Chapter 108: Desert Encounters and Academy Dreams

Time flew by in a flash. A lone figure and a Serpentwoman traversed the heart of the great desert, leaving yellow sand swirling in their wake, with no signs of life visible ahead.

Having journeyed for a considerable time, the sky began to darken. The two of them found a suitable spot and quickly erected a makeshift tent.

After their escape from the military camp, Gern reverted to his original appearance. He explained it to Xiao Ying as a special disguise ability, and the young girl did not harbor any suspicion.

As Gern and Xiao Ying passed through another Serpent race town, Gern initially intended to settle Xiao Ying there. He planned to provide her with some money, then proceed alone to investigate the secrets of the mystic realm.

However, Xiao Ying was utterly unwilling, afraid to be separated from Gern even for a moment. She feared Gern might abandon her, and the young girl had no family to rely on. Gern, unable to truly leave her behind, reluctantly brought her along once more.

At that moment, the two sat opposite each other by a crackling campfire. They were roasting meat freshly hunted from the wild.

In the encroaching darkness, the firelight flickered erratically. The desert night brought with it an extreme chill, though Gern remained largely unaffected.

Possessing the strength of a Third-tier Knight, he naturally had no fear of the cold. Xiao Ying, however, was different. Though she lived in this vast desert, she could not withstand the biting night winds.

Without a heat source or a temporary camp, she would have long since frozen to death in some forgotten corner.

The young girl’s gaze was fixed intently on the meat roasting over the fire, and she unconsciously swallowed. She then spoke, asking,

“Sister, is it cooked yet?”

Upon hearing this, a vein pulsed on Gern’s forehead. He sharply tapped Xiao Ying’s head with a nearby branch, correcting her,

“Call me Brother!”

“Oh~”

A hint of grievance laced Xiao Ying’s voice as she clutched her head. She gazed pitifully at the roasting meat, continuing to ask in a small voice,

“So, Sister, is the meat ready now?”

‘Fine, let the little girl call me whatever she wants,’ Gern thought. ‘As long as she doesn’t cause trouble at a crucial moment, it’s fine.’

Gern flipped the meat on the grill, observing its color. He nodded subtly to himself.

It seemed to be almost done. He then retrieved some seasonings from his storage ring and sprinkled them over the meat.

After a brief moment more of roasting, the entire skewer of meat began to emit an irresistible aroma. Xiao Ying’s mouth watered visibly.

Her large, silver eyes blinked rapidly, filled with undisguised yearning.

“Sister, it should be cooked this time, right? Can I eat it now?”

The anticipation in the little girl’s eyes left Gern feeling helpless. He could only hand the skewer to Xiao Ying, then began roasting another one for himself.

Upon receiving the skewer, Xiao Ying eagerly began to devour it. With her first bite, a rich, savory flavor spread through her mouth.

Yet, within that delicious taste, there was also a subtle, exotic hint. It was this peculiar nuance that truly infused the skewer with soul.

“Mmm! Delicious!”

The little girl mumbled indistinctly, continuing to chew on the meat skewer in her hand.

“Oh, right, Big Sister, what did you just sprinkle on the meat?”

“Hmm…”

Gern sighed resignedly, having given up on correcting Xiao Ying’s address. He replied casually,

“Those are called spices. I bought them from Theoviga Academy. I still have plenty, enough for us both to eat for several months.”

“Huh?”

Hearing a familiar name, Xiao Ying tilted her head in confusion.

“Big Sister, what exactly is Theoviga Academy? I used to hear people in the village talk about it a lot, and it sounded like it wasn’t a good place.”

Gern couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle at her words. The academy’s abysmal reputation in Xiao Ying’s mind was largely due to that scoundrel, Shengde.

It was a perfect example of how one bad apple spoils the bunch.

Gern fell silent for a moment, pondering how to explain the academy to Xiao Ying.

Seeing that Gern didn’t speak further, Xiao Ying didn’t press the matter. She simply focused on eating the meat skewer in her hand.

After a few seconds, Gern finally spoke.

“Theoviga Academy is a very, very beautiful place. Your Big Sis… *cough*, your Big Brother, I, came from there.”

‘That was close,’ Gern thought. ‘I almost got carried away by Xiao Ying’s address. Fortunately, I reacted in time and corrected myself.’

“Eh? Big Sister also came from the academy, so why would you help us then?”

Xiao Ying furrowed her brows, looking like a tiny adult, which was utterly adorable.

Her worldview was simple: everything in the world had two sides—good and evil. The people from Theoviga Academy had come to plunder them, undoubtedly planting a seed in Xiao Ying’s heart. This experience had branded the academy as ‘bad guys’ in her mind.

Gern, having anticipated Xiao Ying’s reaction, maintained a gentle smile. He appeared exceptionally amiable.

“Actually, Theoviga Academy is a very good institution. Most of the people there are upright and kind.”

“Really?!”

Xiao Ying was visibly more excited, though Gern couldn’t quite fathom what she was so happy about.

Within a short span, Xiao Ying’s mind raced, and memories began to surface bit by bit.

Suddenly, she realized that anyone claiming to be from Theoviga Academy was incredibly powerful. They could even achieve feats like cross-tier kills.

‘Does that mean if I could join Theoviga Academy, I could become as strong as Big Sister?’

“Big Sister, do you think I’ll become very strong if I join Theoviga Academy?”

“Mm-hmm, that’s certainly true. However, the admission requirements for Theoviga Academy are not simple.”

“To get in, you’d have to at least defeat everyone else taking the entrance exam.”

“Ugh~”

Xiao Ying was visibly disheartened by Gern’s words, her mood sinking. Currently, she couldn’t even tie a chicken, let alone emerge victorious in a combat trial; it was simply a pipe dream.

‘She couldn’t possibly ask Gern to pull strings for her just for her own selfish desires, could she? If she did that, she wouldn’t be herself anymore, and it would be far too undignified.’

Feeling helpless, the little girl turned her gaze to Gern, a hint of plea in her eyes.

“Big Brother, could you teach me some combat techniques or magic? I want to join the academy too!”

Gern nodded, a touch of admiration in his expression, yet entering Theoviga Academy was no simple feat.

Even he himself had only managed to join by leveraging his knowledge from a previous life, coupled with various fortunate coincidences.

Now, being asked to train a Theoviga Academy student, he felt somewhat lacking in confidence.

Just as the two were discussing Theoviga Academy, a distant sound of footsteps reached them. The footsteps grew closer, and it wasn’t just one person; it was the sound of a group.

Gern immediately stood up, cautiously scanning his surroundings. He soon spotted a troop of people in the distance, heading straight towards their location.

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