CH 94

Jun Ye delivered Xiao Xiu to the eagle tribe’s school, a cluster of nests with diameters ranging from two to five meters, perched in the treetops deep within the forest.

The eagles, now in their human forms, flapped their wings and flew in from all directions, each holding or carrying a young bird, placing them into different nests.

Jun Ye noticed that the classes seemed to be divided by the size of the young birds.

When he first found his companion, he was skinny and small. After a month of careful feeding, he had finally gained some weight.

Now, seeing other eagle parents carrying birds bigger than his own, Jun Ye felt a twinge of guilt, as if he hadn’t taken good enough care of his partner.

The eagle chief saw the merman pause and said, “According to tradition, your young bird should go to Nest Two. Young birds can’t fly yet, so I’ll carry him up.”

“No need, which one is Nest Two?” Jun Ye asked, already scanning the treetops. It was probably the second smallest nest.

“Is it the one on the left tree?” he inquired.

The eagle chief, slightly surprised, nodded. “Yes, but you’re a merman and can’t climb trees like some land species. Let me…”

Before he could finish, he was stunned. He saw the merman seemingly cast a spell, tapping the air a few times.

Immediately, a strange object, looking like some sort of sacrificial tool, appeared out of thin air in front of the merman.

The eagle chief was shocked. Could mermen really wield powerful sorcery as the ancient legends said? Summoning objects out of thin air was something even their most revered shamans couldn’t do.

If this powerful being became an enemy of his tribe, the consequences would be unimaginable. Should he accept the merman’s courtship to ensure the tribe’s safety?

Jun Ye didn’t think he had done anything extraordinary. These eagles could transform from birds into humans with wings; that was even more unusual.

He placed his partner in the baby carriage he had bought from the system shop.

He had seen many such baby carriages in the worlds he had visited. Delicate married Omegas often didn’t want to carry their babies while shopping, so they needed an automatic following floating baby carriage.

“Chirp.”

Xiao Xiu had long known that the big fish could produce many strange items, so he wasn’t surprised. He trotted around the inside of this strange container, feeling curious.

Was this the nest the big fish gave him? It was smaller than his original one, but he liked it. It was a gift from the big fish, with warm, fluffy, magical fabric inside.

Jun Ye reached out and gently rubbed Xiao Xiu’s little head with his finger. “Don’t be afraid. Just stay in the nest and listen to the teacher. I’ll be right here.”

“Chirp—” Xiao Xiu didn’t understand what the big fish was saying, but the rubbing felt good, and he wanted more.

Jun Ye withdrew his hand, took the ultra-thin remote control from the baby carriage, and controlled it to hover in front of him.

Xiao Xiu was about to follow the departing big fish’s hand when he noticed his new “nest” rising. He hurried toward where the big fish had been.

Through a transparent “wall” of the “nest,” Xiao Xiu saw the big fish below, looking up at him with a smile, and he instantly felt reassured.

The “nest” rose for a while before stopping. One side of the “wall” fell outward, startling Xiao Xiu, who ran over, thinking he had broken the big fish’s gift.

Then he realized the “wall” hadn’t completely fallen but had instead formed a bridge to an eagle’s nest.

Inside the nest were a dozen young birds about his size, shrinking away and looking at him with varied emotions: surprise, curiosity, fear. Further away, transformed eagles watched him and his “nest” warily.

All eyes were on him.

In the human world, this would be like being the only one arriving at school by helicopter, a noble young master among children led by their parents.

Xiao Xiu didn’t care what the other birds thought. He quickly walked over the fallen “wall” into the nest and immediately turned around. He wanted to push the “wall” back and fix his nest.

Just as he was about to push it, the “wall” moved on its own, closing back up perfectly, leaving no trace of damage. The nest was whole again.

But… how would he get back into his “nest”?

The eagle chief flew to the side of Nest Two.

Seeing the chief, the other birds seemed reassured. Eagle parents who had been about to fly over and take their young birds away slowed down.

The eagle chief spoke loudly, “This young bird is raised by the merman next door. From now on, he will study with the young birds in Nest Two.”

The birds understood, and their eyes lit up as they looked at Xiao Xiu.

A merman who didn’t eat young birds and even sent one to school? According to legend, mermen were born with sorcery. No wonder this young bird came from such a peculiar object.

So now, on top of being seen as a noble young master, Xiao Xiu also had the label of being raised by an ancient magical-wielding species.

Xiao Xiu didn’t know how to get back into his “nest,” but he understood the eagle chief’s words. The big fish wanted him to stay with these young birds, so he would stay…

He knew these young birds would be taken home by their parents at noon. Hopefully, a kind bird would help him back into his “nest” then. If not, he’d have to try jumping over.

His “nest” and the school nest seemed close, but he had never jumped that far.

Distracted, Xiao Xiu listened to the eagle in its original form teaching about family.

The eagle: “Coo, coo, coo—” Yesterday, we talked about how young birds should call the females who raise them “mama.” Today, we’re discussing how young birds should call the males who raise them “papa,” not “baba!”

