Chapter 185: 184 A great treasure Chapter 185: 184 A great treasure During dinner, under Vivian’s introduction, Migis met Ai Yi.
However, Ai Yi didn’t seem to have much interest in Migis, barely responding even when Migis spoke to her, as if she felt that there would be no connection between them, or rather, she didn’t want there to be one. Her expression was indifferent, even cold, leaving Migis helpless.
Yet, Migis didn’t pursue the matter.
As the leader of the adventurer’s guild and one of the Royal Family’s close allies, Migis had keen insight and could naturally discern Ai Yi’s extraordinariness.
In fact, according to Shane, “Our Little Ai Yi has a lot of presence.”
At least, that was the case in front of others.
Given these circumstances, Migis not only completely refrained from questioning Ai Yi’s attitude, but, like Vivian, didn’t treat her as a child at all. He showed her enough respect and even personally invited her to stay.
This series of actions actually made Ai Yi quite fond of Migis. Her expression softened a lot, and afterward, she occasionally responded to Migis’s words, which clearly indicated preliminary approval of him.
After dinner, however, a not too big nor too small matter arose that had to be mentioned.
“Let’s go to the big bathhouse together, Ai Yi!”
Lu Muya and Merica invited Ai Yi in such a manner.
“Bath?” Ai Yi frowned, seemingly disgusted, and bluntly said, “No need, I don’t bathe with others, and I don’t like baths.”
Ai Yi’s refusal was very straightforward, without a hint of hesitation.
“Eh?” Lu Muya seemed surprised by the blunt refusal, somewhat at a loss, “Wh… why?”
“Yes!” Merica was equally astonished, echoing, “Bathing together is fun, Ai Yi!”
These two girls seemed to have been completely captivated by Ai Yi’s cuteness, not wanting to leave her out even when it came to bathing.
Of course, Shane on the side really wanted to say something.
“If everyone bathing together is so much fun, why am I not included?”
Such unequal treatment was truly hateful.
Unfortunately, Shane could say such things in his mind, but he dared not voice them in front of the ladies.
He feared getting hit.
“It’s okay, I still have Tielle.”
Shane looked at Tielle sitting beside him and felt a bit consoled.
Tielle was sitting there, sipping tea with utmost calmness, showing no intention of joining the girls. The girls didn’t invite Tielle either because she never accepted.
The reason, of course, was that she wanted to do such pleasant things with a certain ‘wolf.’
Fortunately, Tielle was always very quiet, and when rejecting Lu Muya and Merica’s invitation, she usually couldn’t be bothered to explain, so this matter didn’t come to light, or else, Shane felt, he might still end up getting hit.
Unaware of all this, Ai Yi’s face showed a hesitant expression for the first time under Lu Muya and Merica’s insistent invitations.
“I really don’t like bathing with others.”
Ai Yi rejected it from the bottom of her heart.
Such rejection, not only Shane, even Vivian was curious now.
“Why is that, Miss Ai Yi?” Vivian tentatively asked, “Is it because we have offended you?”
Vivian wondered if Ai Yi didn’t want to bathe with people whose status was much lower than her own.
“Uh, no.” Ai Yi frowned deeply, obviously not wanting to be seen as acting arrogantly due to her status, so she had to explain, “It’s just that, every time I bathe with my sisters, they keep staring at me, and their reactions afterward are too much. I don’t like that situation very much.”
Everyone was puzzled.
Why would they need to stare at Ai Yi in the bath?
Because she was too cute?
That’s what everyone, including Shane, thought.
Seeing this, Ai Yi seemed reluctant to explain further and let out a quiet sigh.
“Alright, just this once.”
With that, Ai Yi gently hopped down from her seat.
“Where is the bathhouse?”
Upon hearing this, Lu Muya and Merica showed delighted expressions.
“Let’s go together, Ai Yi!”
Immediately, Lu Muya and Merica both went over to Ai Yi and cheerfully led her in the direction of the bathhouse.
Shane, Vivian, and Tielle watched the trio leave, not thinking too much about it, and just started chatting at the dining table.
As for Migis, he had already claimed that he was busy with official duties, so he had returned to the study.
Hence, only Shane, Vivian, and Tielle remained in the dining room, chatting sporadically.
It was then that the restaurant’s door was pushed open with force.
“How… how terrifying…”
To everyone’s surprise, Lu Muya and Merica had already come back, their bodies steaming with heat and dampness, as if they had already taken a bath. Yet, their expressions were utterly despondent, their eyes glistening as if they had lost an important step in life, nearly bursting into tears.
“What happened to you two?”
“That was a quick wash for you both.”
Vivian and Tielle looked at Lu Muya and Merica with surprised faces.
Shane hadn’t expected Lu Muya and Merica to return so quickly either.
Girls usually take a long time to bathe, and Lu Muya and Merica were no exception. They had never washed up so quickly before. What on earth happened?
Just as Shane was thinking this, Lu Muya and Merica, with tearful eyes, threw themselves onto Vivian and Tielle.
“We can’t… we can’t win! That level…!”
“I lost to a kid who looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old, and it was such a ridiculous defeat. I can’t accept it!”
Lu Muya and Merica were blurting out nonsensical words with tearful eyes, leaving everyone puzzled.
Until an extremely dissatisfied sigh was heard.
“That’s why I said, I don’t like taking a bath with others.”
Ai Yi also walked in, still holding a pillow, her face full of displeasure.
Seeing such an Ai Yi, Lu Muya and Merica’s gazes involuntarily shifted to the front of Ai Yi, to the image of her holding the pillow, or more accurately, to the body obscured by the pillow, and this time they truly cried.
Vivian and Tielle seemed to understand something now, exchanging glances before approaching Ai Yi.
Shane’s view of Ai Yi was just blocked by Vivian and Tielle.
Thus, Shane could no longer see Ai Yi at all.
In such a situation, Shane saw Vivian and Tielle say something to Ai Yi, then seemed to remove the pillow she had been holding all along, unveiling Ai Yi’s entire body.
The next second, Vivian and Tielle seemed to suck in a breath of cold air.
Immediately after, both let out a bitter laugh.
“So that’s how it is, truly a supernatural talent…”
“…No wonder you need to carry a pillow. If you don’t cover it up, all the men will stare for sure.”
Vivian and Tielle appeared to realize some brutal truth, or rather, an extremely enviable situation, as they handed the pillow back to Ai Yi while continuing to bitterly smile.
On the side, Shane’s curiosity exploded.
“What on earth happened?”
At the scene, it seemed that Shane was the only one clueless about what had happened.
Shane only knew that afterwards, including Vivian, all the girls no longer dared to take a bath with Ai Yi.
And Tielle, who had taken a bath with Shane, left him with just one statement.
“Taking a bath with Ai Yi is too damaging to a woman’s self-esteem.”
Beyond that, Tielle didn’t want to say anything else.
This mystery would not be unraveled for quite a long time.
And after it was unraveled, Shane felt as if the heavens had bestowed upon him an enormous treasure.