The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 8

Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Sanlín City

<Di Huā Library>

After being led to the section of the library that contained birth, death and marriage records, Wen Reian and his companions were each sat at a long table with stacks of books before them.

As easy as it may seem to find a single wedding among hundreds with three minds at it, the matter was complicated by the fact that none of the church's records were organized by date. Cross-checking with the citizen census each time was making everything take twice as long, and to make matters worse, Xie De was starting to get bored...

"A'Yu should have come," the boy sighed, flipping pages. "He would've loved all these books."

Reian rolled his eyes at his friend and focused on his task, willfully ignoring the man sitting across the table whose dark eyes never wavered from his work.

I thought King's were obsessed with wars and strategies and stuff... especially someone as young as Xie Yi-jun. Why does it feel like he's enjoying reading all this jargon?

Before he could stop himself, Reian blurted out-

"Is it very interesting?"

Xie De's mouth fell wide at Reian's obvious verbal lack of respect toward the King... again!

Reian couldn't help it! He forgot-

Xie Yi-jun didn't look up from his book as he answered; "No, it is deathly boring."

He raised the cover of the book for Reian to see...

Death Census of Sanlín City: 2003 Years After The Long Night

A moment later, the hint of a smile tugged at the King's lips. Reian swallowed.

"If your Master heard you addressing me informally, he wouldn't be very impressed."

Without missing a beat Reian asked what he'd been curious about all day...

"How old are you?"

Under the table, Xie De kicked him while Xie Yi-jun answered with a yawn as he turned another page; "Seven hundred and twenty four. And trust me, I feel each one of those years."

Reian stayed quiet for a moment though his mind was racing. This was the longest conversation he'd had with the King to date, each piece of information he got making him strangely braver.

"I'm twenty," he responded. "So, I won't call you Master."

Beside him, Reian could feel Xie De's face burning but he didn't care. Wen Rei was far more interested in the frustrated yet intrigued smile on Xie Yi-jun's face...

"Fair enough, but I am also of royal blood. Or does that not count for shit in your day and age?"

Reian's ears turned red at hearing the man curse, especially in public, though no one was here. He thought of what to say in response, but the only thing he could come up with was-

"It counts. Do you want me to call you My King?"

Just then, Xie Yi-jun's eyes met his.

Reian froze. Being held accountable for his words by those dark eyes was a strange feeling. Unpleasant but familiar, somehow...