Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 29: Third Life - The New Face

"Senior, who is this child?" One of the newcomers asked me. I walked into the main courtyard of Crimson Snow Valley as the child trotted behind. The child stared at the bold architecture of our sect. The red poles supported the pale colored roof. The stone ground had no dirt staining its shine. The transparent dome of protection shielded the rain, snow and sun's light from disturbing our sect's calm weather.

"Just a lost soul looking for a place to stay. Let her stay at Ye Xue with the other girls."

"Madam Hero!" The young girl interrupted me as I was about to leave.

"Is it all right... if I stay in a room by myself?"

Really? After I showed you some grace by bringing you in, now you have requests?

"I have terrible scars healing from a fire. I don't want the other sisters to be disgusted with me..."

"Fine. You can stay in one of the rooms at Hua Xue."

"Senior..." The newcomer wanted to object. Of course, it was probably hard for her to accept that some new face could stay in her own room while the others boarded together in dorms.

"It's fine," I told her.

Since Master was out, I got to do whatever I wanted which meant I could lie around and do nothing. So I did nothing.

The next day Master sent me a letter by bird. She was going to be gone for the month. It was normal for her to be gone on long journeys. That was how I received my Meteor Sword. Master found it while exploring a mysterious tomb for weeks.

Although I wasn't the oldest student, informally the others started referring to me as the one in charge when Master was out. The one they should report to was Senior Yue. Every time someone came to me with an issue, I would redirect them to Senior Yue.

In the lateness of the night, I craved a snack and went over to the kitchen to grab something to eat. The sect was dead quiet, everyone must have gone to bed. However, the kitchen's stove had smoke flowing out with a little troll coughing frantically as it fanned the fire.

"Little kid, what are you doing?" I recognized her face from the time when she begged to stay with me. With black markings on her face, she smiled and stood up to greet me.

"Madam Hero! I mean, Senior."

"Are you trying to burn down the sect?"

Immediately, I put out her failed fire that was leaking out all the smoke to stung my eyes. Replacing it was the warmly burning red that I ignited with my powers.

"Wow! Please teach me how you did that, Senior Luo."

"You have to learn the basics first. You're not at my level yet."

"I will practice hard then." She lowered her gaze to the ground. I almost felt bad for her sad composure, but then I remembered I came to get something to eat.

Looking around the kitchen, I realized food was running low. And there were no leftovers. Did someone forget to go shopping?

Why I oughta--

"Senior Luo, would you like to eat something?" The young girl asked me with her voice quivering.

Ah... did I appear angry?

"Usually, there would be a basket of plain buns but looks like we are out," I told her, "What are you doing up anyways? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I was hungry... because I haven't been able to eat enough these past weeks."

A student starving in Crimson Snow Valley? That's unheard of ideally, but I can see it happening.

"Why? Did the others make you work until dinner time was over, and everything cleared out?"

She nodded.

"Aren't they just a bunch of bullies."

"Senior Luo! It was my fault. Because I asked you for my own room, the others feel that I am a snob."

"You're right. It is your fault."

Her eyes widen, not expecting me to agree with her predicament.

"Still as classmates, it's not right to treat each other like this. Anyway, you learned your lesson. What are you doing with that fire?"

"Oh, I was going to cook something."

"Cook something?"

"Yes. I have green onion and oil, but no flour." Her dejected expression made it seem like the world's problems lied at not having flour.

"I'll get you flour," I said. It was not an issue.

"Wow! Really? Can you conjure it out of air?"

"I'm not some kind of fairy," I lectured her, "I can grab some from the village's general store on the other side of the mountain."

"But that's a whole day's travel!"

"Not for me."

I smiled at her for a millisecond and was gone. Using my powers, I traveled to the general store with rapid speed. I pushed through the doors of the store and grabbed a bag of flour.

Oh, wait. Can't leave without that.

Before leaving, I quickly grabbed a stack of caramelized candy and dropped a couple of coins at the counter. Slamming the doors shut, I raced back to the little girl with the bag of flour in hand.

Trying to hide my heavy breathing, I asked, "How long was I gone for?"

She didn't even noticed I was back, and stood up to speak, "Senior Luo. That was fast! You were only gone for twenty minutes."

"Damn, I've made it back faster before. Here." I placed the bag of flour on the kitchen counter, offering it to her. She thanked me as she finally got to cooking.

I watched her pour the flour mix into the sizzling oil. The pan was the perfect flat surface to flip the pancake over. She slid the light pancake onto a plate, cutting it into triangular pieces, and handed it to me.

"Senior Luo, please eat."

"Mmm." I was hungry at this point and took a bite out of one piece. Although plain and easy to make, the little girl's pancakes were to my liking.

We sat next to each other, eating until we weren't able to stuff ourselves anymore.