Chapter 980

After parting with Bai'e, the two continued strolling through Ohema, and soon they met Xietie in a field full of giant beasts.

Translation: "After parting with Bai'e, the two continued to stroll around Aohema, and soon they saw Xiaodie in a material yard full of earth beasts."

Check: "Bai'e" maybe a name? Not in glossary. Could be a person? "Bai'e" maybe a name (Bai'e). Should we romanize? It's likely a name. So we romanize "Bai'e" as "Bai'e". The line: "After parting with Bai'e" => "After parting with Bai'e". We'll keep as Bai'e.

Thus translation: "After parting with Bai'e, the two continued to stroll around Aohema, and soon they saw Xiaodie in a material yard full of earth beasts."

We need to keep punctuation? Keep Chinese punctuation? We'll convert to English punctuation.

"That person is… the lady we met earlier."

Translation: "\"That person is… the lady we met earlier. \""

"Ah… you two are honored guests." Xietie politely bowed and said, "Welcome to the giant beast's dwelling… although I say that, I just happened to pass by."

Translation: "\"Ah… you two are honored guests. \" Xiaodie bowed politely, \"Welcome to the dwelling of the earth beasts… although I say that, I just happened to pass by. \""

"You're also here to clear your mind?"

Translation: "\"You're also here to clear your mind? \""

"Hmm. I like the atmosphere here; it's sweet… full of the scent of life."

Translation: "\"Mm. I like the atmosphere here; it's sweet… the scent of life. \""

Danheng: "By the way, Miss Xietie, are you also of the Golden Lineage?"

Translation: "Danheng: \"Come to think of it, Miss Xiaodie, are you also of the Golden Lineage? \""

"Yes."

Translation: "\"Yes. \""

After just a single word, Xietie fell silent, and the atmosphere among the three instantly fell into an odd awkwardness.

Translation: "After a single simple word, Xiaodie fell silent, and the atmosphere among the three instantly fell into an odd awkwardness."

"... Sorry, if you don't want to talk about this, I'll stop here."

Translation: "\"…Sorry, if you don't want to talk about this topic, I'll stop here. \""

"Thank you, Mr. Danheng."

Translation: "\"Thank you, Mr. Danheng. \""

This time it was Danheng's turn to not know what to say; the conversation had completely died, and even Star didn't know what to bring up. Fortunately, the giant beast nearby seemed to sense their discomfort, repeatedly letting out a buzzing sound.

Translation: "Now it was Danheng's turn to not know how to speak; the conversation had completely died, and even Xing didn't know what to say. Fortunately, the earth beast beside them seemed to sense their embarrassment, repeatedly letting out a \"buzzing\" sound."

"Oh, it looks like this child is a bit hungry." Xietie turned and gazed up at the giant beast's long neck, then said, "You two have come at just the right time—would you like to try feeding the giant beast?"

Translation: "\"Oh, it looks like this youngster is a bit hungry. \" Xiaodie turned and looked up at the earth beast's long neck, \"You two have come at just the right time—would you like to try feeding the earth beast? \""

At the mention of feeding, Star instantly became interested.

Translation: "At the mention of feeding, Xing instantly became interested."

"Their feed is very clean—just dried red earth. There's some right here. For the first feeding, just take a small piece," Xietie reminded.

Translation: "\"Their feed is very clean, just dried red soil. There's some right here. For the first feeding, just take a small piece, \" Xiaodie reminded."

Star looked at the chunk of red earth in her hand, and suddenly a strange urge welled up inside her.

Translation: "Xing looked at the lump of red soil in her hand, and suddenly a strange urge welled up in her heart."

"Can I try it?"

Translation: "\"Can I try a taste? \""

"Of course you can. But it tastes very bitter and is hard to digest."

Translation: "\"Of course you can. But the taste is very bitter, and it's not easy to digest. \""

"... Xietie's serious tone immediately doused Star's wild idea… right?"

Translation: "... Xiaodie's serious tone immediately doused Xing's wild idea… right?"

Just as Star was about to feed the red earth to the giant beast, she instinctively shrank her hand and glanced at Danheng.

Translation: "Just as Xing was about to feed the red soil in her hand to the earth beast, she instinctively shrank her hand and glanced at Danheng."

Danheng understood instantly and muttered under his breath, "Don't even think about it."

Translation: "Danheng understood instantly, muttering softly, \"Don't even think about it. \""

Damn, when did he learn mind-reading?

