Chapter 85: Rivals in Love Clash

“Yo ho! So you’re finally here, the human fiancé of Bao’er! I thought you were hiding from us out of fear!” As Luo Yong finished packing his things and stepped out of the basement into the general store, an elf—handsome and waiting—sidled up to him, his tone mocking, his eyes full of open hostility, focusing on him with all his being.

Smack!

A white glove landed at Luo Yong’s feet. Another dashing elf, who had appeared from who-knows-where, seemed to have picked up the ways of ancient knights from somewhere and was putting them on full display.

“A duel, Luo Yong! You’re not worthy of Bao’er!”

“Don’t you people have anything better to do?!” Luo Yong squinted at the pair—a Highland Elf and a Vale Elf. Both were undeniably handsome, a racial trait—nothing to be done about that.

But aside from that first love who’d rejected him in the throes of her awakening feelings, he’d never been humble before anyone!

“If you two are customers, you’re welcome here. If not, then I suggest you make a smooth exit,” Luo Yong said, his voice devoid of emotion.

“We… are not customers,” said the Highland Elf.

“What do you mean by a ‘smooth exit’?” the Vale Elf asked.

“It means get out!” Luo Yong pointed to the door.

“Crude human!” The Highland Elf shook his head, his handsome face stern. “Bao’er will never like someone like you. Do the right thing and withdraw, don’t make things difficult for her.”

“That’s right! Only the best among the Vale Elves deserve to stand beside a goddess like Bao’er!” the other elf chimed in.

“Yes… Ahem, no, that was crude. What I mean is, only elves can understand elves; there’s a mutual understanding that leads to lasting bonds…” the Highland Elf said.

“Exactly!” the Vale Elf agreed.

“Huh?” Luo Yong looked at the two. Their levels were likely above his, though whether they could actually defeat him was another matter—but he couldn’t let his momentum falter.

“Well, since you say you understand him and he understands you, why don’t you two marry? Congratulations!”

“What do you mean?”

“You mean us?”

The two handsome elves stared at each other, then simultaneously made retching faces and pulled away from each other in apparent disgust.

“Highland Elves are heretics!”

“Vale Elves are traitors!”

Suddenly, the two were at each other’s throats like sworn enemies.

Tension rose between them, as if a deadly battle could erupt at any moment.

Luo Yong, meanwhile, sat on a small stool, cracking sunflower seeds and covering Sally’s eyes.

This was not something a child should see—far too bloody.

Yet Sally peered through his fingers, her eyes darting between the two handsome elves, a strange excitement swelling in her heart.

She loved a good fight—especially when it was over a woman.

Ahem.

“Hmph!”

“Hmph!”

As the tension mounted and the crowd grew, the two elves snorted simultaneously, turned their heads away, and ignored each other. A fight that seemed about to break out fizzled before it began.

“Not exciting at all,” Luo Yong commented blandly.

“Fighting him is pointless. Luo Yong, if you’re a man, fight me!” The Highland Elf—who somehow had another white glove—snapped it down in front of Luo Yong.

…

Luo Yong regarded the all-too-familiar glove, dark lines forming on his forehead.

He was certain he’d seen this very glove before.

Turning his head, he spotted the Wild Hunter sneaking away.

The others looked awkward too, avoiding his gaze.

So they were in on this!

His own team had been making sport of their captain behind his back—a bunch of troublemakers, the lot of them.

“A duel, is it? My level isn’t high, I’ve been stuck at a bottleneck for a while. What level are you two? Planning a fair fight, or are you just going to bully the weak?” Luo Yong asked, glancing around. The Elf Lady didn’t seem to be present. If she’d heard him talk like this, she’d probably have punched him already.

A proud woman like her would never permit the man she chose to be a weakling!

“So you know you’re weak! Just quit already and stop blocking Bao’er’s path!” the Vale Elf snapped.

“Quiet, you!” The Highland Elf cut him off, glaring. “This is between Luo Yong and me. Go away, far away—use that… smooth exit!”

Then he turned to Luo Yong.

“I know your level is low, so I’ll cap myself at level 20. A fair fight—to see if Highland Elves or humans are superior, to see who truly deserves Bao’er!”

