"?" Hitzfeld paused, turned around, and looked at her with eyes that seemed to say "Tell me I didn't hear it wrong just now."
"It's true!" Xia Yibing couldn't help it again. This matter was so funny that she had to share it with the girl.
She stepped forward and approached the girl, whispering in her ear: "I just found out about this too... Normally, anyone can wear it as an outfit, but in formal occasions like banquets, they have strict rules on what to wear - especially the bottoms. Men must wear white pants or white socks, and women must wear black skirts or black socks... And at the highest-end banquets, men must wear high-end stockings! They are wearing white stockings!"
"...What's the logic behind this?" Hitzfeld understood this time, but understanding didn't mean she could comprehend it.
"It seems to be saying something..." Xia Yibing imitated the tone of the spice shop owner: "'White represents day, black represents night. Men, as a masculine aggregate, should use white to restrain their glory, while women are more feminine, and only black is suitable for them..."
"That's all nonsense." Hitzfeld couldn't hold it in any longer. "They should have a dye shop, right? Hasn't this place established the theory of warm and cool colors yet?"
“Who knows.” The woman sat on the bed and stretched out her eyes. Perhaps she remembered the funny look of a group of grown men wearing white stockings, and she chuckled, “But this is the way it is… I think we need to familiarize ourselves with the local etiquette first, compared to the attire. Otherwise, I’m afraid we’ll laugh at night, and it won’t look good if we get noticed, hahahaha…”
Hitzfeld originally wanted to laugh, but gradually, her eyes fell on Xia Yibing who was laughing non-stop, and her smile became a little stiff.
Because she discovered that, even though the relationship between the two had been established and could probably be described as a couple in love, it was very rare... for her to see Xia act so happy.
Of course, it is not ruled out that Xia has been happier than she is now, but she rarely shows it. This is just the way she is. Although she has rich inner emotions, she just doesn't like to express them to others. This has a lot to do with her childhood experiences.
Come to think of it, the last time I saw Xia so happy was probably when I promised to go to Wayne with her and have fun together for a few days.
At that time, she ran wildly on the street holding this, laughing like a madman and a fool. That must have been a rare time when she let go of her emotions and stopped suppressing them, and it was also one of the few times when her true nature was revealed.
What happened next? They went out to sea to carry out their missions.
It's not that we didn't do it in the middle, but in the end... maybe it was because of the depressing atmosphere, or maybe it was because of the habits formed after working for a long time, neither Xia nor I ever really let go.
Then, as a lover - let's ignore for the moment whether I prefer the male or female side - wouldn't it be unqualified if I don't even have the ability to make the other person laugh?
"Haha... Aisuen?"
Xia Yibing couldn't laugh anymore because she found that the girl was looking at her with a very strange look.
What's going on…Why do I feel like she's sympathizing or pitying me?
With three question marks on her forehead, Xia Yibing felt confused.
"Xia," Hitzfeld said, "Have you decided where to go after helping Captain Shude?"
"Well..." Xia Yibing's attention was diverted by her. Chen thought for a moment and replied, "Our main goal is to explore the intelligence of the Elsa Continent, determine the specific strength of the evildoers... and then find a way to return."
Hitzfeld nodded: "But from what we have seen so far, they are hiding very deeply even here."
"Then we have to find out what they are planning." Xia Yibing clenched her fists and sat up straight. "After the dinner, we can almost fly solo... On the surface, you are the master of incense making, and Madeline and I are your blood-slaughtering ranger guards. We have no shortage of money, fame, or military power. We can leave Inian Port and go to cities further inland - we can even go to the capital of the Corrupted Blood Kingdom to see how our old acquaintances are doing..."
"So." Hitzfeld bowed his head slightly, "This means we can open our own hotel and choose where to live."
"That's right!" Xia Yibing frowned, "...What do you mean by this?"
"you guess."
Hitzfeld left this sentence and hurried away, leaving Xia Yibing alone and confused.
After a while, Madeline came in with a large wooden box in her arms, looking miserable. She saw her director sitting on the bed, frowning and thinking.
"Boss... Your Excellency!" She took a breath, feeling that she had something to say, "I mean, these books are what you want, right? Why do you always ask me to move them here?"
"Madeline." Xia Yibing completely ignored her complaints and asked her seriously, "If someone repeatedly tells me that we can choose which hotel room to stay in, what does he really mean?"
"Male or female?" Madeline bent down to put down the box, stood up straight and wiped the sweat off her face, and said casually, "I think it doesn't matter whether it's a man or a woman. This guy obviously wants to do something with you... well, something that can make you happy."
