Chapter 81: Chapter 76: I Have a Friend

After dinner, having shaken off the questioning of two beauties, one big and one small, Li Xin felt a great sense of relief. If it weren’t for his clear understanding of the situation, he would have thought they were going to pry into every detail.

Li Xin took out his bamboo flute and began to polish it. There wasn’t much of a problem with its tuning. He remembered putting in quite an effort in his school days, at the expense of the school’s bamboo grove. In both lifetimes, it seemed there was only one trait that persisted—like having seen a ghost.

He took out a small knife to refine the bamboo flute even further. It had to have both tuning and aesthetic appeal. Looking at the overall result, his craftsmanship hadn’t declined, and because of his current strength and abilities, he could easily achieve effects he couldn’t before. Perhaps he could make a living out of this.

…

Li Xin suddenly remembered a problem: Miss Aries doesn’t know how to play, so to her, it’s no different than a stick. That bird, though it was quite amazing, still couldn’t play it; no beak was capable. Otherwise, he could teach the bird first.

It was a bit troublesome. Holding the bamboo flute, Li Xin started to muse aimlessly. He had a long-standing question of whether the Twelve Zodiac Star Disc resembled a dream, a soul, or a spiritual world, rather than the physical body descending directly; so… why wasn’t anyone naked?

Everyone wore clothes. Does that mean that things from reality could also form in the Round Table Conference?

Clothing is a basic necessity for everyone, just like breathing, as long as one isn’t a pervert. If when entering the Round Table Conference, one concentrates on the bamboo flute, could they bring the bamboo flute in as well?

Li Xin decided to give it a try, closed the door properly, extinguished the Hex Lamp, and sensed his dice, then began to head towards the Twelve Zodiac Star Disc.

With the experience from last time, this time was smoother; he could even sense places beyond the line, yet Li Xin still felt a sense of crisis. There was an unsettling feeling of sailing a small boat in a vast sea, with security and calmness only on the “route,” while the surroundings were filled with treacherous currents, as if any deviation would pull him into a boundless abyss.

Successfully reaching the Twelve Zodiac Star Disc, Li Xin saw the bamboo flute in his hand, very real. Of course, this “realness” was questionable and needed further verification.

Li Xin’s consciousness began to touch the star of Aries.

At this time, Estella was attending the court academy gathering, which invited renowned Grand Scholars and young talents from the Royal Capital to discuss history and current affairs. The royal family and noble offspring, along with talented scholars, were frequent guests. Estella was always the center of attention, surrounded by many remarkable young people from noble and powerful families.

Everyone tried to seize the opportunity to showcase themselves, regardless of whether they cared or not. Estella had to maintain her smile and courtesy; she was almost developing an ability to block it out. Sometimes she truly admired her eldest brother’s skill in listening, which was something her second brother couldn’t do, not that many people sought him out either.

He was quite engrossed in a lively chat with a few friends, unknowingly engaging Estella. Suddenly Estella heard a “thud, thud, thud” sound.

However, Estella didn’t respond immediately, thinking it was an illusion. But after a while, the “thud, thud, thud” sound occurred again, and Estella felt her heartbeat… There was no doubt—it was the Twelve Zodiac Star Disc. She immediately gave a look to her personal maid, who came over to excuse Estella.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse me. I hope to hear insightful conclusions when I return later,” Estella said with a smile.

The leading young people nodded confidently, wishing they could overshadow their competitors. Such gatherings were extremely important; gaining the favor of the Princess aside, performing well would earn the Grand Scholars’ recognition, get recorded, and present opportunities for fame and accomplishment—all had come well-prepared.

Estella, however, followed her maid’s guidance to leave. This was a pre-agreed signal: if she couldn’t bear it anymore, she’d have the maid find an excuse to take her out.

Estella ostensibly said she was heading to a side hall to rest for a while, telling her maid to wait outside. She immediately went to the mirror, carefully adjusting her makeup and hair. After tidying up, she displayed an elegant smile, even though they couldn’t see each other in the Twelve Zodiac Star Disc, which didn’t hinder Miss Aries’ politeness.

Li Xin touched the star of Aries for the third time. He and Miss Aries had agreed on three times; if there was no response thrice, it meant it was an unsuitable occasion, allowing a longer interval for the third time.

