Field had a dream. He dreamt that he was sprawled in a furry world. Everything here, from the flowers, grass, trees, plains, to even the clouds drifting in the sky, was furry, making him feel extremely comfortable and at ease. He lay on the furry grass, enjoying the soft fur massage. However, the next moment, the furry grassland suddenly rolled up and swallowed him. He felt his breath becoming increasingly difficult, and he abruptly opened his eyes.
What he saw was something furry.
Field propped up his upper body and saw it was Kiki's tail.
The large furry tail lay directly on his face, covering half of Field's face and his nose with fluffy fur, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Field looked helpless. This girl was too restless when she slept. Even though he had moved her to the other side of the bed while she was asleep, she climbed back onto him when he woke up.
Pushing aside Kiki's tail, Field rolled out of bed and took out a pocket watch from the bedside table.
Although pocket watches seemed sophisticated, they had been invented centuries ago in his previous world. Even though this world didn't follow a technological route, its industrial level was not low, thanks to magic. Magic replaced technology, making those magic devices comparable to the advanced technology of the previous world, and even more versatile and powerful.
For example, the one in Field's hand was an old item from his old man. It was said that the old man made it himself, and it was very precise, with a magic crystal drive. Making precise parts without a lathe showed that the old man's blacksmithing skills were basically maxed out.
Looking at the time, Field's eyes widened in an instant.
"Six twenty?!" Field hurriedly packed up and shouted, "Wake up, Kiki, we're late!"
Kiki, who was half asleep, woke up quickly upon hearing this.
Field speculated that maybe he was too tired yesterday, and his biological clock malfunctioned. If it weren't for Kiki's tail covering his face, he probably could have slept until noon. You should know that he agreed to meet with Veena at five o'clock, and he had always been punctual.
After packing up, Field hurriedly took Kiki and ran towards the Welfare Institute.
The landlady greeted him, but he only had time to respond briefly.
"So passionate," Evelyn exclaimed. She thought Field had gotten up so early to do tasks.
Well... That's not wrong, but the focus isn't on tasks.
In the early morning of Haidu, it was the quietest time. There were very few pedestrians on the road. Now it was the transition from autumn to winter, and Haidu was close to the sea, so it was a bit cold. The temperature in the morning was estimated to be only ten degrees Celsius, and Kiki couldn't help but sneeze.
When Field saw the gate of the Welfare Institute, he found a figure standing there, holding a small bag.
It was Veena.
Seeing that she hadn't left yet, Field breathed a sigh of relief, but then he felt nervous again for some reason. He didn't know why he was nervous; he just was.
Approaching Veena, Field scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry, overslept."
Today's Veena was still dressed in that rustic style. She had changed her sweater, but it was similar to the previous one, just a lighter color, but the style was almost the same.
Oh, and she still had that mushroom-like hat on her head.
Originally, it was flaxen, but now it had turned into a white flaxen color, matching the sweater, the same color.
Well... from the flaxen mushroom girl, she turned into a white flaxen mushroom girl.
In response to Field's apology, Veena just nodded slightly, then she opened the bag she was holding and handed a wooden flask to Field.
Field was somewhat speechless.
More drinking water?
But perhaps because of his remorse towards Veena, Field still took the flask and opened it, taking a sip. However, when the liquid in the flask entered his mouth, Field's eyes widened. Then he took two more sips and exhaled hot air with a satisfied expression before looking at Veena.
"Rum?"
Veena still nodded slightly, then she stretched out her small hand and pointed in the direction of the road. "Let's go to school."
"Oh, okay, let's go," Field nodded, taking another sip of rum before handing the flask to Kiki, telling her to take a few sips to warm up.
The little kitty didn't really like drinking alcohol, but she took a couple of sips and stuck out her tongue, saying, "I still prefer milk, meow."
Walking together with Veena on the deserted street, Field hesitated for a while before finally couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get this alcohol?"
"Bought it," Veena whispered softly.
"Do you like drinking?" Field asked.
Veena shook her head, not saying a word.
But Field understood. This was bought for him to drink. The reason... probably because yesterday he mentioned that he preferred drinking alcohol over water. So, at this moment, Field felt somewhat conflicted. Just a casual remark from him, and Veena prepared a flask of alcohol for him, while he couldn't even keep to the agreed-upon time.
"Did you wait at the door the whole time just now?" Field asked.
He hoped Veena's answer would be: No, I was waiting inside.
Unfortunately...
"Yeah," Veena nodded lightly.
Field wiped his face. How foolish. It was past five o'clock, and the temperature was lower than it is now. She had waited for him for over an hour.
Now he felt even more guilty.
So, Field silently deducted twenty points from that girl called Manasa.
All blame it on Manasa!
"Are we going to be late?" Field asked again.
Veena shook her head. "Classes start at eight."
Field's eyes widened suddenly. "Then why did you come at five?"
Veena remained silent for a while before whispering, "In case... I encounter... Manasa."
Field: ...
All blame it on Manasa!
Then there was a period of silence.
Usually, Field wouldn't care about it at all. But now, he just felt uncomfortable all over. The quieter Veena was, the more uneasy he felt, scratching all over his body.
