Su Cheng fell silent for two seconds. "...It wouldn't have come to that. I had a way to escape, and those people weren't very strong anyway."
"I know," Gerald said in a low voice. "But if I was the cause of everything, I definitely would have done something instead of letting you save yourself, even if it wouldn't have been hard for you."
He gave her another tight hug, then straightened up. "Or maybe I just really wanted to do something for you."
"You taught me magic."
"Well, you're very talented. Anyone else could have taught you just as well."
Gerald shook his head. "Is there anything else you want? You don't look like you're short on money..."
Su Cheng thought for a moment. "If possible, I'd like to learn more magic or combat skills, or gain some practical battle experience—"
"No problem!" Gerald said immediately. "Although I'm not exactly a master..."
Su Cheng completely disagreed with that last statement. Anyone who could be elevated to a deity by the God of Darkness was capable of sweeping away thousands on the battlefield, even if the enemies were elite holy knights.
Even if that was something that would happen many years in the future, the Seven Gods of Sin had not been very old when they sacrificed themselves; they were not late bloomers.
"...But I can teach you everything I know!"
The blond youth grew incredibly excited, as if he had been given a shot of adrenaline.
After watching her casually buy a couple of pieces of clothing, Gerald eagerly pulled her away, unable to wait to get back to the basement.
He pressed a few spots on the wall in an empty corner. The floor tiles silently split down the middle and slid open to both sides, revealing a new staircase.
There was actually another level below.
Su Cheng was somewhat shocked.
"Don't worry," Gerald waved his hand. "Just a few minor protective spells are enough to completely stabilize this kind of underwater structure. Besides, the materials here are custom-made. I know a little bit about alchemy..."
Su Cheng: "..."
Su Cheng: "May I take the liberty of asking your age?"
Gerald seemed a bit confused. "I've already passed my eighteenth birthday—"
Su Cheng: "......You look very young for your age. I mean that in a good way."
He looked like a middle school student! Whether it was his expressions, his posture, or his face itself, none of it seemed very mature.
But regardless, to have such skills at his age, if this were the Empire a thousand years later, he would have probably become famous long ago.
Murong Yue was a bit older than him and only cultivated battle aura, yet she was praised to the high heavens.
In contrast, the person in front of her seemed to be nothing more than a good student with decent grades in the eyes of his classmates.
Gerald raised an eyebrow, making no secret of the joy in his eyes. "Thank you!"
Su Cheng suddenly realized that he seemed quite easy to coax.
Even though what she said was completely sincere.
The level below was even more spacious. The four walls were made of heavy stone, rippling with a faint luster. The lines of magic arrays were faintly visible, and weapon racks stood in the corners.
Gerald walked down first and waved to her. "Come on, let me see your level. I will attack you. You can dodge or take it head-on, but there is one condition: every time I make a move, you must complete three consecutive power switches within five seconds—battle aura, elemental magic, and spatial magic."
Su Cheng had done similar exercises, but the time limit he demanded sounded a bit harsh, and she wasn't entirely sure if she could pull it off.
"Don't be like that," he put a hand on his hip. "Even if you fail, I won't kill you. Don't be so afraid."
"...Alright."
Su Cheng pulled a sword from the rack and took a soft breath.
Her understanding of spatial magic was still stuck in a somewhat abstract state; she relied entirely on her consciousness and intuition to trigger that power.
But from another perspective, this also made the casting process simpler.
Gerald didn't give her much time to prepare. After watching her steady her breathing twice, he raised a hand and pointed, causing fist-sized fireballs to appear in the air.
The moment the fireballs coalesced, they smashed toward her.
Su Cheng reflexively threw a wind blade, then slashed back with her sword, the blade igniting with an eerie black flame.
The blond youth's figure vanished in an instant, then appeared by her side. Before she could turn around, he abruptly released his magical power.
Over a dozen silent, invisible blades that tore through space quickly closed in on her.
Su Cheng could not accurately locate them.
This realization distressed her, because it meant they would be hard to dodge unless she retreated far enough away.
Wait.
Far?
The next second, she stumbled and appeared on the street outside.
The evening breeze blew across the shimmering, swaying waterway, reflecting the sparkling lights. A few scattered pedestrians walking by were casting weird glances at her.
"...Well," Gerald's voice came from behind her, "I suppose this works too."
Su Cheng turned around awkwardly. "Really?"
"Uh, from a practical combat standpoint, you weren't completely flustered, and you managed to come up with a countermeasure in time. Not every battle has to be a state where two people fight for hours, right? Leaving is also a valid option."
