CH 46

Hold my hand, for a long long time.

The dumb dragon in front of his eyes was waving his tail around on his own. Gesius thought for a while and then slowly withdrew his sword.

The princess hasn’t been saved yet, so he shouldn’t beat the grass and alert the snake.

With this train of thought, Gesius’s expression flickered. In the end, he glanced at the two people who were still playing at changing costumes and left with quiet steps, leaving no sign of his presence behind.

Bai Zhi was completely unaware. He remained in his original spot for quite a while. It was only when the system finally finished trying on clothes that he went back with light footsteps.

Gesius was leaning against a tree, sleeping soundly with his eyes closed. Bai Zhi signaled towards the system:

He hasn’t realized, we’re definitely safe.

The system nodded and immediately laid down comfortably next to Bai Zhi:

“Then I’ll rest first. Good night nephew.”

Bai Zhi nodded: “Sweet dreams.”

The surroundings sunk into silence very quickly, and Gesius and the system seemed to be sound asleep. Bai Zhi rested his face in his hands, lifted his head to gaze at the night sky. A river of stars dotted the sky, twinkling beautifully in the moment.

Thus, Bai Zhi’s mood lifted abruptly. He remembered the starry sky that Wen Zhuzhi had brought him to see.

At that time, they were already mutually in love, and every second spent together was suffused with a crisp sweetness. Bai Zhi really liked that kind of feeling.

With his thoughts at this point, he simply turned his head back and looked towards Gesius who was leaning against a tree and resting.

When he first started transmigrating, Bai Zhi still needed the smell of his soul to recognize him, still needed to understand his own feelings little by little, and still clung to the goal of finishing the task as a reason for treating this person well.

But it was different now.

The campfire crackled and popped, casting a little bit of light onto Gesius’s face and making his already handsome complexion even prettier.

So Bai Zhi just watched him motionlessly like this. Even without doing anything, he felt that he was very happy and fortunate. The fertile soil in his heart bloomed with a sea of flowers, and a joyous mood welled up from within him. 

In the end, Bai Zhi simply squatted up and scooted over to Gesius’s side step by step, leaning against him as he sat down. 

Gesius’s eyes were still closed. Bai Zhi took a deep breath. Very very lightly, he hooked the corner of Gesius’s clothes with his little finger, brought his fingertips together slowly, and quietly pinched it.

Like a silly fool, Bai Zhi merrily held this corner for a long time.

It was really just that he liked his target too much.

The little demon felt that in the hundreds of years that he lived, he had never liked one person this much.

Wanting to stick to him all the time, wanting to feel his presence every second, so urgently that he wanted to hug him tightly, every touch making his heart overflow with happiness.

Even if it was right now, when Gesius had just become acquainted with him, Bai Zhi could still be by his side and feel happy.

After a while, the night deepened even further. Bai Zhi couldn’t help but yawn and close his eyes as he leaned against Gesius. Before long, he entered the land of dreams.

Yet the originally sound asleep Gesius suddenly opened his eyes.

After learning of the real identity behind this florist sleeping next to him, Gesius would obviously not enter a sleep in front of him. He was wide awake long before Bai Zhi returned, and the shut-eye afterwards was just a performance he faked.

He didn’t know what the goal of this evil dragon was and could only raise his own vigilance to the extreme.

When Bai Zhi had neared him, every hair on Gesius had entered a state of alertness, constantly prepared to engage in a battle to the death with this ill-intentioned dragon.

He was the most exceptional knight in the entire nation, battling against dark forces was his ultimate purpose!

He possessed extraordinary courage and strength, he didn’t fear this invincible dragon that everyone avoided in the slightest!

Wasn’t it just an evil dragon! Come at me and fight ah!

Then Gesius felt the corner of his own clothes get pulled.

In his mind’s eye he felt the ferocious evil dragon curl up beside himself, with one claw holding tight to the corner of his clothes. Just as his nerves were fraught with tension, Bai Zhi the evil dragon scratched his head, rested it on him, and fell asleep.

He slept deeply and soundly. Gesius could even hear the sound of his light snores.

The touch on his shoulder was soft and warm. Gesius quietly tilted his head to look; Bai Zhi’s eyes were both closed, and the face that pressed lightly against him was white like jade.

When the insects started sounding from all directions, their sounds combined one by one with the crackling of the campfire to unendingly intrude on the sleepless person’s ears. It couldn’t help but make this night feel somewhat chaotic.

