/
Young Man and Young Girl Before Setting Out
This seaside city didn’t leave the girls with a deep impression during their journey since all they remembered was the steam from gribble and the deliciousness of shells. The group proceeded with their original plan. Even though Nona still wanted to play, they had made contact for a horse carriage, which they used to head to the Imperial Capital the next day.
Oftentimes, cities weren’t built due to resources but merely for the reason that a city could be constructed if there were people. The small town outside of the Imperial City in the North was built based on the same concept. This prosperous area was turned into a city because of the docks. However, as few nobles visited, the majority of taverns there were catered to sailors and businessmen. To them, having a tavern to stay at was a blessing. Lots of people slept together with the horses in the stables, so what the tavern offered was simple.
Initially, Ying was slightly worried since the four girls were Princesses, who were used to life in the Imperial Palace. She thought it’d be impossible for them to rest there, but the four girls were mentally prepared long ago. The simple living conditions were something they were willing to bear with as part of adventuring. Moreover, it was rare for the four to be able to sleep together in one room.
Liu Yue stood inside the room and curiously scanned her surroundings. Vera looked at the water kettle that had lots of scratches and bumps. She wondered if there was tea nearby. Daisy and Nona looked at the glass pot on the table with red wine and began a debate. Daisy really wanted to try it, since her parents didn’t allow her to drink alcohol while she was in the Imperial Palace, yet they often drank. Nona was curious about the red liquid and wanted to try it, but she said they weren’t in the Imperial Palace; therefore, she insisted that it was bound to be different to what their parents drank. If something were to happen, they were done for. Consequently, they were in a stalemate.
“Frankly, the room is dilapidated. I imagine life tonight won’t be that interesting.”
“Even if it’s a little shabby, I’m sure it’s better than being on the ship, right? If nothing else, it’s not so boring, and it won’t be rocky. Most importantly, we’re all together,” rebuked Liu Yue.
Liu Yue then sat onto the bed. The bed wasn’t as comfortable as her bed on the ship, since it didn’t have a mattress. It was just straw and cotton shoved under a bed sheet. The pillow was made from the same material. It must’ve been left over material judging from the fact that none of the pillows were completely filled.
In the Imperial Palace, professionals made the beds. On top was a thick and soft material. When you lied down on it, you’d literally sink into it. The pillows were made from silk, so it remained cool in summer. Of course, those were things the three eldest sisters enjoyed because Liu Yue, who lived outside, only got to enjoy it during vacations. Troy planned to have a set made for her, but Ling Yue objected to it, citing that they couldn’t allow Liu Yue to develop pampered habits. Liu Yue often questioned if Ling Yue was her biological mother. She really wouldn’t have believed she was if it wasn’t for their tails being identical.
Vera gazed at the sky: “By the looks of it, we need to light a fire. The sun is coming down. The room will be cold.”
Thrilled with what she heard, Nona’s ears jerked. She loudly exclaimed, “Lemme! Lemme!”
She then ran over to the fireplace. The tavern did have a fireplace, but it wasn’t lit up. Firewood, teasels and flint was placed in a barrel to the side.
Liu Yue walked over. Concerned, she questioned, “Nona, do you know how to start a fire?”
Nona puffed her developed chest out and enthused, “Of course I can. I’ve never practiced before, but I’ve seen Miss Xia do it plenty of times. I’ll be fine. I’ve always wanted to try myself!”
Still concerned, Liu Yue glanced up to Vera. Vera shook her head: “Let her have her way. If she can’t light it, I’ll light it.”
“I’m worried about her setting fire to things which shouldn’t be set on fire. For someone trained, a fire is a tool. For somebody who lacks control over it, it’s a demon. Oh, right.”
Liu Yue quickly retracted her tail and tied it at her waist. She was worried Nona would start a disastrous fire and burn her tail. Speaking of her tail, she did burn it once. The reason it was burnt that time was because she wasn’t careful of the teasels next to her.