He said casually, "Of course, you still aren't fully accustomed to this power. I think if we do this a few more times, you'll be able to think of spatial magic as a countermeasure much faster."
Then they fought all the way until the next morning.
Su Cheng had originally wanted to take the opportunity to test her physical stamina. Now, she found that she wasn't tired at all. Even though she had depleted a whole night's worth of battle aura, she was only slightly hungry.
"You're improving very quickly," Gerald looked at her with satisfaction. "You see, we can already properly exchange a few moves—"
He reached up and straightened his slightly messy blond hair. "I'm going to take a shower. By the way, your battle aura is quite impressive."
Su Cheng's expression paused.
She couldn't help but think of the person who had taught her battle aura.
If the Commander really was over a thousand years old, then perhaps he had already been born by this time? Or if she managed to survive here for a few hundred years, could she witness his birth?
But if she still wanted to see him, how could she find him?
She didn't even know his last name.
As for his identity as a Dragonborn, there was more than just one or two Dragonborn across the Northern and Southern Continents.
Su Cheng went upstairs to take a bath, feeling a bit dispirited.
The guest room's facilities were also very comprehensive. It had alchemy tools that automatically heated and purified the flowing water, pumping it into the bathtub through bronze pipes.
In the alcove sat crystal bottles filled with gel. Inside was a liquid made from magical plant extracts and pearl powder; a quick rub in the water produced massive, colorful bubbles.
She leaned against the edge of the bathtub, lost in thought, when she suddenly smelled the aroma of roasted meat.
It came from downstairs.
It was probably that servant arriving for the early shift.
Su Cheng changed her clothes and eagerly went downstairs, just in time to see a whole roasted sea bass being brought to the table.
The fish's belly was stuffed with various spices, garlic cloves, and lemon slices. Its skin was brushed with shiny olive oil, and beside it was a side of amber-colored stewed beans with shredded onions, sprinkled with smoky red chili flakes.
Gerald was sitting at the table, holding a fork and zoning out. He caught a glimpse of her coming down and couldn't help but frown. "...Do you have a talent for fire resonance?"
Su Cheng's head was full of question marks. "Huh?"
"It's still dripping water," he stood up, walked over to her side, and reached out to gather her wet black hair. "A simple little spell could fix this."
Saying this, he chanted a spell with clear enunciation.
The spell was very short.
Su Cheng felt a warmth radiating from his palm. That toasty feeling climbed up the back of her neck, spread across her scalp, and quickly dried her hair.
He let go of her. "Did you hear that clearly?"
Su Cheng hesitated and nodded. "Yes, but is that Elvish? I'm not sure if I can pronounce it perfectly."
Gerald looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. "Which school are you from? Isn't this a required course for mages?"
Su Cheng looked up at the ceiling. "...I think it's an elective later on."
Gerald shook his head. "You definitely chose the wrong school. Elvish is just as important as Ancient Human. If you ask me, the former is more important; the latter is just used to please the gods. Let's add this to your study plan too. You can study it on your own first and just ask me if you have any questions. At the very least, you need to guarantee your vocabulary and reading comprehension, otherwise you won't be able to read a lot of interesting ancient texts. Those don't have translated versions!"
Su Cheng: "I'm not sure if your definition of interesting is the same as mine, but alright."
"Anything that brings you new knowledge is interesting," Gerald glanced at her. "What else could it be?"
Su Cheng: "...Yeah, right."
"Anyway, looking back at last night, you should pay attention in the future. If you want to use two different systems of power at the same time, don't list every step in your head. This is what the mercenaries who taught me back then said. A real battle has no steps, only intentions. Just like when you want to make a fist, you don't think about which finger to curl first. You need to focus on the result. Don't always think about teleporting; just think directly that you need to appear in that location."
Gerald spent the entire breakfast time carefully reviewing everything with her. "However, many things are easier said than done. Just because you understand it doesn't mean you can do it immediately, so you still have to keep practicing."
Su Cheng was somewhat moved. "...Thank you. You really are an excellent teacher."
"Am I?" The blond youth tilted his head. "I'm just repeating the process of how those people taught me back then. The only difference is that I spent a fortune. Oh, don't misunderstand, I'm not asking you to pay me—"
Bang!
Before he could finish speaking, the front door in the entryway was suddenly pushed open violently.
An angry blond man walked in. "Gerald! You animal! What did you do? You cut off your classmate's arm?"
At that moment, Su Cheng watched the entire process of the future God of Jealousy's face changing.
Gerald was first shocked, then disgusted, and then fell into a state of struggle and conflict.
Finally, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at her, a hint of fear even showing in his eyes.
