One week passed after Eve and Burs left. Liping went back to his peaceful farm life. He was eating watermelon and admiring the fruit breeding methods of the magical world. The crop was good, but if there is no one to share it with, it is about as exciting as watching paint dry.
At first he had been completely happy with this quiet life. No hustle, no tension. Just put your hands in the dirt and live. But ever since he had got a taste of something from the outside world, he had started feeling restless. He tried to ignore it, but how long can that last? Adventure was calling him.
Yes, he was not the brave adventurer type. He was weak. He knew all this. But it was a feeling that would not go away.
That was when Elizabeth made her dramatic entry. She saw Liping's sad face and asked what had happened. Liping said he wanted to explore. Elizabeth casually suggested that she could go along, and Liping's face lit up. If the Demon Queen is with you, who cares about being weak?
Both of them got ready quickly. Elizabeth snapped her fingers and a magical portal appeared. But before leaving, Liping gave her his list of concerns. First, do not leave him behind on the way. Second, keep the emotions under control and avoid attracting unnecessary attention.
Elizabeth may have felt she was being given orders, but she surprisingly agreed without much hassle.
Then came the last concern. He asked whether she would come back after the trip. Because the village was full of monsters now, and surviving alone was beyond his capacity. And Elizabeth was responsible for that too.
Elizabeth immediately agreed. There was nowhere for her to go before she was defeated anyway. In exchange, one of her requests was fruit pudding. Simple, sweet, and totally Elizabeth.
All settled. Both of them entered the portal, and poor Wong Chai stayed behind to guard the farm, or maybe to sulk.
On the other side was a vibrant town. Bora Town, a neutral place. Liping got excited like a baby. Equipment shop, meat shop, look here, look there. He happily wandered around.
Elizabeth noticed that even after a hundred years the outside world had not changed much. Liping agreed and said that Burs had told him it was frightening out here, but it did not feel that way. Elizabeth immediately took the credit, invoking her incredible leadership, which had saved everyone.
Liping was not listening. Nearby was a stall where children were selling dolls. Then a pig-like beast man came and kicked the children's stall over and knocked it down. He said that their church owed money to his gang, and that setting up a stall in his territory was some nerve.
The children were scared, especially the small girl, Annie. But Annie held her ground. She said clearly that she would not give a single penny, because the gang provides no protection.
Pig Head's own logic made no difference to her. Annie assured the others that the nun would come soon.
People were gathering together to watch the free drama. Liping could not help himself and shouted at the beast man to stop. Pig Head's attention turned towards Liping, and Liping had no plan at all. He mentally asked Elizabeth for help.
Elizabeth gave him the cold shoulder. She was not going to be a hero today.
So Liping appealed to the crowd that the beast man was harassing a girl. Surely people would come forward. No. Everyone was quietly enjoying the free show. Pig Head noticed Liping's outlandish clothes and then looked at Elizabeth.
Liping suggested a peaceful conversation. He offered local specialities. Pig Head was not in the mood for diplomacy. He ordered that Liping be beaten up and that Elizabeth be locked up.
And that is where Elizabeth got triggered. Liping had locked her up earlier, and that was a different matter. But these clowns thought they could do the same. The weather started changing from her anger. Dark clouds came, thunder roared, as if the sky itself were warning Pig Head.
Pig Head and his gang started panicking. Liping asked her not to, because if she went to work the entire town would be destroyed. Elizabeth mercifully spared them. Annie was amazed by Elizabeth's power.
The whole fight had only been about ten gold coins. Liping looked at Elizabeth, who had never had any shortage of gold, and suggested she put in a little. He also offered to come back and pay after selling vegetables.
Elizabeth called him an idiot and told him that she had not brought the treasure chest either. Liping put forward the idea of payment in local products. Pig Head was not amused.
Then a pouch of gold coins flew from somewhere, came sailing in, and hit Pig Head in the face.
This was Hawthorne. He told Pig Head to take the money and leave. Pig Head looked at the coins. They belonged to Hawthorne, and Hawthorne was a powerful man of the Sword Saint Guild. He took the hint and backed away.
For now, Liping picked Annie up, and he offered bananas to Hawthorne in gratitude. Hawthorne, in place of bananas, proposed a partnership that could solve his financial problem instead. Elizabeth was not interested, but Liping could not simply walk away from the man who had helped him. So they stopped.
The next stop was a pub. Before going inside, Hawthorne warned them to stay close. On entering, a beast man made the mistake of flirting with Elizabeth. Elizabeth gave him a look that could freeze the sun. He and his buddies averted their gaze. Elizabeth blamed Liping for dragging her into this pathetic gathering.
Liping directed her attention to a private room off to the side. When the door opened, there were many women inside, and they clung to Hawthorne. Liping's brain literally collapsed when he realized that Hawthorne has wives. Yes, wives, plural. This man was running his own harem.
Everyone sat down, tea arrived, introductions were made. First Gasha, the shield warrior, then Lo, the assassin, then Glee, the mage, and finally Galia, the elf archer.
Liping mentioned that he had recently met an elf. Elizabeth got bored with the small talk and asked Hawthorne directly to come to the point. They did not like Elizabeth's attitude. Lo and Galia made harsh comments about Elizabeth as well. Elizabeth was on the edge of an outburst. She warned them that if they wanted chaos, she was ready to deliver it. Just do not cry afterwards.
Liping sensed the situation and took out his secret weapon. Elizabeth's favourite pudding. One spoonful, and it was as if there had been no anger at all.
Liping then made up a ridiculous story, that he belongs to a nameless tribe, that Elizabeth is their queen, and that he is her loyal servant. Lo and Galia teased Elizabeth about this too. Liping explained that she had come out for the first time and was still adjusting to cultural differences.
Hawthorne finally talked business. His plan was that they should all go along with him to a treasure dungeon. He had also noticed Elizabeth's demonic energy, which is not something available in any small town princess.
Liping asked Annie what these treasure dungeons were. Annie explained that they are magical spaces that ancient beings created in order to hide valuable treasures. Hidden and dangerous.
Hawthorne then returned to the real reason, and told them why he needed all of this. Exactly eight people are needed to break a dungeon barrier.
Annie's mood dropped on hearing that.