Welcome to Nightmare Game III

"You must be drinking, I can smell it!" The mixed-race succubus cub said firmly, staring at his round eyes.

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

He was pulled to a chair by the table, and his temporary cohabitant said solemnly, "Let's talk."

Ning Zhou didn't like people saying this to him. Whenever the teachers said "let's talk" to him, it meant a clichéd lecture, and he was speechless for a long time.

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

And this question repeatedly tormented his guilt and shame. At first he still struggled, promising that he would work harder.

He gave up his favorite swordsmanship class and devoted his time to the divine arts that he knew nothing about; requirements.

But his efforts have not been rewarded, not at all, and he still can't learn.

Then run away, 13-year-old Ning Zhou couldn't help thinking.

Run away from everyone's expectations, be a silent loser, and he does.

Qi Leren looked at Ning Zhou, who was full of non-violence and non-cooperation, and couldn't help but sigh, adolescent boys...

After thinking about it, he found a new topic: "Speaking of which, 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 didn't tell him about this, and the Qi Le people continued their efforts: "After class, you go first, and I chatted with Teacher Teresa, she told me so."

You actually chatted with the teacher!

Ning Zhou's expression became indescribable, this mixed-race succubus cub would take the initiative to chat with the terrifying teacher!

Qi Leren was amused by his expression, and Ning Zhou's reaction was too cute, because the grades in the magic class were too embarrassing, he saw the teacher in charge like a mouse seeing a cat, and wished he could hide away.

Although they grew up in different worlds, when they encountered academic problems, they reacted very similarly. Qi Leren remembered that when he was in middle school, he failed a class test. He saw the teacher in the corridor from a distance, and immediately hid back to the stairs. It doesn't matter if it takes a long detour to get back to the classroom.

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

"No." Ning Zhou said.

"But you are afraid of her."

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

"She cares about you."

"I know."

"Have you had a good discussion with her about this issue? About, your magic... er, grades."

"It's nothing to talk about." Ning Zhou's face became stern, and his tone became cold and hard.

"How can there be nothing to say? At least study the reason why you can't learn it."

"There is no reason!" Ning Zhou replied quickly, and in order to enhance his persuasiveness, he added, "The Holy See has tested my physique, and everything is normal."

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

Ning Zhou nodded.

Qi Le people understood a little bit.The Pope is very aware of Ning Zhou's background, and also understands that the child has no talent in magic arts, probably because of his father.But this is a secret that must not be disclosed to the public. If Ning Zhou's life experience is exposed, even the Pope will not be able to save his life.So even among the high-level members of the Holy See, only the Pope knew about this secret.

Divine art is the foundation of everything and the foundation of the power system of the Holy See factions.

The pope can't explain to the public why Maria's son can't learn magic arts, so everyone will continue to have expectations for Ning Zhou, hoping that one day he will suddenly become enlightened and become a strong man like his mother.

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

"..."

"It doesn't matter if you talk about it."

"Because she was looking forward to me too much, we couldn't communicate."

"?" Qi Leren blinked in confusion, he didn't understand the logic of Ning Zhou's words.

Ning Zhou turned his head to look at him, the flames of the fireplace danced in his blue eyes, but the flames were as cold as if they were reflected on a glacier.

"Everyone is like this. They expect me, but I can't do it, I can't be the person they expect!" Ning Zhou took a deep breath, and his tone became more and more intense, "Do you want me to tell them that you are wrong?" People, I'm not my mother, I'm just... a mediocre, untalented, unblessed person. Don't expect me anymore, I can't realize your dreams, I can't!"

His voice choked up, and he admitted painfully: "...because I don't have that talent."

Qi Leren's heart was clenched, his breathing was stagnant, and he stared fixedly 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 at him straightly, tears welled up in his deeply suppressed blue eyes: "How could it be okay?!"

Qi Leren couldn't answer.

He could have answered, but the cruel truth was a secret that must never be spoken.

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

The words of confession not only pierced the wound in his own heart, but also pierced Qi Leren's heart.

"Why are you guilty?"

"Because I enjoy the preferential treatment of the Holy See, because I am the son of a holy nun, because I... because of me... because of me, I have received everyone's expectations."

"This is not what you asked for. Don't you deserve everything for them?"

"I don't deserve it! I should, I must do it!"

At this moment, what came to Ning Zhou's mind was the day he came to Neverland. He got off the aircraft wrapped in a thick cloak, and saw the Paladin Legion solemnly waiting for him on the ice field. The armor, the dazzling red cloak, and the brilliance everyone hopes for.

— Please redeem me.

Under everyone's gaze, he vaguely felt something—under the leaden gray sky with low pressure, in front of the icy and snowy Neverland Holy See, he was given a mission.

