An Unusual Teacher

Deep within a dim canyon stood a towering castle.

The castle was built entirely from blue-green boulders. The angular edges jutting from the stone surfaces showed that, though tall, it was not particularly refined, and it had not been built long ago.

Inside the castle, the roads were broad, with dazzling lights and lavish decorations all along the way.

Mottled, writhing shadows clung to the walls on either side, which were carved with epic scenes. They gave the neat passageway a faint air of age, yet also an oddly deliberate sense of artificial antiquity.

Kabir was used to this. Led by an elderly Maid, he respectfully made his way to a hall.

No candles were lit in the hall, leaving it rather dim. Only a faint blue speck of light flickered gently in the center, like breathing. An invisible force spread from it and filled the surroundings, making Kabir feel faintly suffocated.

"These damn Silver Wizards—their 'Castle Vitalizer' is truly difficult to use!"

A deep, powerful voice complained from the darkness. At the same time, the glowing blue speck gradually dimmed, and the strange force slowly faded.

Bang!

A great number of candles in the hall ignited at once. Their dazzling light, combined with the many crystal ornaments placed in the corners, made the entire hall seem as bright as the blazing noon sun, without a single dark corner.

Even though he had experienced it many times, the suddenly bright hall still felt painfully glaring to Kabir.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked toward the figure in the center of the hall.

Judging by his appearance, the owner of that figure was already very old. His hair was completely white, and his skin was covered in wrinkles.

Yet the old man's eyes were clear and bright. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and his voice was full of vigor when he spoke, making him seem exceptionally stern.

"I remember you, young man. You're Kabir, aren't you? Why are you back so early today? Did my adorable little grandson learn something new again?"

The moment he mentioned his grandson, his stern expression crumbled, and even the corners of his eyes held a smile of anticipation.

"Lord Pahez Garner."

Kabir lowered his head and said respectfully, "Young Master Arro left the Small Castle today and spoke with me for a while. There are some matters I felt I had to report to you, so I returned early."

"What kind of castle is that? It's just a little stone house... Forget it. Tell me, what happened?"

Pahz stretched out his hand, and the elderly Maid beside him immediately brought over a wooden chair. This Maid was none other than Ms. Fana, whom Little Arro had not seen in a long time.

"It was like this..."

Kabir recounted everything that had happened that day in full detail.

Pahz said thoughtfully, "You told Little Arro that the book was yours?"

"Uh!"

Kabir froze. He had not expected Lord Pahez's focus to be on that, but he did not dare hide anything and nodded. "Yes."

Pahz raised his brows, blowing his beard and glaring at Kabir. "Nonsense! You must honestly tell Little Arro that the book is mine! I gave it to you, and you merely passed it on to him!"

Is there really that much difference?

Kabir did not know whether to laugh or cry, but he could only agree. "Understood, Lord Pahez."

After waiting for a while and seeing that Pahz had nothing more to say, Kabir could not help asking, "Lord Pahez, how should we arrange for Little Arro to learn the Knight's Breathing Technique? Can he learn it?"

"Since you promised Little Arro, you can teach him when the time comes."

"It's fine. Didn't I learn it when I was young as well?"

Pahz waved his hand carelessly.

"It'll be good for Little Arro to learn it. At the very least, it can strengthen his body."

Ding! Discovered the technique "Guard Breathing Technique." Learn it?

The system finally reacted!

Little Arro was delighted and hurriedly answered in his mind, Yes!

Insufficient Skill Points. Please level up!

Damn it!

If I had Skill Points, would I need to go through all this trouble?

Can you issue a Novice Mission now?

Come on, come on, come on...

Get lost!

Little Arro hugged the old book and headed toward the castle.

As he passed through a narrow corridor and went by the dining room, Little Arro suddenly heard a squeak.

Was that a mouse?

Sniff, sniff!

It smells so good!

Little Arro halted and turned to look into the dining room.

No way. I only stepped out for a little while, and they're already having a candlelit dinner?

Is that something decent people do?

Let me see what they're eating.

Little Arro stood on tiptoe and quietly poked his head over to look.

There was Truffle with Foie Gras, Caviar beside it, Black Pepper Beef in the middle, and quite a few other dishes he did not recognize.

Wait, what are they eating right now? Judging by their expressions, they seem to be enjoying it.

One shell per person?

Come to think of it, don't people usually have appetizers, side dishes, main courses, and all that when they eat?