Translation: "Damn, when did he learn mind-reading?"

Star stared fixedly at the red chunk of earth in her hand, then lifted her gaze to check the giant beast's eyes.

Translation: "Xing stared fixedly at the red clump of soil in her hand, then lifted her head to confirm the earth beast's gaze."

She saw doubt… hesitation… and even a hint of hidden provocation. The giant beast loomed over her, as if saying, "Do you have the guts, little one?"

Translation: "She saw doubt… hesitation… and even a hint of concealed provocation. The big creature looked down at her, as if saying, \"Do you have the guts, little one? \""

Star had never been looked down upon by an animal her whole life—though it hasn't been that long—so now, it seems there's only one way to preserve her dignity…

Translation: "Xing had never been looked down upon by an animal from childhood—though it hasn't been that long—so now, perhaps the only way to preserve her dignity is……"

Star bit off a corner of the red cube. The two spectators beside her, who witnessed this, let out sounds of disbelief.

Translation: "Xing bit off a corner of the red cube in one bite. Beside her, the two spectators who witnessed this scene made sounds of disbelief."

——

This line is just a separator? It's a line with em dash? We need to translate it as is? Probably just "——". We'll output same.

Kobayashi's dragon maid.

Translation: "Xiao Lin's dragon maid."

"Eh?? She actually ate it!"

Translation: "\"Eh?? She actually ate it! \""

"Don't just shove everything into your mouth, Star!"

Translation: "\"Don't just shove everything into your mouth! Xing! \""

Thorm's expression right now is exactly the same as Danheng's; for a moment it's hard to understand why Star would want to try something like this—could this be what humans call… the rebellious phase?

Translation: "Tor's expression right now was exactly the same as Danheng's; for a moment it was hard to understand why Xing would want to try something like this—could this be what humans call… the rebellious phase?"

But she's only two years old?!

Translation: "But she's only two years old?!'"

Kobayashi shook his beer can, his cheeks flushed: "But if you look at it another way, this counts as her 'pioneering' the taste of red earth. Others have tried it and failed; I've tried it and succeeded!"

Translation: "Xiao Lin shook the beer can in his hand, his cheeks flushed: \"But if we look at it another way, she's also 'prospecting' what the red soil actually tastes like. Others have tried it and failed; I've tried it and succeeded! \"

"'When will Kobayashi be able to 'pioneer' the taste of my tail meat?' he said, smiling, 'Maybe after one try you'll fall in love with my tail meat forever.' Thorm leaned in, his golden eyes full of longing for Kobayashi to eat his tail meat."

Translation: "\"When can Xiao Lin 'prospect' the taste of my tail meat~? Maybe after one try I'll fall in love with my tail meat forever. \" Tor leaned over with a grin, his big golden eyes full of longing for Xiao Lin to eat his tail meat."

"'Forget that… cough.' Kobayashi glanced sideways at Thorm's massive tail, then unconsciously shrank back to the other end of the couch, 'Speaking of which, this giant beast is kind of like you dragons, Thorm. The biggest difference is that it has no wings and can't fly. Could the giant beast be a distant relative of yours?'"

Translation: "\"Forget that kind of thing… cough cough. \" Xiao Lin sneakily glanced at the huge tail behind Tor, then unconsciously shrank back toward the other end of the sofa: \"By the way, this earth beast is somewhat like you Tor and your dragon kin, right? The biggest difference seems to be the lack of wings and inability to fly. Could the earth beast be a distant relative of yours, Tor? \""

"'I'm not sure either. In theory, all dragonkind in the universe are descendants of the Immortal, and that includes me.' Thorm rubbed his thick dragon tail, 'I never used to think about who the ancestors of dragonkind were, but after coming to the Xianzhou I learned that all dragons share a common ancestor. However, during their drift through the cosmos they have evolved and diversified into many kinds. Actually, I've never seen a slender dragon like those of the Xianzhou Alliance's Chroniclekeepers before; that kind of dragon feels somewhat snake-like.'"

Translation: "\"I'm not sure either, but logically, all dragonkind in the universe are descendants of the 【Immortal】, including me. \" Tor rubbed his thick dragon tail, \"I never thought about who the ancestors of the dragon race were until I arrived at the Xianzhou, where I learned that all dragons in the universe share a common ancestor. However, during the drift through the cosmos they have evolved and diversified into many kinds. Actually, I've never seen the slender dragons of the Xianzhou Alliance's Chrysospecies before; that kind of dragon feels somewhat snake-like. \"

——

Again separator.

