Chapter 765

Chapter 765 Extra: Swimming at the Seaside

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Chapter 765 Extra • Swimming at the Seaside

(The extra chapter I promised before is finally completed 0 0/~)

The timeline is set during the period when Clancia and Frostland were engaged in a great battle. They had already conquered Yubere.

A month has passed since the reconstruction efforts began after the war. The once devastated city gradually returned to calm. Although there were still many broken walls on the streets, they were mostly cleaned up. Small vendors started bringing grains and fruits from nearby villages to sell.

“Fresh fruits, just picked today, sweet and delicious~”

“Leather tents, ensuring you a peaceful night’s sleep. Limited quantity, buy early to enjoy~”

“Grains transported from the north of Clancia. Please collect your share using your ID cards, no cutting in line.”

In this simple market, many local residents gathered. Beside them, some soldiers from Clancia maintained order, ensuring fair and safe transactions.

Since occupying this place, Clancia conducted a census and registration of the original residents. Each registered resident received their own new ID card, symbolizing their identity. From then on, they could use these ID cards to receive food and subsidies distributed by the authorities.

Now, Lolan Hill and Keti were still staying near this city, likely to stay for some more time.

“What would you like to eat tonight, Keti?”

They walked through the market wearing hooded brownish robes, looking at the goods around them.

“I don’t know, are there any mushrooms? Lolan.” Keti’s light red eyes sparkled brightly and innocently under her hood.

“There doesn’t seem to be any here,” Lolan Hill held Keti’s hand as they searched the market, but found no mushrooms.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Keti lowered her head a bit dejectedly.

“But there are plenty of other delicious things,” Lolan said.

“But, mushrooms are so pretty,” Keti continued talking about what she liked.

“That’s true,” Lolan thought of the various strange-looking mushrooms in the present world, indeed not comparable to those of the past.

“Do you still like the crabs from last time?”

“Lolan lied to me, crabs have so many bones, they’re not tasty,” Keti opened her crimson eyes wide.

“That’s not bone, it’s the shell, kind of like an exoskeleton,” Lolan suddenly felt a bit guilty, as crabs did indeed have a lot of bones.

“Then let’s eat something soft this time,” Lolan took Keti’s hand and went to a stall selling miscellaneous grains.

“How much does this cost?” Lolan looked at the grains in the boxes, which seemed to be buckwheat.

“This one is fifteen copper coins per pound,” the shopkeeper glanced at the sign beside him.

“Let’s get one pound then,” Lolan handed over the money.

“Alright, please wait a moment.”

Soon, the shopkeeper wrapped the buckwheat in a rough paper bag and handed it to Lolan.

Afterwards, the young lady bought some other fruits and food with Keti in the market.

Back at the camp outside the city, they entered the large tent where they lived.

“Are you sleepy, Keti?” Lolan felt that Keti was getting drowsy.

“Mmm, Lolan,” the Flame Witch gently leaned her head against Lolan’s shoulder, and a warm sensation followed.

“Then let’s rest for a while.”

Lolan helped Keti sit on a sofa, and soon the witch fell into a peaceful sleep. Her light red hair, with its deepening shades of red, rested on her ears and shoulders, slowly changing in brightness with her breathing.

This sleeping Flame Witch wasn’t as frightening as history recorded; instead, she seemed as innocent and pure as an infant.

She was quite cute, Lolan sat beside her, watching her sleep, her fingers gently brushing Keti’s cheek.

Even though Keti often slept, just sitting next to her gave a sense of warmth and comfort, as if they shared a long-lost understanding and intimacy.

Lolan recalled the ancient memories and stayed beside Keti for a while longer before standing up.

It’s time to make something good. When Keti wakes up, I’ll surprise her.

Speaking of which, Lolan picked up the small bag of buckwheat she had just bought.

First, she poured it into a clean wooden basin. Lolan added water, washed it with her hands, drained it, and refilled it with water, then soaked it.

