Growing Up with the Demon King Tyrant - Chapter 28

During the break between classes, Xihuai sat in his seat, staring at the open book on his desk. He was lost in thought, though it was unclear what he was thinking about; eventually, he tucked away all the books related to the Dragon Race.

The slip of paper containing the various delivery times was crushed into ash by his demon energy, drifting silently to the floor. As before, due to his height, Xihuai was assigned to the back of the classroom. Having enrolled mid-term, he did not have a desk-mate. So far, there were few people familiar with him; coupled with the rumors about his reputation from five years ago, not many dared to proactively strike up a conversation.

With a few minutes left before the next class, Xihuai stood up and walked alone to the window. Ignoring several curious or prying gazes, he looked toward the tallest buildings in the distance.

The academy occupied the best location in the capital, surrounded by several commercial streets with convenient transportation, and a large night market nearby. It was said that a wider variety of items were sold or traded there—including occasional clandestine transactions—and the identities of both parties were never questioned. However, the night market strictly prohibited minors, and regulations in that regard were very stringent.

Xihuai stood there for a long time until the tutor entered the classroom to start the session. He returned to his seat and flipped open his textbook.

After the afternoon classes ended, Xihuai was nearly twenty minutes late appearing at the academy gates. The beast carriage sent to pick him up was already waiting. As he approached, he said, “I was delayed picking up some things at the dormitory. Let’s speed up on the way back.”

He didn’t live in the dormitory, but he still had a dedicated room there where he kept spare clothes, supplies, and books that weren’t allowed to leave the academy grounds. The servant didn’t suspect anything and immediately told the driver to hasten the pace.

Back at the Palace

When Xihuai returned, Xue Yi was still in the courtyard by the gazebo. He was playing so obliviously that he would proactively seek someone out only when hungry or thirsty, making him very easy to look after. Consequently, Queen Wei hadn’t fussed over him too much.

Building blocks were scattered all over the gazebo. Xue Yi would pick one up from time to time; he appeared to be playing, but was actually still trying to create frost. He had discovered a new method: condensing frost onto the assembled blocks. This significantly reduced the time required. Furthermore, the ice he produced was becoming increasingly hard and would adhere to the wood without falling off.

Xue Yi had assembled a small flower and was now letting it be completely covered in frost, layering ice upon ice. However, since these blocks belonged to Queen Wei’s quarters, he was only practicing; he planned to use his own blocks back in their room to make the real thing. The frost grew thicker until the shape of the blocks was barely recognizable. Feeling his hands grow cold, Xue Yi set the “ice flower” on the ground.

The white cat approached and licked the ice. Xue Yi pushed it away, then suddenly heard a servant call out, “Third Prince.”

Hearing that Xihuai was back, Xue Yi panicked and tossed the small ice flower toward the cat. The ice flower vanished into the cat’s thick, pure white fur. The cat turned its head and licked it a few more times, making it look from a distance like it was just grooming itself.

Xue Yi scrambled up from the floor and ran toward Xihuai. “Big Brother!”

Xihuai leaned down to catch him, glancing toward the gazebo. “Why are you playing here again?” There wasn’t much sunlight in the gazebo, and Xue Yi’s hands were a bit chilly. But only his hands were cold; his face was warm and he seemed energetic. The cold hands were likely just from handling the blocks.

“There’s more room here,” Xue Yi said, making up an excuse while hugging Xihuai affectionately. “Is Big Brother late today?”

The beast carriage had been driven at maximum speed, taking significantly less time than usual, yet Xue Yi had still noticed the difference.

“Mm, I spoke with the tutor for a bit before leaving,” Xihuai explained. “It won’t be this late next time.” He picked Xue Yi up to walk back.

Xue Yi said obediently, “It’s okay. Big Brother has to go to school and is busy every day…” As he spoke, he looked back at the gazebo. The white cat was running out, and a small assembled flower lay on the ground—the cat had licked all the frost off of it.

Relieved, Xue Yi waved goodbye to Queen Wei. On the way back, hiding his excitement, he quietly pressed his cold hands against Xihuai’s neck to warm them. Today’s progress was massive! A major breakthrough! He would soon be able to finish Xihuai’s birthday gift! He hoped it wouldn’t be too late by the time Xihuai received it.

He had plenty of blocks in their room that could be made into various shapes. But what should he build for Xihuai? Xihuai said he didn’t like bronze swords, and he didn’t seem to care much for gemstones either. Besides, a gemstone made of wood and ice probably wouldn’t look good. Even Himonya didn’t know what Xihuai liked… and neither did Queen Wei.

