Chapter 18: He Swallowed Emptily

"Sorry, miss, I didn’t mean to disturb you."

The knight in front of him seemed a bit puzzled, "Are you in some trouble?"

Lin Lin, a simple and ordinary working girl.

Before she crossed over, her friends teased her for being too kind-hearted; after crossing over, she became more conservative.

The reason is that Lin Lin likes handsome guys.

Back in the world where only humans lived, Lin Lin could enjoy the charm of various handsome men, but now in this world, it was very hard for her to see even one real living man.

So, Lin Lin could calmly watch the creatures with horns and scales walking around in the Demon King Castle, but felt a bit nervous in front of this knight.

How annoying, why did she have to drink so much! Why was she feeling tipsy and in a hurry to use the bathroom when she saw a refreshing handsome guy!

Noticing Lin Lin’s worried expression, the knight quickly got off his horse.

"Hello, I am… Norman," for some reason, this knight left out his title and only introduced his name.

Lin Lin did not notice these small details, "My name is Lin Lin."

"Alright, Lin Lin," Norman’s eyes squinted, which softened the distant air he had when he first appeared, and his gaze shifted back to Lin Lin’s face, "Do you need help?"

The knight once again showed kindness, even seeming a bit stiff and formal.

Lin Lin didn’t understand why he was so sure she was in danger, but she honestly shook her head, "No, I just came to have a drink."

She initially came to the bar to find a middleman for the witch, but since the middleman didn’t show up today, she decided to have a little drink before resting.

Lin Lin didn’t expect to be drinking this late.

"Well then," clearly, the knight’s emotions were very sincere and steady, and he even managed to show a genuine smile, "I wish you a wonderful evening."

It did not match what he had imagined in his mind.

Then, Norman slowly looked up at the figure appearing behind Lin Lin.

Dark Elf.

Dark Elf and witch. Norman suddenly understood.

In a chaotic place like Tocopia, such a combination even had a touching element of mutual respect between two races that were often looked down upon.

Norman’s smile did not waver at all because of Felix’s appearance; he even kindly looked at the unfriendly Dark Elf and said, "I wish you sweet dreams too."

Without stopping, the human knight left the tavern.

On the pure white horse, Norman rarely became lost in thought.

Perhaps he misheard the will of the gods. After all, he hadn’t felt the presence of the gods in a long time.

The position that Norman left out when introducing himself was the youngest Knight Commander of the sanctuary, representing the hopes of the new generation.

Due to recent disturbances caused by monsters, Norman has been battling the creatures around the town and selecting a new group of future Paladins from nearby towns.

He was originally just doing a routine patrol; even in the most chaotic city, Norman would not relax his responsibilities. In fact, he would push himself even harder to rescue those residents in need.

However, he did not expect that as he approached a small path, he would feel a deep, eerie presence, as if a giant had suddenly appeared.

[Find her.]

The voice said.

It was not a sound, but a kind of command that entered his mind directly.

Norman saw the witch; she had cast a spell to hide her race. She appeared somewhat weak, but there didn’t seem to be anything particularly unusual about her.

Moreover, she seemed to be in a good mood, not like someone who needed help.

Norman looked a bit confused.

Perhaps what he heard today was not the will of the gods, but the shadows of the great spiritual fragments left behind by them in the world.

No one dared to make a conclusion about whether the two gods who once held up the ends of this world were resting or fallen.

After all, it had been a long time since anyone among their most loyal servants of the gods had heard the will of the gods.

A few people at the top of the temple guarded such secrets.

–

"He’s quite a handsome guy," Lin Lin said with a hint of regret as she watched Norman walk away.

The Dark Elf, who had originally planned to return to the tavern, paused.

Even though Felix didn’t ask, Lin Lin could see the question in his eyes, "Do you like this type?"

The refreshing knight, who made one feel nauseous, acted casually and devoted himself to serving the God of Light forever, which the Dark Elf found very unpleasant in every way.

"He is a Paladin," the Dark Elf quickly saw through Norman’s identity, "They dedicate their whole lives to the God of Light."

To everyone’s surprise, Lin Lin was not discouraged at all; in fact, she felt more excited about the Paladin’s identity.

If it’s forbidden love, it’s even better!

Lin Lin never admired handsome men with the goal of marriage; she simply enjoyed looking at them.

The journey back to the inn showed a stark contrast between the two.

Lin Lin waved her magic wand around, thinking that her new look fit the beauty standards of this world, which made her feel great about Norman approaching her.

Meanwhile, the Dark Elf began to think of ways to quietly get rid of that guy, which would be a bit challenging since the knight appeared to be quite important.

Felix never felt guilty about having murderous thoughts toward a certain creature; he had no fondness for most creatures in this world.

Felix followed Lin Lin again, as it was his habit as a killer.

