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Join the ServerAfter a brief cleanup of the gory scene, Gern approached Quade once more and cast a fire spell upon him.
He didn’t scream. Instead, he stared blankly at Gern, as though his soul had already departed. The flames rapidly engulfed his entire body, consuming him completely.
A gentle breeze brushed against the silver-haired young woman’s cheek, her silvery hair swaying softly. Before her, the flames surged higher, fueled by the wind.
Within the inferno, the young man’s form slowly dissolved into nothingness, eventually vanishing to leave behind only a pile of ash.
Gern slowly exhaled, feeling a significant portion of her anger dissipate. She glanced back at the squad leader, who remained entranced by her hypnosis.
“Hey, do you know if anything important has happened around here recently?”
The squad leader shook his head, responding to her inquiry. It seemed that to uncover any information about the secret realm, she would need to venture deeper into the Serpentman territory.
This would necessitate a plausible identity. Her previous plan to impersonate Quade had been quite effective.
“All right, you’re dismissed. Go play.”
She spoke coldly. The squad leader nodded dully, then turned to face the wall, lost in his own world.
Gern paid him no further mind. Her immediate priority was to return the children; it wouldn’t do to leave their parents worried.
****
Inside the cave, fashioned from earth magic, a young Serpentwoman girl blinked her large eyes, which sparkled with adoration.
She had witnessed Gern’s entire battle, and the heroically elegant figure had left a profound impression on her young heart.
As the silver-haired young woman slowly approached, the little Serpentwoman’s heart gave a fierce leap.
“So, so beautiful, Big Sister!”
The stars in her eyes shone even brighter.
“All right, you are free now.”
The silver-haired young woman stood at the cave’s entrance, extending her slender, fair arm. Her delicate, long fingers rested against the wall.
The next moment, the entire earthen structure instantly collapsed, revealing the situation within.
By then, some of the younger Serpentfolk, overcome by exhaustion, had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Startled by the loud noise, these young Serpentfolk instantly awoke. Pairs of timid or wary eyes swiftly turned towards Gern.
However, one pair of eyes glowed with both surprise and adoration. These belonged to the little Serpentwoman who had been waiting by the earthen entrance from the start.
Now seeing Gern approach, she excitedly rushed forward and embraced her.
“Big Sister, are you here to save us?”
This sudden embrace caught Gern off guard. Yet, seeing the little Serpentwoman’s expression, a mix of grievance and joy, she instinctively reached out and affectionately patted her head.
“Yes, Big Sister is here to save you. How about I take you to find your parents?”
The little Serpentwoman seemed to enjoy Gern’s touch, and much of the aggrieved look on her face faded.
“Does Big Sister know where our homes are?”
“Of course.”
Hearing their conversation, some of the more timid young Serpentfolk finally mustered their courage and slowly approached.
“Why did Big Sister save us?”
It was a young boy who spoke, a face Gern recognized. He was the child of the Serpentman from whom she had requested water.
She pondered for a moment, then offered a radiant smile.
“Naturally, good deeds are rewarded. Your family’s kindness and virtue moved me, which is why I decided to help you all.”
The young woman’s beautiful face, like cool moonlight, illuminated the boy’s features. His heart thumped a few times, and his cheeks instantly flushed.
“Alright, everyone, let’s go home with me.”
No sooner had she spoken than a fierce gust of wind erupted, sweeping the children out of the cave and carrying them high into the sky.
****
Quietly, the small Serpentman village lay still, every door tightly shut. The entire settlement seemed like a ghost town.
At that moment, several shadows streaked across the sky. A villager, awake in the night, witnessed the scene above and froze in terror.
Immediately after, they saw a figure fly directly into their own home.
The frightened Serpentman, remembering his family was still inside their tent, felt much of his fear dissipate.
Though an elderly man, he found an unknown surge of strength in that moment. He burst forward, moving faster than usual, and rushed into the tent.
There, he witnessed a sight that would forever be etched in his memory: his grandson, who had just been abducted, was now sitting on the bed in the center of the tent.
Unable to believe his eyes, he almost instinctively rubbed them.
When he opened his eyes again, his vision was blurry.
“My dear grandson?”
He called out tentatively, and the little boy quickly responded with joy.
“Grandpa! I’m back! A Big Sister saved me and brought me home!”
“It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back…”
Such scenes unfolded throughout the entire village. Above, the silver-haired young woman, bare-footed, floated in the center of the sky, observing the small village below.
A flicker of relief crossed her eyes, then she cast her gaze upon the last remaining Serpentman child.
“Xiao Ying, where is your home? I’ll take you back.”
Upon hearing the silver-haired young woman’s question, the Serpentwoman girl named Xiao Ying visibly froze, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.
“Big Sister, I…”
“Hm?”
“I don’t have a home.”
Gern’s heart gave a sharp pang at her words. In this little girl, she seemed to see a reflection of herself.
“What about your family?”
“They died in battle. Now, it’s just me.”
‘They… died in battle, and now I am all alone.’
‘I’m sorry.’
Gern’s voice softened, tinged with a hint of sorrow. Perhaps because the girl’s plight mirrored her own, a pang of discomfort resonated within her.
However, the girl’s next words left Gern utterly bewildered.
“Big Sister, can I follow you?”
“Follow me?”
“To do what with me?”
“I want to be like Big Sister and defeat those who bully me.”
“Big Sister, can I?”
The Serpentwoman girl blinked her large eyes, her silver-grey serpentine pupils brimming with hopeful anticipation.
“This…”
Gern considered her primary objective for coming to the Beastmen tribes and shook her head. Her mission was certainly not suitable for bringing others along.
Unaware of Gern’s thoughts, the little Serpentwoman’s large eyes instantly welled up with tears.
“Big Sister, I really, really want to be as strong as you. Please take me with you! I’ll be very well-behaved.”
“This…”
Gern admitted to herself that she was wavering. However, her mission was extremely perilous, and she wasn’t even sure if she would return alive.
“Big Sister~ Esteemed Big Sister, please, please~”
‘Seriously? You’re really good at this, aren’t you?’
This sudden display of childish pleading completely broke through Gern’s defenses. She simply couldn’t resist a girl’s coaxing.
“Alright, alright, I agree, I agree. But there’s one condition: while you’re with me, you must listen to everything I say, and don’t ask about things you shouldn’t.”
“Mm-hm, okay, Big Sister! I promise not to ask too many questions.”
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, The Moon Reflected In The Water is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : The Moon Reflected In The Water
