【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

Chapter 458 [Empire] Having the will but no courage vs. having great courage

I picked up a plate of small cakes and walked briskly towards Shan Qi. The cakes were small and delicate, each one adorned with delicate icing and fruit, as if specially prepared for this occasion. I didn't rush to speak. Instead, I stood beside him, quietly placing the small plate in front of him, my eyes gently scanning his usual calm face.

Shan Qi didn't seem to immediately register my approach. It wasn't until I gently set the cake down that he tilted his head slightly and glanced at me. For a moment, his gaze froze, as if he hadn't anticipated my approach. His eyes remained expressionless, but that momentary pause seemed to indicate some hidden reaction within him.

"I remember you like sweets." I said softly, my tone not so much a greeting as a gentle one. Although the people around me might not have noticed this small gesture, in this luxurious banquet, this simple concern seemed particularly precious.

He still didn't answer immediately, but simply looked down at the plate of cakes, his eyes changing subtly. After a moment, he gently shook his head, his voice still calm, "I don't really like sweet things."

I was slightly taken aback, a little surprised, but then I couldn't help but smile: "You are really a special person." I turned around and prepared to leave without forcing anything. After all, no one can force someone to do something they don't like.

However, the moment I turned around, Shan Qi suddenly spoke softly: "Thank you." His voice was very soft, as if he deliberately lowered the volume, with a hint of imperceptible gratitude.

I paused, turned around, and looked at his still calm expression, but something subtly touched my heart. This calm and self-possessed man seemed to show a slight sign of softening in that moment.

I couldn't help but smile: "Since you don't like sweet things, I'll give you something else next time." Although it was a joke, there was still sincerity in my tone.

He didn't say anything else, just watched me leave, his eyes staring at my back for a moment, as if thinking about something. Perhaps, in this cold banquet, I was the only one who cared whether he was lonely, whether he needed a little attention.

I didn't look back, but continued to walk to the other end of the crowd, but I couldn't help but sigh softly. Perhaps Shan Qi was like a solitary star in this banquet, lonely and hard, but precisely because of this, he seemed particularly fascinating, worthy of attention and the unveiling of his mysterious veil.

"Ruyuan is really the one who has the best of both worlds, surrounded by beauties..." Nightingale pretended to be aggrieved, with a hint of joking in his voice. As he spoke, he pointed at his face and made an exaggerated expression, as if he had really suffered a great injustice.

I couldn't help laughing and glanced at him jokingly: "You look really funny." But as soon as I finished speaking, I realized that this sentence seemed to inadvertently give him more room for ridicule.

Nightingale narrowed his eyes slightly, his deep gaze sweeping across me, as if observing my reaction. A hint of provocation curved his lips, and he didn't seem eager to respond. He simply whispered, "I just feel sorry for you, being torn between two sides."

I frowned, trying to get rid of his teasing words: "You talk as if you are not involved in this." I curled my lips slightly, but still couldn't avoid his provocation.

But he didn't care and smiled even more deeply: "Me? I'm a bystander. It's a waste of energy to get involved in all this." He shook the wine glass lightly, as if he was completely uninterested in the situation at hand, but instead seemed to be savoring some secret pleasure.

I suddenly felt puzzled. Nightingale was always so confident and calm, as if everything was under his control. This unhurried demeanor was somewhat elusive to me. His impassive charm sometimes made me feel as if he had a detached perspective on everything around him. Perhaps his world had long since shed the complexities of ordinary people, and what he sought was simply a deeper level of control.

"What exactly do you want to say?" I asked impatiently, with a hint of impatience in my tone, but also a hint of curiosity, wanting to find out what he thought about these chaotic situations.

Nightingale chuckled and glanced down at the wine glass in his hand, seemingly unsatisfied. "Nothing, I just think you're a little cute," he said, looking up at me, the amusement in his eyes becoming increasingly obvious. "But it would be more interesting if you could calm down."

