220 Chapter 220: Message (2/2)
”Are you saying that you're stronger than Angelica?” Shun Yin asked skeptically. Glen blanched at that.
”Well…no…not really…it depends.” Glen looked sheepish. ”If I can summon my White Tiger, I will have a high chance of defeating her. The problem is that…”
”…she always defeats you before you can complete the summoning spell for your White Tiger.” Shun Yin understood. Glen grinned in embarrassment.
”Exactly.”
”Even so…we still have to stop her.”
Shun Yin rested his head on his desk tiredly. Glen watched him in concern.
”Do you know how? Hell, do you even know where she is right now? The Porter clan is tearing the entire city apart trying to track down her location, you know? What makes you think you can find her when the sheer amount of manpower that the Porter clan brought to bear can't?”
”Oh…I won't be able to find her. I believe that Angelica will be the one who comes to find me.”
Glen stared at him, his jaw dropping for a second, and then he guffawed boisterously. ”So you do have some confidence, after all! And here I thought you were trying to be modest.”
”No…it's just something she said.” Shun Yin rubbed his temple as he recalled his conversation with her. ”Angelica said that we'll meet again. Knowing her, she probably isn't lying or being figurative. She still plans to persuade me, if I'm not mistaken.”
”So that's what you mean.” Glen looked a little disappointed. He then leaned back in his desk. ”Oh well…whatever happens, happens. Just don't try and take everything upon yourself, you hear? The moment you get something, let me know immediately. We'll figure it out together.”
Shun Yin simply smiled silently, but he didn't promise or agree.
*
With the month being peaceful and quiet, there was little for Shun Yin to do after school ended, except to head to the Miyamoto dojo and resume his usual training. Even in the week out of school, and the rest of the weeks that followed as Vermillion High struggled to return to normalcy, he had continued to train and spar with his master in the dojo.
However, today, he paused right at the road. Months ago, he was first attacked here by Ying Bu Si. Back then, the Sakura blossoms were scattering across the road, turning the entire place pink. However, spring was nearing its end and summer was taking over. Bright sunlight baked the green trees that stood tall on both sides of the road.
There was no longer any sign of damage on the place where he had fought the Umbra Assassin. Rather, the presence belonged not to an enemy but…someone unexpected.
”Lord Michael.” Shun Yin bowed his head slightly. ”What can I do for you, sir?”
”I have a message from my sister.”
Shun Yin immediately froze. ”Angelica?”
”Yes.” Michael regarded Shun Yin impassively, his expression unreadable. ”The very same girl who betrayed the Porter clan to obtain more power, all for the sake of the man she loves.”
”That's…” Shun Yin narrowed his eyes. ”If that is so, why are you talking to me? Shouldn't you be reporting this to your parents? To the Porter clan?”
”She's still my sister.”
”…you are on the side of your sister? The Assassins Guild?” Somehow that struck Shun Yin as odd. A hero like Michael would never join hands with the Assassins Guild. The person he had been idolizing, worshipping, admiring…he would never…
”No. I am on nobody's side.” Michael sighed. ”But…she's still my sister. Besides, there is nothing for me to report to my father. What am I supposed to tell him? That she left a letter for you? If I tell him that, you're the one who suffers the most. They will take you in for interrogation and torture you for whatever information they think you have. But…” he clenched his fists. ”I know you well enough. You aren't related to this at all.”
”Then why would Angelica leave me a letter?”
”I don't know. That's between you and her. It's none of my business.” Michael stepped forward and handed a white envelope to Shun Yin. He accepted it, but kept his eyes on Michael.
”What is she planning? What did she tell you?”
”You misunderstand. I never met her. I found the letter in my room. I don't know how she delivered it to my room…maybe she left it there before her so-called disappearance and I didn't notice it for a month…or more likely, she used some sort of spell to deliver the letter to my room. Or bribed one of the servants…but obviously I don't know which one, and all of them claimed not to know anything about it. In any case, I found it in my room this morning, and it has your name on it.”
True enough, Shun Yin found his name spelled across the front of the white envelope. He frowned, recognizing Angelica's handwriting. It hadn't changed, even after nine years…still the pretty and elegant script.
Sighing, he tore it open and read it.
”Please don't join the Assassins Guild. I intend to betray the organization hiring them.”
”…what in the world?”
”What's the matter?” Michael raised an eyebrow. Shun Yin didn't hesitate in showing him the letter. After the older guy read the letter, Shun Yin wasn't able to resist his question.
”What is Angelica plotting?”
”Your guess is good as mine. I've known that she has been in love with you all this time. I wager she just doesn't want to involve you in her own affairs.”
”Isn't it a bit too late for that?” Shun Yin pointed out dryly. Michael shrugged and gestured toward the rest of the message. Shun Yin returned his attention and continued reading.
”All I desire is more power…that way, I will be able to be together with you. Our paths may be different, but our destination is definitely the same. I'm sure we'll arrive there together…eventually.”
Shun Yin glanced up at Michael, scowling at the cryptic message. ”What's that supposed to mean?”
”I don't know.” Michael sighed in frustration. ”This is the first time that Angelica is behaving neither logically nor rationally.” He shook his head as he stared hard at Shun Yin. ”All I can guess is that she is…acting impulsively because of love.”
Shun Yin didn't know whether to laugh or cry over such a cheesy bullshit line.