Chapter 35: Chapter Thirty-Five: The Dog
George initially wanted to politely decline, upholding the spirit of frugality, and only have beef jerky with a glass of mild ale tonight.
But the aroma of curry rice wafted through the tent, and he thought about how unhappy Jima was today; she only cared about whether she could get what she wanted from the withered wood mountain. She held enormous hostility towards anything that might interfere with her goals.
“You’re worried that my kindness will prevent you from getting what you want,” George said as he took the curry rice. The white rice accentuated the vibrant color of the curry, “It’s normal to have a bit of resentment; I ate it.”
“Tsk, tsk, takes advantage and then acts coy—there are not many who can eat the dinner I made with my own hands… at least only you in the army,” Jima added.
George took a spoonful, ate it, and said, “Hmm, it’s delicious. It’s my first time having curry without any spiciness; I didn’t expect it to taste so good.”
His joy did not rest on the suffering of others, which only made Jima feel even more unhappy.
She stared at George as he ate the brownish-yellow curry along with the rice. When the spoon touched the enoki mushrooms, she suddenly said, “Do you know how to solve a week’s worth of meals with a single silver coin?”
George, holding a spoonful of enoki mushrooms, paused in mid-air. He knew Jima had ulterior motives, and beneath her beautiful exterior lay a heart full of darkness, but he couldn’t help but say:
“Black bread?”
Jima replied seriously, “A handful of enoki mushrooms.”
“Enoki mushrooms?”
“Yes.” Jima’s control slipped, and she couldn’t help but laugh as she said, “Because enoki mushrooms have a nickname: ‘Tomorrow’s See.'”
After saying that, fearing George wouldn’t think of that aspect, she extended her clean middle finger, adorned with a lucky ring, stirring the curry on the white rice, revealing a cluster of enoki mushrooms:
“Just like this, Tomorrow’s See.”
George’s mouth curled in disgust, and he almost dropped the curry rice.
Jima laughed, sucking on her middle finger, unintentionally making an international gesture of friendship.
George took a deep breath and asked, “Why are you so antagonistic towards curry?”
“George, how can you say that? Linking curry to that thing,” Jima said with a stern face, “all foods are equal, there’s no distinction between high and low! Except for chili.”
Without saying another word, George reached to tap Jima’s head. She had already noticed it stealthily; leaning back, she supported herself with her hands and retreated rapidly while laughing like silver bells, disappearing behind the tent flap.
George shook his head, looking at the plate with the seemingly delectable dish. Overcoming his mental barrier, he scooped up an enoki mushroom and was just about to put it in his mouth when…
Suddenly, Jima’s head popped out from the tent flap, her black hair cascading like a waterfall over her shoulders. She smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth, and said, “Tomorrow’s See.”
George almost spat out the spoon and put the plate down.
Jima laughed aloud and quickly ran away.
George rushed to the tent flap and yelled, “Jima, stop!”
Not far away, a middle-aged woman, nibbling on bread, looked up and sighed, remarking that she had aged and used to be just as lively in her youth. She tore off a piece of tough bread and handed it to her husband, saying:
“I really envy the young people; that adult is so lucky to have encountered a good girl who cooks for him.”
Her husband said, “It’s a pity that I can’t run anymore.”
“Meow, meow.” Lianxi the cat opened her mouth, mimicking the middle-aged woman’s lip movements.
Regarding the matter of cooking for George, Jima had her own unique views.
She watched the soldiers around her who could only eat dry rations, smelling the fragrant aroma wafting from the tent, revealing a look of envy towards George. A gleam of triumph fleeting across her eyes.
Indeed, I easily deceived everyone.
His habit of eating the meals I prepare means he will have no defenses against my poison.
I really am thoughtful.
As Jima rubbed her aching crown, she thought.
After George finished his dinner, he took the plate to find Jima and found her in Eve Frostleaf’s silver-white tent.
Inside the tent hung an alchemical lamp, and the pristine light fell on Eve’s silver hair and bare shoulders, resembling moonlight falling on snow. She was polishing her sword, with a book titled “Everyday Curse-Breaking Guide: No Curse is Eternal” beside her.
Perhaps the soft light gave her a gentle aura, rounding off her proud edges and making her seem much softer.
Jima was lying on the blanket, wearing a loose nightgown, her black hair spilling over the white, soft nightgown, her tail lazily swaying back and forth.
She was as languid as George imagined, the thin blanket crumpled into a ball, along with her pillow, propped up underneath her chest, allowing her to write on the book while occasionally lifting her golden eyes to scan Eve Frostleaf’s tall, mature body.
George approached Jima, close enough for her tail to swish against his calf.
“What’s wrong?” Jima said, “Are you trying to peek at what I’m writing?”
“I came to return the plate.”
“Place it on my left, and I’ll toss it into the ‘Dream Palace’ later. You really cleaned it well, it’s as if it’s been licked. No need to wash it.”
