Chapter 17: Stone, But Not Entirely

Incantations were very fascinating. As long as one knew the pronunciation and kept reciting them, the person could very quickly grasp their meanings.

This understanding came from the inside—an internal realization—so once comprehended, the person could naturally remember the corresponding spells.

Liu Ji used to dread memorization, whether it was English vocabulary or geographical maps; such things had been nightmares of his during his student days.

So, when he saw those thick pages of "today's homework," he actually felt despair.

However, when he started learning word by word, he didn't feel at all tired.

The whole process involved just sitting with Yaine on the crisp grass, enjoying sunlight and the breeze while reciting each challenging syllable one by one.

The only less than perfect aspect… well, it was probably having his right hand still tied to the pole, his index finger pointed to the side.

Not too far away, Mervant was busy with some carpentry work.

Although they had already built a house yesterday, it was only the basic structure that was constructed. Last night, the three of them had simply laid some cypress leaves on the floor and made do with them as beds.

Yesterday, Yaine's familiars had finished processing the entire bear hide, which was now stretched and drying on a rack. Once it was completely air-dried, the warm fur would be perfect for use as mattresses.

Thus, Mervant was preparing to build some simple wooden beds and lay the bear fur over so that they could avoid sleeping on the floor.

Meanwhile, Osar had gone out to forage in the woods. While they had a large amount of frozen bear meat, it would be too monotonous without variety. Therefore, tubers, mushrooms, and other wild vegetables had to be gathered. If he was lucky, perhaps he might even find some ripe wild fruits.

The ingredients Liu Ji used for breakfast were what Osar had gathered on his foraging run yesterday.

Everyone was busy with their own tasks, and it was only when the sun was high in the sky that Liu Ji realized that the morning had passed without him noticing.

"Lunch…" Liu Ji muttered subconsciously.

"Hungry?" Yaine asked.

"A little… Huh?" Liu Ji was stunned for a moment. Something was off.

Had they just been conversing? Could it be that he had… oh, right, he had been speaking using incantations.

After reciting incantations all morning, it had just slipped out naturally.

Seeing Liu Ji staring at her blankly, Yaine smiled and asked, "Cook, now?"

Liu Ji's eyes widened even more.

I understand! I really understand it!

Even though it was basic communication of single words pieced together, he truly understood! Finally, he had spoken with someone else!

“Eh? What’s wrong?” Yaine stared at Liu Ji strangely, and pointed to the corner of his eye.

"Huh? I…" Liu Ji paused, reaching his fingers up to his eye. To his surprise, he had been so moved he had started to cry.

Liu Ji quickly rubbed his eyes and said hurriedly, "I, cook. I, cook."

With that, he attempted to stand up but completely forgot that his right hand was still tied to the pole. His center of gravity shifted, and he spun 180 degrees around the pole and landed flat on the ground.

"Pfft!" Yaine couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

Liu Ji's face flushed with embarrassment, fumbling as he hurriedly untied his hand, then scrambled up from the ground and ran toward the stove as if fleeing.

Yaine shook her head while chuckling, then took out a pen, flipped to the back of her notebook, and continued to write something.

She was right; Liu Ji was indeed well-suited for learning incantations. His comprehension of incantations was remarkably quick.

Yaine hadn't originally expected Liu Ji to complete the number of single syllable characters she had prepared for today, but it seemed her expectations might have been too conservative.

Nearby, Mervant leaned against a finished wooden bed, watching Liu Ji and Yaine's interaction with interest.

It's rare to see Yaine laugh, he thought to himself. Ever since that incident, it seems like she hasn't laughed in a long time, even when Osar tries to be funny around her…

His gaze turned to Liu Ji, carefully scrutinizing this strange green-haired potato man.

Haa, I really don't know what's so special about this guy… though it sounds strange to say, when thinking about it, he's as special as they come.

Maybe I can actually let my guard down around him; after all, he's helped us before…

But very quickly, he still shook his head, dismissing the thought. Liu Ji was just too peculiar and shrouded in too many mysteries.

Without complete understanding, it was really difficult to trust someone wholeheartedly.

I'll keep an eye on him still, thought Mervant. But, hmm, perhaps I should be nicer to him? No, wait dammit! When have I not been nice…

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After resting for an entire morning, eating their fill, and preparing enough water supplies, Calidora and Girunini once again set out on their journey toward the end of the desert.

This desert, however, seemed boundless, stretching out endlessly with no visible borders in sight.

"Cali, I often find myself wondering, have we really not gone off course?" Girunini said softly. Having just hydrated, they now had a bit of energy to chat.

Even so, they always spoke in the lowest voice possible within audible range to conserve energy and the moisture in their throats.

"Maybe we are off course, or maybe we aren't—who knows?" Calidora shook her head slightly. "But regardless, we have to believe that we are on the right path."

"It sounds like we're gambling with our lives," Girunini muttered. "But then again, stepping into this desert was a gamble to begin with."

"Yes, but what's more despairing is that even this desert that devours people likely won't stop the Tyrant." Calidora sighed softly.

"But it can delay him for a long time," Girunini added. "At least it can hold up his cumbersome army, though if us two were to run into a squad, we'd probably be doomed."

"No, our luck can't be that bad. I remember hearing that squads in the desert are rare, and their main mission is supposed to be searching for something here," Calidora responded. "It's said the Tyrant doesn't hold much hope, so there haven't been many squads dispatched here."

"It's just that no one knows exactly what they are searching for." Girunini shrugged. "I've heard many stories of brave adventurers venturing here in search of treasures, but it seems none of them end well."

"The Tyrant clearly doesn't care what happens to those squads he sends." Calidora shook her head. "But I think we should talk less; I'm already feeling thirsty."

"Mm, agreed—" Girunini turned her gaze back to the front and suddenly her eyes widened. "Wait, what is that?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Calidora followed Girunini's gaze and was immediately taken aback. "What in the world? How can there be a city in this desert? Is it a mirage?"

"No, it's not. There really is a town there, and, and there are people standing at the city gates." Girunini's eyes gleamed red as she focused intently on the large structures that seemed to appear out of nowhere. "A-and those people at the gates look like… they are made of stone…"

"Stone statues?" Calidora asked, puzzled.

"They are stone statues, but… not entirely?" Girunini muttered. "Those statues seem alive."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read