Strict Authority

"What?" Rin's almond-shaped eyes were opened wide, a trace of confusion in their depths.

An Sun's eyes stared at the Bai Manor gate before shifting down to look at her.

"All my life, I've been pledged to the An Clan. Now…I am free of those shackles. I am no longer the adopted bastard of the An Clan or the fallen commander. This is my chance to rid of my multiple faces and find what I've lost."

To uncover his identity.

Rin looked at him without any visible emotions in her expression, although she appeared slightly stiff. She hid her troubled mind and responded very calmly.

"Where in the north do you plan to go?"

"I hear in the town Jinping they're requesting troops to enlist in their army. I intend to join the troop training there." He replied calmly.

Rin lowered her head. So, he was going off to join an army. She couldn't deny this was a wise decision on An Sun's part, considering he wanted to develop his own strength. Moreover, with his already experienced training in warfare, he would be able to grow in a few years or less.

But Rin didn't know why his words troubled her.

"How long until you leave?" Her eyes lifted to look at him.

"It's too early for me to leave. I'll need time to prepare." He said.

"I see." Rin's voice softened. She let out a helpless sigh and said with a faint smile on her face, "I'm happy for you, Sun. I hope on your journey you're able to find what you're looking for."

An Sun turned to her. He kept his eyes placed on her, not willing to miss the slightest change of expression on her face. After a while, a slow, faint smile finally appeared on his lips.

"Yeah, me too." He chuckled.

Rin nodded her head with a quiet expression while she suppressed the turbulent of emotions within her heart.

…

When the two finally joined everyone at the main hall for breakfast, Rin instantly noticed the two vacant seats at the table.

"Where's grandfather?" She cast her gaze over to General Guo with a frown.

Looking up from his bowl, General Guo glanced at the empty seat beside him and sighed.

"He's eating breakfast in his study."

"His study?" Rin's frown deepened.

Her eyes glanced over the empty seat again. She pressed her lips together tightly and sighed softly. It would appear he was still upset with her.

"Please inform grandfather not to work too hard. It's not good for his health." Rin said casually and sat down at the table filled with warm food.

General Guo stared at his niece with a troubled expression. He very quickly took note of the affliction in her eyes that she tried to conceal.

His brow wrinkled slightly and he offered in a gentle tone, "If you want I can have him…"

"There's no need," Rin gave him a reassuring, close-lip smile. "Let him be alone for a while."

General Guo was silent. After a few seconds, he sighed and let it be. An Sun sat ramrod straight at the table while quietly chewing on a slice of beef. His eyes seemed to be fixed on the food in front of him, but he was watching Rin from the corner of his gaze.

With her head lowered, he couldn't read her expression at all. However, from her slow and unenthusiastic chewing, he could suspect that she was in deep thought. An Sun cursed the old man in his heart.

While doing so, his chewing grew more and more aggressive. A dark and gloomy vibe filled the air and sent a chill down the spine.

"Pass the rice." His voice came out colder than he expected.

Aiguo, faced with his cold command visibly stiffened. He carefully glanced up from his food to see An Sun staring at him with piercing eyes. His gaze wasn't intentionally cold, but it somehow created a chilly effect on Aiguo for a long time. He felt that the air around An Sun was turning a little too chilly.

Aiguo trembled as he passed the large bowl of rice to him, "H-Here."

An Sun paid no mind to the boy's trembling as he took a large scoop of rice and set it in his bowl.

Damn, he wished he had wine.

…

A cool spring breeze sweeps withering leaves into flight, the window to a room wide open. A tilted moon filling the bedroom with light.

At that moment, a gentle knock sounded on the door to a room. After a day of training, Aiguo was limp with exhaustion. Detecting the sound of a knock on his door, he groaned and rolled himself on the side of his bed.

"Come in," He grumbled.

Following his muffled words, the door slid open. When Rin entered the room, she saw the boy laid out on his bed, limbs sprawled out with no visible movement.

She sighed. "You're not going to last with this endurance of yours."

Hearing the girl's voice, Aiguo's eyes opened wide, and he quickly sat upright. He groaned at his sore muscles and rubbed his arms. He looked up to see Rin walking over to sit on the edge of his bed. His face flushed a little. A subtle scent came from her shoulders, making him slightly nervous.

"What…What are you doing here?��

Alone in a room with the girl he likes, his heart couldn't help but race. He straightened himself up, crossed his legs, and looked into those emerald eyes that always captivated him.

Meanwhile, Rin stared at the boy with an unclear expression.

After a long moment of silence, she said: "I'm leaving."

Very quickly, the smile on Aiguo's face vanished. His brows furrowed into a tight frown.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" He made a dark expression.

Rin looked at him for a moment then sighed. "I had mentioned to you before that I came here to find someone. Now that I've found them, I can continue my goal."

"What's your goal?" Aiguo frowned.

She smiled but could give no answer. Her response only caused Aiguo's frustration to flare. He clenched his fist and finally restrained his erupting emotions.

"Can I come with you?"

"No." Rin shook her head.

"Why not?!" His voice raised a little.

Facing the boy's anger, Rin's expression remained calm. She emitted a small sigh as if she were dealing with a child's tantrum.

"The journey is too unpredictable. Moreover, your purpose is to stay here and train under my uncle. In a few years, you will be a soldier in his army."

Aiguo frowned and fiercely said, "What if I don't want to train? What if I don't want to become a soldier?"

"You won't have a choice. You will obey." She declared. Her tone was serious.

Unlike her usually soft and kind voice, the Rin now carried the strict authority of a person in power. Aiguo stiffened and gnashed his teeth in frustration, his clenched fingers biting into his palms.

Listening to her words, he could feel for the first time, the difference in not just their age, but status as well. He felt powerless. Weak.

"Is this why you brought me here? To get rid of me so you could go on your journey?" He asked while gritting his teeth.

"Aiguo…" Rin sighed softly.

"No! The moment we left the village, everything you do or say isn't for me but yourself! You don't care whether I'm miserable or not! Everything, all of it is just for yourself!"

His chest rose up and down rapidly with heavy breaths. Rin's face had been stone before he spoke; then it hardened. For a moment, an inkling of affliction surfaced on her face but disappeared the next second. She stared at Aiguo for a moment then stood up from the bed and walked to the window, her hands behind her back.

"You're right. I am doing this for myself. I don't particularly care whether you're happy or not. Is it unreasonable? Perhaps it is."

She turned around to face Aiguo and her eyes shone with strong emotions.

"But I don't want to see another person I care about to die. When I'm gone, I won't be able to protect you anymore. That's why you need to grow stronger mentally and physically. You may not like it, but this is your only choice."

Aiguo was stunned for a moment. The anger in his eyes instantly chilled over, but the guilt in his heart only increased. When he met her deep gaze, he looked away. He sat quietly, thinking of her words.

Seeing him fall into deep thought, Rin's expression softened and returned to her usual soft smile.

While her tone remained cold, it just so slightly thawed as she said, "You won't need to attend tomorrow's training. Take the time to rest."

Aiguo was silent. He hesitated for a moment before shifting his head to meet her gaze. However, when he lifted his head, she was already exiting his room; the door closing behind her.