pertwk Chapter 52 Teaching in the Courtyard
Chapter 52 Teaching in the Courtyard
A slight thought crossed Luo Lin's mind.
Mining accidents are not uncommon in Blackrock Town, and the girl's background sounds plausible.
He noticed that when Ellie spoke, her body weight was naturally distributed on her feet, and her breathing was steady and long. Although she was thin, her frame was well-proportioned, and she had an unrefined, leopard-like potential.
This seems to be... a manifestation of some kind of knightly training talent?
He had seen descriptions of the Seed of Life and the Knight's Physique in the academy's books, and this was somewhat similar.
"My place definitely needs to be cleaned regularly."
Luo Lin pondered for a moment. He didn't lack the manpower, but the girl's intelligence and unique potential piqued his interest. Perhaps he could observe her for a while.
"You can come every three days to help me clean the yard and the rooms on the first floor."
"The payment for each transaction was two loaves of black bread, or the equivalent in copper coins."
The fee he offered was higher than the market rate, which could be considered a subtle form of assistance.
Ellie's eyes lit up instantly, sparkling like stars, and she nodded vigorously:
"Thank you, sir! I will definitely clean it very well!"
"Can I start now?"
Her eagerness and earnestness caused Luo Lin's lips to twitch almost imperceptibly.
"No need today, come tomorrow morning."
He told Ellie the location of his residence.
"I understand, sir!"
"I'll definitely be there on time tomorrow!"
Ellie bowed again, then ran off like a happy little bird, as if to share the good news.
Watching her retreating figure, Luo Lin shook his head and continued his walk.
It was just a minor incident, and he didn't take it too seriously.
However, the next morning, just as Luo Lin finished his morning meditation, he heard a slight noise coming from outside the courtyard gate.
Through his mental perception, he discovered that Ellie had arrived on time and was quietly waiting outside the door, holding a small, homemade broom made of thin twigs.
He opened the door, and Ellie immediately stood up straight and greeted him respectfully, "Good morning, sir."
"Come in." Rowling stepped aside to let her in, briefly pointed out the areas that needed cleaning, and then went to the basement laboratory on his own.
Ellie works very hard and diligently.
She first carefully swept away the fallen leaves and dust in the yard, then went downstairs to wipe the furniture and tidy up the clutter.
Her movements were swift and orderly, clearly indicating that this was not the first time she had done these things.
What surprised Rowling even more was that she made almost no noise while cleaning, as if she instinctively knew not to disturb him.
When Luo Lin came out of the laboratory at noon, he found that the yard and the first floor had been completely renewed, clean and tidy, with items arranged in an orderly manner.
Ellie was resting on the stone steps in the yard, her little face flushed from the exertion. When she saw Rowling come out, she immediately stood up.
"Sir, I've finished cleaning."
Would you like me to check it out?
Luo Lin scanned her with his mental energy and knew that what she said was true.
"Well done."
He took out two pieces of black bread wrapped in clean linen that he had prepared beforehand and handed them to her.
Ellie carefully took the bread, her eyes filled with gratitude:
"Thank you, sir!"
She didn't leave immediately, but hesitated for a moment, then took out a few wild fruits from her pocket and placed them on the stone platform next to her.
"Sir, I picked these outside of town. They're very clean. I'm giving them to you."
After saying that, she hugged the bread, thanked them again, and left.
Luo Lin's gaze flickered slightly as he looked at the several bright red, clean wild fruits on the stone platform.
This girl is not only smart and hardworking, but also knows how to be grateful and give back; she has a truly good character.
From that day on, Ellie would arrive every three days without fail, rain or shine.
She always quietly completed her work exceptionally well, occasionally leaving behind some wild fruits she had picked herself, or simple but interesting little grass wreaths she had woven, as gifts.
She rarely spoke and never bothered Rowling, seemingly just a quiet and dutiful little helper.
Luo Lin gradually got used to her presence.
Sometimes, while stretching in the yard, you'll see Ellie unconsciously imitating the movements of the town's patrolling guards during breaks from cleaning, mimicking famous punches and kicks. Although she's still young, her postures have a certain flair, and her hidden talent as a knight is becoming increasingly apparent.
