Growing Up with the Demon King Tyrant - Chapter 25

Hearing the conversation between Himonya and Xihuai, Xue Yi grew nervous once again—especially when Himonya stated that it was inappropriate for him to continue living with Xihuai.

Xue Yi let go of Queen Wei and quickly returned to Xihuai’s side, clutching his sleeve. He hid himself behind Xihuai, revealing only a small portion of his body while casting a cautious, somewhat aggrieved look toward Himonya with his golden eyes. Even if I can fall asleep without listening to Big Brother read, why can’t I live with him?

The hall fell into a dead silence. Xinian quietly lifted his head to watch the drama, certain that Himonya would be displeased.

Indeed, Himonya’s expression was quite dark. He had sent Xihuai to the Star-Plucking Tower hoping he would change his mischievous and troublemaking nature… not so he could spend his time reading to a dragon.

Only now did he begin to scrutinize Xue Yi. The palm-sized hatchling had transformed into a child whose appearance, to his surprise, didn’t evoke the annoyance he had expected. Speaking without bias, from the very first glance, Xue Yi looked like a well-behaved child.

But other races aside, the boy possessed a pair of golden eyes. With the heritage of the Dragon Race within him, he could never truly be tamed.

Himonya hadn’t actually decided where to settle Xue Yi, but even after five years, the closeness between Xihuai and Xue Yi far exceeded his expectations. He even began to wonder if Aier’s original proposal had been a mistake.

After a moment of silence, he tilted his chin slightly and said, “You, come forward.”

He spoke to Xue Yi, his tone cold, hard, and brook no refusal. Xihuai opened his mouth to say something, but Xue Yi beat him to it: “N-no… I won’t.” He clutched Xihuai’s hand tightly and whispered, “I remember you. You are Big Brother’s… very scary father.”

Xue Yi had recognized Himonya the moment he saw him. Though he hadn’t seen Himonya many times years ago, the impression was deeply ingrained.

Hearing this, Himonya slowly repeated: “Very scary?”

It was impossible to tell from his expression whether he was angry or not. As if trying to bolster his own courage, Xue Yi added, “I’m not afraid of you…”

Despite saying he wasn’t afraid, he kept a tight grip on Xihuai, refusing to take a single step closer to Himonya. Furthermore, addressing the King of the capital as “you” was quite inappropriate.

The adjutant was anxious, fearing Himonya might fly into a rage and order Xue Yi to be locked up. Xihuai also kept a close eye on Himonya, shielding Xue Yi behind him. Before returning, he hadn’t taught Xue Yi how to face the people in the palace, nor did he intend to; Xue Yi was only five and shouldn’t have to learn how to curry favor. If anything happened, he would bear the consequences.

However, Himonya only looked at Xue Yi with cold eyes and gave no further reaction.

As the night grew late, Xue Yi couldn’t help but let out another yawn. Xihuai, unable to wait any longer, said, “It is late; Father should rest early as well… Regarding the academy, I will carefully select a head tutor.”

They had only just returned after a long afternoon of travel and indeed needed rest. Coincidentally, Himeng had also arrived; by comparison, Himonya hadn’t even seen her face yet.

Himonya shifted his gaze away from Xue Yi. “When you return to the academy, you must not be negligent.” He had actually accepted the excuse. Xihuai breathed a small sigh of relief. “I know.”

He then excused himself to Himonya and led Xue Yi away. Before leaving the hall, Xue Yi turned back to wave goodbye to Queen Wei. Queen Wei also waved back gently; the two didn’t look at all like they had just met. But since Xue Yi had spent an entire week with her in the past, it was natural for him to feel familiar with her.

Himonya’s gaze swept over Queen Wei before he stood up. “The rest of you return as well.” Queen Wei gave a soft, gentle response, and took Xinian with her. Himonya still had official business to handle tonight, so he left the hall for the study in the main palace.

The adjutant followed closely, organizing the various letters on the desk and pouring a cup of fruit tea. Once the servants had left, Himonya took a sip of tea. The adjutant, observing his expression, said tentatively, “The little dragon is only five and has spent a long time in the Star-Plucking Tower; he likely truly understands nothing.”

