Origins

Parr followed John through the not particularly bustling streets toward the Kunna Merchant Guild's headquarters. Along the way, he looked around curiously, getting a glimpse of the living standards of the people in this other world.

The people of Azure Stone City had all kinds of hair and eye colors, a defining feature of the Wind Wolf Kingdom. Founded after the Great Calamity, the Wind Wolf Kingdom had taken in people of every race. After a thousand years, distinctions between them had faded away, and no one found others' hair or eye colors strange anymore.

As for their standard of living, it could be roughly analyzed from four aspects.

What four aspects?

Clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

From what Parr had observed, the people of Azure Stone City dressed far better than those in Haystack Village. Their clothes had already moved beyond coarse cloth and linen, made instead from fabric that looked very soft and came in many colors. Most people dressed this way, while a smaller number wore even better clothing, something like silk—light, thin, and obviously expensive.

The styles of clothing were just as varied as their hair and eye colors, with no standard style at all.

There was not much to say about food. Most of it consisted of flour-based products, especially white bread in all sorts of shapes. Perhaps because everyone was uneasy, not all the vendors had come out. In any case, that was all Parr saw.

There was even less to say about housing. Every house gleamed with golden light, nearly blinding him. This was Azure Stone City's specialty: Lapis Lazuli. Living close to the source had its advantages, so Lapis Lazuli was hardly rare within Azure Stone City.

As for transportation... Parr looked down at his two short little legs, then at the other pedestrians on the street, and silently wondered, Are vehicles forbidden inside Azure Stone City?

They made no conversation along the way. John brought Parr to the Kunna Merchant Guild's headquarters, a spacious shop with a large courtyard behind it.

After John showed the shop clerk the token Kunna had given him, the clerk respectfully led them into the back courtyard.

"Why is she here?"

The moment Parr entered the courtyard and saw that dazzling head of pink hair, he turned and ran. His little—old—face simply could not take it. But John reacted quickly, grabbing him by the back of his collar.

"Why are you running, little guy? Aren't you going to see your little girlfriend?"

John waggled his eyebrows at Parr with a lecherous grin, stressing the final three words heavily. Then he suddenly swung his arm, flinging the caught-off-guard Parr toward Ithil, who had somehow appeared at the Kunna Merchant Guild.

"Move, move..."

Parr once again experienced the power of a Bronze-level Knight. In John's hands, he was like a baby chick, utterly unable to resist. Staggering forward, he rushed toward Ithil, who had turned around at the sound.

Then Parr plunged into Ithil's slightly soft embrace.

"You're back, little brother!"

Dressed in a red skirt, Ithil hugged Parr and smiled as she reached out to stroke his short black hair, making his face flush bright red.

Whenever he remembered how Ithil had seen every inch of him and touched every inch of him last night, Parr wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it. Whether it was the transmigrator in him or Parr himself, neither could bear the embarrassment. But before that, Parr still had to...

"Sorry, sorry..."

Parr forcefully broke free from Ithil's embrace, apologizing as he turned and charged furiously at the laughing John. He could not take it anymore. Even if he could not beat this scumbag John, he had to make his stance clear. Just because he was small did not mean he was easy to bully!

"Don't be angry, little guy! Hahaha..."

John laughed shamelessly and casually shoved aside Parr, who was charging at him. Then he asked Ithil, who was walking over, "Miss, is everything ready on your Church's side?"

"It's ready."

Ithil nodded and said softly,

"Honorary Knight, the Church is prepared, and we have informed Old Azure Stone Viscount as well. We will act at noon today. That will be when we make our move. However, in order to avoid alerting those heretics, the Knight Captain did not return. Instead, he is outside leading people to clear out heretics in the towns and villages. So, we will have to trouble you with the heretics within the city."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all."

John waved a hand, a smile appearing on his face. Slaying heretics was what he loved most. What was troublesome about that? He could hardly be happier!

"We're acting at noon?"

Parr stopped making a fuss. He finally understood. During the time he had been unconscious yesterday, John had already planned everything out with the Azure Stone City Church. That was why John had been so unhurried. He had even called over two women last night! That was the important part! Two!

"Acting at noon will weaken the Death Heretics the most. Most of their methods cannot stand the light, which can effectively reduce casualties." Ithil explained with a smile.

"Alright, since everything is settled, I should get some rest."

John stretched, then suddenly reached out and shoved Parr beside him into Ithil's arms. In a serious tone, he said to Ithil,

"Miss, this little guy came from the countryside. Take him around the city and broaden his horizons."

"Alright."

Ithil tightly caught Parr as he tried to flee, smiling as she nodded at John. Then, ignoring Parr's objections, she dragged him away.

"Let me go..."

"Hahaha..."

John laughed happily. Why did he treat Parr like this? Was it not because whenever he got close to a woman, Parr's envious and jealous gaze made his skin crawl? Now Parr would not need to envy or resent him anymore.

"With teaching methods like yours, no wonder all the male Knights in our Wind Wolf Kingdom turn out the same in the end!"

Kunna, who had not appeared until now, walked over and rolled her eyes at the neatly dressed, handsome, and dashing John.

"That's slander!"