The book sprawled open on the blanket, and Jima was completely unconcerned about being seen.
The pages contained somewhat artistic writing, a jumble of characters that caught George’s attention.
He asked, “What does it say?”
Jima glanced at the book, and a passage in Chinese wrote:
“Eve Frostleaf was bound and hung, wearing only alluring silver threads, I approached from behind, holding a whip. She turned her head, with her mouth stuffed but without losing her pride, glaring at me. In front of her, I struck her thigh with the whip. She winced, raising her swan-like neck, as her long legs in white threads had numerous tears…”
Jima said, “It’s a code you can’t understand.”
Or rather, no one else in the world can understand it except her. Even if a deity came, they wouldn’t be able to decipher such unfamiliar text.
“How is the bait plan going?” George said, “If the beastmen didn’t find the bodies from yesterday, it means our army might be attacked at any time.”
To avoid leaving traces and to speed up their march, the army didn’t dig trenches or cut down trees for fortifications while camping.
“Half an hour ago, I conducted a divination. The beastmen are still half a day’s journey from here,” Jima said, “They are expected to find the pile of bodies by tomorrow morning at the latest. I relied on dreams, and they are heading there now.”
“Very good.”
George looked at the clean plate, suddenly recalling something, and asked, “Jima, you just took a bath, right? The food was also prepared in the Dream Palace?”
“If you also want to enter the Dream Palace,” Jima propped her cheek on her hand, stroking her tail, her face slightly flushed, she smiled ambiguously, “Unfortunately, you won’t. I don’t want any bed activities yet.”
“I have no such thoughts.”
“You will have them. First, you’ll think of visiting your home, then I’ll kiss you, we’ll rest together, I’ll touch you, and then I’ll just brush against you without going in…” Jima wagged her soft tail and said, “I understand everything.”
“I just thought, since your Dream Palace can hold so many things, we can place some logistics supplies in your Dream Palace.”
At that moment, a sound of ‘humph’ came from Eve Frostleaf’s side.
Jima looked over, and Eve had a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, still cleaning her sword.
Jima didn’t feel embarrassed and replied, “In my Dream Palace, there are eight slaughtered livestock, several barrels of sweet melon wine, and some food, enough for the army to eat for about three days.”
“You can place tents, spare weapons, repair tools, etc., so we can free the pack animals.”
“No.”
“Is it the space not enough or something else?”
“It would trouble me,” Jima said, “If I agree, it means every time we camp, the soldiers will have to come to me for tents, for repair tools, or even for their socks left in my Dream Palace. It would be like making me do the pack animals’ work; I don’t want that.”
“What do you want?”
“Unwilling is unwilling.” Jima said, “It’s too troublesome. Every time something goes into the Dream Palace, it consumes my magic power. I don’t want to run low on magic in an emergency fight.”
George didn’t push further and said, “Alright, I hope you agree in a crisis.”
“Maybe, it depends on my mood,” Jima said, “It’s good that you didn’t treat me as a laundress.”
“Your Dream Palace can actually clean clothes automatically.”
“Scumbag, go away.” Jima reached her head out and pushed George.
George walked towards the tent flap and said, “Pay attention to the divination of enemy situations, report anything promptly.”
“Really nagging, Aunt Jo.” Jima waved her hand, “No problem, as cunning as the beastmen are, can they outsmart me?”
The next day, morning.
Eve Frostleaf had just awakened, dressed in her outfit, and glanced at the succubus.
The black-haired succubus had an unattractive sleeping posture, her arms and legs sprawled everywhere, her black hair a mess.
From experience, this lustful and agitating succubus usually slept in until the army was about to depart, and would only wake up at the last minute, speeding through her washing routine.
“Whoa!”
Jima did a flip and suddenly stood up, stepping on the orange cat’s tail.
“Meow!”
Lianxi the cat jumped up, instinctively reaching out her paw but withdrew it immediately upon realizing it was Jima, meowing.
Jima pulled her foot back, and Lianxi hugged her tail, blowing on it.
“Not good.” Jima, only wearing a nightgown, dashed toward George’s tent.
As soon as she pushed open the tent flap, she saw George had already woken up.
“It’s all your fault; something big has gone wrong.”
“What happened?”
Jima quickly passed the blame, “You said something would go wrong, and it indeed did.”
George held his patience and said, “Did the beastmen not see the body pile from yesterday and head straight here? No, if the situation was that urgent, you wouldn’t be so calm chatting about nonsense.”
“Hello, prophet.” Jima said, “The beastmen fell for the trap and are quite angry. Of course, anyone who can read my words would surely be infuriated since the beastmen always believe that humans should be at the lower end of the food chain, being their food.”
Hearing Jima take the time to take credit eased George’s worries, “The problem is that they uncovered your deception and are heading straight for the army?”
“Not yet—it’s about to happen. They’re furious and will rush over overnight,” Jima said, “But it’s not that my traces are hidden poorly.”
“Then what’s the issue?”
“They have dogs.”
