The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 84 I haven't decided yet (4.5k)

"I'm sorry, but I'm worried about getting lost in the fog and encountering danger along the way, so I can only trouble you to accompany me..."

"You don't need to apologize for this. I'm happy to help. Besides, the fact that you asked me for help shows that you trust me."

"Actually, it wasn't out of trust."

Tang Qi looked up and met Catherine's calm eyes.

Her wine-red hair cascaded over the shoulders of the graceful young woman. She sat quietly on a square rock on the opposite bank of the clear stream, only a few meters away from him.

He took off his leather boots and casually set them aside.

As she lifted the corner of her nightgown, the bright moonlight spread across her slender calves, like smooth blue chalcedony—a milky white and delicate gemstone.

I gently stepped onto the cool water, and after only a brief moment, I bounced back as if startled, slightly arching my feet and splashing a few ripples.

Then, it slowly unfolds, letting the translucent toes sink into the 'glass', followed by the rosy soles and heels, until the entire slender ankles are submerged in the flowing water, creating several long ripples.

"hiss……"

The girl gradually adjusted to the cold water and answered with a sigh of relief.
"I just don't mind."

Tang Qi knew she didn't mean to seduce anyone.

However, even a traveler who has been thirsty in the desert for a long time will find it hard to resist his desire when he discovers an oasis standing not far away.

He could only pretend he didn't see it:

"why?"

"To be honest, I actually dislike it a little when you look at my legs or chest with those strange eyes—"

You know it's hard not to care about that kind of attention, especially since you haven't been deliberately avoiding it, right?

Tang Qi couldn't help but cough twice awkwardly:

“I mainly think that the behavior of ‘pretending to look away when someone discovers you are peeping’ seems more conspicuous and sleazy.”

"Is such that."

Catherine nodded in agreement, and with the help of the clear stream water, skillfully wet the towel, wrung out some water, and began to wipe her skin exposed outside her nightgown.

Scattered, glistening water droplets slid down her neck, down to her collarbone and the silver pendant, before disappearing into the shadows of the canyon.

"But thinking about it carefully, you've already helped me so much. And apart from some cheap plum wine, I don't seem to be able to give you anything decent in return."

It's just that I'm getting a few more glances now; no matter how you look at it, I'm the one who benefits.

In that case, there's nothing to worry about.

"Don't think so."

Tang Qi, fearing she might misunderstand, quickly clarified,

"I didn't escort you to Dragon Gold City because I had any ulterior motives towards you. Rather—"

"You don't need to explain. I can tell you just want to repay a debt of gratitude!"

She seemed to want to avoid making the topic too serious, and joked...
"Besides, I'm not so confident that I'd assume every friendly man I meet is interested in me."

"Actually, you can be that confident."

"Then do you have it?"

"of course."

Catherine was startled and looked at him with some surprise:

"So straightforward?"

"People's pursuit of 'beauty' stems from their biological instincts."

Concealing her pursuit of beauty is merely a way of seeking another form of hypocrisy.

Tang Qi also smiled.

"You know, I've always been sincere."

Upon hearing his words, Catherine lowered her head and looked at her reflection in the clear water, as well as the long scar that ran diagonally across her entire cheek, by the moonlight.

She frowned, somewhat puzzled.

Is this considered 'beautiful'?

"Leaving imperfections on something that is already perfect does not destroy its beauty, but only gives it a different meaning."

Catherine was stunned for a moment, almost forgetting to wipe herself, and exclaimed:
"No wonder you came from the Poets' Academy. Are all bards as eloquent and good at making people happy as you?"

"There are exceptions."

Tang Qi felt a pang of embarrassment thinking about why he had been expelled from the academy.

"But stating the facts shouldn't be considered 'deceiving' people..."

"Alright, alright, stop praising me!"

Catherine quickly waved to Tang Qi, then hugged herself, her teeth chattering.

"I got goosebumps."

As a farm girl, she was still a little unaccustomed to such praise.

When men in Xingmei Town express their admiration, they always say, "What a beautiful young lady..."

She is immune to praise.

In her haste, she raised her snow-white arm again, gesturing to a height that a dwarf couldn't reach, and emphasized some key words, saying:
"Moreover, not everyone is like you, with such a noble vision, able to discover the beauty of imperfection!"
I'm still worried about how I'll be able to make a living without relying on my looks once I get to Longjin City.

She is a very practical girl.

They may mind the strange looks they receive, but they are also happy to accept them.

Because this allows her to earn more gold coins.

