Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1296 Don't you know how to love?

Upon hearing Xinuo's voice, Ling paused slightly. He looked up to meet the young knight's gaze, but instead of answering directly, he asked, "We'll see. Is there anything I can help you with?"

“Hmm.” Hino nodded gently. She sat at the other end of the table, the night deepening over the Evernight Woods outside the window. “The final battle to liberate Grayhill is about to begin. Although the rebels seem to have the upper hand in terms of momentum, judging from the recent movements of the Seventeenth Legion, they don’t seem to have lost their will to fight. I estimate that the garrison in Suarez is still planning to put up a stubborn resistance. In that case, there will probably be a way for me to contribute in this battle. I think it’s time to meet with Lord Carson Borg and General Franzson. If they don’t know their background, they probably won’t feel comfortable entrusting such an important task to an outsider.”

Although it was just to join in her sisters' antics, Xinuo still came up with a relatively respectable reason. Besides, even if she didn't bring it up today, she would have suggested it to Ling Ge in a few days anyway. Bringing it up now might seem a bit hasty, but it was understandable, and she believed that Ling Ge and Sister Xia would understand, right?

Xinuo pondered in secret.

Linger naturally understood, as he had originally proposed the plan: Cloud Whale Sky Island would provide the rebels with intelligence and supplies to help them gain ground in the Ansers region, while the knights of the Gostaff family would be responsible for appearing in the most crucial battles to secure victory, while also building prestige for Linger and his group of outsiders, facilitating future contact with another rebel group that might know about the Assyrian intelligence in Paradise Village. Nevertheless, as time went on, Linger gradually began to have doubts about the plan. The war was progressing too smoothly; with the help of intelligence, supplies, and kingdom reinforcements, the rebels had liberated most of Gray Hill with almost no difficulty. Now, only the city of Suarei remained. Andrei, the commander of the Seventeenth Legion, didn't seem like a capable person. Could he stop the rebels from capturing Suarei?
If you had that ability, you wouldn't keep hiding like a coward, right?

Since the rebels could conquer Grayhill City on their own, there was no need for Hino to appear. Although doing so would cause the plan to deviate, preventing Cloud Whale Sky Island from turning the tide at the most crucial moment, and completely ruining the strategy of supporting the rebels to gain prestige, as the war progressed, Ling's state of mind changed. He no longer craved worldly things, only hoping that the war would end peacefully, without any more casualties.

As for subsequent contact with the other rebel army, it would simply be a matter of spending more time and effort to regain their trust. At the edge of the dining table, the last few pieces of charcoal in the fireplace emitted a faint red glow, illuminating the young man's calm profile. On this one matter alone, Lin Ge was quite confident.

Hino could understand Ling's concerns; however, she also had her own considerations, which could perhaps be explained in four words: "better safe than sorry."

Upon hearing this, Ling looked up and gazed into the distance, his gaze seemingly penetrating the wooden walls of the inn, looking towards Suarez City and the Crusader's steel fleet silently cruising on the distant sea. He seemed to be deep in thought: "Do you think that even if they lose a fleet, the Crusaders will still not give up? They will continue to send reinforcements to the Ansers region, and the commander of the Seventeenth Legion decided to fight to the bitter end precisely because he received this information?"

“I’m not sure.” Hino shook his head, his expression grave. “But lately I’ve had a bad feeling about this, and you know what that means, Ling.”

A warrior's intuition should not be underestimated, especially since she, as the victorious monarch, is somehow connected to the war and can always keenly perceive what colossal thing is brewing in this chaotic vortex.

Linger was silent for a moment before slowly nodding: "I understand. If you think it's necessary, tonight we'll go to the Ash Bracers' camp. General Franz is said to still be commanding operations at the front, but Mr. Carson and Miss Regina are still there. Let's try to persuade them first."

Whether or not they could be persuaded was never an issue. Hino had already demonstrated his power; even the formidable Crusader fleet had been reduced to a pile of scrap metal drifting on the Ansers River. The Grey Hill Eagles, who dreamed of ending this war, would not refuse such a powerful boost.

The young man thought to himself, even if the Grayhill Eagle knew of the curse of victory, he probably wouldn't waver in his belief. In this respect, he was far more steadfast than he was.

“Oh, right.” The young knight suddenly remembered something, and hesitated before looking at the girl next to Ling. Saint Charlotte sat quietly in the shadows beside Ling, the candlelight flickering on her emerald green hair, casting a soft glow on her serene profile: “Little Charlotte, you…”

“I won’t go with you.” Saint Charlotte put down her chopsticks and said calmly. The plate in front of her was clean and tidy, just like her tone. “I don’t know much about the war, and there’s no point in me going. So, I’ll stay and help Siesta clean up the kitchen.”

Upon hearing this, the proprietress blinked. She was carrying a stack of empty plates, preparing to head to the kitchen. These were routine household chores that she was very familiar with, and she did them with ease: "Actually, I can do it all by myself."

Saint Charlotte smiled and said, "It's too tiring to do it alone."

She said meaningfully, "With more people helping, it will definitely be easier to clean up."

At the dinner table, Lorena and the other girls looked at each other in bewilderment: Xia's reaction seemed a little different from what they had imagined.

……

After the meal, Lin Ge led Xinuo to the Ash Bracers' camp. The young man walked ahead with a lantern, Xinuo following closely behind. The lantern's light flickered like fireflies, appearing and disappearing among the trees. As they ventured deeper into the forest, leaving behind the Cloud Whale Sky Island, the lantern's light spread like water, creating a small, shimmering patch of light that barely illuminated the winding path. All around were the silent shadows of tall trees, their branches rustling softly in the night breeze.