Xue Yi wanted to ask Xinian, but he hadn’t seen him lately. Should I build a ‘Xihuai’? That seemed a bit difficult. Xue Yi stared at Xihuai, studying him seriously. Just replicating that face would be complex, let alone the hands, legs, clothes, and hair.

Xihuai noticed the stare and pinched his cheek. “What is it?”

Xue Yi shook his head. “Nothing…”

As Xihuai carried him through the corridor, Xue Yi caught a glimpse of his reflection in a window. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off, and his golden eyes sparkled. Big Brother’s appearance is hard to build, but mine is much simpler!

Xue Yi wasn’t thinking of his human self, but of his dragon form. Building a little dragon would surely be easy—just a round head and a round body, plus a pair of wings and a pair of horns. He wouldn’t need to build clothes; a dragon only needed clothes when it was cold, and wooden blocks wouldn’t feel the chill.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt it would work. And Xihuai would definitely like it; he didn’t need to worry about that at all. It was impossible for Big Brother not to like the little dragon, whether it was himself or a version made of blocks and ice.

Excitement bubbled up in him, making him want to go back and start building right away. His unusual behavior didn’t escape Xihuai’s notice. Xihuai stopped in his tracks and pinched Xue Yi’s cheek. “What are you thinking about?”

Xue Yi stared back with innocent golden eyes and, with a flash of white light, turned back into a little dragon cub. The cub licked its paw as if nothing had happened and looked up. “Awooo! Awooo!”

Xihuai narrowed his eyes, sensing that Xue Yi was definitely hiding something from him. But he didn’t press the matter for now, carrying the dragon back to their chambers.

That Evening

Before bedtime, Xue Yi changed back to his human form. Along with the birthday gift, he was also thinking about the transmission from Aier earlier that day. He took the Star Map out from the bedside cabinet. He had thought about practicing his writing, but since it was so late… looking at the Star Map was enough!

He sat on the edge of the bed holding the map, unfurling the scroll and resting it casually on Xihuai’s lap. Xihuai was also reading, sitting on the outside with his back against the headboard. Xue Yi, wearing thick pajamas, reached out to touch the stars within the scroll.

Xihuai’s gaze landed on the map, and he couldn’t help asking, “What can you see in it?”

Xue Yi looked up, his expression a bit blank. “It’s… just some…” He couldn’t quite describe what he saw or find the right words to explain it. Instead, he took Xihuai’s hand and had him touch the map personally. Then he looked at Xihuai expectantly, as if asking, “Can you feel it?”

Xihuai was silent for a moment before withdrawing his hand and rubbing Xue Yi’s silver hair. “Don’t look at it too long. Go to sleep early.”

Because he wanted to look at the Star Map, Xue Yi didn’t listen to a story tonight. He looked at it for about half an hour until he was yawning and drowsy, eventually falling asleep while leaning against Xihuai. Xihuai set down his book, gently tucked away the Star Map, and removed the boy’s pajama jacket. Xue Yi shifted slightly, clutching Xihuai’s hand even in his sleep. Xihuai helped him lie down, tucked him in, and extinguished the lights.

The Next Day

Xue Yi woke up ten minutes later than usual, dawdling in the blankets and not wanting to come out. Xihuai coaxed him patiently, looked after his washing, and fed him breakfast; by the time they were done, Xihuai was nearly late. A servant came to remind him, but Xihuai ignored them, preparing to send Xue Yi to Queen Wei.

Xue Yi took the chance and said, “Big Brother, I can go by myself in a bit.”

Xihuai stopped. “By yourself?”

“Mm,” Xue Yi nodded. “Actually… actually, I don’t have to go this morning. I go every day; I’m always bothering the Queen…” Queen Wei certainly didn’t find it a bother, and the staff of both chambers had grown used to the routine, so Xue Yi’s sudden refusal was unexpected.

Xihuai knelt down to tidy the boy’s sleeves. “Then…” He feigned hesitation. Seeing Xue Yi grow nervous and wait for his reaction with wide eyes, Xihuai didn’t let on that he suspected anything and agreed. “Fine. But stay in the room and don’t run around.”

Xue Yi was secretly delighted and nodded repeatedly. “Mm, I’ll wait for Big Brother to come back!”

As Xihuai was about to leave, Xue Yi suddenly pulled on him. “Big Brother… I… I had a dream last night.” His expression was a bit lost and his tone uncertain. “I wanted to tell you when I woke up.” But since he woke late and was busy washing and eating, he hadn’t had time.

As the servant urged him again from outside, Xihuai asked patiently, “What dream?”