I looked at him in bewilderment, as if I caught a different meaning in his words. Calm? Hadn't I always been calm? It's just that, faced with Shan Qi and these complex situations, I seemed somewhat powerless. Nightingale always knew what she wanted, while I seemed to be still feeling my way.

I coughed lightly, seemingly oblivious to the situation, and then changed the subject: "What do you think I should do?"

Nightingale put down his glass and smiled faintly, as if he had guessed my thoughts. "You ask me? Actually, you know the answer yourself. You just haven't decided how to truly take control of your situation." His tone was neither hurried nor slow, with a profound understanding. "But no matter what, the key is not to let yourself be dragged into the vortex, and learn to navigate it with ease."

His words made me ponder. Nightingale's words always seemed to hit the heart of the matter. Although he did not give any specific suggestions, he reminded me of a fact: in this complex network of relationships, the only one who can truly dominate everything is always oneself.

I took a deep breath, and suddenly understood something. The corners of my mouth rose slightly: "Looks like I need to work harder."

Crossing my legs and feigning a carefree demeanor, I took a sip of wine. The wine slid across my tongue, a subtle bitterness that lifted my spirits just the right amount. The nightingale sat there, a meaningful smile on her lips, as if waiting for my next reaction.

He looked at my relaxed and casual demeanor, an indescribable glint in his eyes, as if he'd seen through all my disguises. His smile remained, but his tone deepened. "Do you think you can hide anything this way?"

I didn't rush to answer. Instead, I smiled, raised my glass, and took another sip. The wine's lingering aroma carried a hint of warmth, as if igniting some subtle emotion deep within me. I didn't tell Nightingale that I wasn't really pretending to be relaxed. It was just that something had been pent up for too long, and it was no longer possible to conceal it.

"Pretending to be relaxed will only make people think you're more nervous." Nightingale said softly, with a hint of teasing in his tone. He seemed to see through my little trick, but did not expose it. Instead, he continued to look at me with amusement.

I didn't take it seriously, and raised the corner of my mouth slightly: "Who said I was pretending? If I didn't relax, would I have survived until now?"

He was speechless, seemingly a little surprised by my response, but then he just chuckled and shook his head: "Sometimes, you don't have to hide too much. True relaxation is the most precious thing."

His words left me momentarily stunned, and I couldn't help but reflect. Nightingale always managed to unearth my innermost secrets, just as he had just revealed the nervousness I'd been hiding. Although I'd been trying to control my emotions, he never seemed to be fooled by my appearance.

I put down my glass silently and sighed softly: "You're right, maybe I do need to learn to relax a little."

Nightingale looked at me, his eyes no longer filled with contempt or ridicule, but instead with a deep understanding. "You will," he smiled faintly. "You're just still groping in the dark. Don't rush, take your time."

I was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Searching? Maybe I've already found it."

Nightingale's lips curled up slightly, as if he didn't intend to continue asking questions. He waved his hand gently, as if he had guessed that I wouldn't reveal anything easily.

The atmosphere around us seemed to become more relaxed because of our conversation. Although there was still some unspeakable tension between us, this tension was constantly changing and transforming, as if it had gradually become our unique tacit understanding.

Amidst this clamorous and ostentatious banquet, my conversation with Nightingale felt like a silent contest. Though no weapons were exchanged, it was still filled with temptation and negotiation. And I began to understand more clearly that perhaps what truly relaxed me wasn't a casual facade, but the courage to confront those untouched parts of my heart.

Not far away, Shan Qi frowned, clumsily eating a small cake. With each bite, he seemed a little uncomfortable, as if he wasn't used to such a delicate dessert. His usual calm and dignity seemed a little off-kilter, as if his elegance had been slightly disturbed by this simple dessert.

What made me laugh even more was the tiny speck of cream on the corner of his mouth. The white cream stood out against the corner of his mouth, completely different from his usual impeccable image. Shan Qi seemed oblivious to this, his head lowered as he continued to cut the cake, occasionally glancing up and around, seemingly oblivious to the slight embarrassment on his face.