It was under these circumstances that Gesius carefully and diligently watched this evil dragon-xiansheng’s profile for a long while.

He gradually came to an unrelated conclusion.

This evil dragon looks quite good.

The morning of the next day.

The first ray of early sunlight shone onto the small creek amid the forest, refracting into sparkling golden lights. Bai Zhi opened his eyes and sobered up from his dreams. 

He stretched lazily, saw that the Gesius next to him was still dreaming, and instantly got up and treaded lightly on his hands and feet to shake awake the system that was similarly sleeping and pull them away to find Gesius something for breakfast.

The system’s face was dark and it was unable to understand: “Gesius definitely brought breakfast ah, this is called being redundant.”

“Of course not.” Bai Zhi talked as he walked, saying: “The breakfast he hurriedly brought for travel is one: not nutritious and two: not tasty, I have to find him something to eat myself.”

System: “Then don’t pull me along ah.”

“It’s not like I know the way.” Bai Zhi said as if it were obvious: “Or know where I can find things to eat.”

Hearing this, the system impatiently flicked its hand, directly pulled out a fruit, and put it in Bai Zhi’s hand: “Here, you have a spiritual fruit now, what ‘find breakfast’, go back and sleep!”

Bai Zhi speedily received it with nimble fingers and bowed towards the system: “Many thanks to uncle!”

After saying thus, he ran back like smoke.

The system, after remaining in its original spot for a long time, vaguely felt something was off: “…That’s not right, that greenhorn must have been aiming for the spiritual fruit I had from the start!”

When Bai Zhi, whose plan was successful, had run back, Gesius had already gotten up and was doing some simple washing up using the creek water. Bai Zhi directly offered up the fruit in hand and said with a face full of anticipation: “Taste this.”

Gesius stopped the motion of wiping his face. He silently stared at Bai Zhi for a long time, ten thousand reasons for why flashing in his heart.

Is the evil dragon’s thing edible? What is the evil dragon doing giving me something to eat in the morning? Did the evil dragon decide to use a sugar-coated bullet to confuse me because he can’t win against me?

This was just too strange.

But Gesius the knight didn’t let his own doubtful expression show. He was only silent for a moment before taking the fruit.

Must not beat the grass and alert the snake. This is what Gesius thought.

So he very respectfully bowed towards Bai Zhi and took a bit out of the fruit in front of him.

“…Thank you.”

As Gesius’s thanks came to him, Bai Zhi’s eyes curved and he shook his head: “You’re welcome.”

Saying this he stepped away.

Gesius didn’t feel anything abnormal after eating a bite of fruit, could it be that the evil dragon wasn’t thinking of harming him? He was somewhat uncertain of his own conclusion and could only follow after Bai Zhi.

The two people traveled together like this for a distance. The system’s tone for a prompt sounded:

“Beep———Level Three warning, threat ahead: man-eating vine.”

Bai Zhi’s relaxed steps came to a halt: “…Uncle, why did the fairy-tail world suddenly become a horror world?”

“That’s very normal ah.” The system explained: “Didn’t the original text say that the knight crossed snowy mountains, even more forests, and went through all kinds of hardships before arriving in front of the evil dragon’s lair entrance?”

“S– So?”

“Man-eating vines are just one of those hardships ah.” The system said with a face of calm.

“I…” Bai Zhi nearly spat out his mouthful of water: “The things covered by the original text in a few words, the world automatically fills those in too?”

“It depends on the situation.” The system said: “The original protagonists were the male and female leads, so these details would naturally be insignificant. But if the focus is Gesius and you…”

“With these counterparts, now that would be different.”

Just as the system’s words fell, Bai Zhi abruptly heard an unusual noise.

As if something had crossed through the entire forest, and was currently crawling towards them at an extreme speed.

Bai Zhi, who had already received the system’s warning, instantly became nervous and immediately backed up a few steps to stand in front of Gesius, speeding up his words to say to him:

“Look out for those vines.”

“Vines?”

Gesius didn’t understand what Bai Zhi meant and was about to step forward to question him when a thin and long dark shadow suddenly appeared in front of him. Gesius eyes narrowed and he pulled out his sword with the intention of cutting it, yet Bai Zhi took the initiative to step forward and fend off the suddenly-attacking enemy, his tone carrying several more notes of worry:

“It’s this thing! It eats people so hide behind me!”

