Central District, inside the VIP Lounge on the second floor of the Dew and Feather Chamber of Commerce, Afrodite awkwardly adjusted the edge of her hood, making sure it completely concealed her overly conspicuous golden hair.
“Really… I didn’t expect I’d have to hide myself just to step outside…” Afrodite muttered, her fingertips unconsciously twisting a few strands of hair that escaped from beneath the hood, bored as she sipped her drink.
This was a special floral tea that Bella had deliberately ordered for her just now, said to be an exclusive offering of the Chamber of Commerce’s VIP Lounge.
It carried a faint fruity and floral aroma, the sweetness was just right, and the cool temperature was perfect for drinking.
This was a fresh delight completely unavailable in the Demon Domain.
Her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to not long ago, when she had gone to the washroom and changed clothes.
The simple washing had just finished when Bella, holding a soft towel, naturally and delicately wiped the water droplets from Afrodite’s face and hands.
The changing process hardly required Afrodite to lift a finger.
“Actually… I could have done this myself…” Afrodite couldn’t help but protest.
Bella didn’t pause in her movements.
She just lifted her eyes and gave a gentle smile. “My lady, this is one of Bella’s ‘little requests.’ You promised, so no backing out now.”
Afrodite was instantly at a loss for words.
How had she been so soft-hearted back in the forest to agree to those so-called “few little requests”? Now, it felt as if she had signed an indefinite “contract of servitude.”
When Bella picked up a cloak with a large hood, Afrodite hesitated for a moment. “Is this… really necessary?”
“My lady,” Bella softly gathered Afrodite’s golden hair that spilled over her shoulders like flowing gold. “Your hair color is too striking. In the Central District, it’s better to cover up a bit to avoid unwanted attention and trouble.”
Only then did Afrodite suddenly realize the special nature of her current identity.
While she was still thinking, Bella had already placed the hood over her head, carefully adjusting its angle and tightness.
“All done.” Finally, Bella stepped back and admired her “work,” a satisfied faint smile appearing on her face.
Afrodite lifted her gaze, looking past the intricately carved wooden railing of the lounge down to the bustling main hall of the Chamber of Commerce below.
Bella was standing at a nearby counter, speaking quietly with a middle-aged man in a Chamber of Commerce uniform who appeared to be in charge of affairs.
Bella’s expression was focused and serious, occasionally nodding or lightly tapping the inventory list in her hand with her fingertip.
This composed and steady demeanor was a far cry from the sly and coquettish side she sometimes showed at home.
The waiting time was a bit dull.
Afrodite withdrew her gaze and once again began to fidget restlessly with the strands of hair beneath her hood.
Her eyes wandered aimlessly over the lounge’s exquisite décor — the smoothly polished dark wood, the magic lamps emitting a soft glow, the scenic tapestries hanging on the walls, and a delicate-looking Shadow Recorder in the corner said to be capable of capturing brief images…
Everything exuded an air of prosperity, refinement, and even a hint of luxury.
“The change is incredible…” Afrodite couldn’t help but sigh.
It was hard to believe that earlier, when she first placed Bella nearby, this place had only been a modest, relatively peaceful human frontier town.
The streets were narrow, the buildings low, and the Chamber of Commerce had only one or two shops selling the most basic goods.
Unexpectedly, in just a few years, under a relatively peaceful environment and the promotion of interspecies trade, it had rapidly developed into such a bustling Central District.
The streets were wide and tidy, merchants and adventurers from various races on the continent came and went in endless streams, and all kinds of goods dazzled the eyes.
This vigorous vitality formed a stark contrast with the oppressive, resource-scarce, and slow-developing scenes she remembered from the Demon Domain.
“It seems… during the time in the Demon Domain, this place’s development was astonishingly fast…” Afrodite stared blankly, a complex emotion quietly passing through her heart—one she herself found hard to clearly identify.
Was it a certain awe for the vitality and creativity of the Human Race? Or a touch of melancholy for the stagnation of the Demon Domain? Perhaps it was both.
“Why am I thinking about this when there’s nothing wrong with me?” Afrodite said aloud, but unconsciously gripped her drink a little tighter.
“Since I’m already here, I might as well just enjoy life straightforwardly and not think about those troublesome things anymore.” Afrodite drew a final period on her wandering thoughts.
Just as Afrodite was lost in her thoughts, lazily twirling her hair and sipping her drink with a flood of mixed feelings—
A somewhat flirtatious male voice abruptly sounded beside her, breaking her reverie.
“Hey, miss, aren’t you bored waiting here alone?”
Afrodite frowned slightly, keeping one hand propping her cheek, her head tilted. Her previously focused sipping paused momentarily.
Her long eyelashes lifted faintly as her cold eyes quickly scanned the source of the voice under the shadow of the hood, then withdrew.
A young human man, dressed flamboyantly yet with a taste that seemed overly gaudy, had somehow taken a seat opposite her.
He wore a self-satisfied, so-called charming smile, leaned forward with his elbows on the table.
What a self-deluded fool.
Afrodite instantly labeled the situation in her mind, losing all interest in responding.
Her eyelids lowered, she refocused on her drink as if he had never spoken—merely an unpleasant piece of background decoration. She took the straw between her lips again and sipped carefully.
The man, seeing her unresponsive attitude, grew even more interested.
Playing hard to get, huh? Interesting.
He sneered inwardly, his tone becoming even more lewd.
“Looking at your outfit, you don’t seem local,” the man said arrogantly, his voice dripping with undisguised superiority. “Are you some new treasure from one of the Chambers of Commerce? Or a golden canary hidden away by some noble lord?”
Afrodite’s fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the straw, causing the ice cubes in her cup to clink softly.
Still maintaining her previous posture, she sipped her drink as if his words were just distant, irrelevant noise.
When she remained silent, the man’s tone became even more smug, as if interpreting her quietness as some kind of consent. “Drinking alone here? Want to change places? I know a pretty good spot…”
His words grew more blatant, full of nauseating innuendo.
Yet Afrodite acted as if she didn’t hear him at all, continuing to drink quietly by herself.
Could this thoughtless idiot just keep a respectful distance from me?
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