There can't be a Harvest Moon in the RimWorld.

Ellie wasn't wearing her nurse's uniform, but rather white loungewear. She took my hand with a big smile on her face. "Marcus, are you here to pick up your clothes? Your coat has been repaired. Try it on and see if it fits."

"That's not it."

I apologized to Ellie, "Actually, I came to borrow a mop and a bucket... There's a little problem at the police station..."

But no one paid attention to what I said, because a little boy with a mushroom haircut excitedly rushed up, hugged my leg and shouted, "Big brother! It's big brother Marcus! You're finally back!"

My experience as a substitute teacher at the church helped me build a good relationship with the two children. Their amazing soccer skills amazed me, and we became close friends. As a result, Ellie's younger brother, You, recognized me immediately.

I bent down and patted his head. "Haha, it's you, little one! Are you still having classes at church?"

Yu said, feeling wronged, "I'm not going to class anymore. No one's been teaching us since Father Carter left, and Sister Ellie always bullies me..."

I looked at Ellie with amusement, and sure enough, she said with a helpless expression, "When the priest left, he left the textbooks with us. I wanted You to study at home. But he insisted on finding Mei to study with him... It's so dangerous outside now..."

I gave Ellie a reassuring look and said confidently, "It's alright, I'll catch up on the lessons Carter missed. They'll be taking classes at my ranch tomorrow or the day after, and I guarantee they'll get excellent grades. I've already dealt with the insect infestation, so don't worry, Ellie!"

Hearing me say that, Ellie nodded in relief, but then spoke up first: "That's right! I want to listen to big brother's lessons! And sister only bullies people!"

Ellie said, both amused and annoyed, "How did I bully you?!"

Yu hugged my leg and pointed at her relentlessly, saying, "You're always grabbing my big brother! You're bullying him!"

Ellie then realized that she had been holding onto my arm the whole time since I came in, and she immediately blushed and let go of my arm, turning her head to pack the clothes she was going to give me.

...Little friend, I came here with good intentions to teach you, how can you repay kindness with enmity!

I was pondering how to provide them with holistic education. Should I teach according to the standards of Hengshui High School and Huanggang High School? That shouldn't be too demanding, right?

But then, an old woman pushed a wheelchair out of the house. Her full head of silver hair was hidden in a knitted hat, and she wore a pair of reading glasses on her nose. She walked into the house with a kind expression.

"Is this Marcus? I'm Ellie and Yu's grandmother, my name is Ellen."

The old lady slowly pushed her wheelchair out. "My legs aren't very strong, but I'm so glad to finally see you today. Child, come here and let me see what you look like."

Ellie nervously put down the clothes and went to her grandmother's side: "Grandma, did we disturb you?"

Grandma Ellen shook her head, her face still showing a kind expression. "Nothing of the sort."

She pushed her wheelchair to my side and said softly, "I'm here to apologize on behalf of Sebala. He must have played another prank, right? That trick of spilling water on his pants—he's loved playing that since he was little… This evening when Ellie brought him dinner, he even asked for an extra glass of water…"

Holy shit, you old bastard!

Chapter 555 Where Did Groudon Go?

I was in a hurry to turn back and settle the score with Sebala, but Grandma Elaine said, "Marcus, there's no need to go back. He's probably already disappeared."

That's right, that old fox certainly won't stay put and wait for me to expose him.

I slapped my forehead and decided to deal with the old man another time. There was no need to bother with him now. As a brave and upright young man, since I was in someone's home, I should pay him a proper visit.

Ellie seemed very happy about my visit and went to the kitchen to find something to treat me. I sat quietly on a soft single sofa in the living room, letting my body sink into it freely, feeling exceptionally comfortable.

"Grandma Ellen, what happened to your leg?" I asked.

The old man sat in his wheelchair, gently resting his hands on his knees, and squinted as he said, "It's alright. I'm just getting old and my legs don't obey me anymore. I can only sit in a chair and usually stay at home."

"So how did you meet old Sebala? You two seem to know each other very well?" This was also a question that puzzled me.

Grandma Ellen smiled and said, "Sebala...we've known each other for so many years, but he's been gone for a long time, and I never expected to run into him again in Mineral Town..."

The old woman's tone of voice always carried the self-talk of someone of advanced age reminiscing, and a lingering tone of endless thoughts that she couldn't fully express. It was as if her answers to these questions weren't meant to resolve my doubts, but rather to find a more appropriate way of speaking to enrich the content of our conversation.

I didn't understand much of this conversation, which was more about form than substance, but I didn't want to press for more information. A sentence or two was considered concern, but asking more would be offensive. So I decisively changed the subject, shifting the topic to people we both knew and who shared similar interests.