After a while, she found a small wooden pestle to crush the buckwheat. Then she placed several layers of gauze in another small basin and poured the crushed buckwheat into it.

Lolan tightened the gauze and slowly squeezed out the milky white juice, obtaining a bowl of pale white buckwheat juice. She then briefly boiled it and added sugar to enhance its sweetness and texture.

Finally, she added different fruit juices according to need, poured it into molds to cool, forming jelly-like puddings.

But it should be chilled first, the taste will be better.

Looking at the pudding still setting in the mold, Lolan pondered for a moment, then a slightly cool breeze formed around her fingers, cooling the puddings.

Time slowly passed, and when Lolan finished making the puddings, it was around 2 PM.

The sun shone brightly over the land, and the dazzling sunlight seeped through the gaps in the tent, illuminating the quiet interior. Occasionally, the sound of waves gently hitting the beach could be heard from afar.

She turned the pudding onto a porcelain plate and carefully removed the mold. Looking at the wobbling white pudding, Lolan slowly sat back down beside Keti.

Today, both of them wore sleeveless white dresses, only differing in style. Keti’s dress was adorned with many floral patterns embroidered by Lolan, like white wildflowers in the mountains, highlighting Keti’s pure aura, thus alleviating the oppressive feeling brought by her red hair.

As for Lolan

Hill’s own attire was simpler, adorned only by a light blue sash around her waist, complementing her silver hair and clear blue eyes perfectly.

Her fingers gently touched Keti’s forehead, but seeing no reaction, she traced Keti’s face lightly with her fingertips, touching the tip of her nose, and gave a slight tickle. The soft, slightly fluffy sensation immediately followed.

“Muu… Loran.” Keti slowly opened her crimson eyes, looking at the silver-haired girl in front of her.

“It’s time to wake up, Keti. Come and eat something.” The girl stepped aside, revealing a plate of white pudding behind her.

“Okay.” Keti nodded, slowly sitting up from the sofa, curiously looking at the pudding in front of her.

“Loran, what is this?” She looked at Loran Hill beside her with eyes layered in various red hues.

“This, hmm…” The girl pressed her finger against her chin, not quite sure if it was really pudding, though it did look very much like it.

“Pudding.”

“Pudding?”

“Yeah, you’ll know once you taste it.” After saying that, Loran Hill took a small spoon and placed it in Keti’s hand, then started tasting it herself.

The wobbly pudding was put in her mouth with a spoon, and after a simple chew, a refreshing and cool taste filled her mouth, dispelling the summer heat.

Seeing Keti take a bite of the pudding, Loran Hill seemed to remember something and reminded her, “Chew it a bit when you eat it, don’t swallow it whole.”

“Mm, it’s so smooth.” After finishing one bite, Keti was instantly captivated by this soft, sweet treat, then scooped up more of the cold pudding.

“Eat slowly, I’ll cut some fruit.” Seeing that the pudding alone wouldn’t satisfy Keti, Loran Hill stood up again, washed the fruits she had bought earlier, cut them into small pieces, and brought them over.

Looking at the half-eaten pudding, Loran Hill felt a little surprised.

“Aren’t you going to eat anymore?”

“No, wait for Loran to eat together.” Keti shook her light red hair, looking at the returning Loran Hill.

“Keti, such a good kid~”

The two sat on the sofa, enjoying snacks and fruits during the brief, leisurely afternoon, passing the time peacefully.

Afterwards, they both dozed off for a while on the sofa. When Loran Hill saw that the sun outside was no longer intense, she turned around.

“Keti, let’s go swimming today,” she suddenly wanted to try it.

“Swimming? What is that?”

“It’s like moving in the water like fish,” Loran Hill thought she could always be stumped by Keti’s questions.

“But I don’t have a tail,” Keti widened her innocent eyes.

“Well, I mean people can mimic the behavior of fish and move forward in the water.”

