Isn't This Just Bath Water?

"Isn't he the Demon King's heir?"

"The Magic Tower clearly stated that the new Demon King's fetish is that of foreign-raced beauties. With such a tall elf standing before you, isn't there any allure at all?"

"The stats clearly state that after being influenced by the Demon King's power, one's desires would uncontrollably surge. Why does he seem so normal?"

"At this rate, my plan to seduce the Demon King and catch him off guard is doomed..."

After feasting on meat the previous night, the golden-haired elf could no longer bear the slight fullness from just eating fruits. The room was eerily quiet, as if the world was devoid of people. She mumbled complaints to herself for a while, but reality soon kicked in, with her stomach grumbling loudly.

"So hungry... Jerk, idiot, pervert..."

Lureia turned over, lying flat and gazing at the ceiling.

What she failed to notice was that, while she was grumbling, Xia Mi had silently appeared in her room through a portal, holding a paper bag of lamb chops.

At the same time, Xia Mi overheard her latest complaint.

"I'm leaving then."

"Huh, why are you here?"

Lureia jumped in surprise, only now noticing Xia Mi standing by her bed. She quickly sat up.

"I clearly set up a spirit protection barrier!"

"Your magic circle is nothing before my portal," Xia Mi said, tossing the bag onto the table. "Lamb chops, still warm."

Lureia's pointy ears visibly reddened.

"You didn't hear anything earlier, did you?"

"No, I only heard someone calling me a jerk, idiot, and a nobody."

He clearly heard everything!

A wave of embarrassment washed over Lureia's face, as if she'd been caught red-handed doodling an unflattering picture of her teacher on the blackboard.

"That was just a common elvish greeting..."

"Don't tarnish the elves' image in the outside world like that!"

Lureia, feeling shy, brought her legs together and sat on the bed, trying to offer an explanation.

"Alright, alright, hurry up and eat the meat!"

Xia Mi didn't bother arguing with the flat-chested golden-haired elf.

Such a flat chest, what waves could it possibly make?

"Oh, oh, oh."

Lureia got off the bed and eagerly opened the paper bag. The three pounds of lamb chops inside emitted a charcoal aroma. The seasoning on the meat, dripping with golden fat, almost made her drool.

After placing a piece of lamb in her mouth, her face exuded pure bliss.

Xia Mi raised an eyebrow.

Wait a minute, weren't you just refusing to eat meat to protect the elves' image?

And making up negative stereotypes about elves?

What are you even trying to protect?!

"If there's nothing else, I'll head back."

As the portal was still open, Xia Mi turned to leave. After advancing to level 3, his short-distance portal could be accurate to the meter and lasted about ten seconds, with only a ten-minute cooldown.

"Wait!"

Lureia instinctively called out to Xia Mi, her eyes darting around nervously, her red ears twitching.

"Well, I can't finish all this by myself, so you should eat some too... If you're full and don't want any, just digest it for a while. Wasting food is disgraceful."

She rapidly explained, preemptively answering any objections Xia Mi might have.

"Alright then."

...

Lureia picked up the lamb chops, tearing them into small pieces and savoring each bite. Her hands became greasy from the lamb fat.

"Come on, Xia Mi, don't be shy."

"I believe I brought these."

"Whatever. Later, I'll treat you to the real Water of Life. The Water of Life from the Elf Forest. Not that aphrodisiac you have."

Xia Mi had only taken a couple of bites when Lureia finished the rest of the lamb chops.

She summoned a light that cleaned her hands instantly, leaving them spotless.

"Impressive, right?" Lureia said, noticing Xia Mi's gaze on her hands. "This is the elves' unique self-cleaning ability. It can cleanse any dirt or stain from our bodies."

"So elves don't need to bathe at all?"

"In theory, yes. The 'Self-Clean' is much more effective than bathing. Plus, it's simpler, requiring only some mana. If our clothes get dirty, we can cleanse them with this ability, eliminating the need for washing."

Xia Mi looked at her with a hint of disdain.

"I bathe every day."

Lureia's expression darkened.

"Why are you suddenly so judgmental?! Don't make it sound like I never bathe! I took a bath just last night!"

"Even though we have the 'Self-Clean' ability, we elves still enjoy bathing and soaking in hot springs. The comfort it provides can't be replicated by 'Self-Clean'. Besides, if given a choice, a thousand out of a thousand people would choose an elf beauty who doesn't bathe for a month over an everyday villager who bathes daily. An elf beauty smells like orchids even if she doesn't bathe daily."

"That's just baseless speculation," Xia Mi said with suspicion.

"You don't believe me? Ah, so you're pretending not to believe so I'll let you smell me? A clumsy attempt at reverse psychology!"

"..."

Lureia summoned a rift in front of her, which led to her storage space. She reached in and pulled out two delicate bottles.

"Here. Consider it a thank you for the grilled meat."

She handed one bottle to Xia Mi and opened the other, taking a small sip.

"What is this?"

"What I'm drinking is underground spring water from the Elf Forest, our daily drink."

Xia Mi looked at his bottle, which contained a nearly transparent liquid, similar to the well water the villagers drank. But compared to Lureia's, his seemed slightly murkier.

"Is mine also from the Elf Forest's underground spring?"

"Of course not. Yours is the genuine Water of Life. Unlike the bizarre potions out there, drinking this benefits your entire body. It relaxes nerves, soothes muscles, and has calming effects. In short, it's harmless."

Lureia added, glancing at Xia Mi, "It's extremely precious."

Xia Mi opened the bottle and took a whiff. It was odorless.

"This is water from the Elf Forest's hot spring after we elves have bathed in it. The Water of Life not only contains the essence of everything in the Elf Forest but also the unique substances our bodies release, creating its special effects."

Xia Mi, who was about to take a sip, quickly closed the bottle.

"This is basically elf bath water! These 'unique substances' are just body impurities! Why dress it up like it's something special?"