Halfway to the capital of the Rose Kingdom, the number of hero candidates steadily increased, and the tavern was now packed to the brim.
However, Lin Qiyou and Xiao Ya managed to squeeze into a decent room.
This was all thanks to the recent incident at the border checkpoint.
A large number of monsters had suddenly appeared from nowhere and launched an attack on the border outpost—it was a premeditated, targeted massacre.
When facing an Azure Dragon, no one but Lin Qiyou could handle it.
As a result, Lin Qiyou’s outstanding performance in that battle earned her a travel permit.
Lin Qiyou was pleased about it, but the happiest of all was Xiao Ya.
Sitting at a table in the tavern, Xiao Ya sipped her beer with a very cheerful expression.
“I’m really glad you didn’t resort to kidnapping or robbery to get the travel permit!”
That was what Xiao Ya said at the time.
Lin Qiyou just wanted to ask, “What if I told you I planned to kill and loot to get it? Would you explode?”
But she didn’t say that.
Glass after glass of the kingdom’s wine, spoonful after spoonful of buttery stew, Lin Qiyou’s tastes piqued Xiao Ya’s curiosity.
“You’ve never been to the Rose Kingdom before, but you’ve been eating this kind of food from the start?”
The Rose Kingdom had many delicious dishes, but Lin Qiyou’s choices were quite ordinary for most people.
“Because someone said these are really good.”
Lin Qiyou swept her left hand along her sleeve and used chopsticks in her right hand to elegantly pick up a piece of chicken, eating with grace.
Her demeanor and movements always attracted curious glances, most of which came from men, but every time someone tried to strike up a conversation, Lin Qiyou repelled them with a cold stare.
“I think I know who that person is.”
The more Xiao Ya interacted with Lin Qiyou, the more she believed that Lin Qiyou really knew Aoki.
She was also curious whether the hero’s advisor Aoki was currently caught in some kind of danger.
Unfortunately, Xiao Ya was somewhat ignorant and knew very little about Aoki—only that he was the hero’s advisor and had survived unscathed after the defeat at the Demon King’s castle.
In reality, most people only had a rough idea about the hero squad, and detailed information was kept secret to protect their privacy.
“I’m going to check out the swords at the blacksmith’s. Want to come?”
Lin Qiyou stood up and said to Xiao Ya.
“I haven’t finished eating yet.”
Xiao Ya smiled awkwardly. Lin Qiyou nodded and left the tavern, the gazes of admirers following her.
Thanks to the border battle, Lin Qiyou had gained quite a bit of popularity among the hero candidates.
At the blacksmith’s, Lin Qiyou noticed two customers talking with the smith. The blacksmith glanced at her and gestured to wait a moment, so she started examining the swords nearby.
She occasionally glanced at the two customers; they were more beautiful than most, with long ears—clearly elves—but they looked a bit different from the elves she’d seen before.
They wore green floral decorations.
Soon, the two elves left, and as they passed, Lin Qiyou met their gaze.
“Your sword is quite unique.”
The blacksmith pulled out a Chinese-style longsword with a beast-patterned scabbard from beneath the counter. Lin Qiyou walked over, picked it up, and examined it.
The sword was three feet seven inches long, pure white throughout, with the guard engraved in ancient script, and the character “幽” (You) carved on the hilt.
As Lin Qiyou turned the sword, a flash of cold light reflected on her face, causing the blacksmith, who already thought the sword’s appearance suited her, to be startled—thinking Lin Qiyou was even more beautiful than the elves from earlier.
“Not bad.”
That was what Lin Qiyou said, though her face remained expressionless. In truth, she thought the blacksmith’s craftsmanship was average, but her own sword had broken during the battle with the Azure Dragon—and the broken blade was lost.
Still, it was for the best; even if she found the broken pieces, it would be a waste to give them to this blacksmith.
She took out the remaining payment and handed it over.
“I’ll get you the change.”
As the blacksmith fiddled with the money, Lin Qiyou’s attention was suddenly drawn to a blueprint nearby.
“Those two just now were elves?”
“Wood Elves from the Deepwood District, same line of work as me.”
“Is this thing unique to Wood Elves?”
Lin Qiyou pointed at the strange furnace drawn on the blueprint, which she thought was best called a “alchemy furnace.”
“I don’t really know. Wood Elves have always been pretty mysterious. They came to ask me about some materials.”
“What materials?”
Lin Qiyou leaned in so close that the gleam in her eyes made the blacksmith flinch backward. Stammering, he finally listed the materials the Wood Elves wanted.
After hearing it, Lin Qiyou thought deeply as she slung the sword on her back and muttered, “Wood Elves… Deepwood District…”
Back at the tavern, Xiao Ya was no longer on the first floor. Lin Qiyou climbed the stairs and reached the door of their room, overhearing a man and Xiao Ya talking inside.
What’s going on?
She had passed by some rooms before and heard things going on inside.
Lin Qiyou wasn’t unaware that people here were more open-minded compared to her world. Whether Xiao Ya went with the flow was her own business, but the problem was: wasn’t this room for two people?
“Bang!”
Lin Qiyou kicked open the door, but immediately realized she was mistaken.
There was a man inside, but they were simply having a conversation.
Feeling a little embarrassed, Lin Qiyou backed off.
“Lin Qiyou, good news! The Saintess Yue Lan is preparing to meet you in person!”
Xiao Ya shouted excitedly, while the man beside her, dressed like a church official, smiled at Lin Qiyou.
Lin Qiyou was a little surprised. After a few glances at the man, she said to Xiao Ya, “It’s us.”
She knew Xiao Ya had long regarded her as a comrade, and she felt the same.
After the former guild leader’s death, Aoki hadn’t received any punishment notice. His daily tasks remained the same, though with the presence of Nongli, he had to do a few extra little maneuvers.
For instance, whenever a new pill was produced, he would secretly keep a few—small enough not to be noticed missing.
Nongli would wait eagerly nearby for Aoki to feed her; at his snap of the fingers, she would open her mouth.
Wherever the pills went, she chased after them.
For four or five consecutive days, Aoki and Nongli got along quite well. Not because Aoki was an excellent fox caretaker, nor because Nongli was particularly obedient, but all thanks to a book Cuihua had given him from the real world:
“How to Get Along with Fox-Human Girls of the Eastern Race”
The book was strange—Aoki felt it seemed written specifically for him and Nongli, detailing many tips on how to deal with fox-human girls.
Its attention to the little moods and thoughts of fox-human girls was meticulous, so much so that Aoki suspected Nongli might have written it herself.
But the author was anonymous; no one knew who had written it.
“You’re not seriously the one who wrote this, are you?”
Aoki stuffed a pill into Nongli’s mouth and smiled as he asked.
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