Now they're just serving up anything delicious?

Overcome with sorrow, Little Arro's envious drool could not help sliding down from his eyes.

"Father, Mother!"

His mother Nicole's face was flushed, and her Eyes were slightly unfocused. She put down the shell in her hand and turned to look over.

"Oh, Arro is back. Why didn't you play a little longer?"

"Play longer?!"

Little Arro pointed at the Desktop and demanded sorrowfully, "If I kept playing, wouldn't you have finished everything?"

David took a sip of red wine from his cup and said leisurely, "Little Arro, it's not that we won't let you eat. Your teeth haven't even fully grown in yet. You can't eat these things."

Little Arro had only just turned one. Only his front teeth had grown in, while none of his molars had emerged yet. He could manage tearing at food, but chewing it would indeed be difficult for him.

"I don't care! I want to eat too!"

For over a whole year, he had not tasted even the slightest bit of proper meat!

"Arro, if you're hungry, I'll have the kitchen make you some meat soup," Nicole soothed him gently.

Meat soup...

Arro had drunk meat soup before leaving, so he was not actually hungry. He was simply craving food.

"...Forget it."

Little Arro looked at the feast on the table and swallowed. He barely suppressed the longing in his heart as reason returned. Letting out a long breath, he forced down his craving, picked up the book, and said to Nicole, "Mother, teach me how to read. I want to learn this."

"Knight's... Breathing Technique?"

Nicole glanced at the old book, yawned lazily, and said tiredly, "Arro, I'm a little tired today. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

Tired?

Little Arro looked at Nicole suspiciously, then turned back to look at David.

His mother had always seemed made of Iron. Why would she say she was tired today?

Could it be that the two of them want to...

Ahem!

Bang!

"Ow!"

Little Arro squatted down, clutching his head.

David slowly withdrew his hand.

"What are you doing?!"

Nicole shielded Little Arro and glared furiously at David.

"The look in his Eyes just now offended me."

"A father doesn't need too many reasons to hit his son, does he?"

Noticing Nicole's slowly clenched fist, David hurriedly turned away and sternly said to Arro, "Your mother said she's tired, yet all you can think about is that worthless book. What a waste of all the affection your mother has shown you."

Hey! That was what you really meant all along, wasn't it?!

"What are you talking about?" Nicole rolled her eyes at David, then turned back and tenderly rubbed Little Arro's struck head. Indulgently, she said, "Little Arro, Mother really was in the wrong today. How about this? I'll find you a teacher."

"A teacher?"

Little Arro immediately raised his head, explained what had just happened, then said, "Kabir was the one who gave me this book in the first place. If I'm looking for a teacher, I'll definitely choose him. Finding someone else would violate our agreement."

"But as you said, you only agreed to ask Kabir whenever there was something in the book you did not understand. That does not count as a teacher; it can only be called an agreement to seek guidance. Besides, the teacher I'm finding for you will not teach you this. She'll teach you how to read."

Nicole rubbed Little Arro's little head.

"Is that so?"

Little Arro looked at his mother in confusion.

Just to teach me how to read, does she need to make it sound so formal?

There are plenty of people in the castle who can read. She could just call any one of them.

"Wait a moment."

After saying that, Nicole closed her eyes and pressed one hand against her brow.

Little Arro looked at her strangely. What kind of pose is that?

Could she be using some kind of Sound Transmission Secret Technique?

Even now, Little Arro still believed this was a martial arts world.

After all, his cheat was clearly labeled the Martial Arts System.

He had never seen, heard of, or even considered the possibility of transmigrating with a cheat that did not fit the world.

"Meow~"

Little Arro hurriedly turned around and saw a black shadow leap down from the nearby window before approaching with proud, unhurried steps.

"What a huge cat!"

It was a Black Cat. Its fur was sleek and glossy, without a single stray hair. It was enormous; even while crouching as it walked, it was nearly as tall as Little Arro was now.

The Black Cat swayed gracefully as it approached. Its eyes shone brightly like two deep lamps as it studied Little Arro.

"Nicole, you want me to teach your son how to read?"

A lazy female voice came from the cat's mouth.

What?

Did I hear that right?

A cat can talk?

Could this be some kind of monster?

Arro's mouth slowly fell open.

"That's Right."

"Arro, this is the teacher I found for you. You must study hard with her. If you aren't serious, I'll be able to see it all."