CH 62

The quiet room is bright and warm.

Xia Zuoyi and Segalot sat together at a small round table by the window. On the table was a pot of warm scented tea and a red ribbon was placed on the right side of the pot.

This is what Xia Zuoyi untied from the little black panther’s tail just now, indicating that he accepted the gift.

“It’s very vigilant.”

Xia Zuoyi glanced at the corner of the windowsill and said to Segalot, “Why would you think of sending me a little black panther?”

Is it because he raised Briquette and Egg Yolk?

Segalot: “Don’t you like it?” 

The little black panther was lying in the corner of the window with a dark curtain on his head and his four small fluffy paws were put under his body. His fur color almost perfectly blended with the fabric.

Of course, the premise is to ignore his dark golden eyes secretly watching them. Secretly observing.jpg 

He’s really cute.

Xia Zuoyi’s eyebrows bent, “I like him very much. Just wondering.” 

Segalot: “Do you know Kadi?”

Xia Zuoyi thought for a while, but nothing came to mind.

He probably didn’t know it.

Xia Zuoyi looked it up on the system interface and finally found the name “Kadi” on the westernmost part of the Western Continent, “A… small kingdom?”

He saw that Kadi’s territory wasn’t as large as the Desinian Territory and its location was very remote.

Segalot reached for the red ribbon on the table, took Xia Zuoyi’s left hand, slowly wrapped the red ribbon around his wrist, and said with a chuckle, “Kadi is not a kingdom.”

“It’s a tribe. A tribe… that doesn’t believe in the God of Creation.” 

The soft ribbon gently ran across the white skin, bringing a slightly itchy touch.

Xia Zuoyi resisted the impulse to rub his fingers. With a little doubt and curiosity, he watched as a bright red rose was wrapped around his wrist by Mianxia the Pope, but because there was no way to fix it, it broke away the moment it took shape.

The red ribbon winds around the back of Xia Zuoyi’s hands and fingers… like an exquisite feast.

Segalot paused when his fingertips touched the ribbon, and then naturally retracted it from Xia Zuoyi’s wrist.

He said, “The Kadi tribe worships nature.”

“Although they don’t resist the spread of the God of Creation’s glory, they prefer creatures living in nature. Black panthers are their belief and totem.”

Xia Zuoyi turned his head and glanced at the little black panther who was almost buried under the curtain.

The little black panther’s two round ears were slightly crushed on top of his head by the heavy curtain.

He seemed to perceive Xia Zuoyi’s gaze and then quietly shrank inward. His small round head hung down on the windowsill and his dark golden eyes are watching him closely.

Xia Zuoyi: “Did the Kadi tribe give it to you?”

Segalot: “Yes. Guess why?”

Why else?

It’s self-evident why a small remote tribe, which doesn’t believe in the God of Creation, gave the black panther they worship to the Pope of the Holy See.

The Kadi want to seek refuge.

Xia Zuoyi replied, “You don’t like the Kadi tribe.”

Segalot didn’t like to laugh.

But he likes to raise the corner of his mouth at Xia Zuoyi, his eyebrows and eyes soft, because he is a small rose that is different from others.

Segalot liked this feeling very much.

Xia Zuoyi Desinia is the little rose he wants to nurture carefully.

But this rose is not suitable to be raised in a greenhouse. The suitable temperature and safe environment will only make him wither.

He should grow in the unclaimed fertile soil, stretch his body wantonly, fearlessly meet the wind and rain, drive the surrounding black thorns to swallow foreign enemies, turn all malicious creatures into nourishment, and bloom the brightest and most magnificent flowers. 

Now, he has initially shown his dazzling beauty.

Segalot couldn’t help sighing thinking about the development of the Desinian Territory in the past three years, “You always surprise me.”

Xia Zuoyi tilted his head in confusion. Was he surprised because he answered correctly?

Segalot said, “I heard that your new castle in Lake Pal was completed half a year ago. I wonder if I have the honor to live in it?”

Xia Zuoyi: “If you want, of course.”

Can he refuse the Pope?

Segalot took out a palm-sized suede box from his bosom.

He placed it on the table and pushed it in front of Xia Zuoyi, tapping the flannel-wrapped box with his slender finger, “Open it and see.”

Xia Zuoyi opened it.

His eyes slightly widened. What was placed inside was a ruby ​​carved in the shape of a rose.

—There is a faint halo on its surface. It’s pure in color, low-key and gorgeous, and the entwining thorns on the outside are made of silver. Obviously, it’s the pattern of the Desinia family badge and is a valuable chest piece.

Segalot: “As an accommodation fee.”

Xia Zuoyi: “You’re at a loss.”

Segalot: “I think it’s worth it.” 

He then picked up the chest ornament in the box and leaned forward to put it on Xia Zuoyi’s chest. His gilt-gold eyes were serious and his movements gentle.

A wisp of curly black hair fell down Segalot’s shoulder, and the end gently touched Xia Zuoyi’s cheek, making him unable to resist raising his hand to hold the strand in his palm.

After a while, he noticed Segalot’s gaze.

Xia Zuoyi thought for a while and put the strand of black hair he was holding back behind Segalot. Finally, he patted it intimately, allowing the black hair to melt into its companion perfectly.

Suddenly, a peal of uncontrollable deep laughter overflowed from Segalot’s throat.

Xia Zuoyi saw him sit back on his chair again, put one hand on the straight bridge of his nose, and smile for a long time.

