As night fell, everyone prepared to rest early in preparation for the journey ahead, chatting for a while before settling down. Chi Chi was the first to fall asleep, understandably exhausted after the recent perilous events. So when Field went to find a spot to lay down, he turned to find Chi Chi already curled up on his lap, fast asleep.
Field didn't mind this behavior of the little cat using his thigh as a pillow. After all, who could resist a cute catgirl napping on their lap? He didn't bother to move, deciding to lean against the carriage for the night. Field was tough; he could sleep anywhere, even on an anvil.
He pulled out a blanket and gently covered Chi Chi with it. Perhaps sensing Field's movements, Chi Chi snuggled closer to him. Field smiled, then crossed his arms and closed his eyes. However, he didn't actually fall asleep; instead, he began to breathe at a special frequency.
It was a breathing technique taught to him by his grandfather during his days at the blacksmith's forge. This technique helped him maintain abundant energy, allowing him to exert full force with every hammer strike. Years of practice had made it second nature for Field to operate this breathing technique, especially during rest periods. It replaced normal sleep, enabling him to recover both physically and mentally more efficiently.
Moreover, it kept him alert to his surroundings; if there was any disturbance, he could wake up immediately and react. That's why he could fall asleep so easily on the carriage.
During battles, employing this breathing technique could keep his blood boiling, enhancing his combat prowess significantly, almost like tapping into an unparalleled power.
Field always suspected that his grandfather wasn't just an ordinary blacksmith. Ordinary blacksmiths wouldn't have so many scars. No matter how much Field asked, his grandfather never gave a straight answer. Even until his grandfather's passing, Field never knew his true background.
However, having been a mercenary in his past life, Field could tell that his grandfather's scars weren't from blacksmithing but from wounds inflicted by weapons.
Thus, Field was pretty sure his grandfather was either a soldier or a mercenary. With his booming voice and fiery temperament, he couldn't have been anything like an assassin.
It's a pity; without those scars, Field felt his grandfather could have lived for another thirty years at least. He always felt there was something suspicious about his grandfather's death.
Three years before his passing, his grandfather was still lively and muscular, even surpassing many young men. But in the following three years, he seemed to deflate like a balloon, visibly losing weight at an alarming rate.
If it weren't for his grandfather's still sharp mind, Field would have suspected foul play, maybe poisoning.
Field had asked his grandfather about it, but all he said was that he had lived long enough, over a hundred years old, and that with age, vitality would gradually fade away, returning to the earth as part of the natural cycle.
Field couldn't find any other evidence, so he had to believe it. But he always felt something was off; he just couldn't put his finger on it.
Fortunately, Field wasn't really a sixteen-year-old boy. While he felt sad about his grandfather's passing, he didn't let it bring him down. A peaceful passing was the best outcome for his grandfather, especially for a soldier or a mercenary.
In the wastelands, mercenaries who could live to die of natural causes were extremely rare.
Field closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, it was already the next day. Feeling a slight surge in his qi and blood, he strengthened himself a bit. This breathing technique, when actively practiced, could mobilize his qi and blood, acting as a form of exercise. Field's rapid advancement to Silver Five at the age of sixteen owed much to this breathing technique.
However, he regretted that his grandfather had taught him this technique at fourteen; had he learned it earlier, Field's cultivation level might have risen even higher. But his grandfather's reasoning was that building a solid foundation was crucial, and the breathing technique was external while one's aptitude was internal.
"Building a foundation," as his grandfather put it, meant swinging a hammer and pounding iron every day. Field still remembered the pacifier his grandfather had made for him out of cloud-patterned steel. It was sturdy!
As Field gazed at the faintly lit sky, he stretched his neck, preparing to get up and stretch. But as soon as he moved, he heard a whimper from his arms.
Lowering his head, Field saw that Chi Chi had somehow crawled into his embrace. Curled up in a ball with her tail wrapped around her, she rested her head on his stomach, sleeping soundly.
Perhaps sensing Field's movements, she shifted in his arms, adjusting herself comfortably against him, before falling back asleep.
Field couldn't help but reach out and gently poke Chi Chi's cheek. "Time to wake up, little catgirl," he said.
Chi Chi's long lashes fluttered as her emerald cat-like eyes slowly opened, still groggy from sleep. Her voice was unusually soft as she murmured, "Big guy..."
Seeing her still half-asleep, Field chuckled softly. "Never mind, why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"Mmm..." With that, Chi Chi hummed softly, her eyes gradually closing again as she settled back down, now using Field's shoulder as a pillow. Her slender arms encircled his neck, and she snuggled closer, her entire body resting against him.
Field couldn't help but sigh. How did she manage to cling onto him like this? Listening to the gentle purring by his ear, Field ultimately decided not to wake her up.
It felt... pleasant, almost like having a real cat curled up next to him.
An hour later, as the sky brightened completely and everyone woke up, the caravan set off again. After drinking healing potions and resting for the night, Chi Chi had recovered quite well and looked much better.
Now back to her lively self, Chi Chi was sitting on top of the carriage chatting with Field. Her face was always adorned with a sweet smile, indicating her good mood.
And indeed, Chi Chi was in a good mood. Because she had slept so comfortably the night before.
Being a cat, she loved sleeping the most. Active and energetic, she easily tired out and often felt drowsy.
But last night was different. Field's autonomous breathing practice had raised his body temperature, providing Chi Chi with a cozy warmth she found incredibly comfortable.
She couldn't help but snuggle closer to him, inch by inch, until she found herself nestled in his arms. And with Field's large frame, she fit perfectly, making her sleep even more enjoyable.
When she woke up earlier, she found herself clinging to Field's neck, and her cheeks flushed red. But Field didn't seem to mind, and Chi Chi, being carefree, quickly shifted her attention elsewhere and started chatting with him non-stop.
The remaining miles were uneventful, and they reached their destination in the evening. As Field gazed at the towering walls of Grelia City, his heart swelled with anticipation.
The delivery point was a magic academy, right? Perhaps he could find something there.
Maybe he could even find a way to learn magic himself?