Over on Qin Jun’s side, Nora had also built a fire and was preparing to roast fish she’d just caught from the river. Qin Jun lay nearby, his gaze dull as he watched her every move.
Seeing his listless expression, Nora smiled. “Hungry? Just a little longer—it’ll be ready soon.” She pulled a few steamed buns from her storage space. “Here. Eat these dry buns first to tide you over.” She fed them to Qin Jun. He wasn’t picky—swallowing each one whole, then chewing slowly.
Satisfied he was eating, Nora turned back to the roasting fish. The aroma was heavenly. She took a deep breath, then sighed wistfully. “If only Uncle Ferrero were here… His would taste better. Shame he’s gone.”
“When I earn enough money,” she murmured, “I’ll visit White Ram Town. Tell his wife and daughter what happened. Give them enough to live on.”
“We could stay there a few days too. Rest properly.”
Nora glanced back at Qin Jun, her voice softening. “Hey… silly bear. Can I ask you something?”
Qin Jun didn’t know what she meant but nodded, ready to listen.
So she shared her idea: a contract between them. She even explained why she wanted it.
Qin Jun just chuckled. No way would he agree. *He* was the one who made others sign contracts—not the other way around. He shook his head firmly.
Nora’s shoulders slumped. She’d thought this clingy bear might say yes. Guess she’d imagined too much.
“But,” she insisted, “if you follow me to big cities without a contract, you’ll get attacked. Or captured. Sold.”
Another firm shake of his head.
Nora bit her lip. “Then… what do we do?”
Qin Jun scraped a contract symbol into the dirt. Then he pointed at his own body—*Draw it on me. No one will know.*
Her eyes lit up. “Oh! That works! Silly bear, you’re clever! I won’t call you that anymore.”
“Silly bear,” she added immediately, “wait here. I’ll find paint in my storage space. If I don’t have any… we’ll buy some in the next town.”
Qin Jun’s mental eyebrow twitched. *You just said you’d stop calling me that.*
Nora rummaged through her storage space and soon grinned. “Found it! Thought I’d run out.”
Qin Jun wondered why she carried paint. Most people didn’t.
(What he didn’t know: before meeting him, Nora had taken any job to earn coins—even selling paint. She’d barely made anything, but kept leftover supplies.)
“Hold still,” she told him. “I’ll draw the contract mark now.”
She got to work. Honestly, it looked convincing—no one would spot the fake unless they stared closely.
But Qin Jun grew suspicious. The contract was finished… so why was her hand still moving?
*Sigh.* He knew that mischievous glint. Nothing good ever followed.
Sure enough, when she finished, Nora held up a mirror. “Look! Aren’t you cuter now?”
Qin Jun glanced—and nearly snorted. With black circles around his eyes, he looked exactly like a panda.
He let out a low growl of protest.
Nora wagged a finger. “And don’t you *dare* rub them off without my permission. Got it?”
Qin Jun surrendered to tyranny. *Fine. Whatever you say.*
Once done, Nora saw the fish were ready. She handed Qin Jun two of the three she’d roasted. The girl had a kind heart. She ate her bun with the fish—simple food, but she savored every bite.
Full and content, she curled against Qin Jun’s side and fell asleep.
Later, as the night turned chilly, she clung tighter to his warmth. Qin Jun wordlessly conjured a blanket over her. She sighed, settling deeper into sleep.
He checked the sky, cast a Barrier spell, and closed his eyes.
***
Back in the village-like city Qin Jun and Nora had long left, Fatty Hou drowned his sorrows in wine. He truly had liked that girl—she was different from the town’s simpering maidens, all too eager to please him.
He took another swig.
“Hou,” he declared to the empty room, “you’ll find someone better. Tomorrow… I’ll ask Father to send me to the Imperial Academy.”
Who knew the pampered mayor’s son had such resolve?
Fatty Hou had always feared leaving the city walls. The outside world was unknown—terrifying, yet thrilling. It held girls like Nora.
*Maybe that’s my reason to go.*
(He didn’t realize that at the Academy, a mayor’s son meant little. Talent mattered more. What would become of him there?)
His night ended in drunken oblivion.
***
At dawn, Qin Jun tucked the blanket away and wrapped his body around Nora—making sure she wouldn’t notice the vanished blanket.
When she woke, warmth enveloped her. *He held me all night?* Her heart fluttered. *What a lovely morning.*
She poked the “sleeping” bear. “Wake up, silly bear! Sun’s burning your fur!”
Stretching, she scrambled off him. “Carry me to water. I need to wash up.”
Qin Jun lifted her onto his back, sensing the surroundings. No lakes nearby—but hot springs dotted the distant mountains.
*Easy.*
He bolted.
“WHOA!” Nora yelped, grabbing his fur as scenery blurred. “Why so fast, silly bear?!”
Qin Jun felt her fear—and sped up slightly.
“SLOW DOWN—!” Her shrieks turned to laughter after a while. “Faster! Go faster!”
*This girl adapts too quickly.*
He held back. No normal level 80 Monstrous Beast ran at 50 mph. This speed was already suspicious enough.
When they reached the hot springs, Nora gasped. “You *knew* about this place?!”
Qin Jun froze. *Mistake.*
But she was already enchanted by the steaming water, forgetting her question.
“I haven’t bathed in ages!” She shooed him away. “Turn around, you peeping bear! Don’t peek!”
*Peeking was the plan…*
Yet when she actually started undressing, shame rooted him in place. *I might be a scoundrel,* he thought, *but I’m not a hypocrite.*
*Next time. You’re not a beast.*
Nora soaked in the water, glancing at the tree line. The bear was gone. *Good.* She smiled to herself. *It’s just a bear. Not like a human would matter…*
*If he could turn human… what would he look like?* Handsome? It wouldn’t matter. Her thoughts wandered—
(Sometimes girls imagine impossible things. Fantasies about violation, told with giggles. Reality is never so kind.)
A rustle snapped her back. A snake slithered near the bank.
“AAAAH!”
Qin Jun crashed through the bushes. One swipe of his paw smashed the snake flat. He turned to check on Nora—
And froze.
She stood bare, water glistening on her skin. Her chest trembled slightly…
(The rest? Well. Let’s just say Qin Jun hadn’t relieved certain urges in a long time.)
***SLAP!***
Nora’s palm cracked against his snout. “YOU LECHEROUS BEAR! GET OUT!”
*See?* Qin Jun thought, fleeing. *Imagination and reality are worlds apart.*
