The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix’s Novels Also Desires Happiness - Chapter 295



73. Intentional and Unintentional

“You said you want to… borrow money?”

In the single horse-drawn carriage, Mu En looked at the girl who had come to visit him alone in the deep of night, his expression peculiar.

“Now?”

“Mm.”

Lia lowered her head, her small face almost buried in her chest, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. If it weren’t for the surrounding silence, Mu En would have almost not heard her speak.

“Why?”

Mu En asked, puzzled.

To know that previously, at the restaurant, he had proposed borrowing money from Lia, but due to her pride and steadfast principles, she had flatly refused.

But now, she had taken the initiative to come and borrow money?

That can’t be right; he had paid this private musician a decent salary. Had she spent it all so quickly?

What had happened?

Lia shouldn’t be the type to spend money recklessly, right?

“Bec… because…”

Lia recounted the reason for the situation from beginning to end.

After listening, Mu En leaned back on the sofa, revealing an unexpectedly clear expression amidst the chaos.

“Sure enough… it’s still because of Ariel.”

“But I didn’t expect her to become a gambler, betting and losing more than half of her money?”

“No wonder the scene from before felt so familiar.”

It seemed like this kind of thing had happened before.

Had Ariel not learned her lesson?

No, if he were to think from her perspective, with a non-gambler’s mindset, surely the bets would be on her losing.

His growth, indeed, was something that outsiders couldn’t comprehend. After all, who would casually engage in a harmonious and friendly exchange with an evil god? Before crushing those third-year students, Mu En hadn’t anticipated that defeating those sheltered flowers would be so effortless.

Even now, there were probably many who believed that his previous reckless image was merely a facade he had put on.

“But… it shouldn’t have come to the point where you have to actively borrow money, right?”

Mu En said somewhat helplessly.

The girl before him had her head lowered, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her skirt. Just from her actions, it was clear what kind of determination she had reached.

This is not just about her self-esteem; it’s also about her long-standing desire to achieve results through her own efforts, without relying on others.

But now, he has overturned his own efforts, denying his own actions.

“Because…”

Liya answered softly:

“Ariel sneaked out to hunt magical beasts.”

“Ah?”

Mu En was shocked. He pulled back the curtain and glanced at the pitch-black surroundings.

“Now?”

“Mm.”

Liya nodded. “She probably wants to gather more materials before heading to Ailierze, then sell them there to make some money.”

“…That’s absurd.”

Mu En covered his face in exasperation:

“The path chosen by the Pink Bear is relatively safe, and with the presence of the Dragonblood Horse, there aren’t any particularly powerful or valuable magical beasts. Even if she goes out to hunt now, how much can she earn in two nights?

It probably wouldn’t even cover my meal expenses.”

“…”

“But still, that doesn’t feel right.

If it were someone else, I might be so certain, but that’s Ariel we’re talking about.”

Mu En suddenly became serious, intertwining his fingers under his chin, staring intently at the girl:

“I think you, being the one closest to her, should understand best. Ariel is someone who can continuously create miracles, so earning enough money in two days is nearly impossible for others, but for her, I can be quite certain she can do it.”

After all, she is the destined protagonist, Ariel. Even if she encounters some rare magical beast and becomes rich overnight, Mu En wouldn’t be surprised at all.

“And besides, this is ultimately Ariel’s own doing. So why would you, Liya…”

“…”

Liya gazed into the void, and it seemed as if the image of Ariel disappearing into the darkness appeared before her.

At that moment, she had wanted to call out to her.

So late.

So dark.

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So dangerous.

There were countless reasons to persuade Ariel, yet in the end, she didn’t speak up.

Because…

“All I could do was this.” Liya answered softly.

She could have spoken up, but she couldn’t come up with that money herself.

She could have asked to go together, but Ariel would definitely refuse on the grounds that she wasn’t good at fighting.

She could have said that Ariel didn’t need to try so hard, that she could become a saint through her own efforts.

But she knew that wasn’t possible.

Without Ariel, she couldn’t possibly become a saint.

From beginning to end, she was just a parasite clinging to Ariel.

Without Ariel, she couldn’t do anything at all.

It was so despicable and vile.

“Is that so?”

Mu En stared at Liya.

Although he still couldn’t see her face clearly, it seemed he could discern the emotions the girl was revealing.

Those… emotions that shouldn’t appear in a future saint.

“I think I understand what you mean.”

“Then…”

Liya finally lifted her head, her tear-filled eyes betraying her anxiety, her cute and delicate face a bit tense.

This timid appearance almost dealt a heavy blow to Mu En’s heart.

After all, no one can refuse something so adorable.

But…

Mu En lowered his hands and gently tapped the table, resolutely saying:

“I won’t lend you money.”

“Th… huh? Wh… what?”

Liya was about to jump up in joy, but suddenly realized Mu En’s answer. Her delighted expression instantly froze, as if she had never expected Mu En to refuse.

“Wh… why?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I’m a wicked nobleman’s son, after all.”

Mu En stroked his chin, examining Liya’s cute little face, and suddenly grinned mischievously:

“So the opportunity to borrow money for free from me is only available once, you refused before, so now it’s gone.”

