The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 500: “Go Take a Bath and Sleep.”

Shien had long since noticed that Carol was monitoring him.

The perception ability of [Outer Awareness of Heaven’s Decree] was far superior to his past self. Not only could he sense hostility and magic power, but also various malicious intents and life auras. Coupled with his enhanced senses, Shien could see through all falsehoods. If he couldn’t even detect someone watching him in secret, then this powerful skill would be wasted.

However, Shien didn’t intend to pay attention to Carol.

He knew that Carol was simply wary of a man like him wandering around the Elven Homeland, not that she had any malicious intentions towards him.

Therefore, Shien ignored her.

Now, she had actually come out so openly and even told him about it directly. Was she that fearless, or was she just too rigid and straightforward to hide anything?

Shien didn’t know, nor was he interested in knowing.

He only knew that he didn’t get along with this stubborn girl at all.

Therefore, Shien didn’t bother being polite to Carol.

“Since you’re here, tell me where the bathroom is.”

Shien asked Carol directly, too lazy to startle the other elven girls.

But Carol’s answer was surprisingly straightforward.

“There isn’t one.”

Carol replied instantly.

“What?”

Shien was stunned.

“I said there isn’t one.” Carol said with a straight face. “There’s no such thing as a bathroom in the Elven Homeland. Otherwise, why do you think we wouldn’t have one in the tree house?”

So, it wasn’t that he couldn’t find the bathroom, but that there was no such thing as a bathroom here?

…Was she kidding?

“Then how do you bathe?” Shien retorted. “Don’t tell me elves don’t bathe or use the toilet.”

Hearing the words “use the toilet,” even Carol couldn’t help but glare at Shien.

Didn’t this man know what was appropriate to say and what wasn’t?

“We never use bathrooms for bathing.” Carol said stiffly, “As part of nature, we elves always cleanse ourselves in rivers or lakes.”

Shien understood.

So, in other words…

“All elves bathe in open-air rivers or lakes?”

Shien’s imagination ran wild.

Could it be that somewhere in the Elven Homeland right now, there was a river or lake full of naked elven girls?

Shien could almost picture those beautiful elves, bathing and playing in the water.

…Should he use [Inner Awareness of Heaven’s Decree] to sneak a peek?

No, not to peek. How could he be that kind of person?

He just wanted to test the effects of [Inner Awareness of Heaven’s Decree]. He didn’t have such indecent thoughts.

As a Heaven’s Decree skill he obtained by fusing countless skills, he had to properly confirm its power and effects.

That’s what he was thinking, pure and innocent, yes.

Unfortunately…

“You’d better not do anything you shouldn’t.” Carol said coldly, as if she could read Shien’s mind. “I’m monitoring you precisely to prevent you from doing anything indecent. Even if I didn’t, with the Queen’s Palace, nothing in the Elven Homeland can be hidden from the Queen. I advise you to abandon those thoughts.”

“Ahem, don’t slander me.” Shien coughed dryly, then said seriously, “Do you think you’re some peeping Tom goddess who can read minds? Why do you say I have indecent thoughts?”

These words caused confusion.

“A peeping Tom goddess?”

Carol was taken aback.

“Have I… been discovered?”

A certain Goddess of Nature, who was following Shien closely, was also startled.

However, this goddess didn’t know that Shien wasn’t referring to her, but to another goddess named Nien.

Carol, after a moment of surprise, didn’t pay much attention to Shien’s words.

Perhaps she thought Shien was referring to Lilith.

Carol said calmly,

“I can’t read minds, but I know that all you men have this reaction when it comes to this matter. Even Mitra, the Hero, was the same.”

Carol’s words made Shien sigh.

Whether they were Heroes or not, men were all pathetic.

He was like this, and Mitra, the Hero from a thousand years ago, was also like this.

But Shien still wanted to say,

“Senior, you’ve completely ruined the Hero’s reputation.”

It seemed that after coming to the Elven Homeland, the image of that Hero who defeated the Demon King was gradually crumbling.

Of course, on the surface, Shien still had to retort.

