“All right. That’s enough.” Aoduoduo removed his hand and gently closed the dragon cub’s mouth. Aside from slightly damp lashes, no one could have guessed that he had just cried out a pearl. Even his eyes were not the slightest bit red.
Long Ming touched his little tooth and finally relaxed completely. He was about to climb down when, just after turning around, he felt a pair of hands gently catch him beneath the arms. The grip was loose and careful as he was lowered to the floor.
Long Ming turned and saw Oreo calmly release him before sinking back into the cold water.
“Awoo~” Thank you.
Hearing the dragon cub’s soft expression of thanks, Aoduoduo brushed back his pale gray, almost silver hair and smiled faintly.
For some reason, Gelu, watching from nearby, found the sight slightly irritating. He bent down, took the chubby cub’s claw, and followed his usual routine. He set up a small fire beside them, washed a clean little pot, boiled warm water, then wiped the face and claws of the obedient cub standing nearby.
Afterward, he boiled another pot of water, tossed in several pinecones, and prepared pinecone soup.
Long Ming suddenly ran to his own corner, picked up the small red stones that had fallen to the floor, and handed them to Gelu.
Gelu held the warm stones and examined them for quite a while before recognizing them. He immediately asked in surprise, “Good cub, where did you get fire crystals?”
Long Ming wagged his tail. His large golden eyes shone as he looked toward Oreo.
“I gave them to him. Fire crystals can serve as his food.” Aoduoduo cupped water in one hand and poured it over his tail to keep the scales moist, trying to get as much water over his body as possible.
“I found the fire crystals in the volcanic valley. There may not be many along the outer wall, and they’re scattered, but if you dig downward from the cave entrance, you should still find several fully formed fire-essence stones. There may even be a hidden vein of fire essence beneath the valley. If human traveling merchants enter this region, you could trade with them. The Kaluo Caravan of the human empire is reasonably fair. Fire-essence stones sell especially well in weather like this.” Aoduoduo spoke unhurriedly. “You could at least exchange them for several horned goats that are currently nursing. Then the little one could drink warm milk.”
Gelu froze. After listening to Oreo, he inexplicably felt that this injured mermaid was anything but simple.
“I still have a few. Carry them with you and they’ll help keep out the cold.” Aoduoduo took several fire crystals from his sleeve and handed them to Gelu.
Gelu thought for a moment, then accepted them. “My name is Gelu. I’m a goblin from a branch of the Extortion Tribe.”
Aoduoduo inclined his head slightly, indicating that he understood.
Gelu stepped away, his thoughts confused. To tell the truth, he had not seen a human in a very long time. Yet the moment the mermaid mentioned them, his first reaction had been an instinctive desire to avoid the subject.
Those cruel, heartless humans often ordered hunting dogs to chase goblins away, even when the goblins had done absolutely nothing wrong. They simply disliked the goblin race.
But of course. Who told them to be the weakest goblins? If Gelu had not been fortunate enough to receive the Earth Goddess’s blessing, gain a little earth power, and learn a few earth spells from the old priest, he probably would have died outside long ago.
The thought weighed on Gelu. He rubbed the chubby cub’s claw and gave him only three crystals, secretly keeping the remaining two.
The little fatty was too young to know restraint. If he ate too many and overheated again, that would be troublesome.
After eating the little stones, Long Ming hugged his tail and followed Gelu around while he worked, occasionally handing him a large cloth sack or a piece of hide.
Whenever Gelu turned around, he nearly bumped into the little creature standing at his legs.
He needed to leave early today to search for food and had to bring everything he might need, so he was busy. The little creature following him step for step only made things less convenient.
Gelu looked down at the obedient chubby cub beside him, then looked at the mermaid soaking in the iron pot and came up with an idea.
“Gelu?” Long Ming felt himself being lifted and awkwardly kicked his legs.
Gelu placed the cub on the stool beside the iron pot, then handed yesterday’s book and wooden stick to Oreo. “Oreo, I’m going out in a little while. I’ll leave the chubby cub with you.”
Aoduoduo raised one brow and studied the dragon cub, his gaze passing over the short, fat tail and plump little legs. He nodded gently. “All right. Leave the chubby cub to me.”
“He’s learning the continental common language?” Aoduoduo immediately noticed the crude book.
Gelu ladled himself a bowl of the boiling pinecone soup. Then he found several medicinal herbs nearby, threw them into the half-pot of remaining soup, and stirred. The white broth instantly turned green and bubbled ominously.
Gelu finished his own bowl, served the green soup to the mermaid in the iron pot, and only then answered, “Yes. The continental common language is useful.”
Aoduoduo looked at the bizarre soup giving off an indescribable smell. His smile never changed as he accepted it and drank it all in one gulp.
Long Ming stared at him with wide eyes, filled with admiration.
He had no idea what Gelu had put in there, but the color was terrifying and the smell was strange too.
After Gelu finished packing, he glanced into the iron pot before leaving. The water still looked reasonably clean, so he decided to replace it after he returned.
“Little fatty, I’m leaving. Stay home and behave. Don’t run around.” Gelu looked down sternly at the little creature.
Long Ming blinked his large eyes. After a moment, he gave a soft “Awoo~” in response.
A smile immediately appeared on Gelu’s weathered face. He rubbed the cub’s claws one final time, then left.
For a while, only Long Ming and Aoduoduo remained in the cave.
Long Ming sprawled over the rim of the iron pot, lazily swaying his little tail as he looked at the mermaid. “Oreo.”
Aoduoduo answered gently, “Mm. Today I’ll teach you how to read.”
From where he lay, Long Ming immediately saw that the wound on the mermaid’s left tail fin had not healed. Gray slime clung to it like grime that could not be washed away.
He could not resist pointing at it with one claw and softly asking, “Awoo?”