Nona clumsily set the firewood. She looked as though she knew what she was doing. She then took the flint out and hit it against the wood. Sparks scattered. It’d light up for a moment and then vanish, but Nona didn’t give up. Instead, she persevered, trying to get the sparks to fly toward the dry firewood.
The sky gradually turned dark. The sparks were particularly bright. Vera started to get anxious as she watched her sister, while Liu Yue almost burst out in laughter. Nona was missing something despite often watching. All Nona knew was that you could light the wood hitting the flint. She was ignorant of the prior preparations required.
“Let me.”
“No, let me.”
Seeing Nona’s continuous failed attempts, Vera was first to lose it. She shut her eyes and formed a fireball in her hands. Liu Yue walked up to Nona, drove her off then snatched the flint from her. She skilfully set the teasels, and then hit the flint. The sparks landed on the dry teasels – which were easily lit – and the fire began to light up. Liu Yue flipped the teasels, turning the stuffed smoke into a small flame. She then snapped a few tree branches and tossed them in. The flame gradually grew. Liu Yue then tossed the firewood in and formed a shape with it. The flame licked the edge of the firewood and began to burn. Liu Yue dusted her hands and stood up. She grabbed a water bucket and announced, “I’m going to fetch water. Don’t put the fire out!”
“Liu Yue, how do you know how to start a fire?!!” Nona asked.
“I learnt in school. We have to start the fire at public rooms, so I learnt how to start one ages ago.”
In terms of survival experience, Liu Yue, who lived outside, was considerably superior to her three sisters. If Vera didn’t have magic, she’d pretty much be another Nona.
Liu Yue went downstairs with the bucket of water. There was a well located at the rear of the tavern. She wanted to boil a kettle of water with the fire to wipe herself down at night for she fell into the sea and didn’t get to have a bath.
Liu Yue heard the sound of water and turned the corner. The youngster had just climbed out of a tub. All he had on was a pair of cloth shorts. He washed himself down with the water from the well. The water coursed down his scars and muscles. He had the perfect body for a bodyguard. He didn’t have much excess fat. Liu Yue could see his firm muscles without his shirt own.
Liu Yue awkwardly stood at the corner. She wasn’t sure if she should go back or not. What was she going to say if she went back? She saw the youngster taking a bath, so she came back? Her three sisters would tease her. Was she supposed to just go over, greet him and fetch some water as if nothing was the matter? She had seen lots of guys before, but it was her first time seeing a guy’s body. Actually, she had seen her dad’s body before, but his body was different to the youngster’s. Owing to his elven genetics, her had doesn’t have visible muscles. All she saw were his scars and body lines. Liu Yue’s face started to feel a little hot.
The intricacies of Liu Yue’s mind: “I didn’t see anything, so why do I feel embarrassed? Am I some sort of peeping creep? I’ve only ever peeped on Dad. When I peeped on Dad, I only felt excited.”
The youngster let out a soothing sigh. He had a drink of wine. He then picked up his towel to wipe himself. He wore on his short-sleeve shirt and boots. He picked up the wooden basin and walked to the corner. Liu Yue looked around in a flustered fashion then decided to go over pretending that she never saw anything.
The youngster paused when he saw Liu Yue. He greeted her with a smile: “Ah, hello. I just wiped myself down, as I felt very uncomfortable after falling into the water during the day.”
“Mm…” Liu Yue gave a muffled response then picked up her water bucket and went over.
The youngster then extended his hand out to Liu Yue: “Are you fetching water? I’ll help you. It must be tiring for a girl to carry a bucket of water.”
“No, no, no, I’ll be fine.”
Liu Yue hung the water bucket on the rope and then lowered into the well. When she went to shake the handle, she discovered that the water bucket at school was a size smaller since they factored in the size difference between a child and an adult. The bucket was a normal size. Actually, it might’ve been slightly bigger. Liu Yue’s tail froze in mid-air because of how much strength she used. The youngster hopelessly stood there and watched until Liu Yue, who was so red in the face, turned her head to plea for help.
“Thank you…”
“It’s nothing.”