“Since you can’t read minds, don’t make random accusations. Is our reaction a sign of indecent thoughts? Can’t it be that we’re worried about you elven girls catching a cold in the river or lake?”

Carol was speechless.

“Elves are favored by nature and aren’t affected by natural temperatures. Unless it’s due to human actions or magic, elves don’t feel hot or cold.”

Carol looked at Shien with disdain.

It was clearly the look of someone who had caught a man trying to do something indecent, making clumsy excuses.

However, Shien really didn’t know this.

Elves weren’t affected by natural temperatures?

Well, as expected of a naturally magical race, favored by nature, they were truly a living testament to the unscientific.

“So, there really are no bathrooms in the Elven Homeland?”

Shien was still a bit unwilling to give up.

“No.” Carol said firmly, “We love and are close to nature. For us, cleansing ourselves in rivers and lakes is both a habit and an instinct. Setting aside those who are traveling, in the village, we all do this, even the Queen. There are no bathrooms in the Elven Homeland.”

Shien finally understood.

He understood why Lucy had gone to find Melika alone earlier.

“Could it be that she already knew about this and didn’t want to bring me along, afraid that I would sneak a peek at the elven girls bathing, which is why she was acting so suspiciously?”

Shien’s lips twitched.

This was entirely possible.

Otherwise, why wouldn’t that lazy princess bring him along?

If it was just to find Melika, or to play in the Elven Homeland, she definitely wouldn’t have left him behind, but would have dragged him along.

“That unlucky girl…”

Shien decided to teach that princess a lesson tonight.

As for how she knew about this, Shien suspected Lasha was behind it.

That elusive maid always somehow managed to gather all sorts of tourist information about the places they visited, like the location of inns, restaurants, the ingredients of dishes, and so on, faster than anyone else.

Therefore, it was highly likely that she had already arranged for the girls to bathe.

Even if Airi didn’t need it, Lilith couldn’t possibly be coaxed to sleep without taking a bath.

“That poker-faced maid…”

Shien gritted his teeth.

At this moment, Shien felt like the whole world was against him.

He had no status in this Elven Homeland.

No, he had to find a way to regain his ground.

Shien thought about this as he asked Carol,

“Then what should I do? You can’t just tell me not to bathe, right?”

If this elf dared to say “Aren’t all men smelly?”, Shien wouldn’t hesitate to punch her in the chest and retort, “Aren’t all women soft?”

Fortunately, Carol wasn’t that rude.

“The Queen said that you will receive the highest level of treatment. Since that’s the case, we will naturally make arrangements for you.”

Carol turned around.

“Follow me.”

Saying so, Carol walked forward.

“Arrangements?”

Shien muttered, then reluctantly followed.

Along the way, Shien encountered many elven girls.

Their reactions were all the same: startled at first, quickly stepping aside, then secretly glancing at Shien with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Shien felt like he had come to the wrong place and didn’t want to complain anymore.

“Just take a bath and go to sleep.”

This was Shien’s only thought now.

…

Led by Carol, Shien arrived at a secluded place.

It was deep within the forest, some distance away from the Elven Homeland.

Not far ahead was the edge of the Elven Homeland’s barrier, and it was said that beyond it was a vast mountain range.

“You can bathe here.”

The bath Carol prepared for Shien appeared like this.

Seeing what was before him, Shien’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A hot spring?”

Yes.

What appeared before Shien was a hot spring.

And it was a very large one.

Its diameter was about twenty or thirty meters, and its width was also more than ten meters, like a small lake. It was big enough for not just one person, but even a hundred people to bathe in.

Looking at the steaming hot spring, Shien was surprised.

“This is the arrangement you mentioned?” Shien blinked. “Did you just dig this?”

“Of course not.” Carol said calmly, “This hot spring has existed for a long time, even before Her Majesty was born. Her Majesty often used it when she was young, and occasionally uses it now as well. Few people know about this place. It’s just right for you to use now.”

He took back his previous words.

His treatment was actually quite good, wasn’t it?