“Then… you… you mean…”

Liya’s eyes widened, staring intently at Mu En. Looking at his grinning face, for some reason, she suddenly thought of that incident from over a month ago.

Recalling that blushing and racing heart moment, Liya’s cheeks turned bright red, and her forehead seemed to emit wisps of steam.

Could it be…

“No… that’s not possible!”

Liya covered her small face, twisting violently as she exclaimed:

“That kind of thing is not allowed!

Even if there are only the two of us in the carriage, even if I wanted to run away right now, I couldn’t, even if the carriage has soundproofing, it wouldn’t matter if I screamed my lungs out…

But that kind of thing is absolutely not allowed!”

“…You seem to be thinking of some strange scenario?”

Watching Liya suddenly “struggle,” Mu En commented dryly:

“If I really had any improper thoughts about you, I would have made a move long ago, not waited until now.”

Mu En snapped his fingers, and the box that Liya was quite familiar with, the one Ariel had sent over, appeared on the table.

He opened it, revealing the cash that remained after deducting Liya’s salary over this period, about half of it, and then pushed it in front of her.

“Here, for you.”

Liya opened her fingers slightly, looking at the cash in front of her with confusion, her small face involuntarily showing a hint of naive expression:

“Wha… why? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t lend it?”

“Of course, it’s not a loan.”

Mu En crossed his legs, smiling as he said:

“This is an investment.”

“Ah? An investment?”

Liya was taken aback, feeling her little head struggling to comprehend.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s simple. The Liya Angel sitting in front of me right now is just an ordinary little girl, right?”

“Mm.” Liya nodded gently.

“But just because you’re an ordinary little girl now doesn’t mean you’ll always be one.”

Mu En continued, “To put it simply, I see potential in your future. I believe you will become an extraordinary person, so I’m here to help you, and in return, you will help me in the future.”

“Future?”

Liya was startled.

Could it be…

Mu En Campbell knows that she is a candidate for the Saintess?

But that’s not right; her identity as a candidate for the Saintess is supposed to be a closely guarded secret. Aside from the church and Ariel, no one should know.

Moreover… based on his previous behavior towards her, it didn’t seem like he was aware of her identity as a candidate for the Saintess.

Who would hire a candidate for the Saintess to play music for them!

Liya carefully observed Mu En’s expression, trying to glean something from his face, but no matter how she looked, all she saw was his clean, handsome smile.

“How is it? Although it seems unreasonable to exchange five hundred thousand for the help of a future powerful figure, aren’t you in need of money right now?”

Mu En’s lips curled into a wicked smile as he said:

“Hurry up and accept it. I can’t wait to take advantage of this.”

“…”

Liya hesitated to nod in response, only gazing at Mu En with a complicated expression. After a long while, she bit her lip and softly asked:

“Why… why?”

“Hmm?”

“Why do you think I will become a powerful figure?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Mu En replied nonchalantly:

“You’re so outstanding.”

“No… I’m not.”

Liya suddenly raised her voice, but then realized the rudeness of her behavior and lowered her head, mumbling:

“I… I’m not outstanding at all.”

“…”

Mu En squinted his eyes, the feeling of a future saintess that should never be present in Liya surged again.

Is this… insecurity?

“That makes me a bit curious. Why does Classmate Liya think she is not outstanding?” Mu En asked.

“Because… you see, I can’t compare to Ariel in anything, and without her, I can’t do anything. How can someone like me be considered outstanding?” Liya replied quietly:

“Ariel is in a different league; you shouldn’t compare yourself to her. Anyone who compares themselves to someone like that will be crushed in confidence.”

“But…”

“There’s no ‘but’.”

Mu En sighed and said:

“Classmate Liya, have you noticed one thing?”

“What… what is it?”

“That is, why were you chosen for this list?”

“Huh?”

“Think about it, who are the people selected for this list? Not to mention Ariel and Senior Fanny, who are the top of their class in the second and third years, I’ve talked to a few others. Whether it’s Senior Vicky or Senior Aaron, Senior Marshall, their strength is among the top tier for their level. Even including me… from Professor Plang’s established rules for challenges, it’s clear that with no further changes to the list, the comprehensive strength must be a very important criterion for selection.”

“This… what does that prove?”

“Really silly, Lia, haven’t you reacted yet?”

Looking at the dazed girl, Mu En let out a helpless sigh:

“Then let me ask you, Lia… are you strong?”

“I…”

Lia was about to answer but suddenly froze.

The words got stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t say anything at all.

Is she strong?

Of course, she isn’t strong.

From beginning to end, she has never been good at fighting; otherwise, after Professor Plang established that rule, she wouldn’t have hidden her face away.

So… that means…

“See, clearly you lack the greatest advantage of comprehensive strength, yet you were still selected for this list. Doesn’t that show that you have qualities in other areas that none of us can compare to?”

Mu En smiled:

“Be a little more confident, Lia Angel. Discovering your strengths isn’t just my job.”

“And your future help and friendship will definitely be worth more than just five hundred thousand.”

