Chapter 37
Shen Wen’s storytelling voice was gentle and melodious, a soothing rhythm drifting through the night air of the castle.
Meanwhile, the players, taking advantage of the night, stealthily made their way to the first-floor corridor using invisibility props.
The little master had given them a tour of this corridor on their first day in the castle.
They had paid close attention, memorizing the layout.
The buzz-cut player led the way, entering from the left corner of the corridor, holding her breath as she carefully took her first step.
The high-quality invisibility prop allowed her to take a few steps without being noticed by the monsters.
Despite this, she remained vigilant.
She clutched her life-saving prop, a crystal pendant that could deflect a fatal blow.
Another brave male player followed behind her, keeping an eye on the left side of the corridor, as planned.
He accidentally bumped into the buzz-cut player. “Why did you stop?” he whispered.
The buzz-cut player was staring intently at the paintings on the wall.
“Baldy, do you remember the paintings in the corridor from our first day?”
Baldy had an excellent memory; he was in charge of gathering and remembering information about the castle.
Hearing this, he took a step closer, carefully examining the paintings.
Scanning the wall, he gasped and nodded quickly.
“There’s an extra painting!”
It was impossible to miss!
A vibrant, brightly colored painting of a sunflower now hung in the center of the wall.
The other paintings, originally belonging to the castle master, were now mere decorations surrounding this new artwork.
Baldy quickly memorized the painting’s content and location. He exchanged a look with the buzz-cut player, and they quickly retreated.
Safely back in their bedroom, the players began a new discussion.
“I think that painting must be the key to this instance!”
“A sunflower, what could it mean?”
“Maybe it’s not the content itself? The fact that it suddenly appeared there at night is suspicious enough!”
As they debated, the buzz-cut player, who had been silent, spoke after a moment of thought.
“Last night, when everyone was acting strange, I went out alone to look for information and found a storybook about a knight’s adventure.”
The other players looked at her, puzzled.
“A storybook? What’s it about?”
The buzz-cut player briefly summarized the story:
“It’s about a brave knight who explores a dangerous place, discovers a secret, obtains a key, and escapes.”
The others were immediately intrigued.
“That sounds a lot like our situation. Could it mean…we’re the knights in the story?”
“So we need to find a key, but who has it?”
The buzz-cut player licked her dry lips, thinking about everything they had experienced in the castle, and offered a theory.
“Perhaps…the knight isn’t any of us. Remember who we followed to get to the castle?”
There was only one brave little knight in the story!
The night passed peacefully.
Morning light flooded the bedroom, casting shadows on the pale bedsheets.
Dust motes danced in the sunlight. The daytime in the instance might not be as bright and vibrant as the real world, but it was still clear and well-lit.
Xing Nuo lay on his stomach, his small hands raised above his head, his sleeping posture rather comical, his breathing soft and even.
He hadn’t slept this soundly in days, free from the nightly disturbances from downstairs. He hadn’t even dreamed.
The moment daylight arrived, Shen Wen, who had been waiting outside all night, opened the door and entered.
His damp sleeves were mostly dry, wrinkled and loose around his pale wrists.
He sensed the warm breath in the room, the little one’s light golden hair like a small sun, instantly brightening the room.
The bedroom, which had felt empty last night, seemed to be filled with life now, thanks to the little cub.
Shen Wen’s love for gardening stemmed from his appreciation for the vibrant beauty of blooming flowers.
But even after all this time, the cold, unfeeling flowers couldn’t bring him this sense of vitality and warmth.
He sat on the edge of the bed, glanced at the cold ginger soup, and quietly gazed at Xing Nuo’s sleeping face, flushed and peaceful.
He hadn’t looked at Xing Nuo this intently since their first encounter in the castle.
The little one’s cheeks were fair and rosy, his eyelashes long and thick, his eyes somewhat deep-set like his own, his nose slightly rounded and cute.
Shen Wen stared at him for a long time, but couldn’t see anything particularly special.
He looked just like any other human cub, only more fragile and clingy, constantly wanting attention.
Even though he seemed to sense the difference between Shen Wen and his real dad,
he still called him “Dad” incessantly.