Himonya set down his tea cup and snorted. “He is certainly quite talkative.” The adjutant listened carefully, but couldn’t detect a tone of loathing.

Unable to fathom Himonya’s intent, the adjutant was surprised when Himonya suddenly asked, “I recall you have no wife or children?”

“That is correct,” the adjutant replied. He waited for a follow-up, but Himonya simply opened the official documents on his desk, having no intention of continuing the topic. The adjutant was even more confused but didn’t dare ask more, quietly retreating to the side.

Back in the bedchamber, Xihuai took Xue Yi to wash up for bed. Fortunately, Himonya hadn’t insisted tonight, and Xue Yi could continue sleeping with him. Xue Yi had long been sleepy; sitting on the chair in the bathroom, his eyelids were starting to fight. He fought his drowsiness, wanting to talk to Xihuai.

“Big Brother…” Xihuai grunted in response while wiping the boy’s hands. “I know Big Brother and I are different,” Xue Yi murmured to himself, leaning his head against Xihuai’s shoulder. “Big Brother isn’t a little dragon.”

Xihuai’s movements paused slightly. He heard Xue Yi ask again, “Has Big Brother seen other little dragons?”

“No,” Xihuai answered truthfully. He set down the towel and thought for a moment. “Does Xue Bao want to see other dragons?” Xue Yi was smart and possessed a racial heritage; this question was inevitable. Talking about it early might be a good thing.

Xue Yi lifted his head, his expression confused, and didn’t answer. He had met several people today—some gentle, some scary—but he didn’t actually think too much of it. Even with Himonya, because he was Xihuai’s father, Xue Yi truly wasn’t that afraid of him.

He only kept thinking of Himeng throwing the bronze sword and saying “Where did this dragon come from?” Xue Yi had been too nervous at the time, and then Xinian had come to see him before they were taken to the hall, so he had temporarily forgotten.

“I… I don’t know.” Xue Yi reached out to hug Xihuai’s neck, voicing his doubt. “If Big Brother isn’t a little dragon, where did I come from?” Aside from Xihuai, he hadn’t seen any dragons among the people he’d met. If there were no dragons, there couldn’t be dragon eggs.

Xihuai picked Xue Yi up and walked out of the bathroom. “A long time ago, other dragons sent you here.”

Xue Yi’s golden eyes widened. “They didn’t want me anymore?”

Xihuai frowned. “Not exactly…” He weighed his words, thinking of how to explain.

An inexplicable panic surged in Xue Yi’s heart, and he hugged Xihuai tighter. “Then… then will Big Brother not want me anymore either?” His focus seemed different from what Xihuai expected; Xihuai had feared he would be sad about his origins. What Xue Yi feared was that if other dragons had sent him away, Xihuai might one day send him back.

Xihuai answered immediately, “Of course not.” He placed Xue Yi by the bed and pinched his cheek. “Don’t think nonsense.”

Xue Yi was relieved and stopped asking where the other dragons were. He yawned, barely able to keep his eyes open. “Big Brother, sleep…” The bedroom layout was similar to their room at the manor; Xue Yi buried himself in the blankets, sniffing the familiar scent beside him, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, the adjutant arrived early, saying he would take Xihuai to the academy. Xue Yi hadn’t finished his breakfast; Xihuai added two spoonfuls of soup to his bowl. “This early?”

“It is the King’s wish,” the adjutant replied. “You are to meet the three head tutors today. Afterward, there are other preparations to be made. Formal enrollment should be at the end of the month.” Today was for Xihuai to familiarize himself with the environment; upon his return, he would enter the upper grades, which were in a different campus area than before.

Xihuai didn’t speak, continuing to feed Xue Yi and wiping the soup from his lips. Xue Yi looked at the adjutant and asked, “What about me?” Yesterday Himonya had also mentioned “tutors.” Though Xue Yi didn’t understand, his intuition told him it was something important for Xihuai.

