Therefore, Angel could only find a way to make the Wise Sovereign willing to "compromise."
However, Angel also hinted at goodwill:
Angel couldn’t detail everything, but if the Wise Sovereign deduced "Augustine’s arrival" himself, then he would be blameless.
Is there a way to let the Wise Sovereign guess it himself? Yes, there is.
The key factor resides in "Adanis."
Adanis appearing in the Hall of Wisdom is not only the beginning of everything but also indirectly serves as the "witness," witnessing what Angel can and cannot say.
Based on the Wise Sovereign’s understanding of Adanis, as soon as she speaks, the Wise Sovereign can guess much of the situation, even without detailed explanations.
Therefore, Adanis is not only a "witness," but also a gesture of goodwill from Angel. Of course, Adanis herself is unaware of this.
Whether the Wise Sovereign knows, Angel cannot determine.
Angel believes that with the Wise Sovereign’s analytical ability, he should be able to discern this gesture of goodwill.
But even if the Wise Sovereign discerns it, Angel still cannot be certain whether he is willing to cooperate.
If the Wise Sovereign does not accept this plan, Angel has no other recourse and can only give up borrowing the Sweet Dream.
In any case, Angel feels he has done quite a bit; at least on the moral high ground, his actions are beyond reproach. Although there is an agreement with the Wise Sovereign, it is not a contract, and he is not obliged to adhere to it; similarly, the Wise Sovereign has the right not to lend the Sweet Dream to Angel.
All this, although not spoken, is nonetheless an open secret in the minds of both Angel and the Wise Sovereign. Angel has laid out his bottom line and stance; now it depends on whether the Wise Sovereign is willing to "take a small step back."
...
After a moment of contemplation, the Wise Sovereign softly said, "How is Olao these days?"
Angel glanced in Adanis’s direction, using his gaze to indicate to the Wise Sovereign: This is a question you should ask Adanis, not me.
The Wise Sovereign continued to inquire, "How was Olao’s contract dissolved?"
The Wise Sovereign directly bypassed the question of "whether Olao’s contract has been dissolved," seemingly certain that it had been resolved.
Angel’s response was to show a troubled expression, wanting to speak but hesitating.
The implication is clear: whether to answer this depends on whether the Wise Sovereign is willing to compromise and whether Adanis permits him to speak.
"So, regarding the situation within the Qingkong Poetry Room, you really don’t plan to disclose anything?" The Wise Sovereign squinted at Angel.
Angel looked at Adanis and softly said, "Hasn’t the Wise Sovereign already learned much?"
The Wise Sovereign gazed deeply at Angel, fully aware that if he didn’t clarify the lending of the Sweet Dream, Angel would not speak further.
The air suddenly turned silent, as if both parties had fallen into thought.
However, the quiet atmosphere didn’t last long before being disrupted by others present.
This time, it wasn’t Adanis but Dox.
"Sigh..." A long sigh escaped Dox’s lips. He yawned and spoke to Vay beside him: "Do you think they find talking like this exhausting?"
Vay rolled his eyes, mouthing a silent warning to Dox: Don’t drag me into this!
Dox shrugged and turned his gaze to Kaier on the other side: "What do you think?"
Kaier dared not interject, keeping his head down and silent.
Dox wasn’t upset; he wasn’t really expecting Kaier to answer, merely trying to break the silence.
At this moment, the Black Earl, who hadn’t spoken until now, said softly, "Whether it’s exhausting depends on the thoughts of those speaking. You won’t find the answer by asking others."
"However, many times, even if reluctant, you must undertake burdensome tasks. Being at the bottom, facing constantly changing directives, unable to resist, you have no choice but to accept those constraints, even I am no exception."
The Black Earl glanced at Dox as he spoke: "So the genuine freedom you desire isn’t so easily obtained."
As soon as the Black Earl finished speaking, Vay leaned towards Dox and whispered: "I actually think genuine freedom is quite easy to achieve... Just become the lowest dust, and no one will bind you. Why not give it a try?"
Once again teased about "freedom," Dox was too lazy to retort, instead looking to Angel, awaiting a breakthrough in the tense conversation.
Though Angel was in dialogue with the Wise Sovereign, he overheard Dox and the Black Earl’s discussion.
He also felt weary, but as the Black Earl stated, oftentimes, he had no choice.
He didn’t wish to damage his relationship with the Wise Sovereign, especially since a contract was signed, and with the Wood Spirit still on him, clashing wasn’t an option.
So, he could only continually adapt, seeking the most suitable course through change.
Time slipped by slowly.
Several minutes later, the Wise Sovereign looked up at Angel: "As agreed, I will lend you the Sweet Dream. However, are you planning to narrate by yourself, or shall I ask?"
Upon hearing this, outwardly Angel remained calm, but inwardly he was relieved.
Perhaps due to the Black Earl’s earlier remarks on inescapability, or maybe the Wise Sovereign perceived Angel’s gestures of goodwill.
While not explicitly stated, the underlying implication of this statement signified agreement to his request, taking a step back and no longer demanding a detailed explanation from Angel.
Angel then dispensed with his restrained manner of speaking: "The Wise Sovereign can ask whatever you wish to know. I will share all that I can."
Pausing, Angel turned his gaze to Adanis on the high wall.
"If Lady Adanis feels there is anything inappropriate to say, she can notify me in advance, and I will be cautious."
Adanis nodded in assent.
Though her expression remained icy, for the first time, a look of satisfaction flickered in her eyes towards Angel.
Angel’s acknowledgment of her opinions was evidently of more importance than those of the Wise Sovereign.
This brought her considerable gratification.
What Adanis did not realize, however, was that while she felt gratified, Angel and the Wise Sovereign were exchanging a glance.
In many cases, silence can signify consent, so why can’t prevention serve as an answer too?
Angel: "What does the Wise Sovereign think?"
The Wise Sovereign smiled: "It’s agreeable."
With those words, the tension that had gripped the roundtable finally began to ease.
"Shall we use the True Words Tome?" Angel asked.
The Wise Sovereign waved it off: "No need, since the Wood Spirit trusts you and follows you, as the Wood Spirit’s Mentor, I am willing to trust you as well."
Angel’s expression remained unchanged, but he was internally exasperated: You say that now, but do you believe it? If trust was based on the Wood Spirit before entering the Qingkong Poetry Room, why did you use the True Words Tome?
Though chagrined internally, Angel still smiled and said: "The Wise Sovereign may proceed with the questions."