Ruilin sat inside the tree hollow, looking outside with concern. Lu Xin had been gone for a long time, but he still hadn’t returned.
“Oh dear, when will your master come back?” she said, raising the Fluffball Monster.
She looked at its fluffy, adorable appearance, and her heart softened involuntarily.
She felt that she was very similar to this Fluffball Monster—both had a past of being isolated and unloved in the wilderness.
But both had also met people who treated them well, who would think of them and protect them in times of danger.
The reason she called Audrey ‘master’ was because she had always seen herself as lowly.
Even though Cecilia’s mother hadn’t treated her differently, she always felt that she should place Audrey in the master’s position and consider herself as her maid or something.
But she actually enjoyed it, and it satisfied her little preference.
Just then, a voice came: “You seem happy. What are you thinking about?”
“Hehe, nothing much, Master.”
She raised her head to look outside the tree hollow and spoke softly, but when she saw Lu Xin’s stunned expression, she realized what she had just said.
Ruilin (⁄⁄•⁄﹏⁄•⁄⁄)
Her face flushed bright red and hot, and the base of her gray-purple ears also began to redden. She stammered, trying to explain.
But no matter what she said, it seemed pale and powerless.
After thinking it over, Ruilin shamefully pulled out the dagger she carried, ready to follow fate and commit suicide to end it all.
“What are you doing? Stop fooling around.”
Lu Xin watched as Ruilin held the Fluffball Monster near her neck. He roughly understood what she intended to do, but he hadn’t expected her to be so flustered that she mistook the Fluffball Monster for a dagger.
After a while, Ruilin barely managed to accept the situation. A trace of shyness appeared on her usually aloof face, and she kept avoiding Lu Xin’s gaze.
“You… why did you take so long to come back?”
“I ran into an Owlbear on the way. It cost me some time.”
Hearing this, Ruilin finally noticed the huge Owlbear corpse behind Lu Xin.
“Are you hurt? Do you need me to heal you?” Ruilin looked at Lu Xin with concern, asking nervously.
“No, you keep resting. I’ll go make a fire and roast the bear meat.”
After saying that, Lu Xin began to gather fallen leaves and branches around.
Although the bear had been poisoned by him, the venom of the Tree Crown Venom Lizard only took effect when it entered the bloodstream. Otherwise, it was just a bunch of protein.
While busy, Lu Xin also set up a [Silence Barrier] to prevent sound from attracting other monsters.
Ruilin held the Fluffball Monster and watched Lu Xin work. Her dependence on him grew stronger, and there was also an inexplicable emotion that made her heart race.
After Lu Xin started a fire, the long-unused [Precise Temperature Control] finally got to be put to use.
As Lu Xin placed the meat over the fire, the aroma filled the air.
When it was just right, Lu Xin picked up the meat and handed it to Ruilin. Ruilin reached out to take it, and their fingers touched in the process.
Unconsciously, her face reddened again. She inwardly chided herself:
‘I’ve already been held in his arms before, so why do I still blush so easily?’
She noticed the Fluffball Monster in her arms kept nuzzling into her. She paused and held out the roasted meat: “Want some, Little Grey?”
The Fluffball Monster bounced, causing Ruilin’s body to shake as well—especially since she was wearing tight clothes for moving through the forest.
Lu Xin watched Ruilin’s two bouncing orbs, unable to take his eyes off them. It would probably be hard to grab them with one hand.
But… what was ‘Little Grey’?
After Ruilin explained, he understood that Little Grey was the name she had given the Fluffball Monster.
Well, after a moment’s thought, Lu Xin thought it wasn’t bad. So Little Grey it was.
After finishing the roast meat, Lu Xin told Ruilin about his plan to continue deeper into the Forest, and they decided to wait until dawn to set out.
A little later, Lu Xin looked at Ruilin, who had fallen asleep leaning against his chest, and a smile tugged at his lips.
She hadn’t wanted to lean against him at first, but after feeling the warmth, she fell asleep quickly.
Still, this was Lu Xin’s first time holding a girl while sleeping. The faint fragrance from Ruilin’s hair made him even more awake.
‘I’m a little excited!’
‘Why is that!’
‘Is it because of the exclamation marks!’
He felt the lovely person in his arms squirm, so he held her a little tighter. In the process, Ruilin let out some adorable murmurs.
And so Lu Xin held the girl and the ball, staring blankly out of the cave, keeping watch.
At this time, Ailya was still concerned about Lu Xin, completely unaware of what he was doing now.
During this time, Audrey occasionally asked Ailya some questions, but Ailya’s answers were always the same.
“I’m just a wandering dancer, that’s all. I rely on a bit of Throwing Knife technique for self-defense.”
“Because I eat a lot, I’m a bit stronger.”
“Because I’ve been to many places, I have a broader knowledge.”
“I don’t really remember where I’ve been. I just wander around.”
But when Audrey asked about Lu Xin, Ailya’s answers became somewhat intriguing.
“How did you and Lu Xin meet?”
“How did we meet? We’ve known each other for a very long time, but it’s been so long… he just doesn’t remember anymore.”
Audrey nodded. She didn’t know much about either Ailya or Lu Xin, so naturally she didn’t pay much attention to that remark.
Ailya smiled. When she first saw the Knight Order, she thought something bad might happen, but it turned out she was overthinking.
None of these knights recognized her.
Ailya grinned and said, “You’ve asked me so many questions, now it’s my turn to ask you.”
“Of course, Miss Ailya.”
Ailya tapped her lips with her finger, pretending to think, then leaned close to Audrey’s ear and whispered:
“Why do you have Galahad?”
Audrey’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly, but she quickly regained composure and said coldly:
“Galahad is an heirloom of our family. My mother gave it to me.”
“Ohhh.” Ailya nodded and didn’t press further.
Of course, Ailya hadn’t asked out of boredom—she had already gotten the answer she wanted.
As for how Galahad awakened, she wasn’t sure if Audrey knew, but since the other party didn’t ask, she wouldn’t say another word.
Ailya nodded happily, proud of her own intelligence. She was truly brilliant.
Ailya (￣▽￣)~*
……
Deep in the Misty Forest, dozens of Wind Wolves had gathered, along with many other large monsters in the forest.
In front of these monsters lay a lake, and a flash of color streaked across the water.
Then the colorful thing leaped out of the lake. Everywhere it passed, plants began to grow at a terrifying speed.
But upon closer observation, these monsters were probably not here to protect the colorful creature.
Each monster’s eyes were filled with greed, and drool dripped uncontrollably from their mouths.
Then, right before everyone’s eyes, the colorful creature flew into a part of the forest and vanished from their sight.