Nightfall arrived, and the branches of the divine wood swayed gently in the wind.
The streets grew quieter as fewer and fewer pedestrians passed by. Across Cartier, lights began to illuminate the cityscape. After a busy day, the Blood Elves gradually returned to their familial routines.
Angel’s mother lit the oil lamp for illumination.
At the dining table, Angel sat in silence, eating with his head lowered.
Across the table, Angel’s father stared at him while eating.
His hands never stopped tearing pieces of bread and sending them to his mouth, yet his piercing gaze made Angel’s scalp tingle.
In appearance, Angel’s father Kou Li looked almost identical to his older brother Andrew. In dim lighting, one could nearly mistake them for being the same person. But in terms of demeanor, the differences were stark.
Andrew had always kept his long black hair, while Kou Li sported short black hair. Andrew was tall and lean, whereas Kou Li was brawny and rugged. Their clothing styles were also very distinct.
In Angel’s memory, his brother Andrew always wore Mage Robes—regardless of color, it was guaranteed to be Mage Robes. Except for the night he prepared to flee. That night, Andrew appeared before Angel wearing an outfit Angel had never seen before: a plain black casual attire.
Meanwhile, Kou Li would wear short-sleeved casual clothing every day, often with traces of soil imprinted on his hands and clothes.
Kou Li was a gardener.
In Luo Ge Xian Ni, gardening was considered a relatively respectable profession, at least compared to what gardeners in the Human World might experience. But in truth, it wasn’t particularly exceptional. It was still a lower-tier trade. Unlike human gardeners who merely trim flowers and plants, Blood Elf gardeners also collected unique nectar and cultivated magical flora used for specialized purposes. All of this added some prestige to the role. However, they were far removed from being Mages or wielding magic—it was entirely unrelated.
How had a gardener like Kou Li produced two sons with extraordinary magical talent?
That question was one for Angel’s mother.
Angel’s mother, Debi, had been a Magic Academy apprentice, reportedly admitted with remarkably high scores. Despite her exceptional talent, she had also been branded a "problematic girl." Due to youthful recklessness and her neglected studies, she ultimately failed to graduate and instead received a certification of completion. From a certain perspective, Andrew’s rebellious personality was most certainly inherited from her.
After leaving the academy, Debi persisted in her carefree ways. Her ability to perform basic magic allowed her to earn higher wages than ordinary, diligent Blood Elves. This gave her the means to squander her youth.
In summary... she successfully transformed herself from a prodigious magic apprentice into an average individual, eventually marrying a nondescript, earnest gardener—Kou Li, the father of Andrew and Angel.
Of course, it might have been true love; who could say? Anyway, at least that’s how Angel’s mother described it.
Later... Debi gave birth to a son. It was only after having a child that she finally decided to change her ways. She believed that, although her own dreams were no longer achievable, she could still pin her hopes on her son. So, she dedicated herself to raising him. From a young age, Andrew underwent stringent training, impressing an entire group of Magic Masters upon enrollment. Ultimately... Well, Andrew became "the disgrace of the Blood Elf Mages."
It all sounded deeply tragic. Debi’s life resembled a downward trajectory, seeming as though it could never hit rock bottom. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs n0velfire.net
After Andrew left, Debi returned to a relatively normal life. To this day, she continued to take occasional magic-related gigs, living an idle yet contented lifestyle. All things considered, it wasn’t too bad—within Blood Elf society, it was fairly ordinary.
If anything particularly displeased her, it would be that her promising eldest son had betrayed her and deserted the family, while her youngest son lacked ambition. She no longer dared step foot into her alma mater. Frankly, it was just too humiliating.
Andrew had dishonored the Magic Academy once, but his mother had done so twice. If I were the principal, I’d blacklist their entire family.
"You..." After a long silence, Kou Li finally spoke, staring at Angel with his deep and resonant voice: "Your hair..."
Angel quickly responded, "The fire burned it off!"
"I know." Kou Li nodded before continuing, his face expressionless as he said, "Saving people from the fire was admirable; it shows your bravery. But you must also ensure your safety. Besides, I want to mention... You’ve lost both your hair and eyebrows. For this short period of time, you should make an effort to clean up your appearance. It’s unsettling for others to look at you."
"Alright, Father. I’ll wear a hat when I go out." Angel nodded in agreement.
"You shouldn’t encourage him to do such dangerous things." Debi remarked as she carried a plate and pulled out a chair to sit beside Kou Li. She began eating dinner, casually adding, "If he dared to save people from a fire this time, next time he might get involved in something even riskier."
"Reputation is important." Turning to face Debi, Kou Li told her, "If Angel fails the preliminary admission tests and cannot enter the Arrow Technique Academy, then he’ll effectively be an adult. Maintaining some good reputation will benefit him regardless."
"I think a good reputation is useless, as long as it doesn’t turn into bad reputation." Debi muttered quietly.
Kou Li most certainly heard her, but he merely glanced at Debi in silence without commenting. He then turned his attention to Angel and said, "You must learn from your brother’s mistakes. Do not become a selfish and self-centered person. Selfishness and self-centeredness will earn you disdain. Do you understand?"