Chapter 83: Rinloran’s secret (2/2)

…

“Don’t follow me.”

Rinloran leaped from tree to tree when he suddenly halted. He steadied himself on a tree branch, turned around and said, “I truly very much loathe the idea of joining the school team and participating in this tournament.”

“Ah…”

Ayrin cried out in alarm. He swayed on his feet after his sudden halt and fell down. Chris grabbed his back with one hand and lifted him beside her.

“High-level elven bloodlines are really amazing, you won’t fall even with this kind of sudden halt and turnaround. It’s really like teacher Carter said, the nimbleness isn’t something a normal person can compare to.” Ayrin spoke without the slightest sense of shame, then he looked at Rinloran and seriously said, “Stop lying to Chris and me, I already saw you watch our match. You definitely want to participate in the tournament deep inside you, you definitely like this kind of battle, am I right?”

Rinloran’s body stiffened faintly all of a sudden, but he immediately turned aside and said in an icy tone, “I merely went to encourage my school team as a student of Holy Dawn Academy. This doesn’t mean I like matches like these. Also, I can even tell you that I have no desire whatsoever to become a battlemaster, I only want to join Holy Dawn Academy’s medical classes and become a medical master.”

“But…”

“There’s no but, stop coming to find me for this, or else I won’t talk to you anymore, because I really very much loathe this tournament, loathe these fights.”

“You must have a reason even if you loathe them right?” Ayrin looked at his side profile and shouted, “I won’t bother you anymore if you really have a reason for your loathing.”

“What the hell do you guys know!” The fire of an unprecedented anger suddenly ignited inside Rinloran’s eyes. He shouted out loud in a stern voice he never used before, “It’s your own business if you guys like fighting and want to become battlemasters who defend the kingdom at the cost of your lives. Don’t go thinking that everyone’s life is the same as yours! Do you know how it feels to grow up without your parents?!”

Many skylarks took off inside the forest, scared by the cold sternness in his voice.

The forest of giant trees quieted once again. Rinloran had no desire to say any further word; his strength seemed to have deserted him. He only wanted to find a quiet place and stay by himself.

However, he actually heard Ayrin say, “I know.”

An icy anger once again surged in Rinloran’s heart, but he heard Ayrin continue to say, “Because I also lost my parents ever since a very young age.”

The anger in Rinloran’s heart vanished all of a sudden. He couldn’t resist turning his head around and look at Ayrin.

“You..” He watched the calm Ayrin and wanted to say something, but no words would leave his mouth at this moment.

“There used to be some precious gem stores in the area around our Cororin town. My parents were employees in one of the last gem stores left. I heard it was because they were careless and breathed too much airborne gem dust, so they both fell sick and passed away.” Ayrin turned around and glanced at Chris. Chris seemed to understand his meaning and nodded at him. He immediately added, “It’s not only me, Chris also lost her mother.”

“I’m sorry.” Rinloran stared blankly for a very long while. He lowered his head. “I see you so happy every day, I didn’t imagine that…”

“The grim reaper wants to snatch away our loved ones, snatch away our lives. That’s why we have to live to the fullest and fight against the grim reaper. Living in Cororin isn’t something easy. Everyone there thinks like this.” Ayrin raised his head very naturally and looked at the sky. “Everyday, when we walk out from the mines and see the sunlight, all of us are very happy.”

Chris looked blankly at Ayrin. Her mind was previous filled with training, arcane skills and the tournament. Only now did she realize she truly neglected many things. She previously thought that Ayrin was the same as the vast majority of students, born in an ordinary yet wealthy family. Even when Ayrin came to her house, when she told him her circumstances, all she thought of was the tournament. She didn’t even ask Ayrin’s situation.

She felt very ashamed all of a sudden, shrouded in grief and distress. She had trouble imagining Ayrin’s life in a place like Cororin’s mining area. She couldn’t help but stretch out her hand and squeeze Ayrin’s hand. She wanted to apologize for her negligence, wanted to give Ayrin her warmth.

Rinloran saw Chris’ actions. He who shared the same fate didn’t have any other thought but an understanding of Chris’ feelings.

“No, you guys still can’t understand. What happened to me is different from you.” He still firmly shook his head and resolutely turned around, leaping away. “I hope we can be friends, but I really don’t want to participate in the tournament, I really don’t like to fight.”

“Don’t like to fight?” Ayrin stared blankly in the direction he disappeared in. “If he doesn’t like to fight, then when did he come to our aid and fought with us when we were at a disadvantage… What on earth happened to him that made him this way? Is he really going to live inside the forest?”

“Is it because of his parents?” Chris shook her head and held Ayrin’s hand, softly saying, “No need to worry for him though. It’s the high-level elves’ nature to live inside forests, it’s also beneficial for his training. If he wants to, he can very easily make a treehouse.”