I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

"Alright, you silly Ah Xi, how dare you talk about me like that, I'm going to punish you."

Even though Xi looked as cute as a kitten meowing while clinging to her legs, Bai Zhou bowed down to her as she wished.

"What punishment do you intend to impose on me, sir?"

"Well, you deserve a severe punishment... I'll punish you, you little idiot, by feeding me this smoothie."

Xi handed the shaved ice in her hand to Bai Zhou. The bluish-white Xi followed her legs, swaying gently along with the tune played by the wind chimes hanging from the shop eaves.

"I would be delighted."

Bai Zhou was overjoyed by Xi's unpretentious and carefree demeanor, and he enjoyed playing with her, wanting her to stay happy like this forever.

"gentlemen……"

"what happened?"

Xi swallowed the sweet shaved ice in her mouth and asked him in return.

"It just suddenly occurred to me..."

He looked at her during the day, a clearly pleased smile on his face.

"When I am with you, even a hundred years would feel like a short while."

"Stop spouting such nonsense."

Xi reached out and touched his forehead with her warm fingertips, leaving a warm mark.

"From now on, not to mention a hundred years, even a thousand or ten thousand years, you must stay here with me. I'm just afraid that you'll find it boring and tedious, and won't want to listen to a single word I say."

"Even if you beat or scold me, I will never leave you."

Bai Zhou reached out to touch Xi's fingertips, holding them tightly in his hand as if they were his everything. Xi pursed her lips, her eyes filled with tenderness, her hand clasped with his, unwilling to let go even for a moment.

Back in chapter 43, I was against Kal'tsit becoming a prophet.

"Grandpa, why is the logic behind this lightning technique so different from this one?"

The girl rose from the table, held up two diagrams she had drawn that recorded the principles of Originium Arts release, and asked Bai Zhou about them.

"The one in your left hand is a simplified version of the Palm Thunder, omitting several steps and ancient phrases to achieve instantaneous activation, but its power is much less than the original version; at most, it can only be used to scald a chicken's feathers."

"Several steps were omitted... so what about this one?"

The girl lowered her left hand and showed him the drawing in her right hand, which was three or four times more complicated.

"Hmm... this is the original version."

"...What's the purpose of creating this simplified version?"

The girl looked at the "Palm Thunder - First Form" in front of her, which was filled with all sorts of precautions, even clearly explaining how to stand, how to wave your hands, and how to recite the words. She was a little puzzled.

"It's just a result of academic discussion, I'm so bored... cough... it's a result of academic discussion."

Bai Zhou picked up an apricot, took a bite, and then continued:

“Those old scholars spent their days discussing academic topics. After coming up with some ideas, they each held their own opinions and refused to admit defeat to each other, so they each researched some new tricks.”

"Besides this 'Palm Thunder Part 1,' there are also versions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6."

"However... despite having so many versions, none of them have been satisfactory."

Bai Zhou sighed softly.

"They want to develop spells that can be cast without a staff, using only incantations. But without external aids, ordinary people can't cast spells with their physical bodies like the infected."

"Oh, casting spells without a staff... that sounds interesting."

Upon hearing this, the girl's bright golden eyes lit up slightly, as if some kind of interest had been ignited.

"If Ah Jin is interested, she can give it a try."

Bai Zhou is very supportive of this. The girl has a high talent for magic, and if she is willing to calm down and immerse herself in it, she will surely have a place among the masters of this art in the future.

"Yes, the old man will help me, right?"

The girl propped herself up on the table, her legs raised, staring at him longingly. Her pale blue tail was held high, swaying with her owner's breathing.

“That’s natural…but, Ah Jin.”

During the day, he stared at the little tail and nodded slightly.

"What's wrong, sir?"

"...No, it's nothing."

He sipped his tea during the day and continued reading leisurely.

Perhaps... this child really can do it.

■

"Grandpa! Save me! Save me!"

As soon as he returned home during the day, his beloved daughter rushed towards him, crying and shouting.

"Ah Jin, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

He caught the girl and gently patted her head.

"My old man insists that I pick a man, saying I'm getting old and can't keep going around like this..."

The girl clung to him, tearfully recounting her father's "evil deeds."

