Raya

"Lin Luo..."

Melina appeared beside Lin Luo after they had left the church.

"Your teacher... you don't know him, do you?"

"Mmm..."

Lin Luo nodded.

"Teacher Topos isn't very confident in himself; he's a bit too self-deprecating... Perhaps it's his experiences at the Academy. I don't want him to end up with a bad outcome..."

"Teacher Topos definitely likes Teacher Sellen... it's just that he doesn't dare to admit it himself. After all, their status is too different. Someone who is called 'Wastestone' by others, how could he dare to desecrate a genius scholar whose portrait could hang in the Academy's great hall?"

Lin Luo chuckled helplessly.

"Only by saying this can he better research his magic..."

"At that time... I hope Teacher Topos won't collapse from exhaustion..."

The last sentence was what Lin Luo was thinking...

"Is that so..."

Melina looked as if she'd just understood, her expression incredibly cute.

"It's getting late, time to move. We should aim to reach the Academy before dark."

Melina nodded and returned to the Site of Grace.

At this moment, Lin Luo took out the Longtail Cat Charm from his pouch. The effect of this trinket was simple: it could reduce almost all fall damage. (Definitely different from the game.)

He fastened it to his chest. Looking at the cliff dozens of meters high, Lin Luo didn't hesitate and leaped off.

Truth be told, this was Lin Luo's first time doing this. He wasn't afraid of dying from the fall; after all, with his Demigod physique, he couldn't possibly die from a mere fall.

However, the moment he jumped, Lin Luo regretted it. He had originally intended to do a cool somersault in mid-air and land gracefully...

But after jumping, Lin Luo realized he couldn't maintain his balance at all...

Lin Luo flailed his limbs wildly in the air. After a while... he landed... his backside directly hitting the ground... The immense impact force dug a deep crater into the earth.

This was even after Lin Luo had tried his best to control it. Otherwise, upon landing, his face would have likely met the ground...

"Hiss!..."

Lin Luo gasped, taking a sharp breath. Good heavens, what had he done to himself... Lin Luo dared to bet that the injuries he sustained now were worse than those he got fighting Godrick. Ah, no, he didn't get injured fighting Godrick.

But that wasn't the main point. Melina had seen it all clearly!

There were many ways to die, but this was the most terrifying!

Lin Luo felt his face heat up, but his intense embarrassment kept him from making a sound...

"Ahem..."

Lin Luo grunted, struggling to get up from the ground. He clutched the Longtail Cat Charm at his chest and threw it fiercely onto the ground.

"Pfft! Useless junk!"

(Longtail Cat Charm: "I'm for preventing death by falling, not death by being an idiot!")

Lin Luo slowly took out the Spirit Steed's Calling Bell. Well... it was better to ride a horse... otherwise, his backside might not be able to take it.

Melina, of course, saw all of this... but she also understood how embarrassed Lin Luo was right now, so she didn't come out.

Lin Luo drank a flask of Crimson Tear, feeling the pain in his backside subside slightly. Only then did he climb onto Torrent's back.

If Lin Luo remembered correctly, there should be a key to the Academy in the northwest of Liurnia, guarded by a giant dragon. That dragon was a Glintstone Dragon named Smarag.

It wasn't exactly guarding it; it was just that a sorcerer carrying the Glintstone Key had died there, and the Glintstone Key remained there.

Lin Luo's goal was simple: obtain the key, storm the Academy, and get the Great Rune of the Unborn from Rennala...

Lin Luo couldn't be bothered to explore the surrounding caves; after all, there wasn't anything good in them.

The horse's hooves galloped freely through the shallow pool, splashing up sprays of water.

There were quite a few lobsters along the way. The tribal people also noticed Lin Luo, but they only glanced at him before giving up the chase. After all, Torrent's speed was no joke.

Before long, Lin Luo passed by a pavilion.

A voice from within called out to him.

"Hello? You there?"

The voice was faint, but Lin Luo perceived it clearly.

"Hmm?"

Lin Luo reined in his horse and dismounted. He had to admit, the Crimson Tear was quite effective; at least his backside wasn't hurting as much anymore.

As he approached the pavilion, Lin Luo finally saw the appearance of the person.

It was a girl, or at least she didn't look very old. Her fair face had two rosy blushes, making her look very cute.

The only imperfection was that the maiden seemed a bit hunched over? She was leaning forward, her back bent, by the side of the pavilion, as if she had lost all strength.

Seeing this familiar figure, Lin Luo remembered the scene from his memories.

That must be Raya, the Serpent-man from Volcano Manor...

"Hello... it's a bit cold around here..."

Raya looked at Lin Luo, appearing somewhat happy.

"I was traveling on my master's orders... but I was attacked by a thug... and I'm in a bit of a bind."

"...Could I possibly ask you for a favor?"

Raya looked at Lin Luo, a hint of pleading in her eyes.

Lin Luo remained expressionless and simply nodded slightly.

"That thug I mentioned earlier... he took my necklace... that necklace is very important to me... could you please help me get it back..."

"It's just... he's also a Tarnished, so asking you to fight one of your own kind... I feel quite embarrassed about it... If you don't want to, I won't force you..."

"I can."

"Thank you so much... I'm so glad I met you..."

"That thug should be resting in the ruined shack up ahead... Please, would you retrieve my necklace for me..."

"If you're telling the truth... I'm certainly willing... but! I hope you're not lying to me... otherwise..."

Lin Luo said this indifferently, leaving the sentence unfinished, but the meaning was clear.

He wasn't the type to be unable to control himself around women, except for Melina, of course.

Raya was actually quite a simple young girl. Perhaps this was just part of her mission, but Lin Luo truly disliked being deceived like this.

If he wasn't mistaken, Raya had likely orchestrated the thug stealing her necklace... with the intention of testing passing Tarnished and then bringing them back to Volcano Manor.

"This..."

Raya was clearly a bit confused, unsure if Lin Luo had seen through her lie or if she simply didn't understand what he was saying...

He hoped it was the latter...

(This is just speculation, the author really likes Raya, and I also really like the Shrimp Brother, so please don't be offended.)

Lin Luo gave Raya a deep look, then turned and left the pavilion directly.

"Ah well, I'll help her retrieve the necklace for now... that necklace... it probably is quite important to her..."

Lin Luo sighed, recalling Raya's eventual fate, and felt a touch of pity.

"Lin Luo... you seemed a little angry just now..."

Melina's voice echoed in Lin Luo's mind.

"It's not that serious..."

"I just genuinely hate being manipulated..."

Lin Luo sighed. After all, having been manipulated by the Greater Will countless times, Lin Luo naturally found such things utterly repulsive...

However, his attitude just now had indeed been a bit excessive.

"Oh well... she's just a young girl, why bother being angry with her..."

"Melina is the one who's good to me..."