“Your first kiss, I’ll be taking it without any hesitation, Young Master~”
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long.”
“I never thought your lips would be this nice to kiss.”
“I’ve got another surprise for you, Young Master. I won’t do anything else to you for now, but I’ll come kiss you again tonight. You’d better behave then, just think of it as a little interest for making me wait so long…..”
These were the words Xī left behind before leaving—after licking clean her reddened lips, daintily covering her cherry mouth in a bit of disbelief with slender fingers, her smiling eyes curving gently.
She left these unmistakably jubilant words for Lin Nuo, who lay on the bed, utterly spent beneath her.
Thinking back to when Xī used to be so averse to…
No, to be precise, she pretended to be averse—so reserved that she wouldn’t let him touch any part of her.
Lin Nuo had only ever found her shyness extremely cute.
Sometimes, he’d tease her just to see her purse her lips in that helpless expression of distaste.
But honestly, he hadn’t been that keen on that whole “beautiful girl humiliation play” thing, had he?
Yet now, it seemed Xī had become quite passionate about making him play the part!
‘The more I struggle, the more excited she gets!’
Just thinking about that sweet-faced girl, closing her eyes to kiss him, breath quickening in enjoyment, her eyelashes fluttering… Lin Nuo understood completely.
‘The true expert hunter often appears in the form of prey. So from the very start— She was the hunter and the prey she locked onto was me!’
“Uuuh, I’m not pure anymore!”
“Oh well, I guess… by this logic, I wasn’t pure even eight years ago.”
On the side table beside the bed, all sorts of delicious dishes were laid out.
But Lin Nuo just couldn’t work up an appetite.
Ever since Xī found out that Princess Amidina had cooked for him a few times, it seemed to have sparked some strange sense of competitiveness in her.
These past couple days, she’d cooked loads of tasty food every meal and sent it over on time—every dish just happened to be something he liked.
Of course, more importantly, they were things she liked to eat, too…
Just like yesterday, when she wanted something refreshing, she’d brought mint leaf rolls.
Today, she’d prepared raspberries and honey water—maybe she wanted to try something sweet!
“Fatty Bird, you’re still eating! She’ll be here soon to collect me!”
“Chirp?”
Fatty Bird pecked at the green grapes that Xī had peeled, lifted its head and chirped at him a few times, as if urging him to come over and have a taste too.
“….”
‘Degenerate!’
‘Bird, you’ve fallen, bird!’
Lin Nuo nearly covered his face and cried out.
‘If this keeps up, even my little bird will turn into Xī’s plaything! I’m talking about Fatty Bird here, don’t get the wrong idea.’
“I can’t let this go on any longer!” Lin Nuo pressed the spot on his lips where he’d been bitten, deeply convinced.
A mouth is for eating, come on!
‘And it’s only been two days and I already can’t take it…’
‘If our resident nun comes up with new tricks, plus that so-called surprise she mentioned—which already sounds dubious… I’m finished!’
“The Chapel doesn’t get many visitors. Even though there are windows here, Xī definitely wouldn’t give me a chance to call for help…”
“My father and mother have both been invited to the Elf Kingdom. It’ll be a while before they come back. Xī is the most trustworthy partner I have. Besides, I spent such a long time recovering from my injuries that I was practically invisible; even if the Butler or the Knights ask, as long as she says I’m resting again, no one will question my disappearance for a couple of months…”
“If I don’t do anything now, that thing might really be my final fate!”
Lin Nuo glanced at the table, at the Goddess Statue with a dagger stuck in its head, then remembered Xī’s bedroom—walls plastered with her drawings, ugh…
His heart was filled with gloom.
The only silver lining was that no one else could find his Magic Book, and there were no other Magic Barriers here to keep him from honing his magic.
He’d spent his free time these past couple of days gathering his knowledge of Magic Arrays, trying to convert as much of the dark energy in his body into magic power as possible…
Lin Nuo reviewed the spells he could currently use.
