Perry held his breath in the shadows, his heart pounding so loudly that his own breathing seemed to be the only sound in his ears. Pressing himself tightly against the wall, he tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Yet, Damothis's fleeting glance and the faint smirk at the corner of his lips before leaving felt like a thorn piercing Perry's heart. That smile carried no warmth, only a dangerous undertone, as if silently declaring, "I know you're there."
"He noticed me…" The thought flashed through Perry's mind, sending a cold sweat down his back. But he quickly shook his head, trying to reassure himself, "No, that's impossible. How could he know I'm here? It must have been a random glance."
Just as he remained frozen in place, a voice suddenly sounded from behind him. "What are you doing hiding here?"
Perry jumped in surprise, almost leaping out of his skin. He spun around to find Mr. Mars standing behind him, his brows slightly furrowed and his gaze scrutinizing.
"M-Mr. Mars!" Perry stammered, forcing a smile that barely masked his nervousness. He tried to appear casual, adjusting his sleeve as he slowly stepped out of the shadows. Looking up, he mustered a stiff smile. "I was just… intrigued by something over here, so I came to check it out."
As he spoke, he grabbed a random item from a nearby stall, hoping to mask his unease. His hand landed on an object resembling a speckled egg, dotted with red spots. The stall owner immediately perked up, enthusiastically explaining, "Good eye, young man! That's a Brabilar Dragon's egg, a rare find!"
Perry had no idea what a Brabilar Dragon was, but to avoid suspicion, he feigned astonishment, raising his eyebrows. "Really? That sounds impressive."
Mr. Mars stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching Perry's clumsy act with an amused yet knowing expression. He finally spoke, his tone slow and teasing, "I don't think dragon eggs interest you that much. You're not hiding from Lionel, are you?"
Perry's smile froze. His mouth opened, but no words came out. Knowing his facade had been seen through, he let out a resigned sigh and chose to confess. "Yes… Lionel is in my class, and I maybe accidentally make him mad. I just thought it'd be better to avoid him for now."
Mr. Mars raised an eyebrow, unsurprised by the admission. He nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Lionel isn't the type to hold grudges, but he's still the heir to Lilith Company. You know, in the culinary world, offending him could make your path a lot harder."
Perry waved his hands dismissively, his tone tinged with urgency. "It's really not that serious! Just a minor misunderstanding. I just thought it'd be less awkward if we didn't run into each other today."
Mr. Mars gave a small nod, seeming to accept the explanation. After a moment of consideration, he said, "Alright, if you say so, I'll pretend I didn't see you. But I do hope you can smooth things over with him. Sooner or later, you'll need to work together, and it won't benefit either of you to let things get too tense."
Perry nodded quickly, gratitude evident in his expression. "Thank you, Mr. Mars. I'll make sure to handle it and not let things escalate."
Mr. Mars chuckled, giving Perry a firm pat on the shoulder. "Good. Just be careful and don't let him catch you." With that, he turned and walked away, his steps steady, as though the entire encounter had been nothing more than a casual inquiry.
As Perry watched Mr. Mars's figure disappear into the crowd, he exhaled deeply, finally relaxing. Glancing back at the stall and the so-called "Brabilar Dragon's egg," he muttered to himself with a wry smile, "What a day… I even had to pretend to be fascinated by dragon eggs just to cover up a lie."
Perry stood in front of the stall, still holding the Brabilar Dragon Egg, but his eyes darted around nervously, scanning the surroundings. He was terrified that Lionel might suddenly appear from some corner.
"Customer, are you going to buy that egg or not?" the stall owner's voice was still polite, but a hint of impatience crept in. His gaze signaled Perry to make a decision quickly. "If you're not buying, don't keep holding it. This is a valuable item."
Perry froze, looking down at the egg in his hand, realizing his palm was now slick with sweat. The red spots on the shell seemed even brighter against the sheen. Hastily, he placed the egg back onto the stall as carefully as he could and let out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, I'm just browsing." He turned and left the stall quickly, as if afraid the owner might press him further.
Weaving through the bustling crowd, Perry kept his head low, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Yet, unease churned inside him, and Mr Mars' pointed words echoed in his mind: "Crossing Lionel won't make your path in the culinary world any easier."
Lionel, the heir to Lilith Company was a name that resonated with everyone at the academy. Today in class can see even the teacher also afraid him.
"If I could get on his good side, maybe even secure his sponsorship…" The thought flickered through Perry's mind before another wave of unease doused it. Approaching Lionel carried risks far greater than any potential reward. Besides, could Lionel really let today's "minor incident" slide so easily?
Ding, ding, ding!
A sudden system notification interrupted his spiraling thoughts.
A new task flashed into Perry's field of vision, the golden text glowing faintly:
[Task 6: Find three Grade C Tonton Cherries (0/3)
Reward: A mysterious gift
Deadline: Three days
Penalty: One week of illness ]
Perry stopped in his tracks, frowning. The task seemed bizarre. He had never even heard of "Tonton Cherries" before. Was it a type of fruit? Or perhaps an ingredient? What puzzled him even more was how abruptly this task had appeared.