"Grandma Ellen, Ellie has truly been raised to be an outstanding person," I praised.

The old man glanced at Ellie, who was busy in the kitchen, and said to me, "Ellie is a good girl. She has taken care of me for so long and also has to take on the responsibility of raising and educating Yu... She stayed in Mineral Town because of us, and I have always felt bad about it..."

The old woman's tone was still a gentle sigh, but her manner of speaking did not feel distant or offensive. Her unvarnished, everyday words evoked images of a long-lost grandmother back home, as if they were conversing during a casual afternoon chat.

Grandma Ellen then recounted several amusing anecdotes about Ellie's childhood, as well as her recent conflict with You, her tone full of doting affection.

I nodded, and my mindset gradually returned to a leisurely and languid state during this slow-paced conversation. Listening to the gradually increasing chirping of insects outside the window and looking at the bright moon that spread across the earth, I was immersed in the tranquility of this summer night.

You just ran into the house, rummaged around for a while, and came out with a thick book. She excitedly said to me, "Big brother! Can you teach me this class tomorrow?"

I reached out and took the book that was bending his back, and sure enough, I saw the familiar historical manuscript.

"Father Carter left this book behind? Great, then I'll teach you about this course tomorrow. Yu, where were you in your previous lessons?"

I've got my hands on this book!

The little boy laboriously tiptoed, opened the thick textbook, and pointed to a folded page. "We've arrived here! The Civilization Wave in the Northern Continent!"

I suddenly realized and turned to the corresponding page. "Oh, the rise of the Northern Papacy... Huh? It's only two pages from what I mentioned last time! The priest is so lazy! He's practically slacking off!"

I couldn't help but complain about Father Carter again. I'm really afraid that Yu and Mei, who are diligent and eager to learn and actively seek out teachers, will become two elementary school dropouts under his care.

I stroked his head and said with concern, "From now on, I'll teach all your classes. I'll build a teaching area on the ranch. I don't want that guy to interfere with your studies."

Yu happily squeezed next to me and we flipped through the contents and illustrations together. Grandma Eileen was knitting a sweater nearby, watching us with a kind smile.

After a while, Ellie came out of the kitchen with a plate of freshly baked cookies and three glasses of milk. She placed them on the coffee table, then leaned over behind us and watched Yu and me interact.

"That's great, Yu is still closer to you, her older brother."

After she said that, I knew exactly what Ellie's attitude was like—it was clearly the attitude of a parent receiving a visiting teacher!

Despite being so young, Ellie has elderly parents to care for and young children to raise. Bearing such midlife pressures, she still manages to maintain a gentle and considerate attitude towards those around her...

"Ellie, thank you for your hard work!"

I picked up a freshly baked cookie and looked up at Ellie, who was working hard and slightly sweating.

The girl paused for a moment upon hearing this, then said in her usual gentle tone, "You're the one who should be working so hard, troubling you with so many things..."

I immediately denied it, saying, "I'm not just being polite. If I hadn't come to your home, I wouldn't have known you were like this in your daily life."

Ellie was somewhat taken aback, her hands gripping the hem of her skirt helplessly. "What... is my daily life... not right?"

I smiled and shook my head: "No, I meant that you also have the kindness of a nurse in your daily life. Anyone would praise a lovely girl like you."

The girls around me all seem to possess a gentle quality, imbued with the tranquil atmosphere of this small town. Lin is optimistic and cheerful, Poppy is lively and adorable, Ellie is gentle and considerate, and Karen is… well… perhaps strong and capable?

In short, they are all very easy-going people, which makes me unconsciously worry about their troubles and want to offer some help within my ability.

I couldn't bear to see a girl like Ellie bend over by life, so helping her take care of her younger brother was my way of helping her.

"If you need anything in the future, be sure to let me know," I said with an extremely serious expression.

“Marcus…no need to trouble you…” Ellie instinctively wanted to refuse.

But I reacted faster: "We're friends, so don't refuse. Between friends, why talk about whether it's troublesome or not?"

"I...I'll go get you your coat!"

Ellie looked at me with some emotion, but her actions revealed a flustered state, completely unlike her usual calm and elegant demeanor. She hurriedly went inside to find the coat she was supposed to give me.

Compared to others, the two of us, both burdened with the pressures of life, have more in common. My mind is entirely focused on developing the ranch and making a living, while Ellie is focused on fulfilling her responsibility of taking care of her grandmother and younger brother.

Although I usually see her smiling, there's never been an opportunity for her to express such emotions openly; it's more about showcasing the gentle qualities of her personality. This is the first time I've noticed how visibly flustered she is when she's genuinely showing her feelings.

