It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

"What on earth have you been through to become so boring... Never mind, I'll give you a chance!"

Seeing that Claire's spirits seemed to have returned, it was Bai Lin's turn to sigh silently in his heart. Claire raised her jade feet, stretched them towards Bai Lin and said,

"Come on, lick it, you know what I mean."

"..." Bai Lin looked at Chris with a look of despair, as if he was looking at a bitch. If she were still like in her original world, a otaku and without a girlfriend, she would probably agree happily.

But Bai Lin has long passed the age when her mind is full of pornographic garbage. She has also been tempered a lot in this different world and has an emotional bond with him, so her response is naturally,

"It turns out that the elves not only appear innocent on the outside, but are also completely perverted..."

Bai Lin deliberately said this with an extremely disappointed look, while looking away and sighing. This time, Chrissie unexpectedly took the bait again. She immediately put her foot down and angrily retorted to Bai Lin,

"I already told you that personal behavior has nothing to do with race! Humph, come and get your stuff. This won't happen again."

The same liquid appeared between Claire's fingers again, quickly forming waves and forming a small, clear green crystal. Bai Lin took the crystal from Claire and replied in a casual tone,

"Thank you."

Although Kress was quite a bit of a wrangler and a waste of Bai Lin's time, she had indeed helped Bai Lin, so it was perfectly fine to call her an ally. Bai Lin still had the courtesy to say thank you.

As for Claire, she seemed to be a little dissatisfied because she failed to tease Bai Lin. She crossed her arms in front of her chest like a spoiled child, snorted again, and said to Bai Lin in a dissatisfied tone,

"If you really want to express your gratitude, why not let me take a bite? That way I'll be satisfied."

Bai Lin rubbed her head helplessly and replied,

"Before, you said that the elves eat people. I always thought it was a joke. I didn't expect that after so long, you would still say it out loud. It can't be true."

"I only eat people like you who are good-looking but have an extra mouth... Hey, don't leave. I'll be angry if you leave like this."

Chris was halfway through her reply when her gaze suddenly fixed on Bai Lin, who stood up and dusted himself off. Dressed in a black windbreaker, her eyes were a bit vague. Her face remained unchanged, but her demeanor made Chris feel something was amiss.

Bai Lin spoke to Claire in a tone that was not too intimate but also very normal, as if he were talking to a friend.

"Let me be clear, I really don't have any plans to have more girlfriends. Chris, please stop teasing me. Besides, I don't think you're any less pretty than me, so why are you always thinking about me? Better stop talking about this in the future."

Bai Lin's vulgar words were the same as always. He was not the type to stick to the formality of language. But Chris could sense a certain atmosphere in Bai Lin's words.

The hurried look of washing and changing clothes in the early morning, the exhausted look of squinting eyes in the afternoon, the lonely smell of smoke rising in the evening, and the smell of tobacco in the narrow corner.

Christina suddenly felt the change in Bai Lin. Even if he couldn't be said to be old, Bai Lin's heart was already full of mottled spots. This made Christina also seriously care about Bai Lin.

"Have you been busy lately? I feel like you've changed a lot."

This short sentence surprised Bai Lin more than any previous teasing. Bai Lin was startled for a moment, then began to reflect.

Fei'er said so, Sora said so too, and I didn't expect even Claire had noticed this. Although I knew exactly how tired I was, did I really need a break? My mind was clearly clear when I was working, so a little adjustment would be enough, right?

Thinking of this, Bai Lin turned his thoughtful gaze to Chris, who looked back at her seriously, expecting her answer. Finally, Bai Lin said,

"Perhaps a little. Coincidentally, let me ask you another question. After being the Elf Queen for so long, have you ever been overworked? If so, how did you adjust your mindset?"

"Hmm..." Chris thought for a while, but she quickly gave an answer.

"To be honest, what's bothering me most isn't the Queen's affairs, but it's also about work, which might be helpful to you..."

"Being curious about every little surprise in life, exploring them, and placing as much of your emotions as possible on the things in front of you will make you feel much better. You can give it a try, too, right?"

Such serious and useful advice actually came from Christina's mouth. Even though it was hard to believe, Bai Lin happily wrote it down. He nodded thoughtfully, thinking to himself.

