After Reincarnation, I Was Turned Into a Slave Maid by the Princess

"Senior Elucia?!"

When Elucia said such words, Sethilu instantly petrified.

She stared with wide eyes in a daze, as if looking at the most unbelievable thing in the world: "How, how can this be? Isn't Hero Lonis your partner..."

"It's fine, I don't care much about reputation anymore~"

"But, but..."

Sethilu lowered her head, seeming to fall into deep thought.

But after a moment, she still shook her head and said: "No, this kind of thing... I can't do it..."

"Why not?"

"Mm, because Hero Lonis and I are also very good friends, very good companions. If I did this kind of thing... I always feel our relationship would become very strange and never be like it usually is."

Sethilu nervously clenched her fists, but just then, Elucia showed a happy smile:

"Hehe, since Princess Sethilu says so, then I'm relieved~~"

"Eh, Senior?!!"

"Hehe, you know too, right? That little dummy Lonis is a bit of a playboy and might do strange things when the girls aren't paying attention!"

"Ah...?"

"So knowing that Princess Sethilu actually won't be seduced by the little dummy, this young lady is also at ease~~"

"Woo ah!"

Only then did Sethilu realize she had been teased by Miss Elucia!

But...

Since she was a senior, Sethilu had no way to retaliate and could only say somewhat resentfully:

"Senior, you're so mean!"

"Hehe~ That's natural~~"

"I think if Senior were a boy, you'd definitely be the type to bring ruin to countries!"

"Eh?"

"Whether it's me, Hero Lonis, or everyone else, we'd definitely all become Senior Elucia's harem~!"

Because they had the same bloodline, Princess Sethilu also tried hard to retort~

Just like this, everyone stayed an extra day in the royal capital.

However, this extra day wasn't without benefits: everyone got sufficient rest, and they could finally face that boundless Vast Sea with full spirits.

"Everyone, are you ready?"

"Mm, the cargo has also been inventoried. We can set sail at any time."

"Suling is ready too, I bought lots and lots of snacks!"

"Then, let's go!"

Under Elucia's command, this golden ship slowly set sail again.

Watching that verdant city disappear into the depths of view, Lonis felt both a slight sense of loss and pride.

The sense of loss was naturally from saying goodbye to this city, and the pride was from gaining honor and everyone's affection in the royal capital... she truly experienced what it felt like to be a hero~

If only the upcoming journey could be as smooth as now!

(Mm... I remember the entrance to the Vast Sea is Senior Luozhi Sheng's hometown, right? I wonder what it's like there?)

Thinking this, Lonis wanted to find Senior Luozhi Sheng to confirm the situation.

At this moment, this short-haired girl was confirming route information together with Elucia.

"Captain Elucia, this course is currently stable. We should arrive in about a week."

"Mm, but is there no problem with the pest infestation in your hometown?"

"Pest infestation..."

"Right, didn't Senior mention it to me once? There are also giant insects around the Drowning Mist Archipelago."

"Oh... that matter isn't a concern. After all, we're not facing these terrifying monsters for the first time."

"Oh?"

"From the depths of the Vast Sea, various strange creatures often drift over. Those giant maggots are relatively easy to deal with because they move slowly... what we fear most is a creature called shadow beasts."

"Shadow beasts?"

"Mm, these monsters appear and disappear mysteriously. Even I've never seen their actual form. But every time shadow beasts appear, they're sure to bring deep disaster to our city."

"Even cameras haven't captured traces of shadow beasts?"

Elucia frowned slightly, looking very puzzled.

"Mm, no... to be precise, shadow beast attacks don't distinguish between electronic and biological. Everything within that area will be completely destroyed."

"Then since there's no eyewitness evidence, how can you deduce that thing is a monster?"

"Eh?"

"For example, it could be space tearing, or some special shock wave phenomenon could also be possible, right?"

"Yes."

Luozhi Sheng nodded without feeling offended by Elucia's questioning: "Actually, I've had such doubts before. But the truth is, in my hometown's Drowning Mist Archipelago, stories of shadow beasts have been passed down for nearly a thousand years."

"A thousand years..."

"I think shadow beasts might just be a natural phenomenon, but since tradition is like this, we call them shadow beasts... Every time a new year begins, we drive away shadow beasts through decorating with lanterns and colors or setting off fireworks."

"I see."

Elucia looked thoughtful.

And Lonis, hearing the story Luozhi Sheng described, was startled.

"Set, set off fireworks! Drive away shadow beasts?!"

"What's wrong, dummy Lonis? Eavesdropping on our conversation outside isn't something a qualified little maid should do."

"Ah, ah! Miss Elucia, no... I was afraid of disturbing your conversation just now..."

"Hmph, you already have disturbed us... speak up. I saw you react very strongly to setting off fireworks just now. So, do you have any intelligence to provide?"

Although Elucia was asking Lonis, that proud gaze clearly didn't believe the dummy maid had any intelligence to provide.

However, this time Lonis could finally be useful and save face:

"Mm, actually, I've also heard legends of shadow beasts. When I wasn't a hero yet, shadow beast stories were very famous in our country."

"Eh?"

"It's just that back then they weren't called shadow beasts, but year beasts... People said year beasts would destroy villages and devour livestock during winter each year, so every New Year they would drive away year beasts by setting off firecrackers and hanging lanterns."

"So those shadow beasts might not be things that appeared in this era, but had already appeared on the planet in the previous era?"

"Mm, but... although ancient people deeply believed in the existence of year beasts, for people of my time, most considered year beasts nonsense."

Lonis sighed as she explained. Telling everyone about past events always gave her a feeling that things had changed.

"Why do you say that? Didn't little fox say year beasts often destroyed villages and devoured livestock?"

"Mm, but those were all rumors from feudal society. In technological society, people had phones and cameras but never photographed the appearance of year beasts. So we at that time thought year beasts were just ancient hearsay, an explanation for the unknown."

"That's not necessarily true."

Elucia shook her head and said: "If something has occurred, there must be a reasonable explanation. Moreover, driving away year beasts was an important custom for you people, right?"

"Eh?"

"After all, you did this fixed activity every year, right? So I think year beasts don't not exist, but perhaps gradually stopped appearing with the passage of time."

"Ah?!"

"However, this is just my speculation. I need to investigate more materials about year beasts. Are there similar books?"