CHAPTER 61: GOLDEN CANARY

Dorothy said it like that, the answer was actually obvious.

"I don’t think I did anything special," Li Ang said.

years ago, it must have been in Guild Calendar year 293.

At that time, Li Ang was fully focused on putting his adventurous life on track.

Survival is always the first priority in life, and as a transmigrator without any special abilities, he couldn’t learn the ordinary life and work of the indigenous Nebis.

Clerical work required literacy in multiple races’ languages and cultural customs, working required at least a decade of local knowledge, and even farming required understanding how local crops grew with the changes brought by Magic Power.

Instead, going out for adventure seemed like a more dignified profession for him.

He remembered Dorothy, besides the incredible effects of her Healing Spells, of course, there was also her appearance.

As a man with a regular mind and body, not being attracted to her was impossible. Now her beauty, like ripe fruit, was already evident back then, and the charming grace of noble birth was something rarely seen in adventures.

However, back then, he was constantly thinking about how to effectively use the profession of witch, and probably didn’t have the energy to court her.

"Of course you don’t remember, to most people, these are trivial matters, but they’re different for me."

Dorothy gazed into the darkness of the secret passage, simply recounting her sixteen years of age.

In the summer of year 293, in Magic Capital Thousand Tower City, Dorothy was studying at the Junior Academy of Mistrem Academy, where the main focus was on the potential of Magic applications, and the Casters trained inclined towards professions such as Wizard, Elemental Master, and Priest.

The academy was on vacation, but Dorothy did not plan to return home. Because at home, there were her father and older brothers who looked down on her.

"Anyway, Dad and my brothers don’t like me, so I’m not going back home. I want to become a Sky Knight during the holiday."

"Dorothy, you should reconsider..." her roommate advised.

"Why? Didn’t you all want to become Sky Knights too? In this era, that’s the best profession."

After the Sky Knight Guild restructured the entire aerial order, even a city as deep-rooted as Thousand Tower City no longer considered Sky Knights to be lawless adventurers, instead, promoting them positively as a choice with aspiration.

Dorothy thought that since her family didn’t like her, she should carve her own path.

She didn’t ponder why her roommate hesitated to speak further, instead, she took the allowance to buy Casting Materials and registered as a Sky Knight at the guild office in Thousand Tower City, then began taking on commissions and seeking teammates.

Simple tasks within the city were easily completed, and she could return to her dorm at night for a bath, easing the day’s fatigue on the spring mattress.

Afterwards, she decided to leave Thousand Tower City, venturing into the wild for a real adventure, since it was a necessary course on the road to becoming an outstanding Sky Knight.

"And then, I was dumbfounded."

The famous starting point she chose: Aomori Islands in the Flos Sky Realm, where the guild had basic camps, but tents and camping tools had to be brought themselves.

On the first night of camping on Aomori Islands, she was bitten all over by jungle mosquitoes.

Selecting a team was also fraught with difficulties. Being of noble lineage, she naturally knew how to discern those with improper intentions towards her, but unfortunately, those professional adventurers who didn’t care about her appearance wouldn’t team up with a novice young girl.

In the end, it was the small roadside troupe where Li Ang resided that accepted her.

It’s not to say that some members of that group didn’t cast glances at her curves, but every time they wanted to chat with Dorothy about something unrelated to the adventure, someone would interrupt them, emphasizing the main tasks at hand.

"That was definitely me." Li Ang said.

"Yes," Dorothy couldn’t help but chuckle, "they were all itching with resentment at you, but that made me feel a lot more at ease."

"If we don’t remind them, the failure in battle would lead to arguments again."

"I know, I know." The young lady giggled.

"And then, preventing insect bites was also what you taught me."

In the jungle, the application of Alchemy Potions, the hanging of herbs at the tent entrance, the spreading of powders before camping to ward off snakes and insects, were all things Dorothy wouldn’t have known to do if Li Ang hadn’t told her.

"And, doing laundry too..."

The daily battles easily dirtied clothes, and Dorothy, having no concept of the jungle environment, hadn’t brought enough spare clothes. After washing, they smelled moldy when half-dry, causing discomfort when worn.

Passing by, Li Ang: "After washing, wring them out with all your strength, don’t just hang them on a random branch."

He gave her some black bags, teaching her to put the clothes in, place them in a spot with light and ventilation, for sterilization and accelerated drying.

The carried food suddenly rotted or became infested, and once before eating a pastry without a second glance, Dorothy almost swallowed a little creature crawling on it. She was nearly frightened into a faint, and didn’t dare think if she had already eaten some.

With her own food gone, she could only eat what’s found locally with the team, and her stomach, never accustomed to such trials, quickly gave in.

"At that time, I didn’t even know the Healing Technique, nor did I bring any medicine. It was both embarrassing and uncomfortable."

Dorothy buried her face between her knees.

"It was you who found the herbs for me, and each time helped me prepare the food more thoroughly."

