A Little Dragon is Going to School

"Is food ready yet?" Saya’s voice piped up from the kitchen doorway.

Only days ago, Suzhen had been traversing mountains, threading her way through dense forests, fighting off wild beasts and monsters, and camping under the stars. But now, here she was, busy preparing braised meat with soy bean sauce.

"It needs a little time before it tastes just like home," Suzhen replied, giving the pot a gentle stir.

"Then I’ll go outside and play!" Saya chirped, bounding out to the garden.

It had been a week since Suzhen had arrived at the mansion, and as expected, there was still no sign that Saya’s mother was returning. During that time, Suzhen had taken it upon herself to survey the house’s supplies, and she’d been genuinely shocked by the abundance she found.

There was the basement—or rather, a granary, considering it had enough milled white rice stocked to feed a whole family for at least ten years. Given that rice wasn’t grown here and must have been transported from the other side of the continent, it was an impressive cache.

With all this soy sauce, Suzhen mused, we could go several years without ever running out.

Although she hadn’t found any other traditional ingredients from the East, the rice and soy sauce were enough to create flavors that reminded her of home.

But how did they manage to procure so much sauce and rice here?

Oh well, Suzhen thought, deciding to set her questions aside for later. She placed the finished meal on the table.

"Ms. Suzhen, look at me! I’m here!" Saya’s voice called out from outside.

Suzhen glanced out the window. Saya was perched on a tree branch, waving enthusiastically as she continued climbing higher.

She’s definitely going to fall.

And just as predicted, Saya’s foot slipped, sending her tumbling down—only to be caught by a white ribbon that shot out from Suzhen’s sleeve. It wrapped around Saya, cocooning her like a giant larva, and gently flung her back into the house through the open window, landing her neatly in the chair at the table.

As the ribbons slowly unwound, Saya’s look of surprise quickly shifted to excitement. "Food!" she exclaimed, spotting the piping hot bowl of braised meat in soy sauce, alongside a bowl of steaming white rice placed right in front of her. She didn’t waste a second, grabbing her spoon and diving in like a hungry fox.

"Yummy! Ms. Suzhen is a great cook!"

"You should use your chopsticks, Saya."

She had been trying to teach Saya to use chopsticks, but it seemed Saya preferred shortcuts—whether it was for climbing trees or eating dinner.

Just then, Suzhen heard a knock on the door.

It’s that blonde elf… her name was… Salix? Suzhen didn’t even need to open the door to know. Years of training had sharpened her senses to the point where she could identify people just by their footsteps and the weight of their knock.

"Suzie!!!" As soon as Suzhen opened the door, Salix launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around Suzhen in a tight embrace, rubbing her cheek against hers. "It’s been so long! I missed you!"

"Um… we only met this morning at the market," Suzhen replied, slightly stiff.

"May I come in?" Salix asked, not waiting for an answer before breezing past Suzhen and into the house.

"Oh, Suzhen, I actually came to speak with Saya. I have something important to tell her… Oh, wait, what’s that smell?"

Salix began sniffing the air, her nose leading her directly to the dining area.

"Ms. Salix!" Saya exclaimed as soon as she spotted her, rice tumbling from her mouth in her excitement.

"For Aria’s sake, what are you eating?" Salix’s eyes widened in alarm, darting from Saya’s plate to Suzhen, an accusatory look flashing across her face.

"It’s tasty! Ms. Suzhen made it for me! Do you want to try some?" Saya offered, oblivious to Salix’s horrified expression.

"Um… no thanks," Salix said, eying the dish with obvious distaste, but she relaxed slightly upon seeing how Saya seemed to be enjoying the food.

"Anyway," Salix brightened, clearly remembering her purpose, "I came to tell you something!"

Without waiting for either of them to react, Salix threw her hands up in the air. "You’ve been admitted to school!"

"School?" Both Suzhen and Saya looked at her with identical, blank expressions.

"Um… wait, you don’t know what a school is? Even you, Suzhen?" Salix asked, surprised. "It’s a place where kids of similar age go to learn things and play together!"

"Oh," Suzhen said, her expression shifting as she remembered her own early years of training at the great hall of Gabisan. "I didn’t know elven parenting also has a culture of tossing their kids into death games, to have them endure years of bone-crushing training without seeing their family…" She turned to Saya, now looking visibly concerned.

"What? What are you talking about?" Salix spluttered, clearly baffled. "School is just a place to learn new things and make friends! And it’s only in the mornings. All the kids go home after lunch!"

"Make new friends? I want to go!" Saya’s eyes lit up, brimming with excitement.

"I knew you’d be eager to go to school," Salix said, grinning proudly. "And guess what? I’ll be your teacher! Who better to guide our future generation?"

"You’re the teacher?" Suzhen raised an eyebrow, eyeing Salix up and down. "I see, so it’s more academic than physical."

