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"Losers, please pay your debts within seven days. As for the winners, I'll find you to collect once my memory recovers."
In today's card game, Medici and the others played more than just one type of card. They played everything from 'Fighting Evil' to Texas Hold'em, which also allowed Lin Ruo to witness what a chaotic mess it was.
What's the big deal about not being able to use extraordinary abilities? These guys are all maxed out on passive skills!
Medici, who was clearly skilled at cards, especially Apprentice at manipulating people's minds, seemed to always know what his opponents were thinking and could lead them on.
Ouroboros, who wasn't good at cards but was blessed by luck, always drew royal flushes. Just by throwing out his cards, he could make people understand what cruelty was.
Bernadette, who could discern much information with her Sage's intuition, even without using extraordinary abilities.
And, well, Bornova, who was good at memorizing and counting cards, but seemed to have bad luck, didn't dare to trick his sister, and couldn't out-argue the others.
After watching the card game all afternoon, Lin Ruo truly felt he had gained knowledge and simultaneously felt sympathy for Bornova.
Upon hearing Lin Ruo's words, Medici and Ouroboros's expressions remained unchanged. They had lost very little, and only to each other, so paying off their debts was too simple.
Bernadette's mood was also quite calm. This might be because someone was at the bottom, or perhaps because she wasn't afraid of writing fanfiction.
After all, during the years Lin Ruo took her traveling all over the world, she wrote quite a lot… cough.
As for Bornova, the unlucky fellow had already put on a pained expression.
Lin Ruo merely pretended not to see it, suppressing the upward curve of his lips.
After all, rules are rules. Since they played the game, they had to abide by the game's rules. However… Lin Ruo paused, looking at everyone and adding:
"Let me clarify, I only need to receive the payment. If some of you want to find ghostwriters, as long as I don't catch you, I don't care."
Bornova's eyes instantly lit up.
He couldn't write, but couldn't he find someone to write for him?
Godfather is so good! (Beibei: Wake up, he's not your godfather, he's my godfather!)
Noticing the change in Bornova's expression, Lin Ruo again pretended not to see anything, curved his lips, and stood up, saying, "It's about time. I'll warm up the food, and then we can eat."
"Oh, and you guys remember to clean up the living room."
After speaking, Lin Ruo went to the kitchen. The people in the living room looked at each other, and finally, resigned to their fate, began to tidy up.
Once everything was done, Lin Ruo brought the steaming hot dishes to the dining table. Instead of rushing to eat, he pulled three red envelopes from his pocket, handing them one by one to Ouroboros, Bernadette, and Bornova.
"Come, come, come, red envelopes for everyone! Although they're nothing grand, the New Year is all about the atmosphere."
The three who received red envelopes were clearly a bit stunned, while the only one who didn't receive one raised an eyebrow, his blood-colored eyes looking directly at Lin Ruo, who held out a hand to him:
"Where's my red envelope?"
"Tsk!" Medici didn't even know how to comment on Lin Ruo's behavior, but he also understood why Lin Ruo would do such a thing—to him, these three were clearly categorized as Juniors, while he was the elder brother.
Juniors were to be given red envelopes, and the elder brother was to give red envelopes.
"You didn't prepare one, did you?" While Medici was silent, Lin Ruo's eyes had already narrowed.
"Why would this lord prepare such a thing?" Although he instinctively felt a little guilty, Lord Medici clearly wouldn't show it, speaking in his usual sarcastic tone.
"Alright, I officially declare you expelled from the elder brother list," Lin Ruo said quite decisively and mercilessly.
Medici's eyes instantly narrowed, and he was about to say something when Lin Ruo, as if by magic, pulled another red envelope from somewhere, dangled it in front of Medici, and said with a grin:
"Come on, call me Brother Lin."
That smile, no matter how you looked at it, just begged for a beating.
"Get lost!"
Medici spat out a single word and reached out to snatch the red envelope from Lin Ruo's hand.
