Reborn: Imperial Officer Promotion Guide

"How's it going? Did you find it?"

Hull asked as he saw Sergeant Bass and several soldiers coming back.

"I'm sorry. We have been enemies for many years. We asked around in the village but couldn't find anyone who could speak the Kumin language."

"...All right."

Along the way, Hull patrolled the territory and looked for talents who could serve as a bridge of communication.

Even when we reached this last village, we still found nothing.

"Hama...nodo...kana."

The Kumin once again began to talk to himself at this point.

Hull was already somewhat discouraged and had no intention of guessing what the other party was saying.

Just as Hull was about to lead his team back to the fortress, a black-haired girl came up with a cup of water and was about to hand it to the Kuming prisoner.

"Little girl, what are you doing?"

"Um... He said he was thirsty and wanted to drink some water. Can I give him a sip of water?"

The girl showed no sign of fear and spoke freely.

Judging from her appearance and height, she is probably just over ten years old.

Considering her age, she is surprisingly courageous.

"Hmm... little girl..." He Er hesitated for a moment and said, "Do you understand the language of the Kumin people?"

"Yes."

"Why do you understand the language of the Kumin people? Can you tell me the reason?"

"The jade processed by the Kumin tribe can be sold at a very high price in the market. This is how I make a living."

Hearing this, Hull looked at the girl in front of him with a little surprise.

"Little girl, what you mean is that you have business dealings with the Kuming people?"

"No, no, no, it's not as exaggerated as you say. I just lend a hand and make a living by sharing some copper coins from the profits of the business."

"Little girl, you are very brave. Aren't you afraid of danger when doing business with the Kuming people?"

"The Kumin people don't attack children."

"I've heard of this, too. They value the honor of a warrior very much, but there are also individual differences among the Kumin people. Aren't you afraid of some unruly and dangerous people?"

"The Kumin people are extremely superstitious about the iron rules set by the tribe. If they attack a child, being chopped into pieces is the least of their worries. To me, the Imperials are more dangerous to a certain extent."

"I am more and more surprised that he knows so much at such a young age."

Hull blurted out without thinking.

This little girl not only understands the language of the Kumin people, but also knows the social rules very well. It is really rare.

"Um...please don't misunderstand me. I'm sixteen years old this year, which means I'm a quasi-adult. Please don't treat me like a child."

"Oh?"

Hull looked the little girl up and down. She didn't look like a dwarf. Could it be a congenital development problem?

No matter how you look at him, he looks no more than ten years old, especially his height. Maybe it's due to malnutrition?

"Is it because of the disease?"

"Well... I don't know. I've been in an orphanage so I haven't seen a doctor."

"Then let me treat you."

"Eh? Are you a doctor in the army?"

"No, I'm just an ordinary soldier."

After Hull finished speaking, he jumped off his horse and immediately noticed something strange in the other person's eyes.

"......" Hull stared into the other's eyes.

After a while, the girl spoke with some confusion: "Um...is there something wrong with my eyes?"

"Do not..."

The girl's eyes were like vast stars, emitting a deep blue light.

He had seen those same eyes before.

He was once hailed as a genius magician, with countless glories behind him.

He indulged himself in his unique magical talent, bore the sins, and eventually fell into the endless abyss, degenerating into a monster that even Hell could not match.

Fragments of the mist of memory flashed through Hull's mind, and with them came a bit of regret.

That person was once his proud chief disciple.

"...May I have your name?"

"...Yan Ling"

"It's a nice name. Ling, can you use magic?"

"Magic? How would I know that? I'm just a commoner."

"There are also people among the common people who can use magic."

"Anyway, I'm not that lucky. I don't have that talent."

"..."

Hull reached out and gently touched the back of Ling's head.

Then, Ling's pupils were excited and she felt as if the world was collapsing.

Like magma erupting, an uncontrollable huge amount of energy surged in her body.