Shen Wen stood up, lost in thought, sighed, and returned to his own bedroom to change.
He also took away the pungent ginger soup.
Since the little one had recovered, there was no need for it.
Xing Nuo woke up feeling refreshed, the dark circles under his eyes gone, his skin fair and rosy.
He yawned, stretching his arms, and without bothering to change his clothes, remembering the promised treats, ran to find his dad.
“Dad!”
He padded across the floor in his slippers and knocked on his dad’s bedroom door, trying to wake him.
Shen Wen, who had just changed and hadn’t put on his accessories yet, opened the door, looking down at the little cub with an exasperated expression.
“What is it?”
Xing Nuo let out a small hum, tilted his chin up, and snuggled against his dad’s leg.
Like a spoiled kitten, he rubbed against him as he spoke:
“Dad…silly…forgot…Zaizai’s biscuit…and milk…”
He added:
“With lots…of honey!”
Shen Wen’s leg itched from the little one’s curls rubbing against it. He reached out and pressed his finger against Xing Nuo’s forehead to stop him.
“Milk? Biscuit? You’re quite demanding.”
Xing Nuo, unable to continue nuzzling his dad, stood on tiptoe, his lips pouting.
“Dad…promised! Biscuit…for Zaizai!”
Bad Dad, he had forgotten again!
“Yesterday…yesterday…Zaizai…sleepy…didn’t eat…”
Xing Nuo’s lips trembled, his cheeks puffing out, his expression indignant.
“Dad…forgot…so…two…biscuits…for Zaizai…”
Mimicking his dad’s usual mannerisms, he crossed his arms and tilted his chin, trying to “reason” with him.
Shen Wen, who had been about to cross his arms, his lips twitching, lowered his arms and poked the little one’s cheek.
“Don’t push your luck.”
Despite his words, a smile played on his lips.
“Not two. One biscuit, at most.”
He turned and went back into his room to put on his accessories.
Xing Nuo continued to pout, following his dad, watching him put on a purple agate ring. He held out his own small finger.
“Zaizai…wants…wear too…”
Dad used to like wearing these pretty, cool little stones, and Xing Nuo, when he was teething, would often chew on them.
Later, worried Xing Nuo might chip his teeth, Shen Wen stopped wearing them.
Seeing the little one’s insistent outstretched finger, he lightly knocked him on the head.
“Your fingers are too short. Wait till you’re older.”
Xing Nuo mumbled an “Oh,” withdrew his hand, and sat on a chair, watching his dad, his chin cupped in his hands.
“Biscuit…chocolate…sweet…crispy…and milk…”
Everything he said was about food.
Shen Wen, both amused and exasperated, watched the little one and couldn’t help but comment:
“I’ve never seen you so enthusiastic about regular meals. Why are you so obsessed with biscuits?”
Xing Nuo didn’t particularly like snacks.
He just liked being coaxed by his dad, using snacks as bait, his dad patting his back as he fell asleep.
He also liked it when his dad took him to the kitchen and they had milk and biscuits together.
Xing Nuo simply hummed softly, too young to articulate his reasons.
“Dad…no eat…Zaizai…eat.”
Shen Wen, defeated by the little one’s persistence, shook his head.
“Alright, alright, let’s go downstairs and ask the cook to make some for you.”
Xing Nuo, gripping his dad’s finger, corrected him in his childish voice:
“Pastry chef…makes it…Dad…you forgot!”
Shen Wen really couldn’t remember whether it was the cook or the pastry chef.
Besides the castle, he also frequently visited his other manors and estates. There were too many monster servants; such trivial details weren’t worth remembering.
“Alright, alright,” Shen Wen replied, his tone indifferent.
Xing Nuo tilted his head and whispered, reminding his dad:
“Pastry chef…cries a lot…Zaizai…saw…many times…”
Most of the servants in the castle had unique personalities.
The cook was fiery, the pastry chef was fawning, the butler was rigid…
But they were all fiercely loyal to the little master, showering him with affection.
Knowing his dad had probably forgotten, Xing Nuo reminded him again.
He shook his head and sighed softly.
This castle wouldn’t know what to do without Zaizai!
