## Chapter 183: Sarah and Velas
Rubbing my eyes, the few rays of brilliant Sunlight streaming in through the window darkened my vision, making me feel dizzy and ready to collapse. I straightened up groggily, but the cool breeze blowing from the nearby lush Forest made me shrink back into the quilt, my eyes narrowing again.
As expected of a magic Tent, although its exterior was simple, the interior was fully equipped. Speaking of which, where did this window come from? It shouldn't be possible for a Tent to have something like this! It was even more incredible than the high-tech of my previous world.
Returning with Sister Sharna was something that happened a sleep (?) ago. To be honest, I really didn't know how I got back at the time. The entire Teleportation Array was drowned in a sea of cheers. After all, it had been hundreds of years since a Warrior capable of soloing Andariel had appeared. This was the result Sister had exchanged with her Blood and Sweat, the Glory she deserved.
I originally thought she would be lost for a while – because when she first walked out of Andariel's Palace, her Appearance was truly heartbreakingly haggard, and the feeling of emptiness after achieving her Target, if I were to describe it, was like finally seeing the end of a novel I had been chasing for over ten years, where emptiness often outweighed joy.
But she just slept once and had already recovered to her original self. Her eyes had also expanded from a shallow Lake to the entire blue sky and Ocean. The moment she opened her eyelashes, I knew that our Rogue Queen had returned.
While happy for Sister's recovery, I also carried a hint of selfish sorrow. After all, that fragile her was also so captivating. Perhaps this was the first and last time I would see her like that...
Not long after leaving the Waypoint, I quietly slipped away from her tightly held hand amidst the crowded people and collapsed into my Small Tent in the Mage Guild. To be honest, I didn't really like such scenes. Rather than being admired by thousands, I'd prefer to have a good sleep.
Being ignored is painful, and being too popular is also painful. Only those who are balanced between the two can live comfortably. This is where I, as a veteran Otaku, have a higher Epiphany than Ordinary People.
So, now is the time after that sleep. Based on past Experience, I must have slept for at least a day or more this time.
Let's keep sleeping.
I muttered groggily, "This wind is really damn comfortable."
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Just as I lay down, Little Yellow Sparrow appeared.
"Lord, wake up, don't sleep anymore, you've been sleeping for two whole days. Lord, Lord, I know you're already awake, stop pretending to be asleep, get up quickly. Really..."
A sweet voice that I could never get tired of hearing kept softly echoing in my ear, but to me, it sounded more like a lullaby, so I narrowed my eyes even further.
"Lord. Lord, don't sleep anymore, the Sun is almost shining on your Buttocks..."
The owner of the voice increased her Offensive, bending down. Two soft small hands gently pushed on my Body. A playful strand of hair hung beside my ear. The faint scent of shampoo made me couldn't help but want to lean my nose closer. There seemed to be a cold little Accessory hanging on the strand of hair, making a crisp bell sound as the hair swayed.
It was impossible to sleep peacefully under this Offensive. I frowned, instinctively stretched out my hands, grabbed the owner of the voice, and fiercely pulled her into my embrace. Immediately, a familiar body scent rushed towards me.
"Let me sleep a little longer, Al—"
Suddenly, my groggy Brain jolted.
Wrong. This wasn't Alice's scent. I abruptly opened my eyes and looked at the girl I was holding in my embrace, her eyes tightly closed, her fair and translucent neck and earlobes already completely red.
"Ah—that—Velas, just let me sleep a little longer."
I continued in a stiff voice that no longer held any sleepiness, feeling cold sweat all over my Body.
Fortunately, Velas didn't see my Appearance right now. No, I estimated she couldn't even hear what I was saying.
Her delicate body trembled violently, tensing up completely. Her fair pretty face was even redder than an apple. I could even smell a faint scent of sweat at her temples. Looking closely, oh my... she was so nervous she wasn't even breathing. Half of her flushed face was from shyness, and the other half was definitely from holding her breath...
I laughed dumbly. If I continued to hold her like this, she might really suffocate herself.
Gently releasing the shy girl with my hands, I was about to say something, but unexpectedly, Velas's body seemed to be on a spring. The moment my hands loosened, she bounced up like a grasshopper, her fragile body creating a Gale and instantly disappearing from my sight without a trace.
I stared Dumbfounded at the empty Door. Was this the legendary "Still as a virgin, agile as a rabbit"? It was a bit too formidable.
