Sang Luo flipped through the monthly exam report Glen Tuya had given her. In the exams that had just concluded a few days ago, Lan Ruo placed in the top ten of his class.
For an ordinary Wolf Beast, not even a Mutant Beast, this was an impressive accomplishnt. It could even be considered outstanding.
Seeing her particular interest in the Wolf Beast, Glen Tuya elaborated on Lan Ruo’s recent situation.
To be honest, he was very pleased with this student. Unlike the noble scions he usually dealt with, Lan Ruo was quiet, diligent, and down-to-earth, so he would offer him a bit of guidance in class. The student’s family situation wasn’t great, but his grades were good enough to win a scholarship, which would be a great help to his family.
Sang Luo recalled Lan Cang ntioning once that he had grown up in the slums and had to provide for a younger brother, starting to work for money at just seven or eight years old.
The class structure on the Western Continent was rigid, with a huge gap between the rich and poor. No matter how outstanding a lower-class Beastman’s abilities were, good jobs were never available to them. They could only take on nial, odd jobs; just being able to make ends et was considered a blessing.
An ordinary Beastman could work their entire life and still not earn enough to cover a single year’s tuition at Yalan Academy.
Lan Cang had no choice but to take the risk of becoming a rcenary just to afford his brother’s exorbitant tuition.
Lan Ruo was lucky compared to Lan Cang... She rembered that Lan Cang loved to read, but he had never attended school or received a formal education.
Sang Luo handed Lan Ruo a bag. They had parted in such a hurry last ti that she had forgotten to return sothing so important. "Your brother gave this to a long ti ago. I’m returning it to him now, back to its rightful owner."
Lan Ruo felt its hefty weight and was startled. He opened it for a peek, but his expression changed, and he quickly closed it again.
He looked at Sang Luo, shocked and confused. "These are..."
’He’d never seen so many Beast Crystals in his entire life!’
’They were almost all High Rank Beast Crystals!’
Sang Luo said, "If you have any questions, you should just ask your brother. There’s a lot he hasn’t told you, and it’s not my place as an outsider to say anything..."
’Lan Cang only ever claid to be a rcenary, but in reality, he’d done plenty of illegal things on the side, risking his life for Crystal Stones. He certainly hadn’t told Lan Ruo any of it. Sang Luo couldn’t say much either, lest she bring disaster upon Lan Ruo, which was surely the last thing Lan Cang would want.’
"O-Okay! Rest assured, noble female, I will be sure to give these to my brother!" The youth lowered his head to stare at his toes, adding shyly, "And thank you, noble female, for helping in the elimination match last ti. Otherwise, I might not be here now."
Sang Luo laughed. "You ran off so quickly back then, I almost thought you were going to be ungrateful."
"No, no, that’s not it! I just... I just..." He was terribly shy. He’d never spoken to a female so beautiful and noble in his entire life; he had run away on pure instinct.
Sang Luo stopped teasing him, her smile fading slightly. "Also, please pass on a ssage to your brother for . Tell him... to be a little kinder to himself."
When Lan Ruo got ho, he saw Lan Cang had returned. Beaming, he asked, "Brother, you’re back so early! I’ve never seen you return so quickly."
"The mission was a failure, so I ca back," Lan Cang said casually, taking a sip of water.
"Really?" Lan Ruo saw the gentle smile on his face, which didn’t look like that of soone who’d failed a mission. He looked like he had just pulled off a big job.
Lan Ruo rembered it clearly. When Lan Cang had returned two months ago, he had been utterly lifeless. He was alive, yet he was like a soulless, walking corpse.
’But this ti, despite failing his mission, it was as if his soul had returned with him!’
Lan Ruo grinned. "Brother, do you rember that lady I told you about, the one who helped in the competition? She seems to know you and asked to give you this."
Lan Cang took the bag. After opening it, he was silent for a long ti.
"...What’s her na."
"Sang Luo."
"..."
"Brother, you... why are you crying?"
"You’re mistaken." Lan Cang took a deep breath and turned his face away. He closed the bag again and stood to go outside. "I gave this to her. Once I’ve given sothing, I won’t take it back. You should return it."
"But from the way she acted, I don’t think she’ll take it back."
"That was my dowry for her!"
"..." Lan Ruo froze as if struck by lightning. ’So there really was sothing going on between them.’
’But by the looks of it, his brother had been turned down.’
"Brother, why don’t you open it and look again? I glanced inside on my way here, and it seed like there was sothing else in there. Maybe it’s a gift specifically for you..."