I couldn't help but chuckle, secretly sighing: This look really tarnished his otherwise dignified image. Shan Qi, usually well-mannered and sharp-tongued, had shown a casual side today over such a simple matter. I was curious how he would handle this sudden embarrassment.

I instinctively glanced at Nightingale, and he seemed to have noticed Shan Qi's change, his eyes flickering slightly, and a slight smile curled up at the corner of his mouth. But he didn't speak directly, instead pretending not to notice, as if this kind of thing was just commonplace to him.

I raised my hand and gently covered my mouth, trying to suppress the smile, but the smile that was lurking in the corner of my eyes was already unstoppable. Shan Qi, as if sensing a certain gaze, finally looked up, looking at me and Nightingale. The moment our eyes met, I saw the slight furrow of his brow, and the subtle embarrassment. Although he quickly regained his composure, he couldn't completely conceal the momentary loss of composure.

I took a deep breath and said calmly, "Why? Is this cake delicious?"

Shan Qi's eyes flickered, and he paused for a moment, as if realizing his actions weren't quite in keeping with his image. He wiped the corner of his mouth and replied calmly, "It's not particularly delicious." He picked up his fork again and began cutting another piece of cake, deliberately avoiding the topic without reacting to my smile.

Nightingale smiled faintly, as if he didn't want to let the matter escalate any further. He turned to me and said in a relaxed tone, "It seems that his majesty is not impeccable."

I couldn't help but laugh: "Who said it wasn't? It seems that Shan Qi also has an imperfect side." As I said, I lowered my head and stopped looking at him, but continued to savor the wine in my hand.

Shan Qi had already shifted his attention completely to the cake, no longer looking at us, as if deliberately pretending to ignore our little incident. He still maintained his usual calm demeanor, as if he didn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable because of this small mistake.

I couldn't help but smile again, but I felt a new connection to Shan Qi. No matter how he projected his impeccable majesty, those small moments that didn't match his image made him seem more real and more approachable.

"What? Are you stunned?" Nightingale raised his eyebrows with a teasing glint in his eyes. His tone was relaxed and a little provocative, as if he had already noticed that I was staring at Shan Qi intently.

I was stunned for a moment, then realized I had lost my composure. I quickly looked away and pretended to be calm as I picked up the wine glass. However, the liquid in the glass seemed a little heavier than usual, so I couldn't help but take a sip, trying to hide my previous thoughts.

"You're just looking at him like that?" Nightingale saw this and smiled faintly, her eyes becoming even deeper, as if she were exploring my inner thoughts. "But it's no wonder. The relationship between you two is so interesting no matter how you look at it."

I couldn't help feeling a little guilty. I glanced at Nightingale and responded casually, "It's nothing. I'm just used to looking at her." Although I said so, I knew in my heart that the gaze was not entirely out of habit, but some subtle emotion was at work.

Nightingale seemed to notice my change. He chuckled and gently tapped his finger on the rim of the wine glass. His eyes were still fixed on me, as if he had no intention of letting me go. "You don't have to deny it. Even you know it's not that simple."

My heart moved, but I still responded with a stiff upper lip: "I've already said it, it's nothing." I tried to make my tone sound relaxed, but Nightingale's eyes were as sharp as blades, as if they could penetrate my defenses and hit my heart.

He didn't press the issue further, merely smiling slightly, a meaningful glint in his eyes. "You know perfectly well that you can't escape these things," he said, his gaze once again fixed on Shan Qi in the distance, as if his words weren't directed at me, but rather a general truth.

"Really?" I whispered back, feeling a surge of excitement in my heart. I knew Nightingale was right, but I didn't want to reveal too much. "Then what do you think I should do?"

Nightingale's eyes suddenly softened, and he sighed softly, "You don't need an answer, because you already know what to do, but you just don't dare to do it."

This left me speechless for a moment.