That expression was like someone who was afraid because a friend had discovered their shameful secret.
"You cold-blooded, heartless bastard!"
The servants retreated to the side in panic.
The blond man walked up to the dining table and only then noticed a strange woman sitting opposite him. He couldn't help but start cursing.
"I was wondering why you weren't coming home again. So you were with this—"
He finally got a clear look at Su Cheng's face.
The blond man swallowed the words that had rushed to his lips, his gaze becoming very strange. "What is going on here?"
Su Cheng rested her chin on her hand and sized him up.
This man looked to be in his forties or fifties, draped in fine silks, wearing thick gold chains and strings of gemstones. He looked like a villainous profiteer straight out of a fairy tale book.
But there were almost no signs of physical training on his body, nor could any trace of magic be felt from him.
Looking at his appearance, he did bear some resemblance to Gerald.
It was just that—
Their temperaments were vastly different, and he looked far too old.
Even low-level warriors and mages wouldn't look like this.
"What are you looking at?!" The blond man's face darkened, seemingly displeased with being scrutinized like this. "I don't care who you are, but this is my son's house, and right now this is a family matter."
Su Cheng blinked. "So you know it's his house. Then I don't think you have the right to kick me out, do you?"
"I am his father!"
"According to the principality's laws, fifteen is considered an adult, right? Your son is already eighteen. If he wanted to, he could just treat you as a relative."
"You!"
The blond man flew into a rage and grabbed Gerald, who was next to the dining table.
"Get up! You animal! Look at the kind of friends you make. Last time you took in those whores from Limnia—"
"Father!" Gerald couldn't help but shout. "I told you, it was just her and her lover who were injured, and she was pregnant. What did you think I was doing?"
The blond man backhanded him across the face. "What are you? Yelling at me?!"
Su Cheng looked at them in disbelief.
Gerald just stood there blankly.
With his father's strength, that slap didn't even make his head turn.
But he seemed accustomed to it.
"...Su Cheng," the blond youth spoke softly. "Could you go wait for me upstairs?"
Su Cheng hesitated for a moment, but still stood up and nodded. As she passed by the blond man, she simply couldn't hold back anymore.
"By the way, in the Principality of Anser, hitting people is also against the law."
"Against the law?" The blond man sneered. "I am his father. If it weren't for me—"
"Breaking the law depends on the act of hitting itself and the consequences it causes, not on your identity and relationship with him."
Su Cheng said calmly, "Of course, slapping him won't get you the death penalty even if you go to court, so you won't die from this. But if you don't learn to respect the law, you will die a very ugly death."
After saying this, she turned her head to look at Gerald. "I'm sorry. You are my friend, and logically I should give your father enough respect—"
Su Cheng took a deep breath. "But I don't want to do that. Or conversely, precisely because I care about you, I don't want to give him any face."
The blond youth stared at her blankly.
That beautiful and delicate face was pale with embarrassment and fear, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. For a moment, he couldn't say a word.
"You!"
The man, however, reacted. His face turned blue and red, veins popping on his neck, and he even subconsciously raised his hand.
But he quickly realized that this strange woman with a weird accent could absolutely not be a slave like a down-and-out prostitute.
If Gerald wasn't just throwing around misplaced kindness, then there was only one possibility: this person was a mage, and one who could converse with him on equal terms.
So she definitely wasn't an ordinary mage.
In the end, he didn't strike her.
"Good," Su Cheng said lightly. "If you dare hit me, I will rip off your entire arm."
Gerald looked at her with a complex expression.
"You dare!" the man yelled, tough on the outside but cowardly on the inside. "My son is right here—"
Su Cheng sneered and crossed her arms. "Your son can't beat me."
Gerald: "..."
He chose to remain silent.
The man's expression changed several times. Su Cheng rolled her eyes at him and went downstairs to continue practicing magic.
About half an hour later, Gerald entered the basement. His expression was unreadable, looking seemingly no different than before.
"Are you ready?" He looked at her. "Shall we continue?"
Su Cheng nodded naturally. "Let's begin."
The blond youth stepped down the stairs. As he passed by her, he suddenly couldn't resist reaching out to catch her.
Su Cheng had just been about to slip into her teaching mode, and the sudden gesture almost snapped her right out of it.
His long, warm fingers were gently wrapped around her wrist. He wasn't using much force, but his grip was firm.
Su Cheng turned to look at him.
Gerald stood slightly on his tiptoes, his breathtakingly exquisite face suddenly leaning in close to hers.
Then, he pressed a gentle kiss to the center of her forehead.
"Thank you," he murmured softly.