Xiao Xiu pondered what he should call the big fish. Until they differentiated, merfolk had no gender, neither male nor female.

No, no, no, he was supposed to be the big fish’s partner, so he shouldn’t be limited to parental titles.

The eagle: “Coo, coo, coo—” Your caregivers will be very happy when they hear you call them by the correct titles.

Xiao Xiu: So confusing, chirp…

When the sun was overhead, the eagle teacher announced the end of class.

Then Xiao Xiu saw the “wall” of his “nest” fall down again.

Xiao Xiu: “…”

He cautiously walked back into the “nest” along the fallen “wall,” which then closed up again, and the “nest” began to descend.

Soon, the big fish appeared in his sight.

“How was it?” Jun Ye asked as he lifted Xiao Xiu out of the baby carriage. Although the carriage could follow him with Xiao Xiu inside, he just wanted to hold him.

“Chirp, chirp…” Xiao Xiu felt like he was melting, collapsing in the big fish’s arms, inhaling his scent deeply.

Since meeting the big fish, he had never been apart from him for this long. School time was much longer than the time the big fish left him in the nest to go hunting.

Xiao Xiu counted. This much time was enough for the big fish to catch breakfast, then lunch, then dinner, and maybe even prepare a midnight snack.

“Don’t like school?” Jun Ye stroked the listless Xiao Xiu.

“Chirp…” I want to eat the big fish.

“How about I go to school with you tomorrow?” Jun Ye suggested. It was just a matter of buying a mermaid carriage. He wanted to attend class with him.

“Chirp…” Only the big fish’s scales can comfort me.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Are you hungry? What do you want for lunch?”

“Chirp…” Tonight, I need to peck the big fish’s scales again.

These two, speaking different languages, managed to converse all the way back to the cabin.

In the afternoon, Jun Ye had to teach the eagles how to catch pigeons, so he bought a television from the shop.

The items from the shop didn’t seem to need a power source. The patterns on the TV glowed, and the screen lit up.

Jun Ye suspected the intricate patterns were the power source but didn’t understand their principles.

He turned on the TV and found a documentary about an eagle’s life, placing Xiao Xiu on the bed to watch it together.

As the baby eagle struggled out of its eggshell on the screen, Jun Ye said goodbye and left.

Xiao Xiu knew about the big fish’s deal with the eagle chief. He nuzzled the big fish’s tail before returning to watch the TV intently.

As soon as the big fish left, Xiao Xiu’s expression darkened, his eyes glaring at the “magic box” showing the baby eagle.

Why did the big fish want to watch this? Did he like that ugly baby eagle? Was that eagle sealed in the box by the big fish’s magic? Would the big fish take it out and raise it someday?

The eagles were rather dense. Jun Ye spent all day teaching them how to catch pigeons, giving them the fifty-plus pigeons he had caught as a demonstration before he could leave.

On his way back, he caught two fish. When he returned to the cabin, Xiao Xiu was still watching TV.

Jun Ye wasn’t sure how much radiation the TV emitted or if it would hurt a bird’s eyes, so he put the fish in the bathtub and slid into the other room.

He was about to call Xiao Xiu out to take a break when he saw the TV screen showing two adult eagles engaging in some life-harmonizing activity.

It was a bird documentary, so such scenes were normal, but it was awkward since his partner was also a bird…

Jun Ye quickly turned off the inappropriate content, looking nervously at Xiao Xiu standing on the bed. “Are you okay?” he asked, hoping his mind wasn’t filled with yellow thoughts.

Xiao Xiu ran over, chirping, “Chirp, chirp, chirp!” Big fish, don’t like that bird. I’ve seen it mate with three different females!

Jun Ye: “…” I can’t understand bird language…

Never mind, no more bird documentaries.

He scooped Xiao Xiu up and carried him to the other room.

Maybe there was a bird language translator in the shop. If not, he’d have to start learning bird language.

That night.

Under a warm lamp, Jun Ye gave Xiao Xiu a warm bath.

The water was shallow enough for him to walk in, yet he struggled as if drowning. This was probably the most afraid of water Xiao Xiu had been in all the worlds they had visited.

The bath was a struggle.

After getting him out, drying him with a towel, and blow-drying him, Jun Ye cuddled him until he stopped trembling.

That night, he bought a small heating pad, set the temperature, and placed it on the bed with two small blankets over it before placing Xiao Xiu on top.

Under the covers.

Jun Ye’s hand gently stroked Xiao Xiu until he stopped trembling, then he withdrew his hand and fell asleep.

After a while, something moved under the covers.

Xiao Xiu quietly slid off the warm pad, inching toward the big fish’s tail, until he found his familiar spot.

Leaning against the big fish’s tail, he began to gently peck.

The big fish had done this to him; only the big fish’s scales could comfort him now.

lol they’re on completely different wave lengths as usual

Thank you for reading