Chapter 12 - Empress's First Time Shopping at the Mall
“Demon Sovereign, Demon Sovereign, what is this?”
“This is an air fryer, used for cooking food. You just have to put the food in, and it will heat it until it’s cooked.”
“This Empress understands. A magic treasure similar to an alchemy furnace?”
“Er… I guess that’s close enough.”
“Demon Sovereign, then what is this?”
“That’s a refrigerator. We have one at home too, just a different size and model. It’s used to freeze food and keep ingredients fresh.”
“Ooh! Not only do they have magic treasures for heating, but they also have magic treasures with a freezing function!”
“The mortals of this world are truly not to be underestimated!”
“…”
Inside the mall, Longyue was like a country person visiting the city for the first time. Her gaze constantly and curiously scanned every corner of the mall. Whenever she saw something new and unknown, she would ask Lin Fan for guidance like a child full of curiosity.
Passersby were attracted by her dazed and curious appearance and couldn't help but turn their heads to look.
“That woman seems to be saying some strange things?”
“I heard it too. ‘This Empress’ this, ‘Demon Sovereign’ that. She's probably read too many xianxia novels and gotten obsessed.”
“Is there anyone in this world who hasn’t seen an air fryer and a refrigerator?”
“Is she a girl from the countryside?”
“Can’t be. My grandma who lives in the mountains has a refrigerator.”
“Hahaha, maybe she's from outer space.”
“…”
Amidst the whispers of the crowd, more and more people in the mall cast their gazes over.
Longyue, unconcerned, looked left and right, exploring every corner of the mall.
Feeling the gazes of everyone on them, Lin Fan walked to her side and reminded her in a low voice:
“Longyue, it’s best if you don’t call yourself ‘This Empress’ anymore when we’re outside.”
“Also, don’t call me ‘Demon Sovereign’ anymore. Just call me Lin Fan.”
“Why? This Empress is the Supreme Sacred Heavenly Palace Empress and has always referred to myself as ‘This Empress’. What’s improper about it?”
Longyue’s fine brows furrowed slightly, her face showing confusion.
Lin Fan glanced at her speechlessly, gesturing with his eyes for her to look at the surrounding crowd, and continued to explain:
“This world has no Immortal Palace Empresses or Demon Realm Supreme Sovereigns…”
“Whether you call yourself ‘This Empress’ or call me ‘Demon Sovereign’, in the eyes of others, it’s very strange behavior and will attract too much attention.”
“Once people find out we are from the Immortal Demon Continent, it will cause unnecessary trouble.”
“To be honest with you, the people of this world are full of curiosity about immortals. Your Majesty the Empress, you don’t want others to know that you’ve lost all your cultivation now, do you?”
Longyue: “…”
Longyue’s expression grew pensive. Looking at the burning gazes of the crowd around her, she finally, obediently nodded her head.
“Alright... This Em... cough cough, I will listen to you for now, De... no, Lin Fan…”
For thousands of years, she had always referred to herself as "This Empress." To suddenly be asked to change this verbal tic felt strangely unfamiliar.
Especially having to call the Demon Sovereign by his real name, which gave her an indescribably weird feeling in her heart.
Calling him “Demon Sovereign” and calling him “Lin Fan” were two completely different feelings…
“That’s right, Longyue~”
Lin Fan nodded in approval and softly called out Longyue’s name.
Longyue glared at Lin Fan with dissatisfaction.
Being called directly by her name by the Demon Sovereign felt very unfamiliar.
From childhood to adulthood, she had always lived amidst calls of “Empress” and “Your Majesty the Empress.” This was the first time someone had called her directly by her name...
As the two of them wandered, they unknowingly arrived at the snack section of the mall.
Looking at the dazzling array of snacks on the rows of shelves before her, Longyue felt as if she were in a labyrinth, with no idea which way to go.
“So many things! De… Lin Fan, what are all these…?”
“These are all various kinds of processed snacks.”
“Snacks?! So many?!”
Longyue’s expression showed her shock, unable to believe that everything she saw before her were snacks.
As far as the eye could see, a rough estimate would be at least a hundred types of food!
“This is considered a small amount.”
“I haven’t had any in a long time either, so I’ll just buy some to take back.”
Lin Fan walked to a shelf and casually grabbed a few bags of potato chips, then turned his head and instructed Longyue:
“If you see anything you want to eat, don’t be polite, just grab it too.”
Longyue casually picked up a bag of potato chips beside her. Seeing that most of the people choosing snacks around them were little children, she hesitated for a moment, then put the potato chips back in their original place.
“Snacks are things that only mortal children eat. I am not a child, I’m not interested.”
“There’s no age limit for eating snacks,” Lin Fan retorted.
“Even so, I would not like these childish snacks.”
Longyue was unmoved, her expression firm.
She is the Empress of the Immortal Realm. If she were to eat snacks like a little child, wouldn't that damage the image of the Immortal Realm!
How could mere mortal snacks possibly move her, the Supreme Empress!
“Cake~ Freshly baked cake, welcome to have a free taste~”
At that moment, around the corner ahead, a staff member was cutting up cake for free samples and distributing them to passing customers.
When Longyue passed by, the staff member proactively offered her a piece.
“Hello~ would you like to have a taste? It’s freshly baked cake.”
“Cake…?”
Longyue looked at the cake before her, then looked questioningly at Lin Fan, only to find that he was already eating it with great relish.
“Mmm~ Tastes pretty good!”
“...”
Seeing Lin Fan’s look of enjoyment, and with the person having already handed the cake to her, Longyue hesitated for a moment before reluctantly accepting the cake. She picked up the small spoon, scooped up a piece, and put it in her mouth.
The moment the cake entered her mouth, the cream mixed with the fluffy bread instantly melted, and a thick, rich, milky fragrance filled her oral cavity.
“So, so delicious…!”
Longyue’s eyes lit up, and she looked at the cake in her hand in disbelief.
In the Immortal Demon Continent, she had tasted almost all the delicacies from all over the world, but she had never experienced such an amazing sensation upon first taste!
Unlike the fragrance of instant noodles, which was full of various spices, the cake brought her a mellow and silky taste with an endless aftertaste!
It's clearly just a piece of bread, how can it be made so delicious, so fluffy!
She declared, this cake was the Second Sacred Food of the Mortal Realm, after instant noodles!
Longyue's expression of amazed fascination as she looked at the cake was fully taken in by the staff member nearby, who took the opportunity to make a sales pitch:
“Hello, it tastes good, right? Would you like to buy one?”
“We have a discount right now, one cake is only one hundred and eighty.”
“Er…”
Longyue’s face showed her embarrassment, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer.
Her heart’s true desire told her she really wanted to eat more, but she had to face a cruel fact:
She had no money!!
Just as Longyue was in a dilemma, Lin Fan suddenly walked to her side and said to the staff member with a smile:
“We’ll take one, please.”
“Okay, please wait a moment~”
The staff member smiled and immediately began to package it.
Longyue’s clear, bright eyes stared at Lin Fan beside her. She felt a flutter in her heart and said gratefully in a small voice with her head lowered:
“Th-Thank you…”
Lin Fan gave a teasing smile and asked with feigned confusion:
“Hmm? What are you thanking me for? I bought that for myself to eat.”
“…You, you!”
Longyue’s pretty face turned completely red. She clenched her fists in embarrassment, her whole body trembling with anger.
“You should just go die! Demon Sovereign!!”
She thought the Demon Sovereign had specially bought it for her, which made her feel a trace of guilt and emotion in that instant, but this bastard actually told her she was just flattering herself!
Bastard! Give me back my touched feelings!