Thinking about the goblin with a little hat, it was completely different from what she had seen in comics before. Its round nose was a little less evil and a little more cute.
When it eats, its eyes squint happily, and it speaks clearly. If not for Slime's reminder, she wouldn't have noticed anything wrong with it.
Maybe because she wasn't familiar enough.
Yu Xiaoxiao was in the kitchen, where a fruit platter with green grapes was placed on the coffee table.
Slime said, "I bought a bunch when I went out today. I heard that you Earth people love these little things, sweet and sour."
"Thank you." Yu Xiaoxiao really liked grapes. She picked one up and found it much sweeter than she had expected.
After a brief rest, Yu Xiaoxiao began preparing dinner for today. The red square communicator was on the table, and the screen was frozen on a message from the Third Prince, who had been ordering food these days.
Yu Xiaoxiao had gotten used to all sorts of foods she had only heard of before. After trying them reluctantly, she realized that she hadn't received any "bad reviews."
Could it be that she really had a talent for cooking?
Yu Xiaoxiao cracked two eggs into a bowl. Tonight's dinner was simple—stir-fried rice with sour beans, egg drop soup with seaweed, and a serving of mango mousse.
"Xiaoxiao," Slime squatted to watch next to her and said, "Don't forget to take the communicator with you when you go out today, it will be convenient for future communication."
Yu Xiaoxiao was startled for a moment and replied, "O-Okay."
The communicator was something from this world, would it still work when she brought it back?
After finishing, Slime happily pushed the dining cart. Yu Xiaoxiao checked the time, and this meal only took less than half an hour. She looked at the remaining fried rice in the pot, and she had intentionally made an extra serving today for her own dinner.
She took a white lunch box from the cabinet and put the fried rice in it before placing it in a thermal bag.
Slime hadn't returned.
She picked up the communicator on the table, found its name, tapped on it, and sent a message. (I'm heading home.)
After a pause, she added another message. (Has the Third Prince eaten?)
(Eating. Master has a good appetite today.) Slime stood next to the dining cart, using the communicator to send a message to Yu Xiaoxiao.
The sound of pressing the communicator was like the handheld game console she played as a child, even the screen was extremely similar. A smile appeared on Yu Xiaoxiao's face, and she picked up the bag, ready to leave.
This time, at the same place, she saw the goblin crouching in the corner observing the pebbles.
"Vivian?"
After hearing the voice, the goblin looked up and excitedly stood up, "Sister!"
It quickly ran to Yu Xiaoxiao and raised its head, reaching her hip.
"Do you have something tasty today? It smells so good!"
"You're still here?" Yu Xiaoxiao couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going home?"
"We can't leave now," Vivian replied seriously, "There's a fiery stone rain outside, it's very scary. If we leave now, we'd be burned to ashes."
"Sister, you shouldn't leave either. We can only go home after the fiery stone rain ends." It licked its lips and stared at the dark blue thermal bag in her hand.
"Is that for me? I'm really hungry..."
The little guy looked famished. Yu Xiaoxiao squatted down and took out the lunchbox from the insulated bag, offering it to the creature in front of her.
Vivian opened the lunchbox and started eating with a spoon.
Yu Xiaoxiao was not in a hurry to go home, she just sat on the nearby rock and watched her.
Not far away was the staircase.
It wasn't until Vivian finished all the food that she spoke, "You've been here all this time, won't your family be worried?"
Should she ask the slime to help send it away?
The goblin seemed to not have heard what she said.
It sat on the ground, burped, and handed the lunchbox back to Yu Xiaoxiao, saying, "Thank you, big sister."
The cow horn sleeping cap swayed slightly, and the goblin took out a white crystal from its slanted bag and put it into Yu Xiaoxiao's hand.
"This is for you. My brother says that only verbal thanks are not sincere."
The crystal sparkled.
Yu Xiaoxiao wanted to refuse, thinking that it was just a meal and this was too precious to accept.
But after Vivian said those words, she just jumped up and ran off.
It seemed that she could only accept it for now and return it to it when they meet again.
Yu Xiaoxiao carried the lantern and climbed the stairs. The dungeon was very quiet, with only the wooden stairs making rhythmic sounds.
She came out of the treasury and closed the door, then went to the kitchen to clean the lunchbox.
She also took a piece of bread, spread some jam on it, and started eating.
The orange cat was already asleep.
Bing —
A voice came from the communicator.
Yu Xiaoxiao turned and saw that it was the sponsor.
(Chili river prawns.)
(Pan-fried eggplant slices.)
(Quail and lotus root soup.)
Very concise, without any unnecessary words.
Yu Xiaoxiao quickly replied — (Okay.)
