Dragon Tamer - Chapter 55
Translated by Mianbao
Edited by RED
“Alright, alright, even if this matter is true, it doesn’t concern you. Ignore them, Xiaozhu. Go back to the Academy, and don’t come to the foundry for the next few days,” Master Zhao Long said, glaring at his apprentice.
“Mhm, I’m done casting my armor anyway. I’ve also cast a few robe armors with the leftover materials. Please help me fetch a good price for them, Master Zhao Long,” Zhu Minglang said.
“No problem; your skills are good. We welcome you here anytime, after all these rumors have passed,” Master Zhao Long said.
“I think you’d better not come. Who is the Valkyrie? How many people in the Ancestral Dragon City State look up to her, or admire her? Basically all of them are the rich and noble; if they know he’s in our shop, how can we still live peacefully?” the owner interrupted, not wanting to invite trouble.
“This matter isn’t Zhu Minglang’s fault. He’s a very nice guy. We can only blame…” Zhao Long spoke up for Zhu Minglang.
“It’s fine, Master Zhao. He’s not wrong; I understand where he’s coming from. In any case, my main goal here is to cast some armor, which is already done. I can leave. Just don’t forget to pay me for the armors I’ve put up for sale,” Zhu Minglang said very magnanimously.
“These gossips can really kill. A fine youth like you is robbed of peace. So what if she’s the Valkyrie? Can’t the Valkyrie be in a relationship with a good man like our Xiaozhu, who knows his place? I think Xiaozhu is pretty good and is compatible for her!” Master Zhao Long said loudly.
However, his words were met with a wave of strange laughter from the surrounding people, especially that apprentice called Zhou Xin. He laughed the loudest.
“Come on, Zhu Minglang wouldn’t match up to her even if he reincarnated,” Zhou Xin laughed even more wantonly.
“But the fact remains that Zhu Minglang slept with the Valkyrie,” someone said indistinctly.
This sentence caused the apprentices’ laughter to immediately stop.
“I haven’t even seen her before, but the Valkyrie is indeed very pretty in the drawings…”
“I saw her once during the celebrations. She’s much prettier than in the drawings.”
As the discussion went on, the atmosphere changed from mockery to frustration!
Why do these kinds of fortunate happenings only happen to others? Why were they casting iron at that time, and not think of wandering around Wutu!?
—–
Zhu Minglang walked along the streets, heading outside the city walls. Even though the portraits pasted everywhere couldn’t be seen on the flourishing main street, there were more of them than wanted posters in the small streets and alleys. Some people were even copying the portraits, as if they were afraid this face wouldn’t spread.
They really had nothing better to do!
Perhaps the opera singers, or the most popular girl in the pleasure boat, didn’t become famous as quickly as Zhu Minglang. Everyone learned the long-rumored vagrant’s identity literally overnight; his name was Zhu Minglang!
Fortunately, there were slight discrepancies in appearance. Walking on the main street, no one was so brainless as to keep staring at Zhu Minglang and insist he was that man.
At the most, people looked at him a little longer, or talked to him. Most of them had their suspicions.
Walking back to the Dragon Tamers Academy, Zhu Minglang felt the powers of gossip. Perhaps it was because this incident had fermented for a long time now, and a version that seemed closest to the truth finally appeared, rousing the people’s interest, and anticipating the developments from here on…
After all, Li Yunzi’s status as the Crown Princess was restored, shining as brightly as the sun and the moon in the Ancestral Dragon City State.
At the bridgeside, Fang Niannian, who had a whole basket of peaches not sold, observed Zhu Minglang up and down, as if she had been waiting here for the whole day, and said, “Handsome bro, you’re really something.”
“Your peaches are about to spoil,” Zhu Minglang replied.
“I had a feeling you’re someone who lived off of a woman from the first time I set eyes on you. I didn’t expect to get it right,” Fang Niannian replied, not caring about her peaches at all.
Xue… Hua piao piao, bei feng xiao xiao… ¹
Zhu Minglang stood lonely in the cold snow, the cold wind slapping his face like the lyrics!
Zhu Minglang didn’t mind the mockery from others, mainly because they couldn’t poke at where it hurt.
But this girl, every word struck hard! Loss after loss, after loss, after loss!
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Minglang tried his best to control his emotions.
She was only a girl, not a devil from the depths of the abyss. But even a devil would crawl back to its nest in defeat after meeting her.
“Now that it’s winter, there’s a type of mountain snow orchid. Help me check if it’s available in the market. I need your family to help me brew them into nectar. Help me look for Autumn Phoebe wood, as well, I’d prefer fresh wood. If they are available, I want them all, no matter the price. This is your commission,” Zhu Minglang requested, handing her a few grains of gold sand.
“Okie dokie, Young Master Zhu,” Fang Niannian immediately answered sweetly, and even did a curtsey.
“Call me brother. That sounds weird after hearing it,” Zhu Minglang smiled bitterly.
“Handsome brother, is Sister Valkyrie fair, or big?” Fang Niannian asked mysteriously.
“???”
-What is a fine young miss doing asking such degenerate questions?!
-Also, what is the meaning of that shining gaze?
-You’re fond of women!?-
—–
Snowflakes scattered. The snow that fell onto the lake, now backed by the curtain of night, was like white petals. Illuminated by the lights from the nearby boats, they formed a beautiful scene.
