Chapter 434

Chapter 344 Encounter

In Tivyán during the day, the thick clouds that had accumulated in the sky over the past few days have largely dispersed today, and the rare winter sunshine is casting its warm glow over the city. Seizing this rare good weather, the citizens of Tivyán have all chosen to go out, making the streets much more crowded than usual.

On a street in Northern Tivyán, at a restaurant beside a busy crosswalk, Dorothy, dressed in a simple black and white dress, wearing boots and a small hat, with her silver-white long hair tied in a ponytail, is sitting at a window-side table. While savoring a cup of coffee in hand, she gazes out at the lively and peaceful street scene, unable to contain a sigh of admiration.

“What a rare good weather…”

“Uh-huh… Yes, Tivyán’s weather is as unpredictable as a ghost—either gloomy or drizzling, and the strong winds never stop…”

A voice responds to Dorothy’s remark. Looking over, at the table opposite Dorothy, a handsome young man in a brown-black suit, Gregor, is enjoying a steak from his plate while responding to Dorothy. After chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, he continues speaking to his sister in front of him.

“I think, Dorothy, while Tivyán looks big, its comfort level can’t compare to Igewent. At least the weather in Igewent is much more stable, and I don’t have to carry an umbrella every time I go out… Not to mention the air is almost unbearable here, the strange smell from the south wafts over from time to time, which is really uncomfortable.”

As he speaks, Gregor unconsciously pinches his nose. After hearing his words, Dorothy puts down her coffee cup and tilts her head to ask Gregor.

“You seem to miss life in Igewent a bit, Gregor.”

“Yeah, at least the cost of living is much lower in Igewent. The expenses in Tivyán are a bit too high. I could afford several apartments on Nanyang Flower Road with what I pay here, and the conditions wouldn’t necessarily be worse than here.”

Gregor complains a bit, and after speaking, he unintentionally touches the wallet in his pocket. Not long ago, having successfully been promoted, he officially started working at the General Bureau and moved out of the dormitory, paying a considerable amount for the deposit and rent in one go.

Hearing Gregor’s words, Dorothy raises her eyebrows slightly and continues with a hint of interest.

“Well… it’s true. The weather… air… and cost of living in Tivyán seem to be inferior to Igewent in many ways. Aside from being bigger and more prosperous, Tivyán’s livability seems to be a bit worse than Igewent. I’ve spent a few months here in Tivyán… and I feel the same way.”

As Dorothy says this, Gregor makes a “I knew my sister felt this way too” expression. However, Dorothy quickly shifts the topic.

“But… this observation comes after I’ve been in Tivyán for several weeks. Gregor, you really are something. You’ve only been here for a day or two and have grasped it all so thoroughly; your observational skills are quite impressive…”

With a slight smile, Dorothy speaks to Gregor. Upon hearing her words, Gregor freezes in place, suddenly realizing there’s a problem with what he just said.

‘Oh no… I wrote to Dorothy saying I just arrived in Tivyán, but in fact, I’ve been here for almost a month preparing for my promotion…’

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Gregor awkwardly laughs and speaks again after a brief pause.

“Um… Hehe… It’s not that my observational skills are strong; I bought a newspaper when I took the train over, and there was an article about this. I just knew after reading it, and when I got to Tivyán, it was indeed as described in the newspaper.”

“Oh… I see. That makes sense.”

Listening to Gregor’s words, Dorothy nods in response while internally mocking him.

‘Oh brother… with your qualities, can you really succeed in a secret job? Don’t let off any hints in your words; at least you responded quickly and handled it well.’

Dorothy thinks this in her heart, but she also understands that Gregor’s slip in front of her is excusable. Having been away from home for a while, Gregor was eager to reunite with his only relative here, his sister, and after waiting so long due to the promotion, he finally met Dorothy today, feeling a mix of joy and excitement, which made him a bit overconfident.

“By the way, I didn’t expect you to come to Tivyán too, Gregor. I remember you wrote in your letter that you got promoted at your company? If I recall correctly, you were working for a security company, right?”

Cutting into his steak, Dorothy continues to inquire, while Gregor nods and replies.

“That’s right! I work at a security company. I hadn’t mentioned it before, but the boss of the security company I joined has a wide network and is connected with even more powerful security companies in Prit. If he has talented people, he’ll charge a fee to recommend them. Because I helped the police catch a very vicious criminal before, my previous boss valued my abilities more, and he recommended me to come to Tivyán, saying I could have a better future here, so I agreed.”

After taking a sip of water from the cup on the table, Gregor speaks to Dorothy. After contemplating for a moment, Dorothy continues to praise him.

“Wow… so you really are impressive, Gregor, being able to subdue a vicious criminal. It’s a shame you didn’t become a police officer.”

“Haha… well, your brother is strong, but the work I do is too dangerous; otherwise, I’d let you see it in action if I had the chance.”

With a smile after being praised by his sister, Gregor continues. After cutting another piece of steak and taking a bite, he speaks again.

“Speaking of which, Dorothy, how have you been doing recently in Tivyán? Especially regarding your studies and life. Are there any difficulties, or is anyone bullying you? If so, just tell me, and after we finish this meal, we’ll find them for a showdown.”

“Don’t worry, I’m doing well here. I get along fine with my classmates and teachers; everyone helps me a lot. I was a bit uncomfortable at first, but now I’ve adapted, so there’s no need for concern.” With a smile, Dorothy talks about a group of people who don’t actually exist, and Gregor, hearing this, feels relieved and continues speaking.

“Is everything okay? That’s good. In that case, Dorothy, you still need to put most of your effort into studying. For someone from a rural family like us, being able to attend a secondary school in Tivyán is simply something we wouldn’t dare imagine, especially being at the affiliated secondary school of Royal Sacred Crown University. You have the opportunity to directly apply to Crown University…”

“I’ve checked, and it’s one of the best universities in the whole of Prit! Just thinking that someone from our background could get in seems unbelievable. Dorothy, you really need to cherish this opportunity.”

With an expectant expression, Gregor continues to speak to Dorothy. In their usual correspondence, Dorothy had informed him that she was currently attending the affiliated secondary school of Royal Sacred Crown University and her goal was to enroll in Crown University. Understanding the value of Crown University, Gregor feels genuine pride for his sister.