V1: Chapter 62: She's Absolutely Cool!

Auriel's cloudy eyes suddenly brightened as he carefully examined the girl before him. Her aristocratic air was undeniable, even hidden beneath a dark cloak.

"Miss..." Auriel's voice, like the withered old tree outside his door, was unpleasant and hoarse, "Miss, may I ask how many silver coins you can offer?"

Liang Lin held out a hand.

“Uh…”

Auriel hesitated for a moment, then rubbed his hands together awkwardly.

“Miss, five silver coins… isn’t that a bit too little? Could you add another five…”

“No, I mean fifty silver coins.” Liang Lin untied her purse from her waist; only twenty-odd silver coins remained.

She handed the purse to Auriel.

“These twenty-odd silver coins are a deposit. I’ll bring you the remaining twenty-odd silver coins tomorrow.”

“Ah, ah ah…"

Auriel’s mouth dropped open, then a smile spread across his face, his wrinkles bunching up, making him look slightly comical.

He hunched over, accepting the purse, bowing repeatedly and thanking her profusely.

“Thank you, Miss, thank you, Miss. Please come in, please come in. I have Elton’s identification here.”

Identity, frankly, was just a piece of white paper with a name and a stamp.

“Well, please don’t revoke Elton’s identity for the time being,” Liang Lin said considerately. “Later, please spread the word among the neighbors that your youngest son’s identity document has been stolen.”

Clang!

Liang Lin and Prescott walked out of the alley one after the other.

“Miss… have you made up your mind?” Prescott asked.

Liang Lin’s initial excitement turned serious.

She had to face the fact that if she participated in the sword fighting competition using someone else’s identity, she would only have two choices.

First, she could not reveal Elton’s identity, continue using Elton’s identity, shine brightly in the sword fighting competition, and then disappear into the crowd.

However, this was not something Liang Lin, who was used to being flamboyant, would do.

So only the second option remained.

Second, after shining brightly in the sword fighting competition, she could immediately reveal her identity and tell everyone that she was a noble lady.

However, correspondingly, there's a 99% chance she'll be punished, and it might even implicate the Langwendi family.

Everyone in her Kronin family, except for her sister Hilary, died on the battlefield, and no one would know she was once the most valiant marquis on the battlefield.

Liang Lin had a headache.

Just now, in a moment of impulsiveness, she thought of participating in the sword competition as a commoner man, but she hadn't considered the trouble she would encounter afterward.

"I... I don't know either."

She was provoking the majesty of the current king of the Soteland Empire.

The consequences... while hanging was unlikely, she'd probably spend half her life in an imperial prison.

"Boss, what if I have to reveal my identity?"

Prescott pondered for a moment and asked, "Miss, what exactly do you want to gain?"

What... what exactly did I want to gain?

Perhaps, at first, it was to make everyone look at her with new eyes. But in the six months since becoming a girl, she had endured countless forms of discrimination.

No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break through the deep-seated prejudices in people's hearts.

She finally understood the helplessness she felt when Hilary broke down and cried as a child.

Sister… I think I completely understand you now. If before it was heartache, sympathy, and indignation for you, now it's wholehearted empathy.

Liang Lin closed her eyes, an idea popping into her mind.

She could be Liang Lin, a noble lady, or just a girl. No, she was a girl now.

"Perhaps… I understand."

There was a way to have the best of both worlds.

Liang Lin didn't have to be Liang Lin.

Liang Lin could say she was just one of countless girls.

In her imagination, Liang Lin would take off her hat, revealing her beautiful long black hair, and speak her mind, and everyone would know her gender.

"I'm not anyone special, I'm just an ordinary girl who loves swordsmanship."

Yes.

That way…

I'm incredibly cool!

Liang Lin smiled again.

"Goodbye!"

After defeating everyone on the field, she uttered this incredibly cool line, and like a teenager with delusions of grandeur, she fled, the wind whistling past her ears! 

Nothing could stop her; she was the most feared presence on the battlefield.

She was thankful that her hair color was the most common black, and thankful that she was a noblewoman with enough silver coins to buy and have a short wig custom-made.

"Boss, do you know where I can have a wig custom-made?" Liang Lin asked cheerfully.

"Miss, my friend can."

Prescott walked slowly.

"My daughter, she used to love playing with her sword too," Prescott suddenly sighed, "It's a pity, no one could understand her."

"And then? How is she now?"

"Her? She hides in her room all day, refusing to go out, studying her little gadgets."

Liang Lin didn't ask any more questions.

Many girls who love swordsmanship and combat end up becoming seamstresses, pastry chefs, or getting married and devoting themselves entirely to their families.

"Thank you, boss."

"My name is Prescott," the boss smiled slightly, pushing open the tavern door again.

"I'll go watch the swordsmanship tournament, haha~ I'll use the silver coins you gave me to broaden my horizons."

Liang Lin, unusually in a good mood, joked, "Then you'll definitely recognize me at a glance, because I'm the winner who stepped on others and raised his longsword high."

"Hahahaha~"

Prescott's hearty laughter echoed in the tavern.

Liang Lin didn't get home until dawn.

As soon as she got home, she collapsed onto her soft bed, her mind blank, and fell into a deep sleep.

Liang Di was unusually absent today, so Liang Lin slept peacefully until evening, waking naturally. Once awake, she rubbed her stomach, which was rumbling with hunger, a sound of longing for food.

Liang Lin got out of bed and wandered aimlessly into the living room, searching for something to eat, hoping to find some not-too-sweet desserts.

She had just reached the sofa when a hand suddenly reached out from behind and tapped her shoulder.

"Hey."

"Eek—ya!"

Liang Lin turned around, throwing a punch.

Liang Di dodged, taking a few steps back, her face full of surprise.

"Liang Lin, it's me."

She was holding a large, exquisitely packaged box in her hand.