The Beautiful Top Being Pursued Relentlessly [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 67

“My dearest Duke Felix Cheng, here is some warm milk and sweet bread prepared just for you.”

The new day was as full of surprises as ever bright, warm, and golden. The dewdrops from the previous night still clung to the leaves and petals, sparkling brilliantly in the light.

Felix Cheng truly couldn’t stand the “Jiang Cheng” who had become so talkative the moment he woke up. After changing into a new outfit, he slid down the thick tree trunk to the ground. The pale gold suit he wore wasn’t overly flashy; by discarding all the complicated decorations, its luster had become restrained and elegant.

In such a simple ensemble, Jiang Yi could see the God-given beauty of his Duke’s face even more clearly.

“Your Grace, please enjoy your meal,” Jiang Yi cleared his throat and called out again.

Felix Cheng glanced sideways absentmindedly. He had intended to walk away, but he found himself rooted to the spot. Standing before him, “Jiang Cheng” had, contrary to all logic changed into a black-and-white manservant’s uniform. The contrasting colors clung tightly to his well-defined chest, and the tied bow tie sat perkily against his neck.

The cinched waistline under the black vest looked sharp and capable, and further down, the black trousers traced the long lines of his legs. If one looked closely, there were likely garter straps hidden there too.

Felix’s brow twitched. A flash of surprise crossed the deep pools of his eyes, quickly replaced by a touch of  amusement. He didn’t look away; instead, he took his time, surveying the “Jiang Cheng” before him with a calm, scrutinizing gaze.

Under such a look, Jiang Yi was bound to make a mistake. The freshly picked flowers that were meant for the table were, in his nervousness, shoved directly into Felix’s arms. A rich floral fragrance overwhelmed Felix instantly.

“Your Grace,” Jiang Yi stood before him with hands clasped, bowing low. When he looked up, he was beaming. “This is a surprise I prepared for you. I hope you like it.”

“What exactly are you doing?” Felix asked instinctively.

As he saw the brilliant smile on “Jiang Cheng’s” face, he quickly remembered that his voice was not accepted by this world. He was alone, isolated…

“Duke Felix Cheng, can’t you tell?” Manservant Jiang Yi placed his right hand over his heart and performed an elegant bow. “I am trying to win your favor.”

How absurd, Felix thought habitually. His own actions must have caused “Jiang Cheng” to misunderstand. The slight wavering in his heart vanished instantly. Felix’s fingers tightened on the armrest slender, bony, and slightly pale. He gazed into the distance, staring blankly at the circling white doves. Gradually, his consciousness drifted from his body; he became something wandering outside the world. Drifting, seemingly unnoticed.

He always tended to think toward the pessimistic side.

“Duke Felix Cheng!” The bold and passionate admirer always had so much to say at every moment.

Felix blinked his dry eyes and sat up straight, pulling the breakfast toward him. Eat. It is time to eat. Forgetting he was in a period of “freedom,” he followed the rules that had always been imposed upon him and picked up the cold knife and fork.

Suddenly, a warm hand covered the back of his own, firmly grasping it. Felix lowered his eyes to look.

Jiang Yi, grinning widely, was half-kneeling on the ground, looking up. “Your Grace, you just asked what I was doing. I said, I am trying to win your favor.”

Felix stared at him, unmoving.

“You don’t believe I can hear you?” Jiang Yi took Felix’s hand and held it against his own cheek, tilting his head to nuzzle against it.

From Felix’s reaction, it was easy for Jiang Yi to guess the truth. After all, his Grace the Duke had always been a living, breathing person. If Jiang Yi kept spouting nonsense that didn’t match the conversation, his Duke would feel sad and angry.

“Perhaps this seems incredible,” Jiang Yi said, turning his face to press kisses into Felix’s palm, one after another. “But miracles happen every moment in this world, Your Grace. I hope you can believe in them.”

Jiang Yi moved closer, his tone solemn. “Perhaps I should still apologize to you.” He looked at Felix pleadingly, his eyebrows drawing together in a small, cautious frown. “I apologize for responding so randomly before. Can you forgive me?”

In just a few minutes, Jiang Yi had said a great deal, chirping away like a bird, yet his voice was more melodic than any avian song. Felix leaned forward, locking eyes with Jiang Yi. His gaze appeared calm, but a closer look revealed a slight tremor in his pupils.

They were watery, reminding Jiang Yi of a forest after light rain still deep and unfathomable, but rare, vivid, and full of life.

“Your Grace, forgive me, please?”

“Jiang Cheng,” Felix finally spoke his first words.

“Not Jiang Cheng,” Jiang Yi muttered. “Well, okay, Jiang Cheng is fine. But my real name is Jiang Yi. I didn’t mean to hide it before.”

Felix continued to stare.

Jiang Yi continued to mutter softly, “I actually have other things I’ve hidden from Your Grace. I came here from a place very, very far away.”

Felix: Staring.

“I’ve liked Your Grace for a long, long time. I like you super, super much.”

