Chapter 124
Wakako saw the confusion in Xiao Duo’s eyes. After a long pause, as if suddenly remembering something, her expression changed to one of disbelief.
“You…” Their eyes met, and understanding passed between them without words.
It wasn’t as hard as she had imagined. Wakako let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Soon after, she reunited with the parents she’d been separated from for many years. She had been so young when she left that their faces—and even their very existence—had faded from her memory. Yet now, standing face to face, a powerful intuition surged through her.
There was no need for words, no need to ask or confirm. The people before her were undeniably her blood relatives.
***
Wakako’s original surname was ‘Xi’ for ‘Stream’.
Her parents were native townspeople of this small village in Xiling City. A long stream ran through the town, the lifeblood of all its residents, so their ancestors took the character ‘Xi’ as their surname.
That very stream now flowed before Wakako. She gazed into its crystal-clear waters, which seemed to stretch endlessly into the distance.
“Xi Hua…” she murmured the name softly. It felt unfamiliar yet comforting, as though she were meeting an old friend.
“So, my name is Xi Hua.”
Her parents had planned to find a scholar to give her a formal name, but before they had the chance, they were separated.
They were honest butchers who had spent their entire lives in this small town within Xiling City. Except for searching for her, they had never stepped foot outside it.
When Wakako reunited with her parents, she sensed their nervousness. They were commoners, their clothes and belongings far less refined than a mercenary’s. The difference was apparent at a glance. Even though they shared similar features, they didn’t seem like a family.
After so many years, she had already guessed that she wouldn’t immediately become close with her family.
To them, the idea of a “mercenary” was no more than a tale from distant rumors. How could their long-lost eldest daughter have become someone so extraordinary?
They were delighted by her arrival but couldn’t help showing hesitation in their eyes, and their words were cautious.
After all, commoners couldn’t casually offend noble mercenaries.
Moreover, her mother recognized Miki as the noble lady who had visited their home years ago, making her even more anxious. She even tried to bow formally, but Wakako quickly stopped her.
Wakako felt a deep melancholy, but she could see that her parents were simple, honest people who just needed time to process everything.
“Xi Hua…” She repeated her birth name again, lost in thought.
“Yes, I’m called Xi Duo,” replied the young girl beside her. She picked up a stone and skipped it across the stream, creating a beautiful series of splashes with a strength and skill unusual for her age.
Wakako looked at the girl’s wrist and smiled unconsciously.
Thinking Wakako was making fun of her, Xiao Duo lowered her head sheepishly. “I’ve been helping slaughter pigs since I was little… I guess I’m stronger than most people.”
“That’s good,” Wakako said. “Just like me.” She picked up a stone and crushed it in her palm, letting the fragments fall: “That way, no one can bully you, right.”
Xiao Duo’s eyes widened in surprise, a mix of admiration and other indescribable emotions flashing across her face.
“Are other mercenaries… as strong as you?” she asked.
“No. I’m stronger than all of them.”
Xiao Duo let out an excited “Wow!” and jumped to her feet. “Really? How did you become a mercenary?”
Wakako looked at her, seeing her thirteen-year-old self reflected in the girl.
Xiao Duo looked very much like her, with clear eyes and the same round dimples when she smiled. But her face showed far less worry than Wakako’s had at thirteen—she didn’t have to worry about survival and lived surrounded by family.
Wakako envied that.
She spoke softly, “It started when I was young. I was begging on the streets when I accidentally became a servant in a noble household…”
As she spoke, Xiao Duo listened intently. The stream seemed to hum along, strumming chords to accompany her story.
Wakako talked about her journey, the people she’d met—the Kitagawa clan, the Saionji clan, Second Daughter, and, of course, Miki.
“Later, after joining the mercenaries, I met many new companions…”
When her throat grew dry, Xiao Duo led her to the stream. Together, they crouched by the bank, cupping water to drink. Its sweetness soothed them both.
Suddenly, Xiao Duo mischievously flicked droplets of water at Wakako’s face. Taken by surprise, she tried to dodge but still got hit.
“…” Wakako considered retaliating but felt it would be an unfair fight. “Never mind, I’ll let it slide.”
“What’s wrong? Never played with water before?”
To her surprise, Xiao Duo persisted, repeating her trick. Wakako’s childish side emerged, and she childishly splashed water back.
Being younger, Xiao Duo was no match for her and quickly became soaked, crying out, “You’re bullying me!”
“You started it!”
“When I grow up, you won’t be able to beat me!”
