Chapter 61: The Innkeeper’s Secret and a Day of Shopping

The night had grown deep, and even the usually bustling Alastor had settled into a profound silence within the encroaching darkness.

Just as dinner at Roalsa’s home concluded, members of the Knight Order arrived, summoning both Roalsa and Olivia. There seemed to be an urgent matter, for after a hasty farewell, Roalsa and Olivia departed together. With that, everyone else bade their goodbyes and dispersed.

Aldoran and Qing Yu were the first to return to the inn, while Thrud made her way to the twenty-four-hour library on the upper floors of “Nibelungen.” Liliya, on the other hand, headed to the even higher-level theater, eager to catch the performance of her favorite story adapted for the stage that evening.

As for Eden, he spent the evening wandering the streets, meticulously noting the addresses of every enchantment parlor and blacksmith’s shop. It was well past midnight when he finally dragged his weary body back to the inn.

The inn served not only as his livelihood but also as his sanctuary.

“I’m home!”

With a soft click, the door swung open, and as Eden stepped inside, the overhead light flickered to life. In a corner of the room lay a vibrant pool of colored liquid, though one had to approach closely to discern its true form: a slumbering, multi-hued slime.

The room was profoundly quiet; one could even hear the subtle circulation of air.

Despite being the innkeeper, Eden’s room was remarkably small, containing nothing more than a bed, a table, two bookshelves overflowing with tattered books, and a collection of hanging paintings.

Most striking was the oil painting above his bed, depicting a young woman with her head bowed. Her golden hair, interwoven with strands of green near her ears, cascaded as she sat amidst soft grass, leaning against a towering tree. Bathed in the radiant light that illuminated the earth, a white-haired youth lay curled upon her lap, basking in her gentle caress, gazing forward with a brilliant smile.

Even after a day of exhaustion, Eden did not immediately seek the comfort of his bed. Instead, he had an important task to attend to. He settled behind his table, pulling open a drawer to reveal a small oil painting within.

Outwardly, the subject of this smaller painting was none other than the same young woman with her head bowed from the larger artwork above his bed.

It appeared to be an ancient piece, its colors long since blurred into an indistinct mass. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, with a mere flick of Eden’s hand across its surface, the painting was instantly restored to its original pristine state.

This particular painting offered a frontal view of the young woman. She still leaned against the colossal tree, her long hair lifted by the breeze, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she looked ahead. In the distance, the sun slowly descended, painting the sky with hues of twilight. Her golden hair, adorned with faint green strands near her ears, framed her face. Her right pupil shimmered with a profound golden hue, reminiscent of the setting sun on the horizon—elegant and mysterious. Her left eye, however, was a delicate green, vibrant and beautiful, much like the lush grassland beneath her.

Anyone who beheld the girl’s countenance would undoubtedly find themselves profoundly captivated.

Beside the painting, a line of faint, shimmering text seemed imbued with life, quietly dancing across the clean, pristine canvas.

‘To Eden, my beloved.’

Eden gazed at the painting, his eyes brimming with happiness, as the lamp overhead swayed with a creaking sound.

In the instant the lamp swung to the right, Eden was enveloped in darkness. When the light illuminated him once more, a faint kiss mark had materialized upon the oil painting.

“Bragi, my dear, today Aldoran, Qing Yu, Thrud, and Liliya and I all went to the Slime Farm! The Slime Farm is truly vast, with so many different areas, including Ocean Slimes, Fire Slimes, and Sparkling Slimes…”

“And Aldoran and Qing Yu seem to get along so well! They look so happy together! Aldoran, my dear, is just like you! So incredibly gentle, a person who deeply loves their wife! Of course, I love you very much too, Bragi! My love for you is so immense, it would take an entire day just to talk about it all!”

Eden looked at the oil painting, a brilliant smile gracing his face.

“But even though playing at the farm was fun, something unpleasant happened. Someone was found dead at the Slime Farm. I heard she was killed by a group of mountain bandits. Bragi, my dear, why do you think those bandits killed that person? Do you think they are bad people?”

Eden asked softly, his gaze fixed on the young woman’s eyes in the painting, as if fearing he might disturb the person depicted within.

His only response was silence, an endless, boundless quiet. Eden stared intently into the girl’s eyes, seemingly awaiting something.

“Oh, it’s so hard to decide. I don’t know, after all, I haven’t met them, so I don’t know what to do. I’m sorry, Bragi, my dear, I always have trouble labeling anyone as bad.”

“Even that person, Bragi, my dear, I’m truly sorry, I’m always so foolish…”

Eden seemed troubled, and with a sigh, he leaned his head onto the table, his gaze still fixed on the girl in the painting. Soon, however, he lifted himself back up, a bright smile once again blooming on his face.

“Never mind, never mind. Bragi, my dear, you always told me my smile was beautiful, and I mustn’t forget your words. Let’s talk about something happy instead.”

“That would be the task Lord Forseti entrusted to me earlier. I’m already working on it and should be able to complete it very soon.”

“Honestly, Lord Forseti is so strong, yet she always lacks confidence, giving such a difficult mission to a weakling like me. I really should try to persuade Lord Forseti more effectively.”

“But now, if Lord Roalsa is involved, then Aldoran and the others will soon encounter Lord Mimir.”

At this point, Eden paused.