Ling lowered her body to maintain her balance and covered her head with one hand. A lot of sweat was already coming out on her forehead.

"I see, it's just as I thought..."

After a while, the energy finally calmed down a little, and Ling stood up tremblingly.

"What's going on? Am I seriously ill?"

"It's not a disease. The magic power in your body is too strong. Your body is completely unable to bear it. This is why your physical development is suppressed. Once you learn how to control this power, your body will gradually grow to be the same size as your peers."

"I have magic power in my body? But why can't I feel it at all?"

"You just can't feel it yet. One day you will be able to control this magic naturally and become a magician. Of course, there is a prerequisite that needs to be met..."

"What are the prerequisites?"

Ling tilted her head and looked at Hull in confusion.

"You have to stay with me."

"Eh?! What do you mean?"

"The powerful magic in your body will explode one day. If you don't suppress it, your body will be blown to pieces."

"You...! You mean?! I'm going to die?!"

"Well... this is the result of my diagnosis. However, you are wrong in one sentence. You are luckier than many people because you met me today. I can help you control the magic power in your body and return to normal."

"You...are not lying to me?"

"I won't lie." Hull said seriously.

But Ling turned her head away, looking unconvinced.

“People who say they can’t lie are often the best at lying.”

Hearing Ling's words, Heer couldn't help but smile bitterly.

I was actually seen through by this little girl...

"Do you think I'm untrustworthy?"

"...You look trustworthy on the outside, but my instinct tells me that I can't believe what you say."

"I see. That's a very good insight. You've passed the test. But it doesn't matter whether you believe it or not. I won't change what I've decided."

"Eh? I don't understand."

"I need you to come back to the Northern Fortress with me."

When Ling heard what Heer said, she was about to refute, but Heer started talking to himself.

"You said you live in an orphanage. If you just came of age this year, the guardianship should still be in the hands of the local orphanage..."

"Ashevale is just a medium-sized village, with an orphanage at most..."

Hull stood up and snapped his fingers: "Sergeant Bass, go find out if there is an orphanage nearby."

"Yes!"

Ling watched the soldiers begin to search in all directions, and hurriedly grabbed the corner of Hull's clothes.

"You...what are you planning to do? I'm not going to any fortress with you!"

Hull didn't respond. In his eyes, this was an established fact and there was no need to continue discussing it.

What he had to do now was to go through the formal adoption process, and for that he had to go to the orphanage.

Moreover, the magic power in her body will explode sooner or later.

Hull had to start gradual guidance several years in advance to be able to control it.

Otherwise even Heer can’t save her.

If we let it go, maybe a second monster will appear and be swallowed by the magic abyss...

"From the moment you met me, you no longer had a choice. If you really wanted to refuse..."

When Hull said this, he picked up the bell with one hand as if it were a small beer barrel, and then climbed onto the horse.

This action really scared Ling.

“You…! What do you want to do?!”

"Of course I'm going to take you to the orphanage to complete the adoption procedures. The journey back to the fortress is more than ten kilometers, and you can't keep up with me. I'll slow down the horse first to let you get used to it."

"No! I refuse! I'm not going to your fortress. You and I are not on the same route, so you don't need to ride your horse to take me back!"

In the foggy and mottled memory, Hull can still vaguely remember his past encounters with his students.

At that time, many students were as naughty as Ruling.

“It really makes me miss it…”

Ling was still making a loud noise, which more or less destroyed the atmosphere of Hull's memories.

Soon after, the soldier sent by Sergeant Bass to inform Hull arrived.

Led by the soldiers, Hull and his companions came to the orphanage where Ling lived.

From the outside, the orphanage looked quite shabby, with signs of hasty repairs everywhere.

Hull dismounted and went in.

There is a small weed-covered courtyard in the orphanage where children are playing.

This small courtyard seems very cramped, with no facilities, and exudes an atmosphere of poverty everywhere.

Sergeant Bass should have been informed in advance that the manager of the orphanage was waiting for Hull's arrival in the courtyard.

