Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 101 Do you understand the true meaning of destiny?
Xie Liya's question was very sudden, and Lingge didn't think of how to answer it for a while. In fact, even the girl herself was surprised, surprised why she asked such a question. It was as if a sudden impulse temporarily dominated her brain and made her do unexpected things.

After a brief silence, Xie Liya said again: "I'm sorry, I was presumptuous. Just pretend that I didn't ask this question."

In order to hide her embarrassment, she picked up a glass of water from the table next to her, raised it to her eyes, and gently gestured to Ling Ge: "I hope my presumptuous behavior will not affect your good mood tonight."

The clear blue eyes, through the slightly shaking transparent ice water, reflected a gem-like light.

The bartender brought the glass to her lips, drank it all, and then put it back in its place: "Well, I'll be leaving now."

She turned and walked towards the counter. Lingge was still standing there, silently watching her leaving. In the interludes of the music played by the magical plants, he seemed to hear the girl smacking her lips and muttering softly, "It's a bit sweet..."

What a unique bartender.

The banquet was getting better and better. As the hostess left the kitchen, the rabbits no longer needed to serve the dishes and had nothing to do. They soon became undisciplined and disorderly. Some climbed onto the table and began to eat and drink, some ran to the stage and jumped around like they were dancing, and a few of them were too energetic and ran around the entire hall, occasionally picking up the empty wine glasses on the table and poking each other, like two experienced swordsmen dueling, making a clanging sound.

Neither Miss Shelia behind the counter nor Miss Shemi who was chatting with Medien were surprised by this and neither of them showed any intention to stop it.

After seeing this scene, Ling Ge finally understood why these guys were so excited when the boss lady Shesta announced that she was going to hold a banquet. For them, both the preparations before the banquet and the enjoyment during the banquet were part of the joy.

It was during this noisy and bustling moment that Saint Charlia arrived at the hotel.

Metien hesitated for a while between "Sister Saint Xia Liya" and "Xiao Xia", and finally chose a compromise name: "Sister Xiao Xia, good evening!"

The eyes of both of them were a similar golden color, and therefore the faces reflected in them were similarly calm. The music played by the magic plants suddenly became extremely distant, as if it was separated by a piece of transparent glass, and its echoes were diluted a lot.

Lingge was also looking at her.

“Hey!” Alice, who was running back and forth between the tables to grab food, also raised her hand and greeted, “Long time no see, Xiao Xia… Wow! That was close!”

The lady boss who was in charge of picking her up pushed open the door of the hotel, ignored the chaotic scene in the lobby, waved her hand with a smile, and called out, "Everyone, look who's here~"

Shesta suddenly whispered in Saint Shallia's ear: "You guided him here, there must be some special meaning, right? But understanding between people needs to be carried out through communication. If you just look at him without saying a word, you can't convey anything, you know?"

Saint Shallia's expression softened a little. She nodded slightly to the three people as a response, and then her eyes slowly fell on Ling'er's face.

"Also," she paused, her tone slightly more formal, "No matter what you want to do, we will support you, Xiao Xia. So, please don't worry."

The last exclamation came when she was holding up the plate with only one hand, and there was too much food on it, and it was too heavy, so she lost her grip and almost dropped it.

So everyone subconsciously raised their heads and looked towards the door. At a glance, they saw the quiet and peaceful silver elf girl standing next to the proprietress. She had long braided green hair and big golden eyes, and was holding a white lamb in her hands. At this time, she probably smelled the aroma of food and was trying her best to rush forward, but the gray rope around her neck was firmly grasped by Saint Xia Liya, leaving her no chance to run wild.

"Ah!" Xie Mi was the first to react and shouted happily, "It's Xiao Xia! Welcome back!"

"Why don't you go over and talk to him?"

This was a promise she made on behalf of the Fairy Sleep Inn.

Upon hearing this, Saint Shalia's lips curled up slowly, revealing a light and beautiful smile: "I am very grateful to you, Shesta."

"You're welcome, we are friends." The proprietress gently pushed the girl on the back: "Okay, go quickly, don't keep Mr. Linger waiting too long?" Saint Xia Liya did not resist and led her lamb towards Linger. Although the latter was obviously more interested in the food on the table, he could not disobey his master's wishes and could only bleat helplessly, revealing a bit of desolation and sadness.

Slowly walking in front of Lingge, the mysterious shepherdess seemed to not know what social distance was, so she kept approaching the young man until he was within one step of her, then stopped and looked up at him. The two were so close that they could even catch her breathing with their ears, and her slender nose twitched slightly, which in the young man's eyes was more green than the grapes hanging from the branches.

This seems like a magical metaphor, but Linger really thought so. Fortunately, he did not forget the social etiquette that he should have as a good citizen in the 19th century, so he took a step back and distanced himself from her.

Saint Shallia tilted her head slightly upon seeing this, and her lamb also tilted its head slightly, but the direction of its head just happened to be facing the food on the table.

The girl didn't seem to care about Ling'er's deliberate distance, and said in a voice so light that it felt like the wind blowing: "I thought you wouldn't come."

This was very true, because Ling Ge also felt that he would not have come.

But he came.

The reasons why he would come and the reasons why he would not come were both equally simple.

"I remember you said that the method of peeling the golden apple can be found in Rustin City." Ling'er's voice was the opposite of hers, as calm as the stones inlaid in the city walls in ancient times: "That's why I came here."

I came here just for this purpose.

He said: "Now, you should be able to tell me what the method is."

Saint Shallia slowly shook her head: "If peeling off the golden apple is also part of your destiny, then you should find the method yourself. All I can do is to provide you with some guidance."

She moved her gaze downwards and landed on Ling'er's hands. These ordinary hands once opened the goddess's scriptures and told the ancient teachings; they also handed bread and milk to believers, conveying a kindness that was not based on their own wishes... Now, they will have the power to find answers.

Saint Shaliya asked him, "Can you still see the line?"

Ling Ge was startled for a moment, then realized that she was referring to the golden line that appeared when he used the [Destiny Beacon]. It was this line that guided Ling Ge and started the journey to the "Prosperous City".

However, since Saint Shallia left that day, Lingge lost all trace of the line and could not even feel any trace of its existence, as if it had disappeared deep in the dark sand covered by years of dust and was gradually swallowed up by the swamp of time.

The young man shook his head slowly: "It's gone."

"Do not."

Saint Shallia said, while extending a slender white finger and lightly tapping the back of Ling'er's hand. The fleeting touch was like a bird flying over the surging waves, fireworks hitting the hazy night, or seeing a fairy dancing alone under the deserted morning moon, and hearing her whispers:

"It's always there."

Then, a line was plucked and slowly flowed through the young man's fingers. In the faint golden light, his thoughts and silence flashed.

From this, people can deeply realize a truth——

The so-called destiny is actually just yourself at the other end of the line.

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)