Hide behind me?

Gesius’s mind that was originally ready to go to battle unexpectedly veered off course.

A dignified knight hiding behind an enormous dragon: if news of this spreads, won’t my old face be completely lost?

This definitely must not be allowed.

Thinking like this, Gesius simply pulled back Bai Zhi in one motion, rushed forward by himself, and with godly speed cut up the vines that were attacking again into multiple pieces. At the same time his left hand pulled out a flintstone and with great accuracy threw it amid the retreating vines, and an instant later, flames erupted.

Its fire-fearing nature as a plant forced the vines to continuously withdraw, leaving it no energy to attack again. Gesius felt the awed gaze of the person behind him, and thought he didn’t show anything on the surface, his heart was full of endless ridicule.

Of course the knight’s display is more god-like. Only beating the enemy to protect the evil dragon would match the consistent progress of the story.

Even though it seemed like something was not quite right somewhere.

Forget it, forget it, what’s the point of thinking this much. Gesius waved his hand dismissively. He had just turned around when he was completely hugged by a certain dragon.

A very satisfied Bai Zhi hugged Gesius tightly, bumping his head endlessly against his chest:

“You’re so powerful!”

Gesius coughed, and calmly pulled away a certain dragon off him: “It’s thanks to your warning too.”

“Warning you was only natural.” Bai Zhi lifted his head: “Don’t worry, I won’t let you be harmed.”

“En?” Hearing this Gesius felt it was a bit strange, what does this mean, could it be that this evil dragon even wanted to protect him too?

“I will go with you all the way to the evil dragon’s lair.” Bai Zhi said: “Then you can go defeat that dragon!”

Hearing this Gesius’s expression flickered, what are you trying to say, but in the end he didn’t say anything.

Gesius tied his horse securely and filled the kettle with water. Bai Zhi was sitting next to the campfire in a very proper manner, and a pair of sparkling eyes was currently looking at himself.

Gesius suddenly shivered.

He scratched his cheek uncomfortably, sat down next to Bai Zhi, found a topic, and started talking:

“Today, how did you know that there were vines attacking.”

“I…I heard about it somewhere.” Bai Zhi hesitantly explained, thought for a bit, and then said again a bit worriedly:

“On the rest of the journey, you may also encounter snowy mountains, swamps, and wild beasts. Every time you advance, the dangers you face will increase.”

Bai Zhi worked hard to recall the plot of the original text, saying word for word: “I will put forth the greatest of my ability to protect you, Gesius. You must also be vigilant at all times.”

“…I understand.”

Gesius replied, his heart complicated.

He didn’t know what goal Bai Zhi said these words for.

He was clearly an evil dragon, but he insisted on concealing his identity to be with him the whole way. They were clearly two parties on opposite sides, but when encountering danger his first reaction was in regards to Gesius himself.

And there was that phrase…going with him to the evil dragon’s lair, what did that mean?

He was going to accompany him to fight himself?

Gesius felt that this world had become fantasy.

He suddenly remembered a long time ago, he had unintentionally flipped open a small book purchased by the princess.

The second male lead in the book had said, utterly devastated, to the male lead: “My only love, if you want to kill me, I will bring the blade to you with my own hands.”

Gesius had virtually become covered in goosebumps.

Nope, too abnormal.

Especially after the princess had learned of him flipping open that small book, she kept on using very “loving” eyes to look at him, occasionally insisting on pulling him aside for long talks where regardless of whether her mouth was open or closed:

“Gesius, in the future if you meet a man who would let you kill him, you–”

“He definitely must have a problem with his head.”

The steel-straight Gesius had honestly replied.

“Idiot!” The princess had hated iron for not becoming steel: “That is because he loves you! Otherwise who wouldn’t treasure their lives!”

“So that’s how it is…” Gesius had suddenly realized: “Then I will bring him back to the royal palace.”

Satisfied, the princess had nodded and was about to praise the enlightened state of this knight of hers, when she heard that person say:

“To become brothers with him!”

Princess: “…”

“Gesius, turn left after the door, you can go now.”

“As you command.”

Gesius who had been pestered by the princess for multiple months clenched both his hands into fists. After paying his respects he followed the princess’s wishes and left the royal bedchambers. As he walked he couldn’t help secretly complaining:

Their nation’s princess really was a god-like annoyance, it would be if an evil dragon snatched her away.