“I can’t imagine it,” Keti shook her head.

“Let’s give it a try, maybe it’s quite interesting,” Loran Hill seemed to have developed a lot more curiosity since being with Keti.

“Okay.”

“But we need to change clothes for swimming,” seeing their dresses, Loran Hill remembered something embarrassing and didn’t feel like going anymore.

“I know,” Keti wasn’t confused this time; she clearly remembered buying swimsuits with her companions last time.

Although they went on a beach vacation, they didn’t swim much. One reason was that most of the time was spent playing on the sand, and another was that with Vimya there, the three witches could directly enter the deep sea, so there was no need for swimming skills.

“I’ll get the clothes,” Keti feared Loran might think she was idle, so she quickly went into another room in the tent and started rummaging through her luggage.

Actually, she didn’t need to be so proactive. Seeing Keti act, Loran Hill felt a bit caught between a rock and a hard place.

After a moment of hesitation, she finally took out a one-piece white swimsuit from her storage ring.

After a while, she changed in the small compartment next to her and came out.

“Loran, are you ready too?”

In her arms, Keti held a small round ball, waiting outside. She wore a two-piece swimsuit, with a light red bra adorned with lace edges, showing off her somewhat ample figure, and similarly styled, a white ribbon tied around her thighs, accentuating her slightly plump body.

Behind her, the fiery witch’s long hair, as red as flames, cascaded down her back, with the longest strands even touching the back of her thighs. The warm red and her fair skin complemented each other, giving her a unique charm and beauty.

“Um, all set.” After changing into the swimsuit, Loran Hill seemed much shyer than usual.

Fortunately, there were no other people around. The army had already moved to the front lines, and the wealthy nobles no longer frequented the seaside. Large stretches of the sea were temporarily left empty. With just a quick scan beforehand, they could find a secluded and clean beach.

Taking a deep breath, Loran Hill calmed her unease and then lifted her head.

She wore a pure white one-piece swimsuit, her smooth hair falling straight to her waist. The edges of the swimsuit slightly pressed into her skin, revealing her fair thighs, perfectly rounded and fitting snugly. The swimsuit hugged her waist, extending upwards to reveal the curve of her abdomen.

The pure white fabric, like silk, outlined a graceful arc, crossing over her chest and meeting at the back of her neck. The overall shape of the swimsuit was pure white, but there was a light blue bow at the chest, partially obscuring the curves, which gave the girl a slight sense of comfort.

Compared to the better-covered front, the back exposed large areas of her snow-white skin. If Loran Hill’s silver hair were lifted, one could see the faint shoulder bones and the shallow spine extending to her waist.

But since she wasn’t wearing any other clothes, her hair fell naturally on her back, and as she walked, the tips of her hair brushed against her skin, giving her a slight tingling sensation.

”

“Let’s go.”

Taking a deep breath, Lolan Hill pushed Keti in front of her and slowly walked out of the tent. Soon, a pale blue mist enveloped both of them in a circular dome.

“This way will be safer,” Lolan explained unnecessarily as she and Keti flew against the wind towards a deserted beach that she sensed was uninhabited.

Her toes gently touched the ground, sinking slightly into the damp, fine white sand. A cool sensation accompanied by the sea breeze wafted over.

It was around 3-4 PM, and the sun no longer felt scorching. The golden sunlight shimmered on the clear blue water, creating a series of fragmented glimmers.

The two of them walked along the beach for a while, gradually adapting to the cooler seawater before stepping deeper into the water.

Although there was a large river near Lolan’s hometown in her previous life, she never learned how to swim. As a child, her family always warned her about the dangers of water, so they kept her away from the riverside.

By middle school and high school, her studies became more demanding, leaving no time to learn swimming. Sometimes, seeing her peers gracefully swimming in pools or rivers, Lolan would console herself with thoughts like, “Only those who know how to swim get drowned. If I don’t learn, I won’t get drowned either.”

