The bustle of Stonia was left far behind.
Dustin did not leave immediately. Instead, on a night with a bright, clear moon, he quietly arrived at Margaret’s private residence outside the palace.
On the stone table were a few dishes and a pot of clear wine.
Margaret, dressed in plain casual robes, was drinking alone under the moon.
When she saw Dustin, she wasn’t surprised. She simply smiled and pointed at the stone bench opposite her, as if she had already anticipated his visit.
“Leaving already?” she asked casually, pouring him a cup of wine.
Dustin sat down, took the cup, feeling the warmth of the porcelain between his fingers, and nodded. “Mm. What needed doing here is done.”
Margaret raised her cup, her expression earnest. “This time… I truly owe you. Without you, I might not have even reached Penglai Island, let alone obtained a life-saving pill for my father.”
Dustin lightly touched her cup with his. The crisp sound cut off her words.
“There’s no need for this between us. You guided me; I helped you get the medicine. Each of us got what we needed. No debts.”
His tone was calm, but carried the easy honesty of true friends.
Margaret smiled and drained her cup without pressing further. She understood Dustin well—he meant every word.
“What are you planning next?” she asked, eyes carrying a hint of concern.
Dustin was silent for a moment, as if his gaze pierced thousands of mountains toward the distant west.
He gently rubbed the wine cup. “Heading to West Lucozia. The old man’s health isn’t good. I should visit…and bring something.”
He didn’t specify what; Margaret didn’t ask. She knew the Prince of West Lucozia’s condition was terrible, barely clinging to life unless aided by powerful medicine.
“West Lucozia is far. Take care.” Margaret raised her cup again. “Give my regards to the West Lucozia King.”
“Alright.” Dustin drank, stood up, and moved with crisp finality. “I’m off.”
No extra farewells. As silently as he had come, his figure flickered under the moonlight and vanished.
Margaret stared at the empty seat, a faint smile on her lips.
After all this time together, she realized a certain silhouette had unknowingly carved itself into her heart.
Unfortunately, he already loved someone else.
…
After leaving Yanjing, Dustin didn’t immediately travel to West Lucozia.
Refining a life-extending pill was no simple task—especially one meant to treat Rufus Rhys’ heavily damaged life-origin. Without the fortuitous environment of Penglai Island, Dustin had to use a portion of his own origin power, costing both time and strength.
Days passed.
West Lucozia King’s Manor, Training Grounds.
Banners fluttered; shouts thundered.
Even with the Prince gravely ill, the Northern cavalry never slacked in their drills.
At the center of the grounds, a tall, broad-shouldered, stern-faced young commander in black training armor was instructing soldiers in formation techniques.
His voice boomed like a drum; his movements were sharp—this was Dustin’s younger brother, Thorian.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, he turned sharply—and noticed a white-clad figure quietly watching him from the edge of the field.
“Big Brother?!”
Thorian froze, then erupted with joy. He didn’t care about the soldiers anymore—he bolted toward Dustin in huge strides, excitement written all over his face.
“When did you get back? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”
Seeing his increasingly robust younger brother, Dustin chuckled and patted his shoulder. “Just arrived. You’ve gotten sturdier.”
“I basically live in the barracks—how could I not get sturdier?” Thorian grinned. Then his expression dimmed, voice lowering. “Big Brother… Father’s getting worse. I don’t know how many days he has left. He keeps thinking of you. You should go see him?”
“No need to worry. I already have a solution.”
Dustin cut him off, pulling a warm jade box from his robes and handing it over. “Take this to the old man. It’ll extend his life by ten years.”
“Ten…years?”
Thorian’s head snapped up, eyes trembling with disbelief and emotion. “Big Brother, are you serious?!”
“I already tested it on the Emperor. Works perfectly.”
Thorian’s eyelids twitched violently.
Making the Emperor test medicine… Only Dustin would dare such a thing.
“Time’s running short. Go. And don’t mention it came from me.”
“Big Brother, you’re not coming to see him yourself?” Thorian asked.
Dustin hesitated, then shook his head. “No. I’ll wait here.”
He still couldn’t take that step—whether because he didn’t know how to face a dying father, or because he didn’t want to see the once-towering figure reduced to frailty.
Thorian didn’t insist. He cupped his hands in a deep salute, then shot away like an arrow, gathering a trusted squad of guards before racing toward the secluded residence where their father lay. - Marinien
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