“However, Bragi, my dear, am I truly doing the right thing? Between Lord Forseti and Lord Mimir, who is truly in the right? Bragi, my dear, I feel my mind is almost unable to comprehend it all.”

Eden murmured, staring blankly at the painting for a long time. Finally, he leaned his head back and let out a long sigh.

“Honestly, always overthinking things. Never mind, never mind, I won’t dwell on such complicated matters! Lord Forseti and Lord Mimir must both have their own reasons for acting as they do. A weakling like me shouldn’t overthink it!”

Each time, Eden concluded with the same words. He lifted the painting, gazing at the young woman depicted, and offered a warm smile.

“No matter what, as long as I can continue to look upon you, Bragi, my dear, I will be happy.”

“Goodnight, Bragi, my beloved.”

The lamp extinguished with his words, plunging the room into darkness, and Eden slept soundly through the night.

****

The following days settled into a routine of ordinary life, with everyone engaged in their own affairs. Eden continued his daily routine of seeking out Qing Yu, much like a close male friend in this world. He guided Qing Yu through the myriad cosmetic shops tucked away in the city’s streets and alleys, accompanying him on shopping sprees for various items, all, of course, paid for by Eden.

As Alastor’s most renowned resident, Eden’s presence invariably drew crowds of onlookers in every shop he visited. Even walking down the street, people would occasionally approach him to strike up a conversation.

Eden invariably responded with patience, never betraying the slightest hint of annoyance.

“Eden, are you sure it’s alright to buy so many things?”

Qing Yu clutched bags of all sizes, filled with various cosmetics and clothes of different colors.

“Of course! If you want to win a girl’s heart, you can’t do it without good makeup and beautiful clothes!”

Eden’s face wore its usual radiant smile as he strode cheerfully down the street. He turned back, flashing a ‘V’ sign at Qing Yu.

“But I think I’m perfectly fine as I am right now.”

Aldoran, for her part, had always seemed indifferent to Qing Yu’s attire. Indeed, she appeared to harbor a permissive attitude towards everything concerning him, never once speaking a harsh word to him.

He always felt that as long as he didn’t betray Aldoran, she would never truly lose her temper.

“Hurry, hurry! The next shop closes very early!” Seeing Qing Yu lost in thought behind him, Eden tugged at his arm.

“Wait, wait, Eden, aren’t you tired at all?”

“Not at all. This is quite easy, isn’t it?”

Qing Yu, similarly laden with a pile of purchases, was already panting for breath, but Eden moved with effortless grace, showing no signs of fatigue.

“No, no, no!”

Eden wagged a finger playfully, much like a seasoned teacher.

“Aldoran, my dear, cares so much for you, Qing Yu. You must reciprocate her affection properly. Besides—”

Eden leaned in close to Qing Yu’s ear, his voice a soft whisper.

“—if you dress up nicely, you might just arouse Aldoran’s desire, allowing her to cherish you well, you know~”

“You! What are you saying!” Qing Yu’s face flushed crimson, and he took a few steps back.

He hadn’t expected that Eden, who seemed so innocent, would also tell dirty jokes. But then he remembered that Eden was also someone’s spouse, so it was impossible for him not to have experienced such things; Qing Yu then dismissed the thought.

“Just kidding, just kidding!” Eden playfully stuck out his tongue, but swiftly adopted a serious expression.

“However, whether male or female, good skincare is incredibly important. You know, I used to supervise my beloved’s skincare routine every single day, and I’d even personally teach her beauty secrets!”

“And what’s more, Qing Yu, my dear, if you’re constantly traveling, you won’t have time for skincare. Your skin is already looking a bit dry and rough.”

“Huh? Really?”

Qing Yu touched his face.

Indeed, Eden was right. Months of travel, eating and sleeping outdoors, had left Qing Yu’s skin feeling noticeably dry and rough due to lack of care.

“See? I told you, proper skincare is essential!” Eden flashed a satisfied smile.

“Is that so? Well, then I’ll have to rely on you today, Eden.”

“No problem at all! Leave it to me!” Eden clapped his chest confidently, oblivious to the group of people approaching him.

“Watch out!”

By the time Qing Yu reached out to pull Eden back, it was too late; Eden had already collided with one of the newcomers.

“My apologies, my apologies.”

Eden rubbed his head, offering an apology to the person he had bumped into.

“Eden?”

A familiar voice sounded. Eden looked up to find Olivia standing before him. She looked down at Eden and extended a hand to help him up.

“Sister Olivia, what are you doing here?”

“I’m leading the patrol today, and this happens to be my patrol sector.” As she spoke, Olivia glanced at Qing Yu again.

“Are you two out shopping?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right, Miss Olivia!” Qing Yu eagerly interjected, stepping a few paces closer to Olivia.

“By the way, Miss Olivia, have there been any leads regarding the mountain bandits?”

This was the question currently foremost in Qing Yu’s mind; with the prospect of an adventure, he had to seize the opportunity.

“The investigation is still ongoing, but rest assured, we will inform you all if we make any discoveries.”

Olivia offered a reassuring smile.

“Then we’ll leave it to you, Miss Olivia!”

After a brief exchange, Olivia departed, citing the need to continue her patrol. Eden, in turn, pulled Qing Yu along to resume their leisurely stroll.

He declared that his makeup skills were sure to satisfy both Aldoran and Qing Yu…