Chapter III: All According to Plan

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“Why are you not allowing me to go down the kitchen?” Xiao grunted.

    “Please allow my chef and the Traveler to prepare for tonight on their own,” Verr nervously looked at Xiao, “I very rarely ask for anything from you, Conqueror of Demons. But the chef is always intimidated when you are around and would be too conscious of your presence. Please leave them alone for a while.”

    Verr didn’t think that the Yaksha would be back before nightfall. Smiley would be too pressured to move and give orders to the Traveler around the kitchen if the Adeptus will be there. 

    “Hmph. I won’t disturb them then,” the Yaksha crossed his arms before disappearing.

    Verr quietly went down to the kitchen to check the duo. Smiley and Lumine are just finished cleaning up and another inn attendant mops the floor. The inn attendant’s back was turned on Verr and as she tapped his shoulder, he got spooked.

“AAAHHH!”, his hands lose grip on the mop bucket.

Unluckily, the dirty water in the mop bucket splashed on Lumine. Her white dress turned brown as she looked at Verr in shock.

“Oh no!” Verr hurriedly took the Traveler to the side.

“I’m so sorry!”, the inn attendant quickly mopped the spillage.

Lumine is too shocked to react. She planned to call Xiao once they were done preparing and play the flute for him but now she’s drenched. Smiley and Verr berated the clumsy inn attendant as Lumine quietly checked her dress. She looked like a complete mess. Verr pulled her over towards her personal room and gave Lumine a towel.

“I apologize for that incident,” she ushered Lumine to the bathroom, “Wash up while I look for something you can wear.”

As the Traveler cleaned herself up in the bathroom, Verr nearly clapped her hands in anticipation. She didn’t know that her plan would work, that inn attendant was actually her accomplice. She took out a dress, something she specifically asked from Lady Ningguang, and clean under clothing. She remembered how Lady Ningguang personally talked to her after she made the request and the two ladies set up this plan. The dress was her idea while Lady Ningguang gave her the osmanthus wine. The two ladies gushed over the plan for quite some time. They originally planned to have a special commission sent to the Traveler but luckily, Lumine already appeared at Wangshu Inn before Lady Ningguang’s secretary was able to get to her and she was alone as well. They actually planned to gorge Paimon with a lot of food so she won’t bother the Adeptus and the Traveler too much.

Verr always had that intuition that the Yaksha and Lumine have a special relationship. It’s time to see if she is right.

    “I am so sorry about what happened,” Verr Goldet said through the door.

    “Don’t worry about it,” Lumine answered back, “I could’ve avoided getting wet if I was paying attention.”

    She handed over the dress, “There are unused and clean underwear, and I hope my old cheongsam fits you.”

    Lumine reached out for it and quickly dressed up. “It’s a bit tight.”

    Verr looked over the Traveler from head to toe. The cheongsam is made of black silk with a low neckline. It is embellished with gold lotus flower prints and reaches just above the knees with a slit on the left leg. She knows that Lady Ningguang made the dress fit the Traveler well and it shows. He’s either blind or stupid if the Adeptus won’t see how beautiful Lumine is right now.

    The Traveler went back towards the kitchen to check the Mint Jelly. Smiley was shocked to see the Traveler and noticed how he looked. He needs to change for the party, and to impress Lady Ningguang. He quickly excused himself and left Verr and Lumine alone.

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