"Huh?" Then she saw the woman's face turned red, as if she had suddenly taken some banned drugs while on a mission - and she ran out in this state.
"..." Madeline looked at the large wooden box again, and the various information books stacked inside it, and shook her head.
"You can obviously take a shortcut."
"Really? Didn't Billie say that the hero's bones are worthless?"
……
In the afternoon, the banquet team left the dock and went to the bathhouse to take a bath.
It was not until then that Madeline saw her two missing companions. They looked normal, but Madeline always felt that something had happened.
Very suspicious...
Especially when she recalled what Xia Yibing asked before she left, she felt that it must be a young female detective who was teasing her.
This won’t do… Madeline thought.
This is a time to do something big, so why is Hitzfeld so careless?
No, I have to find a way to get Mr. Emaar back on track.
Thinking of this, she moved closer to the two people who were whispering and coughed.
"Madeline." Xia Yibing looked at her, "What's the matter?"
"Those books..."
"Oh!" Xia Yibing suddenly realized, "That's what I asked the captain for. Although his subordinates don't like to read, there are still quite a few for the 12 ships combined. There's no need to go ashore to buy more."
"I mean," Madeline gritted her teeth, "if you want to know about these things, why don't you just use the 'Hero's Bone'?"
Why not ask Billie for a few new ones and wear them while you sleep?
Anyway, you can directly pass on the experience.
Madeline thought so, but the reactions of the two men made her realize that she might have said something wrong.
"That's not how it works, Agent." Hitzfeld said seriously, "I believe you have relevant courses within Shadow Lion to teach you the most important qualities when performing missions..."
"'Caution'!" Madeleine replied. "I know, but——"
"No, you don't know." Xia Yibing interrupted her, "Have you read Nan Xinze's file? I don't think so, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't say such a thing."
"It's not a good thing to bestow it too easily." Hitzfeld also added, "Xia's inheritance seems to have no price, but we are not sure if it really has no price. Before that, try to avoid contact with the hero bone fragments. We have considered all these."
Then the two of them left her alone and went back to whispering. She could vaguely hear some strange words like "newspaper war" and "forbidden fruit".
The feeling of being excluded was so terrible that Madeline got angry and went to play with Billie.
……
Bathing, incense... It was getting dark when everything was finished. Hitzfeld changed directly into the dress for the banquet, put on the black stockings as required, and then put on the flower ornaments in front of the mirror.
On a whim, she stood on tiptoe and spun half a circle on the spot, watching the layers of velvet skirt ripple like petals, her heart inexplicably agitated.
It was the most feminine thing she had ever worn.
Although the chest is tightly wrapped, most of the shoulders are exposed. I was invited to attend Prince Berentin's party before, and the skirt I wore at that time was not so revealing.
The whole set of clothes was very valuable, and it was said that it cost thousands of bone cords in total. However, Captain Xiu De said that these were gifts to repay her kindness in making incense.
"Are you ready?" Xia Yibing knocked on the door outside.
She was wearing long trousers and boots, and had an unsharpened dagger on her waist. It was just for show, which was probably part of the reason why the guard of honor was called the guard of honor.
It's not that she doesn't want to wear a skirt and wants to be different from the girls. But...if there is one person among them who will definitely shine tonight, it can only be her little angel Hitzfeld.
She is a perfume maker, and the perfumes sent were all made by her. When the orc governor asks about it, he will definitely not be able to avoid it. This was originally part of the plan - they need to use this opportunity to become famous in the upper circles of Inian Port, and try to expand their network tonight to lay a solid foundation for further exploration of the Corrupted Blood Kingdom in the future.
So this was destined... She and Madeline were both dressed as ceremonial guards, but Hitzfeld was the only one wearing a formal dress, which made her recognizable at a glance.
She was also worried that something might happen at night.
Hasim was going too. If a fight broke out, it would be more convenient to wear pants than a complicated dress.
As I was thinking about it, the door of the locker room opened.
The girl who walked out was eye-catching - whether it was the petal-shaped skirt or the slender waist that could be held in one hand, Hitzfeld almost reached the ultimate in interpreting beauty through dresses.
Black is supposed to represent maturity, depth and sexiness. However, due to her age, her short stature and her childish face, it creates a contrast on her, further highlighting her tenderness as a "girl", making people feel a kind of stubbornness and naivety pretending to be mature.
The falling gray hair covers the left eye, adding a touch of rationality and reducing a touch of temptation.
Maturity, sexiness, tenderness... multiple elements set off and contrast each other, not only do not form constraints, but instead lift each other higher and higher.