"W-What are you implying?!" Salix huffed, puffing up with pride. "We also do physical training! And just so you know, I happen to be one of the best archers in the village!" She bumped her chest with a smirk.

"Ms. Suzhen, can I go? It sounds like fun!" Saya’s eyes sparkled.

"Saya, you don’t have to go to this school. I can teach you everything you need to know."

"B-But, I want to meet new friends…" Saya’s face fell, her gaze dropping in disappointment.

"Oh, come on, Suzhen," Salix cut in, rolling her eyes. "You know little ones need time with other little ones. Besides, I’ll be there to keep an eye on her."

Seeing Saya’s hopeful expression and Salix’s eagerness, Suzhen finally sighed, conceding, "Fine."

Saya and Salix immediately began a little celebratory dance, and as Suzhen watched, she couldn’t help but murmur to herself in a soft whisper, barely audible even to her, "It won’t go down quite as they expect..."

***

"Ms. Suzhen! I’ve packed my bag already!"

"Here’s your lunchbox," Suzhen said, handing over the small container. "Remember not to open it until lunchtime."

Suzhen had spent the last hour preparing Saya’s lunch. After consulting with Salix, she learned that the elven parents prepared lunchboxes so the kids could all eat together. She’d settled on rice balls—they’d still be tasty, even after cooling down.

"Oh, my lunchbox! I nearly forgot... but my bag’s already packed full…"

"Saya… your bag…" Suzhen raised a brow as she opened it, discovering a surprising assortment inside. "First, Saya, Lion is staying here," she said firmly, lifting the tiny kitten from the bag and setting him gently on a nearby chair.

"W-What? Lion can’t come with me?"

"Better not," Suzhen replied, her tone soft but resolute. "And why do you have so many butter candies in here?" She proceeded to remove handfuls of candy from Saya’s bag. Just a few days ago, Suzhen had discovered their origin when a stall owner in the market mistook her for “the other serpent” picking up an order of sweets. Saya’s eyes had practically sparkled when she saw the bags of candy.

"B-But… school is tough work, so I need lots of candies to reward myself! Ivory told me I can have a candy whenever I work hard!"

"I see… in that case, one candy is enough. You can reward yourself when you finish school."

Just one?!" Saya’s lips formed a dramatic pout.

"Too much candy, and your teeth will fall out before winter."

"Fine…" Saya grumbled, reluctantly removing her stash and making room for her lunchbox. But as soon as she finished packing, she brightened, flashing a wide smile. "Then I’m going! Don’t worry about me! Ms. Salix told me the way—straight down the hill, then along the road until I reach the green cottage!"

Suzhen gave Saya a quick pat on the head. "Alright, then. Go on, Saya, and remember—just one candy."

Saya nodded, practically bouncing with excitement, and headed out the door, waving with both hands as she began her first journey to school.

**

When was the last time she’d had such a quiet morning?

Suzhen sat on the elevated wooden floor, facing the inner garden with its serene pool reflecting the early light. The house’s design reminded her of her master’s home, which also had a similar garden. She could almost picture her master there, brewing tea from freshly plucked leaves—a meticulous process involving steaming, drying, and steeping. Those mornings had felt like a sip of nature itself, captured in each cup.

Of course, she didn’t have the luxury of preparing tea leaves fresh from a garden here. But she’d discovered a treasure in the mansion’s storeroom: a stock of aged tea bricks, dark leaves fermented and stored for decades, their deep aroma promising a sensational cup. Suzhen had only ever encountered this rare preparation in a remote, misty region of the Ming Empire, so finding such tea here had left her genuinely astonished.

I really should ask for permission before using their tea… she thought, a slight pang of guilt crossing her mind. But after everything, she reasoned that perhaps she had earned herself a small indulgence. Besides, tea as payment doesn’t seem so unreasonable.

When the iron kettle began to steam, she poured the hot water into her trusty teapot, and let the tea steep before carefully pouring it into her jade-green cup. The deep amber liquid swirled, releasing a familiar, comforting scent. She raised the cup to her lips, savoring a rare, tranquil moment, as though sipping the essence of the morning itself.

A few golden carps glided gracefully through the pond as Suzhen sipped her tea, watching their bright scales ripple.

Come to think of it, Saya never tried to catch and eat the carps… Suzhen mused. Likely, Saya’s mother or Ivory had firmly told her not to, knowing how protective carp owners could be of their prized fish.

Saya’s a good girl, Suzhen thought, smiling slightly. A bit bubbly, sometimes mischievous, but always quick to listen when I tell her something…

She took another sip, only to find her cup empty. Preparing another round with the tea leaves, Suzhen noticed the taste had turned slightly bitter—she’d let it steep too long.

She knew exactly why.

Suzhen set the kettle aside with a sigh, extinguishing the charcoal fire with practiced care. Seems I’ll need to go and take a look after all.