“That does sound quite nice. So, what does your master think?”
Daphne looked at Sephina with keen interest.
“One moment, let’s talk in private.”
Sephina pulled Lin Shu out to the tavern corridor.
Lin Shu lowered her head slightly. Although she had taken the initiative to speak directly with Daphne just now, she felt she shouldn’t let this opportunity slip by.
“Did you get that information while you were with Leah?”
“Yes.” Lin Shu nodded in admission. “After Leah retrieved the Demon Flower, her next target was the Crimson Petal. That was a task assigned to her by the family, so I looked up some information ahead of time.”
It was a habit she had picked up while following Leah around.
Even though Leah’s team always had plenty of members, Lin Shu made sure to memorize all the intel first, hoping to support Leah if necessary—just in case.
“Daphne said that, to cure her cat, she must have this material.”
Sephina thought for a moment. “What if we sent someone else?”
Lin Shu’s heart skipped a beat.
The danger level of the Underground Jungle was no less than that of the Forbidden Forest. Was Sephina asking because she didn’t want Lin Shu to take the risk herself…?
“Master, I think it would be better if I went myself,” Lin Shu replied softly. “First, I’ve already researched the Crimson Flower and know the general layout of the Underground Jungle. Second, this way, I can make a personal contribution to the Drago family.”
Sephina had declined Daphne’s terms and turned down urgent funding, all for Lin Shu’s sake.
She wanted to help Sephina win it back another way.
Sephina gazed steadily at Lin Shu, as if she wanted to peer into her soul and see what she was truly thinking.
After a few seconds of silence, Sephina smiled, as warm as ever. “Then, I’ll go with you, my little cutie.”
That warm smile made Lin Shu pause for a moment.
Why was Sephina so good to her?
She didn’t want Lin Shu to go into danger herself, nor did she want her to fight alone.
Even though the time they’d truly spent together hadn’t been long at all.
Such considerate kindness and acceptance only made Lin Shu even more curious about what Sephina was thinking.
Sephina turned, and pushed open the door once more.
After returning to the room, it didn’t take long for them to reach a cooperative agreement with Daphne.
“Oh! That’s pawsitively wonderful, let’s just wait and see, then.”
She grabbed the glass on the table. “Come on, let’s have a toast!”
“Here’s to a successful partnership.” Sephina smiled as she raised her glass, the red liquid inside swirling with her movement.
Lin Shu slowly picked up her own glass and raised it.
Three glasses clinked together, the crisp sound of glass echoing in the room.
Daphne tilted her little face up and downed her drink in one gulp, letting out a hearty, long sigh. “Ka—!”
She swung her short legs off the side of the sofa. “Mm, Drago’s brew tastes alright, but compared to the best wine I’ve ever had, it’s still missing something.”
Lin Shu looked at her, a little surprised.
No matter how she looked at her, she had the appearance of a little girl, yet she acted just like an old man—so out of place.
Her gaze fell to her own glass. The deep purple liquid still bubbled, releasing a strong aroma of alcohol.
“What’s wrong?” A wave of alcohol-laced breath washed over her as Daphne leaned in. “Not drinking? This is a celebration, you know.”
“I’ve never drunk before…”
No sooner had Lin Shu said it than she regretted it, for she saw both Sephina’s and Daphne’s eyes light up, as if they’d found something novel.
Oh no, it felt like these two seasoned drinkers were about to treat her as a plaything.
Feeling a sense of foreboding, Lin Shu tried to recover. “Um, or maybe is there a non-alcoholic drink? After all, I still have to accompany my master back.”
“There’s nothing left.” Sephina answered instantly.
Eh… Did she not even hesitate before answering? Very suspicious!
“Only wine left, and we still have the carriage—it’ll take us home automatically, don’t worry.” Sephina tilted her head and smiled.
How could they be like this!
Lin Shu gripped her glass tighter and shrank back.
“You know, as a familiar, how can you not have any tolerance for alcohol?” Daphne climbed onto the sofa and knelt beside Lin Shu, giving her head a light pat with her tiny hand. “Otherwise, will you drink juice for the rest of your life?”
“But I was always responsible for fighting before…” Lin Shu said weakly.
“That’s not the same. The past is the past; now is now.” Daphne poured herself another glass, putting on a tone of great gravity. “I’ve been around this world a long time, just listen to me!”
Saying such things with a little girl’s face!
“Daphne, miss.” Sephina spoke up suddenly. “Laicai is licking the wine in the jug.”
Daphne whipped her head around and saw Laicai sticking his head into the clear wine jug, stretching out his tongue to lap up the liquid inside.
“Meow meow meow, little kitty can’t drink wine!” She immediately crawled over the sofa to the table, reaching out to grab Laicai.
Taking advantage of the moment, Sephina stood up and moved directly in front of Lin Shu.
“Little cutie.”
Her voice was still gentle, but her actions were firm. Sephina slid her thigh between Lin Shu’s knees, making her open her legs slightly to make room.
The smooth touch of silk stockings pressed against the bare skin beneath the maid skirt.
The friction of fabric against skin brought a subtle sensation.
Sephina supported the bottom of the glass with her fingertips, gently lifting it, bringing the rim to Lin Shu’s lips. “Just give it a try, it’s alright~”
Since it was her master’s request…
Lin Shu opened her mouth. Gulp, gulp, gulp—the purple wine slid down her throat as she obediently swallowed.
The alcohol filled her nose, making her head feel fuzzy.
“Good girl.”
*****
After a while, Lin Shu felt her body grow lighter, her vision hazy.
“Are you drunk, little cutie?”
“No.” Lin Shu shook her head, continuing to speak.
If she could hear others and respond, she must not be drunk, right? Yes!
She felt much more cheerful than before.
“It’s just… I feel so sleepy…” Lin Shu felt her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.
Her body swayed as she tried to stay upright. But as her eyes closed, her body slumped sideways with a “thud” onto Sephina’s lap.
“Little cutie?”
“Looks like your familiar can’t hold her liquor.” Daphne leaned in.
At that moment, Lin Shu had already fallen asleep with her eyes closed, lying on her side so that the cord around her neck slipped from her collar.
“Huh?”
Daphne noticed the ornate key tied to the end of the cord.
“This thing…”
Sephina blinked, catching the strange tone in Daphne’s voice. “You’ve seen this key before?”
“No. But when I was traveling as a merchant near the border, I heard that the Holy Clan was offering a high price for a certain key.”
“The description matches this one quite closely, especially the pattern.”
Someone had put a bounty on this key?
This thing, which meant so much to little cutie, was apparently important to the Holy Clan too?
Sephina’s expression gradually turned serious.