In Teyvat, it all begins with rescuing the grass god.

And when Dolly suggested that she also wanted to learn this symbol.

Rod agreed without hesitation.

I recall the time I learned this new and convenient way of doing arithmetic.

Dolly was most impressed by it.

She asked Rod why he was willing to teach her the knowledge he possessed so easily.

Rhodes's reply was, 'This is something every child should learn, so why can't I teach it? You should criticize the Confessions for turning knowledge into a commodity, a tool, forcing these children who should be learning to roll in the sand and dig in the dirt, worrying about making a living all day, completely depriving them of the opportunity to learn.'

"Oh, right."

"Don't tell the Religious Council about this."

“I am a desert dweller who possesses knowledge that they do not have. I am afraid that they will capture me and turn me into the kind of bottled knowledge that can be bought and sold at will.”

Even after so many days, Rhodes' words still echoed in Dolly's ears.

Looking at Rod, who was proudly explaining the fully enclosed breeding method, Dolly suddenly understood something.

Then she chuckled and tossed something shiny out of her hand.

"Take it."

"This is your reward for teaching me knowledge."

“Lord Sangge Mahabay is not the type to owe people anything.”

During the initial release period, the update frequency will be lower due to the recommendation process, and the pace will be slower. Please forgive me. Once the book is officially released, the update frequency will be higher, and the reading experience should be better. ￣へ￣

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 54 Cole's Decision

early morning.

The sky after the sandstorm was a clear, bright blue, as if the sandstorm that had swept across the land had never happened.

Having just finished washing up, Ke Lai took a comfortable breath of fresh air.

Sandstorms are indeed awe-inspiring and severe weather in the desert, but the blue sky and white clouds that follow are also a rare sight.

Rhodes got up even earlier than Cole.

This sandstorm was quite large, lasting all night before it ended.

Therefore, as soon as the sandstorm stopped, he immediately rushed to the experimental field to check the situation.

Cole, who was home alone, followed the method that Rod had taught her and fried two eggs. There was some white porridge in the pot that Rod had cooked before he left. All she had to do was heat it up and add a flatbread. That was how she had a simple breakfast.

Cole is not like Rod.

She doesn't have a big appetite; this is enough for her to be full.

After breakfast.

Cole washed the bowls and put them back in the cupboard.

Rod is a clean person.

Not only must every room be kept tidy, but there are also many requirements such as washing hands before meals and washing dishes after meals.

At the beginning.

Cole never remembers these things.

In the lab, food and water were served in fixed basins, and there were no utensils; everything had to be eaten with your hands. Taking a bath was a luxury; usually, people would force Cole to take a bath just before she was about to sit on the lab table.

This is especially true when wandering in the desert.

Back then, even getting enough to eat was a problem, let alone paying attention to personal hygiene.

Cole, who had no personal habits in this regard, was often scolded by Rod.

first time.

Cole was quite resistant to these troublesome demands.

Over time.

I gradually got used to it.

Now, the first thing she does every morning after getting dressed is to wash up before having breakfast.

Speaking of which.

There was another thing that made Cole particularly uncomfortable.

Those are chopsticks.

This is tableware from Liyue.

In Xumi, people generally use spoons and forks, and some foods, like pilaf, are eaten directly with their bare hands.

Chopsticks.

In Aru Village, apart from Rod, nobody else actually uses it.

Cole dislikes using chopsticks.

Suffering from scaly disease, she couldn't use these two small wooden sticks properly at all.

Fortunately.

Rod didn't force her to use chopsticks; he even got her a brand new set of spoons and forks. His only requirement was that she no longer be allowed to eat with her hands.

Cole can manage this small request.

After cleaning up the dishes and washing the pots, Ke Lai pushed open the door and went out.

Looking at the golden hues of the courtyard, a stark contrast to the azure sky, she muttered to herself, "What awful weather."

talking.

She went to the corner and took out a large broom, ready to thoroughly clean the yard covered in yellow sand.

This was one of the terms of her agreement with Rod.

To have enough to eat, you have to put in the corresponding labor.

usually.

Rod was responsible for cooking and teaching her to read, write, and do arithmetic.

Ke Lai was responsible for cleaning the house and doing simple tasks that only required physical strength, such as cutting feed.

After such a period of time...

The two actually got along quite well.

Especially that piece of milk candy after studying every day.

Thinking of this.

Cole's mouth was practically watering.

Unlike Dolly, who has tasted all sorts of delicacies.

Even though the milk candy that Rod made was a bit rough around the edges, it was still a delicious snack that Cole and Desia could enjoy immensely.

Especially after Dolly offered her a suggestion.

Rod's latest milk candies contain all sorts of fruit juices, and they taste many times better than before.

"Humph--"

"You only give Dixia that much, but it's still one dollar a day for me!"

As Cole swept the yard, he muttered to himself, full of resentment.

When Dixia returned to Sumeru City the day before yesterday, Cole saw with her own eyes that Rhodes had filled a bag full of milk candies for her, including several new flavors that she had never tried before.

Then I thought about how I could only eat one milk candy a day, and I still had to finish my daily practice problems.

Cole's resentment intensified, and her hand movements became much more exaggerated.

Cole is very strong.

With a sweep of her hand filled with resentment, the courtyard was instantly engulfed in what felt like a mini sandstorm, with yellow sand swirling everywhere.

The consequences of doing so.

Those places that had already been swept clean were covered up again by sand and dust.

"call--"

"Colette, Colette! Calm down, calm down, calm down!!!"

"It's just a few pieces of candy, what difference does it make whether we get to eat them or not!"

"Once you finish your work here and pay off all your debts, you can eat as much candy as you want."

Looking at her 'masterpiece', Cole quickly tried to calm herself down.

The person who was supposed to help him seal the strange things inside his body, as promised by Rod, has not yet arrived; he said he has not been able to contact them yet.

Therefore, during this period, Cole was still fighting against the temptations of those demons' resentment through her own will.

Fortunately.

Ever since Rhodes started forcing her to study, she has discovered a wonderful way to fight against the demon's resentment.

That is reading books.

As long as she immerses herself in reading and studying, no matter how much the demons' resentment clamors, it will no longer affect her emotions as it did before.

Suddenly.

Just as Cole was about to refocus her attention on cleaning, she faintly heard a soft sound coming from what should have been an empty house.

The sound wasn't loud.

Ke Lai thought she had misheard, but after listening carefully and finding that there was no more sound, she lowered her head again and began sweeping the yard.

But before she could sweep for more than a few seconds, she heard another sound coming from inside the house.