She Called Me Dear!

"Phew, it's almost finished polishing."

As dawn broke through the window and into the room, the sky became fully bright. Xingsu slowly stretched, only then realizing that he had stayed up all night.

He turned to look at the two earphones placed side by side on the control panel, a pair of custom communication devices he had modified overnight. One was for himself, and the other was a gift for Arlecchino.

"Hmm... that way I can find her anytime."

Ah... Xingsu yawned widely. He had been traveling and sleeping outdoors for the past few days, and his body was already tired. After staying up all night, his tense nerves finally relaxed.

Xingsu quickly gathered the two earphones from the control panel, carefully put them into the box, and then dragged her tired steps to the bedside. Without bothering to tidy up her clothes, she lay down on the bed.

A wave of weariness washed over him, and drowsiness instantly enveloped Xingsu. The morning light outside the window was bright and soft, and the sound of the morning tide in Fontaine could be faintly heard. He closed his eyes, intending to take advantage of this free time to catch up on a good night's sleep and recharge before going to his appointment.

The warm afternoon sunlight slanted into the window. Xingsu woke up slowly in the afternoon. As soon as she opened her eyes, she was caught off guard by a calm gaze.

Arlecchino stood quietly by the bed, staring intently at him with her eyes downcast.

!!!

Xing Su opened his eyes to find a pair of thunderous, scarlet mushroom eyes staring straight at him. His brain instantly restarted, and he panicked, stuttering as he stammered, "Pepepepepe, no, Arecino, when did you... when did you get here?"

He abruptly sat up straight, his sleepiness instantly vanishing. A blush quickly spread across his ears, and he looked helplessly at the person beside the bed. He hadn't yet sorted out the fragmented thoughts from his dream and almost blurted out an affectionate nickname, a wave of embarrassment washing over him.

Arlecchino looked down at his flustered and stammering appearance, a faint smile appearing in her scarlet eyes, "You've been here for a while now. I wonder what position our dear Mr. Xingsu held at the House of the Hearth yesterday?"

She called me "darling"... no, wait!

Xingsu gripped the bedsheet beneath her, her ears burning even hotter. A mixture of grogginess and embarrassment washed over her as she stammered, "I'm... I'm a special instructor... in charge of the children's daily training."

He lowered his eyes, avoiding Arlecchino's gaze, his heart pounding. Arlecchino, seeing his awkwardness and restraint, smiled faintly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I see. I thought someone had forgotten their duties after just one day."

"I'm going right now." Xingsu hurriedly tugged at the wrinkled hem of her clothes, quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed, eager to rush to the training ground to handle the day's training arrangements.

Just as she took a step forward, Arlecchino stepped forward and stopped her with a raised hand. The smile in her eyes hadn't faded; she simply said casually, "It's still lunch break, no need to rush to work." She then walked to the worktable in the room. "I know you haven't eaten properly, so I brought you some food on the way. Remember to eat it while it's hot." With that, she opened the door and left the room.

Xingsu lifted the lid of the food box, and steam carrying a light aroma wafted out. He picked up a small spoon, scooped up some food, and put it in his mouth. The seasoning wasn't particularly amazing or outstanding, and was even a bit bland, but it had just the right amount of warmth, soothing his stomach, which was empty from days of running around and staying up late.

"What do you mean, 'grabbed food along the way'... She clearly made it herself."

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the training field. The children of the House of the Hearth stood in neat rows. Xingsu stood at the front of the line, his gentle gaze sweeping over each young face. He calmly began to introduce himself:

"My name is Xingsu, and I'm your new special instructor. For the next period of time, I will be responsible for your combat and knowledge instruction. However, I don't really like the title 'instructor,' as it sounds too authoritative and restrictive. Some of you who know the information should know that I am originally a scholar from Sumeru, so you can call me teacher, mentor, or instructor from now on, no problem. Now, it's my turn to introduce myself to you all."

As soon as the words were spoken, a murmur of discussion arose in the queue. Lyney and Lynette exchanged a glance and introduced themselves to Xingsu first, setting the stage for the children. The younger children, having overcome their initial awkwardness, relaxed and began to raise their hands to introduce themselves. Arlecchino stood quietly by a pillar at the edge of the field, watching with a faint smile in her crimson eyes.

Xingsu had a pleasant time with the children, especially this group of children who were being disciplined by Arlecchino. They were obedient, polite, and most importantly, their eyes shone with light.

They speak with enthusiasm about combat training and with anticipation for the future. Even though they have been tempered since childhood in the House of the Hearth, they have never lost their pure and vibrant spirit. Strict discipline has not dulled the children's spirit; Arlecchino has protected the passion in their eyes with a stern exterior.

The children quickly developed a liking for Xingsu. In the past, most of the instructors in charge of training were military personnel, and their teaching was serious, rigid, and strict. Everyone had long been used to the intense training rhythm. But a mentor like Xingsu, who came from a scholarly background, was someone the children had never met before.

His lectures are humorous and engaging, combining practical skills with Sumeru observations to explain concepts. He is gentle and refined, patient and meticulous when correcting movements, never resorting to harsh reprimands. This relaxed and gentle approach instantly bridged the gap between them, and the initially reserved children gradually opened up.

In just one afternoon, Xingsu, with her gentle and patient attitude and humorous and easy-to-understand teaching style, completely won over the group of teenagers at the House of the Hearth, becoming their new "king of the kids."

"Alright, dismissed. Lyney and Lynette, you two stay."

The surrounding teenagers dispersed in groups, and the noise gradually subsided. Lyney subconsciously straightened up, a familiar unease flashing in his eyes, wondering if the things they had discussed in private were about to be brought up again; Lynette's cat ears twitched slightly, and she stood quietly beside her brother, her cool brows showing a hint of wariness.

"Don't worry, there's no need to be so wary of me. I just wanted to chat with you two and also ask you for a small favor."

Lyney immediately stood up straight and replied, "I'll do my best to help in any way I can."

Xingsu cleared his throat twice as a prelude, then spoke frankly, "Ahem, first of all, I have some relationship with your father, as you should have vaguely sensed."

Lyney's eyes flickered, and her previous suspicions were instantly confirmed. Lynette's cat ears quietly perked up.

"Ah, I understand, I understand. It's really not easy for your families to reunite."

Xingsu sensed something odd about Lyney's words, but continued, "I'm planning to give her a gift. I see you two have some knowledge of magic, so I'm going to surprise her with a magic trick."

Upon hearing that he was going to use magic to prepare a surprise for his father, Lyney's eyes lit up instantly. He had long wanted to use his magic skills to create a unique surprise for his father, and now that the opportunity was presented to him, he was determined to seize it.

He immediately straightened his back and said firmly, "Don't worry, I can definitely do it! Um, may I ask if I may be so bold as to ask, Father... are you your older sister or younger sister?"

The moment the words were spoken, the room fell silent.

Xingsu froze, her face filled with astonishment; Lynette, standing beside her, suddenly looked up, her cat ears perked up, her eyes wide with shock, both of their gazes fixed on Lyney who had casually asked the question.

Xingsu suddenly realized something, her face hardened, and she raised her voice:

"Lyney! Lynette! Attention! Extra training!"