Chapter 32: The Kindling’s Burden and an Unexpected Encounter

With a resounding thud, the door slammed shut. Inside the luxurious room, Miss Snow, clad in casual attire, sat on the bed, one slender leg elegantly propped up.

A hint of scrutiny flickered in her violet eyes, and Gern felt a prickle of discomfort under her intense gaze.

“Um… Miss Snow, is there something you need?”

“Gern, is this your true appearance?”

Gern furrowed his brow, unsure of Miss Snow’s intent behind the question.

“Oh, don’t overthink it. I’m just a little curious. The vessel for our Kindling project, as planned, should only be capable of being carried by females.”

“What do you mean?”

A faint unease stirred within Gern upon hearing this. He already had some suspicions, but dared not confirm them.

“It’s exactly as it sounds. After all, it’s the Kindling; it must bear the heavy responsibility of continuing the race. Therefore…”

Snow paused slightly after speaking, then left the sentence hanging. Gern was left in a daze, utterly shaken, a faint mist of tears welling in his eyes.

“So… what, Miss Snow?”

“Alas, we haven’t researched that far yet. However, theoretically speaking, you might very well experience everything a female goes through in the future.”

“Experience everything a female goes through…? ‘Wouldn’t that mean I’d have to…'”

Gern completely sagged, his resolve crumbling. He glanced at his own stomach, and in his daze, it seemed to have grown considerably.

A shiver ran through his entire body as a wave of profound dread surged from the depths of his heart.

“Miss Snow, is there any way to remove the Kindling?”

“There is.”

Gern’s eyes lit up. He quickly stood up and asked with eager surprise.

“What, what? What method?”

“That would be to kill you, of course.”

Ploof~

Gern collapsed again, an aura of utter dejection emanating from him.

“Pfft~” Seeing the young man’s expression, Snow finally burst into laughter, then said,

“Alright, alright, don’t worry. As long as you don’t come into contact with a human Kindling, you will retain your male identity.”

“At least according to our current research and theories, your male identity won’t be significantly affected.”

At last, Gern let out a sigh of relief, though a faint trace of resentment lingered in his violet eyes.

“Miss Snow, could you please finish your sentences next time?”

Snow stifled a giggle behind her hand. Then, seeing Gern’s resentful expression, so much like a little girl’s, she felt a peculiar sense of déjà vu.

‘His eyes, they’re purple too, aren’t they?’

“Gern, has anyone ever told you that you resemble a girl?”

Gern shook his head, then, realizing his mistake, he quickly composed his expression, adopting a serious demeanor.

“What a joke! I’m a real man.”

“Oh, is that so? By the way, Gern, are your eyes naturally purple?”

“Hmm? What about them? My mother’s eyes are purple; it’s hereditary.”

“I see…”

Snow nodded. Perhaps this young man before her shared a distant bloodline with her.

Of course, Gern couldn’t be a descendant of her children; despite her mature appearance, she had no children of her own.

It might be related to her deceased elder brother, who, not having reached her level of cultivation, had long since faded into the river of history.

‘Perhaps fate itself brought Gern to me.’

“Alright, Gern, I have nothing more for you. You may go back now.”

“Understood. I’ll take my leave then.”

Watching Gern’s retreating back, Snow seemed to genuinely see the shadow of her elder brother, though it might just be her imagination.

So much time had passed that many things she had long since forgotten.

****

After Gern returned to his dormitory, the stench clinging to him was still unbearable.

This prompted him to head to the bathroom, which he studied for a while before finally understanding its true purpose.

The strangely shaped counter in the bathroom, it turned out, was a washbasin. After a quick wash, Gern felt a pang of hunger and prepared to go out in search of food.

The moment he stepped out, he was met with numerous strange glances. After all, a large man suddenly emerging from a girls’ dormitory would make any girl uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Gern had strong psychological resilience and paid no mind to these peculiar stares.

After quickly making his way downstairs, he ordered a few savory pies he had never tasted before and found a quiet spot to sit.

Taking a gentle bite of the pie, the rich aroma of spices and meat filled Gern’s entire mouth.

Gern’s eyes sparkled; having never tasted such delicious food before, he was instantly captivated.

“Excuse me, sir, is this seat taken?”

Just then, a slightly familiar female voice suddenly spoke from beside him. Gern didn’t even think, instinctively replying,

“No.”

Only after speaking did Gern belatedly realize that the voice sounded somewhat familiar.

He looked up and saw a glimmer of golden hair.

‘!’

Gern’s expression froze, and the pie in his hand clattered onto the table.

“You… you… you…”

The golden-haired girl smiled gracefully and elegantly introduced herself.

“Hello, my name is Lilia Rheingardt. May I befriend you, sir?”

Gern was utterly stunned, completely bewildered. It was one thing for Lilia to seek him out when he was a girl, a situation he could attribute to his stunning Dragon Girl form having captivated this ‘Lily Queen’.

But now that he was in his male form, Gern couldn’t fathom Lilia’s reason for approaching him.

To avoid exposing himself, Gern offered an awkward smile, then respectfully stood up.

“Oh, it’s Princess Lilia. My apologies for the oversight. My name is Gern, just an ordinary citizen. This seat is yours; I have some urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

However, before Gern could leave, Lilia’s small hand had already grasped his arm.

“Hey, wait. You haven’t finished the food on your plate. Isn’t it a bit wasteful for you to leave like this, sir?”

Her aquamarine eyes narrowed slightly as she surveyed Gern’s current physique, and she couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.

‘As expected of the little Dragon Girl, even disguised, they’re so cute.’

In reality, Gern’s face still possessed masculine features. Lilia finding him ‘cute’ was entirely due to the lingering first impression of his Dragon Girl form.

Gern’s mouth twitched uncontrollably; he could already feel the murderous gazes of those around him.

He feared that if he stayed any longer, he would be torn to shreds by Lilia’s admirers.

“Princess, please release my hand. I’ll pack these items; the matter over there is truly urgent.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lilia’s eyes met Gern’s, and she instantly saw through his lie. Her tone, therefore, became firmer.

“Then, what if, as a princess of the kingdom, I command you to sit and dine with me?”

“This…”

Gern’s eyes widened. For a moment, he suspected his identity had been exposed, but Lilia’s demeanor didn’t quite suggest it.

“Al… alright.”

Gern could only grit his teeth and agree. The people around, seeing their beloved princess forcing a young man to dine with her, instantly seethed with resentment, their hostile stares seemingly multiplying.

Gern wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feigning composure.

“Princess, is there something you need from me?”

“Gern, do you drink?”

“Drink?”

Gern tilted his head. He had heard of alcohol in his past life and had tasted some before, but he didn’t particularly care for it. However, since Lilia had asked, he could only nod and continue,

“I’ve had some before, Princess. Are you…”

“It’s nothing. I just want to have a few drinks with you.”