"You do realize you're a beauty, don't you?" A chill glinted in Perman's eyes, making Xin Mu falter. Zhang Ruofeng sometimes let a chilling look slip onto his face, but Perman's gaze carried an almost violent menace. Zhang Ruofeng had once caught Xin Mu's eye while they were watching adventurers in the street. In his experience, people who wore that kind of expression all the time had usually killed someone and crossed that threshold. Perman had the same look.
"And you're from another world. Beauty isn't especially prized in this one, but put that together with being from another world, and do you really think you can get by without the strength to protect yourself? People might treat you like a rare treasure—or even make you a plaything, if they're the sort of adventurers who have no decency." Perman's voice was low and oppressive, leaving Xin Mu at a loss.
"Let me ask you: would you accept a strange potion from someone you'd just met?" Perman asked. Xin Mu shook her head almost at once. She would never accept anything from Perman, no matter how friendly she seemed. "Good. Then tell me, do you think Zhang Ruofeng would accept something from you, based on what you know of him?" Perman asked calmly. Xin Mu shook her head even faster. Zhang Ruofeng hardly ever wanted to spend time with anyone, so why would he accept a gift from someone and put himself in their debt?
"Phew..." Perman's aggressive manner softened. She rested her head on Xin Mu's lap and said, "I've said just about all I can. You'll have to figure out the rest for yourself; there's not much point in me explaining it. I can tell you like that brat Zhang Ruofeng. And both of you are good people, with excellent potential as adventurers. You're calm and cautious, and that's what matters most if you want to survive as an adventurer. But you're too passive, and you've put a lot of pressure on Zhang Ruofeng. It's made him push himself into one dangerous situation after another almost from the moment he started adventuring."
Xin Mu frowned in confusion and looked at Perman. She was only in her twenties; of course she couldn't match the experience of someone like Perman Aisilusi, who had been an adventurer longer than Xin Mu had been alive. And unlike Zhang Ruofeng, who had grown up and survived in a complicated environment and had dealt with all sorts of people from a young age, Xin Mu was a sheltered girl. She really couldn't understand what Perman meant.
"You know this yourself: Zhang Ruofeng thinks you're very important. I don't know why he has such an awkward personality, but you matter a lot to him. He also cares deeply about your goddess, Fura, and he's exceptionally good at reading people." Xin Mu readily agreed with Perman. Perman continued, "So what if I kidnapped you right now? You look like an innocent young woman, untouched by the world. I'm a woman too, but it wouldn't be hard for me to take your virginity, would it? Could you fight me off?" Xin Mu saw the seriousness in Perman's eyes and knew that if it came to that, she truly couldn't resist.
"Of course, I'd never bully a lower-level adventurer just because I'm high-level. But adventurers aren't all kindhearted. Some risk their lives for money, others for fame, and still others for greater power. Most of them aren't good people. Plenty of adventurers who tried to play the hero or do the right thing have died. Remember this: be careful, and stay wary of adventurers from other Familias. This world is neither beautiful nor kind." Perman's pained expression at the end made Xin Mu nod along.
"Hey, you know what?" Perman's demeanor abruptly changed, and a lecherous grin spread across her face. "Slavery's banned here in Orario, but it's common in other countries. There's even a type of slave kept specifically for nobles. You and Zhang Ruofeng had better work hard. Once you manage to gather the Dragon Blood materials, I'll buy them all and make ten bottles of Dragon Blood. There's a great noble who promised to trade me two pairs of incredibly beautiful twin sisters for ten bottles. They're only fifteen, completely obedient to their master, and virgins. I saw them the last time that noble came by. They were really... heh heh heh..." Her eyes sparkled, and drool was practically spilling from the corners of her mouth.
Xin Mu knew Perman was only trying to lighten the mood, but the abrupt change of subject left her dumbfounded. Was that really something you could say to someone from another Familia? And to a woman from another Familia, no less?! For the first time, Xin Mu understood how Zhang Ruofeng felt when he was left speechless by Perman.
"Enough. Drink this. Mana is hard to manage. Even when you aren't using magic, it can sometimes keep draining away depending on your mental and physical condition. This Mana Recovery Potion should help you feel better." Though Xin Mu had been unconscious for a long time, her mana still hadn't recovered. She didn't say much, and drank the pale green potion. Soon, her head began to feel heavy.
"This is a Minor Mana Recovery Potion, but it has the same side effect as Zhang Ruofeng's: it'll make you drowsy. Get some good sleep. I'll take good care of you." Xin Mu saw Perman's lecherous old-man expression flash across her face. Then she couldn't fight off her sleepiness any longer and collapsed onto the sofa.
------Perman's perspective------
"You two are such a handful." Perman looked at the two people sleeping together. Xin Mu seemed to be having a nightmare while unconscious, and her mental state was very unstable. With no other choice, Perman moved her beside Zhang Ruofeng. Only then did she settle down a little.
"Seems like every adventurer from the Flower Goddess's Familia is like this." Perman recalled the members of the Flower Goddess's Familia she'd met over the years. Every one of them was a regular at her shop.
"You're pretty impressive, kid." Perman looked at Zhang Ruofeng before her. He'd had the nerve to face four Guard Bees. He was the bravest rookie she'd ever seen. Was that because he came from another world, or because he was young and fearless? Thinking back to how pathetic she'd been at the start, she couldn't compare to kids like these.
"It's because you'd risk your life to protect beautiful Xin Mu that I feel safe entrusting my daughter to you." Just then, Perman heard the familiar commotion outside. She looked toward the few female adventurers coming through the door and smiled brightly. "Welcome back! Do me a favor, would you?"
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