"It's alright, that's why I came to you."

As Tang Qi spoke, he took out a bottle of [Restoration Glue] from his dimensional bag.
"This thing can even stitch up severed limbs, let alone a scar."

"But this is very expensive!"

Catherine shook her head and refused.
"Even selling the Golden Oak wouldn't be worth this much money!"

Tang Qi suddenly realized:
"Is it because they're so expensive that you didn't ask me for some while you were in the tomb?"

Catherine rested her elbows on her thighs, her delicate little feet swaying back and forth in the stream, and sighed deeply.

“I know that if I ask you for something, you will definitely give it to me—but I can’t repay you.”

"Who said I needed anything in return?"

"The less you need me to repay you, the more I feel indebted to you!"

Like this time, if it weren't for that face, neither you nor the rubble would have had to put yourselves in danger...

I'm so useless, just a chibi bird, I can't help with anything except causing trouble.

While you risked your lives for me, even your own sister had to be distracted to protect me—

It wasn't until today that I realized that, apart from my physical worth, I don't have anything else to offer.

"Not causing you trouble, not seeking help, is the only way I can maintain my self-respect..."

"Don't say that."

Tang Qi realized that the only difference between this young woman and a bull stuck in a dead end was that she was alluring enough.
"You can't find your value only in such special cases."

Everyone has things they're not good at.

You may not be good at fighting, but if you put Stone in charge of running the tavern, it wouldn't last three days before he drank all the stock and went out of business.

Thinking of the dwarves' drunken antics, Catherine initially smiled, but then realized that it wasn't impossible for this to happen.

Tang Qi continued:
"Moreover, when Black Snake and I were arrested, without your chisel and the bread and plum wine you specially prepared, we might have even died on the way."

So at most, we're just helping each other out, and you don't need to feel pressured at all.

"Then I feel a little better."

Catherine's narrow, leaf-like eyebrows relaxed slightly, and her pink toes stopped wiggling wildly.
"Since that's the case, we're even now. So I absolutely cannot accept your [Restoration Glue]."

"No, no, no, that's precisely why you should accept it. Because I'll need your tavern to help me make a name for myself."

Tang Qi was not joking.

Using the Golden Oak as a temporary base for Dragon Gold City was a plan he had devised after setting off.
"A bard needs a tavern."

I need you too.

Although I've been running around all day, I'm a little tired.

But Catherine's skin was flawless and fair, like a smooth piece of white jade, that much was certain.

If you place a piece of white, lustrous jade under the crimson sunset, the hazy hue will only add a vibrant energy to it.

Just like her cheeks now:
"Actually, you don't have to add the last sentence..."

"That won't do, I'm being very sincere."

Sometimes you don't have to be so sincere!

She leaned down, burying her face in her elbows, and slowly turned her head away, her voice softer and gentler than the fluttering of a butterfly's wings.
Don't you feel embarrassed?

"I never feel embarrassed to express my true feelings." "Please, stop talking..."

Tang Qi saw that she was like a boiling kettle, with steam rising from her head, so he stopped teasing her.

Instead, he stepped across the stream and bent down beside her:
"If you really feel that you can't afford to give back, just consider it as me investing in your tavern with [Restoring Glue]. Remember to give me a share of the profits at the end of the year."

"it is good……"

She lowered her head, trembling as she couldn't utter a single word; the shrewd image she had maintained from beginning to end was long gone.

"Now, look up, I'm here to remove your scars."

"I can just do it myself."

"No, it costs a thousand gold coins per bottle, so we need to use it sparingly. You're not familiar with its effects and can't control the dosage, so let me handle it."

"Okay—but you don't mean to pinch my cheek, do you?"

"Huh? How did you guess that?"

"I don't know. But... I think I can read your mind?"

"Don't move yet, I'm about to get started."

"Ah, it's a little itchy."

"That's normal, it means your scar is about to heal."

Tang Qi would take out less than a fingernail's worth of gel each time and gently apply it to Catherine's scars.

To ease her tension, I casually changed the subject:
"How is Ambition?"

Father Lynn said that after Miss 'Dawn' treated her injuries, she was actually out of danger.

However, the journey had exhausted all her physical strength, and she had also suffered some mental setbacks. In addition, the damage from the magic... all these factors combined to cause her to fall into a coma.

It takes some time to relieve stress while sleeping before I can fully wake up.

"It's amazing that she can sleep through the snoring of the gravel."

