Chapter 23: The Fallen Child of Stardust

“It’s no use. This forest is very strange. There’s a restriction magic in place.”

Wendi retracted the magic pattern that had unfolded on her hand.

“The detection magic can’t find Firia and Hu Qingyu at all.”

“A restriction magic with such a vast area of coverage?” Kunta said.

“At least a level-nine magician would be needed to cast a restriction magic this large.”

To think that so many things would happen around Lange Village.

The Saint’s advent, the reappearance of the long-lost weapon “Sirius,” the arrival of the Labyrinthine City’s Holy Maiden, and now a restriction magic of terrifyingly large scale.

“It’s getting late. I think we should look for them tomorrow,” Wendi suggested.

Originally, Kunta was prepared to go look for them directly.

Later, fearing it would be a waste of time, she had Wendi use detection magic, but unexpectedly, the result was an even bigger waste of time.

“Very well.”

Kunta bowed her body and nodded, waving for Xixi, Zero, and the other girls waiting on standby to go back.

“Grandma Kunta! Something’s wrong!!”

A girl ran up to Kunta, panting, taking small steps.

This was the girl Kunta had sent to Lange Village to find food from the villagers.

“What happened?”

“The villagers of Lange Village, they’re all dead!”

Night fell.

Hu Qingyu had gathered a pile of firewood early on and lit a fire.

Tonight’s dinner was roasted squirrel.

Yes, the very same squirrel thief that had granted Hu Qingyu that heavenly perk.

Even though a “small accident” had occurred, Hu Qingyu still managed to drag it back.

Wiping the blood from his nose, which had flowed from the heavy blow, he choked the squirrel’s neck like a vengeful ghost demanding a life, viciously killing it.

Mianbao didn’t have a saintly attribute, but seeing Hu Qingyu kill such a cute animal in such a cruel way, she still couldn’t quite bear it.

The two of them sat around the bonfire.

Mianbao turned the squirrel that was already on a wooden rack, wondering if squirrel meat was edible.

She had never eaten squirrel meat before.

Hu Qingyu looked comfortable, one hand behind his head, leaning it against the rock behind him.

Repeating the turning motion with her hands, Mianbao glanced at Hu Qingyu beside her and saw him raising his right hand, lost in thought.

“Hey!”

Mianbao glared at him.

“Don’t you be thinking about anything improper!”

It seemed Mianbao knew very well what Hu Qingyu was thinking.

“Cough.”

Hu Qingyu awkwardly lowered his hand.

Mianbao had indeed guessed right.

He was indeed savoring the feeling of his hands on her chest earlier.

‘Not too big, not too small, just right for one hand to hold, with a tiny bit spilling through the fingers.’

“Here, take it!”

Mianbao handed him half the roasted meat with a cold expression.

“You eat first. Let’s see if you die.”

Hu Qingyu had already apologized to her, saying it wasn’t on purpose.

Mianbao knew that him falling and accidentally touching where he shouldn’t wasn’t on purpose, but that final squeeze… she absolutely didn’t believe that wasn’t on purpose!

‘How dare he take advantage of her!

Even as a Mianbao with a male soul, this was not allowed.

In a sense, this body was her “wife”!’

“Don’t worry, I won’t die.”

Hu Qingyu took the roasted meat with a beaming smile and elegantly tore off a piece of meat with his teeth.

Seeing that Hu Qingyu didn’t show any signs of foaming at the mouth, rolling his eyes back, his forehead turning black, convulsing all over, or his face turning purple after eating a piece of meat, Mianbao also felt relieved and began to gnaw on the roasted meat.

Mianbao was definitely not cursing Hu Qingyu by thinking this!

Really!

Apart from being as bland as can be without any seasoning, the squirrel meat was actually quite good.

After a full meal, Hu Qingyu urged Mianbao to sleep.

“Miss Mianbao, a lot has happened today. You must be exhausted. You should go to sleep early.”

“No.”

Mianbao shook her head, her still slightly damp long hair swaying.

“What if you do some unspeakable things to me in the middle of the night?”

“Don’t worry. What happened before was just an accident.”

Hu Qingyu swore with a serious and solemn face, “I will definitely behave myself and protect Miss Mianbao while she sleeps well.”

In that moment, he looked like a knight from a fairy tale protecting a princess.

Mianbao still shook her head.

She leaned against the rocky hill and reached out to take a notebook from the inner compartment of the backpack containing “Sirius.”

It was the notebook that had fallen out of the cabinet earlier.

Ka Slan · Wei Er.

A name was written on the cover of the notebook in a flamboyant script.

It looked like Mianbao’s dad’s diary.

Mianbao gently opened the first page:

“January 1st, Year 1 of the Third Epoch, the 【Battle of Lan’ernaduo】 has finally ended. We have entered the Third Epoch. King Edis is truly a strong person.”

“March 14th, Year 2 of the Third Epoch, the Papal State was established today. It seems the Church is quite popular, with so many supporters.”

“Oh? It’s called a diary, but it feels more like a history book, recording all the major events,” Hu Qingyu said, moving closer to Mianbao to read the diary’s contents with her.

Mianbao ignored him and continued to read.

“August 21st, Year 3 of the Third Epoch, I got married. My wife is the most beautiful person in the world.”

“May 8th, Year 5 of the Third Epoch, if what the Church says is true, and there really is a god in this world, then please, God, grant us a child.”

For the next period of time, Ka Slan · Wei Er did not write in his diary, so the time span to the next entry was very large.

“Year 28 of the Third Epoch, tonight there was a huge meteor shower. The night sky was full of flowing light. I have never seen such a beautiful sight.”

What was written next made Mianbao’s heart tremble: “A meteor fell not far from our house. I went to look for it, hoping to find materials not of this continent to make magic-engraved bullets. I didn’t find any materials, but I found a baby.”

“Perhaps this baby is a child of stardust. He accidentally followed the meteor shower and fell from the sky.”

“It’s a boy, a tiny little thing, milky white all over, just like a piece of bread. Whether he is a child of stardust or a gift from God, from now on, he is my child.”

“I’ve decided to name him—”

“Ka Slan · Mianbao.”