V2: Chapter 48: A Heartwarming Bonfire Party

As night fell, people gathered, eagerly anticipating the start of the bonfire party. In the center of the area, a roaring bonfire illuminated the night sky, its light reflecting on the excited faces of the people, creating a warm and vibrant atmosphere. Around them, people stood or sat, sang or danced, their laughter echoing throughout the air, filling the space with a joyful and peaceful ambiance.

Children chased and played around the bonfire, their joyful laughter ringing out. Some children played with torches, the flames dancing in their hands like playful sprites; others played hide-and-seek, weaving through the crowd, searching for a hiding place. The children's laughter added a touch of childlike fun and vitality to the entire party.

Adults, on the other hand, were more immersed in conversation and interaction. They sat around the bonfire, sharing stories and discussing the little things in life. In the firelight, their faces appeared especially gentle and kind. Sometimes, they would sing and dance together, pushing the joyful atmosphere to a climax.

Meanwhile, Liang Lin and her companions huddled together, hugging their knees, listening quietly to the men's endless chatter. After telling the story of Marquis Eli, they recounted what they'd heard about the recent assassination of the female general.

The men were like comedians, each story more captivating and vivid than the last, using idioms Liang Lin hadn't even imagined.

"At dawn, the smoke from the battlefield hadn't completely dissipated. General Eli stood high on his warhorse, his armor gleaming in the morning sun. He held a long sword, his gaze piercing, radiating an unparalleled air of authority."

Oh! So that's how they saw me—so powerful and imposing? 

Liang Lin was excited, ready to listen on.

"Behind him, soldiers stood in neat ranks, their armor clashing crisply, like a stirring battle song. The general took a deep breath, pointed his sword forward, and shouted: 'For honor, for the empire, charge!'"

Liang Lin pondered for a moment, recalling the events, and felt that this passage was quite similar to what she remembered; it was always like this before charging into battle.

"Hmm... what you said is quite accurate," Liang Lin couldn't help but interject.

The men smiled and continued:

"With General Eli's command, the soldiers charged towards the enemy lines like arrows released from a bow. The thunderous sound of hooves, the billowing dust, and the tension and excitement filling every corner of the battlefield."

The scene came to life, and Liang Lin listened intently to her story.

"General Eli led the charge, his suicide squad at the forefront. He wielded his longsword, each strike precise and powerful, felling enemy soldiers one by one. His movements were agile and nimble, like a dancer gracefully moving across the battlefield."

Oh dear, that's true. Every time, I was the one leading the charge. That's right, as a general and a marquis, I believed that as the leader of these soldiers, I should naturally lead them in battle, always at the forefront, otherwise how could I boost morale?

"The battle raged fiercely, both sides fighting with all their might. The general's armor was stained with blood and dust, but his eyes grew ever more determined. He constantly encouraged his soldiers, urging them to maintain their fighting spirit."

The man spoke with great emotion. He had been sitting on the ground, but now he stood, raising his right hand and waving it wildly in the air, gesturing with great feeling.

"At a crucial moment, General Eli discovered a weakness in the enemy's defenses. He immediately adjusted his tactics, commanding his soldiers to outflank and encircle them. After a fierce battle, they finally broke through the enemy's lines!"

The man roared, forcefully slapping the shoulder of the man in front of him. Everyone burst into laughter. "Hey, you're mistaking him for a table, aren't you?"

The man realized his mistake, gave an embarrassed smile, and squatted down again. "Oh dear, I got myself all excited talking. I got all fired up."

Liang Lin laughed along with everyone. Although the story was certainly exciting, recalling her own experiences of risking her life on the battlefield, she felt it couldn't compare to the thrill of firsthand experience.

The group discussed animatedly, but as they discussed, the conversation drifted to the death of Marquis Eli and the mysterious female general.

"Sigh, why do all these generals die so young? They were such good people. If they were still alive, the empire would be even more prosperous and stable."

People sighed, lamenting their misfortune, lamenting that fate dealt cruel blows to the good while the bad escaped their due punishment.

"Hmm, maybe this empire... this world, is just meant to harm the good." Liang Lin wanted to say something treasonous, condemning the king, but she swallowed it back.

She wasn't the naive boy she used to be, blurting things out without thinking. Now, things were different; she had to consider the bigger picture.

The sky quickly turned gray, the stars shone brightly, and flickering flames illuminated the night. Four girls stood in the crowd, their faces beaming with anticipation and joy. They hadn't been this happy in a long time. Their daily lives were filled with tedious work, or they were constantly thinking about how to fight the monsters and overthrow the Sotland Empire.

Gurgle~

Liang Lin's stomach growled incessantly. She rubbed her tummy, realizing she hadn't eaten a single thing since noon.

