<h4>Volume 2, Chapter 8: Number, 8, Stalemate </h4>


    Trantor: Doza


    Four people and a pet walked back along the path they had just taken. The first thing one would see would definitely be a translucent, giant yellow entity – Ohmygod had swelled to five times its regr size as herbs had been fully packed into its body, and the person now carrying Ohmygod was not Silvie, but Halfleaf.


    As they still had to save Halfleaf’s younger brother, Silvie and the three of them had to return to that small town. Under Silvie’s insistence, Cale finally agreed to go back with them, though he walked on the outermost edge of the group, the furthest from Carol. If Silvie had not continuously pulled on his sleeve, he would probably have disappeared while they were walking.


    However, because Silvie was busy holding onto Cale, the task of carrying Ohmygod had been passed to Halfleaf.


    Faced with the responsibility for the giant golden slime, perhaps to repay the kindness of having been saved, Halfleaf didn’t say a single word and took the strange creature that would normally cause people to strategically retreat.


    Naturally after epting Ohmygod, who was five times its normal size, he could not continue to leap around in the treetops and had toe down and obediently walk with the others.


    When it was nearly evening, Carol stopped and asked the others, “Hurry on through the night or rest?”


    “I wish to bathe.”


    Everyone stared at Halfleaf. Mystified, thetter asked, “May I ask, what the matter is?”


    In disbelief, Cale asked, “Aren’t you in a hurry to save your younger brother? Yet you still wish to bathe?”


    “Even if in a hurry, one must still bathe. Bathing is something that must be done every day. How can you skip it?” Halfleaf couldn’t understand. “And my younger brother is waiting for me to save him; he wouldn’t run off.”


    Is that so? The corner of Cale’s mouth twitched slightly. Isn’t he afraid that his younger brother will be ruthlessly killed or lose a leg?


    Carolughed lightly. “The elves’ definition of ‘hurry’ is different from humans’. About five times slower.”


    Upon hearing Carol’s voice, Cale’s expression immediately fell. At that moment, Silvie hastily said, “Alright alright! Bathing is also good. Then, let’s all bathe together!”


    The hurrying people, bewildered, stopped to set up camp for the sake of bathing. To travelers who readily wouldn’t bathe for several days, it was truly a very strange reason to stop.


    However, as this reason was given by Halfleaf, who was in the most hurry to get back, no one seemed to feel the need to refuse.


    After lighting the campfire, Carol sat by it to watch the soup and salted meat, then randomly pinched Ohmygod who was in her hand. The other three walked to the side of theke and removed their clothes, preparing to bathe. In actuality, Cale had to be pulled over by Silvie, as he had just bathed two days ago!


    Afterward when he saw Carol sitting by the campfire, he decided to simply follow Silvie and Halfleaf.


    In a few moments, the three of them were naked, jumping into theke, and scrubbing and washing themselves. Silvie and Halfleaf scrubbed themselves very seriously, but Cale was extremelyzy. He casually sshed himself with water and considered the task done. It was only due to Carol sitting by the campfire that he didn’t want to head back right away, so he simply soaked in theke.


    “Why is Carol sitting by the campfire?” Halfleaf frowned. “Isn’t Carol bathing with us? It’s too grimy to not bathe. And after hurrying and sweating so much, not bathing would make you stink!”


    Silvieughed. “How can Carol bathe together with us?!”


    Cale snorted coldly, “That’s right! How can a person like that be willing to stand stark naked in front of others? Even while sleeping, someone like that probably doesn’t even take off the falchion behind his back!”


    Silvie was stunned and hurried to defend her. “Carol actually does remove all weapons while sleeping! In fact, until now, I’ve never seen Carol use the falchion to hack at anyone. It’s only used to cut meat! Since we’ve met, Carol has always used fists to hit people and has never even touched a weapon yet, even though I actually really want to see the falchion in action!”


    Cale was suddenly a bit curious and asked, “…How long have you been traveling together?”