...How come this contrast between his appearance and his personality is kind of cute?

In the following days, Ellie spoke much less. A large part of her personality is independent and she doesn't like to trouble others. It naturally takes time for her to change to accept other people's kindness with that mindset.

I readily accepted her hospitality, ate and drank my fill at her house, learned about the course progress from You, and chatted with Grandma Eileen for a while before leaving their home.

As night deepened in the town, the lights in the houses gradually went out, and one by one they fell into slumber. The streetlights still shone on the empty streets, casting shadows on the trees that seemed particularly detached from the world, adding a dreamlike quality to the mineral town.

Where are Ellie's parents? Or what happened to them? I'll go find Mr. Dart tomorrow to find out more. Oh, and what's the relationship between Grandma Ellen and Sebala? I can ask Gray about that too.

As I pondered, my footsteps drifted like my thoughts, light as a dream, and my mood was as relaxed as if I were slightly tipsy. On this summer night, I felt as if I had stumbled into a midsummer night's dream in this small town, surrounded by scenes I wanted to remember but could not yet etch into my memory.

But I soon found the reason within myself...

It seems like I've been lacking sleep.

I only slept for two or three hours last night before rushing to Mount Mads to fight the insects to the death. I didn't get to the tavern to take a shower until dawn, and then I was busy running around town without any chance to catch up on sleep. Although I have many years of experience cultivating immortality and am quite resistant to staying up late, I'm still only human. I get vomiting and hurt when I drink too much!

"Quickly finish the last things you need to do today, then go back to sleep to prevent sudden death..."

I sobered up from my slightly tipsy state after eating and drinking my fill, abandoned my plan to go to the beach late at night to enjoy the sea breeze, and instead headed towards Mount Mades.

…………

"Back up, keep backing up, don't turn on the turn signal! Leave enough space on the left and keep backing up! Be careful! Don't let the rear of the car scrape against the wall!"

At the entrance to the secret base, I was skillfully directing the large truck out of the parking space, constantly issuing instructions to prevent scratches and collisions. This Groudon-type truck was clearly close to the height and width restrictions of the parking space. I had no idea how it had parked there by itself, and now that I was trying to back it out, I found it was stuck tightly.

When I arrived at the secret base, I found Groudon, a giant spider the size of a bear, stuck at a corner of the base.

There's nothing we can do about it.

"As big as a bear" is just an adjective, a generalization about its size. In reality, the giant spider, with its sickle-like hands and massive tail, is far larger than the rounded bear, thus fitting perfectly into the narrow space with its angular shape.

It took me ages to back the car out, and I had to half-push and half-drag it out. Luckily, the parking spaces in my neighborhood were so cramped back then that I had been put to the test and faced a series of Tetris-like parking challenges, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to turn it around in such a small space.

It's really worrying. Four years have passed, where has Groudon, who can't fly, gotten to...? Could it have made it to the coast of the Kalos region?

After a long day of work, Groudon and I were exhausted. We sat down by the pond to rest, planning to take a break before heading home.

Sitting by the clear pool, I finally remembered the water element that had been forgotten for so long, and recalled the agreed-upon code from the corner of my memory.

I picked an unknown flower from the roadside and threw it into the pond, then read it in a slightly exaggerated and affected tone.

"Oh no, my things fell in there! Someone help me!"

Sure enough, the next second, the calm and clear pool water began to churn, gurgling against gravity, slowly rising upwards, and finally shaping into a semi-transparent human figure about one meter tall, which then spoke in an illogical way.

"Unfortunate one, did you drop this little flower, this brick, or this strange little animal?"

The water element rose silently, answering my question with indescribable words.

My face darkened: "Put the kappa down right now! If it's a play, just take out the flowers, why are you holding a kappa that's sleeping in the water in your hand?!"

The water elemental instantly shrank a bit, and said pitifully, "I'm sorry, I'm so clumsy. I can't maintain my balance to make my entrance unless I'm holding something of equal weight in both hands..."

"...Tell me the truth, what triggered you to go from pretending to be a goddess to turning into a green tea b*tch?"

Goodness, it's speaking in such witty and witty language right now. What on earth has it been thinking about while it's hiding underwater?

The water element exclaimed in surprise, "I studied it according to what you said... It requires an independent personality to evoke sympathy, and also to make the other person want to protect you from the bottom of their heart. Isn't that what a goddess is?"

I slapped my forehead: "Congratulations on your failure... It's been a while since I last saw you, and your water elemental form is becoming more and more like a person. I think you should focus on studying how to transform into a human."