The two barely spoke along the way. Ling was preoccupied with whether the Holy Army would continue to send reinforcements, so he didn't want to say much. Xinuo, on the other hand, secretly observed the young man. For some reason, every time she saw Ling's profile, she would recall Lorena's words.

For now, you just want to focus on your mission and have no intention of considering matters of the heart...?

This was her heartfelt thought, but she hadn't expected that Lin Ge had said the same thing. If we go back even further in time, her father, the man known as the paranoid, probably thought the same thing, until he met her mother.

Both Ling and her father possessed unwavering resolve, yet when faced with that unstoppable torrent, their transformation was so natural. For mortals, all emotions are the result of accumulated experience, so Xinuo never believed their change was merely a momentary impulse; it was the inevitable outcome of countless details unseen by the individuals involved. If one day she herself faced the overwhelming torrent of human emotion, would she, like them, accept it with trepidation and bewilderment? Xinuo couldn't imagine such a scenario. At least in her understanding, she was always, and could only ever be, a knight, unable to become anything else. To be loved? To love others? To be cherished? All of these were too distant, too unimaginable.

This is the personality shaped by the chivalric education of the Gostaff family. Perhaps out of concern that the young girl would follow in her father's footsteps, the elderly grandfather, Vanindru Chin Gostaff, while raising his granddaughter, filled her with virtues such as integrity, kindness, compassion, and courage, making her as beautiful as a storyteller, a noble knight, a loyal friend, a warm-hearted classmate, an excellent student... but he forgot to teach her how to love someone with sincere feelings, or be loved by someone, so she could not become a good companion.

All emotions related to love are ultimately replaced by her chivalric code: partners must be loyal to each other, but she is more loyal to her own morality and chivalry; partners must trust each other, but she clearly trusts her childhood sweetheart Brandy and the holy lance Whitethorn more; partners must take responsibility for each other, but the responsibility the young girl bears seems to be greater than personal love—it is the knight's love for his lord, the warrior's love for his comrades, and the young queen's love for the world.

Great love and personal love can certainly coexist, but Xinuo hasn't learned this skill, which is where she still falls short.

Reconciling the two is a difficult task. Some people prioritize love over personal love, ultimately losing their humanity, like the witches of chaos. Xinuo believes they are not without feelings; blood and tears still exist, spreading in their breath and lungs. But once love surpasses personal love, in their minds, nothing is more valuable than the world created by their mother. Thus, destroying everything and even slaughtering countless lives for it becomes the only path. Others prioritize personal love over love, making them unable to shoulder overly arduous missions, like her father, Leonard. His love for his wife and daughter far outweighed his love for his family, his people, and even his own mission as a Gostaff knight. When he stepped onto the battlefield to face the brutal synthetic monsters, the chimeras, those insignificant bonds held him back, rendering him powerless to thrust out a spear against fate. Ultimately, he was defeated and died, becoming a regret.

Faced with these two vivid examples, Xinuo lost her confidence. She felt that imperfection was a good thing; at least she didn't have to consider those complex emotions, the relationship between great love and small love. She just needed to keep moving forward and achieving victory. But what did Linge think? Did he possess great love in his heart? Were things far more important than human destiny flowing through his veins, waiting for their moment to ignite? Was he more attached to the small, warm love given by Saint Charlotte? A tenderness strong enough to melt even the hardest ice, which also melted his loneliness.

If anyone in the world could grasp the relationship between these things, could Linger be one of them? Even though he was just a very insignificant mortal.

With this unrealistic thought in mind, Xinuo glanced at the young man beside her again. Ling was intently identifying the forest path, the light from his lantern flickering between his focused brows and casting a soft shadow on his nose. The night was too dark; taking the wrong turn would inevitably cause trouble, but this time, Ling's senses were sharp. He turned to meet the young knight's gaze and asked, "What's wrong, Xinuo?"

"It's nothing." Hino shook her head and smiled. "I was just wondering, do you feel any difference between yourself today and yourself yesterday, Lin Ge?"

The question was actually a bit abstract, but the young man miraculously understood what she meant. He thought for a moment and replied, "I don't have any particular feeling, it's just... I guess I feel a bit more responsible now."

That's a pretty ordinary answer.

However, hearing it from Lin Ge's mouth made people feel very reassured.

Xinuo asked again, the night breeze ruffling her hair and revealing a pair of curious eyes: "A sense of responsibility towards Xia?"

“No.” Ling shook his head, his voice unusually clear in the quiet forest: “It’s a sense of responsibility to everyone.”

Xinuo paused for a moment, then chuckled after realizing what she meant: "If Xia heard that, she probably wouldn't be very happy."

It's not that Saint Charles is a selfish person who wants to possess all of Ling's responsibility, but rather that the young man's unconditional taking on all the responsibility would cause her dissatisfaction, or even, to put it more seriously, make her feel that all her efforts are in vain. Was her desire to stand by the young man's side merely to prove how intense her love for him was? Actually, it was to share the responsibility with him.

Sharing and bearing responsibilities together—that is the true meaning of love.

Upon hearing this, Ling Ge instinctively paused, stopping in his tracks. The light from his lantern flickered violently as he stopped, illuminating a few low ferns at his feet. He didn't turn around, but said in a deep voice, "You know what, Xinuo?"

"Responsibility means doing things that you may not want to do, and that others may not be happy about."

"If it goes against people's wishes, then all we can do is feel sorry and move on."

"That's all."

Having said that, he took another step and walked towards the campfire's light deep in the forest. The flickering flames, like mist, made it difficult to see his profile clearly. "We're here."

Hino remained where she was, the slightly chilly air of the forest enveloping the girl. She stared blankly at his back. In that direction, Ling's shadow was stretched long by the lantern, casting its way into the forest clearing illuminated by the campfire, gradually merging with the noisy light.

Give me some cats