V1: Chapter 59: The Underground Tavern at Midnight

"You're having another episode?" Liang Lin glared at Liang Di.

"Have you forgotten what I'm like now..."

Liang Lin looked down at her lower body.

"We don't have to touch there. There are plenty of other places we can use, aren't there?"

Liang Lin: "?"

Hell No!!

"Sister Liang Lin... when my tentacles went into your ear, didn't you feel a strange sense of pleasure?"

Liang Di breathed into Liang Lin's ear.

Liang Di knew that Liang Lin's ears were very sensitive. Even without touching them, a gentle breath would make her jump like a startled cat.

Sure enough, Liang Lin took a step back forcefully. But because her wrists were tightly bound by the tentacles, Liang Lin was pulled back by Liang Di as soon as she took a step back, and pulled into her arms.

 "Haa~ Sister Lianglin, you don't need to lie. I saw your expression clearly."

Liangdi gently rubbed Lianglin's cheek with her fingertips.

"Sister, your alluring expression betrayed you. Really, no pleasure at all? Hmm~?"

Hiss~

My ears are so itchy.

Liang Lin shuddered.

Being teased by Liang Di like this, the grievances she felt at school vanished instantly.

Why? Because she started wanting to kill Liang Di; her mindset had changed.

Hmm…isn't this a case of two negatives making a positive?

"Let go of me. I'm not in the mood to fight with you today."

"Sister, I'm going to kiss you."

"?"

Wait, this doesn't make sense.

"A kiss makes you forget all your troubles~"

Liang Di slowly lowered her head.

Liang Lin struggled for a long time, but couldn't budge an inch.

Finally, she simply closed her eyes, gave up struggling, and quietly waited for the kiss.

But after waiting for a long time, the kiss didn't fall.

"So, is that what's bothering you, sister?"

When Liang Lin opened her eyes, she saw the crumpled application form that Liang Lin had been carrying in her pocket.

"The reason for the rejection is... because you're a woman?"

Liang Di seemed thoughtful.

At this moment, the tentacles had completely retracted.

But Liang Lin was still nestled in Liang Di's arms, staring blankly at her, completely bewildered.

She thought...

She thought she was going to be forcibly kissed, but it turned out the other person was just teasing her to figure out why she was upset?

Well, it felt like her conscience had been punched hard!

Good heavens!

She even wanted to slap herself when she woke up in the middle of the night and scream, "How could I be so disgusting?"

Just as Liang Lin closed her eyes, awaiting a kiss, Liang Di noticed a corner of white paper peeking out of her pocket.

Considering Liang Lin's hand had been constantly on her pocket since her return, she used her tentacles to pull out the paper.

In truth, she genuinely wanted to kiss Liang Lin, but the contents of the paper had distracted her.

"Yes, I was rejected."

Liang Lin felt awkward. She straightened up, wanting to leave Liang Di's embrace, but was pulled back.

"So, have you thought of a solution?" Liang Di asked.

Although Liang Lin had felt a pang of conscience for a second, a polite conversation was out of the question.

Liang Lin said irritably, "If I could find a solution, I wouldn't be so gloomy."

Liang Di didn't have any solutions either.

As the daughter of a fallen duke, she couldn't change the academy headmaster's or the other nobles' decisions.

But, to cheer Liang Lin up, she decided to try and influence things.

"Sister Liang Lin, wait for my good news."

Liang Lin had no hope, but still awkwardly and stubbornly expressed her gratitude, "Hmm, I don't think it's any use. Well, anyway, thank you, since you're definitely going to be rejected anyway, just go ahead and embarrass yourself."

Hmmm~

"The tsundere Sister Liang Lin is also cute~"

"Get lost!"

Liang Lin threw a pillow at Liang Di, her face uncontrollably flushing red and hot.

Damn it, why am I getting more and more shy? This won't do, I'm a real man!

After Liang Di left, Liang Lin washed up and lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Liang Di's efforts to network among those nobles were definitely useless; she needed to find a solution herself.

Night deepened.

Inside the Langwendi mansion, a suspicious dark figure stealthily climbed over the wall.

Yes, it was Liang Lin.

Dressed in a black robe that blended seamlessly into the night, she tiptoed out of the Langwendi mansion, walking briskly through the deserted noble quarter.

The underground tavern in the commoners' quarter was probably bustling with activity right now. She couldn't sleep; it had been so long since she'd had a shot of barley wine. She missed the days when she and her men would gather around the fireplace in the cold borderlands, drinking barley wine together. Back then, many of her older men would pat her on the back, laughing at her low alcohol tolerance.

Later, her alcohol tolerance gradually improved, but her men also gradually disappeared. Some died on the battlefield, others grew too old to fight and retired. If it was the latter, Liang Lin would jokingly say, "Old age just makes you useless," but most disappeared for the former reason.

From the age of seven, she was taught by her family how to lead her troops in battle. It was also from that time that her older sister, Hilary, taught her her unparalleled swordsmanship. Liang Lin always called herself a genius, and she truly was; in just three years, she could fight Hilary to a standstill.

From the age of thirteen, Liang Lin used her seemingly frail shoulders to bear the weight of sturdy armor, riding a steed, sword in hand, fighting on the battlefield.

"We, the Kronin family, are born to fight." 

Liang Lin quickened her pace, reminiscing about the past. Her eyes were already brimming with tears.

She wondered what had become of her surviving subordinates after her death on the battlefield.

It would take a week's carriage ride from the capital to the border city of Guti, and she'd heard that Guti had been completely occupied.

One day, she would fight her way back.

She would tell the invaders that the spirit of the Kronin family was indomitable.

Liang Lin had reached the civilian district.

Underground taverns were usually hidden in dirty, chaotic alleyways, their doors a dull, creaky wooden color that blended seamlessly with the walls, making them difficult to spot. Once opened, they would creak and groan.

Liang Lin wandered aimlessly for a while, finally finding an underground tavern in a dusty alley.

Though the door was small, the space inside was surprisingly large. Liang Lin pulled down the brim of her cloak and slipped inside.

"One more drink! One more drink!"

"Hahahaha~"

"Brother, are you any good?"

The tavern was incredibly noisy. Whether they were cursing, bragging, or drinking contests, everyone had an excited smile on their face.