"Businessmen, you know. Perfectly normal." Su Li leaned back in his chair.
Saina made a round of the vegetable patch, confirming that no cats had trampled it before happily getting to her feet and patting the dirt from her hands.
"Saina! I'm going to cook! We're having stew for lunch today!"
Saina carried the bag of spices into the kitchen.
Before long, the clatter of a pot being washed came from inside.
Elena set down her cup and scooted closer to Su Li, a vast swath of soft, snowy whiteness pressing against his arm.
"Who did you just say was your wife?" Elena lowered her voice, twisting her waist restlessly.
Feeling the astonishing springiness against his arm, Su Li's Sword Spirit Root obligingly sped up for a cycle.
"It was just an excuse for playing along." Su Li remained calm.
"An excuse?" Elena refused to let it go, placing one hand on Su Li's thigh. "Then what am I?"
"You're my biggest creditor, all right?" Su Li moved her hand away. This woman was utterly unrestrained even in the courtyard.
Elena smugly lifted her chin. Those three hundred Purple Gold Coins and that pile of potions had been hauled out of Old Ford's secret chamber by her—no one could match that kind of confidence.
"But." Elena put away her teasing manner and turned serious. "Vera said the fighting at the front is getting intense. Even the mercenaries from the Free City-State have been drafted dry. That's not good news."
Su Li nodded. The war between the Orenda Kingdom and the Baris Empire had undoubtedly reached a horrific stage.
Though the flames of war had yet to reach the Free City-State, turmoil on this scale would sooner or later affect the prices and situation here.
"We need to pick up the