Chapter 80: What the Hell is a Surprise
Before heading out, Jima skillfully took out a palm-sized mirror to check her overall appearance.
A large white sun hat topped with a few fluffy, pristine tulle skirts. Her black hair cascaded to her waist, the tulle skirts were immaculate, and a silk ribbon accentuated her slender waist.
In her aesthetic view, she was definitely on the threshold of becoming a palace maid. This was even with her flat chest significantly lowering her score.
Still, it felt strange for a mighty demon lord to be involved in a squabble between a hero and a woman. Men should wield swords and fight head-on; acting like a shrew truly detracts from dignity.
However, all this humiliation seemed trivial in the face of the prompt on her “personal system panel.”
“DM: Congratulations, you have taken a step forward on the road to leveling up in dreams.”
Jima couldn’t help but excitedly lick her lips. I’m truly a genius at leveling up.
This entire plot has only succeeded halfway, yet there is already such a reward.
“Let’s go.”
Jima took George’s hand, her chin slightly raised like a proud swan, stepping out of the door.
The two descended a rickety ladder. The tavern on the first floor had been completely refurbished; the floor was polished to a shine, and several maids were mopping up dirty water, rolling out carpets, all the tables had been replaced, and a pleasant scent of perfume filled the air.
In the center of the hall was a round table, already set with several plates of desserts, steaming and looking soft. Jima’s stomach growled again; she was doubly hungry. She hadn’t had breakfast yet, and her “energy” was low, urgently needing to replenish some “desire.”
The demoness’s instincts stirred a craving within her, but she could suppress it. At least, Jima thought she could perform without any obstacles.
There were only two chairs at the round table: one could accommodate a hefty four hundred pounds, while the other was empty.
The four hundred pounds lifted her head, unable to see her neck, and a huge smile spread across her large face:
“Good morning, dear Joe.”
When her gaze shifted from George’s face down to their clasped hands, the smile on the four hundred pounds’ face immediately vanished. Her small eyebrows furrowed sharply, glaring at Jima with hostility:
“What’s your relationship with him? Let go of Joe’s hand.”
Jima smiled, “Isn’t it normal for an engaged couple to hold hands?”
George nodded.
The small eyes in the four hundred pounds’ face widened in shock.
You shameless woman! You think you can provoke me?
In a little while, her smile returned as she said to George:
“Joe, you really can act, honestly, you scared me. Yesterday, she was still your maid.”
“That’s true,” Jima replied. “To hide our identities, my dear George and I publicly claim to be knight and servant, but who among the Bartos knights would choose a beautiful girl as a servant? Moreover, in our hometown, it’s not uncommon for fiancées to serve their fiancés to cultivate feelings.”
The smile on the four hundred pounds’ face gradually faded as she said to George:
“Tell me she’s lying, that what she said isn’t true.”
George didn’t nod; he merely tightened his grip on Jima’s hand, lifting it to show the four hundred pounds their linked fingers.
The four hundred pounds’ mouth dropped open as she stood frozen.
Jima smiled at her and said, “Please don’t meddle with my fiancé any further, goodbye.”
With that, she took George’s hand and walked toward the tavern door.
All the maids stopped their work and quietly watched the two.
Jima counted silently in her mind, and when she reached thirty-two, a thunderous roar erupted behind her:
“Don’t think you can fool me; stop right there!”
The two turned back simultaneously to see the four hundred pounds springing up from her chair and rushing towards them with formidable force, shouting at Jima:
“You little wretch, how do you deserve Joe? Do you think I’m a fool? You’re just a servant with a pretty face; there are plenty in Shalin City. I could buy fifty women like you with the gold I eat in a day, and still have change.”
“Oh, you’ve misunderstood,” Jima turned her head to look at George, her eyes sparkling with affection in front of everyone: “We are childhood friends who grew up together.”
“I don’t believe it!”
Jima sighed, “Do you know why George can only say a hundred forty words a day?”
Then, Jima smoothly recounted the melodramatic lie she had just fabricated. When she spoke of being forced to marry a despicable man, her voice was filled with an unbearable sorrow; when she spoke of George coming to rescue her from the marriage, her tone brimmed with pride…
The series of lies stunned everyone into silence. No one interrupted, and some maids even quietly wiped their eyes.
As expected of a demoness, she could tell lies with such genuine emotion. I must have failed terribly in my education.
George thought to himself.
Jima sniffed, raising her moist golden eyes to look at George, speaking passionately:
“… In order to break the curse and marry me, George gave up his claim to territory, seeking the goddess’s favor through adventure and battle. I was worried about him, so I secretly left to travel with him. Because I was afraid of leaking information, I became his servant; I’m willing to be his servant for life.”
George was momentarily stunned, not knowing how to respond. The affectionate Jima discreetly pinched his palm with her nails.
George promptly nodded vigorously.
