“Boss, what’s wrong?”
Yadana ran back to the carriage and immediately sensed her boss’s disappointment, ready to offer some emotional support.
Li Si shook her head, exhausted.
She had completely given up on having any expectations for this group of people—at least for today.
Of course, she couldn’t entirely blame them for lacking perception.
Even if the anomalies in the caravan were discovered, it wouldn’t have been a problem.
Li Si couldn’t detect any malice in their small actions, nor any threat to herself.
But that’s what made it so strange.
If there was no malice, why hide it?
Still, everyone had secrets.
Li Si didn’t feel comfortable prying, so she decided to just wait and see what they were up to.
It was only three days to Hot Spring Village anyway.
Everything would become clear after that.
When night fell, Ailin suggested setting up camp near the water.
Li Si, knowing that water sources attracted magic beasts, wanted to camp on higher ground.
But the Violet team disagreed, and the old village chief seemed to be in a hurry, unwilling to waste time going out of the way to a hill.
“But this place is full of elite monsters and beast packs!”
Lili Ya argued.
Ailin shook her head, “Even so, our Violet team will take care of it.”
“That’s right. We’re all level 15 swordsmen here. Lili Ya, don’t worry—we’ll handle the night watch.”
A Violet team member smiled, his tone full of responsibility rather than mockery.
But that only made Lili Ya more uncomfortable.
The obvious correct choice was to avoid the risk.
Why knowingly put themselves in danger?
She tried to argue again, but a small pack of snacks was suddenly handed over.
“Get some rest.” Li Si spoke gently.
“But…”
Lili Ya gritted her teeth.
The snack pack gently touched her lips, then slid past her teeth as a finger pushed it in.
“Slime pudding. Good, right?”
Lili Ya chewed a few times before plopping down on the ground, “But that’s not right. You were right, Li Si…”
“Maybe.”
Li Si looked up at the sky.
Sometimes that was just how things were—when trouble didn’t happen, there was no right or wrong, only good or bad temper.
Luckily, she was used to it.
Anyone who had been through Yi Li Sha Bai’s team could tolerate a little stubbornness like this.
After all, she’d seen someone soak in a hot spring inside a magic beast’s lair.
How could she not put up with this?
“Um… Demon Li Si… I need a bath…”
Li Si turned with an exasperated look, wanting to say, “Can’t you wait?”
But Jian had held out this long—that was impressive.
The smell of slime on her clothes was practically marinated in.
Li Si glanced at the camp.
The Violet team was setting up tents, the old village chief and his two companions were starting a fire to cook, and Yadana was doing a handstand by the river to pee.
‘Damn… this lunatic…’
Well, the whole camp was in order.
Tonight was supposed to be her team’s watch, so she didn’t need to set up her own tent.
This was a good time to let Jian take a bath.
Without another word, Li Si stood up.
“Um… will you watch over me…?”
“I promised your sister I’d deliver you safely to Soronwell.”
Li Si walked off, leading Jian to a secluded riverbank.
Jian was a little shy, clutching her small travel bag.
The clear water was tempting, but she didn’t dare get in.
Seeing Li Si about to walk away, she called out, “Y-you… can you stay right here… and watch…”
“That’s a bit…”
“It-it’s not weird… Or you could come in and wash too.”
Li Si shook her head calmly.
Unless it was special circumstances, she never bathed outdoors randomly.
But staying to watch—that request she could accommodate.
She answered with action, gripping the sword at her waist, sitting down on the bank, and signaling with her eyes that Jiam could start.
Jian hugged her bag, feeling shy, but the slime in her clothes was unbearable.
She’d been enduring it all afternoon; any longer and it would stick to her skin.
Gritting her teeth, she glanced at Li Si.
Moonlight shone on the lake, reflecting onto Li Si’s face.
Even though she hated Dictator Li Si, she’d never imagined the dictator could be such a beautiful girl.
For some reason, facing that beautiful, gentle face made her feel safe.
Especially those pure blue eyes, which reminded her of her mother’s gaze.
‘But I don’t even know what it feels like to have a mother…’
Jian lowered her head, first taking off the honeysuckle hat, then carefully lifting the hem of her round-neck dress.
When the skirt covered her eyes, she suddenly got scared—afraid no one was watching.
She asked instinctively, “Hey, are you still there?”
“I’m here.”
Only then did she feel at ease.
She quickly took off the dress, then the undergarments and underwear patterned with honeysuckle.
She expected Li Si to mock her hobby, but nothing happened.
Even when she stripped off all the honeysuckle decorations, Li Si said nothing.
Anyone else would have laughed at her obsessive attire.
Holding her chest, she slowly stepped into the water.
The river was cool, the night breeze cool—it felt good to wash.
Jian scrubbed the slime off her skin carefully, thoroughly.
Li Si sat on the bank, silently guarding her.
Or rather…
‘I got an eyeful.’
Honestly, she never imagined she’d see something like this in her lifetime.
‘A blonde, blue-eyed beauty asks me to watch her bathe? That’s the kind of luck you’d need to save the world for.’
Of course, she had saved the world.
Every veteran Minos fan saves the world at least twice.
That statement wasn’t wrong—after all, you have to go through New Game+ at least once.
“Hm?”
Li Si tilted her head, slowly gripping her sword hilt.
Looked like today wasn’t so lucky—this was one of those times when trouble actually happened.
Too bad.
The beautiful girl CG wasn’t over yet.
Jian was lathering on travel body wash when her golden eyebrows twitched.
Under her pinned-up hair, her clean ears moved sensitively.
Splash—
A very soft sound of entry came from the opposite bank.
Jian looked alertly, but the water was calm—nothing there.
Confused, she turned around and froze.
The bank was empty.
Li Si was gone.
“De-demon Li Si!!!”
“I’m here.”
Li Si’s voice came from the opposite bank.
Jian turned sharply and gasped.
Li Si was dragging a snake body as thick as a thigh onto the shore with one hand, while the other held a blue long sword stabbed straight through the snake’s head.
Jian had no idea when Li Si had crossed to the other side.
[Killed Level 10 Elite Swamp Python, +1 EXP]
Li Si tossed the snake corpse aside, looked up calmly toward the camp.
A signal flare was rising there.
That was the caravan’s distress signal—it shouldn’t have been necessary.
There was a beast pack nearby, but Ailin and the others were at camp, and she was only separated by a stretch of bushes on this riverbank.
Li Si sheathed her sword, then suddenly smiled.
From the camp direction, the light of a blessing spell burst into the air.
A figure with pink short hair appeared on a treetop.
In the distance, that figure hooked its fingers, gently tugging at a tough spider silk.