The Beautiful Top Being Pursued Relentlessly [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 70

“Dearest Natti, did you sleep well last night?”

“I had a beautiful dream. Thank you so much for Her Highness’s hospitality; I slept very well.”

“Thank heavens, so did I.”

At the break of dawn, the chill from outside the palace crept through the cracks in the windows, accompanied by the whistling sound of the wind.

Lying atop twenty-some layers of mattresses, Felix Cheng rolled over. His right leg slid out from under the down duvet, dangling in mid-air and swinging slightly, which quickly jolted him awake.

Opening his eyes, he found the ceiling within arm’s reach.

The poor Duke shifted toward the center of the bed, feeling as though he were precariously perched on a ledge. Soon after, a pleasant, ethereal female voice rang out in a quiet conversation happening just behind the wall. Felix lay still, quite childishly pressing the tip of his nose against the hard ceiling.

He knew his time of freedom was coming to an end.

Knock, knock, knock.

Accompanying the knocking was the servant’s intentionally raised voice: “Noble guest, it is time to wake. Breakfast is being served.”

“I know,” Felix replied.

This bed was unexpectedly narrow, making it difficult to sit up. Felix tried to find the ladder with his heels, hunching his back as he slowly climbed down. The difficulty level of getting out of bed was far too high; for a Duke who wasn’t yet fully awake, it was a truly unfriendly experience.

Once his feet finally touched the floor, Felix didn’t even have a moment to catch his breath before his arms began moving, tirelessly dressing him in the black-and-white Knight’s attire. It was the same set as yesterday, which he found somewhat distasteful.

He thought of his beautiful manor. Although he lacked freedom there as well, he lived in utter comfort. Birds that loved to sing, vibrant flowers, comfortable and well-fitted formal wear… and the noisy Jiang Yi. The Duke missed them every single moment.

Thump, thump!

A pang in his heart. He opened his eyes to find the detestable castle.

The servant outside knocked again. “Noble guest, perhaps you should hurry. The dining hall is quite lively today; our Queen has returned.”

There’s a Queen too? This was the first thought that popped into Felix’s head. Even as he pondered, his hand had already pushed the door open.

What met his eyes wasn’t the servant, but the two ladies who had been whispering in the corridor. One had her hair pinned up, wearing a grand hoop skirt and a mask adorned with bird feathers that covered half her face. The other had seaweed-colored curls, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a silk dress that looked incredibly expensive.

Clearly, these were two noble ladies. Their etiquette was impeccable, and they looked at Felix with a hint of curiosity in their eyes.

“I am Natti, and this is my sister Naco.” “I am Naco, and this is my sister Natti.”

The sisters shared a glance and giggled behind their hands. Felix gave a slight nod, waiting for “his” lips to recite his introduction.

“I am Lorian.”

I am not Lorian. I am Felix.

“Dearest Lorian, did you sleep well last night?” the sisters asked in unison.

Felix frowned, his lips moving again. “I didn’t sleep well at all. I felt like something was digging into my back; it was truly uncomfortable.”

The sisters let out a soft “Ah,” their smiles turning into looks of concern. The elder sister, Natti, spoke: “I’m sorry, that is truly bad news.”

Felix clenched his fists. “Oh, it’s quite alright, Natti. It was likely my own fault.”

Oh, God, if I could, I truly wish I wouldn’t say such nonsensical things. What’s digging into my back? I wasn’t uncomfortable at all.

At that moment, the servant appeared silently behind them. “Noble guests, it is time for the dining hall.”

Along the endless corridor, Felix intentionally slowed his pace, following sluggishly. He was thinking about what would happen next and where this Queen had suddenly come from… When his mind was full, he felt relaxed.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound coming from a corner. A round mouse hole, about the size of a palm, was hidden there.