Lin Lin had to slow down, and it took them some time to reach the inn.

"One room," Felix spoke before Lin Lin.

The innkeeper looked at the two of them with a strange expression.

A pure-blood Dark Elf and a half-human.

The half-human innkeeper did not understand why this beautiful woman would choose to be with a frightening Dark Elf.

Maybe she was being threatened, the innkeeper worriedly looked at Lin Lin.

Lin Lin did not sense the innkeeper’s feelings; she looked at the flyer on the counter, "Stay with us and receive a lovely gift?"

"A beautiful keychain, a keychain," the innkeeper said flatteringly, afraid the Dark Elf would misunderstand.

Lin Lin turned a page, her eyes brightening again, "And a luxurious breakfast?"

"The breakfast is potato cakes with eggs," the boss rubbed his hands once more and continued to smile at the Dark Elf.

Lin Lin was nearly laughing to death at how the boss was worried that Felix might fall into a spending trap.

Felix showed no reaction; he wasn’t interested in any of that. He simply urged, "The key."

The boss immediately offered the key with both hands, "The room on the far left of the second floor has a nice view."

As the boss said, the view from this room was indeed very good.

Lin Lin stood by the window for a while; the distant mountains looked lush and green, very different from what she saw at Demon King Castle.

Uh, the mountains near Demon King Castle were bare and glowing red, and Lin Lin had once wondered if a volcano was about to erupt.

To this, Your Majesty the Demon King was very calm, "Mountains are supposed to look like that."

Lin Lin really hoped that the long-haired princess would leave the tower and see the outside world.

Unlike Lin Lin’s ease, the Dark Elf appeared much more awkward.

Lin Lin noticed that after Felix entered the room, he moved a chair close to the door and then sat down for a short rest.

Although Lin Lin knew that the Dark Elf respected women and had her own customs, she felt a bit sorry to see her tall figure so curled up in a small corner.

Lin Lin, "There are four chairs here; should I make you a bed?"

Lin Lin was already trying hard to be helpful.

Felix shook his head, indicating that he completely did not need any trouble.

"Alright," Lin Lin sighed, "then I will go take a shower first."

She was reporting in.

Felix bent one leg and rested it on the chair. His slender elf ears perked up, and the silver eyes of the Dark Elf raised slightly. "Why are you talking to me?"

"Um," Lin Lin replied, confused, "because you are here?"

"You don’t need to ask me," Felix answered, resting his chin on his knee. His young elf ears drooped. "You just need to do what you want to do."

Unlike how relaxed he felt outside, Felix was tense.

Lin Lin finally realized that her repeated questions were causing Felix stress. He seemed not very good at handling women asking if he needed help or informing him of what they were going to do.

Usually, women only needed to give orders.

Felix was not very good at understanding Lin Lin’s intentions; he couldn’t tell if her words had a deeper meaning.

Moreover, Felix was even worse at being alone in a room with a woman.

But in this city, he had to protect Lin Lin’s safety. So they needed to be in one room.

She is too weak.

This feeling is really strange. Young Felix never thought about needing to protect a woman’s safety. Back then, he only thought about when he could use a sharp blade to cut open their noisy throats so they could stop hitting him.

Felix discovered it only after he became an adult; he could find a bit of joy in the pain, even though his body had left that family, his mind and spirit seemed to be trapped there forever.

Lin Lin quickly took a shower, warm steam filled the bathroom, her platinum hair fell over her shoulders, and her pale face was flushed with heat.

Lin Lin couldn’t see through the magic, so in the mirror in the bathroom, she also looked like a person with white hair and red eyes.

"A bit like a vampire," Lin Lin judged herself.

Are there vampires in this world? Lin Lin really had not noticed.

She opened her mouth in front of the mirror and saw her human-like straight teeth.

However, her canine teeth were still quite sharp. After all, she is an omnivore, Lin Lin stood there examining herself from a biological perspective.

Suddenly, Lin Lin remembered that Dark Elves eat mushrooms, so their teeth should be flat?

It was hard to imagine, because Dark Elves always felt dangerous and scary, but it turned out they were herbivores, which made them seem much less threatening.

Wiping her hair half-dry, Lin Lin came out of the bathroom.

She always had to find out what she was curious about, so when she wanted to see what Dark Elf teeth looked like, she went to find Felix.

Lin Lin approached the chair placed inside the door, and Felix, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and looked at her in confusion.

Lin Lin asked directly, "Can I see your teeth?"

Her question sounded like she was asking about livestock. When Felix chose livestock for the Demon King Castle, he would check their mouths to see if they were healthy.

By Lin Lin’s common sense, she wouldn’t know about such things, but her question still made people puzzled.

Even worse, Felix could not refuse any request she made.

In this situation, Lin Lin still wanted to ask him and let him think for himself before giving her an answer, as if he was completely in charge and willing to do so.

