Chapter 594: Huh?"I will be a wandering adventurer looking for opportunities to earn my keep," Leo responded.
"Um? But don't you think that's more like a solo-oriented role? Are the two of you both going to be wandering adventurers?" the woman asked, glancing toward Lily, who was the most likely candidate to accompany Leo because of her strength.
"That's a very dangerous role to take on in Tilgarth. Your type would be prime targets," she added, her gaze lingering on Lily.
"Well, if that happens, it will make the investigation easier. I can get to their core facilities as a captured man."
The woman was mildly surprised by the response.
"I like you. You are bold and have the power to back it up. Um?" She once again looked toward Lily, whose hatred seemed to be increasing towards her.
"Well, having Low 2-star strength will put you at a sweet spot—not weak enough to be looked down on, yet not strong enough to draw too much attention. It'll also make it easier to talk with important figures." Saying that, she raised her palm and started suppressing Leo's aura.
Just like Kaelion, Leo didn't feel anything unusual, only that the air around him had become lighter, making him appear to be a Low 2-star.
"Good luck."
With that, Leo stood aside, waiting for the woman to finish Lily's suppression.
"And here I thought the 1st-ranked student would be the strongest... someone is already sitting at the cusp of Peak 4-star."
"3rd-ranked student, Lily. Oh... so you three are the legendary 3 L's of Aurelius Beast Academy. Good, good. I am very pleased that a woman is among the strongest."
Since Leo's and Lily's cities were the same, the veiled woman didn't bother going through the details again and directly asked about Lily's role.
"I suppose you are also a Wandering Adventurer and happened to have made friends with Leo..."
"In that case, you should be at the cusp of Mid 2-sta—"
"I am his slave." Before the woman could finish, Lily interrupted.
"Huh?"
The woman blinked, as though she had heard something wrong.
"Excuse me? Come again..."
"I am Leo's slave."
The woman frowned, taken aback.
"My ears... they are growing old, I guess."
"No, Lady, you heard me right. I am Leo's slave, whom he bought for 50 Gold coins. I can handle most of his daily necessities and even use magic to help in everyday life. Like lighting a campfire, freezing food to keep it fresh, creating drinking water, and drying his clothes."
Klink!
Even the person standing behind Lily had his jaw hanging open as the badge slipped from his palm and clattered onto the floor.
The woman thought about all the possibilities that might have led Lily to take up such a role. It was something entirely new, something the veiled woman had never witnessed in her 3 centuries of life.
Did she lose a bet? Does this Leo blackmail her? Or...
The woman simply couldn't believe that a girl as strong as Lily would willingly take on such a lowly role, even if only for a limited time. Girls like her usually wanted men to preach their greatness, yet here was Lily, willingly becoming Leo's slave.
"What's your reasoning behind it?" the woman finally asked. Even her 3 centuries of experience had failed her today.
"Nothing? It will just make things easier for me. I am sure I would find it troublesome to pretend to be something else. This way, as his slave, I can quietly follow him."
But being a 7-star powerhouse, the woman was already picking up hints of something else.
"You... are you both a couple?"
Lily felt a faint tingle in her mind, as if someone was trying to see through her, but she was distracted by the woman's question. She smiled.
"Yes, Leo is my man."
The woman looked toward Leo, who simply nodded.
She remained silent for a moment, contemplating everything before finally reaching the conclusion that the love between them must be so great that neither of them cared about establishing who was dominant in their relationship.
"Well... it's your choice. But coming back to this, if you are capable of wielding more than 4 elements, 50 Gold coins seems a bit low, even if it's only for basic chores."
"What is the backstory that you have prepared?"
Lily explained both her and Leo's backstories. As for herself, she had been sold by her adoptive parents to pay off their debts. During their assessment, the slave traders learned about her 1-star magic-related talent, which allowed her to wield multiple elements. So they protected her until a suitable buyer came along. And that buyer was none other than Leo.
Since Lily was devastated after being sold, Leo's positive attitude toward her made her fall in love with him. Even though they had a slave-master relationship, she was wholly devoted to him.
The veiled woman nodded.
"The story is good, but I would suggest some changes. A 1-star magic talent would indeed put you in the 30 to 50 Gold coin range, but that should only apply to someone capable of wielding a single or dual element. Not to mention, you were pretty, pure, and in good mental health. So, combining all those factors, your new price becomes 80 Gold coins."
Then she turned toward Leo and once again raised her palm, increasing his apparent level to Mid 2-star.
"Now, Leo is 60 years old, and after 35 years of saving every penny, he was finally able to afford you. Make sure your appearance reflects your age. Get a face-alteration spell cast on you by a specialist in that corner, so nobody sees through your disguise." She then looked back at Lily.
"You too. The face is fine, but get your hair color changed. Pink is too eye-catching and recognizable. That's all from me. Good luck."
With that, Leo and Lily bid the woman farewell and had their disguises completed by the specialist.
Right now, Leo looked like someone in his mid-40s. That was due to his apparent Mid 2-star strength, which had an anti-aging effect on his face, making him look younger than he supposedly was.
As for Lily, she only had her hair changed from pink to black, matching Leo's. Black was also the most common hair color, so it wouldn't arouse any suspicion.
"You really look unrecognizable." Leo chuckled at Lily's new appearance. She looked a little grumpy, but the veiled woman's suggestions had indeed been sound.
"Hmph! I will make sure to cling to you every moment so that you don't lose me, old man."
Leo merely shook his head. His face had undergone a complete overhaul, with wrinkles appearing in a few places and the rugged look that naturally came with old age.
But the interesting thing was that Lily wasn't bothered by it at all. As if, to her, Leo's appearance didn't matter—only his presence, which, of course, made Leo very happy.