"You must have been drinking, I can smell it!" said the mixed-blood succubus cub with his round eyes and firmly.

Ning Zhou was not used to lying, so he remained silent.

He was pulled to the chair by the table, and his temporary cohabitation man said seriously, "Let's talk."

Ning Zhou doesn't like others saying this to him. Whenever the teachers say "Let's talk" to him, it means a cliché preaching and his long speechlessness.

They would talk about his mother, about his schoolwork, about their expectations of him, and there was the same question behind all the words: Why can't you be as good as your mother?

This problem repeatedly tortured his guilt and shame. At first, he would struggle and promised that he would work harder.

He gave up his favorite swordsmanship class and devoted his time to his divine magic. He asked his predecessors who were best at divine magic, even if the other party sarcastically sarcastically. He strictly demanded himself and fulfilled Teacher Teresa's request without fail.

But his efforts were not rewarded, and he still couldn't learn anything.

Then run away, thirteen-year-old Ning Zhou couldn't help thinking.

Escape from everyone's expectations and be a silent loser, and he did.

Qi Leren looked at Ning Zhou, who was full of non-violent and uncooperative faces, and couldn't help but sigh, "A adolescence boy...

After thinking about it, he found a topic: "Speaking of it, do you know? Teacher Teresa, my father, and your mother are all classmates."

Ning Zhou's ears moved, and he raised his head.

It seems that Teacher Teresa has never told him this, and Qi Leren continues to work hard: "You leave first after class, and I will chat with Teacher Teresa. That's what she told me."

You actually chat with the teacher!

Ning Zhou's expression became indescribable. This mixed-blood succubus cub would take the initiative to chat with the terrifying teacher!

Qi Leren was amused by his expression. Ning Zhou's reaction was so cute. Because the results of the magical crafts class were too embarrassing, he saw that the teacher was like a mouse and wanted to hide away.

Although they grew up in different worlds, their reactions were very similar when they encountered academic problems. Qi Leren remembered that he failed a course in middle school. He saw the teacher in the corridor from a distance and immediately hid back into the stairs and slipped away quickly. Even if he had to go around for a long time before returning to the classroom, it didn't matter.

"Don't you like Teacher Teresa?" Qi Leren asked.

"No." Ning Zhou said.

"But you're afraid of her."

Ning Zhou hesitated for a while, and finally spoke under Qi Leren's gaze: "...I just don't know how to face her."

"She cares about you very much."

"I know."

"Have you talked to her about this issue? About your magic...uh, grades."

"There is nothing to talk about." Ning Zhou's tone became cold and hard with a straight face.

"Why is there nothing to say? At least you need to study the reasons why you can't learn it."

"No reason!" Ning Zhou replied quickly. In order to enhance his persuasion, he added, "The Holy See has tested my physical condition and everything is normal."

Qi Leren frowned: "That's what the Pope's Crown told you?"

Ning Zhou nodded.

Qi Leren understood a little. The Pope knew Ning Zhou's life experience very well, and also understood that this child had no talent in divine arts, which might be because of his father. But this is a secret that must not be made public. If Ning Zhou's life experience was exposed, even the Pope would not be able to save his life. So even among the top leaders of the Holy See, only the Pope knew about this secret.

Divine art is the foundation of everything and the foundation of the Holy See's factional power system.

The pope could not explain to the public why Mary's son could not learn divine arts, so everyone would continue to have expectations for Ning Zhou, hoping that he would suddenly become a strong man like his mother one day.

"Maybe you can tell Teacher Teresa what you think." Qi Leren suggested.

“…”

"It doesn't matter if you say it."

"We can't communicate because she's looking forward to me too much."

"?" Qi Leren blinked in confusion. He did not understand the logic in Ning Zhou's words.

Ning Zhou turned his head to look at him. The flames of the fireplace were pounding in his blue eyes, but the fire was as cold as reflected on the glacier.

"Everyone is like this. They look forward to me, but I can't do it. I can't be the person they expect!" Ning Zhou took a deep breath, his tone gradually became fierce. "Do you want me to tell them that you misread the wrong person. I am not my mother. I am just a... a mediocre, without talent, and without God's grace. Don't look forward to me anymore. I can't realize your dreams, I can't do it!"

His voice choked and he admitted in pain: "...because I don't have that talent."

Qi Leren's heart was clenched, his breathing was frozen, and he stared at Ning Zhou's eyes, which were eyes occupied by self-blame and guilt.

"It doesn't matter if you can't do it." Qi Leren took a deep breath, tried to calm down his emotions, and wanted to reach out and hold Ning Zhou's hand.

He wanted to comfort him, but Ning Zhou suddenly raised his head and looked straight at him. A faint light of tears surged in his deep suppressed blue eyes: "How could it be okay?!"

Qi Leren couldn't answer.

He could have answered, but the cruel truth is a secret that cannot be told.

"You don't understand at all. When everyone thinks you should do it but you can't do it, you are guilty." The young Ning Zhou confessed word by word.

This confession of guilt not only stabs the wounds in his heart, but also the heart of Qileren.

"Why are you guilty?"

"I have enjoyed the preferential treatment of the Holy See, I am the son of the Holy Nun, I... I... I have received everyone's expectations."

"This is not what you asked for. Do you deserve to give everything for them?"

"It's not my worthy! It's me, I have to do it!"