Now, in this new world where she had extraordinary abilities, she was no longer afraid of drowning. However, that didn’t mean she knew how to swim. Despite her supernatural powers, she remained a non-swimmer.

Thinking about how to learn swimming, Lolan finally remembered to review the textbooks. After quickly reviewing the material in her mind using the system, she prepared to try.

“Keti, the most important thing when swimming is learning how to paddle.”

The silver-haired girl explained earnestly to her companion, even though she had never tried it herself.

“Mm-hm, how do you paddle?” Keti asked with interest, her crimson eyes fixed on Lolan’s movements.

“Well, something like this?” The silver-haired girl demonstrated by moving her hand on the surface of the water.

“Have you seen ducks, Keti? Ducks have large feet, like climbing stairs in the water, step by step.”

“What is a duck?” Keti asked again.

“A duck is a very capable domestic bird,” Lolan felt she was陷入某种解释困境。

“Domestic birds, forget it. Let me demonstrate instead.”

The girl mimicked the illustrations in the textbooks and lunged into the deeper part of the water. Since she was learning to swim, she deliberately did not use her extraordinary abilities.

*Plop*

Water splashed up, and her silver hair submerged underwater.

Lolan felt the world suddenly darken, then water began to enter her nose and ears. Memories of the past instantly surfaced, and panic rose within her.

Keti curiously held onto a bright yellow inflatable ball floating on the water, watching Lolan struggle in place, splashing water everywhere.

So this is what swimming is like. From Lolan’s appearance, it seems quite strenuous. Could this be some kind of exercise?

“Whew, I’m saved.” After a while, Lolan struggled to stand up from the water.

Indeed, coming here to learn swimming was a mistake. Lolan regretted it.

“Lolan is amazing~”

Keti watched Lolan stand up and clapped happily, seemingly unaware of the failed lesson, given her innocent and pure expression.

“Lolan.”

Lolan looked at Keti beside her and splashed water at her. But the fire witch seemed not to understand the meaning behind it, still standing waist-deep in the water, curiously looking at Lolan.

Lolan had to take small steps forward, her body swaying slightly with the water, struggling to maintain balance.

“Keti, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

She hugged Keti’s shoulders, and cool droplets of water slid down their skin, reflecting tiny sparkling lights under the sun.

“In fact, I can’t swim,” Lolan said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“That was a wrong demonstration, Keti, don’t learn from it.”

“The correct way should be like this.” Lolan pressed her forehead against Keti’s brow, and a cool sensation immediately followed, transferring some images and scenes to Keti’s consciousness.

Fortunately, both of them were one of the Primordials, with special souls, allowing them to convey memories or images directly without worrying about damage to their soul or confusion.

“So this is how you swim,” Keti seemed to truly understand this time.

After a while, Lolan held the inflatable ball floating in the water, watching the girl swim gracefully like a mermaid, a wave of envy rising in her heart.

Hmm, I guess I really am not cut out for swimming. She buried her face in her arms, her light blue transparent eyes moving with her crimson hair.

“Lolan, let me help you.” Keti rose from the water, her light red hair particularly beautiful and radiant under the water droplets and sunlight.

With that, Keti took Lolan’s hand and entered the water.

This time, all Lolan needed to do was hold her breath. The silver-haired girl was already light and effortless, and being led by Keti seemed not to be much effort.

Thus, the two figures, one silver and one red, finally dived into the azure sea and swam leisurely underwater.

Looking at Keti holding her hand, Lolan had a strange feeling for a moment. At this moment, Keti felt like a warm sister, making her feel safe.

Isn’t it usually me teaching her things?

The girl shook her head in the water and continued to swim freely, enjoying this rare short vacation.

In the shallow blue sea, the sunlight flickered, and occasionally passing fish curiously looked at these two special beings, one red and one silver, weaving through the water.

(End of Chapter)