The four hundred pounds’ eyes brightened as she opened her fan, covering her mouth, bursting into laughter:
“Ha ha ha, what a plausible little minx! I’ll tell you, if you continue to deceive and insult me, you won’t have a good outcome. Your clothes, tsk tsk tsk, must be cheap stuff bought from a shop that sells to whores, right? How do you think you’re worthy of my Joe? I’ll say it again: if you don’t kneel and apologize to me, I’ll let everyone in the city know you’re just a whore being ridden by everyone.”
George’s anger flared, clenching his fists and stepping forward, but Jima held him back.
The four hundred pounds smiled:
“Of course, on Joe’s account, if you sincerely apologize, I’ll let you off this time.”
Faced with the four hundred pounds’ “whore shaming,” Jima felt no sensation at all. From a certain perspective, the four hundred pounds had unwittingly hit the nail on the head. Jima liked being in a dominant position.
She remained unfazed, replying:
“Do as you wish; as long as George loves me, it doesn’t matter how others see me because my world is enough with him.”
“You!” The four hundred pounds gritted her teeth, “Don’t lie to me. If you’re his fiancée, why didn’t you stand up yesterday? Can you really tolerate other women pursuing your man? Joe is just momentarily unable to accept my wonderful love and is using you to act out a play.”
“George is so outstanding, upright, brave, and handsome. It’s perfectly normal for him to be liked by women.” Jima assumed a primary wife’s demeanor. “I don’t mind at all if George brings me a few sisters; I even want to find some to share the duties of a wife. However, George has always refused.”
With that, Jima wrapped her arms around George, resting her head on his shoulder with a face full of happiness, murmuring, “How lucky I am to have met you, loyal, brave, handsome, and gentle…”
Such sweet talk made everyone around uncomfortable. Some maids looked enviously at the couple, feeling they were a matched pair, natural partners. In contrast, the four hundred pounds was left speechless.
George felt the hair on his neck stand up, his skin crawling. He desperately told himself this was just Jima’s exaggerated lie, a necessary step to shake off the four hundred pounds. It managed to suppress his urge to turn and flee.
What shamed him more was that from what Jima was saying, he felt… excited.
Too shameful!
He just hoped time would pass more quickly.
The four hundred pounds was shaken; she finally wavered, stepping back step by step, muttering, “This is impossible, impossible. Not possible!”
As if a higher pitch could negate everything.
Suddenly, it seemed like she had grasped a lifeline, questioning: “Liar! Let Joe show the painting from that day. It must be a painting of a woman, right!”
The last sentence she directed at her old maid.
“Master,” the old maid said softly, unable to bear seeing her mistress lose control like this, “Let’s end this here; he’s not worth it, and it will be bad if it gets out.”
“As long as I get Joe, I don’t care what others say.” Besides, the four hundred pounds’ reputation had long been tarnished; she said sharply, “Answer my question.”
“Yes, I saw him earnestly sketching a woman.”
“Did you hear that? She said Joe poured his love into the painting, drawing a beautiful woman,” the four hundred pounds said. “If you’re his beloved fiancée, he must have been painting you!”
Jima was about to refute her lie.
But saw George looking panicked, stretching out his hand in rejection, shaking his head firmly.
The four hundred pounds was on the brink of tears from joy. She believed she had hit the mark, and that the woman Joe painted was probably her.
Finally, her true feelings were about to be reciprocated!
She said, “If you don’t show me the painting, I’ll press on! I’ll also punish you, you little trollop.”
Tsk tsk, so panicked, perhaps their secret spell-making supplies would be exposed in public. The sight of him being publicly shamed must be quite entertaining.
Jima’s mind was filled with wicked ideas as she slightly frowned, pulling George’s hand, saying:
“Dear, you haven’t shown me the painting either. I know it’s probably a surprise for me, so please take it out and let that fat woman give up.”
The four hundred pounds said, “What a malicious little trollop.”
George’s face turned red, hesitating. Jima felt excited about the impending public shaming, her happiness evident in the wagging of her tail.
As long as she could see her enemy humbled, she would be very pleased.
The four hundred pounds softly said, “Joe, if you don’t show it, I understand you’re shy; the one in the painting is me. I’ve received your affection.”
Now, George couldn’t sit still. Gritting his teeth, he put down his backpack, took out the painting wrapped in paper, and struggled to unwrap it.
The content of the painting appeared before everyone’s eyes.
The four hundred pounds’ face went stiff.
All the maids gasped in unison, “Oh!”
Jima leaned forward to look, her tail stiffening in fear.
It depicted the riverway in Shalin City, surrounded by beautiful streets. In the center was a black-haired girl with her hands behind her back, eyes filled with emotion, showing a captivating smile to the viewer, her white small tiger teeth resting on her cherry lips. A tail extended from under her tulle skirt, playfully raised, the hem of her skirt slightly revealing.
It was Jima. In the entire painting, only Jima was colored.