At this moment, what came to Ning Zhou's mind was the day when he came to the Neverland. He came down from the aircraft wrapped in a thick cloak and saw the Paladin army waiting for him to arrive solemnly on the ice field, the severe cold, the strong wind, the armor, the dazzling red cloak, and the glory that everyone hoped for.

——Please save me.

In everyone's eyes, he felt something hazy - under the low-pressure lead gray sky, in front of the icy and snowy Holy See, he was given a mission.

A mission that he cannot accomplish.

He ran away.

The door of the dormitory was open, but Ning Zhou was gone outside the door.

After the quarrel that was not considered a quarrel, Ning Zhou turned his head and left, leaving Qi Leren alone in the room to sulk.

Now he knows why Ning Zhou, who grew up, always talks about his past vaguely, and says that this is a disgraceful past. It is really difficult for thirteen-year-old Ning Zhou to deal with it.

He felt awkwardly hidden in his heart. He could neither respond to the expectations of the people of the Holy See for him nor accept the fact that he had no talent for divine arts. He hid himself in the repeated self-torture.

Qi Leren sighed. When he was a child, he encountered setbacks. He either complained to his parents or complained to his classmates and friends. There was no obstacle that could not be overcome, but Ning Zhou was different. The obstacles he encountered were too difficult, and it was related to the life and death of the Holy See and the entire world.

If Ning Zhou was heartless, he would not have to worry about it.

Ning Zhou's precocious maturity made him realize what kind of responsibility he was carrying. Mary taught him integrity, courage and sense of responsibility to make him understand that he must assume this responsibility. He realized his mission, but was unable to shoulder the mission.

This silent and invisible weight is enough to crush a thirteen-year-old child.

He couldn't bear it alone. Qi Leren sighed again, took off a long-haired cloak from the clothes hanger and put it on, put it on thick boots, and gently closed the door of the dormitory.

He had to pick up this stubborn little Ningzhou and help him overcome this hurdle. He hoped that the thirteen-year-old Ningzhou would not be too difficult to coax.

But even if it is difficult to coax him, Qi Leren showed an indefinite smile in the oncoming wind and snow. He had coaxed Ning Zhou even more difficult to coax. He was professional in dealing with Ning Zhou!

……………………

When Qi Leren found Ning Zhou, he was staring at a group of penguins on the ice field that was never far away.

The penguins, more than half a person tall, stared at him, to be precise, at the penguin egg he was holding in his arms. Ning Zhou held the penguin egg that still had the remaining warmth, and was at a loss.

After leaving the dormitory, he wanted to stay at the old church for a while, but unexpectedly he encountered several lonely wolves sneaking into the residential area on the way. This ice field snow wolf was cunning and cruel in nature, and occasionally they attacked humans in the parish.

Ning Zhou carried his sword with him and immediately stepped forward to rescue passers-by. He didn't bother to accept the passers-by's thanks. He tracked the snow wolf and wanted to drive them out of the residential area.

After leaving the residential area, the snow wolf disappeared. Ning Zhou encountered a group of penguins hatching eggs on the nearby ice field. One of them had just been bitten to death by the snow wolf, leaving behind a warm penguin egg.

What should I do?

The first time Ning Zhou encountered this situation, the penguin egg in his arms still had the remaining warmth, but if he left his body temperature, he would immediately lose his vitality in the extreme cold of the ice field.

Such a fragile, unformed life, he could not save it at all.

The body temperature was not enough to provide enough warmth. Ning Zhou felt that the penguin egg in his arms was gradually getting colder, and his heart gradually became colder.

Maybe, he just can't save it, just as he can't save anyone.

He doesn't have that talent.

"Ning Zhou, so you are here!" A familiar voice came not far away.

Ning Zhou turned around and his ward trotted all the way, waving at him as he ran. He was wearing a thick cloak, wrapped tightly, and looked like a rolling fluffy ball on the ice field.

The fluffy ball came to him, and his shiny eyes stared curiously at the bulging piece in his coat: "What good thing are you hiding?"

The penguins around were clamoring, as if they were answering something.

The mixed-blood succubus cub looked at him suspiciously: "You didn't steal someone's eggs, did you?"

"I don't!" Ning Zhou hurriedly defended, "A penguin was bitten to death by a wolf..."

"Oh~ You are adopting an orphan." The mixed-blood succubus cub smiled sweetly and reached into his coat unscrupulously. "This won't work, the temperature is too low, and the little penguin will freeze to death."

Ning Zhou's eyes lit up when he heard this: "You can hatch eggs?"

The expression of the mixed-blood succubus cub was frozen for a moment. He flattened his mouth and his cunning eyes turned: "I don't understand very much, but I can give you some advice."

"Please tell me." Ning Zhou asked him seriously.

The mixed-blood succubus cub pointed to the penguins watching the fun with a smile: "You shouldn't ask me this question, you should ask professional ones."

Professional penguins:???

As if afraid that Ning Zhou wouldn't understand, the mixed-blood succubus cub held his hand and explained affectionately: "What is the temperature of the penguin hatching eggs? You should touch them yourself."

Ning Zhou's beautiful blue eyes suddenly widened. He looked at the parenting bag between the penguins' legs, then looked at Qi Leren, looking at him with a look of desire but stopping.

Qi Leren's smile became sweeter: "These penguin fathers who hatch eggs will definitely understand your intentions. You can touch them with confidence and boldness. They will not call you a hooligan."
Chapter completed!