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After inheriting Meteor's memories, Firefly had dreamed about what life would be like if she were born on a peaceful planet. She wanted to go to school, make friends with people who shared her interests, and have partners she could count on. She had a few small wishes too—like being able to fall asleep without worry, spend pocket money on cute little trinkets, or become a dessert taster someday.
As a Gramer Iron Rider of the Skyfront—wearing the Firefly Type-IV Strategic Assault Armor, Sam—she was seen by others as a weapon against the Swarm. But to Firefly, Sam was her cradle of life. She couldn't survive long without it and could only live on as a weapon, fighting endlessly until she burned out.
But now, things were different. She had a second chance at life. The "Entropy Loss Syndrome" wasn't affecting her for now, and she could finally live as Firefly—free to explore the world, touch it with her own hands, and experience all it had to offer.
Sure, she still had the flaws of a synthetic human—like not being able to dream—but that didn't stop her from chasing a normal life.
So yeah, school? She was seriously interested.
Luan Yu could see the answer written all over Firefly's face. With a bright grin, she said, "Of course little kids should go to school! Though Shrek Academy's not an option, I'll make sure you two get into another school—just as good, if not better."
"Okay!"
Firefly nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up with excitement. School! Something she'd never experienced herself, only seen in Meteor's memories. She couldn't wait to live out her own campus life.
Meteor glanced at Luan Yu. If they couldn't go to Shrek Academy, then this so-called big sis probably stood on the opposite side of Shrek—former alma mater of the original protagonist. Was she part of the villains' camp?
Well, whatever. He didn't care. Watching Firefly's excited face, Meteor smiled just a little. That's all that mattered. She wasn't a weapon. She deserved a life of her own—a life with hobbies, friends, and joy. Sam might be a weapon of war, but Firefly? She wasn't.
Still... school, huh? Meteor was secretly looking forward to it too. Not like Firefly, though—he wasn't interested in making new friends or enjoying campus life. He wanted to learn how to meditate and refine soul power.
Back when he was just a normal guy, he used to fantasize about superpowers and magic. Even had a bit of a cringy phase. Now he actually had the chance to experience something supernatural—how could he not be excited?
Luan Yu noticed the look in their eyes. Her smile softened. Raising two kids like this... didn't seem bad at all. Her older sister would probably love them too—how could she not, when they were this adorable?
With the kids in tow, Luan Yu soon brought them to a restaurant. She'd stayed in Dragon City for a while, so she knew where the good food was. She was a bit of a foodie herself, and had high standards when it came to taste.
The restaurant they entered looked high-end right from the start. Elegant chandeliers bathed the room in a soft glow, reflecting off Luan Yu, Meteor, and Firefly's faces. Gilded decor and fancy furniture gave off a refined vibe. The waitstaff were all dressed neatly in uniforms, greeting them with polite smiles.
Meteor felt the plush carpet under his feet—it was like walking on clouds. Gentle background music played, adding a peaceful ambiance to the whole setting.
He was kind of stunned. He'd never been in such a fancy restaurant before. With Dragon City's ancient exterior, he'd assumed the inside would look like some old-timey inn. He never expected it to be so modern.
Guess that's what a world with ten thousand years of development looks like. He'd thought nothing had changed since the first era, but clearly, he was wrong.
Meteor and Firefly followed Luan Yu with curious eyes, taking it all in.
Neither of them had been to a place this fancy before. Sure, there were even more luxurious restaurants in Meteor's old world, but it wasn't like he ever had the money to eat in one. In one word—broke.
As for Firefly, she'd only ever been a consumable item—a soldier. Even though she technically could eat, she'd lived in a cultivation pod most of the time, kept alive on nutrient fluid. The only real food she'd ever tasted was, by sheer chance, a slice of oak cake roll. It was the only thing she'd ever eaten. Most people thought it tasted terrible—like chewing on a chunk of wood—but she'd liked it a lot. She'd always wanted to eat it again.
The waiter led them to a window-side table with a view of the bustling street outside.
Meteor and Firefly sat obediently in the plush leather chairs, their little legs dangling and swinging back and forth—way too cute. The waitress in uniform already had stars in her eyes.
Humans are visual creatures after all. Anything that adorable is bound to attract attention.
Even nearby diners were sneaking glances their way.
Luan Yu smiled knowingly. These two kids really were irresistibly cute—it wasn't just her who thought so.
Even so, the waitress didn't forget her job. She handed over the menu. Luan Yu skimmed through it and ordered a few of her favorite dishes, then passed the menu to Firefly and Meteor. "Pick whatever you like, okay?"
Meteor motioned for Firefly to go first. She didn't hesitate. Flipping through the menu, her eyes sparkled. Each dish came with a beautifully shot photo, making everything look mouthwateringly good.
Then she quickly turned to the dessert section. But after a few seconds, she frowned and asked the waitress, "You don't have oak cake rolls?"
The waitress looked a little awkward. Sure, "oak cake roll" sounded nice, but it was basically just bread with sawdust mixed in—a cheap food for people who couldn't afford real meals. No way a place like this would serve that.
Meteor, who knew about Firefly's weird obsession with oak cake rolls, gently said, "Let's eat something else for now. After we leave, we'll look around and see if we can find one."
Luan Yu nodded. "Little Firefly, after we're done here, big sis will take you to find some oak cake roll. For now, try something else—the cakes here are really tasty too."
She patted Firefly's small head with a soft, affectionate look in her eyes. Luan Yu knew what oak cake roll was. She'd tried one out of curiosity once—it was basically impossible to swallow, like gnawing on a block of wood. The memory still made her cringe. In her eyes, anyone who could eat that stuff was a true warrior.
Of course, the one she'd eaten wasn't the real deal with actual wood shavings. It was a special imitation made to taste the same. The real thing? That was only eaten by the truly desperate—people who had nothing else to survive on.
"....."