Yet, facing Li Yuan now, Venus behaved more like a reserved little girl. Her mind was in complete disarray. She clearly had so much she wanted to say, but after holding it in for a long time, she still could not utter a single coherent sentence.
If one looked closely, they could even see this brat's cheeks flushing slightly as she stood there, completely at a loss.
The sight amused Li Yuan. After all, he still remembered how she had caused quite a scene in his teahouse when they first met.
Now, she could not even speak properly. This stark contrast was quite an eye-opener for Hogg, who stood beside her.
If one had to find a reason... it was probably because she was still too young. She had experienced too little and seen too few grand occasions, unlike Hogg beside her, who was not nearly as constrained.
After all, once you had seen enough, you became immune to it.
After waiting a moment, Venus still could not articulate her thoughts. Li Yuan shook his head helplessly. Calculating the time, things on Hui's end should be just about wrapped up.
He felt he should head back and check on her first; otherwise, it would be no laughing matter if that little fox threw a tantrum.
However, seeing that the two before him had no intention of leaving, he hesitated briefly before deciding on a compromise.
“If you two still have something to say, why don't we head to the teahouse for a cup of tea first?”
...
A minute later, the wooden door of the teahouse was pushed open.
Venus followed right behind Li Yuan as they stepped inside, with Hogg bringing up the rear.
Both of them still bore the marks of the recent battle—they were somewhat injured, but their condition was relatively stable. Under the support of the powerful mana of the Heroic Spirit Rank, they would fully recover in just a few hours.
Returning behind the bar counter, Li Yuan nodded slightly to the two of them as a greeting.
“Please, have a seat.”
Venus took a deep breath, pulled out a chair, and sat down at the bar counter. Hogg sat down right next to her, leaning his staff against the leg of the table.
Without asking what they wanted to drink, Li Yuan simply turned around, took down a celadon jar from the tea shelf behind him, and made the decision for them.
He slid two teacups in front of them. Letting his hands fall naturally to his sides, his gaze swept across their faces before finally settling on Hogg.
“Lord Preceptor, it seems you still have something to say?”
Hogg picked up his teacup, looking down at the clear tea. He remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, his voice slightly lower than usual.
“Actually, I have nothing left to ask, Mr. Li.” He paused, raising his eyes to look at Li Yuan with a bitter smile. “I just wanted to stay here a little longer. It brings me peace of mind.”
Though his tone had returned to its usual calm, his fingers tightened slightly around his teacup.
He took a sip of tea. After a brief pause, he spoke again, his voice even softer than before.
“What happened this time... truly frightened me.”
Venus's brow twitched. In her understanding, this man was not someone who would easily utter the word “fear.”
Ignoring her gaze, Hogg continued as if talking to himself:
“I was not afraid for my own safety... I was afraid that the tragedy of fifty years ago would repeat itself...”
Stopping halfway, he shook his head and looked at Li Yuan, his eyes filled with a complex mixture of emotions.
“If you had not intervened in time, Mr. Li, the fate of the royal capital... would likely have been the same.”
With that, he fell silent, slowly raising his cup to sip his tea in quiet contemplation.
Li Yuan could understand Hogg's feelings. As the Royal Preceptor, Hogg had indeed done everything in his power; it would not be an exaggeration to say he had worked himself to the bone.
Even in the Kyushu Continent, his actions would have earned him a sincere compliment of “well done.”
It seemed this Royal Preceptor was also exhausted and simply needed someone he could safely confide in.
Silence enveloped the teahouse for a time.
Venus held her teacup, her eyes vacant as if she were lost in thought. After a long while, she finally looked up at Li Yuan.
“Mr... Mr. Li, I just want to confirm one thing... You already knew the Empire's objective in coming here, didn't you?”
Meeting her gaze, Li Yuan nodded candidly.
“Yes.”
Venus's expression shifted slightly, and she immediately pressed further.
“Since you knew, why didn't you tell us sooner?”
Li Yuan folded the tea towel in his hand and set it aside on the bar counter. “I did not know you back then, Lady Venus,” he replied with absolute composure. “And even if I did,” he paused, looking at her seriously, “I had no obligation to tell you, did I?”
Venus opened her mouth, but for a moment, she could find no words to refute him.
It was true. When the delegation first arrived in the royal capital, there had been no intersection between her and Li Yuan. Even when they met later, it was strictly as a customer and a shop owner.
He was neither an official of the Kingdom nor a subject of the Empire. Why on earth should he share what he knew with her?
She understood the logic, yet she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of grievance, as if she were being treated differently.
His attitude toward Hogg was nothing like this. They interacted almost like friends, but when it came to her...
Besides, she couldn't beat him in a fight either. Having witnessed it with her own eyes, she knew he could casually erase even an Abyssal Rift. She certainly lacked the confidence to force such a person to come with her.
Ultimately, her side was in the wrong anyway. Demanding answers now would only make her look unreasonable.
After a few seconds of silence, Venus suddenly turned her head, directing her frustration toward Hogg, who was calmly sipping his tea.
“Hogg, you knew all along that Mr. Li was the person we were looking for, didn't you?”
She didn't dare complain to Li Yuan, but she had no such reservations with Hogg, immediately demanding an answer.
“Why did you hide it on purpose? If you had told us sooner, things would never have escalated to this point.”
Hogg's hand paused. He took another unhurried sip of tea before speaking slowly.
“This was all Mr. Li's wish. After our conversation at the embassy that day, I contacted him. If you could find him, that would be your own capability. If you couldn't, you have no one else to blame.”
Translated, it meant: It's not that I didn't want to tell you, but Mr. Li forbade it. If you couldn't find him, it's because you're incompetent, which has nothing to do with the Kingdom.
Venus was completely silenced by his words.
She stared at Hogg's completely expressionless face, then glanced at Li Yuan, who stood behind the bar counter looking entirely detached. In the end, she could only sullenly raise her teacup and down the remaining tea in one gulp.
Seeing her defeated look, the corner of Hogg's mouth twitched imperceptibly before he resumed his calm, steady expression.
Tranquility returned to the teahouse once more.
After a long while, perhaps thinking of something, Venus raised her eyebrows defiantly and stared straight at Li Yuan.
“So... would you be willing to return to the Empire with us, Owner Li?”
“No!”
Before Li Yuan could even speak, Hogg beat him to it with an incredibly clear and firm rejection. Shaking off his previous calm, a rare trace of anxiety even appeared between his brows.
“Mr. Li is doing very well here in the Kingdom. He will not return to the Empire with you.”
Seeing Hogg's reaction, the corners of Venus's lips curled upward. As if she had discovered something highly amusing, she teased with a mischievous grin,
“I wasn't asking you, so why are you in such a hurry? Besides, is it up to you to decide whether Owner Li goes or not?”
Rate on N.U.