John raised his voice in embarrassed anger. "I'm doing this for the little guy's own good. A country boy like him should go out and see the world. If I did not need rest, I would have taken him myself."

"Oh?"

Kunna narrowed her beautiful gray eyes and stared at John for a long while. Then she shook her head without asking further questions, instead taking John by the hand and turning toward the room.

"John, you are an honored guest of our merchant guild. Since you need rest, go to my room. My room is the best one here. We can also discuss your reward while we're at it."

"Let me go..."

Parr's struggling gradually weakened, because after leaving the Kunna Merchant Guild's headquarters, Ithil turned to look at him. Her big pink eyes stared straight into his big black ones. She just looked at him without saying a word!

Parr was not chickening out! He just felt that shouting and making a scene in the street was undignified.

"Hahaha."

Ithil reached out and pinched Parr's little cheek. Laughing brightly, she said, "You're so cute, little brother! I really like you more and more."

That was Ithil's genuine thought. She was not someone who hid her feelings. Yesterday, when she had been at her most heartbroken, Parr had come to comfort her, leaving a deep impression on her. Later, she had given Parr a bath and gotten to know this little guy thoroughly, which was why she acted so naturally around him.

Of course, the liking Ithil spoke of had nothing to do with romantic feelings. She was only twelve herself. She simply regarded Parr as her best friend and an adorable little brother.

"..."

However, Parr's brain instantly crashed. Only one thought echoed through his mind: A girl confessed to me. Although Ithil is still an oversized loli, she confessed to me. What should I do? Waiting online, urgently need advice! Also, I'm not a loli lover. It just happens that the girl confessing to me is a loli.

Well, please forgive this lifelong single dog across two lives.

And so, Ithil led the silent Parr around Azure Stone City, occasionally introducing things she thought he should know. Parr remained quiet, still immersed in his chaotic thoughts, and did not absorb a single word.

"Boss, Boss."

As they passed an alley, a voice from within caught Ithil's attention. She pulled Parr inside.

The suddenly darkened surroundings brought Parr back to his senses. Looking up, he saw a ragged little beggar waving at Ithil and saying anxiously,

"Boss, I finally found you. The Grimm Brothers had their arms and legs broken. They urgently need treatment."

"How were they broken? Who did it?"

A dangerous gleam appeared in Ithil's eyes, but the little beggar stammered for a long time without answering her questions.

"Forget it. I'll ask them myself!"

Shaking her head, Ithil pulled Parr toward the alley's other exit.

"Wait for me, Boss."

The little beggar hurried after them. Along the way, he curiously watched Parr holding hands with Ithil. Finally, unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "Boss, who is he...?"

"My little brother."

Ithil answered directly without the slightest hesitation. Parr, likewise without hesitation, loudly objected.

"I'm not your little brother. I'm older than you."

"Tch!"

Ithil stopped and held her hand up to compare Parr's height. He only reached her neck. What was there to say? The facts were obvious. In front of her, Parr was just a little brother.

"I really am older than you..."

Parr argued weakly, but no one believed him. The little beggar following behind even gave him an admiring look. This was the first child he had ever seen who dared speak to Boss like that and got away with it. Impressive, truly impressive.

After winding east and west through the streets, the three arrived at Azure Stone City South District. Parr noticed that the surrounding buildings were becoming increasingly dilapidated. Gradually, different kinds of structures appeared—ones built from wood, piled stones, or a mixture of wood and stone.

"So Azure Stone City doesn't only have Lapis Lazuli houses. This should be the slums, right?"

Parr carefully observed the passersby. There were not many, but he saw familiar burlap clothes. Combining that with their surroundings, he guessed that this area was Azure Stone City's slums.

"We're here."

Stopping before a run-down old courtyard, Ithil explained to the still-looking-around Parr, "This is Azure Stone City's slums. Some poor people and beggars live here."

"Oh."

Parr nodded to show that he understood, then turned toward Ithil's destination: a dilapidated, old courtyard that was nevertheless kept fairly tidy. Its gate was wooden, though half of it was missing. Inside were many children dressed similarly to the little beggar, some older and some younger, but none over fifteen.

"Boss!"

"Boss is here!"

"Boss, come look at the Grimm Brothers..."

"..."

The children in the courtyard spotted Ithil and swarmed toward her. Ithil was their boss, and they trusted her deeply.

"So they..."

Seeing this scene, Parr guessed something. Ithil was Bolen Knight's adopted daughter, but she had not been an orphan living in the Church from the beginning. So where had she lived before joining the Church? Seeing these beggar-like children and hearing how they addressed her, Parr found the answer. Ithil had come from this very place, and she held considerable prestige among them.

"These are the children of Azure Stone City's poor and some orphans. I used to be one of them too."

As Ithil pulled Parr deeper into the courtyard, she continued explaining. The truth was exactly as Parr had guessed. She had come from here as well. Because she was gifted and intelligent, Old Larry, who had come here to treat the poor for free, had taken her on as his student by chance. At the Church, Bolen Knight had been responsible for caring for her. Although Bolen Knight was somewhat rigid, he had still allowed her, an orphan, to feel the warmth of family.