The things in front of me...? What can I really rely on in front of me?

Katie and I were both working hard together, and any results would surely be in the distant future. At the very least, I wouldn't see any real progress until my group and I left the city to explore. Katie, on the other hand, would need several more years to become a truly exceptional magician.

There wasn't much emotional connection to my teammates. While everyone was very close, they couldn't possibly be considered a spiritual pillar. Everyone felt pressured to some degree, but they wouldn't let themselves become emotionally drained by work.

If I had to say, I do have a special bond with Fei'er...like sisters? Or maybe brother and sister? But her affairs are probably in the distant future.

Bai Lin looked around, but she couldn't see any emotional support within reach. In this alien world, she was just a newcomer who had just started to make some progress. Everything was still very far away, everything was just the rising sun, not the shining noon.

At least, that's what she thought.

Chapter 357 The Debt Collector is Here

"Well, thank you very much, Chris."

-

After returning from the Elf Queen, Kong happily accepted the things Bai Lin brought back, and then demonstrated a very powerful technique to Bai Lin - while discussing and improving her negotiation information with Bai Lin, he began to analyze the green crystal and put it into use.

As for the results, Bai Lin's understanding of magic hadn't changed much in the past year. She couldn't understand anything Kong had explained to her from a magical perspective. At best, she understood that the thing Claire had given her provided a relatively complete healing system, but she still needed to perfect the "content" beyond the framework.

"...If this is handed over to the city's higher-ups, there might be some problems during this period. Okay, I'll distribute it to various folk monasteries first, and then I'll send it to the official authorities after you finish your negotiations."

Sora told Bai Lin this. Judging by the current situation between Chihong and Sakura, there were indeed some undercurrents within Kamitlan's political hierarchy, and Sora's handling of the situation was understandable. Although Bai Lin couldn't understand the internal strife at such a critical juncture, he accepted it when he thought of the medieval times.

After all, compared to other medieval times in history, Camilan was already a very good city. At least it wasn't an era where a bunch of charlatans wielded their power to wantonly tamper with history books.

After dinner, Bai Lin returned to the hotel. As she walked to the door of her room, a figure that made Bai Lin feel a little unhappy stood in front of her door.

A pair of emerald green eyes stared at Bai Lin, but he didn't say anything yet. Bai Lin waved to Fei'er behind him, signaling her to go back to her room first, and then said in a very calm tone,

"Let's talk after we come in."

The unpleasant figure before her was actually a red-haired girl. With light steps, she stood behind Bai Lin, followed closely behind her, and walked into the door.

Her clothes looked expensive, unlike someone who would stay at this inn. She must have attracted quite a few adventurers' attention when she arrived. Bai Lin, on the other hand, remained remarkably calm about this and didn't show anything.

It wasn't until Bai Lin sat on the bed with her legs crossed that she finally revealed her somewhat sinister smile. Bai Lin said,

"Why are you here again? Keep asking me to pay you back makes me even less willing to return your things."

"Huh? I've already compensated you for your clothes, so it's understandable that I'm asking you for your sword, right?!"

The visitor was none other than the arrogant and domineering daughter of a noble family, Leah. This was about the tenth time she had come to my house in the past year.

As for why there were only ten, it was mainly because Bai Lin was away from the city most of the time. Perhaps due to pride or some other reason, the young lady had not reported the loss of her sword to her family. This was also why Bai Lin had been able to delay until now.

Bai Lin is well aware of the saying "When the money is paid back, the borrower is the boss". She shamelessly accepted the tights and kept the sword on herself. Because -

It is really easy to use.

Over the past year, this young lady named Liya has become much more mature. Bai Lin's feeling when seeing her has also changed from "seeing a lump" to "seeing fun again." The reason why he felt unhappy when seeing her at the door was simply because he had spent some energy today and didn't feel like talking.

However, perhaps because of the influence of Kress and the young master, Bai Lin started to feel playful as soon as she sat down and crossed her legs. She said to Leah very cheekily,

"That sword is perfect for adventures, right? It's great for slaying monsters or even barbecuing. I really don't want to give it back. Leah, you usually stay at school, right? You probably won't need it except to suppress your classmates, so why don't you let me keep it?"

