Looking at the system notifications that appeared consecutively, Gut felt somewhat moved.
Indeed, children's hearts were purer - even saying "thank you" came from genuine gratitude.
Following the path they came from, Gut dutifully escorted Denken back while skillfully opening the system interface to browse the item he'd just drawn.
[Item Name: Good Dream Pillow]
[Item Description: /In the first month of the seventeenth year, when visiting the imperial mausoleum, I dreamed at night of the late emperor and empress dowager as if they were still alive and joyful//Last night I dreamed I suddenly returned home, by the small window, she was doing her hair. We looked at each other wordlessly, only a thousand tears falling/
There are always some scenes whose preciousness can only be understood in the future; there are always some emotions that can only be recreated in dreams;
It's just that good dreams are hard to find and harder to make real**]**
[Item Effect: When you use the Good Dream Pillow to sleep, you will have a good dream (Note: After use, there is a small chance of evoking a beautiful dream from the future)]
"Evoking... a beautiful dream from the future?"
After reading the item's detailed description, Gut's expression became serious.
Although the item noted "small probability" and could only observe a future dream scenario, as long as he increased the frequency of attempts and carefully analyzed every piece of information in future dreams, he might be able to compile some useful intelligence.
After all, this was the only item he had that could observe the future, so naturally he had to make the most of it.
Thinking of this, Gut mentally contacted the system space and retrieved the Good Dream Pillow.
However, the item's appearance was somewhat unexpected.
It wasn't a real-sized pillow, but an unusually miniature pillow model that even felt somewhat metallic to the touch.
"How do I use this?"
Gut frowned, turning the pillow model over in his hands. He couldn't possibly sleep on it directly, right? Wouldn't that hurt his head?
Finally, after tentatively inputting some magical power into the item, the Good Dream Pillow reacted. The edges and corners of the pillow model began to emit light.
"It works!"
Seeing the magical input had feedback, Gut was delighted and quickly increased his infusion speed into the Good Dream Pillow.
As the absorption pace quickened, the glowing areas on the pillow model grew larger and larger. Finally, light covered the entire model, and several notification sounds rang in Gut's mind.
[Energy infusion complete] [Current rechargeable uses: 3/3] [Note: Using this item can charge any pillow, giving it one "beautiful dream" effect]
"So it needs charging before use, no wonder there was no reaction before."
"This is actually better though - the item has no fixed object limitations, making it convenient to carry. If I need to share with others later, it's also more flexible."
After understanding how to use the Good Dream Pillow, Gut carefully put it away and returned to continue the previous gathering at the restaurant.
He had to admit, Head Chef Lecker's skills were truly exceptional. Even having traveled through many cities in the Central Nations, Gut still couldn't forget this taste.
Taking this opportunity, Gut greatly satisfied his taste buds.
He just didn't know if it was influenced by the Otherworld Culinary God talent - Gut always found himself unconsciously analyzing the food in his mouth, deducing what ingredients were used during cooking and what cooking techniques were employed.
Seeing everyone at the table satisfied with food and drink, Serie called over a restaurant server and went with him to the front desk to pay.
After watching his teacher leave, Gut lifted a corner of the tablecloth beside him and bent down to search for the gift box his teacher had discarded earlier.
But after searching around, Gut couldn't see even a corner of the gift box.
Considering that Sola and his junior brothers probably wouldn't touch such a thing, who would have taken it...
"What are you looking for down there?"
Behind him, the elf's cold voice suddenly came.
Gut smiled afterward, replying with considerable teasing: "I'm looking for Senior Sister Flamme's diary. Honestly, I'm quite interested in what was recorded in it. Teacher, did you notice anything?"
"Heh, maybe some stray dog from the roadside carried it off."
"If you have such spare curiosity, you'd be better off investing it in magical practice."
"Yes, teacher." Gut's expression became serious as he replied properly.
"Senior sister's diary - I'll just assume some little dog carried it away."
Serie: ...
After the meal, the group arrived at the Continental Magic Association's recently built Äußerst branch.
After settling the luggage they'd brought, Hafka took his sister and left first, saying they wanted to look at houses in the city and buy a courtyard to settle down in.
While Zenn and Ross's financial situation was also decent, they obviously couldn't be as extravagant as the Hafka siblings, so they chose to accept the Association's arranged housing. After getting their room keys, they went into the city together to buy daily necessities.
As for Gut, wanting to try the Good Dream Pillow's item effect as soon as possible, he found the nearest inn after greeting his teacher, got a room, and began taking an afternoon nap.
For a moment, the originally lively association became empty in the blink of an eye, leaving only Serie as this "empty nest teacher."
"Sigh..."
The elf sighed: "Busy, all busy."
"Well, being busy is good."
Then golden light flashed in her hand, and an exquisitely packaged gift box appeared in the elf's hand.
"The association's side rooms look increasingly monotonous. Lernen and their aesthetic sense isn't very good either."
"Forget it, I'll use Magic of Blooming Flowers to plant some flowers."
As Serie finished speaking, flowers of various shapes emerged from the side room's soil, blooming in their magnificent beauty.
One hour later.
Continental Magic Association · Äußerst Branch, outside at some inn.
After trying the Good Dream Pillow's effect, Gut felt somewhat disappointed as he returned to the restaurant to check on things.
It wasn't bad - the room's pillow was quite comfortable to sleep on, and he'd indeed had a good dream.
But regrettably, it appeared this time the prophetic effect hadn't triggered, and he'd only had an ordinary good dream.
In the dream, Gut had inexplicably become the legendary general Guan Yu - not only did he have red face and a magnificent beard, but he'd also experienced several classic scenes where the general appeared.
Whether it was warming wine to slay Hua Xiong, passing five gates and beheading six generals, or flooding seven armies, the experience felt particularly real.
Just before waking, he'd even dreamed of himself mounted on Red Hare horse, wielding the Guandao, standing proudly like a dragon.
This afternoon dream... could barely count as a type of good dream.
Not only was it vivid and colorful, it was also quite realistic.
It was just a pity he couldn't have such dreams often, or his body would easily lack nutrition.
After washing up and changing pants, Gut returned to the association.
But the association's main hall had no one except staff members - it was eerily quiet.
Seeing this, Gut released a thread of magical power to sense around, and soon two magical power feedbacks returned.
Junior brother Lernen's magical feedback was upstairs, with no movement - he was probably still unconscious from drinking.
As for the other massive magical power source...
What was teacher doing in the association's side room?
Driven by curiosity, Gut headed toward the association's side room and pushed open the door leading to it, then...
He was blocked by a barrier.
Inside the barrier, Serie, who was using the magic Repair [Reparo] to restore her disciple Flamme's diary, froze - she obviously hadn't expected Gut to return so early.
However, the magic was at a critical stage. For the sake of repair quality, she couldn't pause midway.
Fortunately, she'd set up a barrier outside. As long as she could delay Gut for a few minutes, she could finish the restoration.
And regarding her Barrier Magic, Serie had complete confidence.
Even if her disciple was a genius, he'd need several hours to break through.
But the next second.
Gut's voice sounded right beside Serie.
"I say, teacher, what are you doing alone in the side room? You even set up a barrier?"
"Also... teacher, what you're holding and restoring appears to be... Senior Sister Flamme's diary?"
The elf's expression froze. Her body shifted slightly, as if wanting to use her body to block the diary, but then realized that with Gut having gotten this close, blocking wouldn't help much, so she gave up and nodded.
"Wow! Amazing!"
Gut clapped his hands with exaggerated expression, lavishly praising the elf: "Is this magic that can snatch disciple diaries back from roadside wild dogs? Teacher, can you teach it to me?"
"If you keep being sarcastic, I'll throw you out!"
Under the threat of magical power frantically jumping in the elf's hands, Gut wisely stopped teasing his teacher and stood obediently to the side.
"Heh."
Seeing her disciple submit, the elf dispersed the magical power gathered in her palm and asked: "How did you break through my Barrier Magic so quickly?"
"Break through?"
Gut looked at the elf with a strange expression and replied: "Teacher, what nonsense are you talking about? I have the access permissions you gave me - I just went directly through your barrier's back door."