Danheng sucked in a breath of cold air: "Hss…"

Translation: "Danheng sucked in a breath of cold air: \"Hiss…\""

Star was already feeling the bitterness numb her scalp; for a moment she even thought her tongue no longer belonged to her.

Translation: "Xing was already numb from the bitterness on her scalp; in an instant she even thought her tongue no longer belonged to her."

Xietie hadn't lied to her; the taste of the red earth chunk was indeed quite… bitter and astringent. This bitterness differed from any strong medicine—it struck straight at the tender part of her heart, making her begin to question the meaning of 'pioneering'.

Translation: "Xiaodie hadn't lied to her; the taste of this lump of red soil was indeed quite… bitter and astringent. This bitterness differed from any potent medicine—it struck straight at the tender spot in her heart, making her begin to question the meaning of 'prospecting'."

To her surprise, the chunk wasn't hard. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing—after a few chews, the sticky red earth crumbs clung to her teeth, and no matter how she probed with her tongue, she couldn't get them clean.

Translation: "To her surprise, the lump wasn't hard. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing—after a few chews, the sticky red soil crumbs all stuck to her teeth, and no matter how she scraped with her tongue she couldn't clean them off."

Who would have thought that a few months later, Star would be standing in front of the giant beast's dwelling in Wenfaros and still recall that distant afternoon when March 7 enthusiastically brought her to the room to eat dry-mixed yogurt? Only now the texture of the red earth is like Qiqe coffee-flavored dry-mixed yogurt, and it has already become so bitter that her mind is foggy.

Translation: "Who would have thought that a few months later, Xing would still be standing before the dwelling of the earth beast in Weng Faluos, recalling that distant afternoon when March 7th enthusiastically brought her to a room to eat dry-choked yogurt. Only the texture of the red soil was like the coffee-flavored dry-choked yogurt of Himeko, already starting to bitterly cloud her mind."

Danheng couldn't stand it any longer: "…Have a drink of water."

Translation: "Danheng couldn't bear to watch any longer: \"…Have a drink of water. \""

This time Star wasn't stubborn; she successfully finished feeding and even stroked the giant beast's neck, causing it to emit a pleased sound.

Translation: "This time Xing wasn't stubborn either; she smoothly finished feeding, and even stroked the earth beast's neck, causing it to emit a pleased sound."

Xietie said, "It seems to like that; you and the giant beast have good chemistry. Truly enviable."

Translation: "Xiaodie: \"It seems to like this; you and the earth beast have good affinity. Truly enviable. \""

Star noticed that Xietie had always been rather reserved, so she proactively said, "Why don't you come and touch it?"

Translation: "Xing noticed that Xiaodie had always been reserved, so she proactively said, \"Why don't you come and touch it? \""

Xietie stepped back half a step without a trace: "Me? I don't need to, it's fine…"

Translation: "Xiaodie stepped back half a step without a trace: \"Me? I don't need to, it's fine…\""

Danheng also noticed some issues at this point: "Miss Xietie, do you have any concerns? We've just arrived, and we hope to bridge the distance with everyone through more concrete actions."

Translation: "Danheng then also noticed some issues: \"Miss Xiaodie, do you have any concerns? We've just arrived, and we hope to close the distance with everyone through more concrete actions. \""

"You've misunderstood. You've helped Ohema, and that already fully shows your goodwill. I'm just…" Xietie lowered her head awkwardly, "... not very good at contact, whether with people or with these children."

Translation: "\"You two have misunderstood. By lending a hand to help Aohema, you've already fully expressed your goodwill. I'm just…\" Xiaodie lowered her head awkwardly, \"…not very good at 【contact】, whether with people or with these children. \""

"Please don't take it to heart."

Translation: "\"Please don't take it to heart. \""

——

Separator.

Labyrinth meal.

Translation: "Labyrinth Meal."

"'So this red earth stuff is really that hard to eat?' Leohs watched Star, her mind clouded by bitterness, instinctively swallowed, and instantly dismissed the idea of trying it."

Translation: "\"So this red soil is really that hard to eat? \" Leos looked at Xing, whose mind was clouded by bitterness, unconsciously swallowed a gulp of saliva, and instantly dismissed the idea of trying it."

At the instant he saw the red earth, he had already begun to think about how to season this earth‑like food in its later processing.