“I asked the Queen’s opinion beforehand,” the adjutant suggested quickly. “Since Your Highness cannot accompany Xue Yi, why not send him there?” Queen Wei had spoken to Xue Yi yesterday, and it seemed he wouldn’t reject her. For five years, the adjutant had visited the Star-Plucking Tower more than anyone else in the palace; compared to others, he would proactively consider Xue Yi’s needs.

Bringing Xue Yi to the academy was impossible; his existence was still a secret. Xihuai remained silent, looking hesitant. Beside him, Xue Yi finished his soup, set down his spoon, and said proactively, “I want to go!” He asked the adjutant, “Are there lots of flowers there?” Xue Yi remembered a little—it was where the young lady in the pretty dress lived, and there was a little white cat that especially liked to follow him.

The adjutant said yes and looked at Xihuai. Xihuai used a towel to wipe Xue Yi’s hands and finally agreed. “Fine.”

On only their second day back, Xue Yi had to be separated from Xihuai temporarily. Fortunately, he was well-behaved and wasn’t afraid. On the way there, Xue Yi looked around at everything; compared to when they arrived yesterday, he was noticeably bolder.

When they reached the destination, Queen Wei was standing at the chamber entrance. Uncertain if Xue Yi would come, she had been waiting for a while. Seeing Xihuai appearing with Xue Yi in hand, she was pleasantly surprised and came forward to greet them personally. “The room has been tidied; come in quickly.”

Xihuai’s attitude was its usual coldness. He bowed and said, “Queen.” Xue Yi followed suit: “Queen…”

At the chamber entrance behind Queen Wei, a flash of white suddenly appeared. The now-grown white-furred cat trotted over; its overly fluffy fur made it look almost like a little lion. It crouched at the edge of the corridor, its green eyes staring at the stranger in front of it before hesitantly stepping toward Xue Yi.

Xue Yi’s eyes lit up, and he looked up at Xihuai. “I remember it!” He let go of Xihuai’s hand, walked forward a few steps, and leaned over to hug the cat. The cat was naturally docile and didn’t struggle, its nose brushing Xue Yi’s collar to confirm his scent. Xue Yi tried to lift the cat, but it was too heavy, and he could only lift its front paws. He gave up, left the cat, and went to Queen Wei’s side.

“I’ve been here before…” Xue Yi said, reaching out to touch the exquisite embroidery on Queen Wei’s sleeve. Like yesterday, he wasn’t shy at all; this might have been due to Queen Wei’s race—she was a Wood Elf, naturally possessing a high affinity for others.

Queen Wei reached out, and Xue Yi took her hand, not forgetting to look back for Xihuai. “Big Brother?”

Xihuai didn’t stop him. He approached and knelt down, tidying Xue Yi’s hem. “I have to leave.”

Xue Yi nodded, his eyes reluctant. “I won’t run around.”

As before, leaving Xue Yi with Queen Wei was the choice that gave Xihuai the most peace of mind. He gave a few more instructions before leaving with the adjutant. Xue Yi watched him walk away. Queen Wei stroked his head. “Shall we go inside?” The white cat moved closer, having also remembered Xue Yi; it meowed and rubbed against his legs and palms.

Meanwhile, Xihuai followed the adjutant onto the beast carriage. At this time, classes had already begun at the academy. Xihuai would meet the head tutors and take a walk around the new campus without disturbing others. The adjutant had prepared materials beforehand, giving Xihuai a brief introduction to the three tutors’ personalities and preferences. Xihuai looked down quietly; it was unclear if he was listening.

Halfway through, he suddenly interrupted: “Xue Yi is at the age where he should also enroll.”

Cold sweat nearly dripped from the adjutant’s forehead. “This…” He understood Xihuai’s meaning; he wanted to send Xue Yi to school. “Your Highness,” the adjutant whispered, “I fear that will be difficult to arrange…”

Xihuai said no more, his gaze turning to the window as if it were just a passing thought. The adjutant, however, thought to himself that Xihuai could clearly hire a few tutors privately for Xue Yi, or even teach him himself; Xue Yi was still young and couldn’t learn much. But the fact that he had the thought of sending Xue Yi to the academy likely meant he wanted Xue Yi to stay here legitimately.

