I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 217

Chapter 70: The Legend of the Sword Demon

“Hey girl, don’t underestimate A-Rank Adventurers! Actually, he’s been following us all this time!” Reid chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.

The girl instinctively looked around, her shell-like ears twitching, obviously using her Wind Listening ability.

Roy quietly sipped his hot tea. He was right next to her, so her search was pretty much pointless.

Not only did Nia fail to sense the presence of the A-Rank Adventurer, but she was even more excited instead.

You see, unless they possess the ability to conceal their aura, it’s tough even for a typical Sequence 7 to dodge the Wind Listening detection.

Nia fixed her gaze on Reid across from her and curiously asked, “Who’s the guarantor for this A-Rank adventurer?”

Reid played along and said mysteriously, “You probably haven’t heard of him. Our guarantor is none other than the newly arrived A-Rank Adventurer in Academy City, the Sword Demon!”

At this, Nia’s eyes lit up.

She was genuinely interested now.

“Is he the one who slayed the giant dragon and defeated the cult in the Lionheart Kingdom—the Sword Demon?!”

“You know him?”

Now it was Reid’s turn to be surprised.

“Of course! They say the Sword Demon is incredibly powerful, the strongest adventurer in the Lionheart Kingdom, even the royal family has to treat him with respect! I went to Lionheart before, and his name came up a lot on the way!”

Nia’s words of admiration left Reid in shock.

Wow, the strongest adventurer in the Lionheart Kingdom?! That guy is definitely not an ordinary person!

While Reid had no intention of underestimating A-Rank adventurers, he hadn’t realized just how notable this one was!

But Nia’s next question made Reid’s mood a bit more complicated.

“Mr. Reid, are you very close to the Sword Demon?”

Faced with the girl’s curious eyes, Reid found it hard to resist showing off.

Bragging is a customary thing among adventurers, and Reid was a textbook example of one.

Since the Sword Demon wasn’t around, what harm could there be in a little boasting?

He downed a gulp of beer and burst out laughing boisterously.

“Well, not exactly close, but I have worked with him a few times!”

“Ooh! So he really is powerful?!”

“Not just powerful! Haven’t you heard, how could the strongest adventurer of the Lionheart Kingdom be weak?”

Reid cleared his throat a couple times, then put on a serious face and said, “It was a cold, rainy night.”

“We were ambushed by a band of thieves, suffering severe casualties—those guys were among the most notorious factions in Academy City! Just when we thought we were done for, the Sword Demon stepped up, and with just his sword, he wiped the whole thief gang out…”

Nia listened attentively, chomping on some roasted mushrooms, her eyes shimmering as if she could already see a lone adventurer with a sword dancing amid the clashes of blades!

With the alcohol taking effect, Reid became even more animated, spinning tales of battling the thieves, taking on several powerful mages, his storytelling absolutely over the top with all his buddies chiming in.

Of course, Nia wasn’t drinking this time and occasionally threw out reasonable doubts.

“Wait, since Mr. Reid has met the Sword Demon so many times, you must know what bloodline he comes from, right?”

A moment of awkward silence.

“…Heh, you underestimate him! I really can’t tell what bloodline he has; that’s what makes him so strong!”

Nia realized, “Oh, I see!”

Oh, you see, huh?! This hasty patching-up of a backstory screams fake, doesn’t it?!

And worked together a few times? Come on, this mission isn’t even over yet—maybe they’ve worked halfway at best?!

Roy stood nearby, feeling the cringe and mentally roasting countless comments.

Watching these two who dare to say and believe everything, Roy finally understood how the Sword Demon‘s legend spread.

But Reid’s adventuring tales weren’t all fabricated; he often shared stories of treasure hunting, battling monsters, and even helping villagers in emergencies, making for decent entertainment.

Nia gazed at the crackling bonfire, listening to Reid’s half-true adventure anecdotes, and gave a heartfelt sigh, “But being an adventurer… I really want to become one too.”

All the adventurers present couldn’t help but smile warmly.

Not everyone voluntarily chose this path, but they absolutely did not regret their current adventurous lives.

Whether it’s Reid or the Sword Demon, the carefree and unrestrained adventuring life was Nia’s greatest aspiration.

“If you want to be an adventurer, you’re always welcome!”

“Little girl, with your skills, you’ll definitely make it!”

“Hey, let’s be real, outdoing us would be totally reasonable!”

The adventurers were still enthusiastic, but a hint of sadness crept into Nia’s smile.

As the daughter of the Forest Elf chief, and with the bloodline of the Forest Elf, this burden was something she couldn’t refuse.

Like a caged bird that desires to soar into the blue sky and white clouds, there would come a day when she must return.

The firelight illuminated her profile, outlining a gently melancholic expression.

Roy opened his mouth, but the words were swallowed back down.

He understood Nia’s predicament all too well, perhaps even better than she did, knowing why her mother was so determined to keep her in the Verdant Council.

Staying in the Verdant Council might not be a bad form of protection, plus, if it meant keeping distance from the original story’s heroine to avoid fate’s trigger points, it would be safer for him too.

Better not get involved in her affairs.

Roy forced himself to look away from Nia.

Fortunately, her melancholy was just a momentary thing; Nia quickly perked up.

“Anyway, after all this chatting, there’s actually something I’ve been wanting to ask you…”

“Ask away!” Reid and the others were eager to share, ready to answer anything Nia asked while enthusiastically engaged in their conversation.

Nia paused for a moment before she asked with an innocent smile, the question that had been bothering her for a long time: “Why don’t any of you have girlfriends?”

As soon as these words fell, the atmosphere fell silent.

In the adventure novels Nia had read, there’s always some passionate love story, but nearly all the adventurers she encountered were single, which baffled her.

“They say adventurer love is thrilling and romantic; haven’t you ever thought about finding a girlfriend or something?” Nia asked naturally.

The rugged single men, who had just been hit twice in a row, finally couldn’t hold it together.

Is this a “have you thought about it” question or about “can you even get one” question?!

A bunch of young guys were in tears, while the strong leader Reid wore a painful expression, his gaze turned down, feeling guilty as he said, “The reasons for this are quite complex; you wouldn’t understand…”

“Why not?”

“No, you wouldn’t understand…”

“Please elaborate, please elaborate!”

Under Nia’s relentless questioning, Reid finally snapped, eyes wide open, he wailed, “I already said you wouldn’t understand being someone who’s already got a boyfriend!”

“Why should I ask you for advice? You already have a boyfriend; what do you need to learn from us?!”

As they continued speaking, Reid along with his buddies started crying into their hands, turning the scene into one of pure tragedy.

Meanwhile, Nia was taken aback, her whole body shook, almost dropping the skewer she was holding.

“I, I, we’re not…,” she started to say, but peeking at the young boy next to her, she shrank her neck like a baby ostrich and fell silent.