Compared to the natural troublemaker like Claire, Bai Lin's words made people feel more angry and wanted to be beaten. If it weren't for her cute face, I'm afraid others would punch her in the face after hearing it. Keliya didn't seem too angry, but replied,

"What are you talking about? The sword is mine. I can do whatever I want with it. I've already compensated you for your clothes and promised you that I won't target Katie anymore. What do you want?"

It seemed like this wasn't the first time she had asked Bai Lin to do this, but Bai Lin remained indifferent. Bai Lin cleared his throat, straightened his upper body, and replied with a sharper look in his eyes.

"I don't know if you've ever heard the saying, 'In a life-or-death situation, it's right to give the right sword to the right person.' This isn't taking, but rather a great act of humility."

Bai Lin's figure suddenly became taller. Seeing that Leah did not respond on the spot, Bai Lin lowered his voice and said in a more intense tone,

"Even after all these attempts, haven't you figured out why I won't return the sword? Listen carefully, Leah. When the day comes when you find the same passion as I do, fighting to protect humanity, I will offer this fine sword to you with all my heart."

The degree of nonsense in these words can be said to have reached the extreme. Bai Lin said this just to trick Leah and tease her. But when Bai Lin glanced at her and met Leah's eyes, he found that she was thinking. Bai Lin frowned and couldn't help thinking,

This guy wouldn't really believe it.

When Leah opened her mouth to reply, her answer was exactly what she had guessed.

"Okay, I will do it. I hope you can fulfill your promise by then."

"?"

Bai Lin was stunned. She began to ask herself what the world had become. But Liya raised more questions and asked Bai Lin,

"But to be frank, you've already been an adventurer for a long time, and I have absolutely no experience at all. What small goal should I start with?"

She was actually... asking me seriously? Bai Lin was completely bewildered. Over the past year, Bai Lin had indeed teased Leah quite a bit, and Leah herself seemed to have become much more modest than before.

Could it be that... I am now a very influential adventurer, so much so that even a young lady from a noble family would want to learn from me?

Seeing Leah's serious expression, Bai Lin thought for a moment. She didn't dislike people who corrected their mistakes, but Bai Lin still felt uncomfortable because others had done bad things to Katie.

Chapter 358 Sakura

However, at this stage of her human existence, and with Leah being a student at the Magic Academy, she was indeed talented. Since she was willing to take the initiative to improve herself, Bai Lin was naturally happy to offer some pointers.

"Well, considering your living conditions, it's really unrealistic to ask you to start from scratch and do the same dirty and tiring work as those adventurers. It will only serve to hone your mentality."

After thinking for a moment, Bai Lin said to Leah with great certainty, as if he were a senior.

"There have been some unusual incidents in the city recently, but I won't tell you the specifics. Start with the most basic information gathering. If conditions permit, you can also deal with the unusual incidents. I'll come to inspect your work in a week."

After issuing the task, Bai Lin showed a wicked smile. As for Leah's character, if you want to motivate her, you naturally have to prescribe the right medicine.

"Don't complain to me about how difficult it is. You won't be like those people who don't have any skills and need me to teach them everything, right?"

Provocation, or the method of provoking someone, is extremely effective for a female student who is not only arrogant but also young and energetic.

"Humph, who do you think I am? One week, right? Look, I'll be back next week to get my sword!"

With that, Leah jumped out of the window with great courage, and ran to an unknown place. Bai Lin fell on the bed and said to himself happily,

"When did I ever say I'd give her the sword back if she did a good job?"

Thick skin was something Bai Lin had been working on over the past year. Although she didn't need to bargain with Kong for more money, when dealing with special private commissions, Kong would let Bai Lin negotiate for it herself.

At first, after watching Andel and Grell ask for it a few times, Bai Lin had figured it out. However, she hadn't expected that it wasn't much different from bargaining at the market.

Today had gone quite well. Even though she was a little tired, it was still better than living in a dangerous forest 24 hours a day. Bai Lin had barely gotten a good night's sleep in the past year. Although she didn't need much sleep, constantly falling asleep on tenterhooks had taken a toll on her mental state.

Tonight, it's a rare occasion and I can have a good dream again.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling, Bai Lin closed his eyes with a peaceful mood.

