Qimeng swayed her slender body, activating the skill Swaying Flower Dance.
Pale pink petals drifted down from her hair and shoulders, fluttering and scattering onto the surface of the water.
The originally plain bath was quickly adorned, becoming quite a sight to behold, while the air filled with a sweet, fresh floral fragrance.
Qimeng folded her arms over her chest, a satisfied smile gracing her lips as she took in the scene.
“Ten out of ten for visual appeal. It's just a shame it's not a hot spring.”
She pouted slightly, dipping her toes into the water and tapping the surface a few times with regret.
Brr...
The icy sensation shot straight up her leg.
“Oh well. A wild monster should be grateful just to have a bath.”
She untied the leaf skirt around her waist, letting it slide to the ground.
Gazing at the flawless reflection of a young girl in the water, she sighed with a touch of narcissism.
“It’s truly a waste to let this cold pool enjoy a body like this.”
Stepping in barefoot, the icy water obediently wrapped around her ankles, crept past her knees, and rose all the way to just below her collarbones.
“Ahhh...” Qimeng let out a comfortable sigh.
She leaned her back against the stone steps and looked up at the sky.
A few petals clung to her shoulders, her fair skin gleaming brightly beneath the crystal-clear water.
“My, even the water is rippling from my beauty.”
“This is bad. I feel like I'm going to become a bath maniac.”
“Why did I think bathing was such a hassle in my past life? It was probably because the bathtub back then was too small to even stretch my legs.”
She closed her eyes, sinking into the experience with a clear conscience.
A low-frequency buzzing of wings shattered the silence.
Xiaomi landed on a shrub branch by the edge of the pool, poking her head out to peek.
“Um... dark-haired monster, what are you doing?”
“As you can see, performing the sacred ritual of a beautiful girl—taking a bath.”
Qimeng didn't even open her eyes.
“Where did those petals come from? They weren't there a moment ago...”
“A skill effect.”
Xiaomi tilted her antennae in distress, clearly unable to comprehend why anyone would waste a skill on something like this. However, driven by survival instincts, she wisely chose not to press further.
Qimeng opened one emerald eye and extended an invitation with a mischievous smirk.
“Since the opportunity is here, why don't you come down and soak too, Xiaomi? It's really good for your skin.”
“N-No thanks!”
Xiaomi took a huge leap backward, waving her hands frantically.
“I'm a bee! I'm super terrified of water! I'll drown, I'll definitely drown!!”
“Then go further away. No peeking, or you'll become tomorrow's breakfast.”
“W-Who wants to peek at you anyway?! You wicked Demon Tree!”
The bee girl's cheeks flushed crimson as she covered her face and fled in a panic.
Watching the golden streak of light vanish into the distance, Qimeng closed her eyes once more and smiled to herself.
“What a coward. But keeping a vassal like this... doesn't seem too bad.”
Night fell.
Qimeng sat cross-legged in the center of the Tree Court, taking stock of her recent achievements.
Her Demon Tree body had bloomed, and she had managed to capture a rare anthropomorphic bee girl through physical means. Though the girl was cowardly and a bit rebellious, the Firefly Garden now had free labor.
At the training ground, her Wood Spike throws had finally stopped flying all over the place, and her control over the water stream had become slightly more proficient.
Most importantly, her private bath expansion was a success.
She had bid farewell to that tiny puddle where she could only squat.
“However, there is still one problem...”
As her main body bloomed, a highly concentrated magical scent began to diffuse into the air.
To the nearby wild monsters, this was like a feeding signal. It probably wouldn't be long before visitors came knocking.
“We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Qimeng stretched comfortably, a look of nonchalance flashing in her eyes.
“Those who behave will stay as entry-level employees, and those who don't will become nutrients.”
She looked toward the Firefly Garden.
Under the faint glow, Xiaomi hovered in midair, diligently watering the Nightglow Mushrooms.
Qimeng withdrew her gaze in satisfaction.
“Very well. Tomorrow, I'll keep practicing my Wood Spike accuracy, and figure out how to heat the bathwater. Even a monster girl will catch a cold if she keeps taking cold baths.”
She closed her eyes, letting her consciousness sink into the ever-expanding root network beneath the earth.
The next day, a gentle breeze swept through the Tree Court.
A sweet fragrance, steeped in pure mana, filled the air.
Xiaomi squatted beside a plump flower bud, sniffing it curiously.
Sniff, sniff.
The next second, she rubbed her eyes in disbelief and took another deep breath.
