Lureya poked the Slime, her slender fingers quickly bounced back. It wasn't as slimy and gross as she imagined.
"This low-level magical creature is actually cuter in real life than in the textbooks."
In the next moment, the Slime jumped up and pinned the Tablet Spirit to the ground.
"Hey, hey Shami, help! What's going on with it?"
"Maybe it smells the scent of an Elf on you. After all, it is a magical creature."
The Tablet Spirit pounded the ground, "It's so heavy! Help me!"
"Speaking of which, why can't you handle even a level 1 Slime? How bad are you?"
"It ambushed me!"
Shami reluctantly pulled the Slime away.
The Slime hopped around within the range of the Spirit Protection Array. Lureya wisely refrained from touching it again and returned to Shami's side.
"Should we take it back to the village? Won't it be discovered?"
This was indeed a troublesome problem.
But they couldn't just leave the Slime alone. If the villagers nearby found it and killed it, Shami would lose a lot of the materials used.
"Let's find a place for it to hide first."
The two found a cave nearby. After Shami tricked the Slime inside, he blocked the entrance with stones to ensure it wouldn't escape, and then returned to the village with the Tablet Spirit.
Nighttime.
Lugo, the old village chief of Yili Village, arranged a welcome party for Lureya. For a small village like Yili, having an Elf visit was a rare event, one that would surely boost tourism in the future.
A bonfire was set up in the village center, and enthusiastic villagers roasted lamb and beef nearby.
Holding the belief that wherever there's a freebie, there's me, Shami promptly attended the party upon receiving the invitation, just in time to encounter the Tablet Spirit sitting by the bonfire with a troubled expression.
"Miss Elf, this is our village's finest home-raised lamb. The meat is very tender."
"Chief, thank you for your kindness. But the Elf Race doesn't eat meat. I'll just have some of those fruits over there."
Lureya's gaze shifted from the roasting meat on the bonfire to a platter of vegetables and fruits, her heart bleeding.
Why do Elves have to maintain such a troublesome image!
"Very well, as Miss Elf wishes. Although our banquet is simple, I hope Miss Elf won't find it lacking." Lugo, having had the lamb refused several times, didn't insist.
"You're too kind with your hospitality."
Lureya flashed a smile that was on the verge of tears.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave. The bonfire party is best left to you young folks."
Hunchbacked Lugo clasped his hands behind his back and sat in the farthest corner from the bonfire.
Lureya painfully swallowed a gulp. Though she couldn't eat the meat, the aroma kept flooding her nostrils, as if it were trying to kill her.
It was an outrageous test of restraint!
Where's Shami?
Come and save her already!
"So, the Elf Race generally doesn't eat meat, huh? But last night, you seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit."
Shami sat beside Lureya with a mischievous grin.
"It's not…I had to put on a false front outside for the sake of maintaining our racial image!" Lureya whispered back, then pleaded, "Please pack me a rib; I'm drooling here."
"I'll think about it."
Shami picked up a skewer and took a bite in front of the golden-haired Tablet Spirit.
"Stop tempting me here!" Lureya couldn't help but knee Shami's leg, "I've kept your secret! Can't you fulfill such a small request for me?"
"I never said I wouldn't help. I just need to eat a bit first to have enough energy."
Lureya puffed her cheeks in frustration, picked up an apple, and bit into it forcefully, trying to let the apple's fragrance overshadow the rich aroma of meat around her.
At this moment, an ethereal voice came from behind.
"Good evening, Shami..." Theo appeared behind Shami, clutching his stomach with a weary face, "I heard our village has a..."
Shami and Lureya both turned their faces simultaneously.
"Humanoid Race!!"
"Elf?..."
Lureya's pupils contracted as she hurriedly pulled Shami in front of her.
"Shami! It's that Humanoid Race creature I saw pulling-* outside someone's balcony early this morning. Why can it even speak human language?!"
"Hey, hey, hey, he's a villager."
"You're kidding! How does that not trigger the uncanny valley effect?"
Was 'Humanoid Race' referring to him? Theo was stunned for a moment before reacting. According to him, his abstract facial features were a gift from the heavens, different from anyone else, a blessing, not something terrifying.
"Hey, your words are very rude!"
"If you're a villager pulling-*, then just go to the bathroom like normal!"
"What can I do? I stayed over at a widow's place last night. Who would've thought eating her cucumber feast would give me diarrhea, and I couldn't make it to the bathroom in time!"
Lureya: "?"
Shami: "Ugh!"
Theo realized he was speaking too loudly and closed his mouth, sitting down far away.
Lureya, still unable to accept that Theo was a human villager, looked dully at Shami.
"Shami, what's a cucumber feast? And what's a widow?"
"..."
"You two must be quite familiar."
Theo seriously nodded, "Yup. Intimate friends who share everything!"
"Not familiar."
"What do you mean not familiar? Just four days ago, while herding sheep, you talked to me seriously about sheep-*!"
"Hey, Theo, why do you keep ending up at the village widow's house?"
"I can't help it. Last night she said there were rats at her place and asked me for help. After helping out, she insisted that I have dinner at her place. Then she tempted me..." Theo regretfully patted his thigh, "And then I got stuck at her place. Damn it."
"Don't fall for the temptation every single time!"
"Shami, stop changing the subject! Why do you know such villagers? And what's this sheep-* topic? Just hearing it makes me confused!"
"I can't help it. She's the first one to realize how good-looking I am. Enough said, she just told me I left something at her place and asked me to get it. I'll be off now."
"That is clearly another trap!"
Theo turned into a storytelling bomber, embellishing the events of the past few days to fortify his connection with Shami at all costs.
Lureya gazed at Shami with eyes that wouldn't give up, relentlessly pursuing confirmation.
Shami, however, refused to engage with Lureya, always trying to distance himself from Theo.
Watching the three of them huddled by the bonfire, chatting fervently in hushed tones, the old village chief smiled kindly from afar.
The chats of young people are indeed full of passion.
...
The village bonfire burned on. Around ten o'clock at night, villagers wandered off to their homes one by one. Soon, no one was left by the bonfire, and after the combustible materials by the bonfire were removed, the village had mostly quieted down.
The night was faint, the sky dotted with stars.
Lureya hadn't eaten any meat the entire evening. Her stomach grumbled in protest as she dragged her weary body back to her room at the lodging.
So tired, so hungry. Vegetables and fruits are nowhere near filling.
The door closed, and the blonde girl plopped down onto the bedding.
After waiting for a while, there was indeed no sound at the door either.
That pretty boy had obviously forgotten what he just said and ran back home alone.
Hmph, the demon lord is indeed that kind of person.
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