Xihuai was already fifteen; there were only three years left until he reached adulthood. He had never been one to listen to advice; regardless of the method, he would always achieve his goal. Having gone to the Star-Plucking Tower for five years, it was hard to tell if he had changed or become even more stubborn.

The adjutant thought of something else: was Xihuai’s magic level truly only Level 4? Among the three Princes, Xihuai’s talent in all areas was the most outstanding; Himonya actually paid the most attention to him. But there was likely no reason for him to hide it… the adjutant thought about it and decided he might be overthinking things.

The subsequent process went smoothly. Xihuai met the three head tutors and answered a few questions simply. Next, the academy arranged for an assistant to lead him through the various areas. Xihuai’s performance was good—modest, polite, and reserved, slightly distant but not overly cold. The adjutant was relieved; he remembered that Xihuai used to hate dealing with tutors the most. At age eight, over a small matter, he had even smashed a teaching tutor’s glasses.

After touring the grounds, the last place Xihuai visited was the dormitory building. The assistant leading him walked ahead, pushing open the central wooden doors, only to run straight into Xinian.

“Why are you here today?” Xinian was surprised, lifting several books in his hand to show the assistant. “I took a leave of absence to come back and get some things.” He then leaned in and asked Xihuai in a whisper, “Where’s the little dragon? You aren’t staying home to continue being a babysitter?”

Xinian thought Xihuai wouldn’t come to look at the academy for another few days. Since he treasured Xue Yi so much, he shouldn’t have left him alone in the palace on only their second day back.

Xihuai gave him a glance, his answer irrelevant to the question: “Just right. Take me inside to have a look.”

“Sure,” Xinian agreed readily, clutching his books. “Let’s go; it won’t take long.”

The assistant knew their relationship and status, guessing Xihuai would have more to ask Xinian than a stranger. So, he tactfully slowed his pace, maintaining a distance from the two. The adjutant also happened to receive a transmission from Himonya and remained at the entrance.

The dormitory building had four floors and no teleportation circles. Xinian stepped onto the stairs. “There’s actually not much to see, just ordinary things, though every floor has a practice room…” He talked a lot to himself, then suddenly realized Xihuai was being too silent, giving no response at all.

Xinian turned his head to look at him just as they reached the staircase landing. He met Xihuai’s gaze; the latter’s eyes were cold, with not a trace of emotion in his dark pupils.

Xinian instinctively took half a step back. “What is it…?”

Xihuai took a step toward him, closing the distance, and said in a low voice: “Babysitter? Master?”

Hearing this, Xinian’s face changed. “I said I was joking; don’t be angry…”

Before he could finish, Xinian felt his body become unable to move. His hands were stiff, and the books he was holding fell—but there was no sound of them hitting the floor. The books were caught by several strands of demon energy. Xinian’s right hand was also bound by demon energy, and his voice was stuck in his throat.

“If I recall correctly,” Xihuai continued, “it was this hand that wanted to feed Xue Yi.” The sight of him holding snacks to tease the boy was truly an eyesore.

Xinian tried to struggle, squeezing out a few words from between his teeth: “I… didn’t… feed him…”

The assistant was still on the floor below. Xinian couldn’t move at all, and his eyes gradually grew panicked. Xihuai took another half step forward, his expression darkening further as he stared at Xinian. “Show some respect.”

He lowered his voice even further, so only the two of them could hear. Xinian was both terrified and regretful. How could he have forgotten what kind of person Xihuai was? His intuition from before hadn’t been wrong at all. Having returned from the Star-Plucking Tower after five years, Xihuai was still the same Xihuai as before.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs—the assistant was coming up. Xihuai withdrew his demon energy and tossed the books back to Xinian. When the assistant reached them, he saw Xihuai coming down alone, with no sign of Xinian behind him.

His expression was normal as he said, “No need to see more. Let’s go.”