First Kiss Was a Little Salty

"Don't come over!" Emma shouted at Kerry.

"I'm not coming over, so you come here!" Kerry certainly wasn't going over. He didn't know how to sail a boat either.

Kerry simply waited for Emma to sail the boat back. Emma, of course, had no intention of turning back after spending several hours escaping by boat.

Emma had successfully gotten away from shore, more than ten meters out. She felt she was about to master this difficult-to-control sail. If she used Sandstorm Technique one last time, she could escape without a hitch.

After several hours, Emma's magic power was nearly depleted. She could probably use Sandstorm Technique one last time. Her previously abundant magic power had all been wasted blowing the little boat a bit to the left, then a bit to the right, and into the waves. The result was simply tragic.

"Sandstorm Technique!" After chanting the practiced incantation, Emma controlled the sail to face outward. A powerful gust swelled the sail, and the little boat suddenly accelerated, crashing straight into an incoming wave.

Kerry was dumbfounded. Didn't I tell you to sail the boat back? Why are you going farther out? And what are you thinking, charging straight into such a huge wave?

The little boat capsized. Emma had just used up her last bit of magic and was already dizzy and seeing stars. When the boat flipped, Kerry saw Emma's back slam hard into the surface of the sea. That had to hurt terribly. Kerry couldn't help shrinking his neck.

The boat capsizing itself wasn't a major problem. It was a small boat, after all, and it couldn't trap anyone beneath it. But after Emma fell into the water, she showed no sign of resurfacing. Kerry waited for around twenty seconds, then suddenly felt like crying.

Please don't let the joy of celebrating a birthday turn into a funeral. She's clearly drowning! Kerry didn't hesitate any longer. He dove into the sea and quickly swam toward the spot where Emma had fallen.

Fortunately, the Gene Enhancement Fluid was incredibly effective. Kerry's swimming skills had previously only been good enough to keep him from drowning, but now they had improved by leaps and bounds. Every aspect of his physical ability and coordination had grown tremendously. He felt that even an Olympic swimmer from his past life would only be this good.

He soon reached the place where the boat had capsized.

Emma was already on the verge of shock. The impact when she hit the surface had caused the magic-depleted Emma's vision to go black, and afterward, she felt herself sinking deeper and deeper.

Am I going to die? That's fine, I suppose. I was a young lady for more than a decade, and I've only been fleeing for half a year. I've already gotten more out of this life than I could have asked for. I just hope I can live a little longer in my next life.

Emma's consciousness was growing hazy. Many memories from the past began flashing before her eyes like scenes from a film. Her thoughts drifted back to the days when she had dreamed of a prince on a white horse marrying her and giving her a happy fairy-tale life.

A powerful hand suddenly grabbed her arm. It vaguely resembled the hand of her prince on a white horse, and the other person really was quite fair. Then came the sensation of rapidly rising upward. As for where she was rising to—perhaps it was heaven.

Emma no longer knew anything. By then, she had completely lost consciousness.

"Hey, Emma, are you all right? Answer me! Hurry and answer me!" Kerry dragged the unconscious Emma ashore, but no matter how much he patted her, she wouldn't wake up. Kerry was nearly frantic. Is this really going to turn into a funeral?

Artificial respiration? Emma was certainly cute, and she would grow into a beauty. But if Gandalf found out, would he kill him?

Forget it. If Gandalf found out that Emma died right in front of me... Kerry couldn't help imagining the entire South Australia Island being flattened.

What's the sequence for artificial respiration again? Chest compressions first, then blowing air into her mouth?

There had been free artificial-respiration training at the little supermarket in his previous life, but he had already forgotten some of it.

But this was no time to worry about the order or hesitate. Kerry performed a series of chest compressions, then opened Emma's small mouth and forcefully blew a breath into it.

To his surprise, after Kerry put her through all that, Emma suddenly opened her eyes wide.

Emma felt terribly stifled and suddenly felt the urge to vomit. Then she opened her eyes wide and happened to see Kerry with his lips pressed against hers. Before she could even mourn the loss of her first kiss, she began forcefully vomiting seawater.

When Kerry saw Emma spit out the seawater, his suspended heart finally settled back into his chest. He had finally saved her. He pursed his lips, and amid the salty taste of seawater, there seemed to be a hint of sweetness as well.

Emma's feelings were complicated. Recalling the images from after she had fallen into the water, then seeing herself already back on shore, she realized that Kerry had saved her. But the person who had saved her was also the one trying to capture her.

For a moment, Emma didn't know what to say as she looked at Kerry. Her eyes were complicated, as if asking, Why was it you who saved me?

"It was me who saved you!" Kerry suddenly looked at Emma and nodded as he spoke.

How does he know what I'm thinking? Emma found it amazing. She hadn't even asked, yet he had answered first. Could he read minds?

Kerry naturally had to save Emma. Although he had no idea what exactly her eyes were saying, she had seen him mouth-to-mouth with her, so he had better explain. Otherwise, she might think he had taken advantage of her.

Emma also didn't know what attitude she should use when dealing with Kerry. Kerry was embarrassed that she had seen him performing artificial respiration, and he didn't know what to say next either.

Kerry thought the scene was extremely awkward, while Emma thought it was extremely ambiguous.

"Let's see what I've found. Two young lovers attempting suicide together?" A voice suddenly interrupted the strange atmosphere between Kerry and Emma. When Kerry saw Gandalf descending from the sky, he secretly relaxed, while Emma let out a huge sigh of relief.

The two of them simultaneously relaxing and then looking at each other in surprise—and with a hint of amusement—made everyone feel that things weren't so bad after all.

Seeing the two of them exhale at the same time and display such perfect rapport, Gandalf smiled knowingly. It seemed they had a very good relationship.

Gandalf had been flying toward the castle in the distant sky when he saw Kerry kissing Emma from afar. Only after seeing Emma spit out the water did he realize it was artificial respiration.

Now that he observed them from closer up and saw how close the two young people seemed—despite the complicated atmosphere between them earlier—he naturally assumed they had attempted suicide together as lovers. Thus, he began teasing Kerry and Emma.

"Teacher, where did you go?" When Emma saw Gandalf arrive, she felt she had someone to rely on. Even if things fell apart now, Gandalf could still take her to safety.

"You're back. Why did it take so long? The party is about to start." Kerry, meanwhile, was puzzled. Gandalf should have been able to finish what he was doing in half a day, so why had he taken so long to return?

"Party?!" Emma was confused when she heard Kerry mention a party to Gandalf. For a moment, she couldn't understand what Kerry and Gandalf organizing a party had to do with anything.

"I went to Little Nose Bay Port City to get your birthday present. Unfortunately, it had a defect when I inspected it, so I asked them to fix it. It delayed me quite a bit," Gandalf replied to Emma while also explaining to Kerry why he had been delayed.

"What? A birthday present... and a party!" Emma was both surprised and amazed.

Combining Gandalf and Kerry's conversation with the reason Gandalf had been gone all day, Emma finally realized that she had misunderstood everyone.

So everyone had been acting strangely all day because they were preparing to celebrate her birthday.

Thinking back, it seemed everyone had been secretly grinning while looking at her, as if they were planning to give her a huge surprise...

Yesterday, I received word that this book would be getting its first recommendation. I'm so nervous. I'll be writing later at night from now on and will try to post more chapters.

Also, please give me some collections and recommendation votes. There will be many interesting stories later on. I hope everyone can help this little seedling grow and let more people see it. Xiao Ran humbly thanks you!