Chapter 585: The News of the Culprit and the Conscription Team

Luo De couldn't rest against Kali's shoulder for long.

When he tried again to bury his face downward.

The elf lady noticed his small move and kicked him away with a cold expression.

She snorted coldly and walked off quickly.

Luo De smiled and didn't care.

Watching her graceful, swaying back, he gathered his thoughts.

He took out the dwarf's brass spirit-measuring sphere.

——533 ke.

Before this, he had been at 583 ke, meaning he'd lost a full 50 ke!

The moment this number appeared.

Luo De grimaced in pain.

He never expected that merely glancing at the trees' memories would bring such a severe negative state.

"A single glance reduced my physical quality by 50 ke? What kind of god-level being is this?"

The better part was.

Luo De had been stuck at the peak of the seventh stage for two full months.

With the help of the derived skill from Enchanting Fluid: 【Paradoxical Motivation】.

【Paradoxical Motivation: The desires beings feel toward you transform into your source of power.】

Once he removed his self-imposed restrictions and broke through to the eighth stage.

Based on Luo De's fundamental source, it wouldn't be just eighth stage, early phase.

After returning to the forest guard cabin.

He immediately saw the tree spirit Vivian sitting upright on the hide sofa.

And Tally stood beside her, braiding her hair into two buns.

The tree spirit showed no reaction, blinking her large eyes glowing with white light.

Only when Luo De entered did she turn to look.

"Evening, Luo De, good."

She still wore Luo De's brown linen tunic; recently, with warmer weather, she'd removed the long skirt below.

She looked much cooler overall.

Tally was even more so.

She had casually tossed her hunting gear on the floor, wearing only a short undershirt and tiny shorts.

Large portions of her thighs and abdomen were exposed to the air.

Both girls were smeared with dirt.

Presumably from planting trees.

"Aaaah~~ Master's back~~ Let's all bathe together~"

"Bath, Vivian, Tally, together."

Luo De went over and kissed Vivian's forehead.

Breathing in the girl's herbal, woody scent.

He grew momentarily dazed.

In the ancient memories of the trees, it mentioned "using the tree spirit's bloodline to suppress here," and also spoke of the cooperation between half-deer people and druids.

That would be Vivian, Xiao Ke, and the half-wolf druid Oja.

And all three had lived in the Windwall Forest before Luo De became forest guard.

The Witherer Greta had also mentioned this.

Vivian's clan, due to the 【Royal Pact】, controls half the forest.

It must be related.

And would the relics beneath Shiying Town affect Vivian and Xiao Ke?

That was what Luo De worried about.

"I want a kiss too."

Tally tiptoed over, pressed close, and rubbed against him with sultry eyes.

Luo De ignored her and took Vivian's hand.

"Let's bathe."

"Master—"

A mournful cry echoed from the cabin.

The three entered the added-on bathroom, one after another.

The bathroom was as large as the cabin.

Besides normal bathing tools and equipment, there was also a hollowed-out hot spring beside it.

Though it wasn't natural, of course.

The hot water came entirely from 【Water Creation】 and 【Heating Stones】.

And while they said they were bathing.

In truth, they were just changing locations for that.

Amid white steam.

Sweat and hot spring water.

All manner of cleansing methods.

Luo De sat on a small stool.

Vivian in front, Tally behind.

Even without moving, every inch of his body was gently, if slightly clumsy, cleaned by the two girls.

Enjoy it.

Beneath slippery soap suds, each of their bodies looked more radiant than usual.

The three played in the bathroom until late into the night.

Tally hadn't seen her master so delighted in a long time, and she was overjoyed.

She insisted on playing until dawn.

She secretly drank a bottle of Stimulant Potion to avoid collapsing midway.

She also pulled out the 【Elemental Harmonizing Incense】, 【Arcane Resonance】 scroll, and 【Elemental Siphon】 rune stone she'd obtained from Olive Town.

Thus, 【Arcane Resonance】 was active here.

Luo De didn't need to do much.

He opened another letter delivered that day.

It was from Wen Na·Pweil, the female lord of Axe Beach.

The main content.

Was mostly about the difficulties of running Axe Beach, her own mistakes, and what she'd learned.

It also contained subtle hints of longing and affection.

Perhaps even more than Luo De imagined, though he couldn't tell.

Among it.

Noteworthy was.

Her mention of Ed Stevens.

The former captain of the Axe Beach militia, labeled by the half-deer seer as the first 【Source of Calamity】.

【Old Ed killed five Hero Candidates in Deepwater City, and over ten half-deer people.

Of course.

Among the slain half-deer, only one was a 【Hero Giver】; the rest were ordinary half-deer.

This enraged the Deepwater City adventurers.

During an ambush by a Hero Candidate organization, Old Ed was severely wounded—if you'd been there, he surely wouldn't have survived; adventurers are easily stirred fools.

Afterward, Old Ed came to Axe Beach seeking help from his children, but was reported to the militia and fled immediately.

How tragic.

His own children reported him for the reward.

Later, we learned from his children his next destination—Longhu Region.

That's not far from Dusk Hills.

Mr. Luo De, your death notice scared me half to death, but then I received word you repelled the Infernal Duke. No wonder you're you!

But please avoid getting entangled with Old Ed; many of the half-deer Hero Candidates are bastards.

Speaking of Longhu Region.

It's nowhere near as beautiful as Jianwan Sea; from Frostfall City to Bor Gate are all outstanding scenic cities. You left too quickly last time—why not come back and tour them?

】

Longhu Region?

Indeed, not far.

The trade route through Eagle Claw Canyon in Shi Ying Town aimed directly at Shanlun City and Taler's Town in the Longhu region.

But Luo De had already made a promise to Edith, the representative of the Hero Candidates.

Those Hero Candidates probably won't come to Dusk Hills anymore, right?

?

Two days later.

A conscription team of about fifty men entered Shi Ying Town's inn.

The knights wore rune-embossed heavy armor, their storm-eye cloaks embroidered with silver thread snapping in the wind.

Their warhorses exhaled hot, domineering breaths; their powerful muscles drove iron hooves with cold arrogance.

Strong troops, sturdy steeds.

Each one wore full armor, concealing their faces.

But their haughty demeanor was instantly apparent.

Can you believe it?

Just within this team, there were twelve Hero Candidates.

This was actually normal.

After all, Hero Candidates were divided into factions; Edith certainly couldn't control them all.

What surprised Demia the witch and the old gentleman Humbert, who came to welcome the conscription team, was:

A familiar face appeared in this team.

——The Tooth Fairy Fairy Rosalia.

(End of Chapter)