Xia Zuoyi: “…” 

What did he do?!

In a word, it’s time to leave after “reminiscing”.

Xia Zuoyi held out his palm to the little panther who was still a little wary of him and patiently waited.

After waiting quietly for a while.

At last, the little black panther slowly probed and sniffed his fingertips, and then, as if not sensing any danger, he cautiously put a small plush paw on it, with his dark golden eyes staring at Xia Zuoyi. 

“Ao~”

“Give it a name.” Segalot said.

Xia Zuoyi: “His cry is so sweet and soft, so I’ll call him Brown Sugar.”

It’s also time for him to make beet sugar.

Xia Zuoyi left the hotel with Brown Sugar and Segalot.

The black-robed men understood the meaning, went in, quickly packed up and checked out, and then drove the carriage behind the cavalry team.

Walker retrieved Samuel, who was still in a good mood.

The cavalry marched through Fort Comoy to Mount Pal amidst the cheers.

Along the way, Xia Zuoyi never constrained Briquette, Snowball, and Egg Yolk. They were not caged beasts.

Xia Zuoyi didn’t even want them to be wronged in the narrow carriage. They’ve always freely followed the army.

Briquette and the others know human nature very well and never run around without Xia Zuoyi’s orders. Ferocious beasts accompany them on both sides of the carriage. No one knows how much fear, wonder, or incredible gazes they have received.

Fortunately, people living in the Desinian Territory know that their lord loves to raise large beasts. Each one is extremely fierce but is also really beautiful and powerful.

Over time, they, especially in Wissas and Fort Comoy, not only accepted and reduced their fears but also admired their lord.

After all, not everyone would dare to hold a tiger or a lion’s head higher than oneself, repeatedly kiss them, and rub their ears after the kiss… At that time, people who saw those scenes couldn’t close their mouths for a long time.

Lake Pal is located in a large flat valley.

The grassland is undulating, connecting the mountains and the sky… The scenery is beautiful and picturesque.

Outside the valley is a quiet and lush mountain forest. The southeast side is open to Wissas and Fort Comoy, and the northwest side is closed to traffic. It is located at the back of the valley.

Checkpoints were set up on both sides and were garrisoned by soldiers.

Conrad led a large number of craftsmen to build the castle in the course of three years.

After all, the preparations were started before the reconstruction of the two cities of Wissas and Fort Comoy, and they’re building the lord’s residence, so they completed it first with extremely high efficiency.

When Samuel came here, he couldn’t help exclaiming.

He saw many people standing in front of the castle to greet them, looking expectant. On both sides are the maids and the manservants, wearing the same black and white uniform.

There were three people standing in the middle.

A very steady-looking young man with brown hair and brown eyes, a lively boy, and a maid who’s also wearing maid attire but with a red plaid around her waist.

They are Gibran, Toby, and Kelly, who have long been promoted to a deaconess1.

There was an eagle cry in the sky.

Samuel subconsciously raised his head and saw the lord’s Tyrant finally slowing down his flight speed and hovering above the castle. Its huge wings spread out, making people amazed.

The roar of tigers and lions continued to sound in the valley as if to accompany the eagle’s screech.

Despite the “day and night company” along the way, Samuel still couldn’t help sticking to Walker’s side.

He watched the three beasts pace slowly to the lord’s side. Briquette even opened his mouth and bared his sharp teeth.

“What’s wrong with them? They seem a little… unhappy?” Samuel muttered to himself.

Walker coughed dryly, “They’re jealous.” 

Samuel came back late so he didn’t see that Xia Zuoyi was carrying a little black panther in his arms in the carriage.

Now coming to the door of the castle, the little black panther still occupies Xia Zuoyi’s arm. Even his stubby tail is wrapped around his wrist.

Xia Zuoyi helplessly pushed away Briquette’s big head that he kept squeezing in and closed the tiger’s mouth that was trying to frighten Brown Sugar. The two next to him were also obviously repellent and their ears even began to flatten back.

There is no way.

When Egg Yolk first came, Briquette and Snowball used to treat him as a real dumpling. They tried to roll him away, pat away, and push away…

In addition, Snowball also grabbed the back of Egg Yolk’s neck and threw him outside the bedroom door. In the end, the poor golden dumpling survived by selling cute.

Faced with the intimidation of a beast several times larger than him, Brown Sugar’s body stiffened in Xia Zuoyi’s arms. Even the tips of his claws appeared, firmly grasping the clothes under him.

But to Xia Zuoyi’s surprise, Brown Sugar didn’t tremble and retreat. Instead, he opened his mouth and made a vicious and aggressive posture.

“Ao!”

Xia Zuoyi: Pfft.

No, it’s too milky.

He pressed Brown Sugar down and covered him with a cloak.

After a few days of getting to know each other, they should be able to play happily together.

Xia Zuoyi thought that he could completely relax for a while when he went home.

He didn’t expect that after the arrival of the Pope.

In the early morning of the next day, Udit brought him a message…

“My lord, the messenger of the Anas Empire and Mr. Abel of the Nagabi Chamber of Commerce arrived at Pal Mountain at the same time and are now waiting outside the castle… “

Xia Zuoyi was just about to get up from the bed. He had just raised his butt and his legs hadn’t kept up yet, and when he heard that, he tripped over the bed sheet and plunged into the soft quilt… 

He doesn’t want to get up.

Translator’s Note: