Chapter 261: Lady, I'm not someone to be trifled with.
As the night deepened, Luo En uncovered a secret about the Lady.
She became intoxicated easily, and her behavior when drunk was rather unsavory…
"What did I do for him to treat me this way?"
"You did nothing wrong, there's no need to punish yourself for someone else's mistakes."
"Why can he go out and fool around while every single day I have to be on pins and needles, swallow my anger and keep silent?"
"That's because your moral standards are high."
"He himself is caught cheating in bed and still dares to raise his hand to me?"
"Worse than a beast!"
Beneath the flickering firelight, the lady enveloped in a sheer gown waved her wine jug, ranting and raving, taking a few sips from time to time to stoke her emotions;
The listener seated beside her kept eagerly agreeing, occasionally adding some indignant comments to enhance the mood, much like a stage actor in a supporting role, but the rolling of their eyes showed they were most likely pressed into service.
Don't reason with an angry woman, especially one who is drunk and needs to vent.
She's talked about her own husband as if he was already deceased; Luo En certainly didn't want to get burnt because of an Argive he wasn't familiar with.
Moreover, that fellow's actions didn't sound like those of a decent person.
Finally, after clutching the wine jug and cursing for half an hour, the lady named "Si La" eventually calmed down, drank the last drop of wine, and contentedly collapsed next to the fire pit, immediately falling asleep.
Apparently due to the ferocity of her previous actions, her already loose gown had slipped down her smooth shoulders a bit, exposing layers of white and seemingly endless cleavage.
Luo En glanced at her, bemused.
Lady, you really don't consider me an outsider.
After a moment of inward remark, Luo En pulled a blanket from the Magic Circle Diagram and covered the lady, shielding the spring light that had begun to flow.
However, just as he stood up, intending to leave, his wrist was suddenly gripped tightly.
"Don't... don't go..."
In the murmuring that seemed to be both confiding and pleading, the lady curled up, tears gleaming at the closed corners of her eyes.
Luo En tried to pull away his arm a few times, but that only made the lady hold on even tighter.
At the same time, fear and unease were accumulating on her face, as if they could awaken her from her dreams at any moment.
Luo En's heart softened, he sighed, chose to sit down nearby, gently closed his eyes, and quietly waited for dawn's arrival.
~~
The next day, the early morning light penetrated the shadows of the forest, falling upon a heap of ashes emitting wisps of smoke.
Sensing the changes in the light outside, Luo En, who was in meditation, slowly opened his eyes.
"You're awake?"
The lady, holding freshly picked wild fruits, approached the camping site, her clothing as tidy and elegant as ever after being taken care of.
Luo En smiled slightly, without mentioning last night's events, he spoke a few polite words.
"Greetings, Lady."
"Yes, you as well."
The lady nodded in response, her previously tense lips relaxing into a soft smile, her gaze at Luo En filled with warmth and approval.
She had thought the wine was just an ordinary drink, something she could handle with ease.
She hadn't expected that once she really got drunk, she would show an even more frivolous drunkenness than those young people.
Fortunate for her, the only person privy to it was considerate and discreet; she herself hadn't done anything too outrageous, otherwise, the situation would indeed be quite embarrassing for her.
"Lady, seeing that you are well, I am relieved. If you need nothing else, I shall take my leave."
"Wait a moment!"
As Luo En exchanged a few courtesies and was ready to turn and leave, the lady in front of him blocked his way and spoke in a grave tone.
"I need to return to Argos, how about you escort me on the journey?"
"Uh, I still have some matters to deal with in Thebes."
"That's just on the way."
The lady spoke indifferently, her tone brooked no argument.
Luo En was bemused, wondering why the lady seemed to have taken a fancy to him.
At that moment, the lady gazed at the young man from Thebes with regal contemplation: "Bring me to my destination, and I will give you anything you desire!"
Hearing her boast, Luo En couldn't help but let out a wry chuckle: "I appreciate your generosity, but it seems I desire nothing."
Perceiving the refusal in his words, the lady's face darkened, and she bit her lip with a cold huff.
"Ungrateful!"
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With that, she rose indignantly and strode off alone into the depths of the dense forest.
However, after only a few steps, she staggered, a hand resting against a tree trunk, her mouth racked with violent coughs.
Flecks of gold-red liquid spilled from the corner of her mouth.
Luo En saw from a distance, his brow furrowing.
It seemed the lady was seriously hurt. Besides, the journey from here to Argos was not short; encountering Magic Beasts and bandits was quite normal, and in her condition, she might not be able to cope.
Moreover, having just turned her husband into the deceased, even if she returned to her homeland, her days were likely not going to be easy.
"No wonder she wants me to escort her..."
Luo En pondered for a moment and sighed helplessly.
"Well, it doesn't matter whether I am going to Thebes or Athens, I have to pass through the region of Argos anyway. Taking her along on the journey is no big deal; consider it a good deed."
Having made up his mind, Luo En quickly covered the remaining embers and caught up with the swaying noblewoman ahead, extending his hand to help her up, his expression seamlessly shifting to a gentle smile.
"What I mean is, of course, I have no problem taking you home, but there's no need for any repayment. After all, I didn't really help much before and actually caused you quite a bit of trouble..."
Upon hearing this, the noblewoman's expression gradually softened, yet her tone remained brusque.
"You just take what's given to you; there's no need for you to worry about the rest!"
"Yes, yes, shall we go then?"
Luo En smiled and nodded in agreement, then summoned the divine horse and chariot he had received from the Queen of the Sea and invited the noblewoman beside him to take a seat.
A demigod?
Witnessing such a sight, the noblewoman's eyes flickered, and she nodded proudly.
All the better! Lest she gives too much and the young fellow cannot bear the divine blessing.
Meanwhile, Luo En, sitting in the driver's seat, also had his doubts.
Not surprised?
Could this lady be someone more than just any Argive royalty?
Clytaemnestra, who personally stabbed her own husband…
No, this won't do. He had no recollection of such a name or deed and wasn't that familiar with the history of Argos...
Baffled, Luo En had no choice but to suppress his curiosity, driving the bronze chariot and taking the enigmatic noblewoman towards the region of Argos.
Although he couldn't unravel the mystery, he was now looking forward to this "repayment."
~~
They sped along, and as night fell, the chariot reached the outskirts of a city-state.
As the divine horses slowed down, the noblewoman on the chariot suggested in a deep voice, "Let's rest in the suburbs; I don't want to deal with strangers."
Luo En, who had his own secrets, naturally agreed without hesitation.
Thus, the two of them chose a dense forest nearby, lit a bonfire on a clearing, prepared some food, and took a brief rest.
Soon, the delicious dishes filled their empty stomachs, but the noblewoman felt something was missing.
Her gaze then fell on the wine flask at Luo En's waist, and realization dawned on her.
"Give me the wine."
"You want to drink more?"
Remembering what had happened the last time this lady was drunk, Luo En was somewhat apprehensive.
The noblewoman glared at Luo En and snorted arrogantly.
"I'm merely sampling some trivial beverage, what's there to fuss about?"
With that, she took the wine flask from Luo En's waist without further ado, pried open the wooden stopper, and began taking swigs directly from the flask.
Her manner wasn't one of drinking wine, but rather, like she was holding a grudge against it.
As for the outcome...
The Ambrosial Honey Wine brewed by the God of Wine himself would subdue anyone too stubborn to admit it.
"You fooled me with sweet talk, and now you want to kick me to the curb after getting what you wanted. Don't even think about it!"
"Hmm..."
"Those who I've been with, wives and lovers alike, are in the double digits, and you even go after the generation of my great-granddaughters! Shameless!"
"Hmm hmm..."
"They say I'm harsh and cold-blooded, but isn't it him who drove me to it? If I expose all the shameful things he's done, he won't have it easy either!"
"Ah yes, absolutely..."
As usual, Luo En cautiously agreed, managing to appease the cursing, weeping noblewoman until she fell asleep.
After making sure she was soundly asleep, he stealthily reached out to take the wine flask that the lady was hugging tightly in her arms.
However, as soon as he tugged at the strap, the noblewoman instinctively reacted, her arms clasping around it like snakes.
Not only did Luo En fail to retrieve the wine flask, but he also found himself half-engulfed in a warm and bountiful quagmire.
They were indeed very large.
But my lady, I apologize, I am not that kind of man.
Luo En tried to calm himself as he attempted to remove the drunken noblewoman from atop him.
But the more he resisted, the more excited she became.
The serpentine body twisted restlessly, wrapping tighter and tighter, and began to invade the rest of Luo En's body.
Sensing danger approaching, Luo En quickly dropped the wine flask and withdrew.
He then looked at the noblewoman on the ground, clasping the flask and melting into a puddle, promptly covering her with a blanket, and silently made a decision.
This woman had a terrible tolerance for alcohol; better not to let her drink in the future.