“No, no, is that not allowed…” Luke shivered, startled by Emma’s sudden rise in pitch, and instinctively shrank behind Ize.
He had absolutely no idea about the complicated past between Emma and Ms. Isha, and just felt that Senior Emma’s reaction was strangely intense.
“Ms. Isha… she’s… she’s actually very easy to talk to…” Luke muttered under his breath, completely baffled.
In his impression, Ms. Isha from Pharmacology class, though outwardly aloof, was always patient in her teaching and encouraged students far more than she scolded them when they made mistakes.
So, what exactly was Senior Emma afraid of?
Ize, who knew the inside story, watched on with utter fascination.
When it came to “precision stepping on landmines,” this kid Luke truly was a genius bestowed by the heavens.
Every single time, he could hit Emma’s most sensitive nerve without fail.
And he still wore that pure and innocent face, completely oblivious to what he’d done wrong.
Emma seemed to realize she’d overreacted too. She sneaked a guilty glance at Ize beside her, and, seeing that he only wore the same confused expression (of course, he was pretending), with no sign of probing further, finally let out a small breath of relief.
She forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath, and did her best to make her tone sound calm and responsible: “I-I just think, one must bear the consequences of one’s own actions. This is my mistake, and I shouldn’t make the Academy’s teachers clean up my mess or trouble them…”
Saying this, she seemed to make up her mind, hesitating and struggling for quite a while, before finally speaking in a tone that was almost “resigned to death”: “If… if I really can’t scrape together the Gold Coins I need in the next two days, then… I guess I’ll have no choice but to accept their terms, and pay off my debt at the mine… by ‘working it off’ with labor.”
She lifted her head, her eyes shining with a tragic resolve, and pleaded to Ize and Luke: “Promise me, don’t tell any of the teachers at the Academy about my situation. Once I’ve paid off the debt myself, I’ll return on my own. Just take this as a profound lesson for me, so I won’t make the same mistake again!”
“Senior! You… you’re so responsible!”
Luke’s eyes sparkled as he listened, admiration for Emma surging in his heart like a mighty river. He exclaimed with sincere praise, “If the other students at the Academy knew you set such an example and faced hardship without fear, they’d surely regard you as a model for everyone!”
Emma was so startled by his words that she nearly leaped out of her seat. She waved her hands frantically, her voice rising in a panic: “No! Absolutely not! Only you and I need to know about this! I just want a clear conscience, a calm heart! No one else—none of the other Juniors or Juniors—must ever hear of it! True growth comes only through personal experience, that’s what benefits them most! They must never imitate this!”
Ize, who knew the truth all too well, couldn’t help his lips twitching as he listened. He was deeply impressed by Emma’s ability to spin pure nonsense into profound reasoning.
He really couldn’t stand watching this awkward and absurd scene any longer, so he decided to step in and put an end to it.
With practiced ease, he took out a tea set from his Magic Storage Ring, conjured a gentle flame at his fingertips to quickly heat the liquid in the pot, then poured out a cup of milky-white drink, fragrant with a strange aroma, and pushed it considerately in front of Emma.
“Senior, take your time eating. Here, have a sip of my special drink—don’t choke.” Ize spoke gently, his smile “pure and innocent.”
“What’s this?” Emma asked curiously as she accepted the warm teacup, a rich scent of nuts blended with milk filling her nose.
Ize’s smile grew even more “gentle” as he explained, “Walnut Milk.”
Walnuts nourish the brain—everyone knows that.
Beside them, Luke’s eyes lit up instantly, and he eagerly recommended, “Senior Emma! This is Ize’s special recipe, and it’s delicious! Only Senior Ize can make it! Every time I visit him, he makes some for me!” As he spoke, he looked at Ize with a pair of watery, puppy-dog eyes full of longing.
Ize was amused by his look and reassured him, “Silly boy, of course there’s some for you too.”
Seems like I still haven’t done enough to boost Luke’s brainpower, seeing how easily he’s swayed by Emma…
Emma, half-trusting, took a cautious sip.
In an instant, the rich, earthy flavor of walnuts perfectly fused with the creamy sweetness of milk in her mouth, silky and smooth—a surprisingly delicious taste!
“Delicious!” Emma’s eyes lit up, and she lost all pretense as she downed the Walnut Milk in several big gulps.
Ize, still smiling, topped up her cup and said with even more “concern,” “It’s fine, drink as much as you want—it’s good for your brai… uh, good for relieving fatigue and getting a good night’s sleep. I’ve got plenty here.”
Of course, the brain-boosting effects of this stuff are probably more for fun than anything—just look at Luke. Still… it’s better than nothing, right?