-
"Xiaoxiao, the magician team will come to clean the underground city today. If you are interested, you can go and watch. They should be going to the first area, the reception hall."
"I have set the navigation on the car."
"Be safe!"
Every month, a team of magicians would come to the underground city for cleaning tasks. For humans living in a non-magic dimension, this was a very magical thing.
After the slime left, Yu Xiaoxiao washed her hands and got on the yellow car to go to the reception hall. She held the lantern and headed to a place she had never been before, feeling a bit nervous and excited.
The car pulled over, and after Yu Xiaoxiao got off, she saw a red door in front of her.
However, the door was already partially pushed open.
She walked over, peeked her head in, and saw several people standing in the center of the hall.
Was this the reception hall? Yu Xiaoxiao raised the lantern a little and saw the tables and chairs scattered inside, and even the door was covered with dust.
It seemed to have been abandoned for a long time.
"So boring, there are no monsters here at all." A girl in a purple mage robe spoke, holding a wand in her hand.
"I don't know why we have to come here every month." Her companion, a handsome young man with a quiver on his back, shook his head.
"Yeah..." Another girl spoke, "Let's just check the place seriously, what if there are monsters hiding in the dark? I heard that a new cook came to the dungeon. If she dies at the hands of a monster, we would be held responsible."
Yu Xiaoxiao blinked, as if they were talking about her?
But the slime said that the dungeon was very safe.
"Eavesdropping is not a good habit." A man's voice came from behind her.
Yu Xiaoxiao was startled and turned around to see a young man in a black mage robe standing there, his face hidden under a large hat.
"I, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just got here and haven't figured out how to greet you yet."
Yu Xiaoxiao stepped to the side, giving him a way.
But the man didn't intend to leave.
He just looked at Yu Xiaoxiao, and the little lamp she was holding, and said, "So, you are the new chef, miss."
"Captain, you're back!" The three people in the living room hurried over when they saw Yu Xiaoxiao and couldn't help but size her up.
"Hello, miss chef, I am the sorceress, Shana." The girl in a purple robe spoke up first, "You look young, yet you dare to work here, quite courageous."
Shana, with curly ponytail, light freckles on her face, and curiosity in her blue eyes, said, "Aren't you afraid of meeting an untimely death yourself?"
Death—
Death by unnatural causes?
"Why?" Yu Xiaoxiao asked in confusion.
Shana took a step forward and lowered her voice, "Have you heard? A chef who worked here for less than a month died. When they found his body, his eyes had been gouged out."
"And the two previous dungeon stewards both died—in the library."
"Don't you find it very eerie?"
These words made Yu Xiaoxiao shudder.
The short-haired girl standing behind the sorceress gently tugged her sleeve and said, "Shana, this is the first time we meet, don't scare her on purpose. I'm sorry, the reasons for their deaths have not been disclosed. It should be because they violated some taboo and were secretly executed by the royal family."
"I see..." Yu Xiaoxiao murmured.
"Let's go." The man in black turned and left, and his team quickly followed.
Yu Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment, then followed the others, as there were things she didn't understand, and the slime wasn't willing to speak.
"That person who lives in the dungeon, what kind of person is he?" Yu Xiaoxiao asked.
The short-haired girl walking at the back tightened her grip on the white staff in her hand and seemed very shy, barely audible as she said, "Don't mention the third prince here. If he gets angry, we will all be punished."
Is he very bad-tempered?
Upon hearing this, Shana retorted, "With his background, how can he be a prince? When the king brought him back from the outside, the councilors disagreed. His body clearly carries dirty blood. If it weren't for the king's attachment, he should have died like his lowly mother. Why is he still here as a lord?"
"Shh!" The short-haired girl hurriedly stopped her, "Don't say any more!"
"Why not? Only those with noble blood like the first and the second prince deserve to be lords in our Kalila Empire. If it weren't for strong opposition from the people, I think the king would want to pass the throne to the third prince!"
The more Shana spoke, the more agitated she became, "Such a good piece of territory in the dungeon, not giving it to the second prince, it's really unfair!"
Yu Xiaoxiao silently followed behind the group.
Hearing about the third prince from an outsider, she originally thought he was just a wealthy man with a strange temper, but now his prestige seemed very different from her imagination.
Suddenly, the sorcerer's team came to a halt.
Because a green slime was coming towards them.
It stood in front of the group, its expression unusually solemn, which Yu Xiaoxiao had never seen before. "You, come with me. His Highness wants to see you."
The outspoken girl's face paled instantly.
She stared at the slime in disbelief, how was it possible that her private conversation just now, which was secretly using soundproof magic, had been heard by someone?
The slime had no good feelings for this girl at all.
However, it glanced at Yu Xiaoxiao who was standing behind, with a worried expression.
"And you, His Highness wants both of you to go together."