A mission he couldn't complete.

He escaped.

The door of the dormitory was open, but Ning Zhou was no longer outside the door.

After the quarrel that was not a quarrel just now, Ning Zhou turned his head and left, leaving Qi Leren sulking in the room alone.

Now he knows why the grown-up Ning Zhou is always vague when talking about his past, and he also said that it was a shameful past. The 13-year-old Ning Zhou is really difficult to deal with.

There was an unresolved knot awkwardly hidden in his heart. He could neither respond to the expectations of everyone in the Holy See, nor accept the fact that he had no talent for divine arts. During repeated self-torture, he hid himself.

Qi Leren sighed. When he encountered setbacks when he was a child, he either complained to his parents or complained to his classmates and friends. There was nothing he could not overcome, but Ning Zhou was different. The obstacles he encountered were too difficult. It was related to the Holy See and the entire The life and death of the world.

If Ning Zhou was heartless, he wouldn't have to worry about it.

Ning Zhou's precocity made him realize what kind of responsibility he was carrying. The integrity, bravery and sense of responsibility taught by Maria made him understand that he must shoulder this responsibility. He recognized his mission, but did not The ability to shoulder the mission.

This silent and invisible weight is enough to crush a 13-year-old child.

After all, he can't bear it alone.Qi Leren sighed again, took off a long fur cloak from the hanger, put it on, put on thick boots, and gently closed the bedroom door.

He has to pick up this stubborn little Ning Zhou and help him get through this hurdle. I hope that the 13-year-old Ning Zhou will not be too difficult to coax.

But even if it is difficult to coax him, he is not afraid. In the oncoming wind and snow, Qi Leren showed a faint smile. He has coaxed Ning Zhou, who is even more difficult to coax. He is professional in dealing with Ning Zhou!

………………

When the Qi Le people found Ning Zhou, he was staring at a group of penguins on the ice field outside the Neverland.

The penguins as tall as half a person stared at him, to be precise, at the penguin eggs he carried in his arms. Ning Zhou was at a loss as he held the still warm penguin eggs.

After leaving the dormitory, he wanted to go to the old church to stay for a while. Unexpectedly, he encountered a few lone wolves that sneaked into the residential area and followed pedestrians. This kind of ice wolf has a cunning and cruel personality, and accidents of them attacking humans occasionally occur in the parish.

Ning Zhou carried his saber with him, and immediately stepped forward to save the passerby. He didn't care about accepting the passerby's thanks. He followed the snow wolves, trying to drive them out of the residential area.

After leaving the residential area, the snow wolf disappeared. Ning Zhou met a group of penguins hatching on the nearby ice field. One of them was just killed by the snow wolf, leaving a warm penguin egg.

This is how to do?

This is the first time Ning Zhou has encountered such a situation. The penguin eggs in his arms are still warm, but without his body temperature, they will immediately lose their vitality in the extreme cold of the ice field.

Such a fragile, unformed life, there was nothing he could do to save it.

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 also gradually cooled down.

Maybe, he just couldn't save it, just like he couldn't save anyone.

He doesn't have that talent.

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

Ning Zhou turned his head, his ward was trotting all the way, waving at him while running.He was wearing a thick cloak, tightly wrapped, like a ball of fluff rolling on the ice field.

The fluffy ball came to him, and its bright eyes stared curiously at a bulge in his coat: "What good things are you hiding?"

The surrounding penguins started making noises, as if they were answering something.

The mixed-race succubus cub looked at him suspiciously: "You don't mean you stole someone's eggs, do you?"

"I didn't!" Ning Zhou hurriedly argued, "A penguin was killed by a wolf..."

"Oh~ you are an adopted orphan." The mixed-race succubus cub smiled sweetly, and reached into his coat brazenly, "This can't work, the temperature is too low, and the little penguin will freeze to death."

Ning Zhou's eyes lit up when he heard the words: "Can you hatch eggs?"

The mixed blood succubus cub's expression froze for a moment, he flattened his mouth, and rolled his cunning eyes: "I don't really understand, but I can give you some advice."

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

The mixed-race succubus cub smiled and pointed to the penguins watching: "You shouldn't ask me this question, you should ask a professional."

Professional penguins: ? ? ?

As if afraid that Ning Zhou would not understand, the mixed blood succubus cub took his hand and explained affectionately: "What is the temperature at which penguins hatch, you should go and feel it yourself."

Ning Zhou's beautiful blue eyes widened suddenly. He looked at the pouches between the penguins' legs, and then at Qi Leren, hesitant to speak.

Qi Leren's smile became sweeter: "These hatching penguin fathers must be able to understand your intentions, you can touch it boldly, and they will not scold you for being a hooligan."

Ning Zhou: "..."