If naive Yulilian wanted to flaunt her status in Amidina’s heart, she wouldn’t resort to such a dull trick.
But then, after a moment’s thought, Xiafuya pressed her lips together, clicked her tongue twice, and her gaze toward Lin Nuo suddenly brightened, as if she had figured it out:
‘No matter how slightly clever a scoundrel is, he’s still a scoundrel.’
Just like it said on the note: a noble scoundrel who grew up cradling the Golden Key can’t help but be childish.
After only a brief pause, Xiafuya rested her fragrant cheek on her hand and gave him a helpless smile, then got up and glanced in Amidina’s direction, as if the spirit of a female bandit were burning fiercely within her.
Xiafuya walked toward him.
As the two brushed past each other, they exchanged a knowing high five.
The outcome of the three of them going together tonight was thus sealed.
Lin Nuo even remembered the subtle expression at the corner of Xiafuya’s mouth—partly helpless, partly wanting to play along with him.
It was obvious: Feng Aotian definitely wouldn’t keep to the plan he wrote, of only spending half a candle’s time alone with Amidina.
From Lin Nuo’s understanding of Feng Aotian, she would most likely use Transformation Art to mimic Lin Nuo and sneak into the Marriage Chamber, but as soon as she stepped inside, she would reveal her true appearance to Amidina.
She might even show Amidina the note he had written, telling her that the scoundrel Lin Nuo was already unable to hide the real, evil side beneath his polite demeanor—someone who would use friendly etiquette to deceive Princess Amidina’s feelings and then claim her pure body and soul…
But Lin Nuo had anticipated her anticipation.
That way, Feng Aotian’s words would sow seeds of distrust in Amidina toward him.
He wouldn’t have to trouble himself further and could brush off his mother’s concerns.
And Feng Aotian and Amidina would skip the part where they suppress him, the annoying blond antagonist, yet still follow the original story’s sequence of meeting again in the Marriage Chamber.
“A plan that pleases all three!” was born like this!
Who knew that later, thanks to a hint from the adorable Priestess, he thought of an even simpler and more powerful approach—stealing the Princess’s Sacred Relic to rewrite her will and solve the problem at its source…
Logically speaking, whether Feng Aotian used advanced Transformation Art to impersonate him, or stole the Princess’s Sacred Relic, either method could guarantee his safety tonight.
But the two combined, and without having found Amidina’s Sacred Relic…..
***
“knock knock knock”…
Avoiding the Maid, Feng Aotian simply canceled the Transformation Art, ending her adventure and changing into high heels, her heels clicking as she ascended the stairs.
…It’s over!
At Feng Aotian’s pace, she would reach the door in about three minutes.
Lin Nuo knew it was too late to sneak out now.
There was only one passage from here to the first floor, and it happened to be shift change for the Night Patrol.
If he tried to hide in another room, he would likely disturb the other Maids…
If a Maid saw him—Lin Nuo, who had just gone upstairs to cook fried rice with the Princess’s fiancé—coming back down…
Two Lin Nuos—how would he explain that?
Would he say that during the time he was with his fiancée, he called another girl to pretend to be him and came to cheer them on, and the three of them gathered in the Marriage Chamber to play mahjong?
But they’d be one short!
Jumping from the balcony was an option… but this was the fifth floor!
Returning to the room, Lin Nuo quickly reached the head of the bed, blowing out all the beeswax candles behind the screen and the ones just lit.
The room instantly plunged into dimness, only the faint flicker of the fireplace’s flames casting a soft glow.
He crouched down, feeling around, trying to hide under the bed…
‘Isn’t this the place a mistress hides?’
But honestly, he was the original owner here!
Touching the solid Walnut Wood Bedboard, Lin Nuo’s heart sank completely.
Who in their right mind installs solid wood beds?
Now there was nowhere to hide…
“knock knock knock… knock knock knock…”
Footsteps drew closer and closer.
Lin Nuo bit his collar, helpless and on the verge of tears.
Even though stealing the socks had already altered the original storyline, proving that this world didn’t have any unknown force that would fix everything back to how the original story should be, he was still doomed to the same fate:
Waiting for Feng Aotian to open the door, catch him seemingly about to do something improper to Amidina, and slap him into the wall until he was nothing more than a flat paper figure.
Two beautiful girls would thus embrace and sleep together on his marriage bed…
Leaving only the pitiful blond to follow the same old tragic path.
If Feng Aotian then used the Truth Ring to discover that he had already thoroughly oiled Amidina’s whole body, the two of them would surely chop him into tiny bits…
Suddenly realizing he couldn’t be honest, Lin Nuo jumped up and opened the wardrobe.
His eyes scanned down and pulled out the thickest duvet, tossing it onto the bed.
He moved to the desk, sniffed out the dry firewood soaked with Mihun Fern, and carefully put it all into the orange-red dancing flames of the fireplace.
After hesitating a moment, he reached down carefully and retrieved a handful of wood ash, stuffing it into his pocket.
“knock knock—”
High heel clicks neared the door.
Lin Nuo leapt onto the bed and spread out the thick duvet that would hide him better.
“Squeak—”
Just as the door opened, Lin Nuo dove headfirst into the duvet.
“…Huh?”
“Looking from below, the balcony still seems a bit bright. Did I see it wrong?”
A girl’s sweet whisper filled the doorway.
The footsteps ceased, as if not wanting to disturb Princess Amidina’s sweet dreams.
Xiafuya must have taken off her shoes right at the door.
Through the thick velvet barrier, even the faint rustling of high heels being removed was hard to hear.
But even without sound, Lin Nuo could almost feel those bare feet stepping softly on the warm carpet, slowly approaching the screen and gracefully moving toward him…
“Really asleep?”
Sure enough, the familiar voice soon appeared again, this time less than a meter in front of him.
“Or at least it seems so, hmm?”
Taking a breath, Xiafuya’s gentle whisper followed after a pause:
“There’s a strange scent in the room.”
“It smells like… Mihun Fern grown deep in a magical forest?”
“……”
‘You… You dog nose!’
Lin Nuo didn’t dare move, relying on the thick velvet duvet that fully concealed his figure.
He even closed his eyes.
If Feng Aotian lifted the cover now and their eyes met, the awkwardness would be no less than hiding from a flight but suddenly being caught by a bunch of aunts and relatives!
The danger of being found would be far worse than an engine exploding mid-flight!
Lin Nuo’s nerves tightened even more.
“Mm, Princess Amidina smells so nice!”
“It’s the scent of a fresh bath…”
Suddenly shifting her tone, Xiafuya took a light step closer to Amidina, leaning in slightly and wafting the delicate fragrance in front of her, her jade-like nose twitching:
“At a time of such relaxation, how could one still keep the alertness of being on an adventure?”
“It must be a mistake.”
“Who in Claremont Manor would dare to use something like Mihun Fern on the Water Saint Elf?”
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