A Grimy Reunion and a Stern Discussion

“May I ask, who are you?”

“!?”

Whether it was a trick of the mind or not, South Creek seemed to hear the sound of the other party’s heart shattering in that instant.

“H-h-how could you not even recognize me? Did your brain get fried, or could it be…?”

Uttering quite impolite words, the grimy individual appeared deeply struck by the blow.

She rubbed her face with one hand, muttering to herself, before finally turning her gaze to South Creek and asking tentatively, “Um, you don’t remember me? I’m Fanny.”

“Who are you?”

Immediately, a much greater blow landed.

No, in truth, the moment South Creek heard the name, she already knew the other person’s identity.

But how to put it? The person before her now was vastly, vastly different from the Fanny in South Creek’s memories… or perhaps there was no difference at all?

Indeed, South Creek’s memories held a friend named Fanny, and their personality matched.

Yet, no matter how she thought about it, that Fanny had been a spotless, adorable little girl, utterly incomparable to the grimy individual standing before her.

“I know, I know! So stop looking at me like that… I, I was just out working in the fields, really!”

Hmm… South Creek found it hard to believe that working in the fields would leave someone entirely covered in mud.

Moreover, according to her memories, this person…

“You went swimming in the pond west of the village, didn’t you?”

“H-how did you know?!”

South Creek wished to reiterate: while she possessed memories, as a transmigrator with two lifetimes’ worth of them, her psychological age was undoubtedly not the same as before.

Thus, in South Creek’s eyes, the person before her was nothing more than a [little brat].

Ever since arriving in this world, while sifting through her original body’s memories, she had held this clear conviction.

Having transmigrated with two lives’ worth of memories, she was far more mature than her peers in this world.

In both thought and action, she surpassed them by an immense margin, the gap between them akin to that between modern humans and primitives.

A smile involuntarily bloomed at the corner of South Creek’s lips at this thought.

She felt it—was this what it meant to be an [adult]?

“Wait a minute, what are you laughing at?”

“Nothing…”

Mimicking Elise, South Creek offered a [refined] smile.

Yes, she could now fully achieve that state, a realm attainable only in this new world, one she had always dreamt of.

“Honestly, you secretly ran off to play in the water again… It’s very dangerous, you know?”

[Ah… I said it… Is this what it feels like to be an adult?]

“………”

Fanny stared, a distinct feeling of being looked down upon crossing her face.

Muttering silently to herself, she was momentarily at a loss for words.

Looking at her friend, who was wearing an inexplicable smile, she hesitantly asked, “Are you… really burnt out somewhere?”

“ ………”

South Creek immediately fell silent.

In a fleeting moment, a dark emotion seemed to flicker in her eyes.

However, just as she was about to speak, a loud noise suddenly erupted from the village chief’s house.

[I remember that’s… where Sister Elise is talking with the village chief.]

“Shall we go take a look?”

After a moment of hesitation, South Creek asked, a hint of unease in her voice.

“You want to eavesdrop on them?”

Instantly grasping the meaning behind South Creek’s words, Fanny first glanced at her, then asked with a touch of uncertainty, “What are you thinking? If we get caught, never mind Sister Elise, the village chief, with his petty mind, will definitely grab you and give you a good beating.”

“But…”

The words of protest caught in her throat.

Her memories told her that the girl before her wasn’t lying, yet for some reason, a voice deep within South Creek seemed to urge her on, making it impossible to ignore the sense of agitation she felt from that sound.

“Ugh—how about we go play over there instead? It’s windy there, a bit cooler.”

“Over there… you… hmm.”

Following the direction Fanny pointed, South Creek saw a corner outside the village chief’s house.

She turned to look at Fanny, only to see a somewhat mischievous smile.

“Come on, don’t I know you? Besides, isn’t that just the perfect spot to cool off?”

South Creek gazed blankly into Fanny’s eyes for a moment before lightly biting her lower lip.

“Thank you…”

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

Within the old wooden house, only a few simple, casually placed wooden furnishings adorned the space.

Beside a low tea table, two individuals sat facing each other.

“No, I absolutely will not agree.”

Elise stated resolutely, her gaze fixed on the elder before her.

“I know you cherish her, Pastor Elise.”

The gaunt elder sat upright in his chair, a simple fan in his hand.

With a gentle flick, it stirred a breeze tinged with the summer heat.

“But these are the village rules, after all. Secretly venturing into the forbidden forest—this isn’t her first time. You’ve lived in this village for several years now; you should know how dangerous it is to wander into the forest. This is no child’s play.”

“She has made a mistake, and I will discipline her myself,” Elise responded with unwavering resolve. It was difficult to imagine Pastor Elise, usually so gentle and refined, displaying such a firm attitude.

“This remains a matter for our family. I am well aware of the village rules. She is merely a child now, and I will educate her, guide her onto the right path, and fulfill my own responsibilities. Mr. Reed, this was agreed upon long ago.”

“There’s no need for you to be so resistant, Elise.”

Shaking his head as if in resignation, the elder named Reed took a small sip of water from his teacup, responding softly.

“I have my own considerations for doing this. Your daily duties in the village are demanding, and you cannot perfectly oversee South Creek. Allowing the Beard family to look after South Creek would not only alleviate your burden but also ensure her safety. Is this not an excellent arrangement?”

“You should be clear about what you’re saying. She’s only thirteen,” Elise’s expression grew increasingly grim, and anyone could discern the suppressed fury in her voice. “And she will not stay here forever.”

“…Since you are so unwilling, then let us drop the matter.”

As if yielding, the elder finally softened his tone.

He ceased fanning himself, sighing softly, “I hope you can educate her well… Rules are, after all, rules.”

“I will.”

Still showing little improvement in her demeanor, Elise set down her teacup, preparing to rise and leave.

“I shall visit you again next time, Mr. Village Chief.”

“…Mm.”

The elder named Reed did not rise to see her off, simply remaining seated in his chair, resuming the fanning of his worn-out fan.