Looking at the bamboo flute, Li Xin felt a bit uneasy. The other party had been a great help, something difficult to measure with money. He wondered if his small gift would be appreciated. Even though it was decorated, a bamboo flute was just a bamboo flute, not something expensive.

As the star of Aries flickered, Miss Aries appeared on a high-backed chair.

“Hello, Miss Aries.”

“Hello, Mr. Gemini.”

“Miss Aries, this is an instrument I made called a bamboo flute. The actual object is finished. I wonder if it would be convenient for you to retrieve it or if there are any ways I could send it to you,” Li Xin inquired.

Estella looked at the bamboo flute. She had heard Li Xin mention it before but never imagined there was such an instrument. Suddenly, Estella keenly realized a question, “Mr. Gemini, did you bring a real-world item here?”

“It’s an attempt. I thought if I focused on this thought before entering, I might bring real-world objects in too. For now, it seems successful, but it might not be real—more likely a projection. Therefore, verification by Miss Aries is needed to see if it continues to exist in reality after you take it back,” Li Xin pointed at the bamboo flute.

“Congratulations, Mr. Gemini, you’ve made a new discovery. Is this the bamboo flute you mentioned? How does one use it?” Miss Aries asked curiously.

“I don’t know much, just roughly a few tunes. My playing isn’t top-notch. Would you like to listen?” Li Xin asked. Miss Aries liked musical instruments, so gifting a perforated bamboo stick would be uninspired, but adding a performance would enhance it.

“It would be my honor.” Music was Estella’s hobby and an essential subject for the princess, almost reaching a professional level. Moncalleta had harps, accordions, drums, and so on, but indeed no bamboo flute.

Li Xin placed the bamboo flute to his lips and tested a few notes. Back in college, he’d put significant effort into it to win favor, “A Glimpse of Eternity.”

The sound of the flute resonated. He remembered the time when he just started college, meeting a girl during the welcome party. She was in the ensemble and was undoubtedly the most dazzling one. He fell in love at first sight, as it’s said that every man encounters a girl he sees with nothing but her in his eyes.

He then began pursuing her fervently. She was an art student, proficient in various instruments. Li Xin started to learn about instruments but found them too expensive, with tuition fees even more intimidating, so he chose the flute, practiced diligently for a while, and finally managed to play “A Glimpse of Eternity” decently. Later, the girl responded, and Li Xin felt invigorated, practicing tirelessly, spending a blissful half year together.

Completing the tune, not claiming it was professional, it did remind Li Xin of many things, and the Round Table Conference fell into silence.

“Miss Aries, I’m not particularly skilled; pardon my lack of expertise.” Li Xin was unsure of this world’s music system and guessed Estella’s noble background granted her an exceptional upbringing, so he couldn’t assume.

Estella, a bit embarrassed, wiped her eyes and bowed, “Mr. Gemini, I apologize. I’ve never heard such unique and emotionally rich music; it seemed filled with sadness and regret.”

Li Xin smiled, “Perhaps my playing wasn’t good enough.”

“Can you teach me?” Estella asked.

“Of course.” Li Xin tossed the bamboo flute to Estella, and once in her hands, it was tangible.

In the following time, Li Xin briefly explained how to use it. Estella was truly talented, quickly grasping the technique after a few tries, evidently eager.

“Mr. Gemini, is this your original creation?” Miss Aries asked curiously. Initially, when Mr. Gemini mentioned it, she hadn’t thought much of it, and even when she saw it, she was merely curious. But the tune had once again shattered her preconceptions.

“Miss Aries jests; I’m not that capable. A friend back home learned it for his girlfriend. I often heard it, so I learned it too.”

“Your friend’s girlfriend is indeed fortunate. What happened afterward?” Miss Aries asked with interest.

“I don’t really know. My friend’s family background wasn’t great, and he liked some fanciful things, which, back home, we considered unproductive. I heard his girlfriend left with someone else to avoid burdening him,” Li Xin laughed.

“Your friend seems unfortunate,” Miss Aries paused, suddenly realizing the awkward silence enveloping the Round Table Conference. “Oh, right, Mr. Gemini, in our recent courses, we’ve tackled Li Long Kingdom’s constitutional monarchy. Why did such a system emerge in Li Long, and might it appear in other countries in the future?”

Estella quickly shifted topics, cleverly raising this question in a moment of inspiration.

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