Mage Joan

Chapter 2498: Reunion

Midgard in early May coincides with the rainy season of late spring and early summer, and the weather is rare. The clear sky in the afternoon is almost transparent and the circling birds add a bit of agility to the background of light clouds and high sky.

By the pond of the Hermitage Manor, Joan and Rebecca were bathed in the warm sunshine, sitting side by side on the benches, listening to the tactful birdsong from the branches of the willows.

"Martha received a letter from George at noon, saying that you have no intention of serving under George's account and have to travel far away. Is this true?" Rebecca finally couldn't help asking.

"I do plan to leave for a while. The ranch and the Smallpox Vaccine Research Institute entrust Mrs. Josephine to take care of it. If you have free time, remember to take care of it often."

Qiao An touched his pocket, took out a bunch of enchanting keys and handed it over.

Rebecca took the key and asked tentatively: "Are you leaving Midgard?"

"Leave human society." Qiao An answered truthfully.

The girl looked sad, leaned her head on his shoulder, and said quietly: "I can see that you have been very unhappy after coming back from Fort Daning these days."

Qiao An couldn't force a smile, but couldn't bear to see Rebecca sad, and suddenly remembered a sentence from the book, which is appropriate to use at this time.

"In fact, the thing that makes me most unhappy is that I make you unhappy."

Rebecca glanced at him in surprise, holding his hand affectionately, smiling as if she was using candy to lure a child.

"Tell sister obediently, who taught you this nice love sentence?"

"Can't I figure it out by myself?"

Qiao An tried to protest, but was immediately suppressed by her anger and ferocity with her arms akimbo.

"You elm bump, if you really have this ability, and our dolls are running all over the floor, what can I worry about?! Come on, which little fairy taught you!"

Qiao Ann was startled by her words of wolf and tiger in a cold sweat, and had to answer in a whisper: "I learned it in a book."

Rebecca secretly breathed a sigh of relief, changing from a blasted tiger to a docile cat, not forgetting to encourage him.

"If you have this consciousness, it will be very difficult. Continue to work hard. Every time you write to me, you must apply what you have learned and write a few more words that make me happy."

Qiao An nodded, thinking that the matter would not be difficult, but she may not be happy to see me "apply what I have learned" when writing to others?

"No kidding, can you tell me how long you plan to leave and what are your plans when you come back?"

"I don't know when I will be back." Qiao An told the truth, "As for the future plan, it is still uncertain."

"Anyway, I hope you can adjust your mentality as soon as possible and come back to us."

Rebecca put away her smile, and urged him to mature seriously and yet gently.

"You also know that George is about to go north to take up his post. Martha is very worried about his situation on the front line. If you accept George's invitation and serve as his adjutant and the chief army mage of the Continental Army, Martha and I will feel more at ease. It will also be of great benefit to your future career development."

Finally, she increased her tone.

"No matter where you are, I hope you will not forget your hometown. Just as trees cannot do without the soil that takes root, we also have our own roots. We cannot completely abandon the homeland where we were born and grew up, especially when relatives, friends and compatriots in hometown need you. At that time, I don’t believe you can harden your heart and refuse to respond to the call of the times!"

"When I'm ready, I will come back naturally." Qiao An can only make this level of promise.

"But you will miss a lot of opportunities like this!" Qiao An answered calmly, unable to satisfy Rebecca, and couldn't help standing up excitedly. "Qiao An, the "Declaration of Independence" issued by the Continental Congress is like Xiang Feizhen. This empire that does not set the sun has issued a battle to fight to the end. A great revolution is emerging on this land aimed at resisting oppression and seeking freedom, and we are in the middle of the storm, listening carefully, and even rushing towards it. The waves of the new era are whizzing under our feet. Don’t you ever feel passionate about this destined human liberation cause that is destined to go down in the annals of history, and you are not eager to participate in it, and strive to become a hero leading an independent revolution, and even the founder of a new republic?"

"To be honest, I didn't experience the kind of passion you described." Qiao An didn't want to lie to her.

Rebecca seemed to be choked, her beautiful face flushed.

"I really don't understand why you are so indifferent, you are simply a cold-blooded animal! If everyone is like you, indifferent to public affairs, who will stand up and lead the independent revolution, lead the compatriots from the oppression of the sovereign state, and pursue freedom and happiness !"

"Can people live a good life after the independence revolution is successful?" Qiao An interrupted her generous statement and asked suddenly.