“Choosing a man… Ah… Yes, in the blink of an eye, Ah Jin has reached the age where she should settle down.”

Bai Zhou's seemingly approving expression immediately drew even louder crying.

"I don't want to! Grandpa, please help me!"

Her ambition was not to start a family, but to pursue her research. She would not consider being a wife and mother until her research yielded results.

Besides... her taste had long been spoiled. Having traveled with the noblest creature in Yan Kingdom since childhood, her temperament had been cultivated to resemble his, so how could she possibly be interested in ordinary men?

"Okay, okay... then we don't want to get married."

Bai Zhou had always known about the girl's research progress and knew how much of an impact her achievements would have on the existing Originium Arts system.

With such a great undertaking underway, starting a family would only be a burden to the young girl, and besides, she really doesn't like it. As an enlightened parent, Bai Zhou would naturally support her decision.

"Hehehe... I knew it, the old man is the best!"

Once she received permission, the little girl's mood immediately brightened; her tears stopped, a smile appeared, and she even happily squinted her eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

"You, you..."

He released her during the day and pretended to be disgusted as he wiped his face with his sleeve.

"Grandpa...hehehe, Grandpa."

The little girl didn't care; she just tugged at his sleeve tightly and smiled innocently.

"Stop grinning like an idiot. Come on, I'll take you to talk to your father and clear things up."

Although Bai Zhou has not been in the court for a long time, his words are still taken seriously by anyone who hears them, even if he is a true dragon.

“Since it is what Grandfather said, Ah Jin, you should work hard and not let Grandfather down.”

Ah Jin's father, now known as Zhen Longyu, knew his daughter's little scheme the moment he saw Bai Zhou.

He didn't really care what kind of life path the young girl had chosen for herself.

Unlike his predecessors, the dragon bloodline, which had been declining, flourished again in his generation.

Since there was no worry about his descendants dwindling, he was quite accepting of his children's future. As long as there was a suitable heir, that was enough; the rest of his rascals could fend for themselves. (Anyway, if anything went wrong, the old man would protect them.)

"I love you, Dad!"

The little girl had been hiding behind Bai Zhou, and only showed her face and smiled at him after hearing Zhen Longyu agree.

“...You little rascal.”

Yu ignored the drafty little girl and focused her attention on her old man.

"Grandfather, I have something I would like to ask you."

Bai Zhou patted the little girl's hand, and the little girl, being very sensible, ran to make tea for the two of them.

The two sat facing each other, and Yu spoke again:

"Grandfather, I believe that the current Crown Prince is not capable of achieving great things."

"You want to appoint another crown prince?"

"Yes."

He remained silent during the day. He neither immediately agreed nor said anything to Yu about the unacceptable practice of deposing the eldest son in favor of the younger one.

"..."

The little girl looked at her father from the left and the old man from the right, then sat obediently, letting the words go in one ear and out the other.

"This matter... if it is not necessary, then it may be unnecessary."

"As the saying goes, a ruler who is moderately stable may not be able to expand the territory like his ancestors, but if he is in a time of peace, he is also a ruler who can maintain the status quo and carry on the legacy of his predecessors."

Bai Zhou also said:

"At present, the situation on the continent is such that although Gaul is at its zenith, the new kings of Ursus and Letania are both proud and arrogant, and they are unwilling to remain subservient to others for long. In addition, Victoria has risen in the south, and Colombia has emerged. The power of Gaul is like a bubble in water, which will collapse at the slightest touch."

"Before long, Gaul, which blocked the way for other nations, may become history."

“The nations, though small in size, have gradually encroached upon the lands of Gaul. If the spoils are not divided equally, disputes will arise among them. If they are satisfied, they will recuperate for decades to reclaim the spoils of Gaul. Even if they think of conflict, they will be powerless to do so.”

"At that time, no matter who holds this position in our Great Yan, they must not stand out."

“...Grandfather is absolutely right.”

Yu sighed.

He was just mentioning it casually, wanting to ask for Bai Zhou's advice.

Although the number of children has increased, their quality has declined somewhat.

This crown prince was the tallest among the short men, and the most suitable one to rule.