Felix: Staring.

“And  I actually know magic!” Jiang Yi said excitedly, lifting his chin quite smugly.

Felix touched the corner of the man’s upturned mouth. “What do you mean by ‘coming from a very far place’?”

Jiang Yi looked at him cautiously and spoke without guile. “It means… I come from another world. That’s why it’s very, very far.”

“Will you leave?” Felix’s gaze darkened, his fingers tightening slightly on the corner of the man’s mouth.

Jiang Yi frantically waved his hands. “No, no! Of course not! I definitely won’t leave.” If he was forced to leave, he’d immediately write a program to blow up the ocean and drag the witch out. “Your Grace, I swear I will stay by your side for all the time we have left.”

In his heart, Jiang Yi added: No matter the cost.

***

As usual, the elf woke up early, diligently kneading dough and baking bread. He drizzled them with fresh honey bought from merchants and set them in the window. Nothing had changed except for Jiang Yi, who was running all over the place.

Felix Cheng had grown fond of the low chair outside the bakery. He sat there, sipping honey water, watching the busy Jiang Yi. Just a moment ago, he saw him climb onto the roof to fix a few broken tiles; in the blink of an eye, he was up in a tall tree, luring over a gluttonous white dove.

Then, in another blink, the man was right in front of him.

“Your Grace, the bird you like.”

Jiang Yi held his arm out. The white dove, chewing on a piece of bread, stood there. Hearing this, it rolled its eyes and spoke in human tongue: “Oh, sir, I am perhaps not a tool for you to use to please your sweetheart.”

“I am so sorry,” Jiang Yi said, though his face held no sign of remorse. He raised his arm, and the dove snatched up the remaining bread, flapping its wings as it flew off.

“Have you played enough?” Felix asked.

“Enough, enough.” Jiang Yi sat on a matching low chair next to Felix, resting his chin in his hands and staring at him intently. He thought happily to himself: His Grace is great, and His Grace’s world is fun too.

“What are you smiling like an idiot for?” Having his first experience communicating with a “normal” person, Felix found it novel and was willing to talk more.

“I’m thinking about where we should go next.” Jiang Yi mentally sketched a map of the world, piecing it together into a perfect otherworldly travel guide. Exploration and adventure, it sounds wonderful.

“To the Kreegan Forest.” From beginning to end, Felix’s goal remained clear.

“Kreegan Forest.” Jiang Yi tilted his head and scratched his fluffy hair. “Sure! We’ll definitely go wherever Your Grace wants to go. But we have to go slowly one step at a time.”

Felix: There he goes again, saying strange things.

“Mainly because we don’t have powerful equipment right now. Challenging a Big Boss is very dangerous.”

“Big… Boss?”

Jiang Yi opened his arms and drew a large circle in the air. “It means a very powerful and mysterious person.”

Felix’s tone was indifferent. “Oh.”

“But, but! In my heart, Your Grace is forever the most powerful person in the world.”

“Is that so?” Felix asked calmly. “I don’t know any of those peculiar spells.”

“But Your Grace is the most powerful,” Jiang Yi leaned half his body across the table, his arms reaching for Felix’s hand. He added, “Your Grace accomplishes so many things every day, manages such a large manor perfectly, and even takes such good care of the flower room.”

Felix set his cup on the table, unable to handle Jiang Yi’s constant chatter. “Tell me. Where to?”

Jiang Yi gave a “hehe” laugh. “Well, Your Grace wants to find the Dark Wizard—is it to eliminate an evil for the people? To punish the bad guy?”

Felix gave a soft hum of agreement. He hadn’t actually thought that far; he just wanted to force the Dark Wizard to restore his freedom.

Jiang Yi wore an “as I thought” expression. He produced a map from somewhere, spread it on the table, leaned down, and pointed to a cave.

Felix looked over. “I know this place. Legend says a giant python guards it.”

“Exactly! Your Grace is so smart.”

Felix:  Is he coaxing a child?

Jiang Yi continued: “Hidden deep within that giant python’s cave is a miraculous Magic Mirror. Legend says the mirror can reflect the ugliest parts of one’s soul, causing them to lose the ability to move momentarily. People fear it for that reason, calling it an evil mirror.” He gestured animatedly as he spoke.

Felix ignored the awkward “dance” gestures. “You want to use this mirror to deal with the Dark Wizard.”

Jiang Yi held up a finger, keeping him in suspense. “That’s one reason. The second is that the python is also very powerful. We can.”

Felix stared at him expressionlessly.

“Haha, I won’t hide it from Your Grace, the second reason is that we can take it.” Jiang Yi put his hands on his hips, looking like he wanted to stand on the chair just to prove to Felix how majestic it would be to have a giant python as a mount.

“I understand. Let’s go.”

“Wait, Your Grace.”

“What now?”

“The first thing to do before we leave is to go see the kind elf again,” Jiang Yi said with a grin.

The elf—the top-tier loot box of the starter village. I’ve got to fleece him for some powerful items.

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