"That... actually, today was an accident. I'm usually very punctual," Field broke the silence and said.
But he felt like his words sounded somewhat feeble.
Upon hearing this, Veena nodded lightly, as if she agreed, but Field wasn't sure if he misheard her—her voice was too soft.
Helpless, Field could only change the subject and not dwell on this topic any further.
"When will you go to Haidis?" Field asked.
Veena lowered her head to think for a moment before turning to him and saying, "Half a month later, after the final assessment."
"Okay..." Field nodded and asked again, "How are your grades?"
"Still... okay."
"You must have exams, right? What place did you get in the last exam?"
"First..."
Field widened his eyes again. "And you call that just okay?"
"Being too modest is called hypocritical, you know, young lady."
At Veena's words, Field was slightly stunned, then quickly lowered her head.
Just as Field was puzzled, he heard her small voice.
"I'm sorry..."
Field: ...
What's there to apologize for?
After being stunned for a moment, Field reacted and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Don't misunderstand, I wasn't calling you hypocritical, that was just a joke... Damn it, all blame it on Manasa!"
Veena: ?
"Why?" Veena asked.
"What do you mean, why?" Field asked back.
"Why... blame Manasa?" Veena inquired.
"Um..." Field's mouth twitched, then he said, "You don't need to worry about that. Just blame it all on Manasa!"
Look at what this girl has been bullied into. She's even feeling inferior now!
Upon hearing this, Veena turned her head away and walked on in silence.
After walking for a while, she turned back to Field and said, "Actually... it's not Manasa's fault."
Field was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Veena looked down at the cold ground, her voice somewhat subdued. "I took away her spot..."
"Holan came to the academy to select students to join the Magic Research Team. Originally, she was going to choose Manasa because she has always been the top student in the Magic Research program."
"But that time, I also applied for the Magic Research program as an elective, and I scored the top spot, so she chose me instead..."
"So she resents me. I can understand..."
Field frowned deeply. Finally, unable to bear it, he reached out his hands and placed them on Veena's shoulders.
Veena was startled by his sudden movement, trembling all over.
Field then forcibly turned her towards him, looking serious. "Veena, you have to know, being too kind will make people despise or bully you."
"According to what you said, you should actually blame Holan. If she hadn't come to the academy, none of this would have happened!"
"No... no..." Veena shook her head in panic. "Holan is a good person, she..."
"Yes, she is!" Field interrupted her. "Then what about you? Are you a bad person?"
Veena shrank her neck, and finally shook her head.
"Then it's settled, right?" Field said.
"And then I'll ask you, if you had come in second that time, and Holan had chosen Manasa, would you bully Manasa?"
Veena still shook her head.
"Yeah, you wouldn't. So why should she bully you?"
"You got first place, that's your ability!"
"Holan chose you, that's also your ability, and Holan has good judgment!"
"So why should she bully you?"
"Just because you're kind, just because you've been bullied, and you won't fight back!"
"In fact, you're not wrong, Veena. You're not wrong at all. So you shouldn't bear the blame that doesn't belong to you. Instead, you should smash it into the face of the person who bullied you!"
"Understand, girl? That's what it means to blame it all on Manasa!"
Kiki immediately raised her hand. "Blame it all on Manasa, meow!"
"See, even the little kitty understands," Field grinned.
"So do you understand?"
Veena looked up at him, her face bewildered.
From this angle, Field could see her face peeking out from under the high-necked sweater, revealing a bit of it. He could see her small mouth and faint facial features. Field could bet his life on it—Veena was definitely not ugly!
Plus five points!
You're at eighty-five points, keep it up, girl, aim to surpass Hilda!
After a while, Veena finally came to her senses.
She pinched her small hand and finally nodded slightly.
Field chuckled, "Then say it with me—blame it all on Manasa!"
Kiki: "Blame it all on Manasa, meow!"
Veena: "Um..."
She said softly, "Grandma Lurna says... it's not right to curse at people..."
"Alright, Grandma Lurna is right," Field shrugged, not insisting.
The cold wind blew, and Field took out the wooden flask, drank the rum inside, then took out a cigarette and lit it.
Kiki: "Can I try, meow?"
Field: "Here."
Field handed the cigarette to Kiki, who looked at it curiously, took a puff, and immediately started coughing violently.
"It feels awful... *cough*... don't like *cough* it *cough*..."
"Haha, that's why kids shouldn't smoke," Field took back the cigarette and put it in his mouth.
After Kiki recovered for a while and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, she pouted and said, "I'm not a kid, meow!"
"I'm already seventeen, meow!"
Field was taken aback.
Almost forgot, this little girl is a year older than me?
Should I call Kiki sis then?
So Field casually lied, "Seventeen is still a kid, I'm eighteen."
With that, he turned to look at Veena. "How old are you?"
Veena: "Nineteen."
Field: "*Cough*! *Cough* *Cough*!"
Field also got choked by the smoke and couldn't help but cough.
Kiki burst into laughter, and Veena hesitated for a moment before reaching out her small hand to pat him on the back, helping him catch his breath.
In fact, Field's face was entirely red out of embarrassment.
Should've said I was twenty already!
He still calls Veena Little Veena, but she's three years older than him. Just thinking about it makes his face blush.