The manager was an old lady with a kind look. When she saw Ling's disheveled appearance, her eyes were filled with pity.

"Hello, I am Lieutenant Helheim of the Imperial Northern Fortress."

"Hello, I'm the director of this orphanage, my name is Verena Ragu, could you please put down the bell first? She looks a little unwell."

"Of course." Hull had just put down the bell. She looked like she was dying and trying to gain sympathy, but in the next second she slipped behind the dean like a rabbit and made a face at Hull.

Dean Vilena tapped her head gently, then smiled and shook her head.

Only then did Ling stand up with her head lowered, like a child who had done something wrong.

"Dean Vilena, I'll just get straight to the point. I want to adopt this child."

"Well... that's a good thing, but can I ask you a question? Are you applying for the adoption in the name of the military, or...?"

Heer shook his head: "No, it has nothing to do with the army. I personally want to adopt her. She has rare magical talents in the world, and I hope to take her in as my disciple."

"Dean, don't listen to this guy's nonsense. He is a human trafficker! He forcibly arrested me. Look, my arms are all blue from his scratches!"

"Ling, don't be so rude. Be polite."

He Er waved his hand: "It's okay, it's okay, he's just a kid, I don't care."

The dean's expression was still gentle, giving people a warm spring breeze feeling.

"Ling will be an adult this year. I think whether she will accept the adoption depends on her personal wishes. What do you think?"

Hull nodded: "Of course, we have to respect personal wishes."

Dean Vilena also nodded, then looked at Ling beside her, put her hand on his head and rubbed it gently.

"Ling has been a clever child since she was young, but she has matured a lot in recent years and will help me take care of other children. I actually want to keep Ling in the orphanage to help, and there may be better adopters for her..."

After hearing what Dean Vilena said, Heer thought for a moment and said, "Is that really the case?"

"Huh?" Hull's rebuttal stunned Dean Vylena.

"Ling will be 16 this year, but her body is not as strong as a -year-old child. At this age and under this special situation, will there really be another adopter?"

"Normally, everyone would prefer to adopt children under ten years old. To be frank, we haven't found a suitable adopter yet, which is telling."

After hearing what Hull said, Dean Vilena's smile froze, and Ling also put away her previous naughty expression.

Hull's words were indeed a bit exaggerated, but they hit the point accurately.

To this day, Ling still lives in an orphanage and has not been adopted because of her physical condition.

Many adopters are very discriminatory against this kind of "morbid physique".

"You're right, but I've watched Ling grow up. She's a very smart child. Even if she wasn't adopted, she could have found another profession and lived a normal life when she grew up."

"She is indeed very smart. So that's why you let her take the risk of trading with the Kumins to pay for the living expenses of the other children in the orphanage?"

Hearing Heer's words, Dean Vilena's pupils suddenly widened: "Kuming people?"

Her lips trembled as she looked at Ling beside her: "Ling, what on earth is going on?!"

Her tone was so stern that Ling stood up straight like a frightened cat.

He lowered his head even more and stammered for a long time without being able to utter a word.

Looking at this, Hull also guessed a little.

It turns out that the kid had done the transaction with the Kuming people secretly without the dean's knowledge.

Suddenly an idea popped into Hull's mind.

He even hid it from the dean, who was close to him, so why would he reveal it to himself?

Perhaps, Ling was targeting him from the very beginning.

This little guy is acting with me...

While searching for someone who knew the Kumin language in Upper Smooth in Bath, she learned that the military was looking for an interpreter.

But even if she wanted to be a military translator, a child like her would probably be rejected before the interview.

So she deliberately acted out a scene of feeding water to the Kuming people in front of Heer, inadvertently revealing that she knew the Kuming language.

The purpose was to get Hull to take the bait.

This little guy is really careful...

Thinking of this, Hull smiled. He was really smart.

Heer wanted her to be his disciple more and more.