Chapter 20

In the capital of the Bocapet dynasty, a group of people were sitting in a thriving tavern called "Moonlight".

This restaurant was specially chosen by Li Jia because it was the most crowded place. Whether the food is good or not depends on how crowded it is, and there is some truth to that.

Good food doesn't necessarily require queuing, but a wine shop with no customers is bound to be bad.

Hera and Li Jia had different ideas. This inn was located in the center of the capital. When you opened the window and looked up, you could see the street vendors and the crowds of people coming and going. It was the best place to gather information.

However, these kinds of places are usually very expensive, but with Winslow around, it's not a problem.

Hera used some of her divine power, covering their bodies with a thin layer of red dust that concealed their appearances. Their clothes and attire were indistinguishable from those of ordinary passersby, making them appear as just four ordinary women in black robes.

Li Jia held the menu booklet and began to swallow hard.

It makes sense to travel and relax when you're under a lot of work pressure. You can see the local customs and culture of different places and try delicious food you've never eaten before.

After ordering a few snacks she had never seen before and honey milk tea, Li Jia put down the booklet in her hand. She rested her chin on her hand and blew air into her mouth, turning into a pufferfish with a bulging mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"The food and drinks have all been ordered, so why are you so angry?" Hera couldn't help but ask.

Li Jia looked up at her and whispered, "Because waiting is a very lonely thing."

"Your Majesty, aren't you lonely?"

Are you lonely?

Hearing the girl's question, Hera felt a subtle, strange feeling arise in her heart.

From the day the sacred mountain was born, she knew her mission, fulfilled her divine duty, and maintained order.

Having lived for over a thousand years, this was the first time someone had asked her if she was lonely.

Perhaps so, otherwise she wouldn't have taken Winslow and Doreen from the North and brought them home, and they've stayed with her for over a thousand years.

"It's alright, I can bear it."

Now that there's another one for her, Hera doesn't feel lonely.

"Then I'm relieved. You're good at waiting, and your patience is quite good," Li Jia said with a smile, teasingly.

Just then, the waiter brought out the snack milk, and Li Jia smiled broadly.

Li Jia picked up a custard stick, which looked a bit like a fried dough stick, and was coated with a layer of powdered sugar. After finishing the sweet one, she picked up a chicken pie. She was like a perpetual motion machine of sweet and salty, enjoying herself immensely.

Doreen hadn't forgotten her business. She took a sip of her milk tea and asked the waiter standing next to her, "Young man, we're travelers from Xiangcheng Quandu. Could you tell me about some interesting things about your area?"

As he spoke, he took out a gold coin from his fingertips. The little boy standing next to him looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old, with amber eyes and the signature freckles on his cheeks. He was very cute.

Upon hearing Doreen's words and seeing the gold coins in her hand, the little boy's eyes lit up.

Looking around, and seeing that no other waiters had noticed the guests at the window table, Felix mustered his courage and walked toward Doreen.

Nothing is more tempting than a gold coin.

If so, then there are two.

“Beautiful lady, you’ve come to the right person if you’re asking about local anecdotes.” He then leaned closer to Doreen, picked up the copper pot, and refilled her half-finished milk tea, speaking in a flattering tone.

"Oh? That's interesting. Tell me a couple of things first. If I'm satisfied with what you've heard, I'll have plenty of these things."

Winslow sat next to Doreen, and she took out a gold-threaded pouch from her sleeve and gently shook it near his ear, making a metallic clanging sound. Felix licked his dry lips.

"I...I understand, I will make you satisfied!"

Doreen listened attentively and made room for him so he could explain himself more clearly.

The little boy then began to talk incessantly, about a four-headed bird, a couple who had seven sets of twins, and so on. But clearly, apart from Li Jia, the other three were not interested in these rumors.

“I’ve heard all of that before, little brother. That’s really boring,” Winslow said with a wave of his hand and a sigh.

Realizing that the gold coins were slipping further and further away, Felix gritted his teeth and said, "There's another secret about the Bocape royal family. If I tell it, I'll surely die. You're outsiders, so you can just leave. That's why I'm telling you this in secret."

Winslow thought to himself that he needed to use some serious material to hear what he wanted to hear.

"Have you ever heard of dragons?" the little boy asked hesitantly, glancing around.

"Go on."

The tallest woman among the four spoke calmly, uttering three seemingly ordinary words that sent a chill down Felix's spine.

“The dragon came to the Midnight Fortress ten years ago. I was only three years old then. Actually, I saw that dragon.” Seeing that he had attracted the attention of the four women, Felix knew that he had made the right bet.

"This evil dragon may not necessarily be male."

Felix shared his understanding.

When he was three years old, he was washing his wooden rabbit carving on the banks of the River Wright when he happened to see it. Suddenly, a strong wind blew up, and he took shelter in a thicket. Enduring the pain of being pricked by the thorns, Felix witnessed the most terrifying thing of his life.

It lay on the riverbank, its obsidian-like scales gleaming, each one as if polished a thousand times, its edges shimmering with golden velvet—traces of devoured lightning and flames deposited beneath its scales.

It wasn't until it slowly raised its head that its golden pupils truly pierced the darkness. With its eyes slightly narrowed, its gaze swept across the bushes, and a chill emanated from that golden slit.

