A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life!

Chapter 333: Trust and Concern

"How’s Lingxiao doing?"

"Pretty good."

"He’s still a little awkward, but he’s definitely gotten better than before."

Realizing that explanation alone would not be enough, Raon elaborated.

Joa himself did not really understand the details of flight training, but if Raon said Lingxiao was doing well, then he trusted that he was.

"I see. That’s good then. But did either of you properly explain the training to Qiong Xing?"

"...Explain it?"

Iseul tilted his head as if asking, What explanation?

Joa let out a sigh.

Just as he thought.

The fact that Raon remained silent suggested that he had not considered it either.

"Qiong Xing is human. He’s not a beastman like me, and he’s not a dragon like you. He doesn’t know why this kind of training is necessary, and he doesn’t know whether it’s truly safe or not."

Simply saying, He’s a dragon, or He’s tough, meant nothing to Qiong Xing.

Things that seemed completely harmless to Iseul and the others could look incredibly dangerous from a human perspective.

That was exactly why they needed to explain how necessary the training was and how little actual danger there was.

"The heights that don’t seem like much to you are high enough to kill a human. Try thinking about how Qiong Xing feels when he’s forced to watch that happen every day."

Qiong Xing would never interfere with Lingxiao’s efforts to grow stronger.

He understood that the training was necessary.

Even so, he was probably worried sick every single day.

The only reason he had not tried to stop it was because Lingxiao had never been injured and did not seem to dislike the training himself.

"...I’m sorry."

"I’m not telling you to apologize."

Joa shook his head.

"Though Qiong Xing shares some of the blame too for not saying anything. Still, the reason he keeps quiet is probably because he knows you wouldn’t understand how he feels."

Qiong Xing probably thought that, because he did not understand dragons and could not fully understand them, he had no right to interfere.

"I’m not telling you to stop the training. But think about Qiong Xing too. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but try to help him feel at least a little more at ease."

It was probably impossible to eliminate all of his worries completely.

Even if Lingxiao grew up and became as mature as Iseul or Raon, a parent would never stop worrying about their child.

Still, those worries could be eased.

"I was the same way with Rui and Yue. I let them do all sorts of things because they were beastmen, but Qiong Xing worried about them just like he does now. Dragons can do even more than we can. But because of that, there are even more things to worry about."

"...You’re right. We weren’t thinking."

"Yeah. From now on, we’ll talk to Qiong Xing first."

Joa laughed at the two of them as they lowered their heads in guilt and roughly ruffled their hair.

"The reason Qiong Xing doesn’t say anything is because he trusts you. He trusts you, so he leaves Lingxiao, someone precious to him, in your care without complaint."

Qiong Xing entrusted Lingxiao to them because he knew they were doing it for Lingxiao’s sake and working hard to help him grow.

So instead of feeling discouraged, they should help put his mind at ease.

Only then did the two finally lift their heads and nod.

...

The knife Qiong Xing had ordered was finally finished, so he had come to town for the first time in quite a while.

"This is my masterpiece."

Wayland proudly presented exactly what Qiong Xing had requested.

"As expected of you. May I test it?"

After examining it, Qiong Xing took an apple and a cutting board out of his bag and handed them to Albe.

"Why me?"

Albe tilted his head in confusion, but when Qiong Xing asked, he accepted without complaint and cut the apple for him.

"...Whoa. Seriously?"

Qiong Xing had expected it to be sharp, but even Albe looked surprised by how effortlessly the blade sliced through the apple.

The peel came away in smooth, continuous strips.

"That’s an incredible edge. Here, Lian, you can eat now."

The beautifully peeled apple was then shared between Albe and Lian, who happily enjoyed it together.

"Is that really what you want, Wayland?"

"Huh?"

"With skill like yours, does retiring mean you’re tired of the work? That you no longer want to do it? Or is it that you actually want to continue, but you’re being forced to stop because there isn’t enough work?"

Wayland stared at Qiong Xing in silence for a moment.

He had never thought about it that way before.

He had simply accepted it as inevitable.

Fewer and fewer people came to smithies like his.

Business continued to decline year after year.

His son seemed content making and selling small crafts, and with his age advancing, retirement had felt like the natural conclusion.

But when asked directly whether it was truly what he wanted, he found himself unable to answer immediately.

"...Of course I’d rather keep going."

The answer escaped before he could stop it.

For decades, this forge had been his life.

The heat of the furnace, the sound of hammer striking metal, the satisfaction of creating something with his own hands.

None of that had changed.

"I still enjoy making things. That’s why this knife was so much fun. Haven’t had a request like that in years."

As he spoke, Wayland looked down at his rough calloused hands.

These hands had spent a lifetime creating.

The thought of never using them again left an unpleasant feeling in his chest.

Qiong Xing smiled softly.

"Then wouldn’t it be a waste to stop?"

"A waste, huh..."

"People who can create things with skill and pride are precious. It would be unfortunate if that talent disappeared."

Wayland scratched his head awkwardly.

"Even if you say that, work doesn’t just appear out of nowhere."