Carl glanced at Carrot and said, "What are you standing there for? Let's go. I'll come with you to look around."
With that, Carl put his arm around Wanda and walked past Carrot toward a clothing shop. Snapping out of her daze, Carrot quickly turned and chased after them, calling out,
"Don't leave me behind!"
By the time the three walked out of the clothing store, Carl's outfit remained unchanged, but Wanda and Carrot had completely transformed.
As members of the Mink Tribe, both were naturally afraid of heat, so they changed into lighter clothing.
Wanda donned a blue-and-white striped tank top paired with denim shorts, while Carrot opted for an orange floral sundress.
Besides these outfits, Carl had stored a pile of new clothes for them in his Dark Bible—almost clearing out the store's stock of women's clothing.
Feeling refreshed in her new outfit, Carrot spun around twice in excitement as soon as they stepped out of the store. She then turned to Carl and asked, "How do I look?"
Carl casually gave a few words of praise before shifting his gaze to a bar at the edge of the street and saying,
"Let's go have a drink."
Carrot blinked her big eyes and said, "I don't drink."
"Then just sit and watch. Wanda, can you drink?"
Nestling into Carl's embrace, Wanda replied softly, "If that is my master's wish, I can try."
Carl gently ran his fingers through Wanda's brown fur and smiled. "Then give it a try. But if you really can't handle it, there's no need to force yourself."
After speaking, he flicked Carrot's forehead. She yelped in pain, clutching her forehead as she hopped aside, pouting at Carl and whining,
"You hit me again! That's not fair!"
Carl ignored her and said indifferently, "Because you're a disobedient pet. And disobedient pets need to be punished."
"If you treated me as gently as you treat Wanda, I'd listen to you!"
"Oh? Bargaining with me now? Then you can sleep on the streets tonight."
"You—! Wanda, he's bullying me again!"
Wanda gave a helpless smile and said softly, "Carrot, our master wouldn't really do that. He actually likes you."
Carrot immediately jumped up, blushing as she looked at Carl. "Eh?! He likes me? That's impossible..."
Carl glanced at Carrot and said flatly, "Yeah, definitely impossible. Let's go."
With that, ignoring Carrot's slightly resentful gaze, Carl wrapped his arm around Wanda and walked toward the bar.
Inside, the bar was filled with an electrifying dance beat. Several dancers in tight, revealing outfits were performing a passionate routine on stage, drawing loud whistles from the young men below.
It was Wanda and Carrot's first time in a bar, and they felt a bit out of place at first. However, the lively nature of the Mink Tribe quickly took over, and they soon enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere.
Carrot bounced around excitedly, clapping nonstop for the dancers on stage. Her flushed face made her look even more adorable.
Carl found a seat in a quiet corner, pulling Wanda into his embrace. He called over the bartender and ordered two cocktails and a fruit platter, also instructing him to freshly juice a carrot.
Leaning back against the plush sofa, Carl draped one arm over the backrest while the other rested on Wanda's shoulder. His golden eyes gleamed even brighter under the dim lighting of the bar as he watched the dancers on stage.
When the drinks arrived, Wanda picked up a cocktail and, under the bartender's envious gaze, brought it to Carl's lips.
Carl took a sip before casting a sidelong glance at the bartender. Instantly, a chill ran down the bartender's spine. Having worked in this mixed crowd for years, he immediately realized that this seemingly young man was not someone he could afford to offend.
He quickly bowed his head and turned to leave.
Just as he was about to step away, a banknote suddenly landed on his tray.
The bartender froze for a moment before hearing a calm voice from behind him.
"Your tip."
Snapping back to reality, he glanced at the banknote's denomination, and his face lit up with joy. Turning back, he bowed at a ninety-degree angle and said,
"Thank you, sir! If you need anything, just call me. I'd be honored to serve you!"
Carl didn't spare him another glance, merely waving his hand dismissively. The bartender, understanding the cue, tactfully left.
Once the bartender was gone, Carl gestured for Wanda to try the cocktail. She obediently took a sip, but it was clear she couldn't handle alcohol well. After just half a glass, a rosy tint spread across her cheeks, and her eyes grew hazy.
Seeing her reaction, Carl chuckled and poured the rest of her drink into his own glass, saying,
"Alright, you don't have to drink anymore. Have some fruit instead."
Wanda hadn't expected to be such a lightweight. Embarrassed, she lowered her head and picked up a piece of apple with a toothpick, slowly chewing.
Just then, a commotion erupted from the dance floor. Carl and Wanda looked over and saw a sensual woman in a lavender dance outfit twisting her waist in the center of the stage. The sheer fabric clung to her body, accentuating her curves as she spun with the music. Her long, flowing black hair cascaded down her back, adding an irresistible allure.
Carl raised an eyebrow and murmured, "It's her?"
Hearing this, Wanda turned to Carl and asked, "Master, do you know her? What's her name? She dances beautifully!"
Carl downed his cocktail with a smirk and replied, "Her name is Viola. She used to be the princess of this country."
"Huh? She's not a princess anymore?"
"No. The king here was replaced long ago..."
Before Carl could finish, another disturbance broke out near the dance floor—this time involving Carrot.
Three drunken thugs were slowly closing in on her, their lecherous expressions making their intentions clear.
Earlier, Carrot had accidentally stepped on one of their feet, and now, the trio had latched onto her.
The bald man leading them reached out several times to grab Carrot, but she skillfully dodged each attempt. However, he didn't seem angry. Instead, he grinned and said,
"Come on, little bunny. Didn't you say you wanted to apologize? Why not join us for a drink first?"
Carrot furrowed her brows. She knew she was in the wrong for stepping on his foot, so she had been holding back. But as the three men got increasingly aggressive, silver arcs of electricity flickered across her hands.
From the stage, Viola noticed the situation and was about to intervene. Bars like these always had scum like this, and she was prepared to step in to help the Mink girl.
However, just as she was about to leap down from the stage, three deep purple rings of light suddenly appeared above the heads of the three thugs.
Before she could even react, the rings descended in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, the floor was left with nothing but three fresh, bloody lumps of meat.
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+190 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg