Guide to the Education and Training of Girls with Mentally Abnormalities

Chapter 33 The Vague Future

Edmund did not consider himself a harsh or heartless person.

He has always adhered to the principle of repaying sincerity with sincerity and honesty with honesty.

But that doesn't mean becoming a slave to your emotions.

Faced with feelings that are clearly fruitless or contrary to his goals and future, even if he feels extremely regretful, Edmund will choose to slowly bring them to a close with a soft sigh.

Just like in one of his favorite songs when he was on Earth.

"For me, wonderful things are already unfolding before my eyes."

"Yet you still yearn for those dreams that can never come true."

"Those things that once brought you immense joy."

"It will also cause harm someday in the future."

The person in the song is called a "desperate outlaw," and now he has become a desperate outlaw in this other world who will do anything to make a living—it has only been about half a year since he got rid of this identity and became respectable.

Being liked or relied upon is something to be happy about for anyone, because it means belonging, respect, or a higher level of self-actualization.

But in this alien world where even having enough to eat is not yet common and human life is as cheap as grass, how could Edmund dare to easily regard others' approval of him as the respect and affirmation he imagined?

One second they're praising and affirming others, letting them take on the most challenging and demanding roles; the next second they're deciding to leave the entire squad in the dungeon forever, so that the remaining members can get a bigger share of the spoils.

Edmund had never witnessed such a thing firsthand, but he had heard about it at least three or four times in the tavern's hall and among the tables and chairs.

If going all in is a youthful, impetuous act, then...

So the hesitation and choices when weighing the pros and cons are perhaps the confusion and helplessness that young people feel when facing the wilderness of life.

Therefore, Edmund chose a path that was destined to not have long-term bonds with many people, and whose teacher-student relationship was limited to the period during which the contract was in effect.

A relationship that isn't too intimate won't allow the other person to have too many fantasies about you, and you can also rely on contracts and agreements to politely decline when they try to take advantage.

"Ah... I really should have moved out of the family sooner." The girl sitting at the street stall licked the soup from the corner of her mouth with the tip of her maid's tongue.

"If we were in the family, Father would probably accuse me of eating things that only commoners should eat..." She muttered to herself in a low voice, took a handkerchief from the maid to wipe her lips, and smiled at Edmund.

"But the taste is surprisingly good."

Freshly picked peas from farmers' fields outside the city, along with diced potatoes and minced meat, are stewed together, seasoned with salt and pepper, and garnished with finely chopped basil leaves. A fragrant stew is then served piping hot.

In this strange world where there are no other kinds of food besides bread, baguettes, soft bread, and flatbread topped with cheese, meat, and vegetables, it is indeed a pretty good dish.

Edmund glanced at the remaining broth in the pot.

It would be even better if some chopped green onions were added.

It would be best to find some farmers to pick the tender leaves from the tips of the pea shoots separately, make a soup with just a little oil.

The stall owner, wearing a gray apron, stood nervously to the side. Most of the people who came to the market were servants from noble families who came to shop. It was rare for a noblewoman like Edith to appear in person, let alone sit down and eat at her stall.

For this small pot of pea, potato, and minced meat soup, this middle-aged man with slightly graying hair practically pulled out all the rare and prized spices from the shop.

Hearing Edith's praise, the boss breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense face gradually relaxed.

"It's truly an honor for our restaurant to have you dining here..."

With a single glance from the girl, Willow placed a silver coin on the table.

"This...this..." Looking at the money, which far exceeded the price of the dishes, the boss's heart, which had finally calmed down, started racing again.

"Its taste and portion size suit my young lady's taste, and my young lady's status justifies the price," the maid said calmly.

"You..." The smiling stall owner knew that Willow was referring to the spices he had almost used up for this pot of food, and rubbed his hands together, wanting to say something auspicious that would suit the occasion.

Limited by his limited vocabulary and cultural background, he cautiously offered a greeting, served the people at the table a cup of the shop's best light tea, and then quietly accepted the silver coin on the table before retreating.

When the later diners saw Edith and the others with her, they also tacitly sat down at the other table. Even the rough and burly adventurers became more reserved and spoke in hushed tones.

Edmund looked at Edith with lingering reluctance.

Facing the morning breeze, the girl stretched and yawned, like a black cat with shimmering black fur. The fine down on her fair cheeks made her look as if she were shrouded in a soft halo.

She stretched her arms and yawned, leaning back on the table and tilting her head to naturally look at the young man's face.

The noisy wind pushes the pure clouds slowly towards the proud spring day, as if covering them with a veil of light, making this overly bright morning after the rain a little darker.

I'm watching you.

But you're looking at her.

"You did a good job this time. Just make your movements a little smaller next time, especially avoid making noise with the cutlery and dishes..." Edmund said in a low voice, clearly not wanting to disturb Edith who was enjoying her meal.

The silver-haired girl beside him nodded blankly.

Noticing Edith's gaze, he reached out and poked the owner's arm under the table.

"Excuse me, Miss Edith, I didn't notice you..."

"Sit a little longer." Edith's gaze lingered on Esther for a few seconds. "I'm full, I don't really want to move."

"You wouldn't mind talking to me, would you?" She rested her chin on her hand and looked at Edmund.

The young man remained silent, his face displaying an expression of quiet listening.

"Edmund, you taught my sister and now you're my housekeeper. What do you think it is like for people like us to achieve the happiness we dream of?" The girl's tone was somewhat resentful, like the orchids by the stream blaming the late-arriving sunlight.

"If I need to go shopping tomorrow morning, how much money should I bring?"

"Hmm...it depends on what you want to buy, right?" Edith replied obediently, though she didn't know why Edmund was asking this.

"So if you want to achieve the happiness of your dreams, you naturally have to consider what kind of happiness you want."

"For example... a beautiful and happy life spent with the one you love?" The girl stared intently at the young man as she spoke, as if she could see even the slightest trace of the [true protagonist] in the system simulation in him.

A blissful life spent with the one you love?

An answer that is essentially meaningless.

Who wouldn't want to live like this?

But when you think about the daily expenses, the future teaching rebate plan, and the employer's spur-of-the-moment adventure team entrepreneurial mission...

We cannot say that we have everything under control right now.

How dare we hope for a future that seems so uncertain?