"System, why do I have this task? I've never encountered anything like Tonton Cherries," Perry asked silently, a mix of confusion and unease in his tone.
The system was silent for a moment before responding. [Based on my analysis, the task may be connected to the egg you just interacted with. The red spots on the shell likely contain residue from Tonton Cherry juice.]
Perry blinked, and the image of the egg's speckled surface resurfaced in his mind. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now that the system mentioned it, those red spots did seem unusual. "The red spots on the shell… Tonton Cherries? So, these spots are related to the task?"
The system's voice remained calm but carried a hint of resignation. [Yes. However, I can't confirm the composition of the residue without directly analyzing it.]
Perry let out a deep breath, his brows furrowed. "So you're saying I need to go back to the stall and get that egg again?"
The system didn't reply, but its silence was answer enough. Perry rolled his eyes in exasperation. Facing that stall owner's knowing smirk again was the last thing he wanted, but he had no other choice. Shaking his head, he tried to reassure himself that this was just a small hurdle. He turned and made his way back to the stall.
When the stall owner saw him return, a teasing smile tugged at his lips. "Oh? Changed your mind? Decided to buy the egg after all?"
Perry forced a stiff smile and waved his hand. "No, not quite. I just wanted to ask… does the Brabilar Dragon eat Tonton Cherries by any chance?"
The stall owner was visibly surprised, staring at Perry for a moment before nodding. "That's right. It's their main food. These dragons may be herbivores, but they're particularly fond of Tonton cherries. Otherwise, where do you think the red residue on the eggshell came from?"
"Are Tonton cherries rare?" Perry pressed further.
The stall owner continued tidying his stall as he casually replied, "Rare? Not exactly, but they're picky about their environment. They require specific soil and climate to grow. Usually, you'd only find them in remote forests. But why are you asking? Don't tell me you're actually planning to feed a dragon."
Perry didn't explain further, offering only a vague smile as his gaze lingered on the egg. Meanwhile, the system had already begun analyzing the residue on the red spots. He waited quietly, but the progress bar in his mind remained stagnant.
"System, what's going on? Haven't you analyzed it yet?" Perry asked inwardly.
The system's response caught him off guard. [Strange. I can't complete the analysis. At my current level, this type of residue shouldn't be unidentifiable.]
Perry frowned, sensing something was off. "You're saying… you might be malfunctioning?"
The system paused for a moment, its tone uncharacteristically uncertain. [Possibly. To confirm, I may need to temporarily disconnect from you to perform a deep self-diagnosis.]
The words sent a chill through Perry. He vividly remembered how helpless he'd been the last time the system disconnected, how he'd felt like he'd lost his direction and his life still counting on system. He shook his head vehemently, shouting in his mind, "No, absolutely not! Is there any other way? Even if it's slower, I'll take it."
The system fell silent again, as if contemplating other options. After a few seconds, it responded, ]I can attempt to maintain our connection using an alternative method, but it will increase the strain on your body. Prolonged use of this mode could negatively affect your health.]
"That's still better than disconnecting!" Perry blurted out, his voice filled with unyielding determination and a hint of underlying anxiety. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm, though his emotions churned like a storm beneath the surface. "System, you can't leave me. Without you, I wouldn't even know what to do next."
His words betrayed his reliance on the system and his fear of losing it, not just fear of the unknown, but fear of losing his only "partner." Perry knew the system was like a compass for him; losing it meant losing all sense of direction, leaving him vulnerable to fate's whims.
The system was silent for a moment before its voice returned, softer than usual and devoid of its typical mechanical detachment. "Understood. I'll do my best to stay connected while simultaneously diagnosing the issue. But please prepare yourself, this may take more time and could result in unexpected side effects. You must be ready for any potential impacts this may have on you."
Perry gritted his teeth, a determined glint in his eyes. "That's fine. As long as you stay with me." His words felt like a self-imposed vow, giving him the courage he needed. He knew this might not be the most rational choice, but at that moment, he couldn't bear the risk of losing the system again.
After saying that, he turned and left the stall, his steps hurried. The stall owner stood behind the stall, looking at Perry's back with a puzzled look on his face. He originally held a small tool in one hand and put the other hand on the table, ready to chat with Perry for a few more words. But seeing the other party hurriedly leaving, his expression gradually froze.
"What on earth is this kid doing?" The stall owner muttered, put down the tools in his hand, frowned and stared at Perry's back. His lips opened slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back when he reached his mouth, and finally turned into a sigh.
"It's inexplicable, standing here shaking his head for a long time with a tangled face, and finally left without a beginning or an end." The stall owner shook his head helplessly, with a little puzzlement and a little sarcasm in his eyes, "Is there something wrong with his brain? It's really a weirdo."