And then this wish had come true.

Gesius had even been thinking of whether he should resign and become a prophet or something of that type when the king’s commands had come down.

Okay then, save the princess.

And have some fun playing around on the way.

The first commander of the knights thought happily in his heart.

But it was only when he started on the journey to find the princess for real that Gesius realized that the plans of his previous self had been ruined.

Let’s not mention all the strange roadblocks along the way. Just this evil dragon that had inexplicably followed him and exposed himself at record speeds was enough to bring him a lot of troubles.

Such as right now.

“The flower cakes of the evil dragon’s lair are very delicious.” Bai Zhi thought of the fortunate life he had had since saving the princess, and could not help saying: “You should come over often to taste them.”

“The flower cakes commissioned imperially by the royal palace are also delicious.” Gesius said plainly: “You should come over instead.”

“The flower cakes of the evil dragon, even the princess cannot forget them.”

“The flower cakes of the royal palace, the princess finishes licking the crumbs every meal.”

“The princess at the evil dragons’ can eat half a pound at once.”

“The princess at the royal palace can eat two pounds at once.”

The surroundings suddenly quieted, and Bai Zhi stared at the Gesius in front of him with face full of shock, his voice carrying several notes of disbelief: 

“Your princess can really eat ah.”

Gesius, who had suddenly found a common topic, was very happy: “Our princess she, when no one is around she can eat straight out of the pan.”

Bai Zhi: “…she has almost caught up to me.”

Gesius: “Perhaps it is our princess who is a bit more powerful.”

Bai Zhi furrowed his brow: “No no no, it’s me.”

“It’s our princess.”

“It’s me.”

……

The maid outfit-wearing system listening on the side for a long while couldn’t help having a face full of black lines:

Are these two people children who just graduated from preschool?

The two children ridiculed by the system finally tired of arguing, they mutually hmph’d at each other and stopped talking.

Bai Zhi sipped a large mouthful of water, and very furiously complained to the system in his headspace:

“Gesius is so annoying! In the previous world he never argued with me!”

The system silently shoved earplugs in its ears: “This type of substituting flirting with arguing, you don’t need to talk to me about it anymore.”

Bai Zhi: “I’m angry!”

The system was silent for a while: “Gesius is almost asleep.”

Bai Zhi: “En?”

“You’re not going to secretly hug him today?”

“Of course not!” Bai Zhi spun in a circle with a lot of backbone, faced his butt towards Gesius, and said angrily: “Unless I wait for a bit.”

System: “…Goodbye.”

Bai Zhi was still kind enough to not further bother his uncle, instead he sat with his knees drawn up, curled himself into a ball, and from time to time he would secretly turn his head back to take a look at Gesius.

Gesius hugged his sword and leaned against a tree, the silky strands of hair swaying gently in the light wind.

The little demon mood that was just full of fury gradually lost its resistance.

Gesius was so pretty.

Bai Zhi quietly thought.

In the end he simply got up, and with light hands and feet scooted next to that person’s side and sat down, resting his head on Gesius’s shoulder.

In any case Gesius won’t notice, Bai Zhi thought silently. As long as he continued to act the way he did today and woke up first next morning, secretly returning to his original spot and settling down, he would not be exposed.

With this line of thought, Bai Zhi not only gave his own plan a thumbs up, but also adjusted himself into a comfortable posture to start sleeping in.

Regarding the matter of him having long lost his cover, the little demon really didn’t know, and Gesius was pretending not to know. That the two people complemented each other quite well was also a strange coincidence.

It was with this exceedingly miraculous way of getting along that they walked out of the forest. In the blink of an eye, they had arrived at the snowy mountain that Bai Zhi spoke of.

The endless peaks stretched before them. Bai Zhi suddenly became serious:

“We will encounter a blizzard halfway through the mountain, you must follow closely behind me.”

Gesius really wanted to ask how he prophesied this, but then he thought: this person is an evil dragon, knowing the road back to his own home is not surprising at all. So he simply let go of his doubts.

“I will take note.”

Bai Zhi en’d, turned around and adjusted his hat for him, took off his previously serious air and replaced it with a kind of brisk tone that made Gesius feel a few notes of anticipation even:

“If you feel cold, you can hold my hand, for as long as you want to.”