Rebecca took a deep breath, calmed herself down as much as possible, and then replied in an impeccable response after careful consideration.

"In the long run, yes!"

"In the long run, people can live a good life without being independent." Qiao An said blankly.

"But..." Rebecca wanted to refute, but couldn't find a proper breakthrough.

At this time, Qiao An added a little bit.

"In the long run, we are all dead."

This is too true and cruel. The moment Rebecca heard it, she couldn't help feeling sad. It took a long time before she broke the silence, gave up her aggressive posture, tried to put her heart to heart and seek consensus.

"It can be seen that you believe in your heart that there is a greater ideal than participating in an independent revolution and establishing a republic."

"Not that great, just want to find answers to some questions."

"But what exactly are the problems?" Rebecca couldn't help asking.

Qiao An folded his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair and looking at the sky. The willow branches above his head swayed with the wind, casting a mottled shadow on the young mage's delicate face, adding a bit of melancholy.

"I was originally looking for the meaning of life. Professor Moriarty voluntarily abandoned his human identity, which touched me deeply. Before thinking about the meaning of life, I have to figure out what'humanity' is."

While thinking about it, Qiao An spoke slowly.

"I also want to know whether survival is above all else. No matter what it becomes, as long as it is alive, it is better to say that it is more important than survival itself to maintain humanity and dignity, and certain ways of survival can even extend life. It's not worth living either."

Rebecca shook her head and sighed, thinking that sometimes he is very smart, sometimes stupidly stupid.

"But these philosophical problems have existed for tens of thousands of years. If there are answers, they should have been found by smart people. Since so many sages and wise men have failed to give convincing answers in the past countless years, why should you drill this? With sharp horns, ask for trouble."

Qiao An laughed mockingly, her dark eyes flashed with unusually bright light.

"Since these problems have existed for tens of thousands of years, and they have been passed down to this day, it means that the world can't help but ask. Even if they know that the result is likely to be a waste of effort and ask for hardship, some people will have to continue to explore."

Rebecca was speechless, biting her lip, and pacing around the pond with her head down. When she returned to Qiao An again, with the holy emblem in her hand, the shadow in her eyes was replaced by a firm radiance that contained divine nature.

"Joan, I have an instinct."

Again? !

Qiao An couldn't help but stunned, and quickly sat up straight, staring at the female priest, expecting her to make a prediction with a nervous heart.

"One day, you will gain eternal life as a human being. Maybe then you don't have to worry about the meaning of life anymore." Rebecca said with a smile.

Qiao An nodded, but did not relieve herself as readily as she had hoped. Instead, she raised a question that she hadn't expected.

"If I can gain eternal life, of course it's great, but what do you do?"

Rebecca froze for a moment, and finally couldn't restrain the tears in her eyes and wept bitterly.

At this moment, she really understood what the man was thinking.

What Qiao An cares about is not whether he can defeat death, but the spiritual destination of all mankind. In contrast, how long he can live is not worthy of care.

As the ancient sage said: If you can learn the truth once, you will die immediately after the epiphany.

"Rebecca..."

Qiao An jumped up quickly and looked at the girl who was hiding her face and crying uneasily. He didn't understand what he said wrong, which made her so sad, and he didn't know how to comfort her.

"I'm fine..." Rebecca didn't want him to see her tears, and choked her back to him and said, "I'm not angry with you, since you have decided your own path, you just stick to it... …No matter how long, I will always wait for you...wait for your return."

Looking at the girl Xianxiu's back, Qiao An couldn't help his nose sour, recalling the day when he was parting in Leiden seven years ago.

At that time, he was still an ignorant boy, in order to find the starry sky above his head.

, Left her cruelly, and now for the same reason, had to live up to her expectations again, embarking on a journey of searching alone, except for a "sorry" or "goodbye", what else can I say?

Advise her to be more sensible, not to be so reluctant, to delay lifelong happiness for people like herself?

This may be the most appropriate approach, but he couldn't say it, and couldn't bear to hear her heartbreaking voice again.

In the end, without saying anything, he turned and left the garden. ·

Not long after he walked out, a familiar song suddenly came from behind him, and he finally couldn't help tearing the corners of his eyes.

...

Goodbye, please be happy

I wasted too much time

So stupid, just to hide all feelings

Now you are leaving

I beg your forgiveness

I should have told you earlier

I have been in love with you for so long