"Tsk, I feel like I lost big time." Lin Ruo, letting Medici take the red envelope, rubbed his nose, and then heard faint "bang bang bang—" sounds from outside the window.
Lin Ruo looked towards the window, only to see brilliant fireworks exploding one after another in the distant sky, painting beautiful, dreamlike patterns.
Lin Ruo, who had been quite boisterous just moments ago, suddenly fell silent. He watched the fireworks in the sky, his eyes momentarily lost in thought.
Memories, like smoke, flashed before his eyes, from his original world, to the eight years in Bungo Stray Dogs, and then to now, to those fragmented memories.
Lin Ruo's expression, however, showed little change. He simply watched quietly, looking at the past and at the fireworks before him, finally closing his eyes.
One second, two seconds…
Before the next firework exploded in the sky, Lin Ruo opened his eyes. He turned to look at the four people at the dining table, his gaze sweeping over Bornova, who was confused; Bernadette, who was looking at him worriedly; Ouroboros, who seemed to want to say something but didn't know what; Medici, whose gaze was calm but seemed to see through him, and thus wasn't worried; finally settling on his own reflection in the cup.
Lin Ruo looked at his reflection in the cup, at those black eyes, and suddenly smiled.
—See, you still accepted this world.
—You accepted those unfamiliar friends, and you accepted the past you.
—You are no longer afraid of the past, Lin Ruo.
"Happy New Life, Lin Ruo!"
He said silently.
Lin Ruo suddenly raised his wine glass, looking at everyone with a brilliant smile.
"Let's toast, everyone!"
Medici raised an eyebrow and his cup.
Ouroboros stopped thinking and joined in.
Bernadette let out a sigh of relief, smiled, and as she raised her cup, she gently nudged Bornova with her other hand.
After the latter reacted, Lin Ruo, as the initiator, seemed to remember something. He paused, suddenly said something silently, and then raised his other hand to grab a few times in the air.
And so, the former Dark Angel, now Lil' Shadow, had just appeared and hadn't even reacted before a glass of beer was thrust into his hand.
He was stunned for a moment, his gaze sweeping around, then he saw the fireworks in the sky outside the window, and seemed to have understood.
Lin Ruo quickly poured himself another glass of beer.
"Then…" He raised his cup, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said with a smile:
"Cheers!"
"Clink—"
After the sound of glasses clinking, came a synchronized—
"Happy New Year!" x 7
Wait, isn't the number wrong somewhere?
Lin Ruo's eyes suddenly darted in a certain direction, and sure enough, he saw the golden-haired priest had appeared beside the dining table at some point.
As for Medici and Ouroboros… well, their expressions were unchanged, clearly not surprised at all, and they somewhat guiltily avoided his gaze.
Good heavens, they probably knew this all along and were just keeping quiet, weren't they?
Lin Ruo immediately made a mental note against the two of them, just as Adam's golden eyes looked over, his smile benevolent:
"I think you might need my help."
"Tsk…" Lin Ruo, who indeed planned to ask Adam for help covering up the traces, was suddenly speechless. He pouted, then felt a tap on his shoulder, and saw it was Sasrir.
"Sorry, I didn't prepare a New Year's gift."
"Do you need me to make it up later?"
"Hmm, could it be replaced with handling a few more documents in the future?" Lin Ruo blinked, deliberately showing an expectant expression.
Sasrir's expression instantly stiffened.
"Hahaha, just kidding! No need for a gift!" Lin Ruo laughed, then remembered something else and looked at Ouroboros, who was staring at Sasrir with a slightly bewildered expression, and said, "Big Snake, Big Snake, I have something to ask of you."
"What is it?" Ouroboros finally shifted his gaze from Sasrir and asked curiously.
"I'd like to ask you to paint this scene today, can you?" Lin Ruo said with a smile. His first New Year after losing his memory, how meaningful it was! It would be a shame not to record it.
"Okay." Ouroboros nodded without hesitation.
And so, from then on, Lin Ruo's cherished collection gained another oil painting titled "New Year."
…
Volume Two, The Conspirer, End.
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