“I dreamed that Big Brother was hurt,” Xue Yi said, touching the back of Xihuai’s hand. “There was blood…” The wound hadn’t been deep, and it was just a dream, but it worried Xue Yi and he felt he had to say it.

“Alright, I will be careful,” Xihuai promised seriously. “Tell Big Brother whenever you have such dreams in the future.” His response gave Xue Yi a great sense of peace. Xue Yi hugged him. “Mm…”

The servant urged him a third time; Xihuai really had to leave. He had only formally enrolled this month, and both Himonya and the tutors were watching him; it was best not to start being late so early on. Xihuai followed the servant out in a hurry, while Xue Yi stood at the door watching his retreating figure.

Several servants remained in the chambers to wait on Xue Yi. He sent them all outside, then pulled the box of blocks from under the bed and dumped them on the floor. He searched through them one by one, picking out suitable pieces. He worked for a long time until he was tired enough to flop onto the carpet and rub his neck.

The room was quiet. With the servants all in the corridor, he began to miss the snacks at Queen Wei’s and the clingy white cat. He decided to have the servants take him over after all. He hid the half-finished block dragon in the cabinet, left the rest on the floor, and opened the door.

Xue Yi walked slowly, stopping occasionally to look at the flowers outside the railings or touch the gold patterns inlaid on the stone pillars. Passing a small garden, he caught sight of a familiar figure. It was Himeng, sitting alone on a chair in the center of the garden with her eyes closed. Her bronze sword had been removed and placed on the table in front of her.

Xue Yi stopped and peered toward her. Suddenly, Himeng opened her eyes; thinking she had spotted him, Xue Yi ducked behind a pillar. But Himeng hadn’t noticed him; she stood up, grabbed her sword, and began practicing sword forms in the empty yard. Her movements were light, and the bronze sword looked as if it had no weight in her hands.

Xue Yi’s eyes were dazzled. Forgetting where he was going, he slowly walked to the steps and sat down to watch. He watched curiously for a long time until Himeng stopped and turned her gaze toward him. Xue Yi was nervous for a second, but remembering Xihuai’s words, he relaxed. Xihuai said his sister wouldn’t hurt him and he could just walk away.

But Xue Yi didn’t want to leave. He stood up from the steps and walked over slowly. Himeng watched him approach; she stood still, waiting to see his next move. What does this hatchling want? She glanced at him; he was wearing another nice set of new clothes, his hat trimmed with rabbit fur and several large, bright pearls.

It was obvious he was well-cared for. Himonya seemed to be looking for a way to send Xue Yi back to the dragons, but even if the King didn’t like him, with Xihuai and the Queen protecting him, Xue Yi could practically walk sideways in this palace. A dragon being raised by Abyss Demons… truly bizarre.

Himeng watched coldly as he drew nearer, her grip tightening on her sword. Xue Yi stopped a few paces away, his hands nervously behind his back. “Hello…”

His voice was very soft. Himeng asked coldly, “Is something the matter?”

The question nearly stumped him. He froze for a moment before saying, “I… my name is Xue Yi.” His eyes were full of curiosity. “What were you doing just now?”

Truly a hatchling who knows nothing. Himeng sheathed her sword. “Practicing.”

Xue Yi didn’t quite understand what that meant or why one would do it. Seeing Himeng sit back down and place her sword on the table, he noticed her tone, though still icy, wasn’t as scary as before. He grew bolder and took another step forward. He noticed Himeng’s breathing was a bit heavy and there were beads of sweat on her forehead; she must be tired from swinging the sword.

Xue Yi reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, transparently wrapped biscuit. “Are you hungry?” he asked innocently. “I have food.”

If this were anywhere else, or if the dragon were any older, Himeng would suspect poison. She gave no response, closing her eyes again. It was a clear rejection, but Xue Yi ignored it and placed the biscuit on the table. He added, “It’s sweet!”

The bronze sword suddenly let out a soft hum. Xue Yi quickly withdrew his hand, his golden eyes wide. Himeng seemed not to hear, continuing to rest. Xue Yi hesitated, then finally asked, “Can I touch it?”

He felt as though the sword were alive. Himeng kept her eyes closed and snorted, “I advise caution.” She didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no; her words made Xue Yi hesitate. But he was too curious. He leaned in slowly and sniffed the hilt. It smelled like rainwater. He gripped the edge of the stone table, drawing closer until his nose accidentally touched the sword.

He immediately felt a chill on his nose. Backing away, he saw a tiny bit of frost appearing where he had touched the hilt. “Eh?” He touched it with his hand. The frost expanded rapidly as if sucking the magic elements from his body, and a jolt of electricity surged from his fingertips.