He remained focused on his research, but occasionally he would spare a moment to observe this somewhat special little girl who had intruded into his peaceful research life.
……
Time passed steadily, and Ellie became a fixed, quiet presence in Rowling's life.
She comes regularly to clean, always completing the task perfectly before quietly leaving.
Rowling had gotten used to her presence and would occasionally give her some extra food or a few copper coins, but they didn't have any further interaction.
The turning point came on a drizzly afternoon.
Ellie came to clean as usual. Because of the weather, Rowling did not go to the basement, but instead flipped through a book about ancient energy runes on the first floor.
Ellie was in the yard, sweeping fallen leaves in the light rain.
As the rain intensified, Rowling gestured for Ellie to take shelter under the eaves.
Ellie obediently walked to the eaves and wiped the rain off her face with her sleeve, but her gaze was unconsciously drawn to a black stone in the yard that looked particularly smooth and heavy after being wet by the rain.
That stone was left over from the previous renovation of the yard; it's about half a person's height.
Perhaps out of boredom, or perhaps out of childishness, Ellie looked at the stone and subconsciously assumed a horse stance, imitating the way the knights in town exerted force during training. She pushed with both hands, her little face turning red, as if imagining that she could move the stone.
Luo Lin hadn't paid much attention at first, but when he inadvertently scanned the area with his mental energy, he was slightly taken aback. In the instant Ellie mimicked exerting force, he clearly sensed that the faint qi and blood energy within the girl's body was circulating on its own in an extremely crude yet subtly rhythmic way, attempting to condense in her arms.
Although it was so faint as to be almost negligible, the signs of drawing upon one's own life energy were indeed a manifestation of a knight's talent for cultivation, and it seemed... to be of a high rank.
However, her method was completely wrong, merely mimicking the form but not the essence. Not only was it inefficient, but it could also damage her health in the long run.
Ellie tried for a long time, but the stone didn't budge. She relaxed her posture somewhat dejectedly and gently rubbed her aching arms.
"You're using the wrong method," Luo Lin said calmly, closing the book.
Ellie was startled, like a child caught doing something wrong, and quickly lowered her head:
"Excuse me, sir, I... I was just gesturing randomly..."
"It's alright." Luo Lin walked to the eaves and looked at the black stone in the rain.
"Do you want to push it forward?"
Ellie hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently:
"Hmm...the knights in town seem pretty powerful..."
"Power doesn't come from the arms," Rowling said calmly.
"It originates from the earth, runs through the spine, and emanates from the whole body. Just now, your feet were unsteady, your breath was scattered, and you were just wasting your energy."
He was not a knight, but after becoming a formal wizard, his perception of life energy and understanding of human anatomy far surpassed that of ordinary people.
In addition, he had read many miscellaneous books at the academy, including some basic knight breathing techniques and power generation skills.
At this moment, he is more than capable of guiding a little girl who is a complete novice.
Ellie seemed to understand, but her bright eyes were fixed on Rowling, filled with a thirst for knowledge.
Looking at her serious expression, Luo Lin felt a slight stirring in his heart.
This girl is resilient, grateful, and has good knightly talent. If she is allowed to explore on her own, she may waste her talent and even develop hidden injuries.
Although he doesn't intend to take on apprentices, it wouldn't hurt to offer some correct guidance casually.
"Watch closely."
"Rolin said."
He did not use any wizarding power; he simply demonstrated a basic stance and breathing technique to mobilize the strength of the whole body, based purely on his own understanding of physical strength and energy flow.
His movements, though seemingly simple, contain a sense of coordination and balance, as if he were one with the earth beneath his feet.
"Keep your feet firmly planted, like tree roots firmly planted in the earth."
"Breathe deeply, let your breath sink into your abdomen."
"Concentrate your mind and feel the power rising from your feet, passing through your waist and hips, to your shoulders and back, and finally to your arms."
He demonstrated while explaining the core principles in the simplest language.
Ellie watched intently, trying to memorize every detail.
She was naturally intelligent, and although she couldn't immediately grasp the deeper meaning, she could instinctively sense that this posture was vastly different from her own haphazard gestures.