The childish voice echoed in her ears, and Wakako’s voice unconsciously rose: “Fine, come and try in ten years! I’m the best fighter among all the mercenaries.”
Xiao Duo snorted lightly: “That’s because everyone else is weak! Just wait a few years, I’ll beat you, Sister.”
Her eyes sparkled as she joked.
Wakako smiled, then realized what Xiao Duo had called her.
Sister…
She stared at Xiao Duo, momentarily stunned, and was caught off guard by another splash of water.
“Yay!” Xiao Duo cheered, triumphant. “Silly sister.”
Water dripped down Wakako’s cheeks. After a while, she murmured, “Mm,” and repeated, “Silly sister.”
She wiped her face.
“Xiao Duo, you don’t have a formal name, do you?”
The sun was high, and Xiao Duo took off her wet outer clothes to dry, turning back to reply:
“No. It’s so expensive to have a scholar in the city pick a name… I told Mother and Father it wasn’t worth the money, and Xiao Duo is fine.”
She tried to sound indifferent, but her expression betrayed her.
She wanted a meaningful name.
“Before I came, I asked Miki to choose one for you. She’s read many books since she was young, and even tutored the Crown Princess… Do you want to hear it?”
Wakako crouched down and used stream water to write characters on a large stone by the stream, striving for neat strokes.
—”The grass envies the beauty of the flower, while the wind carries the gentle tune of jade.”
“Using the characters for ‘Yuxian’… what do you think?”
Xiao Duo didn’t know many characters, let alone poetic phrases like these. Even if she couldn’t grasp the full meaning, it didn’t stop her from tracing the two characters on the stone with her fingers.
“Yuxian… Xi Yuxian…”
Xiao Duo murmured, and her small figure suddenly threw herself at Wakako, hugging her tightly.
“I love it.”
Wakako returned the gentle embrace, softly stroking Xiao Duo’s soft hair.
She looked up and seemed to see a pale figure standing in the distance on the hillside, her robes swaying gracefully amidst the lush green grass.
Then, Wakako pulled away from Xiao Duo.
“Thank you, Sister… and thank you, Noble Lady Miki…” Xiao Duo said softly. “I’ll tell Mother and Father right away that I’ll be called Yuxian from now on.”
“You don’t need to call her ‘Noble Lady,’ just use her name.”
“But… she’s a noble. I heard nobles have complicated rules. Commoners can be punished for the slightest mistake.”
“She’s also my wife, so don’t worry about that.”
Xiao Duo nodded slightly, “Okay.”
…
Miki didn’t approach; she just watched the two sisters interact from afar. Reunited after many years, the sisters seemed to get along immediately, their relationship quickly becoming close.
It was heartwarming.
Even when she first saw Xiao Duo, she couldn’t help but be struck by how much the girl resembled the thirteen-year-old Wakako.
Some memories might have faded for Wakako, but not for Miki. Every expression of Wakako’s – laughter, tears, raised eyebrows, playful anger – was etched into her heart.
But even so… even though she had some affection for Xiao Duo because she resembled Wakako… even though they were biological sisters…
Why did Wakako have to hug her?
Miki felt a fire burning in her heart, yet maintained a flawless smile on her face, her thoughts unreadable to anyone.
A hug between sisters was nothing… but why hadn’t they separated yet?
How much longer will this continue?
Miki unconsciously held her breath, but fortunately, just as she approached the edge of suffocation, Wakako released Xiao Duo and stepped back, breaking the embrace.
Thankfully, Wakako understood her.
Miki sighed in relief, showing a genuine smile. She knew she should give the two some private time, but she couldn’t help standing there.
From Saint to commoner, then from commoner to the “God” of this continent… her ambition grew day by day, seemingly without limit.
Her heightened senses, amplified by her power, carried the sisters’ conversation to her ears.
She listened, knowing that Wakako knew she was listening.
Miki had never felt so fulfilled. Ruijun believed her renewed ambition stemmed from a desire for revenge against the God, but that wasn’t true.
Everything was because she was Kitagawa Wakako’s wife.
How could she feel secure in this position without reaching even greater heights?
She wanted Wakako to remain forever in her sight, not allowed to leave for even a moment. She wanted to hear every word Wakako said, not missing a single one.
No matter how time passed, no matter where they were, she would always, always, always stay by Wakako’s side.
And Wakako could only look at her alone, could only remember the name Miki.
It was selfish, yes.
But who cared? She was Kitagawa Wakako’s wife.
And Wakako loved her.
The end.
