A baby aged three years and over ten thousand months
Author: Qijiu
Eleanor hasn’t been sleeping too well these past few days.
Perhaps it’s because of seeing that hero’s statue, the old, jammed gears of memory have somehow started turning again.
Recently, she’s been having all sorts of strange dreams.
In her dreams, there’s always someone whispering to her, but it’s not that young hero—it’s another mysterious woman she’s never seen before.
Eleanor tries to remember her words, but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t retain the complete memory.
Every time she wakes up, her mind is a blank, with the only impression being that woman’s eyes—a kaleidoscope-like, intricately layered pupil.
Her mouth moves, babbling about something unknown.
“Fate—”
“If you keep playing tricks in my dreams, I’ll make you fly!”
…
The morning’s first ray of sunlight slips through the window’s gap, illuminating the girl’s room.
Soft breathing intertwines; perhaps because of that dream figure’s fear of “flying,” the girl slept exceptionally soundly last night.
Eleanor opens her eyes to the now-familiar ceiling.
They’ve been staying at the Rabbit Hotel for nearly half a month, and this small town on the edge of the Forest of Fate has been thoroughly explored by them.
Maybe because the swordsmanship tournament is nearing, droves of residents have flocked to Elseran.
As a result, the entire town feels a bit deserted, and the Adventurers’ Guild quests haven’t been updated much.
Even the receptionist was quietly replaced a few days ago.
After a bit of asking around, they learned that Miss Nico had been promoted for her outstanding performance and transferred to the nearby Hero’s Village.
Eleanor found this somewhat amusing; she has a soft spot for “helpful” people.
Speaking of which, maybe they should visit Hero’s Village too.
Yvette mentioned it’s the largest city in the Kingdom of Solenston.
As the kingdom’s biggest city, there must be plenty of high-tier quests.
Posting world-class quests requires a B-rank adventurer’s license—that’s Yvette’s goal.
They can’t stay in this border town forever; the town’s quests aren’t enough to help them advance from D-rank to C-rank. Taking on high-tier quests in a big city is their main objective.
Plus, Eleanor herself seems to have some connection to the legendary hero. Visiting might awaken more of her past.
It’s only natural.
Elseran has become their next destination.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Eleanor crawls out of the soft bed, steps barefoot onto the carpet, and yawns.
“Morning~ Little Yvi.” Stretching lazily, Eleanor greets Yvette.
“Good morning, Teacher Eleanor. Breakfast today is porridge and sandwiches.”
The girl smiles and pulls out a chair for Eleanor.
Perhaps due to restless nights, “early riser” Eleanor’s hair is a bit of a mess.
Letting Yvette comb her hair from behind, Eleanor slowly eats her breakfast.
Truth be told, tidying hair could easily be done with grooming magic, but the girl seems to enjoy doing it, so Eleanor lets her “wreak havoc” on her head.
Yvette gently smooths Eleanor’s slightly messy hair, then, under the girl’s slightly puzzled gaze, pins a sky-blue floral hairpin behind her head.
“Hm? What’s this?” the girl asks, confused.
“I saw this hairpin on the street yesterday and thought it suited you, so I bought it,” the girl explains patiently, looking at Eleanor with a hint of anticipation.
Conjuring a water mirror with magic, Eleanor carefully examines her reflection.
“Well… it’s not bad. Thanks, then.”
“You look beautiful, Teacher.”
Hair done, Eleanor slips into the thick-soled leather boots bought a few days ago, transforming from a non-Newtonian sloth cat back into her usual elegant ragdoll cat demeanor.
With the floral hairpin, she adds a touch of cuteness and playfulness to her elegance.
Her usual lazy vibe also seems a bit more lively thanks to the hairpin.
Yvette definitely has an eye for aesthetics.
Next up is packing their luggage and boarding the carriage to Elseran.
Rabbit is actually a pretty impressive brand, with its business covering nearly every aspect of daily life.
The carriage Eleanor and Yvette board is also provided by Rabbit Hotel, and, as expected, the price is jaw-droppingly steep.
20 copper coins per kilometer—enough to buy 20 steamed buns.
Luckily, Eleanor has plenty of gold coins. Unlike misers who hoard money, she’s the type who loves money but isn’t stingy about spending it.
She pays without a second thought. To her, money is meant to be spent, not moldering in her hands. She prefers to keep it circulating in the market.
High price, high service. For the 166-kilometer journey, Rabbit Hotel’s carriage promises delivery in just 8 hours.
According to the coachman, Rabbit’s horses are carefully bred, crossbred, and stabilized for superior traits.
Compared to common horses, Rabbit’s horses excel in endurance, speed, and even looks—they’re the top-tier nobility of horses, so naturally, they don’t come cheap.
The carriage’s final stop is another Rabbit Hotel in Elseran’s west district, with decor nearly identical to the town’s branch, like they were carved from the same mold.
From their horses to their hotels, Rabbit knows how to make money.
The timing matches the estimate.
Checking the clock hanging by the hotel’s entrance:
6 PM.
Eight hours, spot on. Rabbit Hotel really has some chops, leaving Eleanor quietly impressed.
The coachman tips his hat with a calm smile.
He bows in a standard gentlemanly gesture to the two ladies, signaling the carriage has stopped, and they can disembark.
Paired with his sharp suit, he exudes a bit of that English gentleman charm.
So, expensive does come with its perks—at least the service is top-notch.
…
Disembarking.
Strolling through Elseran’s streets with the girl.
It’s called strolling, but it’s more like hunting for food.
Humans are iron, food is steel, and a hungry Eleanor is in distress.
They pick a lively street, walking hand in hand.
Soon, Eleanor zeroes in on a restaurant.
A place with a bizarrely huge sign:
“A Weapon Shop Held Back by Sweet Syrup”
“Hiss—” Eleanor takes a sharp breath at the sign.
The name feels so familiar, like she’s seen it somewhere, but her brain can’t pin down the details.
She vaguely recalls a trendy woman with a folding fan and sunglasses.
Pondering whether she has any connection to this trendy woman, Eleanor steps into the restaurant to investigate.
“Hello, guests! Welcome~!” The greeter is a petite, adorable girl carrying a massive blade on her back.
Perhaps because of their high looks, the greeter’s voice grows even more enthusiastic.
“What would the customers like?”
“I’ll leave the ordering to Little Yvi.”
Taking a window seat, Eleanor hands the menu to the girl and starts observing the restaurant’s decor.
It’s quite cute, with blue and pink tones, giving off a fresh vibe, but sadly, no sign of that trendy woman from her memory.
Stroking her chin, she shakes her head with slight regret.
Yvette has already handed the ordered menu to the eager server.
The girl ordered a milk-topped toast with citrus honey tea combo.
In their half-month together, Yvette has figured out Eleanor’s preferences, able to list them like reciting a textbook.
Eleanor Lillian, 3 years old plus 10,000+ months, sword length 1.5 meters, sword weight 40 kg, measurements… well, she hasn’t dared to figure those out yet.
Loves sweets!
Adores all honey-related drinks, favorite food is milk-topped toast, favorite activity is lounging in bed as a non-Newtonian cat.
How does Yvette know?
Duh, they sleep in the same bed every day—she… she just knows a bit more, okay?
…