This troubled Felix even more than a simple command would.

In the end, Felix did not answer her directly; he acted instead.

The Dark Elf opened his lips.

Lin Lin also just now noticed that Felix’s tongue was dark blue.

The surface of a Dark Elf’s tongue is rougher and drier than a human’s, with a thin layer of hardened skin protecting the soft tongue from harm.

Compared to humans, he is a more flexible and delicate creature.

Lin Lin reached out, touching the Dark Elf’s chin, making him look up, feeling Felix’s cool breath gently blowing against her face.

Felix was nervous, and he couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Qing slightly raised his chin, and the light entered his mouth, allowing Lin Lin to see his teeth clearly.

The Dark Elf’s tongue was very agile; Felix curled the tip of his tongue, which was not like the flat teeth of a herbivore as Lin Lin imagined. He even had a pair of sharp canines that were larger than Lin Lin’s.

Lin Lin withdrew her hand and saw Felix wipe the corner of his lips with the back of his hand.

His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed emptily.

Like a carnivore.

Lin Lin thought a bit slowly.

–

Even though Felix did not want to work outside during the day, after two days of coming up empty, he had to admit he needed to look for the intermediary elsewhere.

"Could he have been replaced?" Lin Lin asked.

"That won’t happen," the Dark Elf said with a smirk. "Finding a reliable middleman is very hard work, and the witch doesn’t want to waste her energy on that."

Unlike the tavern, Felix went to an inconspicuous lunch shop.

The whole restaurant was almost swallowed by the large trees around it, with half of the sign hidden in the dense leaves.

Felix led Lin Lin inside, where only one Mr. Orc with a fox tail was dozing. When he saw customers come in, he immediately stood up and asked, "What would you like to eat?"

Lin Lin noticed that the menu only had fruit salad and some stews, which clearly didn’t require much cooking skill.

"One salad, with some berries," Felix replied.

"Sorry, we’re out of berries," the fox halforc said.

"Then I’ll go look for the manager," Felix shrugged.

Lin Lin stood behind Felix, looking at the little birds outside the window. The pure black birds had shiny feathers and were comfortably basking in the sun, preening themselves.

The fox, Halforcen, patted his chest and sighed in relief, "You gave me a scare! I thought I really had to cook."

The things on the menu right now are not hard to make! Pay a little more attention!

Felix slipped the note he had prepared earlier into his palm.

Halforcen looked for a moment and smiled, "You are the most honored guest, so of course you can go see the manager directly."

Lin Lin whispered to Felix, "So what’s going on?"

Felix, "The middleman has changed."

Lin Lin, "…Didn’t you say it wouldn’t change?"

Lin Lin has now started to get used to walking through the underground passages, all thanks to the Gem Dragon’s home.

Even though it’s also an underground lair, you can still see the difference in style.

Safir’s cave is simply decorated, while the witch’s passage is adorned with deep purple star patterns, making it look more elegant.

Lin Lin followed the star pattern deeper and encountered a beaded curtain at the entrance.

On top of the small cabinet by the door, there is a piece of floral fabric to keep off dust.

Lin Lin, "…This witch’s taste is a bit like that of modern aunts."

Pushing aside the beaded curtain, she saw a busy woman with messy black curly hair, wearing a white lab coat and a mask, making potions. Lin Lin was stunned for a moment.

Lin Lin stepped out of the beaded curtain and then stepped back in.

Felix asked, "What are you doing?"

Lin Lin, "I think I had a vision from drinking too much."

It must be the alcohol from a couple of days ago that still hasn’t worn off!

Several large pots in the room were boiling at the same time, steam rising up, and a copper spoon was stirring in the pot on its own. A woman wearing glasses frowned at Lin Lin coming in and out, "Do you have a problem with me?"

Lin Lin quickly shook her head like a rattle drum, "No, no."

Lin Lin was best at bullying the weak and fearing the strong; when someone stood firm, she would start to back down.

The witch was already familiar with Felix. When she saw him, she knew he was there to get something for the Demon King Castle. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, "Do you want the same amount as before?"

Felix shook his head, "This time, I need double."

Lin Lin quietly covered her ears. Sure enough, the witch began to curse loudly.

The witch’s anger was clear even through her mask, "Then why didn’t you make an appointment in advance! Do you even understand how to make an appointment? Everything here is according to plan! What about others if I help you? Others also have people they want to kill!"

Your sense of professional responsibility is really strong; you don’t postpone anyone’s death.

Felix was used to being scolded; he had real thick skin. When he closed his eyes, it was as if nothing existed.

Lin Lin curled up in the corner, praying that no one would notice her.

This witch is a workaholic! She even looks like the kind of person who is always unhappy, as if she never leaves the office, not even on the weekends!