"Hungry?"

The man beside her noticed the embarrassment on Liang Lin's face. He smiled; his dark face, covered in wrinkles, made his teeth appear exceptionally white. He pulled a piece of brown bread from his pocket; it looked quite hard. A little embarrassed, the man scratched the back of his head and offered the bread to Liang Lin.

"Hey, miss, I know you're not from around here. You're so fair-skinned, and although you have calluses on your hands (from sword practice), your skin is much smoother than ours, which is exposed to the sun and wind. You must be the daughter of some wealthy merchant or noble family, right? Heh~"

The man continued, "I know you look down on what we eat, but these are all we have right now. This bread has something special on it too; try a bite, it's delicious."

Liang Lin didn't stand on ceremony and took the bread without hesitation. What did she care about the taste of the bread? On the battlefield, she ate only dry, hard bread and other perishable foods. There was no meat, fish, or fresh fruits and vegetables. She was used to these things.

"Aaww!" She took a big bite, devouring more than half the bread.

Nobles ate bread made with refined flour, while lower-class commoners could only eat coarse, dry, dark bread covered in bran. However, Liang Lin's bread contained almonds and raisins to enhance the flavor.

"How is it?"

The man looked at Liang Lin somewhat awkwardly.

Liang Lin nodded vigorously, giving him a thumbs up. "It's alright, I guess~"

Honestly, it was quite delicious. She didn't know if it was because she was so hungry, but it tasted especially good. Liang Lin chewed the bread in her mouth with large bites.

At this moment, women brought them soup and stew.

It was a common dish for commoners: a vegetable soup and a stew made from beans and meat, to meet their daily nutritional needs. There was even a small bowl of mutton soup, barely enough for a mouthful. This was a rare treat for commoners; they only ate beef or mutton during celebrations and at the end of the year.

Seeing Liang Lin eating with relish, the people around her couldn't help but feel proud, chattering, "You should try this! Hey~ my wife makes the best of this."

Liang Lin accepted it without hesitation.

It was a pot of red clay stewed with various root vegetables, including carrots, potatoes, and onions, seasoned with salt, pepper, and spices. This was a simple cooking method commonly used by commoners.

Liang Lin ate with great relish. She had never eaten this kind of food before, neither at the Duke's mansion nor on the battlefield.

None of the food was sweet, and Liang Di wasn't particularly fond of it, but seeing Liang Lin eating so heartily, she couldn't help but swallow hard. However, after taking a bite, she found it wasn't quite as delicious.

After eating and drinking her fill, Liang Lin let out a satisfied burp and patted her round belly. She had eaten more than usual today, probably because of the fatigue and the joy; her appetite had been greatly stimulated.

She felt that the celebration in the commoner's district suited her better than the solemn, sacred atmosphere of the aristocratic district. Although people had smiles on their faces, they were all reserved; there was no genuine warmth between people, everyone was putting on an act, maintaining a facade. Liang Lin disliked this kind of scene. She loved liveliness, she loved being among people, loved singing and dancing, loved chatting and joking.

Liang Di didn't like this kind of scene either. She found it noisy and desperately wanted to go home and curl up in a quiet corner.  But when she saw Liang Lin's smiling face, she felt it was all worthwhile. Liang Lin was happy and less resistant to her touch; Liang Di carefully nestled against Liang Lin's arm.

Hilary and Octaville sat side by side behind them, each holding a child.

"Sigh, those two are having fun, while we two are stuck here like old maids. Oh well, that's how kids are; no matter how old they get, they're still kids," Octaville complained, but her eyes were filled with tenderness.

How wonderful.

If only life could always be this beautiful and peaceful.

Everyone held this sincere hope.

Around the campfire, the way people danced was like a vivid painting, especially vibrant against the night sky.

The man pointed to the people dancing in a circle, hand in hand, "The dancing has started! Do you want to join in?"

Upon hearing this, they all eagerly stood up, ignoring the dust on their clothes, ready to join in.

Liang Lin, of course, wanted to join in the fun. She practically jumped to her feet, happily following the men into the crowd. Liang Di quickly followed, like a little shadow, disappearing into the throng behind her sister.

The bonfire roared, its flames dancing in the night like a group of joyful sprites. The firelight reflected on people's faces, casting dappled shadows that made each face appear exceptionally vivid. The flames, mingling with the starlight, added a touch of mystery and romance to the tranquil night.

People formed a circle, hand in hand, dancing gracefully to the rhythm of the music. Their movements were light and elegant, as if they were dancing with the bonfire itself. Smiles beamed on everyone's faces, their eyes sparkling with excitement and joy. Their dance steps shifted with the music, sometimes light and graceful, sometimes passionate and unrestrained.