Clearly, it disdains to vent its anger on weak humans.

With a hint of provocation, the dragon transformed into human form, its entire body covered in red hair, making it both male and female. Felix didn't believe it was male because he had seen its human lower body.

"You mean, this dragon doesn't have testicles?"

"Yes, beautiful lady, I saw it with my own eyes."

Li Jia felt a little thirsty after eating, and when she looked at her cup and saw that there was no milk tea left, she felt a little disappointed. Suddenly, a cup full of milk tea was pushed in front of her.

Slender, long fingers flashed past in front of her, and the little one's eyes immediately crinkled into a smile as she sweetly said to Hera, "I knew it, you're the best."

Such a straightforward person.

He was someone she would never meet again in her life.

Hera knew this perfectly well. People revered her, admired her, and longed for her, but no one could express their feelings to her without any pleading.

Li Jia picked up the milk tea and drank it all in one gulp.

Doreen pressed Felix further: "I saw in the marriage register that the marriage was already arranged. Logically speaking, only opposite sexes can form a bond. Could it be that the dragon could change its gender and evade the marriage examination?"

“Maybe,” Felix said firmly. “Anyway, the only thing I’m certain of is that the dragon Mephistopheles is not male.”

Having learned something they didn't know, Winslow generously gave the little boy a small bag of gold coins and winked, "I'll buy this secret."

Felix nodded and, understanding the situation, took the gold coins and left.

"You're being prejudiced, you know? Prejudice. Who says females can't marry females? In my hometown, men can marry men, and women can marry women, as long as they like each other."

Li Jia slapped the table forcefully and said in a righteous tone.

She's a member of the Temple of Marriage now, how can she be so old-fashioned?

Therefore, it is necessary to popularize the marriage law of modern society.

Hera was slightly lost in thought. She had read Li Jia's life diary. She was born in the North and returned to Olit, to her uncle's side, after her parents passed away.

Are there any new additions to the marriage agreement between the North and Ori?

She has not heard of or seen any new regulations presented to her recently.

Hera is the goddess of marriage.

She had all the marriage laws in the world under her jurisdiction, and what Li Jia said was something she had never heard of before.

Her hometown...

It's not in the North, nor in Orit.

Where did she come from, and where is she going?

Will I leave her...?

This unknown factor was something she had never perceived before, which made her feel somewhat restless and uneasy.

“But if men marry men and women marry women, they can’t have children and can’t continue the family line. Wouldn’t humanity have gone extinct long ago, and our offerings would have stopped?” Doreen heard Li Jia’s statement and it wasn’t unacceptable, but her considerations were more rational.

“But there are also men who fall in love with women, and women who fall in love with men, and they have children. If it’s just for the sake of having children, bringing together people of the opposite sex who don’t love each other, isn’t that pathetic? So your argument doesn’t hold water,” Li Jia said decisively.

"I don't think that gender should determine one's partner."

"It was my lover who determined my sexual orientation."

Li Jia spoke with utmost seriousness, without a trace of joking.

Hera understood immediately after hearing this and smiled, "You're right. It seems you're more suited to be the goddess of marriage than Hera."

Li Jia was taken aback. She didn't know if Hera was telling the truth or just flattering her.

Having been a seasoned professional for years, I try to say nice things in this situation: "No, no, it's all thanks to your teaching, older sister."

Remembering that they were outside and couldn't call her by her name casually, Li Jia stopped the car and called out, "Sister."

Hera's expression froze for a moment, then she murmured, "Sister?"

Seeing that Hera hadn't moved for a while, Li Jia sighed inwardly that she had made a major mistake in the workplace. How could she casually call a woman of unknown age "sister"?

She might be older than her; she comes from thousands of years in the future, and Li Jia believes that people from thousands of years in the future are greater than people from thousands of years ago.

But I find it hard to call her "little sister"...

Li Jia wanted Hera to call her "sister," but she didn't have the guts.

What can you do after you've already called? You can't just cancel the voice message; this isn't WeChat.

Li Jia had a little scheme in mind. Knowing this devil as she did, she figured that once they got back, she could make him hug her a few more times that night and say some nice things to her, and the matter would be over. No god would hold a grudge against a human like that.

Hera chuckled and said, "You're too modest, little sister."

Damn it, he's taking advantage of her!

Seeing that Hera was in a good mood, Li Jia looked as wilted as a cucumber hit by frost.

I'm so annoyed, but I have to keep smiling.

Sometimes I feel that Hera is sacred, majestic and inviolable, and other times I feel that this goddess is like a primary school student, always teasing her over trivial matters.

Are you full?

Seeing that she was starting to feel sleepy, Hera asked.

"Yes, I'm full, sister."

Li Jia also figured it out. She had always lived an easy life, and it was easy for her to understand things. Since she asked her to call her sister, then she would. It wouldn't hurt her. Being able to establish a relationship with the Goddess of Marriage was not bad at all.

Herla reached out, and Li Jia instinctively snuggled into her arms. She had eaten too many sweets, her blood sugar had spiked, and she was feeling very sleepy.

Human chairs, might as well lie down.

Winslow noticed that Hera's once fair ears were now a deep, almost blood-red color.

What's this called again? One radish, one hole; everyone has their own retribution, but His Majesty should like this retribution very much.