“Senior! I want some more too!” Luke raised his hand eagerly.
“Of course, there’s plenty for you.”
At this moment, Ize felt like a weary old father, caring for two “kids” whose intelligence was frankly worrisome—truly a difficult job.
Emma drank several more cups in a row, only stopping when she felt her belly bulge a little. Satisfied, she rubbed her stomach, a blush of fullness rising on her cheeks.
Ize asked “considerately,” “Senior, can you still eat? Would you like to order some more dishes?”
Emma lowered her head in embarrassment, her voice as quiet as a mosquito: “N-no, that’s enough…” (Though she hadn’t eaten in two days, she was still a bit hungry…)
Ize gave a knowing smile, and before she could change her mind, beckoned the waiter over and swiftly ordered a few more dishes.
Very soon, new dishes arrived: Grilled Pork Brain, Stir-fried Pork Brain, Mala Pork Brain…
Emma looked at the table, now covered with white, variously shaped pork brain dishes. She blinked and asked in confusion, “Junior… why… are they all pork brain?”
You are what you eat, aren’t you? What else could it be!
He hadn’t even figured out how to explain when the ever-helpful Luke jumped in to answer, “Senior! These are all great for you! Senior Ize brings me to eat these all the time—they’re delicious! And really good for your health!”
Emma’s look at Ize changed completely, full of gratitude and admiration. “Ize Junior, I never expected… you’re not only thoughtful but also so considerate and caring. Looks like I really haven’t gotten to know you enough in the past.”
She declared solemnly, “Even though you may be a bit lacking in magical talent, your noble character—loving your peers, always ready to help—is truly worth learning from for all of Starshine Academy! Teacher Kreya really chose the right student!”
Ize felt a bit guilty at such high praise, but outwardly maintained a modest smile and replied with righteous-sounding words, “You flatter me, Senior. As students of Starshine Academy, it’s only right that we help each other and work together to make our Academy a warm, united family.”
These words seemed to strike a chord with Emma. She fell silent for a moment, her expression shifting as if an intense internal struggle was raging inside her.
After a long while, she seemed to finally make up her mind, gathered her courage, and spoke in a tiny voice: “Ize Junior… Luke Junior… um… do you have any more Gold Coins with you?”
She hurriedly added, “I’ve thought it over—our teachers’ assignment is much more important. I can’t let my own mistake cause any delays. As soon as we’re back at the Academy, I’ll repay both of you at once—and I’ll pay an extra ten percent interest to thank you!”
For someone as proud and stubborn as Emma to actually take the initiative to borrow money—now that was tough on her.
Ize pondered for a moment. He didn’t immediately agree, but first asked, “Senior, how much do you still need?”
Emma’s eyes lit up with hope, and she quickly answered, “They want me to pay a thousand Gold Coins in compensation. When I left, I only had two hundred on me… so I still need eight hundred…” Her voice grew smaller and more ashamed as she spoke, “The main thing is… I couldn’t sell a single bottle of the potions I brought with me this time… Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had to ask the two of you for so much…”
Actually, Emma’s potion-making skills were definitely not the problem.
Blame it on Ize for making her drink a potion that lowered her presence—so she was totally unnoticeable in the bustling docks, and with her shy personality refusing to shout out her wares, of course she couldn’t sell anything…
Thinking of it that way, he did feel a bit responsible himself.
By all rights, he should help her out.
Ize considered for a moment, then said, “Eight hundred Gold Coins, huh, I…”
Before he could finish, a cold prompt from the system echoed in his mind:
[God-tier Choice System at your service. Host, please make your selection as soon as possible.]
[Choice 1: Pat your chest confidently and say, ‘It’s just pocket change,’ then immediately lend Emma the Gold Coins. Difficulty: A, Completion Reward: Protagonist Points +10]
[Choice 2: Place the Gold Coins before Emma, look down on her, and say, “Want money? Fine, be my dog.” Difficulty: S, Completion Reward: Antagonist Points +10]
[Choice 3: Explain that you don’t have that much cash, but offer to help Emma earn the rest of the Gold Coins within the time limit. Difficulty: C, Completion Reward: Passerby Points +10]
Another C-rank!
Ize stared at the glaring C-rank difficulty in his vision, feeling as if a mouthful of old blood was stuck in his chest.
So, there really is no easy, peaceful path for me, huh?
As long as you’re involved with these “main characters,” even something as simple as lending Gold Coins or acting as a background prop is filled with danger!
I, Ize, am truly too miserable! He let out a silent wail in his heart.
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