It wasn't until about half an hour later, when I had lazily dressed and washed up, that Velas shyly brought in Breakfast. If you looked closely, you could still see a cute blush on her face, hehe~~
However, when I walked out of the Tent, just about to stretch in the autumn Morning Light, a sweet voice, still carrying a hint of childishness, came running from a distance, instantly freezing my stretch.
"Big Brother~~, Big Brother~~"
A voice like an Angel, a face like an Angel, yet it plunged me into the boundless Abyss. Even the autumn Sunlight seemed too dazzling for me, who had instantly become a lowly Abyss Creature.
"Hehe, Big Brother, Good~ Mor~ning~——"
The Little Angel bounced her petite body without hesitation, crashing fiercely into my embrace. Her pink and tender small hands gently wrapped around my neck, and her soft and sweet delicate body, like a feather, hung on me, refusing to come down.
"Sarah, why are you here?"
I looked at the Little Angel hanging on my neck and acting spoiled, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Miss Sarah has visited dozens of times in the past two days, but Lord has been sleeping and didn't know," Velas explained, skillfully hanging clothes to dry, with a harmless smile.
"Sister Vilas, I told you, just call me Sarah."
Sarah peeked her little pink head over my shoulder, pouting unhappily as she complained to Velas.
"Hehe—Yes, Miss Sarah."
Just like I had told her dozens of times to just call me by my name. Velas was very stubborn in some ways. Even Sarah's perfected, unmatched Gaze and acting spoiled Offensive were completely ineffective against her.
Sometimes I wonder if the women gathered around me are truly terrifying. They are almost like Ultraman, more or less possessing a few ultimate moves that can crush enemies.
Sister Sharna goes without saying; the title of Rogue Queen alone explains everything. Little Sarah's innocent and understanding acting spoiled Offensive is invincible, but it is neutralized by Velas's gentle and moving smile radiating a maternal glow.
And Alice, this Little Ghost, I don't even know how to describe her anymore. Sometimes she is gentle and intelligent like a Saintess, and sometimes she is mischievous and acting spoiled like a Kitten. Her biggest characteristic is being able to say very vulgar and violent things with a sweet smile on her face. Especially after learning some unnecessary things from me recently, this Skill has reached a state of perfection.
The only relatively normal one is probably Lin Ya, the Little Sorceress. No, perhaps it's also because I haven't had a deep connection with her yet and haven't discovered her true nature...
"Could it be—? Haven't you noticed how piercing the surrounding gazes are?" Alice said to me in my embrace with a troubled tone, as if looking at a lost lamb walking towards the Fallen Abyss with helplessness.
"It's too strange, it's really too strange. Velas is an Apprentice of the Mage Guild, and Sarah is a Student of the Mage Training Camp. They shouldn't have any interaction at all. Why are they walking together?"
On a certain street in the Rogue Encampment, a Shadow shrouded in a Cloak muttered to itself. Looking closely, even the remaining half of its (? Unidentified Object) face was tightly covered by a black headscarf. Only a pair of round, dark eyes were revealed.
This unidentified black Shadow was sneakily peeking half its head from behind a box at a Stall, staring intently at the two girls walking together like close friends ahead, completely unaware of the Surprised Gazes of the passersby and the watching figures of the Patrolling Soldiers.
"This is the Sorrow of having two relationships at once," Alice smugly concluded.
"Wrong, this is the Sorrow of being too Charming. As a profound man with culture, virtue, and style, my biggest failure is making too many women sad..."
The black Shadow narcissistically stroked the few exposed black hairs.
"Wow!! I didn't expect there to be mirrors for sale here—"
Alice pointed to the Stall where I was hiding.
"Please cooperate with me occasionally, okay? Don't change the subject with such hurtful topics—"
"Xiao Fan, I know, don't worry—"
The Little Ghost replied with a sweet smile. Just as I was teary-eyed, thinking she finally understood what social etiquette was, her next sentence made me suddenly want to spit blood.
"Even if you wake up one morning and find yourself chopped into meat paste by a Cleaver, or sawed into several pieces by a Saw, I wouldn't be surprised."
"You know quite a lot, don't you?" I said, glaring.
"Not at all, it's because you taught me well."
The Little Ghost ignored my threat and smiled, giving me a ladylike bow.
"Can't you put something useful in your empty Brain?" I gnashed my teeth.
"That's a rude Question. I don't recall you ever teaching me anything useful."
She still replied with an elegant and gentle smile.
I felt like the Little Ghost had eaten tons of gunpowder today. She seemed difficult to mess with. I snorted and closed my mouth, sneakily wanting to follow them.
