Tarot hesitated, then cleared his throat. “Junior Sister… I’d like to ask you for a favor.”

  Lauren smiled. “Just say it. Why are you suddenly being polite?”

  Tarot exhaled in relief. “I’ve just advanced. I plan to travel to Dark Souls Land for further tempering. So… I can only entrust my disciple to you for now.”

  Lauren froze. “…What?”

  She looked down at the obedient six-year-old.

  “Senior Brother, isn’t that a bit inappropriate? You just brought him back today.”

  Tarot waved it off casually.

  “What’s inappropriate? When you first entered the sect, Master entrusted you to me.”

  “That’s different! He’s six!”

  “You weren’t much older.”

  Lauren’s mouth twitched.

  I was thirteen. And I absolutely did not need someone wiping my nose.

  “It’s settled,” Tarot said decisively. “I’ll be back soon.”

  Before she could argue further, he gently pushed Wayne toward her—

  And ran. Actually ran.

  Lauren stood there in stunned silence.

  This was basically forced consignment. She looked down at Wayne.

  Wayne looked up at her. “Miss Lauren, I’ll be very good. I won’t cause trouble.”

  Her expression softened slightly. “Alright… good boy. You can stay in…”

  She glanced around. Senior Brother hadn’t even explained where he was supposed to live. A six-year-old couldn’t stay alone.

  “You can stay in that room,” she said, pointing toward a side chamber in her courtyard.

  “Thank you, Miss Lauren.”

  Wayne ran off obediently.

  Lauren followed. “Did your master explain cultivation to you?”

  “Yes. He gave me the manuals.”

  “Can you understand them?”

  “I could understand every book in our house when I was three.”

  Lauren blinked. A genius.

  Despite being only six, he spoke clearly and behaved with calm composure. There was no childish whining, no fidgeting.

  Good. If he were the type to cry nonstop, she would’ve been screwed.

  “You still need to eat, right?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  Lauren paused. What the hell do you feed a six-year-old?

  “Miss Lauren,” Wayne said carefully, “if you don’t know how to cook… I can.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Lauren stared at him.

  “You can cook?”

  “Yes.”

  She burst into laughter.

  “No need. How about you stop eating altogether?”

  Wayne’s brows furrowed slightly. He’s only six and she’s already cutting his meals?

  But she was smiling at him, waiting for his answer.

  He straightened and nodded solemnly. “Wayne will do whatever Miss Lauren says.”

  Her smile widened.

  So obedient. She took out a bottle of flower dew she hadn’t finished earlier and handed it to him.

  “Drink this. One sip will sustain you for ten days.”

  Wayne accepted it carefully. “Thank you.”

  Well.

  That was unexpectedly easy. However, she only had one bottle left.

  After thinking briefly, she headed to Hyaka Valley and brewed about ten more bottles of concentrated flower dew.

  When she returned— She saw Timothy standing in her courtyard.

  Her expression immediately darkened.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Timothy answered calmly. “This child couldn’t find you and was wandering around. He ran into me. I brought him back.”

  Lauren instinctively pulled Wayne behind her.

  She crouched slightly and spoke softly.

  “He’s not one of us. He’s only a temporary guest. He’ll be leaving soon.”

  Wayne nodded obediently.

  “What did you want to see me about?”

  “I noticed you hadn’t come back for a long time. So I came out to look for you.”

  Her heart tightened slightly.

  Right. He was only six.

  No matter how mature he seemed, he would feel uneasy if left alone too long.

  “That was my fault,” she admitted. “Next time I go down the mountain, I’ll tell you first.”

  Wayne hesitated, then asked quietly— “Can I go down the mountain with you?”

  Lauren paused.

  She couldn’t exactly drag a six-year-old into dangerous situations. But she smiled gently. “If it’s safe and possible, I will.”

  Wayne’s eyes brightened.

  “Okay.”

  As soon as Wayne disappeared into the room, the warmth drained from Lauren’s face. She turned to Timothy.

  “You should head back too,” she said coolly. “Stop wandering around like a lost ghost.”

  “I came to talk to you about something.”

  “Fine. Spit it out.”

  He lowered his gaze. “I was out of line before. I apologize.”

  “No need. Nothing serious happened. I didn’t lose anything.”

  Timothy hesitated, jaw tightening before he forced the words out. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

  “Depends.” She folded her arms. “Don’t ask for anything ridiculous.”

  “I need some medicinal herbs. It’s inconvenient for me to go down the mountain myself.”

  He handed her a list.

  Lauren skimmed it. Nothing rare—just ordinary herbs. She relaxed slightly and tucked the paper away.

  “Alright. A few of these might not be in stock. It could take some time to gather everything.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Then go back. I’ll bring them to you once I’ve got them.”

  But he didn’t move.

  Lauren arched a brow. “What now?”

  Timothy hesitated again, as if weighing whether he should even ask.

  “Just say it. On this damn summit, I’m the only one who’ll run errands for you.”

  He drew in a breath. “Indiana… is she really the Eye of Heaven?”

  The question hit Lauren like a slap. Instinctively, she glanced up at the sky.

  The cloud her master had placed above Starfell Summit still hung there, quiet and watchful. Good. No eavesdropping from above.

  “You already know?” she asked quietly.

  Timothy nodded. “My master told me.”

  “Do you believe him?”

  “I don’t know.” His voice was low. “I’ve done reckless things before. People say I’m hot-blooded, impulsive. I never thought much about it. But after what happened—lying on that ice bed with nothing but time to think… I started questioning everything.”

  He looked exhausted.

  “Maybe I am arrogant,” he continued. “Maybe I’m full of myself. But I’m not blind. I can tell right from wrong. I can tell what matters and what doesn’t.”

  Lauren understood.

  A man who had been manipulated for years suddenly realizing it—of course he would feel unmoored. Doubt didn’t just shatter trust; it shattered identity.

  “So what are you going to do?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how to face her anymore. That’s why I hid here.”

  For a brief moment, Lauren felt a flicker of sympathy.

  She was the one targeted. Timothy had just been the weapon.

  In a world where ascension was blocked, someone like Timothy—who had the potential to break through—would, at best, grow old and die like anyone else.

  At worst?

  He’d die for Indiana, still confused, still thinking he was right.

  Both of them had been played.

  “I can’t solve this for you,” Lauren said at last. “But I can give you one piece of advice.”

  “What advice?”

  “Keep women out of your heart, and your sword will strike faster.”

  He blinked. “…You’re telling me to forget Indiana and focus on cultivation?”

  She gave him a faint smirk. “You’re not hopeless. That’s your only way out.”

  He fell silent.

  ........

  When Tarot had shoved his disciple into her care, Lauren had thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. The kid was obedient, polite, disturbingly mature for six.

  Easy enough.

  A few days later, she realized she’d been na?ve.

  For one thing, she needed to enter seclusion soon—at least a few months. How the hell was she supposed to manage that with a child around?

  Even a well-behaved six-year-old couldn’t handle complete isolation. Someone had to check on him, guide him, make sure he didn’t wander off or starve.