What was wrong with it?
Half reclining in the water, Aoduoduo lowered the dragon cub’s hand. “Don’t touch it. It can spread.”
After speaking, he cast a simple water-locking spell over the wound.
“All right. Now let’s study.”
Long Ming lay beside the pot and listened to the mermaid’s warm, spring-breeze voice. His tail began wagging without conscious thought.
Aoduoduo organized the day well. He taught in the morning, let the cub read by himself in the afternoon, and used the time to recover from his injuries in the water.
By evening, he took several fire crystals from his sleeve again.
“Good cub.” Aoduoduo looked at the little dragon’s tail wagging left and right. Remembering what the goblin called him, he tried the same form of address. When the little dragon sprawled atop his shiny treasures immediately pricked up his ears, amusement flashed through Aoduoduo’s eyes.
Long Ming pushed himself upright, walked to the stool, climbed onto it, and looked at the mermaid in the pot. “Oreo?”
Aoduoduo handed him the fire crystals. “Dinner.” His speech unconsciously became slower and clearer.
Long Ming tilted his head. Once he understood, his eyes brightened and he swallowed all three fire crystals in one bite. After eating, he curiously stared at Oreo’s wide sleeves.
Why did it feel as though Oreo had an endless supply of little stones hidden in there?
A cold gust suddenly blew through the cave. Long Ming hurried down from the stool. He had not gone far when he saw Gelu come in covered in windblown snow, carrying something white.
“Haha! I got lucky today. I ran into a pack of magical wolves hunting. I waited beside them for ages and finally managed to pick up a long-haired rabbit they left behind.” Gelu was delighted, smiling so broadly his eyes nearly disappeared. Excitement filled his voice. He had not eaten meat in a very long time. Tonight he was going to feast.
Long Ming stared at the rabbit, which was taller than he was. A claw wound on its chest had cut so deeply that bone was visible. That had been the fatal injury, and blood had soaked the fur around it.
“Good cub, we have meat today.” Gelu entered the cave and efficiently began preparing the food.
From the iron pot, Aoduoduo beckoned for the little dragon to continue studying.
Before long, Long Ming smelled cooking meat. He secretly glanced backward and saw that Gelu had somehow produced yet another iron pot. It was smaller than Oreo’s but still large enough for the huge rabbit. Gelu had split the rabbit into two halves. He had washed the snow-white pelt clean and hung it beside the fire to dry, where it looked wonderfully warm in the firelight.
Orange flames blazed beneath the iron pot. Soup inside bubbled and steamed violently, chunks of meat rolling to the surface. On the other side, half a rabbit roasted over the ground fire. Fat dripped steadily from the thick rabbit leg and hissed as it landed on the pinewood below. Pine fragrance mixed with the smell of roast meat, relentlessly stealing Long Ming’s attention.
Aoduoduo noticed that the dragon cub’s tail was wagging much faster than before. After a moment of thought, he turned his gaze toward the long-haired snow-rabbit pelt, and his eyes shifted thoughtfully.
Hm?
Long Ming felt something poke his tail. He looked over and saw Oreo pointing at the rabbit skin.
“Could you bring that to me?” Oreo pressed one hand lightly to his lips and breathed the request quietly.
Long Ming blinked. He had no idea what the mermaid wanted, but he climbed down anyway, rolled up the pelt, carried it over, and handed it to Oreo.
“Awoo~” What do you want to do with it?
Aoduoduo examined the now-dry white fur, estimated the circumference of the little dragon’s head, then sliced one finger through the air. The rabbit skin separated neatly into two pieces.
Long Ming lay beside the pot watching the mermaid, who seemed to be making clothing. Then he climbed down again and returned to Gelu, calling in his baby voice several times. Gelu turned and saw the rabbit pelt in the mermaid’s hands.
“Wouldn’t a bunny-ear hat be adorable? Otherwise the pelt would just sit there unused.” Aoduoduo’s long, slender fingers quickly shaped the fur into the outline of a hat.
Gelu stared at the mermaid with his little eyes and eventually handed over needle and thread.
“You’re awfully good to the little fatty. What exactly are you plotting?” Gelu could not shake the feeling there was something suspicious about this injured mermaid.
Aoduoduo threaded the needle and began sewing with astonishing dexterity. At Gelu’s question, he glanced at the dragon cub by the fire, who was staring longingly at the roasted rabbit leg, and smiled. “Am I not allowed to think he’s cute?”
Gelu choked on his response and returned to the fire in embarrassment. He glanced at the chubby cub beside him.
Then glanced again.
Fine.
He really was quite cute.
Cubs were supposed to be round and plump. Gelu decided he would give all the rabbit legs to the chubby cub tonight. The little thing had been staring at them for ages.
“Good cub.”
Hearing Oreo, Long Ming turned toward him.
“Come here. I have something for you.” Aoduoduo smiled and beckoned.
When Long Ming reached the iron pot, he was just about to climb onto his stool when a shadow suddenly fell over him.
He instinctively raised his head and saw Oreo holding a snow-white hat—or something like one—and placing it on his head.
Long Ming felt soft fur around his face. When he lowered his head, the hat’s decorative rabbit ears drooped all the way into his claws. He tugged at one and discovered that each ear had been carefully sewn in two layers, with soft white fur both inside and out. They were warm, soft, and pretty.
“Not bad.” Aoduoduo looked at the bunny-ear hat he had made with satisfaction.
“When the snow melts a little, we’ll take you outside to see it. This hat will be perfect.” Gelu walked over too, circled halfway around the chubby cub, and looked equally satisfied.
Long Ming held the rabbit ears and stared at the identical “old father” looks of tender affection on Oreo and Gelu’s faces. He could only swish his tail helplessly.
Fine.
A bunny-ear hat it was.