“Level 20? Are you joking?” Luo Yong rose from the stool, removed the necklace from his neck, and then, from the Elf Elder, took out the rune gem he’d… ahem, acquired. He placed all these in Sally’s hands.

Instantly, his level dropped to 5.

But his energy and stamina remained at level 10—so in close combat, he wasn’t restricted and could fight at a level-10 standard, though his spellcasting was capped at level 5.

“If you’ve got guts, suppress your level to 5. Let’s duel on equal terms—let’s see who’s the real boss!”

Highland Elf: …

Vale Elf: …

Everyone: …

Seeing their expressions, Luo Yong lamented the absence of a commentator—he could only sigh inwardly.

A tree without bark is doomed, but a man without shame is truly invincible!

Ha! He loved this feeling of invincibility.

“F-f-f… five? Level five?” The Highland Elf was so shocked he could barely speak.

“This can’t be…” The Vale Elf seemed similarly shaken, as if struck by a blow from another world.

“No! I refuse to believe it! How could Bao’er be engaged to a human like this?!”

“It’s all a lie! Bao’er, tell me—why?!”

The two handsome elves were growing agitated, nearly losing control.

“Hey, if you two have something to say, take it outside. Don’t mess up the shop, disturb the other customers, or scare the children!” Luo Yong pointed at the door, once more inviting them to leave.

“Ahem, Captain, actually, these two have business with us too—they’re co-owners of this store…” Ellya sidled up to Luo Yong with a meaningful look.

…

Luo Yong was speechless.

He hadn’t known this at all.

He looked at his team—all of them turned away, feigning ignorance. Clearly intentional.

“Letting wolves into the house!” Luo Yong sighed in resignation, but suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, “Aside from the Highland and Vale Elves, are there any other groups involved?”

“There’s the Mage Guild…”

“And the Heroes’ Association.”

“You… How could you—opening a shop like this, you can’t just…” Luo Yong began to lecture them about the risks.

But at that moment, someone else entered from outside.

“How could you open a shop and leave us out?” said a familiar voice. Two familiar figures appeared before Luo Yong.

“We… seem to have come at a bad time?” The Truth Sorceress glanced at the two angry elves, whose hair almost bristled with fury as they glared at Luo Yong, faces twisted with rage.

“Luo Yong, putting aside the Heroes’ Association, the two of us are here in a personal capacity to cooperate with you,” the Light Sorceress said, her gaze sweeping the store named “Leisure Time.”

…

Luo Yong was again rendered speechless. He supposed the monopoly of the old magic shop had been too severe—now that he had his own store, everyone wanted a piece of the pie.

“Of course—welcome!” Luo Yong’s face lit up with a practiced business smile as he moved to greet them, shaking hands with each and inviting them inside.

This was a far different reception from the elves.

After all, they were rivals in love—and they’d already invested, so there was nothing more to be done.

“Hm?” Suddenly, as the Light Sorceress passed Luo Yong, she sensed something amiss and her eyes turned sharp.

“Sanctify!” she declared, raising her staff and pointing it at Luo Yong without warning.

Instantly, holy light flooded the shop.

Crackle…

A strange sound came from Luo Yong’s body.

Everyone turned to look, only to see wisps of black smoke rising from him, carrying the scent of death.

Bathed in holy light, the smoke evaporated, disappearing quickly.

As for Luo Yong himself…

“Luo Yong, are you all right?” Wendy was first to rush over, grabbing his arm and whispering in his ear.

Ellya followed, subtly keeping the Heroes’ Association pair at a distance.

“He’s fine—just came into contact with something unclean,” said the Light Sorceress.

“What happened here?” A voice called from the door—it was the Elf Lady, Yan Bao’er. In a flash, she was at Luo Yong’s side, having spotted the Heroes’ Association and the burst of holy light from afar.

Her first thought was that Luo Yong’s identity as a necromancer had been exposed and he’d been attacked by the Light Sorceress.

Light and darkness were eternal opposites—just as Highland Elves loved sweets while Vale Elves preferred sour things.

Each saw the other as heresy, both eager to eliminate the other entirely.