Hearing that, Lan Cang hurried back. He opened the bag and saw that the Crystal Stones inside were virtually untouched. His chest imdiately tightened with a dull ache. ’It makes sense,’ he thought. ’The one by her side now is a King Beast. She doesn’t lack for things like Crystal Stones...’ All at once, a flash of silver caught his attention. Lan Cang pulled a necklace from where it was hidden among the crystals.
The pendant wasn’t exquisitely carved; it was even a little rough and clumsy. But it was by no ans a careless piece of work. One could see it had been carved with great care. It was vaguely recognizable as a wolf’s head with a blue Crystal Stone set in the middle, emitting a faint ripple of energy.
Lan Cang’s breathing grew heavy. ’Did... she make this herself?’
He sent a wisp of his Divine Sense to probe it and found it was filled with healing dicines.
"That’s a Space Necklace! I saw one of the teachers in my class wearing a Space Bracelet once. I heard you can store things inside them, making them really convenient to carry. It’s a Treasure that only a Space System Beastman can craft. They’re priceless and can’t be bought on the market! That noble female gave it to you, Brother!"
Lan Cang lowered his head and chuckled. ’A parting gift?’
The feeling in his heart was bittersweet, and he had no idea what to do. He carefully put the necklace away, but he still intended to return the Crystal Stones to her.
’Luoluo is pregnant now. A King Beast’s child requires a trendous amount of energy. Even if she isn’t short on Beast Crystals right now, she’ll still need plenty. It’s better to have them than not.’
"Take out all the Beast Crystals I gave you last ti I was back. I’ll leave you enough for your first year’s tuition. You’ll give all the rest to that lady."
"Huh?"
"What do you an, ’huh’? Get a move on. Didn’t you find a job in the Imperial City? You should be able to handle your own tuition. I don’t need to look after you anymore... When I was your age, I was already providing for you!"
’Before finding a mate, a Beastman values his family most. But after finding one, a Male Beast will focus solely on providing for that mate.’ Lan Ruo never thought this would be the day he got kicked out! Hurried along by his brother, he quickly rummaged through boxes and cabinets to get his tuition fund... ah, no, to get his brother’s entire dowry.
After they finished eating, Lan Cang said to Lan Ruo,
"I ca back this ti to tell you that I’m leaving."
"Brother, where are you going?" Lan Ruo wasn’t too surprised. Lan Cang often had missions and wasn’t ho. Last ti, he had been gone for three or four whole years.
"The North Continent."
Lan Ruo froze, his chopsticks clattering to the floor. "...Why the sudden decision to go there?"
The Extre Cold North Territory was barren and bitterly cold.
Its brutal environnt gave rise to the most vicious and powerful Star Beasts.
So Beastn seeking to break through their limits would journey to the North Continent to hone their strength and advance their rank.
But nine out of ten of them died.
The North Continent was better known as the battlefield of death.
...
Lately, Sang Luo’s appetite had been terrifyingly huge.
The Crystal Stones Caesar had left behind were nowhere near enough to eat. She was about to starve, and the baby’s father still hadn’t returned.
’If he didn’t co back soon, his child was going to starve to death!’
Sang Luo lay on the sofa, stroking her ever-rounding belly, sighing again and again.
She could only gnaw on so jerky to tide herself over.
Leon returned, carrying a box in through the door. "Madam, did you buy sothing? I don’t know what’s in here, but it’s so heavy!"
"Hm? I didn’t buy anything." Sang Luo opened it to find the box was filled entirely with Beast Crystals!
The Level of the Beast Crystals wasn’t particularly high, but they made up for it in sheer quantity.
It was exactly what she desperately needed!
Sang Luo’s mouth was practically watering. Without a second thought, she took out a Purple Crystal and quickly consud it. The gnawing hunger in her stomach finally eased a little.
At first, Sang Luo assud Caesar was too busy on the East Continent to return and had arranged for soone to send them. But she later discovered that wasn’t the case.
At the beginning of every month, sotis delayed by two or three days at most, Sang Luo would receive a box of Beast Crystals just like it. There was no address or na on the package, so she had no idea who was sending them.
As ti went on, the quantity of Beast Crystals in each delivery grew, and their Level beca higher and higher.
Much later, Sang Luo received the transparent Beast Crystals that could only be obtained by hunting a King Rank Star Beast. For the first ti, a note was tucked inside the box.
On it was written:
[Luoluo, I miss you so much]
Instantly, tears stread down her face.
’That man... she really couldn’t get him out of her heart...’
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