The Dusty Memories

The morning sunlight was warm and gentle.

Back at the manor's dining room, exquisite dishes were laid out on the table, far too lavish to be considered breakfast.

Luo Wei stared at the food without any appetite.

He absent-mindedly picked up his fork, not even aware of what he was putting in his mouth, chewing mechanically.

His mind was still preoccupied with what had happened earlier.

Ophelia watched his distracted state with slightly furrowed brows.

"Luo Wei!"

She pouted and said with displeasure:

"Caroline and Susan spent all morning preparing this. If you're not satisfied with the taste, just say so directly!"

Luo Wei shook his head with a smile, "Not at all... I've always appreciated their culinary skills."

Trying to forget about that strange dream, he put on a show of heartily enjoying the meal.

"Mmm... look how perfectly this steak is cooked~"

Luo Wei nodded while eating, then commented: "It's cooked just like a steak!"

Seeing Luo Wei return to his usual playful self, Ophelia burst out laughing.

"What are you even saying? A steak is a steak, how else could it be cooked?"

"Well, that's not necessarily true..."

Luo Wei inexplicably recalled a charred, completely carbonized "dark steak," and couldn't help but smile.

That creation came from someone who couldn't cook at all.

Wait...

The suddenly emerging memory made Luo Wei fall silent for a moment.

This impression of the "dark steak" felt both familiar and foreign, as if it had happened not too long ago...

But...

Luo Wei glanced suspiciously at Ophelia. He hadn't left this manor for several years, living together with Ophelia the whole time.

So where did this memory come from... Besides the manor's maids, who else would cook something like this for him?

Luo Wei fell into contemplation again.

It felt like a memory he shouldn't have forgotten...

Many, many memories sealed away by time...

"Luo Wei..." Ophelia suddenly leaned closer, forcefully interrupting his thoughts.

"What's been wrong with you these days?"

Her light-colored eyes examined him with suspicion.

"Being so absent-minded..." her tone turned teasing, "Are you perhaps missing some pretty girl?"

Luo Wei looked up, "Yes, I am!"

Ophelia's expression changed instantly.

Her face became expressionless, her light eyes turning cold – an emotion Luo Wei had never seen on her face before.

His heart inexplicably trembled; the girl he had always known to be gentle and kind suddenly seemed so distant.

Though alarmed internally, Luo Wei maintained his expression.

He said with a smile: "I'm missing... Caroline's bedtime massages, Sister Susan's pies, and the skillful Bella, whose newly tailored clothes always fit me perfectly~"

Hearing this, Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief internally.

"Smooth talker, I thought you were missing some girl from the village or the city..."

Her expression softened, "Oh, just the manor's maids..."

"What? You're not concerned just because they're maids?" Luo Wei looked at the maids around them, "These sisters are all pretty, have nice figures, and are about my age..."

He teased Ophelia, "Aren't you worried..."

"They wouldn't dare!" Ophelia immediately turned to glare at the maids.

Her gaze was filled with murderous intent.

The maids, suddenly caught in this unexpected glare, all nervously lowered their heads.

The dining room fell deathly silent.

"Ophelia..." Luo Wei stared at her in surprise.

He had never seen Ophelia lose composure like this before, yet it had happened several times today, as if he was meeting her for the first time.

"I'm sorry... I..." Ophelia quickly reined in her gaze and hurriedly stood up.

"I probably haven't been sleeping well lately, my emotions are a bit unstable..."

She forced a smile, kissed Luo Wei's cheek, and quickly disappeared from the vast dining room.

Luo Wei watched her hastily retreating figure.

Lost in thought.

...

In the evening, after receiving his bedtime massage from Caroline, the head maid, Luo Wei returned to his bedroom and yawned tiredly.

He lay in bed and quickly fell into dreamland.

Luo Wei rarely dreamed, but this time, he found himself in an unfamiliar place.

Airships floated slowly in the sky, and the bustling noise of street markets filled the air.

Looking at the endless rows of tall buildings, he realized he was in the midst of a prosperous city.

As Luo Wei wandered the unfamiliar streets, someone suddenly bumped his shoulder hard.

The person acted suspiciously, not apologizing for the collision, and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

"Luo Wei! What are you standing there for? Quick, chase after them! The murderer is getting away!"

A face with a full beard and wearing a police badge appeared before him.

"You are..."

Luo Wei frowned. Although it was his first time seeing this police chief, he felt as if they were already very familiar with each other.

Like old friends who had known each other for years.

The police chief glanced at him, then ignored him and rushed into the crowd.

Gunshots rang out among the crowd.

How strange, why would they want me to help catch criminals? I'm not their assistant...

Luo Wei continued walking forward in confusion as the scene underwent bizarre changes.

He saw a school and students riding commuter buses to class.

This school also felt very familiar, especially when Luo Wei clearly saw the text:

Saint Callen Royal Academy of Magical Science...

Strange, why did it feel so familiar? Had he been here before?

But he had never studied here, hadn't even attended the school in town – he had always had private tutors arranged by Ophelia.

Luo Wei continued walking aimlessly, watching scenes both familiar and foreign, and he seemed to remember something...

This was Saint Callen, the capital of the Empire.

Finally, after another scene change,

Luo Wei arrived in the lower district of Saint Callen.

It was dirty, chaotic, filled with unpleasant smells.

He didn't know why he came here, but as if possessed, he stopped in front of a dark, narrow alley.