Then, due to some fellow adventurers being quite crude or lacking boundaries, Dorothy found it hard to communicate with them, which made it difficult to coordinate during battles. Later on, Li Ang intentionally guided her during fights, telling her specifically what to do.

Li Ang said, "Also those things, I’ve forgotten about."

"You’ve forgotten it all."

Dorothy pursed her lips, looking somewhat indignant.

"Anyway, you’re just a nice guy, aren’t you? Have you ever thought about how people would feel every time you casually help someone else? Some might look down on you after receiving your help, thinking you’re just selflessly sacrificing and don’t respect you. Or like me, they just can’t forget you at all."

She didn’t continue and returned to the topic of adventure.

"During the first few days on the Aomori Islands, I cried secretly at night. If I hadn’t thought it would be embarrassing to quit halfway, I would have given up. But once you started helping me, I found I could do it again.

"Life was normal, and I could sleep soundly every night. Most importantly, I didn’t have to think about what to do because someone else arranged everything for me. This allowed me to perform just as well as anyone else in battle.

"This means, as long as someone like you is by my side, I can be a competent Sky Knight."

"And then I decided to leave," Li Ang said.

Dorothy nodded, both of them recalling the state of that roadside group they were part of.

There were frequent delays in gatherings; sometimes it would take half a day before they started out at night. Some people disappeared before missions, and after searching, we found they were washing dishes to pay off gambling debts. Others left halfway through a mission upon getting involved with a woman from a neighboring team and ran off.

Li Ang couldn’t bear it any longer and decided to leave.

"Before you left, you casually asked if I wanted to leave and adventure with you."

Dorothy’s slender fingers knotted together.

"I refused and went back to school."

She lowered her eyes, "Some of the things I said earlier were me losing my temper, I’m sorry. Thank you for not holding it against me; usually, I wouldn’t dare be willful with anyone."

"Later on, I fantasized that if you’d invited me one more time, I might have changed my mind."

After the sixteen-year-old girl’s adventure was on track, she gradually forgot the initial embarrassment and felt a bit proud.

The teachers all suggested that if one wanted to be a Sky Knight, it was best to hone some professional skills after graduating from the academy. But Dorothy had already gone through an entire holiday of adventure before this, and she wanted to share her experiences with her roommates and classmates.

Entering the world of adventure was done in defiance of her family, with dreams of making achievements and staying a Sky Knight forever without returning to school or home — thoughts completely forgotten in the end.

She still missed the dessert shops, the soft warm beds, and the leisurely shopping of Thousand Tower City.

When Li Ang asked her that question, she was at a loss.

She couldn’t make a decision and instinctively chose the conservative route of returning to school.

After receiving praise and admiration from classmates, the adventure was temporarily shelved in the corner of her memory.

Afterward, she graduated from school, and her family arranged her future. As a clerk at Spark Port, there was an endless pile of documents to handle and a constant flow of social engagements.

"Since I was young, I hated interacting with a bunch of unfamiliar people. Even if they meant no harm, I’d mentally complain about them as long as I was in that scenario.

"This job is extremely exhausting for me."

Dorothy dreaded socializing with groups, and after fulfilling necessary social engagements, she turned down all invitations to retreat to her room, where she could finally feel at ease.

The years passed with the days, and her father’s and brothers’ cold indifference remained unchanged.

"If you’re asking what the difference is between when I was sixteen and now, it’s that I’ve matured to the point of admitting that without someone’s care, I’m a complete mess.

"My family doesn’t like me; I used to resent them, but then I realized I shouldn’t. After all, it’s because of them that I lead such a privileged life."

Li Ang noticed that Dorothy never mentioned why her family didn’t like her. There was no mention of her mother in her narrative, and though he had his suspicions, he didn’t ask.

Later, she realized that the job given to her wasn’t within her family’s territory but was meant to prepare for an inter-family marriage. She had been placed there early for Count Feinat to vet.

"Amid this life, I find myself inexplicably thinking about those days of adventure.

"Those were my own days, days when I could be myself.

"I can’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like to keep adventuring with you?"

Dorothy lifted her head, the light from the magic lamp shimmering in her luminous eyes.

"It was later that I realized the impulsive decisions made at just over ten years old were actually what I truly yearned for all my life. The real me wants to freely soar the skies.

"And there once was someone who, just by being there, made me forget my helplessness."

"At that time, I didn’t understand why, as such a pampered person, your invitation made me feel helpless despite aiming for a comfortable life back at the academy. Because those words carried such weight for me that they were enough to wash away my pampered attitude of over ten years in an instant."

"Sixteen-year-old me was too naive, didn’t take it seriously, didn’t hold on tight. I retreated, naively thinking everything would have another chance.

"But life is very short; I won’t encounter another person like that. I brought this upon myself.

"I’ve accepted it; I just need to be a refined puppet when my family needs me.

"Why is it that now, you descended from the sky?"

Dorothy turned her body, sitting a little closer to Li Ang.

"Do the words from back then still count?"