Clearly, from the strange expressions on the faces of Edward and Xiu, it was apparent that Mengdie had said something wrong again. In the past half year, she had become proficient in the language of this world, but her understanding of some of its subtle changes and underlying meanings was limited.
"Kēlùlù" does indeed mean woman or female. There's nothing wrong with understanding it that way on the surface. However, as a common word, its broader meaning is quite extensive. In certain specific contexts, it refers specifically to "married women" or women who have experienced "human affairs." Therefore, unmarried women of this world do not usually refer to themselves as Kēlùlù, but rather use the more narrowly defined "Kēlùtídá" (meaning girl or young woman) for self-reference.
Mengdie had always considered herself a man, so her choices in grammar and vocabulary were often masculine. When had she ever cared about what kind of vocabulary women should use when referring to themselves? Moreover, the women she encountered on her travels were few and far between, and even if she did meet women, it was unlikely they would emphasize in front of her that they were "Kēlùtídá" and not "Kēlùlù." Therefore, it's no surprise she made a linguistic error.
However, it didn't matter much that she misspoke. The problem was whether the two guys in front of her could understand the misunderstanding.
Look at Mengdie. The sentence she just spoke took all her courage. Now, her face was as beautiful as the evening sky under the sunset. Her closed, "shy" eyes were filled with a pitiful charm. Her tail curled between her legs, trembling nonstop. Probably anyone who saw her would think...
She was shy...
After Mengdie spoke, she closed her eyes, constantly confessing her shame to Buddha in her heart. But after waiting a long time, why weren't those two guys saying anything? Mengdie, puzzled, opened her eyes.
"Huh? What's wrong with you two?"
Her questioning eyes slowly swept over the faces of Edward and Xiu. This sweep, however, caused Edward, who was sitting to the left and in front of Mengdie, to suddenly sit upright, stretch out his hands, and grab Mengdie's shoulders!
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Me... Mengdie!!!"
...Strange, his voice was off. No... to be precise, his eyes were also a bit off.
Mengdie, alert, perked up her ears and clenched her fists slightly.
Edward, panting heavily, gripped Mengdie's shoulders, his hands trembling. The prince seemed to be going through some intense mental struggle, and after hesitating for a moment, he seemed to want to stand up.
But perhaps he was too excited or had been sitting for too long, and his legs were numb. As Edward tried to stand up, he lost his footing and fell forward! And the hands that were on Mengdie's shoulders, with the force of his fall, pushed Mengdie down to the ground...
"Me... Mengdie... Mengdie!!!"
Mengdie, in her wildest dreams, probably never expected that this usually gentle guy would suddenly press her down on the grass. Initially, she was stunned by this act, whether intentional or unintentional. But then, seeing that Edward was still pressing down on her, looking down at her without any intention of getting up, she finally understood what he was trying to do.
You BL! What are you trying to do!!!
Although she was supposed to undergo feminization training, deep down, Mengdie couldn't accept the fact that she had to become a woman in body and mind! Especially seeing Edward's mouth getting closer, an incomparable sense of disgust made her feel like vomiting! Finally, she clenched her fist...
"Boom!!!"
From not too far away, the sound of fire blazing could be heard. Before Mengdie's punch landed, Edward suddenly jumped off her! As he turned around, the obsidian sword was unsheathed with a swoosh, striking at the direction of the sound with force! He split a fireball, about the size of a basketball, in half.
"Xiu! What do you mean by this!!!"
Edward stood in place, looking at the sword with the flames not yet fully extinguished, visibly shaken.
Xiu's face still had that carefree smile, as if the sky falling down wouldn't bother him. But in contrast to his smile, the tip of his apprentice staff had already gathered a massive thunder magic!
"I have no specific intention. But you, you seem to be going a bit too far, don’t you think?"
Thunder flickered at the staff tip, black electricity coursed over the surface of the thunderball, and the crackling sounds pierced through.
"I went too far?!"
Edward didn't understand Xiu's implication at first. But seeing his stance, the hostility was quite clear. Immediately, he waved his sword to brush off the remaining flames and gripped it tightly, readying himself for battle.
Xiu turned his head, giving Mengdie a comforting smile. Then, he swung his staff in the air, and the thunderball instantly split into four smaller thunderballs, floating slowly beside him.
"Edward, my friend (Xiu refrained from addressing Edward as a prince in Father Cotton's presence), it seems we've needed to have a duel since long ago. I think, rather than waiting any longer, we should settle this matter here and now. Once the outcome is determined, one of us must leave. Whether it's leaving or committing suicide, don't ever appear in 'our' sight again."
Edward, gripping the sword, fell silent. He bowed his head, pondering Xiu's words carefully. Finally, the dimwitted prince caught on. When he raised his head again, his eyes were filled with determination. His hands gripping the sword tightened even more, and greenish light began to emerge on the obsidian sword!