Chapter 86: Zhu Qiu Who Knows Everything

“Sir, is there anything else?”

“I believe, as a father, I have the right to let my son go home. This doesn’t require anyone’s permission.”

Sodlan stepped forward and grabbed Sote’s other hand, his attitude firm.

Dinksway’s expression shifted instantly, but he didn’t say anything directly.

Instead, he left the decision to Sote.

“Sote, do you want to request leave to go home, or do you want to continue following me?”

“Master, I —”

“Sote, listen to your father,” Sodlan added.

Sote was in a difficult position, caught between the two.

If he didn’t take leave, it would be bad for his father, but taking leave wasn’t a good option either.

To secure Sote, Dinksway said something very heartless, “If you take leave today, then go back, and you won’t need to come back ever again.”

“Master!”

Hearing this, Sodlan’s grip on Sote’s hand loosened slightly.

He hadn’t expected Dinksway to be so cold.

For Sote’s future, he couldn’t be a burden.

“It seemed… he could only compromise.”

Sodlan’s heart was in extreme turmoil, but in the face of reality, he had to bow his head.

“Sote, just focus on your studies. I’ll be at home.”

‘How spineless, Sodlan!’

Sodlan said nothing more and turned to leave without looking back.

“Father!”

“All right, Sote. Your father supports your continued studies. You have a Combat Class this afternoon, so keep working hard.”

Sodlan felt extremely uncomfortable after leaving.

Not only could the King demolish his house whenever he wanted, but even his younger son was being controlled by a teacher.

He didn’t have a single ounce of authority.

He hated how spineless he was.

On the way home, while passing the market, he bought all the groceries he needed for lunch to save himself another trip.

“Soran, I’m back.”

Sodlan pushed the door open, but the living room was empty.

‘That shouldn’t be right. Soran is very self-disciplined; there’s no way she’s sleeping. She must have gone out for something.’

“He sighed.”

Honestly, she could have at least said something before leaving, or left a note…

Regardless, he decided to start cooking first.

Inside the room, the two little girls were both sleeping with their arms and legs spread out.

Their previous state of tugging at each other had turned into tugging at the bedsheets, while the quilt remained rolled into a ball on the floor.

The aroma from the kitchen drifted through the crack in the door, constantly teasing Zhu Qiu.

“Mm… smells so good… hehehehe…”

Zhu Qiu rolled over casually and smacked the little Sword Spirit in the stomach.

“Ow!”

The Sword Spirit was slapped awake.

She scratched her head and sat up, looking out the window with a dazed expression.

“Wait, why was it light out?”

“What happened last night?”

She looked at Zhu Qiu, who was still sprawled out on the bed, and slapped her on the bottom.

“Wake up, it’s daylight.”

“Mm… don’t bother me while I’m sleeping.”

“Don’t sleep anymore, the sun is hitting your butt!”

The Sword Spirit slapped her again, harder this time.

“I know, I’m getting up now…”

Zhu Qiu sat up and rubbed her eyes, staring at the Sword Spirit with the same dazed expression.

“Sword Spirit, was it you who woke me up?”

“Who else could it be but me?”

“Why did you wake me up? I was going to sleep in today.”

“Sleep in? A Human Sword Saint sleeping in — what would that look like? Have you forgotten some things?”

“Things?”

Zhu Qiu rubbed her head and began to think.

“I remember now. I was going to watch those mages clear out the Magic Creatures today.”

“Oh, not that! Didn’t you say last night that the house was going to be demolished?”

“Oh, that. I’ve already thought of a solution and made preparations. Don’t worry.”

“I see… well, okay then.”

The Sword Spirit sounded a bit disappointed.

“By the way, what time is it now? Should I start moving?”

“I’m not sure, but according to your habit of sleeping in the Dragon Kingdom, it should be around noon.”

“True. Every time I wake up, Zhu Xiaxia always calls me to eat on time.”

“Uh…”

The Sword Spirit was a bit speechless.

When did this girl become someone who only thought about eating?

“So, is it time to eat now?”

As luck would have it, Sodlan had just finished cooking and was bringing the dishes to the table one by one.

The aroma of the food had long since made Zhu Qiu lose all resistance.

The Sword Spirit had nothing to say.

If she weren’t a little girl of the Dragon Race herself, she would have complained to Zhu Qiu’s father long ago.

“Go eat, then. I’m leaving.”

Zhu Qiu didn’t even bother tidying the bed before she pushed the door open.

Her sudden appearance startled the brooding Sodlan.

“Soran? You didn’t go out after all?”

“Of course not. Why would I go out? If I went out, I wouldn’t be able to eat the delicious meals Father made.”

Zhu Qiu went to wash up first, then naturally began to dig in.

While they were eating, Sodlan brought something up.

“Soran, what do you think we should do in the future? Do we really have to move to the suburbs outside the city?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already found a solution.”

“What solution could you have? Even though you’re a Sword Saint everyone admires, that’s the King. He has immense power. We shouldn’t offend him.”

Zhu Qiu stopped her chopsticks.

“Father, why have you become so spineless? This isn’t like you.”

“Sigh, I can’t help it. Compared to my old self, I’m just an ordinary person now. I don’t expect anything else; I just want to live a quiet life, save some money, and…”

“Don’t think too much. All of that will come true. Don’t you still have me?”

Zhu Qiu patted her chest confidently.

“True. With you around, we’ll overcome this together.”

***

After resting for a while after lunch, Zhu Qiu used Levitation to fly high into the sky and began searching the city outskirts for signs of Magic Creatures.

Without even thinking, she knew those magic students would definitely go looking for Magic Creatures to practice on.

Sure enough, Zhu Qiu found them again near the place where that group had appeared yesterday.

Except this time, it wasn’t a whole group; there were only two people.

Dinksway and the young mage whose voice was almost identical to her younger brother, Sote.

Zhu Qiu remained hidden in a tree.

“Teacher, are we starting now?”

“Yes, hurry up and try the new magic you learned.”

“Okay.”

Sote closed his eyes and began to chant.

Due to the inherent issues with the magic itself, it took a full minute before it could be released.

“**ICE CAGE**!”

In an instant, a massive cage of ice formed above the Magic Creatures and crashed to the ground at extreme speed, trapping the pack.

‘Tsk, I wondered what it was. It takes that long to chant one spell,’ Zhu Qiu muttered disdainfully.

“Very good. For a beginner, to be able to do this is already wonderful.”

As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward the tree where Zhu Qiu was hiding.

“**ICE CAGE**!”

Dinksway only chanted for five seconds before the giant cage covered the tree, along with the hiding Zhu Qiu.

Zhu Qiu was stunned.

‘Oh no, I’m going to be discovered.’

Dinksway walked forward slowly.

“Sword Saint, you still haven’t changed at all. Can’t you find a different way to hide?”

Zhu Qiu jumped down from the leaves awkwardly.

“What’s wrong? Is it against the rules to watch?”

“Watch? Sword Saint, for a Swordmaster like you to come and watch us practice magic, isn’t it a bit… strange?”