrity, you can never fully integrate into it."

Double Leaf lazily leaned against the sofa, wryly smiled, "Your life has started to revolve around Diana, and she, whether willingly or not, must bear those... ’dailies’ that likely won’t invoke any positive emotions from you. Over time, can you really reach the end together?"

Frank averted his gaze, shook his head without a word.

"She will meet many people of equal status, equal power, and equal wealth, where I might soon tread, while you may spend your life never accessing such domains."

Double Leaf adjusted her glasses with a middle finger, lightly chuckling, "They will have countless common topics, but you, Frank Hughes, as I see it, between you and Diana there is just ’love’. Perhaps for ordinary people that’s a good thing, very romantic, very commendable, but sadly..."

"In Diana and my relationship, only I am genuinely an ’ordinary person’."

Frank calmly finished Double Leaf’s sentence, then turned back with a gentle smile, "I know such things, but... let’s talk about this another time. Double Leaf, you should be going too, don’t keep Diana waiting too long."

Double Leaf rolled her eyes, slowly heading to the door Diana had rushed out of, without turning her head, "Mind telling me what makes you so calm? If you truly love Diana."

"Because hysterics won’t solve the problem."

Frank Hughes said flatly as he wiped the table with a clean cloth, "So why should I make Diana worry or feel bad?"

"You’re really boring."

After dropping the last comment, Double Leaf disappeared through the doorway.

"Am I?"

Frank did indeed shrug, resting his chin in his hand and clicking his tongue, "I think I’m pretty humorous."

...

Game Time AM07:31

Outer Ring of Academy City, Lin Yin Inn, Front Yard

"That’s about the situation, you’ll be joining me for this afternoon’s team match."

Motan leaned against Wang Badan’s shell, arms crossed, "I’ve been sharing the opponent’s specifics with you through the Blood Covenant, so whether it’s the Snow Bathing Sword or the participants from the Holy Spear Knight Academy, you should have a good idea of their level by now. As for the strategy, it’s what I just told you, no problem, right?"