Chapter 31: A Bear Feast and an Awkward Revelation

“How do you feel?” Gern asked, approaching with a look of concern.

Sina wiped the sweat from her brow, offering a strained smile. “I… I’m alright. Just a bit weak.”

‘Hmm…’ Seeing the pink-haired girl’s exhausted state, Gern felt a pang of worry.

“Take a rest first. I’ll butcher the bear meat; how about we have some roasted bear for dinner?”

“Ah!” Before Sina could protest, Gern had already busied himself with the task. Sina could only watch with a wry smile as he began processing the bear carcass in the distance.

To be honest, Sina wasn’t optimistic about Gern’s culinary skills. After all, he was still so young; reaching this cultivation realm already made him a prodigy. If he also possessed various survival skills, it would simply be preposterous. It was highly improbable that Gern had grown up in the mountains, battling magical beasts since childhood and living self-sufficiently; that would be far too heaven-defying.

While Sina was lost in her musings, Gern had already stripped the giant bear’s hide and set it aside. The giant bear’s hide was remarkably thick, imbued with a trace of earth-elemental magic, making it an excellent material for crafting armor.

Gern had no use for it; he was quite confident in his own experience and strength. After all, in his previous life, he had escaped Lilia’s grasp numerous times. Few in the world today could boast such an accomplishment. Thus, he decided to save the bear hide for Sina as armor material; it would provide warmth, too. What could be better?

Gern continued to process the bear meat, his thoughts drifting. The bear was enormous; the two of them alone could never finish it all. He carved out only enough for two meals, placing the remaining meat into his storage space. Later, he could dry it into jerky for easier portability and storage.

Gern’s primary rule for wilderness survival was to never waste any resource. Even the smallest bit of supplies could help one overcome a difficult situation. Of course, with a storage ring, the weight of supplies was negligible. Without one, however, tough choices would have to be made.

Gern built a bonfire and placed the bear meat over the flames to roast. All that remained was to wait; the bear’s flesh was exceptionally tough, requiring several hours of cooking to become edible. Seizing this opportunity, Gern began extracting the larger bear bones. These bones were also excellent alchemical materials, suitable for crafting weapons, and could fetch a good price in silver coins at the market.

Magical beast bones contained the magical essence within the creature’s body; with the addition of magical engravings, they could achieve an effect greater than the sum of their parts. The bones alone would yield enough money for Gern to live comfortably for a while. Naturally, if transformed into alchemical creations or weapons, they would be even more valuable.

Unfortunately, Gern did not possess this skill. Alchemy demanded immense patience and talent. Most importantly, one needed a master’s guidance; without a mentor, one couldn’t even cross the threshold into alchemy.

As time slowly drifted by, Sina, now well-rested, came to help. However, as a young lady from a prominent family, she was utterly unskilled in such tasks. After several failed attempts, Gern simply handed her some choice bones and told her to wait for dinner. After all, they had both contributed to slaying the bear, so Sina deserved a share of the spoils. Sina was immensely grateful. Had Gern not intervened in time, she would likely have suffered a crushing defeat, perhaps even losing her life. Gern had been more than generous by sharing so much of the loot.

After a simple meal, the two parted ways. Gern intended to continue exploring the forest to solidify his cultivation realm. Sina, thanks to Gern’s assistance, now had the opportunity to break through to a Third-tier Knight. With a bit more refinement, she could enter this new rank in optimal condition.

****

The journey back was silent, and Gern didn’t return to the academy’s quarters until very late. He stretched, his body feeling renewed. All the injuries on his male body had healed completely, thanks to the Refinement Blade Art. Not even a scar remained, a fact that greatly pleased him.

After lingering on the ground floor for a moment, Gern ascended to the second floor of the common area. The area was now far livelier, suggesting that most of the winning contestants from other districts had likely arrived. Gern paid them no mind, returning to his room under the curious gazes of those around him.

Once inside his dormitory, Gern shed his dust-covered outer garment and plunged into the soft bed. He was truly exhausted today. Though his body had mostly recovered, the weariness persisted, refusing to dissipate. After lying on the bed for a while, he suddenly caught a faint, unpleasant odor.

‘Hmm… I should probably wash up.’

Gern sat up, opened his door, and walked straight out. The girls nearby, upon seeing the young man emerge from the room, were all visibly stunned. Still somewhat puzzled, Gern approached a seemingly ordinary girl nearby and asked, “Excuse me, Miss, could you tell me where I might find the washrooms?”

The girl, addressed by Gern, recoiled sharply, a flicker of disdain in her eyes. “I don’t know. Don’t ask me.”

Gern scratched his head, bewildered by the girl’s sudden outburst. He wasn’t some pervert; why did she need to shy away so much? “Excuse me, older sister, could you please tell me—”

This time, Gern hadn’t even finished his sentence before the girl darted away, leaving him even more perplexed. ‘Could it be that my face is emblazoned with the words “I am a Heretic God Cultist”?’

As Gern’s mind wandered, a rather pretty girl slowly approached him. “Um… Sir, why are you in our girls’ dormitory?”

“Huh?” At her words, Gern froze instantly. He scanned his surroundings, indeed seeing only girls. ‘Damn it, Lilia must have mistaken me for a girl and booked a room in the girls’ dormitory.’

In an instant, Gern understood the full story. A look of embarrassment bloomed on his face, and he finally understood the reactions of the girls earlier. He cleared his throat, attempting to alleviate the awkward atmosphere. “I… I’m here looking for someone. Yes… I’m looking for someone.”

The girl eyed Gern suspiciously, her expression clearly disbelieving. Yet, she said nothing, merely nodding silently while maintaining a safe distance. Gern was still scratching his head, unsure how to salvage the situation, when a voice suddenly echoed from a distance.

“Hmm? What’s going on here?”

The voice was incredibly familiar to Gern. When he looked up, he saw Snow, dressed in casual attire, approaching the gathered crowd. Gern hesitated to meet her gaze. Judging by Miss Snow’s previous demeanor towards him, she had undoubtedly perceived him as a girl. Now, with his true identity as a boy revealed, it was highly probable that she would feel disgusted by him. He might be exposed, scorned, then cast out to fend for himself.

A wave of dread washed over him, and Gern instinctively took a step back, his feet already poised to activate Netherworld Steps. Snow merely glanced at Gern, immediately comprehending the entire situation.

“Alright, alright, everyone disperse. This is my new apprentice; it’s fine.”

Hearing her words, the crowd’s wariness largely dissipated. They all bowed and offered their apologies to Gern. Gern was still processing, only snapping back to reality when a soft hand rested on his head.

“Miss Snow…?”

“Gern, come with me.”

“Eh?”

Before Gern could reply, Snow took his hand, showing no hint of awkwardness despite his revealed gender. Meanwhile, in the center of the crowd, the golden-haired girl’s eyes were fixed intently on the spot where the two had vanished, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Luoya, it really is you.”