Chapter 363: Engagement Banquet

"Engagement banquet???"

The next day, as Luo De made his usual patrol of the Claw Valley lands, he heard a message from Dimeya that left him with a black expression.

The daughter of a prominent figure in Shiying Town was to be engaged.

——Tobeka.

She was the adopted daughter of old gentleman Humbert, one of the Shiying Town Committee members.

The same woman who, when Artu the Demon infiltrated Shiying Town, had been brought over from Coral Bay to seduce Humbert—a prostitute infected with gonorrhea.

Adoptive father and adopted daughter.

Humbert was utterly infatuated.

Not only did he spend a fortune curing her gonorrhea, he even accepted the child she carried from a dockworker.

Earlier, he'd seen that old turtle-faced man wearing a sweet smile—he must've gotten back together with Tobeka.

But unfortunately, the groom wasn't him.

"The groom is a passing minstrel. He was singing for drinks in a tavern when Tobeka spotted him, and since then they've been entangled. Humbert's legs are weak—he asked me to pass this along to you."

The witch Dimeya said with resignation.

She stood beside Luo De on the watchtower, watching the construction and progress of the defensive fortifications below.

She handed him an invitation.

"Uh, I remember she had a dockworker husband back in Coral Bay, and even the child in her belly was his…"

"Five months now—she's been showing up at taverns pregnant to meet that minstrel. Sigh… Poor Humbert, tricked by this woman. Never mind."

Dimeya didn't like speaking ill of others behind their backs; after another sigh, she fell silent.

Luo De shook his head.

No wonder he's a pure-blood old turtle, Humbert.

"When's the ceremony?"

"January first next year. Just about ten days away—it's a bit rushed."

It was already mid-December; it was coming soon.

Humbert was at least a respected local gentry in Shiying Town; ten days really was too tight.

Luo De smiled and said, "I'll go ask him myself."

"Don't upset him—he's old."

"Don't worry, I know my limits."

"Do you? Someone with limits wouldn't be doing it with someone else's girlfriend inside their house—twice."

She said with a smile.

As they grew closer, Dimeya had learned to joke with Luo De.

"It's not my fault or Sharon's—I suspect your home's renovation materials are faulty."

"Huh?"

"You might not know, but some human nobles mix aphrodisiacs into wall paint, causing everyone who enters the room to become sexually aroused."

Luo De was making it up.

This was actually something Tally had told him—but it wasn't human nobles who did it; it was succubi.

They'd choose a sealed small room, smear bodily fluids on the inner walls, then heat them to vaporize the fluids, targeting groups of two or more men.

Tally had used this trick on him before.

But she was more direct—she'd smeared the fluids directly into Luo De's drinking cup.

After being caught, Luo De tied her own succubus tail around her and hung her from the ceiling beam for a full day.

The result? It only excited her further—she dripped all day long. You wouldn't believe it—the floor was soaked in a large patch.

"Nonsense."

Dimeya laughed, letting out a restrained chuckle.

She thought for a moment, jotting it down in her small notebook—likely planning to use it in some future lewd novel.

"By the way, I heard you brought another girl back to the forest."

At that moment, Dimeya lifted her hood, revealing a baby-faced face flushed pink.

Her notebook covered her mouth as she gave Luo De a skeptical sideways glance.

"Uh, word spreads fast?"

"Selina mentioned it last night in our 【Far-Words Chain】 group chat…"

"You have a group chat?"

"It's our mage group for discussing spells and research!"

Dimeya's expression grew slightly uneasy—she didn't want Luo De to know that the group often spent time gossiping about this forest warden's love life.

"Forget that! Since you're involved with Sharon, you need to control yourself—you can't keep bringing girls into the forest endlessly!"

The witch firmly stood by her good friend, the dog-people girl.

This guy had too many women—if he slept with one every night for a week, his good friend wouldn't even get a turn.

"Relax, this time it's definitely not like that—I brought her back to work."

Luo De sighed.

He explained the backstory briefly, finally putting the witch's concerns to rest.

They chatted for a moment longer, then ended the conversation.

Just as he was about to leave, the witch called out to him: "This morning, two elves from Bicuiting came—elves are pushy, especially those from Bicuiting. Please go to City Hall and make sure Rosalia doesn't get taken advantage of."

He'd just talked to Kalist about these two elves yesterday—already this soon?

"With Rosalia's personality, how could she get taken advantage of?"

Luo De smiled and agreed.

Upon entering town.

Luo De entered City Hall with the arachnid elf Yuna.

As for Tally, she'd been too wild last night—her aunt-form succubus had gotten carried away herself, hiding in the shadows saying she wanted to knit him a woolen pair of underwear so he'd wear only that for another intense aunt-nephew interaction.

Luo De had just greeted the front-desk clerk, asking if Humbert was in,

when he saw two tall, proud, golden-haired elves walking out of City Hall.

One male, one female, both with exquisite features, long hair flowing over their shoulders.

As they walked, their arms barely swung, noses in the air, and even after vanishing into the bustling street, they remained the same.

As they passed Luo De,

they glanced at the arachnid elf behind him, revealing a look of contempt and disgust.

Luo De couldn't just punch someone over a glance, so he turned and patted Yuna's small head.

"Don't mind them."

Yuna showed no reaction; she shook her head: "As long as I'm by my master's side, I don't care about anything. I only worry it might damage your reputation."

As she spoke,

the tooth fairy Rosalia descended the stairs, chatting with the clerk girl about Shiying Town affairs.

She immediately spotted Luo De leaning against the lobby counter.

"Mr. Luo De, good morning."

"Dimeya said two elves with noses in the air came to City Hall to cause trouble—she asked me to come check."

Luo De smiled.

Rosalia smiled too, faintly, with an ancient elegance.

Paired with her long ears, made of insect exoskeleton and membrane wings, she carried an unusual aura.

She said: "Those two elves came to apply for temporary residence permits and asked about something called the Golden Crown. The relationship between Bicuiting and Aiselong isn't bad—especially now, having another ally is better than another enemy. Elves are troublesome; one misstep could ignite their temper. We must tread carefully."

Rosalia knew about the Golden Crown and knew it was currently held by the Magic Control League, so she simply passed the whole matter off.

Luo De nodded, agreeing with her decision.

Just as he was about to speak, a commotion and shouting erupted outside City Hall.

Both frowned and looked out.

They saw the two elves just now arguing with someone on the street.

(End of Chapter)