Recalling the 'thunder' in the camp, Catherine couldn't help but laugh:

"After all, she had been jostled on horseback the whole way and still couldn't wake up."

"People safe is good."

"Yes."

"..."

Tang Qi's breathing became somewhat heavy.

They had never been this close before.

He barely realized that the girl's eyes were fiery red and clear, with a bright charm hidden in her shyness—even her tired eye bags made him want to kiss them.

After a brief silence, Catherine suddenly whispered:

"Thank you, Tang Qi."

"I haven't finished applying it yet, I'll thank you later."

“I’m talking about Ambi—you know, I’m actually very afraid of losing another family member.”

"You should thank Chenxi even more for this."

"And thank you for giving Amby a chance to vent—you sang for her one last time in that tomb, didn't you?"

"uh-huh?"

Do you remember Father Lynn's story?

The hunter was infected with the beast-like curse, left the town, and went into seclusion in the forest with his wife.

Later, they unexpectedly gave birth to a cursed child, and by the time they realized it, they had no choice.

When Father Lynn saw the hunter again, he decided to entrust the child to their best friend—my mother.

The priest urged him to stay in town, but he said he was going to avenge his wife…

In fact, Anbi always knew that she was a child who was born unexpectedly and then 'abandoned'.

The hunter certainly loved her, but he loved his deceased wife even more.

That's why he 'selfishly' left her to make what he thought was the right decision—the hunter knew it was 'dying for love'.

But what can Ambi, as their child, say or do to make amends?
She could only endure the cold stares of the town, longing for the day when her 'revengeful' father would return.

So she was in a lot of pain.

If I let these emotions accumulate inside me, I can't even imagine what that child would become..."

Tang Qi sighed.

The beastman who allows negative emotions to erode him will eventually lose all reason and completely succumb to his animalistic nature.

"She earned this opportunity to vent; I didn't think much about it."

Moreover, although she has a father who cares about "herself," she also has an older sister who cares about her.

So she wouldn't be so despondent.

"Don't always try to praise me in different ways."

Catherine mumbled softly,
"I'll think you have ulterior motives. Then I'll feel ashamed because I was overconfident!"

"What if I really did have ulterior motives? Would I think differently then?"

"I haven't decided yet..."

"……what?"

His fingers, which were resting on the tip of the girl's nose, paused for a long while.

"Ok?"

"All right."

Tang Qi coughed twice and quickly took two steps back to the side.

Catherine washed her face with water, and the long scar faded completely.

Tang Qi even used more gel to remove the dark spots that had accumulated over the years, making her cheeks even more radiant than before.

"No wonder those nobles are so enthusiastic about it; it's good to be rich."

Tang Qi joked:
"Instead of that, I think you should be thinking about how much trouble you'll attract by opening a tavern with that face."

"With young master Merard in front, at least most of the attention can be diverted. If there really is a problem that he can't solve, such a person can definitely afford the [restoration glue], so whether or not he is disfigured is meaningless."

Catherine knew more about many things than anyone else, and had made up her mind long ago.

This, in turn, made Tang Qi tone down his jokes:
"Have you decided to marry him?"

"Since you've decided to stay in Longjin City, you should think everything through."

There's no such thing as having it all in this world. Covering for Master Merard is better than sleeping in the bed of some unknown nobleman—

At least he likes men, so I don't have to sacrifice myself for him.

Catherine paused, as if sensing something, and suddenly turned to look at Tang Qi.

Are you...disappointed?

Tang Qi blinked, then shook his head repeatedly, raising his hands to prove his innocence.

It wasn't that he was deliberately avoiding it, but rather that he couldn't figure out Catherine's feelings.

He longed for an oasis, provided it wasn't a 'desert illusion'.

Otherwise, failure to achieve the desired result may disrupt subsequent plans:

"I didn't say anything."

Catherine hesitated before asking further:
"Was that just my imagination...?"

I don't know why, but I always seem to be able to sense what you're thinking.

"real or fake?"

Tang Qi was initially surprised, thinking she was overthinking things.

But then she realized that she had indeed guessed her own emotions very accurately.

In the silence between the two, Catherine turned slightly to look at him, allowing Tang Qi to clearly see the pendant that had been squeezed out of the canyon.

Then, he suddenly pressed his chest...

"Oops."

He realized the source of the other party's suspicion—

The love ring is still on!
　The atmosphere's got right, time to set off the fireworks.

　　Also, thank you all for your support of the Sanjiang River trip today!

　　Expected to be available on Wednesday, with the exact date to be announced on Tuesday!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)