-

Early that morning, rows of carriages raced down the street, galloping across the stone-paved floor. The houses surrounding the street were mostly tiled and had whitewashed walls, resembling the Qianhong architectural style, though with a subtle difference in the raised corners.

In the center of this settlement stood a unique building. Though not particularly tall at two or three stories, the courtyard itself was incredibly spacious, exuding a sense of grandeur.

On a sunny morning, the setting sun shines down on the roof of this building. This is a completely Japanese-style building, and the courtyard that matches it is naturally planted with flowers and trees, namely "cherry blossoms."

Pale pink petals drifted freely beneath the clear blue sky. This warm color even masked the sadness of the blossoms' passing. The gentle breeze brushing against my face seemed to warm me even more, thanks to the cherry blossoms.

At this sparsely populated time, everything is just beginning to wake up, and a beautiful, slow-paced day is about to begin. It is in this place, in this beautiful, slow-paced world, that such a series of swift and decisive tasks are ushered in.

Carriage after carriage sped by, soon stopping outside a courtyard. A more discordant figure disembarked from one of these carriages, ruining the atmosphere.

The completely Western-style heavy armor gleamed with a metallic sheen under the sunlight. Its color was an ominous black that completely contradicted the daylight. There were probably only a few who would dare to wear such armor so boldly in the city.

"He's really... a very tasteless guy."

On the third-floor balcony, a woman with waist-length white hair and dressed in an extraordinarily colorful kimono commented. Her features seemed meticulously sculpted by a craftsman, resembling a porcelain doll, exquisitely crafted to the point of being considered "art." And her crimson eyes, while revealing a bewitching aura, seemed uncanny. It was as if her beauty overpowered them, or perhaps she herself had restrained them.

After all, her eyes didn't seem to be very enthusiastic, and her eyes were full of "listlessness" caused by boredom.

The predominantly black kimono is emblazoned with a variety of Japanese-style flowers. The dazzling hues blend seamlessly, yet never seem out of place. This is the distinctive costume of the Sakura people. The seemingly chaotic patterns are actually meticulously divided into distinct sections. While tightly wrapping the woman's figure, they also enhance her beauty.

In such a fantastical place, there is such a beautiful woman who has come from nowhere, which really adds more interest to this place. She balances the overly warm atmosphere while also improving her character.

Smoke slowly drifted from the wooden pipe in her hand. She had the face and height of a sixteen-year-old, but her tone and eyes were mature, and even her behavior was anything but that of a young girl. So, who was she judging? The answer was obvious.

That's right, she's evaluating our protagonist, Bai Lin. As the protagonist, she seems to have a rather hostile aura from the moment she appears.

Although there were rows of carriages parked here, Bai Lin was the only one who got off. She glanced at the stone plaque hanging above her head. It read:

"Prime Minister's Office"

It’s a really modern, yet somewhat arrogant plaque, Bai Lin thought to himself.

Soon, several people wearing white feather robes and swords on their waists walked to the door to welcome Bai Lin.

"Welcome, Lord Bai Lin. If you are ready, please come with us."

"Already prepared?" That was a rather blunt statement. Through his helmet, Bai Lin glanced at the men who looked like sword servants.

The armor was so simple, but their swords were obviously not simple at first glance. Bai Lin could see the murderous intent hidden in the scabbard at a glance.

Chapter 359: Fine Craftsmanship

In his original world, Bai Lin had some understanding of their knife skills. Rumor had it that the raw material alone had to be refined from pig iron to separate it into "inferior" and "superior" grades. The former was called "zuoxia iron," while the latter was "yugang."

This weapon, called a katana, is not just used as a weapon, but also a symbol of the craftsman's spirit. Every step of the process is extremely rigorous, and countless failures are accumulated to forge such a sword.

If I had to use a metaphor, a finished katana would be like a hundred-man slayer on the battlefield. They are inherently formidable weapons, embodying the souls of both craftsman and warrior.

But Bai Lin never expressed admiration for this, because...

The Longquan Sword seems much more complex to make. Sakura's steelmaking techniques were also adopted and evolved from Qianhong's. Ultimately, their national culture itself is a form of imitation.