The image of the enchanting and charming big sister witch vanished completely. Lin Lin had to admit that she and the witches of this world were indeed very similar; no wonder she was mistaken for one.

As an accountant, she gets even crazier at the end of every month. It’s no surprise that people call her a witch.

Lin Lin had originally planned to ask the witch about her fortune and destiny, but now she felt no desire at all, wanting only to escape quickly.

The Demon King Castle always has a large supply of potions.

Felix and the witch were skillfully packing potions, while the potion simmering in the pot lost their attention. A loud boom came from the large cauldron, and the witch pointed her finger at Lin Lin, who was huddled in the corner, "That girl over there! Go note how many times it made noise and the color changes."

Lin Lin immediately grabbed her notebook and hurried to do it.

Lin Lin didn’t even need special instructions from the witch; she got right to work, eager and ready to help, "Just tell me what you need."

Felix watched their conversation closely.

In that moment, Felix suddenly understood that Lin Lin’s confidence was low among women.

No wonder she feels uneasy when asked to be a bit tougher.

Felix felt a wave of sadness, worrying about Lin Lin’s future.

–

Successfully obtained the potion.

Lin Lin did not know about Felix’s sadness; after leaving the witch, she let out a sigh of relief, as if she had come back to life.

Finally, she wouldn’t have to face scolding anymore.

However, although the witch was very strict, she was generous; as a parting gift, she gave Lin Lin a red bracelet to show her help.

Lin Lin then happily looked at her new bracelet, not knowing what kind of beads it was made of, shining brightly in the sunlight.

Felix’s expression grew more serious; he realized that Lin Lin might not only be weak but also inexperienced.

She just wasn’t greedy, so when she saw the Demon King Castle and the Dragon Race’s treasure, she didn’t think about keeping it for herself, but if she could get something for free from others, she would feel genuinely happy.

… completely the opposite of the women in the Dark Elf race.

Felix couldn’t even tell if this was good or bad.

If she stayed like this, he would just have to continue protecting her, Felix thought with mixed feelings.

Completely not understanding the sensitive heart of the Dark Elf, Lin Lin felt joyful as she spotted a familiar face by the roadside and greeted him happily.

"No…man?" Lin Lin’s voice changed in tone.

Unlike their first meeting, the human knight was not wearing silver armor but rather regular cotton clothes, with an eagle emblem on his chest shining a dark red, which was the symbol of the Sanctuary Knights.

Norman had a great memory, and he smiled gently as he read the name "Lin Lin" aloud. It was rare that he was the only one among many people who pronounced the name correctly, which made Lin Lin suspect that he had learned many languages, allowing him to do it so easily.

No, none of this matters.

Lin Lin looked at Norman with a complex expression as he greeted her with a big smile while quickly tying up the boy he had pinned to the ground.

Lin Lin’s crush on looks was instantly cured.

What is happening! Why is he acting like a kidnapper! Isn’t he a Paladin?

Unfortunately, the boy being tied up was someone Lin Lin knew; he was the red-haired boy Paul, who lived with her grandfather in the church.

At that moment, Lin Lin had platinum blonde hair, and Paul didn’t recognize her at all. He was still shouting loudly, "This guy wants to leave my grandfather alone in the church! He’s forcing me to join the Knights!"

Is that so! Lin Lin remembered Paul saying that he would join the Paladin when his grandfather passed away.

"His grandfather thinks he relies too much on adults and wants him to start Paladin training early," Norman explained.

For some reason, even though it was just both sides’ opinions, Norman’s face made his words sound especially believable.

Lin Lin tried hard to comfort Paul, "Your grandfather wants what is best for you. You can’t stay a child forever."

Too weak! Too kind! Felix, standing quietly behind Lin Lin, shook his head heavily.

Lin Lin’s future was really worrying.

Seeing that Lin Lin wouldn’t speak up for him, Paul widened his green eyes and said, "I know! You are the Knight Commander’s secret lover! No wonder he greets you! It turns out the old bachelor likes this kind of exotic charm!"

Lin Lin frowned slightly and covered her heart, "How can you say that? Your grandfather would be sad to hear it."

The Dark Elf shook his head heavily, too weak and too easy to bully!

Lin Lin said, "Then I can only teach you a lesson for your grandfather."

Lin Lin rolled up her sleeves and gave the boy two sharp slaps, making his little face turn red and too hurt to say anything.

Dark Elf: …

Knight Commander: …

Lin Lin looked at Norman affectionately, "I think he is quiet now, so he must be reflecting on himself. If he causes trouble again, my friend has just prepared some poison that we could share."

Norman hesitated a little. His beliefs made him want to tell the truth, but he was also afraid Lin Lin would slap him. He could only respond politely, in an uncertain tone, "It could also be that he fainted from pain."

Dark Elf: The worries of today suddenly feel unnecessary.