"Who brings a hoe to an inn in the middle of the night? This isn't in line with the habits of villagers at all! Shouldn't they be asleep and snoring like pigs by now?" Lureia commented sarcastically.
Why was her protective barrier so weak? Couldn't it even withstand a single strike from a hoe?
No matter how useless the flat as board elf was, her barrier wasn't something an ordinary villager could break.
The magic circle she set up in the room was designed to withstand an entire night's assault from a normal villager.
However, the blow dealt by Xia Mi was of a max-level villager, and he secretly infused it with some magic. Thus, the protective barrier shattered, just like a brittle biscuit.
"I thought some mysterious evil force trapped you in the room, so I came to rescue you."
Lureia raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed.
With Xia Mi's innocent expression, anyone unaware might believe his words.
But YOU are the biggest evil force!
Now wide awake, Lureia, with her golden hair cascading down her slender waist, asked, "What do you want, coming here so late?"
"Have you eaten?"
"Huh?"
"I heard you're running low on money, so I brought some snacks for you. If you haven't eaten, you can have them now." Xia Mi held a bag of grilled skewers he bought from the tavern, still steaming hot.
Lureia's delicate nose picked up the tantalizing aroma of roasted meat, and she couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
Elves in the Elven Forest mostly consume natural fruits and vegetables. Her dinner that evening was also fruits and vegetables. However, this doesn't mean elves were vegetarians that couldn't eat meat!
Lureia loved meat. But due to concerns about tarnishing the image of elves eating meat, every time she sneaked out of the Elven Forest, she resisted her meat cravings.
Although she had tried catching small fish and rabbits by the river, elves don't have ancestral cooking skills, making her attempts rather unpalatable. After several attempts, she gave up on cooking meat herself.
It had been a while since Lureia had meat.
And now, the fragrant grilled meat was right in front of her.
She pondered: To eat or not to eat?
Personal satisfaction or the image of the elf race?
Being seen eating meat by Xia Mi doesn't matter. No one would believe a word the heir to the Demon King says.
The image of elves would remain untarnished.
"I am a bit hungry," Lureia admitted, blinking her eyes. She opened the door wider, inviting Xia Mi in. "Come in..."
Upon entering, Xia Mi found a place to sit.
Observing him, Lureia smirked internally.
Oh, what a naive, young heir to the Demon King. Easily fooled by her words. She's actually quite wealthy and would never be without money for food.
Such a gullible heir to the Demon King is destined to be charmed by a beautiful elf like her.
So adorable~
For the first time, Lureia felt superior in intellect, her mood lifting.
In the room, Xia Mi laid out the skewers on a round table. He sat on a chair while Lureia sat on the bed's edge.
"Shall I start eating?"
"Mhm."
Gracefully, Lureia took a skewer. Her pristine teeth delicately bit into the meat, savoring its flavors.
The rich taste of the meat combined with the spices made her close her eyes in delight.
A delicacy!
"Your hand is trembling."
"It's nothing. Just a bit of low blood sugar from hunger," Lureia said, regaining her composure.
Such a fragile elf...
"Is it tasty?"
"Yes, it's delicious!"
"Then eat more."
"Alright, I won't hold back~"
After eating five skewers in quick succession, Lureia suddenly paused, her eyes widening in horror as she looked at Xia Mi.
"What's wrong?"
Xia Mi was puzzled.
Lureia quickly backed up, but with the bed behind her, she ended up sitting on it, clutching the blanket to her.
"Am I going to die?"
It was a well-known fact that a final meal before execution is lavish. Xia Mi not only treated her to skewers tonight but was also unexpectedly kind. He kept urging her to eat more, as if afraid she'd go hungry.
This felt like a last meal!
"I've been keeping our secret well! Please don't kill me to silence me~"
"Don't think so poorly of me. As long as you keep our secret, why would I suddenly kill you? Do you think disposing of a body is easy?"
Xia Mi retorted and ate a skewer to prove it was harmless.
Lureia hesitated for a moment before returning to the edge of the bed, murmuring, "A girl has to be cautious when outside."
"..."
If she were truly cautious, he wouldn't be in her room right now.
Soon, Lureia was engrossed in the skewers again.
Sensing the time was right, Xia Mi posed his question.
"Hey, elf, do you know what the 'Water of Life' is?"
Lureia, her lips glistening with oil, pondered before answering.
"The Water of Life? Are you referring to the hot spring deep within our Elf Forest that greatly rejuvenates one's vitality when bathed in? You can purchase this water in major cities. However, once transported out of the Elven Forest, its healing properties diminish significantly. Still, it seems to be a popular high-end potion in the human market."
"And also, don't call me 'elf'!"
"That's not what I'm referring to. Are there any other liquids also known as the 'Water of Life'?"
Though the description matched closely, it seemed the two were not the same.
"Is there a liquid that aids in the nurturing of life and is also called the 'Water of Life'?"
"That's beyond my knowledge."
In a short while, over thirty skewers were devoured by Lureia. After taking a sip of water from her storage space, she rubbed her slightly distended belly contentedly.
It had been a long time since she felt this good. Her stomach was warm, filled with food Xia Mi had brought.
Having bathed and eaten, she thought, the next logical step would be to dim the room lights and...Wait, what kind of direction was this story taking?
Blushing, Lureia sneaked a peek at Xia Mi.
He was looking down, his fists clenched as if enduring something.
Drawing from her vast knowledge from reading in the library, Lureia quickly deduced the situation.
Demon Kings were creatures of intense desires! According to records, the previous Demon King had visited the Succubi's Lounge over three thousand times.
Although Xia Mi wasn't the Demon King yet, as his heir, he naturally would have such desires.
And here she was, a living, breathing beauty in front of him. Whether it was her orchid-like fragrance, her sparkling bare feet, or her rare golden hair, she exuded a powerful allure to males.
Xia Mi kept his gaze lowered, seemingly on the brink of succumbing to his desires.
Lureia gulped.
No, this can't be happening for real!
She quickly channeled her magic.
She should've known there's no such thing as a free meal.
Damn! He spent money on the skewers and didn't even get any answers.
Xia Mi, head bowed, silently cursed his miscalculation.