"Yes, it's just that humans have an inescapable... strong need, so they need to find some beautiful women... or men, and use beauty to satisfy their needs."
The cool guy seemed like a rather innocent young man, and he was quite embarrassed to say this, stammering as he continued,
"However... you're just a cursed doll, made entirely of cotton, and you don't have that function. Even if I tell you everything, you probably wouldn't understand these feelings."
No! I understand! I understand perfectly!
Moreover, Yu Ling is usually the kind of beauty that others need.
However, it's not surprising at all that someone with ulterior motives would capture a face like that of the Greek boy Pailu, who was clean, innocent, and stunningly beautiful, with a face that was just as pretty as Yu Ling's current merman form, and put it at an auction.
"But... Pailu is a great wizard, who has the ability to capture him? And the king, won't he step in to save him?" This is not something a king would do; it's too unbecoming of him.
"The Kingdom of Lenko tacitly acknowledges the existence of the black market, but it's not part of the official system of the kingdom. And guess why the old wizard and I... ptooey! The wizarding captain and I knew about it and came to bring you there?"
Because it was their wizarding group who aided and abetted the evildoer, and were the ones who laid a hand on Pailiu!
The strange reactions of the guards who saw the face when Payu lowered his hood in front of the king are now explained.
That's right. As the saying goes, extremes meet. The better the outward appearance, the darker the hidden side. To be so beautiful and still show it off to attract unwanted attention is practically suicidal!
In particular, the Kingdom of Lenko is full of magical items, and everyone is a wizard apprentice. If someone wanted to capture a great wizard who had been captured, and make him do that kind of service for them, it was actually quite possible.
It might not be small.
My innocence is in jeopardy! My innocence is in jeopardy!
"Hurry! Let's go faster! I hope he hasn't been sold yet! By the way, did Payu send you to pick me up?" Yu Ling was also very curious as to why such a loyal lackey as the old wizard would help Payu.
"Yes, he will be bought by a powerful nobleman. We wizards who have signed a contract can't just ignore what he says! He keeps talking about merfolk, so he thought of taking you with him so he can stay put and stop thinking about running away." The cool guy appeared envious, but was actually gloating.
Even if everyone loses their freedom, at least I don't risk losing my virginity, and going out and saying that I am a wizard from the Kingdom of Lenko will make unknown outsiders envious, which is quite prestigious.
After learning the whole story, Yu Ling didn't say anything more.
Being beautiful certainly brings many advantages, including more choices in choosing a partner, but it also greatly increases the likelihood of encountering such situations.
He had experienced these things himself, but his roots were well-developed, his body was huge, and his long lifespan allowed his magical power to accumulate more and more. He could make any piece of wood on his body take on a different form.
Tree spirits with the means would discard their human-like bodies daily, let alone top-tier ones like Yu Ling. If they couldn't win against multiple opponents, they would surrender. If they were bullied, they could simply discard the body and get a new one, as long as their true form was well hidden.
So Yu Ling didn't take it seriously and continued to treat it as a pastime.
Soon, the cool guy led Yu Ling to the entrance of an ordinary-looking cake shop... next to a huge billboard. Don't be fooled by how big and sturdy the billboard looks; there's something special inside.
Behind the light curtain of the magic circle, inside was an unknown building linked by spatial magic.
The hall, comparable to but even more dazzling than a royal palace, was filled with masked figures coming and going, crystal tokens that could be used for purchase, voluptuous waitresses, and entertaining activities—all so abundant that it was dazzling.
Yu Ling: Interesting. Wizards wear masks to avoid being cursed, and they're not allowed to cover their faces in the Kingdom of Lenko. On the contrary... heh, these nobles wear masks when they go out. Are they afraid of being recognized by acquaintances?
The cool guy wasn't wearing a mask, but he had access to the internal wizard's private passage. He quickly dodged a bunch of masked people and led Yu Ling to the top floor where supplies were being prepared. Inside, they found the room where Pai Liu was being held.
The scene after the door opens... oh my god, I can't even describe it! In short... it's a scene that would make a woman want to be a man and grow out of that body, and would make a man's blood boil to the point of questioning his own orientation.
Yu Ling was immune to the visuals and didn't react at all, but the cool guy didn't want to have any inappropriate thoughts, so he dropped the plush toy Yu Ling and made an excuse to run away first, without any intention of saying goodbye to his old colleague. His steps were incredibly swift.
The room door slammed shut again.
Looking at Pai Liu, who was wearing a bunch of chains and posed in a very nice way, Yu Ling said with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "Long time no see, wizard! What happened to you? By the way, where are your pockets?"
Clearly, Yu Ling is currently most concerned about her own health and is not worried at all about Pai Liu's current situation.
"They took it; they were probably going to use it to auction off the noodles with me."
Having suffered an indescribable ordeal, Pai Liu has fallen into a state of existential doubt. Only when her eyes meet Yu Ling's can she barely regain her composure and mechanically answer questions.
Soon, Yu Ling learned the whole story.
The king ordered all citizens to maintain appearances outside the black market, at the cost of tacitly accepting the black market as a channel for venting frustrations. The owner of the black market is currently unknown, as are the identities of the guests who come and go. He only knows that the old wizard is the main force maintaining the black market.
Ordinary tourists and residents are treated like commodities, so everyone looks rather plain when they go out. Wizards who haven't been formally indentured by the king are similarly unprotected and are used as personal tools or for other purposes...
For example, there's this unlucky guy, Payu. He had a contract in name only and should have escaped this ordeal, but he just happened to be walking around while the old wizard was working and bumped into the black market owner.
That person was able to accurately identify the strange aura on Pai Liu that was missing the black ball, and detained him directly. He also gave him special attention because of his overly alluring face. This part is not convenient to go into detail, so Yu Ling can just listen to it herself. In short, this is simply... too spicy!
"Did you call me here so I could rescue you?" Yu Ling asked.
"That's right, I can't stay here for another second! How much longer until you can turn back? Think of something quickly! I've been given a drug that temporarily repels magical elements, I can't fight them at all..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