The heat of the campfire intertwined with the people's enthusiasm, creating a warm and powerful force. This force made them forget their fatigue and worries, wanting only to fully enjoy this beautiful time.

Liang Di took Liang Lin's hand. To be honest, she was a little uneasy. She was afraid Liang Lin would shake her hand again. After grasping Liang Lin's hand, she looked at her cautiously.

Liang Lin was startled and looked at Liang Di.

However, this time, she didn't shake Liang Di off. Perhaps because she was truly in a better mood, truly relaxed, she gently squeezed Liang Di's hand back.

This gentle squeeze made Liang Di's face flush with excitement. Her steps became light, and she jumped and danced with the surrounding commoners, taking unsteady steps, her mouth agape, grinning foolishly.

Everything around seemed to be immersed in this joyful atmosphere. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, as if accompanying people's dance; the distant mountains appeared and disappeared in the night, as if guarding this joyful sanctuary.

As the music quickened, the two girls, hand in hand, danced lightly around the campfire. Their movements were coordinated and graceful, like two delicate butterflies fluttering in the firelight.

The firelight reflected on Liang Lin's face, making it feel warm and cozy. Liang Di's eyes remained fixed on Liang Lin, never leaving her face.

"Sister Liang Lin."

Liang Di suddenly called out to Liang Lin, but the music was too loud, and Liang Lin didn't hear her, still immersed in the joy of dancing.

"Sister Liang Lin!"

Liang Di raised her voice and called again.

This time, Liang Lin heard her.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" she asked Liang Di with a smile.

Liang Di stared blankly at Liang Lin, then shook her head and replied loudly again, "Nothing, nothing! Just calling you!"

Just calling you makes me feel safe and secure.

Liang Di thought silently to herself, but didn't say it aloud.

Saying things like that now would only bother Liang Lin. It's such a happy moment; don't say such unlucky things.

Liang Di felt a pang of sadness, but quickly regained her composure.

Right now, being able to hold Liang Lin's hand and dance with the person I loved was enough; what more could I ask for? The future could wait.

Tired from dancing, Liang Lin decided to rest for a while before continuing. She naturally took Liang Di's hand and led her back to where Hilary and Octaville had been sitting. Liang Di stared blankly at their still-clasped hands, feeling a sweet, warm feeling in her heart.

Although there were many unpleasant things today, and although she encountered her rival Natalie, the ending felt pretty good. Natalie was "scolded" away by Liang Lin and even danced hand-in-hand with her.

What a wonderful day!

This day was truly enjoyable for Liang Di.

Liang Lin noticed Hilary's strange gaze. Following her sister's gaze, she realized that she was still holding Liang Di's hand. She hadn't noticed before and had subconsciously pulled Liang Di back.

Would my sister think we were dating? 

Liang Lin blushed and immediately shook off Liang Di's hand, loudly proclaiming, "Ugh, this music is so loud it's making my head spin! My hands and feet won't obey me!"

She meant she hadn't intentionally held Liang Di's hand? 

Liang Di was slightly unhappy, but quickly regained her composure.

Some of the men who had been telling stories earlier, tired of dancing, sat back down and started chatting with Liang Lin and the others.

"Hey, miss, where are you from? From the capital? Or some other city?"

Liang Lin didn't hide anything from the commoners.

"My name is Liang Lin Langwendi."

"Huh?"

Everyone around was taken aback, then carefully scrutinized the girl before them. They had heard that Liang Lin Langwendi was a notorious wicked woman in the capital, treating commoners like dirt, and even other nobles with contempt, exceptionally arrogant, treating everyone else like dogs.

But… after spending half a day with her, they found that apart from her sharp tongue, she wasn't particularly malicious.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Liang Lin, of course, knew what the other person was thinking.

She smiled indifferently, "There are plenty of rumors, it doesn't matter. A wicked woman is a wicked woman. I am indeed wicked towards wicked people, so calling me a wicked woman is normal. This title actually sounds quite nice~"

Huh?

What a carefree statement.

"It seems some rumors can't be completely believed, hahaha~"

A burst of carefree laughter reached Liang Lin's ears, and she laughed along.

"Hey, Miss Liang Lin, I've heard you call servants 'lower class.' How did that rumor spread?" a bold young man asked.

Liang Lin wasn't angry and patiently explained, "She tried to steal from the Duke's mansion. Isn't someone with such bad character a lower class?"

This short sentence clarified everything.

Joyful times are always fleeting. Soon, evening arrived, and the celebration ended.

After this brief period of joy, Liang Di received an invitation to visit the palace.

The inviter was Queen Doris.