A flush of crimson spread from her neck to the tips of her ears.
“This... smells so good...” Xiaomi murmured dazedly.
“It's more premium than any pollen I've ever seen before!”
She drew closer and closer, her face filled with intoxication.
“How does it taste?”
A faint voice drifted from right behind her.
“Eek!”
Startled, Xiaomi's wings beat frantically, and she almost tumbled forward.
“I-I wasn't stealing a bite! I was conducting a pollen quality inspection! This is work!”
“Oh? And what is the professional inspector's conclusion?”
Qimeng crossed her arms, her face full of playfulness.
“It... it tastes very good...”
Xiaomi lowered her head in shame.
To her surprise, Qimeng didn't threaten her. Instead, she leaned in to take a sniff as well.
Indeed, it was a sweet fragrance carrying the crisp freshness of the forest.
“It does smell nice. But what were you so nervous about just now?”
Xiaomi twirled the hem of her clothes, her voice as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.
“Because... in bee common sense, eating a monster's pollen is equivalent to mentally acknowledging them as your ruler...”
Qimeng raised an eyebrow. “Aren't you already my vassal anyway?”
“That was an involuntary act of yielding to violence!” Xiaomi argued righteously.
“Whatever you say,” Qimeng replied, too lazy to argue.
“Since the quality check is over, bring out your results. I want to taste the honey you've made.”
Xiaomi hesitated for a moment before conceding defeat. She reached behind her waist, pulled out a tightly wrapped leaf packet, and handed it over.
Qimeng peeled back the leaves.
Inside lay a small spoonful of golden, viscous liquid, crystal clear and sparkling.
She dabbed a bit of it and placed it in her mouth.
The sweetness dissolved on her tongue, and a warm, pure wave of mana spread down her throat and into her limbs, giving her skin a faint sensation of gentle nourishment.
“This quality is shocking,” Qimeng said genuinely. “It can actually slightly restore and increase my maximum mana?”
Though the increase was minuscule, long-term consumption would definitely trigger a qualitative change.
Her gaze toward Xiaomi grew a bit more serious.
“It's decided. You can eat as much pollen as you want, but you must hand over honey every three days. The split will depend on your performance. Any objections?”
Xiaomi agreed dejectedly. However, stealing a glance at the enticing flowers, she felt that the working conditions weren't so bad after all.
The next morning.
Xiaomi was up early, squatting among the flowers to begin her harvest.
She skillfully parted the petals and brushed her bee abdomen against them, coating it in pale golden powder.
She then flew back to her temporary nest to deposit her harvest before returning once more.
Qimeng watched while leaning against a tree trunk.
“Did you do this in your tribe too?”
“Of course! I was the chief gatherer, one of the absolute best in efficiency!”
Xiaomi didn't even look up, but her voice carried a hint of pride.
“What about your combat ability? Surely you can at least defeat a Demon Rabbit?”
Xiaomi straightened up and raised her slender arm.
As mana gathered, a translucent, slender stinger extended from her finger.
“I can use Bee Needle! Its effective range is twenty meters, and my aim is super good!”
“Give it a try.”
Qimeng casually pointed at a withered leaf in the distance.
Xiaomi turned sideways, aimed, and flicked her wrist in one fluid motion.
Swoosh.
A sharp piercing sound cut through the air.
Twenty meters away, the stem of the leaf was pierced through. It spun around and drifted to the ground.
It was countless times better than her own random Wood Spikes.
Qimeng silently shed tears of envy.
“Gathering in the forest means constantly running into intruders. If I didn't learn some self-defense, I would've become bird food a long time ago.”
Xiaomi retracted her stinger, lifting her chin with a smug little grin.
“If you're this capable, why didn't you use it when I caught you?”
Qimeng crossed her arms, a half-smile playing on her lips.
Xiaomi's face flushed completely red instantly.
“I-I was scared out of my wits back then! You suddenly burst out from the ground, and your roots sealed off the sky. I panicked... and forgot I even had skills...”
“Alright, I'll count that as a pass.”
Qimeng chuckled, hopping down from the tree trunk and clapping her hands.
“Since you have a foundation in combat, let's not waste it. Starting today, the daily defense of the Firefly Garden is your responsibility. Deal with low-level monsters yourself, and only call me if you run into something you can't handle.”
“Also, given your excellent aim, I will personally guide you in combat footwork starting tomorrow. Look forward to it.”
“What?! I don't want to undergo special training from a wicked monster!”
The bee girl's wails echoed through the forest once more.
Rate on N.U.