“…”

Lia stared blankly at Mu En, somewhat lost in thought. For some reason, she suddenly felt that Mu En’s smile was so radiant.

She… is excellent?

A strange panic surged in her heart, and she quickly lowered her head, falling into silence.

……

……

“Um… what about your answer?”

Seeing the girl who had lowered her head again and was silent, as if startled by her own words, Mu En suddenly felt a bit anxious.

Could it be that she had said too much?

Or was it that the money was too little?

After all, wanting to exchange just five hundred thousand for the future help of a saintess was indeed a bit excessive.

“Should I add another five hundred thousand?”

“… No, no need.”

Lia suddenly reached out her hand, placed it on the box, and shook her head vigorously, yet she still didn’t lift her head to look at Mu En:

“This money is enough. I accept your investment, but, but…”

“But?”

“Help” is too broad a term. Can… can you be more specific?” Lia asked hesitantly.

“Well…”

Indeed, was she being too greedy?

Taking advantage of the situation really does provoke resentment.

Mu En stroked his chin and said:

“How about this: my five hundred thousand remains unchanged, but the condition will be a promise from you.”

“A promise?”

“That’s right. After you take this five hundred thousand, whenever I need you, you must help me with one thing.”

“One thing…”

“Of course, it won’t be anything excessive.”

Seeing Lia hesitate, Mu En quickly added:

“It’s something you can definitely do, that won’t violate your identity or position, and won’t go against moral standards. If it exceeds any of these three points, you can refuse.”

“So, what do you say? Is it acceptable?”

Mu En extended his hand, quietly waiting for a response.

“…”

Another long silence. Just when Mu En thought the girl would reject his terms, Lia suddenly lifted her head to glance at him, then buried her face into her chest.

Mu En barely caught a glimpse of her expression.

Then she slowly raised her delicate, fair hand and placed it in Mu En’s palm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Then… I swear in the name of the goddess.”

“…Mm.”

Mu En smiled as he held her small hand, saying:

“I swear in the name of the goddess.”

…

After Lia left.

Mu En looked at the empty table in front of him, his perfect smile suddenly fading, then… revealing a sinister grin of triumph.

“Hey, I’ve got the golden ticket, nice!”

When Ariel had suddenly challenged him during the day, he had felt a bit flustered. After all, it was Ariel. Even though he had many advantages now, he still lacked the confidence to confront the destined protagonist of the original story.

But now it was different.

With Lia’s connection and the promise just made, as long as she stood in his way, Ariel wouldn’t really dare to go all out against him.

After all, he wasn’t planning to steal her thunder, and there was no need for a life-and-death conflict with Ariel.

Fate, no matter how manipulated, cannot simply create something out of nothing.

So easily transforming the malice of destiny into nothingness…

“That being said…”

Mu En crossed his legs, recalling his recent perfect performance, feeling quite pleased:

“Could it be that I am the legendary genius?”

…

Liya stepped out of the carriage.

Feeling the cold wind of the deep night blowing, she suddenly squatted down and buried her head between her thighs.

At that moment, the blush that had been accumulating on her charming face, unnoticed by Mu En, appeared to be slightly different from her usual shyness, gradually spreading like ink dropped into water.

It tinged her neck, little by little.

At this moment, everything was silent, and Liya gently hugged her knees.

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Mu En’s words still echoed in her mind.

These were words she had never heard before.

Because, to anyone else, she was merely Ariel’s little follower, utterly inconsequential…

But why could Mu En Campbell always find such a unique perspective?

Liya recalled the time when the list was announced.

When she, along with Ariel, had little hope for the outcome, he alone, still wearing that dazzling smile, told her:

“Don’t worry, you’ve worked hard, you can do it.”

…

Why is that?

Mu En Campbell, why do you always believe in me so much?

And why are you so kind to me, always finding ways to help me?

Could it be…

“No, no!”

“He has a girlfriend, and even a fiancée!”

“And he himself said he isn’t.”

Liya dismissed the dangerous thoughts in her mind, lowering her head and repeatedly tugging at the innocent little grass on the ground.

“But why did he just make me promise something so strange? What could it be?”

“Could it be… that kind of thing?”

“Oh dear, Liya Angel, you are the future saintess, how can you think of such shameless things?”

Liya felt her face growing warmer the more she thought about it, ultimately deciding to stop thinking altogether. She tilted her head to the side and gazed at the distant starlight.

That starlight always reminded her of that guy’s smile.

Liya gently touched her chest, murmuring unconsciously:

“I just feel… so confused inside.”

……

……

“Look, Master!”

In the dense, dark forest, Ariel’s face was smeared with the blood of magical beasts as she excitedly displayed a glimmering crystal under the starlight.

“I actually dug out such a pure core from that low-level magical beast! How lucky am I!”

“Very lucky indeed. A core of this purity is worth at least fifty thousand Amira.”

“That’s fantastic!”

Ariel carefully stored the core away, glancing at the dawn that was about to rise on the horizon. Humming a little tune, she set off on her way home with light steps.

“Wait for me, Liya. This time, I will definitely surprise you.”