The party was over when the bonfire died down, leaving ash of the wood behind the villagers started to head back to their lodging.
Chief Rick led three adventurers to their lodgings. Yes, only three, Cao Yuntai, Liang Suyin, and Gu Yingjie. Tang Shaoyang and Fan Rui were not with them.
None of them were asking where the two went to. Liang Suyin entered the lodging without words while Gu Yingjie entered his room dejectedly, "Where's my leader and Fan Rui?" Captain Cao asked the old man.
Old Man Rick smiled meaningfully, "You know," Cao Yuntai immediately caught the meaning behind those two words. If it was his Boss, he understood but Fan Rui. He was surprised that his subordinate could pick up a girl.
*** ***
Meanwhile, Tang Shaoyang was, in fact, still within the square with Elin.
"Are you sure you are not in a relationship with your party member and Chief Rick's daughter? They keep looking at you," Elin curiously asked the man. While she was conversing with Tang Shaoyang, she noticed the two girls kept looking in their direction.
"Nope! The old man kept pushing his daughter to me though, but I already have my eyes on you," Tang Shaoyang smiled, "But you haven't given me your answer yet."
"An answer huh!? I thought I was yours even before you killed the Dire Wolf King," Elin stood up and pulled his hand, "Since you want my answer, follow me then."
Tang Shaoyang let the woman drag him, they were heading out of the village. They went into the forest, while Tang Shaoyang's eyes locked her ass which was dancing while they were walking into the forest.
She brought him to a place that was not far off from the village. They stopped in front of a big tree, the woman pointed her finger at the top, and he followed the direction.
There was a decent size of a house on the top. She was bringing him to a treehouse, "My late husband built the treehouse, but we never enjoyed it together as he died not long after he built the house."
Tang Shaoyang did not interrupt the woman, waiting for her to continue since he felt there was more than that.
"Follow me!" She did not continue as she climbed up with her fur-dress. Tang Shaoyang followed and he could see the unprotected garden. Elin did not wear panties, and little Shaoyang immediately hardened at the sight.
They entered the treehouse, it was dark but Elin immediately lit the candle, giving light to the dark house. A bed for two people and a set of chairs and a table, nothing much was inside the treehouse.
Elin sat at the edge of the bed, she tapped the empty spot next to her, signaling him to sit there. Tang Shaoyang sat next to her, "He was killed by the Dire Wolf King!"
Tang Shaoyang already knew the story from Chief Rick. However, he did not interrupt her, listening to her story to the end.
Her husband was Silver Rank Adventurer, Hakop was his name. One day, her husband's party accepted a quest to investigate the Orin Forest before Beast Stampede.
Alas, her husband's party was almost wiped out by the Dire Wolf King with only one sole survivor, the archer. The archer managed to escape from the encounter.
"I was devastated to hear that, but later on, I made an oath. If there was an adventurer or someone who managed to kill the Dire Wolf King, I will serve the adventurer with my body and heart!" Elin looked Tang Shaoyang to the eyes.
"Oh, does that mean you are going to serve me with your body and heart?" Tang Shaoyang finally got the point of why Elin started with her dead husband, "But that kind of contradiction though? I don't think your husband will like this?"
"He's dead, and I am alive, I have to face that reality and continue to live on. And I decided to give myself to someone who killed my husband's killer!" Elin's smile disappeared as a solemness replaced her smile.
"A slave, a sword maid, a wife, or even a partner to relieve your lust. I am willing to serve you with anything," she got off the bed and knelt in front of Tang Shaoyang.
He was about to get her up but stopped midway as two consecutive notifications rang in his head. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw two options in front of him.
[Individual Elinova is offering herself to be your slave, do you want to accept her as your slave? (Y/N)]
[Individual Elinova is offering herself to be your sword maid, do you want to accept her as your sword maid? (Y/N)]
'Huh!?' This was the second time such a notification appeared in his eyes. The first time happened with Pride, the Fogged Ape Tribe who surrendered to him and became his vassal.
'Does this mean I can bring her with me back to Earth?' Tang Shaoyang carefully thought of his choice and the possibility of bringing the woman back to Earth.
—It seems so, but you need to be bonded with her if you want to bring her with you back to your original world. That's the condition, I guess. Just like us the spirits, we can stay with you because of our contract, without a contract we can't stay in your world.
'Hmmm, slave? Sword maid?' No matter how he looked at it, sword maid was the better choice for her. He might have a weird fetish but slaving his woman was not one of them.
'But should I bring her?' Then a thought of his woman sleeping with another man crossed in his mind. If he did not bring her with him in seventy days and left, Elin would surely look for another man to live on.
At those thoughts, he immediately chose the sword maid bond. He tapped yes, and then he saw a two swords crossed symbol brightened on Elin's forehead. The light then connected to his forehead, it lasted around twenty seconds.
[You have accepted Individual Elinova as your sword maid!]