POOF—

The Xue Yi by the table vanished. A moment later, a wobbly dragon cub flew up. It landed on the table and licked its paw. The sensation had been strange, but not painful; turning into a dragon seemed like a subconscious reaction. He peeked at Himeng and saw her eyes were still closed, seemingly unaware of what had happened.

Actually, Himeng saw everything; she simply didn’t block him. When she opened her eyes, she found the dragon cub bowing its head to secretly lick the hilt. Quite bold.

Xue Yi didn’t notice she was watching. He was amazed, licking other parts of the sword and pressing his paws down lightly. He discovered that wherever he touched—hilt or scabbard—frost would appear. It was as if the sword were drawing out his ice magic without him even trying. He felt no discomfort, so he treated it like a game, stepping all over the sword until he had left a “plum blossom” pattern of paw prints.

“You…”

Hearing Himeng’s voice, the cub retracted its paws and sat obediently. Himeng sat up, looking at her now frost-covered sword. Xue Yi had been drained of quite a bit of power, yet showed no signs of exhaustion.

Himeng arched an eyebrow. “Good talent.” Years ago, she had fought a dragon at the border. That dragon had been arrogant and rude, and she had nearly beaten it into the dirt. This bronze sword was made of a special material that was the bane of elemental magic users; for Xue Yi to play with it for so long proved he had extremely high talent. When he grows up, he will surely be extraordinary.

She looked at the cub with a slightly changed perspective. Though a dragon, he is at least qualified to enter the Abyss Demon palace. Xue Yi only understood that she was praising him. The cub’s tail wagged as he trotted to the side of the table closest to Himeng.

“Awooo!” The cub nudged the biscuit toward her with its paw.

Himeng remained indifferent. “I’m not eating it.” She paused, then added, “Thank you.”

Fine… Since she wouldn’t take it, Xue Yi picked it up in his mouth to eat it himself. He had been planning to go to the Queen’s, and after the delay, he was a bit hungry. He pressed the biscuit down with his paw and chewed at the wrapper, but couldn’t get it open. He looked at Himeng, then flew onto her chair arm with the biscuit in his mouth.

“Mwu mwu…” The cub stared at her with round golden eyes, the biscuit still in its mouth.

Himeng frowned. “I said, I’m not eating it.” She truly didn’t understand him. They stood in a stalemate for a moment. Then, the cub leaned in and rubbed against her hand.

Himeng’s frown deepened. In her twenty-plus years, no dragon had ever dared… but then, since Xue Yi hatched in the capital and was raised by Xihuai, he was completely detached from his kind. He could simply be treated as a Beastman who looked like a dragon. And his talent was good; he could be well-trained.

Himeng quickly convinced herself. Her eyes softened slightly as she took the biscuit and tore open the wrapper. Her intent was to accept it, but in the next second, the cub happily leaned in and snatched the biscuit back, leaving her holding only the empty wrapper.

…So that’s what he meant. Himeng threw away the empty wrapper, expressionless. The cub finished the biscuit and leaned in again, affectionately rubbing Himeng’s arm. She had a scent similar to the sword—like fresh rain and grass baking in the sun. Xue Yi sniffed carefully and licked the gemstone button on her shoulder.

At noon, Xihuai rushed back from the academy. Returning to the chambers, he heard from the servant that Xue Yi had requested to go to Queen Wei’s. This servant hadn’t followed him, so they didn’t know he had changed his mind and was currently with Himeng.

Xihuai didn’t go to pick him up immediately. He looked around the room and asked, “What did Xue Yi do this morning?”

“He played in the room alone,” the servant replied. “He did nothing else.”

Xihuai saw the pile of blocks on the carpet. He leaned over and picked one up. For the past two days, Xue Yi had been playing with blocks, specifically wanting to go to the courtyard to do so. He set the block down and checked the boy’s usual spots, including under the bed. He had always known where Xue Yi hid his gems, even back at the manor; he simply never said anything.

Finally, he went to the cabinet where the small toys were kept. He opened it and immediately saw the blocks inside. He took one out to examine it. It was about the size of a palm and looked half-finished; its final shape was unclear. He searched further and found two dried carrot slices. They were snacks from a fruit bag that Xue Yi usually hated; he had hidden two of them.

Children often have odd ideas. Since Xue Yi was hiding these things from him, Xihuai didn’t think too much of it. If Xue Yi didn’t want to say, he wouldn’t expose him; he would wait until the blocks were finished to see what the boy was trying to make. Confirming nothing else was amiss, he put the carrot slices and blocks back exactly as they were, then prepared to go fetch Xue Yi.