    Silvie counted. “A month, more or less.”


    “How did the two of you end up traveling together?” Cale simply didn’t think that Carol needed Silvie as apanion.


    “Carol was my teacher’s pastpanion and wasn’t easy for me to find. We visited Teacher, and subsequently we adventured together.”


    So that’s how it is, he is helping to look after his pastpanion’s student? It certainly looks like that sort of rtionship between Carol and Silvie. Cale’s puzzlement was finally solved.


    At that moment, Halfleaf asked suspiciously, “Why is Carol staring at us?”


    “Maybe lost in thought?”


    As Silvie spoke, he sank down into the water, with only his head exposed above the water’s surface. He had abruptly remembered that Carol was female.


    And she’s a-also the Warrior Queen! Being naked like this before her, doesn’t it seem a little inappropriate?


    Strictly speaking, isn’t the Warrior Queen also considered an empress?!


    To be naked in front of an empress… doesn’t it seem like the sort of action that one would immediately be hanged for?


    But it’s toote to think about that now…


    Silvie felt very sinful as he looked towards Carol. He saw Carol smiling faintly as she nced at him, and then she continued to enjoy the other two exhibiting their unconcealed nakedness.


    Thank goodness, she doesn’t appear to be angry. And it even looks like she is in a good mood! As long as Carol was not angry, Silvie’s heart was partially rxed.


    However…


    “Um…” Silvie was a bit hesitant about whether to warn the other two. But after pondering, if Carol became addicted to looking at Cale, perhaps she would be willing to help him?


    If we can help him take vengeance, then even if he was peeped at, it wouldn’t matter, right? Silvie looked at Cale. Thetter had already stopped scrubbing a while ago. With most of his body soaking in the water, at best only his chest could be seen… Well, earlier on Carol had already seen him naked, so it shouldn’t make too much of a difference.


    On the other hand, Halfleaf was still scrubbing and washing himself, with most of his body exposed and out of the water.


    “…”


    Halfleaf noticed his gaze and asked in puzzlement, “What’s the matter?”


    Silvie didn’t have the heart to tell him that his naked body was currently being enjoyed by someone.


    “Nothing… hurry up with your washing! The soup should almost be done!”


    Halfleaf nodded, sshed water on himself onest time, then openly walked ashore. Along the way, when he met Carol’s eyes, he even smiled at her.


    Are all elves so open about being naked in front of the opposite gender? Silvie admired him.


    Cale also followed him ashore.


    Taking advantage of Carol’s gaze being focused on the other two’s bodies, Silvie rapidly climbed up the bank. He used his clothes to cover up the lower half of his body, and then while covering himself, he pulled on his clothes.


    Cale looked at him oddly and scolded loudly, “What are you being so shy for? Are you a man or not? Why are you acting like a girl and covering yourself? You think we would want to look at your naked body?”


    “I don’t think that…” But it seems like Carol is very happy to look.


    Silvie once more admired Cale’s and Halfleaf’s boldness. They didn’t cover themselves up at all. They were even putting on their clothes at normal speed and were clearly andpletely seen by Carol… However, despite his admiration, he could never be so rxed while naked in front of the female gender. Even if Carol didn’t seem like a woman in any way, he still couldn’t do it!


    So he continued to put his clothes on shyly.


    When they walked back to the camp, Silvie didn’t dare look at Carol.


    Inparison, thetter seemed very rxed and evenmented, “The flexibility of the muscles on Cale’s whole body is very ttering. He’ll be good as an investigative soldier. Halfleaf’s bicep muscles are not bad. He’ll be an expert in archery. Silvie, your entire body is too thin; you are indeed wandering bard material.”


    Silvie happily said, “Really? Thank you for yourpliment!”


    “… I’m not praising you.”


    “Eh? You’re not?” Silvie asked nkly.


    “Pffff…”


    Halfleaf and Cale both couldn’t resist. They startedughing loudly.