Rebirth and Reincarnation 1st Arc

Age 13. The Imperial Spring Competition (Day 6)

The sixth day of the Spring Competition was rather anti-climactic for me.

After winning the martial arts event, standing on a horse and shooting targets felt rather inane. Even if the horse was moving.

Unfortunately for the rest of the competitors, the Air Element prevented even one of my arrows to miss a target.

Still, for the sake of propriety, I led the horse in the race and expertly shot each target.

After I was pronounced the winner of the event, I was led to the Emperor and knelt in front of him like before.

"After this, the title is a forgone conclusion, Shen Long Mu."

I nodded, not daring to speak, because I was still in a daze from the day before where the emperor bowed to me.

"Yet, seeing as you are a Prince now, and your have unimpeded access to the Imperial library, granting one such prize to the Champion od the competitions seems like a waste, don't you think?"

"This servant agrees with his majesty."

The man nodded thoughtfully "Very well, we shall seek a prize befitting the new prince."

"This servant does not deserve such consideration, but equally thanks his majesty."

"Very good."

I was dismissed after that, and I wandered to watch the rest of the events, receiving praise from many bystanders.

Outside I smiled and waved and answered questions, but inside I felt strangely numb.

I wanted to speak to Master Fa about it, but first I had to fulfill a promise.

I wandered to the place where the poetry competition was being held and sure enough, I found Bai Fan. Her beauty and grace put her in another level against the rest of the competitors, which was further accentuated by the wide berth everyone gave her.

Yet behind her mask of indifference, I saw a tinge of loneliness.

This girl was like me, a gem surrounded by stones.

I crossed the space separating us to the surprise of everyone in the public and the judges, and without ceremony, sat in front of her.

At first, she didn't recognize me, concentrated as she was in her poem, but after a moment of noticing a new blur in her peripheral vision, she turned, and our eyes met.

I smiled and she gaped.

"What are you doing here?!" she hissed intently, glaring at me.

"I promised to come see you... but that's too far" I pointed at the line the people we not supposed to cross and the two stumped guards that were looking at me as if they didn't dare believe their eyes.

"I- You-" she opened and closers her mouth sever times before snapping it closed at my teasing smile.

"Thank you for visiting, Honorary Fourth Prince Shen Long Mu" she used my whole honorific to get a rise out of me. "You can leave now."

I smiled insolently and took the parchment form her hands, which left her spluttering impotently again. I felt her glare on my face, which intensified until I handed her paper back.

"It's good. Again, you show a great talent, milady." I stood and winked at her. "I shall impatiently await your results."

Rising to my feet I turned around and waved at some of the other competitors.

It might have been evil of me, but I liked it when my friends won.

In the end, my appearance had rendered the desired effect. While I hadn't broken any rules, nor even bended them, I had successfully boycotted the event. Bai Fan won by a wide margin when her poem, titled 'small nuisances' made everyone in the public smile and laugh.

Even me, and I knew the poem was a back-handed insult to myself.

While Bai Fan went to receive her prize at the hands of the emperor, I made it my penance to approach every other competitor and ask them about themselves and their motivations.

Most of them were girls, which didn't much help my disposition, but it was a penance, so I endured.

I left that day with many more names to add to my growing list of 'people I must remember', and quite a few extra friends/fangirls.

But most importantly, I had left behind my apathy. All thanks to a friend in need.