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

"Whether it's getting married and having children with the one you love, or making many friends, it's all for the sake of putting your mind at ease."

"Do you feel at ease when you work for peace and see people smiling in the peaceful scenes you create?"

"..."

"You're right."

Kal'tsit did not deny it.

“I can feel at peace with this. This may be the only reward for what I did, but I don’t regret it.”

Why are you pushing yourself so hard, Kal'tsit?

During the day, looking at the sky that had returned to its clear state, I gently raised my hand to grasp it.

"The world will not change because of what one person does."

"Whether it's the great deeds of the true dragon or the expedition of the nightmare, no matter how glorious or powerful they are, has the sun ever paused for them for even a second?"

"No matter how vast the Gallic empire expands, or how long the blessings of divine punishment last, it is but a fleeting moment in the eyes of the world."

"Time flies, and life is fleeting."

"Time will not stand still for us, and war will not end because of one person."

Why don't you slow down and live for yourself for a while?

“...I have thought about all of what you have said.”

Kal'tsit shook her head.

"I can not do it."

You can do it.

He interrupted her during the day.

"It's just that you don't want to do it. You're resisting it; you don't like to appear as someone who's doing nothing."

"You have other desires."

"..."

"Kal'tsit, take me with you next time you set off."

Kal'tsit was puzzled by Bai Zhou's words.

"I will not interfere with whatever you do."

"I want to understand what you're really looking for."

"That...of course."

Although she agreed, Kal'tsit was still puzzled.

"But Your Majesty, the Great Yan..."

"Me? I'm no longer a true dragon."

Bai Zhou felt nothing about losing his position as the true dragon; he even wanted to laugh heartily.

"I have done everything I could for the Great Yan."

“I have prayed for a hundred years of peace and safety for the Great Yan. Apart from the Heavenly Punishment, other True Dragons can handle ordinary state affairs. Since that is the case, why shouldn’t I relinquish that position and live a more comfortable life?”

"To have freedom within the rules, that is the peace of mind I seek. Kal'tsit."

Humming a little tune, he walked happily forward during the day.

Back to the thirteenth transformation, Masked Lynx!

"Hey! Boss!"

Jaden's shouts carried on the wind.

During the day, he raised his hand and made a safety gesture.

"Boss, we were so worried about you. We're so happy to see you out safe and sound."

"Alright, alright. Stop with the pleasantries, I'm not going to listen to reason."

Bai Zhou pushed Jetton away with disdain, then looked at Rams.

"Get the car on, we'll rest in this town tonight."

Rams nodded, withdrawing his wary gaze from Kal'tsit, and went to tidy up the vehicle.

"Excuse me, boss, who is this?"

Zetton glanced at Kal'tsit, whose face was covered except for a pair of cat ears, and asked Bai Zhou.

"This is the person I'm looking for."

"Ugh?"

Jetton looked at Kal'tsit in surprise, then took out a piece of paper from the side pocket of his clothes and held it up to compare with Kal'tsit.

"Ah...this...this seems to be..."

It really is.

Wasn't she traveling with a caravan? What's she doing in this town?

Never mind, this has nothing to do with me.

Jaden clenched the blueprint in his fist, burned it with fire, and scattered the ashes in the wind.

"In short, Jaden, your mission is accomplished."

He was given three sticks of red gold during the day.

"Let's go back tomorrow."

"Hey, what about you, boss?"

Jaden easily caught the crimson gold and casually asked a question.

"Me? That depends on where Mr. Kal'tsit is going next."

"Oh."

Zetton glanced at the smiling Bai Zhou, then thought of Kal'tsit's face, and smiled knowingly.

"uh-huh."

Back in town, they found a fairly clean house, and after a quick cleaning, they began preparing dinner.

"Thank you for your help earlier, Kal'tsit."

Feeling somewhat embarrassed for making the trip back and forth for nothing, Bai Zhou gave the first roasted sandworm leg to Kal'tsit.

"It's ok."

Kal'tsit took the freshly baked sandworm leg and took a bite.

"Goo~"

[Cat burning its tongue.jpg]

Here's some water.

Bai Zhou smiled and handed the water bottle to Kal'tsit.

Even though Felin can't eat hot food, she tried to pretend nothing was wrong after getting burned, but her twitching ears gave her away. It was so cute!

"I'm sorry you had to see this."

After taking a small sip from the water bottle to ease the burning sensation on her tongue, Kal'tsit decided to let the roasted sandworm legs cool for a while before eating them.

During the day, he added some wood he had taken from another house to the fire and took a sandworm leg from Jetton and ate it.

As for Jaden and Rams?

They can take care of themselves.

“Xi, Aoneng”.

Everyone was eating, and Tian Sha didn't want to be absent either.

"There are still two pieces left, eat slowly."

Under Kal'tsit's scrutinizing gaze, Tian Sha devoured the pure Originium in Bai Zhou's palm, spitting out the residue, and then humanely let out a small burp.

"Is this how your partner obtains... Arcane Energy?"

Kal'tsit still remembered the Originium reward she had promised. She had heard Tian Sha mention "arc energy and filth" when she saw the contaminated Originium before, but she didn't have any more clues or time to think about it carefully. Now that she had some free time, she wanted to find an opportunity to study the operating principles of Tian Sha.

Nanotechnology... cannot create "organisms" with their own intelligence.

"Yes and no."

Bai Zhou ate the sandworm legs in a few bites, then raised his hand, and Tian Sha, as he wished, activated his arcane energy to transform into the shapes of various animals.

"Arctic energy is everywhere in this world; it exists even in the finest dust."

"The rhythm of life attracts arcane energy; therefore, the stronger and more vigorous a life form is, the more arcane energy it contains."

"Besides living organisms, the source of the most arcane energy I know of is Originium, which is born alongside natural disasters."

"Therefore, consuming Originium is the fastest way to obtain Arcane Energy."

The energy leaped and danced in Bai Zhou's hands, the woven birds swirling and fluttering in the air before landing in front of Kal'tsit, tilting their heads and chirping a few times like real birds.

"Cuckoo~"

"This is...interesting."

Kal'tsit extended her finger and gently tapped the bird's head. Like a stream hitting a river, the bird's arcane energy offered no resistance, turning into a stream of light that flowed into Kal'tsit's robes.

The cloak of light shone for a moment, then dimmed again.

"Oh, right, don't forget to give Tian Sha his reward."

He then pinched out a small bird to tease the lynx, and Bai Zhou chuckled as he got up to check the situation outside.

“I remember.”