Hello, Arknights

Chapter 421 Untitled 5

Although the speech was very satisfying, no one can be satisfied forever, especially someone like Platinum.

"Who did you entrust that little guy to when you left?" Platinum sat next to him in the car, trying to make it seem like nothing had happened, and started a conversation.

Although both of them had put on thicker coats because of the autumn chill, after their heartfelt conversation, it was still difficult for them to simply ignore the subtle physical gestures and thoughts they had just exchanged. For example, Ling was looking out the window with complete concentration, but he clearly remembered the few times Bai Jin had touched him intentionally or unintentionally after getting into the car.

"Lappland, that guy is surprisingly well-behaved when it comes to kids. Violet hasn't had a proper chance to play in the flower fields since she came to Provence, so I asked Frostleaf to go with her there."

"You could let Laprode bring the kids along too. I've been to Provence with someone, and it's really nice."

"It's 'Lappland,' you'd better not call her by the wrong name in front of her, she always holds grudges in strange ways," Ling Dengxian corrected.

"With so many girls around you, it's understandable that you can't remember them all in such a short time, right?" Platinum snorted.

“But it’s not really reasonable for our Xintrea to not remember.” Ling Dengxian laughed awkwardly twice, then reached out and covered Bai Jin’s hand. The latter blushed slightly and glared at him. She could see through his attempt to evade the question, but she couldn’t help but enjoy his closeness, so she could only kick him again.

As she looked away, she noticed a gaze coming from the rearview mirror. Her eyes sharpened instantly, and the driver immediately withdrew his prying gaze. His skillful multitasking made it impossible for him to detect anything unusual on the surface, but the white-haired Kuranta's behavior in the back seat alarmed him.

As Earl White Wolf's driver and part-time bodyguard, and a retired elite soldier who had seen all sorts of people, it was clear that this white-haired Kuranta was not the simple and weak girl she appeared to be, but a sharp dagger.

That shift in her gaze wasn't something an ordinary girl would exhibit—could she actually be this viscount's personal bodyguard? That makes sense; how could a viscount not have protective arrangements? Does that mean he doesn't trust the master…? No, no, subconscious actions don't lie. This viscount's interpersonal relationships are far too complicated…

"...White Dove, I remember there's a stretch of road on the way to Lagun Village where the lavender is blooming beautifully. We're not far from that village now. Can you come with me?" Bai Jin didn't question the driver's prying, but she didn't want to get into the car of a stranger with ulterior motives. She was used to taking precautions.

“Sure, but… alright,” Ling Dengxian glanced at Bai Jin. Although he didn’t notice anything unusual, he still went along with her suggestion. “Sir, I’m sorry to have troubled you today. Could you please pull over for a moment?”

"It is my honor. Your Excellency, the Viscount, will follow your arrangements. But what about the master..."

"I remember Mr. Grant said he would stay for dinner when I left. I will explain to him when I get back. Thank you for your hard work today."

"Your Excellency, please do not use honorifics with me. This...this confuses the proper order of things..."

"Alright, I don't really feel like this identity is real to me, so don't worry about it." The driver didn't dare to delay. The car had already come to a stop, and Ling Dengxian opened the door and got out. Bai Jin followed closely behind, even taking the groceries out of the car.

"platinum?"

"It's nothing. What if the car gets scattered if we leave it in the back seat and no one watches it? The trunk is full of other things." Bai Jin stuffed all the things into his arms. "Take good care of them. If you lose even one thing, you'll be in big trouble when you get back."

Kuranta glanced back at the impolite driver with displeasure, then walked ahead of Ling with her hands behind her back. With the driver no longer giving her any ulterior motives, her steps became much lighter.

"What happened?" Ling Dengxian knew that Bai Jin must have a reason for doing this, but he also thought that she might really want to be alone for a while.

"I've finally been freed from being watched every day, and I don't like being spied on for no reason... But what about you? What do you plan to do?" Platinum snapped out of her daze and looked at him, walking backwards.

"Of course, it should be handled by whoever is responsible for it. Although I put myself in that situation, I'd also like to watch the show—hey, watch out, the road is difficult to navigate, wait for me!"

Platinum immediately turned around and quickened her pace. Ling, who was carrying a large amount of ingredients, had to catch up quickly and barely managed to catch up with the embarrassed and angry Pegasus.

"...So you really think what I said is ridiculous, right?" Platinum quickened her pace as he caught up.

"Why do you think that?" Ling Dengxian gave a wry smile and followed closely behind.

"...I spent the least amount of time with you, and even showed you how pathetic I was when I was at my wit's end, yet I utter such arrogant words... You risked your life for Bagpipe, I... I can't imagine what it would be like if it were me—"

“I can’t imagine it either.” Ling Dengxian cut her off decisively. “To be honest, in Kazimierz-Hinterlaya, you always gave me a reliable yet proud image. Whether it was giving me directions, chatting with me, giving me advice, or holding an umbrella for me, even in the most embarrassing moments, you always kept your bottom line in check.”

Bai Jin stopped in his tracks, feeling somewhat incredulous.

"Really, to be honest, I have my weak moments too... Ah, you've seen what I looked like then, so let's not talk about who was more pathetic... I've relied on so many people for care all this time, and honestly, the feeling of having someone to rely on is something I really cherish—maybe one day I'll be the one waiting to be awakened and saved? Hinterlea...would you come to save me without hesitation?"

"Of course." Platinum sensed the emotion in his words and looked closely at the person in front of him, feeling a sense of "weakness" in him for the first time.

“Then my answer is naturally the same as yours.” Ling Dengxian’s gaze was gentle, like the arc of the moon that had already revealed its face on the horizon.

Platinum's eyes suddenly narrowed, and she threw herself into his arms, whispering softly.

I won't ask you that kind of question again.

……

As you walk along the winding path, you'll eventually reach Lagong Village, which is only a few miles away from the nearby town. The town is one of only two points of contact between the villagers and the outside world.

The other node is Violet.

The people of Daphne didn't do anything unnecessary, nor did they betray the residents' privacy. They simply gave a general overview of "El's" recent haunts and personality, and incidentally provided a very crucial piece of information:

“Your Excellency, please note that this ‘El’… is not actually named El.” A strange expression appeared on the usually impassive face of the man who was acting on Defien’s orders. “The reason for this… is for you to discover for yourself.”

Ling Dengxian and Bai Jin exchanged a glance, both of them with a question mark appearing above their heads.

"It's alright, they're at home, so it shouldn't matter if we go back a little later. Just treat it as a puzzle game." Ling Dengxian looked at Bai Jin, who shrugged and glanced at the ingredients in his hand, feeling a little guilty.

However, he still complained as usual: "It has nothing to do with me if I have to kneel on a washboard when I get back."

As she spoke, she reached out and took some ingredients from his hand.

The man who delivered the message took his leave, and Ling Dengxian looked at the note he had given her; the words "Town Tavern" caught her eye.

Town... Tavern...

He suddenly smiled slightly, recalling the past of Qicheng Town.

"Let's go then."