Liu Bei POV

“So you’re from the future?” She continued to ask. I accepted the reality before me and decided to reply accordingly.

“Yes, an era that is more than a thousand years after now.”

“More than a thousand… I see.” I didn’t look at her, but I could tell from her voice that she was very surprised.

“Then you know what our futures are?”

“Only a small bit. I’m not clear on the details as I never bothered to study history well enough.”

“.. Oh oh.” She replied blandly.

I think she will ask me about what will happen in this era next. I did say I don’t know much about the details but I do know that the nation of Wu will never reign supreme over the world. If I tell her this now, will she be sad?

Thinking about it another way, if she does ask me this, should I tell her? Won’t she try to change the course of history? If that’s what will come to pa.s.s then what Yu Ji said will come to fruition.

Just as I was wrangling inside, she continued.

— Alright, I got it.

“… Eh?” I raised my head to look at Bo Fu and saw that she was neither angry not was she sad but she seemed peaceful and satisfied.

“You’re not asking me any further?” I felt puzzled rather than relieved at this, and asked a question that might bring me trouble.

“No. I don’t have the mood to ask any further.” She picked up her tea cup as she said so and downed its contents.

Ha– And let out a long sigh after she swallowed all the tea,

“Umm…” Now it was my turn to feel troubled. I had an innumerable number of questions to ask her, but they all stopped short at my lips.

Why aren’t you asking any more questions? How do you view me? What’re you going to do next?

All these questions swirled about but I couldn’t find it in me to ask her.

“Xuan De, I’m already very happy that you can tell me all you’ve told me personally. Really.” I didn’t ask the questions I wanted to ask but Bo Fu replied them anyway as she continued with the same satisfied look, “I finally understand why you said those words to father, and why you warned me to be careful. At this, I must first thank you.”

When she finished, she kowtowed to me and buried her head deeply.

“Ah, no… What should have happened still happened anyway.”

“Happening is one thing, and giving a warning beforehand is another.” She raised her head as she said so, “But why did Xuan De warn us back then? You knew how history would go.”

Bo Fu asked me curiously. I myself wasn’t too clear as to why I did all that.

“Who knows?” I decided to give an honest reply, “I just feel that the impression I got from everyone was different from what I knew. And after getting to know everyone, I felt that you’re all good people and we even became friends. Since we’re friends, then I ought to look out for you all when I can.”

“But, won’t these changes… Bring about problems?” Bo Fu couldn’t say what problems there could be as she was someone of this era after all. Yu Ji had hinted what sort of problems I might face and I am keenly aware of them myself.

History is changing, and is headed down a path that I am unable to predict. And I don’t dare to imagine about what happens thereafter. I also don’t know if I can still return to my world thereafter.

“It’s fine.” I was filled with worry and anxiety but this was my problem, and not Bo Fu’s. So I didn’t want her to worry about it.

Should Bo Fu choose to take back her position as ruler of Jiangdong after she recovers and not let Sun Quan continue, this is something I must accept. Or rather, I should say that I’m not prepared for that, but I have to let things continue that way if it does.

This was something that I should be resolved to accept when I chose to save Bo Fu. Because I have no right to interfere with someone’s pursuit of his or her ambitions.

As I thought so, I sighed, Bo Fu is the first person with whom I have shared my secret with. And I felt both relieved and comforted at this.

“Whatever the case, it’s great that Bo Fu is alright.” I blurted.

“Even if I should have died?” Her expression was still bland and devoid of liveliness as she said so.

“But isn’t Bo Fu alive and well now?”

“Wu…” When she heard this, Bo Fu’s face turned red in an instant. This was the first time I’ve seen such a thing.

Does she actually have a fever?

“Ah, but if possible, I hope that Bo Fu doesn’t speak about this to anyone.” I hurriedly added.

“… Ahem, why is that?” Bo Fu lightly coughed and tilted her head as she returned a question back at me, “Wouldn’t you be like a deity since you know what will happen? If you spread the word, a lot more people would join Xuan De.”

“No… That will make me even more troubled.” There are a lot of ways I will be troubled by if word gets out but if she continues to press me, I can’t tell her why. Or rather, even if I did tell her, she wouldn’t understand.

“Alright, I got it.” Good thing Bo Fu didn’t continue asking as she said so while slapping her thigh. She then flashed me a smile I hadn’t seen in a while.

“We’ll treat this as a secret between the 2 of us then.”

“Un, that’s the best.”

Bo Fu smiled really brightly, and it was as if the cold sternness from before was a lie. I was honestly quite moved by that beautiful smile of hers, but when I looked into her eyes, I still s.h.i.+vered involuntarily.

Well then, this episode has come to a close, I thought, and decided to move on to the pressing matter at hand.

“Bo Fu.” I prepared myself to continue as I got into a proper seiza position.

“Un? What’s the matter?” Bo Fu bade me to continue.

“Umm,” I took a deep breath and calmed my breathing down before I continued, “We will be leaving for Jing state in 2 days.”