"Hey, you, yes, you damn it, stop looking around. I'm talking about you, what are you trying to do? Come with me obediently."
The top of my head, which was crouching on the ground, darkened. I felt a Large Hand forcefully grab my shoulder. I looked up and saw several Rogue Soldiers holding Spears and carrying Long Bows on their backs, surrounding me with the expression of city management...
"Trying to catch me, the number one Expert of the Rogue Encampment? It's still too early."
In a deserted Corner. I smugly ripped off the Black Cloth on my face and untied the Cloak tightly wrapped around my Body. The magical Druid, Lord Wu Fan, the Honorary Elder of the Rogue Encampment, officially appeared.
"I just feel like it's embarrassing, even if no one discovered it, it's still embarrassing."
The Little Ghost covered her forehead with her hand, her silver eyes sparkling with a look of Despair.
"Don't say it so unpleasantly. Aren't we a combination that prospers together and suffers together?" I said, smiling and comforting the Little Ghost.
"That's why I feel sorrow, woo~~..."
Ignoring the Little Ghost's confused cry of sorrow from inside the Necklace, I walked out of the alley with a calm expression. What came towards me was a Squad of Rogue Soldiers.
"Lord Fan, Good morning."
The leading Captain stood ramrod straight and bowed to me.
"Good morning. You seem to be in a hurry, did something happen?"
"Ah. Yes, Lord. According to the report from the Seventh Patrol Squad just now, there seems to be a suspicious Cloaked Stalker nearby..."
The Patrol Captain respectfully reported to me.
"I see. Then keep it up. I'll also pay a little attention."
"Yes. Yes, thank you for your help, Lord. If you discover him, that hateful Stalker will have nowhere to hide."
"Aha—I hope so."
Facing the Patrol Captain's burning Gaze. What else could I say? Better leave quickly.
You guys should also rest early. You'll never catch him in your whole life... Of course, I could only say this in my heart.
"Ah, emptiness..."
Andariel will take at least a month to Resurrect, which means I can rest well for a month. Thinking about this, I suddenly felt like I had nothing to do. Forget it. I'll go back to my Small Tent and continue sleeping.
"Velas knows about Sarah's Existence and her Status in my heart. As for Sarah, I don't know. Although I haven't confessed anything to her, don't underestimate this Little Squirt's young Age; her head is very Smart. It's hard to say she hasn't discovered a trace from Velas..."
I walked and spoke softly to Alice, hoping that this "sharp-eyed Candidate Saintess Lord" could discover some useful Clues from it.
"Velas is a very well-behaved girl. She's also easily satisfied. Perhaps she's trying to get along well with Sarah..."
There was a hint of a guilty conscience in my voice.
"Is that really the case?"
The one who answered me was Alice with her melodious Question.
"Even if Velas accepts Sarah's Existence, she won't actively strive for anything. But don't forget, women's Instinct is terrifying. Perhaps she does have such an Idea/Thought, but unconsciously, it's not surprising for her to unintentionally make some small Actions to compete for favor!"
"...!"
"Didn't you notice anything from their meeting this morning? Think carefully!"
"This morning?"
I squinted and thought for a moment. First, Sarah rushed over, and then it was just some very ordinary conversation.
"The smell of gunpowder is very strong! Hmph~~"
Inside the Necklace, the Little Ghost hugged her knees tightly, her troubled Gaze blinking, and hummed in a barely audible voice. The entire Space seemed to be filled with a sour Aura.
"Tell me, Alice, where is this?"
While thinking, I suddenly stopped, staring Dumbfounded at the Scene before my eyes.
Beyond the Enclosure, yellow sand filled the sky. The howling north wind stung my face. Tent after Tent stood crookedly, leaning like eggplants hit by frost. It looked like a Scene often shown on TV where two Western Cowboys duel back to back on the street in front of a Tavern in a desolate Village.
I stepped back a few steps, speechless. Turning my head, what came into view was the Rogue Encampment, which, although not prosperous, was thriving.
"Where is this? Is this really the Mage Guild I left less than two hours ago? Or has my Directionally Challenged Skill Leveled Up? Or was I hit by Belial's Illusion?"
I held my head, Incredulous, and groaned incoherently.
Even Alice let out a confused voice. However, at least I could rule out the Directionally Challenged incident or being put under Belial's Illusion.
I cautiously looked left and right and discovered that my Surroundings seemed to be filled with a very strange atmosphere. Whether it was the Mage Guild inside the Enclosure that seemed like another world, or the knowing laughter of the occasional passersby, they all made me feel a chilling Aura.