After passing through the dark, quiet Whispering Woods, anyone who continued to the right along the road would see Starfell Lake.
But Li Qiuzhi and Sucrose were headed to Windwail Highland.
They needed to leave the main road and go straight ahead. The terrain here consisted entirely of difficult hills, sometimes requiring them to climb.
Just like their current situation.
Li Qiuzhi jumped up and caught the edge of the higher ground jutting out from the rock face, then pulled himself up with the strength of his arms.
Once he was up, Li Qiuzhi turned and offered a hand to Sucrose, who was still below.
"Ah, thank you..."
Sucrose hurriedly rose onto her toes and reached up. She missed the first time, their fingers merely brushing against each other.
An embarrassed flush faintly appeared on her face. Her gaze unconsciously wandered to the rock wall beside her for less than a second before she readied herself for another attempt.
Her legs, clad in sheer, suspender-held thigh-high stockings that showed the color of her skin, bent slightly. Her glasses slipped a little as she jumped, but she successfully caught Li Qiuzhi's outstretched hand.
Through Sucrose's leather glove, Li Qiuzhi could feel a softness that seemed almost boneless.
He was just about to pull her up when he suddenly felt his hand empty, leaving him holding only a white glove.
"Ow..."
Sucrose landed bottom-first on the grassy ground, bracing herself with both hands. Her legs, their knees clearly outlined beneath the close-fitting, pale black thigh-high stockings, bent and drew slightly together.
The round, half-rimmed glasses on her face had also slipped into the space between her lower abdomen and her legs. Fortunately, they had not fallen onto the ground, dirtying or breaking the lenses.
"Miss Sucrose, are you all right?" Li Qiuzhi