When Matthew and Harper returned to the Dragon Pass, Zack was just about to go back to the imperial capital as there was no need for him to stay anymore. He should be back home, fulfilling his promise to his family.
"I thought I wouldn't see you. I didn't expect you to come here. You look thinner these days. It seems that you had a hard time for the past few days," Zack said as he looked at Harper with wide smile on his lips.
Harper smiled back, asking him, "Zack, are you going back to the imperial capital?"
"Yes. The Great Jade Kingdom is no longer a threat, and more importantly, Prince Matthew is here. Since I'm not needed here anymore, I'm going back," Zack said as he poured Harper a warm cup of newly brewed tea. "It seems like you have something on your mind."
"Rolando has escaped," said Harper softly before sipping from the tea.
"I knew it," Zack said, knowing that her dilemma involved none other than Rolando. "When we were outside the Dragon Pass, Rolando fought with His Highness. It was an earth-shaking duel! Though His Highness was able to inflict Rolando with injuries that are far more serious and devastating, he was still injured. Taking the chance, Rolando escaped."
Harper nodded slightly. Silence followed that, but after a while, she finally revealed what happened between her and Rolando, saying, "Rolando came to find me." She was deep in thought, idly looking at the tea leaves that were floating in her cup. "He has the other half of the Sacred Seal, but I want to give it up," she continued.
"You can't give up." As soon as Zack finished his sentence, he realized that he got too excited, and that he had to explain why he thought that. He then continued, "Felton told me that the Sacred Seal is a matter of life and death for everyone in the Qin Clan, including you. Harper, you can't give up no matter how much you want to."
Harper knew that. She knew that she just couldn't give it all up, because this was not only about her. If she was under the threat of losing her life, the other members of the Qin Clan were as well! After twenty years they have been struggling, should they give up now?
"Rolando is a very determined person and hard to deal with. When he became a monk, he endured endless humiliation. He hid for five years in our country, just to get the Heavenly Book which was, back in, in the hands of the royal family. He won't give it to you that easily, Harper, but you don't have to give up. I believe that you won't lose to Rolando." Zack's trust in Harper's abilities was endless. If it were somebody else, he might worry about them not being as strong as Rolando, but when it came to Harper, he didn't worry about that.
"Do you trust me so much, Zack?"
"I believe in you, Harper. I believe in you more than I believe in myself. So you should not give up! Besides, you are already so far into this. If you give up, all the efforts you've painstakingly done would be for naught. So don't give up!" Zack said seriously, looking at Harper straight in the eyes.
Harper took a deep breath, put down the cup and replied, "I see. Don't worry. I won't give up. No matter how cunning or terrible Rolando is, I won't be afraid."
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