Xia Yibing stared at them intently. She sighed, "I always heard that girls of this age are the most beautiful, because they are still immature, but are also turning into mature ones, just like unripe peaches, sour and sweet, blooming with charm... At that time, I always thought those old frivolous people were talking nonsense, but now I recognize them a little bit."
"Don't say that when you go out." Hitzfeld's face flushed, making his face look more and more like a peach. "You talk as if you haven't experienced it yourself!"
"I haven't experienced it - of course not." Xia Yibing raised her eyebrows. "When I was eighteen or nineteen years old, well, I was probably studying at the headquarters during that time... I often read so much that I forgot to wash my hair. You wouldn't think this kind of girl is attractive, would you..."
Hitzfeld stared at her blankly, not saying a word for a long time.
Xia Yibing thought the topic was over and was about to extend her wrist to her for support, but she saw the cherry lips on the other side tremble: "Do you regret it?"
"What?" Xia Yibing didn't quite understand.
"Let's not talk about this anymore." Hitzfeld lowered his head and grabbed the edge of his skirt. When he looked up again, his whole face was covered with a bright smile: "Let me ask you... am I pretty?"
"!" Xia Yibing was a little frightened, and it took her a while to come back to her senses: "It couldn't be more beautiful!"
"Then you can look at me and imagine what you could have when you were my age."
Hitzfeld looked directly at her and spoke to her seriously, word by word.
"The most beautiful thing you can have."
The woman's heart stopped at this moment.
She understood it all…what the girl had said before, the questions, and the various pitying looks.
It turned out that she was feeling sorry for herself, regretting that she couldn't bloom like this at the best age.
That's a miss too, isn't it?
She can have many reasons and excuses to illustrate and explain that she actually doesn't care about these things as much as ordinary girls.
But it is true...I have had fantasies about it.
When I fantasize about the plots in novels, even occasionally, I may feel regretful.
A hot feeling kept rising from the bottom of her heart. Xia Yibing's lips trembled slightly. She wanted to say something but couldn't.
She felt the delicate body pressing against her, like a black rose about to bloom, wrapping her with her white arms, and the face, so delicate that there was not a single flaw, was resting comfortably on her chest.
"So now you have it..."
She heard this voice coming from below.
"What's mine is yours..."
"Treat me recklessly, just like you who I missed..."
"I don't know." Xia Yibing took a deep breath and hugged Hitzfeld tightly. "The detective girl from Iris Street also has the talent to become a poet."
Although she could be said to be being teased and tempted, surprisingly, she did not have any dirty thoughts in her mind.
There was only love that was overflowing, and was spreading like a tide for the girl in his arms.
"..."
"..."
The two of them embraced each other in silence for a while, until Madeline came in impatiently and her face changed drastically when she saw this scene.
"What are you doing?"
Madeline came forward nervously.
"Sir Imaar, you must remember that you swore an oath before His Majesty..."
"I know exactly what I'm doing." Xia Yibing interrupted her coldly, "Okay, I know you're here to urge us, let's just get in the car, okay? Let's go now."
It is worth mentioning that they were not riding in a horse-drawn carriage.
Horse...where are the horses?
The climate and environment of the entire Corrupted Blood Kingdom have completely changed. Apart from humans, there are no familiar animals here, and naturally there are no horses left. People use a kind of blood beast to pull carts.
This creature, called a long-eared beast, is similar in size to a horse, but stronger and has longer manes. It has dense, triangular teeth in its mouth, loves to drink blood and eat meat, and must be equipped with a mouth peg to be properly controlled.
It was already dark when they arrived at the Governor's Palace. Captain Xiu De's car was at the front. The team paused for a while at the beginning. As the captain showed the letter, they were quickly led to the front of the queue and received special VIP treatment.
There were four people in Hitzfeld's carriage, including the three of them and Billie.
It was also the first time for Billie to see such a scene. After entering the mansion, she kept crawling around on the seat, arching her little butt to look at the scenery outside the window.
Thanks to her, they caught a glimpse of quite a few male guests dressed strangely.
The top was like a wooden barrel... I don't know what material it was made of. There seemed to be two strange shoulder ornaments with semi-circular balls on the shoulders. The bottom was wearing shorts, and standard white silk stockings were wrapped inside the shorts until below the knees.
It's too weird. It's not just funny, it's so weird that even watching from the sidelines makes you feel ashamed.
While they were discussing this strange aesthetic, a servant sneaked into the backyard of the mansion and quietly knocked three times on the trunk of the largest tree in the yard.