Passing through the forest covered in white frost, Zhu Minglang walked toward his residence courtyard. For some unknown reason, he felt a bad premonition, especially after his conversation with Fang Niannian at the bridgehead…
Arriving at the gates, the residence courtyard was even quieter than he had imagined. Perhaps everyone was hiding in their houses due to the cold weather and snow.
Would there be so many senseless people in this world?
Zhu Minglang pushed the courtyard gates open and returned to his house to sleep. The last casting he had done today nearly drained him dry of his spirit force. He needed to rest well for a few days. Fortunately, he could spend his time going to classes and learning.
The Academy was great, like a paradise. He didn’t need to worry about the troubles of the mortal world.
—–
Used to waking up early, Zhu Minglang didn’t stay in bed despite the cold weather. After visiting the baby dragon, he went to class, carrying his books.
Coincidentally, today was the monthly lesson. It was free, and compulsory.
Entering the lecture hall, the classroom was already filled with people. There were students who had already become Dragon Tamers, and also students who were still lingering in front of their Dragon Gate. The lesson today was pretty important to both types of students.
After finding himself a seat, Zhu Minglang was just about to flip his book regarding Great Forest Dragons open to read, when a few dozen people around him suddenly stood up.
Zhu Minglang thought the teacher had arrived and subconsciously stood up as well, preparing to greet the lecturer. However, he discovered those people’s gazes were all fixated on him, staring, as if an inescapable trap was laid here, waiting for him to get caught in.
“So you’re Zhu Minglang?!” a fair and handsome young master wearing a ferret fur coat interrogated him first.
Zhu Minglang looked at this person, vaguely remembering seeing him somewhere before.
Thinking back carefully, it seemed to be that young master who was lamenting for Li Yunzi back at the library. Zhu Minglang remembered this young master didn’t speak indecently like the other students, but was sighing in pity. He was most likely an admirer of the Valkyrie.
The problem was, why did he look like he was judging him, and it seemed many of the others had similar ideas!
Did they know he was sure to come to this lecture today?
Zhu Minglang swept his gaze around, discovering that many of the residence mates he rarely spoke to were also present, avoiding his gaze.
It was no wonder their residence courtyard was so quiet last night. They had planned to catch him here today!
Zhu Minglang had originally thought the atmosphere in the Academy wouldn’t be as aggressive as outside. It turned out that it was the same here!
“Are you Zhu Minglang or not? You don’t even dare to admit this?” the ferret-wearing, fair and handsome young master asked again.
“That’s me. I wonder why all you seniors are gathered here?” Zhu Minglang replied.
“You still have the cheek to ask us. Are you that Wutu vagrant!?” someone behind the fair and handsome young master demanded angrily.
“That is certainly a baseless rumor,” Zhu Minglang immediately answered.
The fair and handsome young master sized up Zhu Minglang closely, thinking this man was indeed nothing extraordinary.
“Since it’s just a rumor, how do you clarify yourself?” The young master seemed to be the most highly regarded person among the group. When he spoke, no one else interfered.
“The truth is, we felt familiarity with each other at first sight and fell in love. Whatever the dungeon rumor is, it’s just someone being jealous of our relationship and unwilling to see the beauty being in love with another, and thus they thought of such a vicious way to bring me down and humiliate her,” Zhu Minglang told the group righteously.
“Li Yunzi felt a sense of familiarity with you at first sight? You?” The fair and handsome young master still showed hints of manners earlier, but after hearing Zhu Minglang say that, he immediately showed his disgust and disdain for him.
“Right, it’s nothing more than an extremely normal man and woman relationship, but some people with ulterior motives spread rumors to such an extent. I’m afraid there are many rumors added in by the enemy cities to tarnish the image of our Ancestral Dragon City State’s Valkyrie. Of course, they also wanted to uglify me in the process. I think the people who spread the rumor are either spies from enemy cities, or Li Yunzi’s twisted admirers,” Zhu Minglang continued, his tone carrying hints of righteous indignation.
“Stop spouting nonsense. Why would the crown princess take a fancy to you?!” the male students clamored, unwilling to accept this.
“Things like love can’t be explained. Actually, I don’t understand why I’d fall for her, either. Loving someone doesn’t require a reason,” Zhu Minglang said with the melancholy of a poet.
He held his book up with one hand, gazing deeply at the winter plums outside the windows, as if he was a real poet. He would sigh in joy, smile in reminiscence, mumble to himself lost in thoughts…
The gazes of the people around him changed, especially the fair and handsome young master. His eyes were shining with a demonic light!
They had never seen such a shameless person before!
‘Actually I don’t understand why I’d fall for her’?!
Were those the words spoken by a human!?
The Valkyrie’s reputation wasn’t only due to her unparalleled wisdom and courage, but moreso her beauty that rivalled fairies of the heavenly palace. Those who had seen her before would all sigh in admiration for her astonishing beauty.
Why would a nameless guy like him need to use all his brain juice to think why he’d fall in love with her?
They were all men!
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Translator’s Notes:
1: It literally means snowflakes floating, north wind blowing. I know it fits the season and all, but I’m positive the author is referencing the popular meme.