He had too little time left, so he was only proficient with a handful of mostly useless arrays—Tracing, Guidance, Detection, and Heavenly Rain Enrichment River…
And… Life Slime Generation?
Lin Nuo’s heart sank halfway.
Then he thought about the spells Xī could use: ‘Not only could she freely control the special white paper outside the scope of normal magic elements, she also possessed a wisdom she’d hidden for years—no one in the manor had ever noticed it—and could Paper Transform entire rooms.’
It just showed her hidden strength.
If they fought head-on, he’d absolutely lose!
If fighting wasn’t an option, he’d have to rely on outside help…
“Xī has earned the total trust of the manor’s stewards and Butler. If she claims I’m sick in bed, the other Maids may be curious about why I haven’t shown up in ages, but they wouldn’t have the nerve to insist on seeing me…”
“If I want someone to find out I’m missing…”
“It would have to be someone coming to look for me specifically…”
But—
Lin Nuo scratched his head.
“Who would come all this way just to see a little blond villain like me?”
Tormented by indecision, he went through a mental checklist of anyone who could help him.
As the sunlight streamed through the window, suddenly there was a commotion outside and a gruff voice called out: “May the Lord’s grace be with you, honored Sister.”
“May I ask where Young Master Lin Nuo Clemence is?”
“Our commander couldn’t find him in the main building, but he saw a magic scroll in the young master’s room. He’s asked us to bring Young Master Lin Nuo some magic items.”
“Hmm.” Xī’s voice was flat and indifferent: “And who is your commander…?”
“Hahaha, long time no see, honored Miss Xī, do you still remember me?”
As soon as that booming voice sounded, a figure sprang to Lin Nuo’s mind: a middle-aged man with flowing aqua-blue hair, leaning on a cane to support his crippled leg, his posture straight and sturdy—hardened by battle.
He was disabled, but could still sling an arm around his subordinates, or lead knights into battle.
“Commander of the Treading Wave Sea Guard Knights, Dastor Migludia.”
‘It’s him!’
Lin Nuo’s already cold heart plummeted into the grave.
‘I’m doomed!’
‘There’s no way I’ll be saved!’
Perhaps because, like his own father, he was a general who fought against monsters, and had sworn brotherhood before the Goddess herself.
Eight years ago, the centurion who commanded hundreds in the Knights had become the commander of the Knights and an earl: Dax Migludia.
No matter what attitude he took toward other families’ celebrated young magicians and warriors—often dismissive—he’d always treated Lin Nuo especially well, out of affection for his friend’s son.
As the Migludia Family maintained a close friendship with the Clemence Family, whenever they had major victories against monsters, the lord would bring his people to the Clemence Family Manor to celebrate, or come to the Chapel to pray for the goddess’s blessing.
On such occasions, Lin Nuo, being a bystander, wasn’t expected to participate—at most, he’d be dragged out by his parents to make an appearance, but none of the seated earls would pay him much attention.
However, whenever Dax came to visit, all the best wine and food would quickly make their way to wherever Lin Nuo was staying.
“The belly meat of the Stone Scale Beast is incredibly delicious and strengthens the body. Lord Dax left some especially for his nephew, Young Master Lin Nuo, and told us he must try it.”
“Lord Dax said to send this stove as well, since the belly meat of the Stone Scale Beast tastes best when it’s hot.”
“The Blood Thornberry wine is crisp and fragrant. Lord Dax said Young Master Lin Nuo should learn to drink some, too.”
“Eh?”
“This woman is to be sent over too?”
“Lord Dax said that today, on the way to Nightingale Hall with Young Master Lin Nuo, he saw him glance at the legs of nine Nightingale Girls. He must understand these matters by now.”
“The lead dancer of Nightingale Hall had just finished performing the Rainbow Gauze Dance and is still warm. He told us to hurry and send her to Young Master Lin Nuo before she cools down on the way.”
“??”
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