Although Lin Lei's first love had failed, leaving him with some emotional scars deep in his heart, Dilia's repeated actions and devotion—especially given that she had known him since childhood—meant Lin Lei had to admit he enjoyed the warm, heartfelt feeling of being with Dilia.
At the academy, Lin Lei had been well aware of Dilia's feelings for him.
He knew that Dilia was waiting for him to speak up, but his failed first love left a knot in his heart that he couldn't untie, and he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
In the distant capital of the Yulan Empire, the sun hung high in the sky, yet the air between heaven and earth was still thick with cold. Dilia sat in a courtyard wearing a luxurious thick robe, leisurely basking in the sunlight. In her hand she held a letter from Lin Lei. The letter had been delivered through the Dawson Trading Company's communication system.
Reading the letter, Dilia couldn't help but smile, beaming with delight.
"Dilia, what are you reading?" A deep, rumbling voice sounded—it was the Earth Bear, Hutton. Hutton's pair of cute little bear eyes were fixed on the letter in Dilia's hand. "Come on, Dilia, let me see it. Let Ah Huang have some fun too."
The Earth Bear Hutton had an extremely close relationship with Dilia.
When Dilia saw Hutton, she immediately tucked the letter into her bosom, wrinkled her nose, and let out a delicate huff. "Ah Huang, you're causing trouble again? Where's Master? Why aren't you by Master's side?"
The Earth Bear shook its head and said, "Master has gone into secluded cultivation. He won't come out for ten days to half a month. He doesn't need me by his side right now, so Ah Huang came to find Dilia!" The Earth Bear grinned at her.
Dilia was in a good mood today as well, and she played around with the Earth Bear for a while.
"Dilia, is that letter from that Lin Lei?" the Earth Bear asked in a low voice.
Dilia shot it an exasperated glance but nodded anyway. Her eyes couldn't hide her joy. In Lin Lei's letter he had simply described the things that had happened recently and told Dilia that he was currently in Black Soil City in the Land of Chaos, even providing the exact geographical route.
Although Lin Lei hadn't explicitly asked Dilia to come visit, the fact that he had described the route so clearly meant his intentions were plain enough.
"That idiot, always being so coy. If you want someone to come over, just say it outright," Dilia thought with an amused scold.
In such a good mood, Dilia could sit in her chair and smile to herself. The Earth Bear sat beside her, chatting idly.
"Dilia, tomorrow is the Yulan Festival. You'll be heading back tonight, right?" the Earth Bear Hutton asked in a low voice.
Hearing this, Dilia couldn't help but furrow her brow and let out a soft sigh. "Yes, there's a family dinner tonight. Ugh… I really don't want to go back." During this period, every time Dilia went back, her family tried to convince her to give up on Lin Lei.
But…
Was that even possible?
Dilia had once believed Lin Lei was dead. She had even resolved never to marry anyone for the rest of her life. She had held to that conviction for nearly ten years. Now that she knew Lin Lei was alive and would soon establish his own territory, how could she give up?
That evening.
The important members of the Lane family gathered together in the grand hall. Nearly a hundred prominent family members raised their glasses and chatted warmly with one another. The most dazzling figure was naturally the current family patriarch, Dea Lane. Dea Lane was not only exceptionally accomplished himself, but his two children were also remarkable.
Dikexi, who was now an eighth-grade mage and a personal disciple of the High Priest.
Dilia, who had been a seventh-grade mage for many years and was also a disciple of the Wind Grand Saint Magus, Master Longs.
These two children were both extraordinarily outstanding.
Though Dilia had dressed simply today, her noble bearing and natural beauty made her more dazzling than any noble young lady present. She simply carried her wine glass and walked to a corner of the hall to sit down.
One of the middle-aged men raised his glass, glanced at Dilia in the distance, then walked up to Dea Lane and said with a smile, "Big brother, Dilia really is growing more and more beautiful. I don't know how many noble young men in the capital have had their souls snatched away by her."
Dea Lane smiled faintly.
"Big brother, Prince Reed's son has been admiring Dilia for a long time. Do you think those two might have a chance…"
Dea Lane shook his head. "Third brother, don't bother. If Dilia were truly willing to marry some noble in the capital, she would have done so years ago. As for now… you'd best not bring it up. I'll have my wife talk to her later."
At this banquet, many people brought up this matter to Dea Lane.
Because it was plain to see that the young Dilia was not only beautiful but capable, and moreover a disciple of a Grand Saint Magus, backed by the powerful Lane family. Such an outstanding and perfect woman had no shortage of noble suitors.
In the corner, Dilia sat alone in silence.
"Sister." A handsome young man of nearly six feet tall with shoulder-length golden hair walked over. Every strand of his hair was perfectly straight.
Dilia looked up and offered a faint smile. "Brother." The newcomer was none other than Dilia's own brother, Dikexi. The current Dikexi was the same as he had been back at the Ernst Magic Academy—still as cold and aloof. But toward his sister, Dikexi remained very doting.
Dikexi sat down across from Dilia.
"What's wrong? You seem to be in a bad mood?" Dikexi asked with a smile.
Dilia shook her head helplessly. "Brother, you've been studying under the High Priest this whole time. You don't really know what's going on with me."
"About Lin Lei?" Dikexi asked.
Dilia shot her brother an amused glare. "Brother, you really are clever. But Father and Mother are rather opposed to me being with Lin Lei. I've been struggling with it… After all, I don't want to alienate the family."
Dikexi nodded. He understood his sister's feelings. Having watched Dilia grow up, he knew very well that though she was the decisive sort of girl, deep down she was very attached to her family.
"Knowing Mother, tonight she'll probably tell me again which young man is a good match and which isn't," Dilia said with a bitter smile.
Every time she returned home, her parents always found an opportunity to talk to her about these things.