Chapter 25 Several Girls with Their Own Thoughts

This time, by proactively revealing the existence of Xu Ruo... Xia Xier was actually taking a gamble!

She was gambling—gambling on the chance that no one in this world knew the name Xu Ruo.

Within the Holy Kingdom, under the influence of Holy Magic, everyone had come to believe that Xu Ruo was her childhood sweetheart.

No one knew... that the Demon King who had just been defeated not long ago was named Xu Ruo!

And as long as she obtained Dewin's approval, then... Xu Ruo could remain safely by her side, living as a human.

She would also be able to make up for the regrets of her past life and properly protect him.

As it turned out... she had won the gamble! A complete and total victory!

On the way back, Xia Xier ran into the other members of the Heros Party.

"Xier, I never expected you to be so secretive. Even we only found out today that you actually have a childhood sweetheart who you're so close with..."

Bai Ye's enthusiasm was as vibrant as her crimson hair. As she spoke, her large eyes darted around, scrutinizing Xia Xier's face.

"Tell me... what does this childhood sweetheart look like, and how old is he?"

"He is the most handsome man in the world." Xia Xier smiled, her voice sweet and captivating. "He's a bit older than me."

Xia Xier paused for a moment before adding, "As for his exact age... I don't actually know."

Bai Ye shook her head with a hint of regret and didn't press further.

Beside her, Luna, who was a head shorter, didn't offer any verbal congratulations, but her nod toward Xia Xier was enough to convey her feelings.

However... Qingya, who seemed somewhat uneasy, for some reason, couldn't bring herself to meet Xia Xier's gaze.

Even when Xia Xier's gaze merely swept over her, she would hurriedly look away in panic.

Even stranger than her was Mira! The silver-haired little girl who was usually a chatterbox... was currently watching the interactions between her teammates in silence, remaining indifferent.

However... deep in her eyes, there seemed to be a flicker of worry.

Sensing Mira's unusual behavior, Xia Xier felt a stir in her heart. Without asking any questions, she smiled gently and reached out to pat Mira's head. "Mira, don't worry. He will be fine."

Mira's body trembled slightly. She reached out her small hand, grasped Xia Xier's palm in return, and without saying a word, nodded heavily.

Was she worried that something might happen to Xia Xier's so-called "childhood sweetheart"? No, she was worried about Xia Xier, because...

"Alright! Since we're all so happy today, let's go to a bar for a drink. The bill for everything today is on me!"

Bai Ye's excited cheer was exactly what Xia Xier had expected.

"Sister Bai Ye, can you really handle your alcohol? You got drunk after just a few cups last time. Maybe we shouldn't go?"

Unexpectedly, the first one to raise an objection was actually Qingya, who usually had the best tolerance for alcohol.

Before she could continue, Bai Ye draped her slender arm around Qingya's fair, alluring neck and said with a grin, "Isn't this because I'm happy for Xier?"

"Speaking of which, Xier has a sweetheart now, so when are you going to bring yours for us to see? Even an ex-boyfriend would do; let us check him out."

Her warm breath gently brushed against Qingya's flawless neck, causing a crimson flush to instantly spread across her fair cheeks.

She pulled away from Bai Ye and hurried forward a few steps, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "I'm not showing him to you..."

"Haha!" Bai Ye laughed triumphantly, seemingly very satisfied with Qingya's reaction. "Look at you, being so protective. As long as a man is capable enough, I wouldn't even mind serving him alongside you."

"I'm just afraid there isn't such a man in this world..."

As she spoke, she seemed to realize that it wasn't appropriate to be saying such things inside the holy Monastery. Bai Ye quickly covered her mouth, her gaze toward Xia Xier filled with a hint of apology.

Xia Xier, however, shook her head dismissively, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes as she looked at Qingya.

"Sister Bai Ye is right. How about... I introduce you to my childhood sweetheart another day?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Qingya's already crimson cheeks turned as red as a raging fire in an instant. She could no longer keep her composure; covering her face, she hurried away without even looking up.

Bai Ye and Mira were both doubled over with laughter. They hadn't expected that Sister Qingya, who usually spoke so boldly, would be so easily embarrassed...

In the end, the girls agreed to Bai Ye's suggestion. Tonight's bar was destined to be incredibly lively!

Even Qingya, who had fled, was ultimately forced under Bai Ye's "coercion" to attend this drinking party that belonged only to the five of them.

However, the enthusiasm the residents of the Holy Kingdom showed toward their Heros Party seemed to exceed what the girls had expected.

Under Xia Xier's lead, they attracted the attention of countless people before they even reached the entrance of the bar.

Even though Bai Ye had removed her armor and Mira had taken off her mage's robes and hat to change into more convenient attire... the presence of Xia Xier, the Saintess, meant they still became the center of attention in the bar.

Whenever they tried to start a girls' conversation, enthusiastic residents would always come up to pay their respects... Eventually, the owner had to lead them to a private room before their world finally quieted down.

The soundproofing in this private room was truly excellent; the owner must have installed sound-dampening magic stones in every room.

But after all that commotion, Mira was listlessly slumped over the table. Unfortunately, she didn't seem as well-endowed as Xia Xier, so even while lying like that, there was almost no sense of oppression—

"Sigh~~~! I'm so tired. If I had known that the price of fame was losing the ability to live a normal life... I would have used concealment magic back then to keep them from seeing what we looked like."

As she spoke, Mira let her head droop. Her large, watery eyes looked up at Xia Xier, as if seeking comfort.

Xia Xier smiled beautifully and reached out to ruffle Mira's hair, her gentle voice filled with deep affection. "This is just a small matter. If we were to shirk our responsibilities over such trifles... we would be nothing more than hypocritical heroes, unworthy of the title."

Seeming to find Xia Xier's words very reasonable, Mira blinked, sat up straight, and nodded her little head like a chick pecking at rice. "Mm! Sister Xier is right. I should be stronger."

As she spoke, she looked up and flashed a brilliant smile at Xia Xier. Xia Xier smiled back and was about to speak, but suddenly felt... an unusual gaze land on her face.

She turned her head and happened to lock eyes with Qingya. In an instant, Qingya hurriedly averted her gaze in panic.

Without asking any questions, Xia Xier turned back and raised her glass. "Come on, let's toast."

The three girls raised their glasses simultaneously, the clinking sound crisp and clear. Bai Ye stopped teasing Qingya and smiled brilliantly as well. "Well said! As heroes, this is our responsibility!"

They downed their drinks in one gulp! The girls' laughter once again echoed through the small private room. Even Luna, who was usually quiet, offered a rare, faint smile.