Tap, tap, tap, tap…

The sound wasn’t loud, like something very small walking against the wall. Then, a tiny song drifted out:

“In the legendary Ashlea Castle, lives a brave and happy Tin Soldier. He explores the castle to his heart’s content. He defeated the rats in the sewer. He crossed the surging seas in a paper boat. Da-da-da, look at his uniform, it’s a white dyed by the moonlight. La-la-la, I am the brave and happy Tin Soldier.”

Felix forced himself to stop. If his ears weren’t mistaken, he had just heard Jiang Yi’s voice as cheerful and bright as ever. This fellow had indeed run off into the castle. Now, he just needed to catch Jiang Yi and press a kiss on him, and he’d be free.

Felix quickly leaned down, his right hand slowly closing as he reached into the mouse hole. He didn’t care why Jiang Yi was hiding in there. But after some fumbling, he found nothing.

The footsteps had already moved far away, and he couldn’t break open the tiny mouse hole to give chase.

Jiang Yi. You’ve done well. Very well. The noble Duke Felix Cheng ground his teeth.

***

In front of the returned Queen, Felix repeated his complaint about the “uncomfortable mattress.”

The dining hall wasn’t as bright as yesterday; heavy curtains covered all four windows, making the room airtight. The crystal chandelier hanging above wasn’t lit; only two silver candelabras stood at either end of the long dining table.

The Queen, leaning on a cane, sat at the head of the table. The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows across her face. An elderly servant attended to her side, hunched over, using a silver knife to forcefully cut the steak on her plate. The blade scraped against the porcelain, making a piercing sound.

“Noble Queen, please enjoy your breakfast.” The servant set down the knife and stood straight. After a moment’s thought, he added, “I suspect you would like to taste some tomato sauce today.”

The stern-faced Queen finally broke into her first smile of the day. When she smiled, the wrinkles across her face twisted into deep lines.

“Sly, you are quite right.”

The servant, Sly, laughed. He took a small bottle from his pocket and dipped a finger, aged like withered wood, into the bottle to scoop out a thick blob of tomato sauce, spreading it over the steak. Concerned it wasn’t spread evenly, he swiped back and forth.

How disgusting. Felix closed his eyes tightly.

He chanted in his mind: God, this will be my final warning. If the runaway Jiang Yi does not return to me soon, I will tear down every cathedral that worships You.

“Child, why are you closing your eyes?” It was the Queen’s voice.

How does she know my eyes are closed? Felix opened his eyes a crack, his breath hitching, then slammed them shut again. The crude Queen was grabbing the steak with her right hand, her mouth covered in grease and tomato sauce like a clown in a circus.

Filthy. What a dynamic, unhygienic person.

“Child, come sit by my side.” The Queen used a more affectionate term, patting the chair next to her with her sauce-covered hand.

Felix felt his legs become uncontrollable, marching forward step by step.

No, no, no, he didn’t want to sit there. Felix stared intently at the red smear on the chair seat, clutching his sleeve tight. In the silent dining hall, he heard the clear sound of his own bones creaking. He bit his lower lip, enduring the pain as he moved to the other side.

Sit down. Sit down quickly.

Creeeeak.

With a bend of his knees, Felix sat down. Phew…

Felix aggrievedly rubbed his knees, staring at the Queen’s face, which was turned the other way. He felt a hidden sense of pride and joy. If the princess from the legend who wove armor out of nettles could be praised, then Duke Felix Cheng was also a very impressive person.

“Good child, quickly taste the newly roasted steak. If you like sweet and sour flavors, you can have Sly spread some tomato sauce for you.” The Queen still spoke toward the other side; her smile was dizzying if stared at for too long.

The “impressive” Felix did not want to be served by Sly’s dirty hand. More importantly, he didn’t even like sweet and sour flavors that much. Seeing that blackened hand reaching for the edge of the porcelain plate, Felix acted quickly and yanked the plate away.

Sly’s smiling face instantly turned somber. Hidden in the darkness, his hollow, lightless eyes stared directly at Felix. Felix gripped his steak knife warily.

His disobedient lips said, “Please forgive my rashness, but I truly cannot imagine the taste of steak smothered in tomato sauce. It must be quite difficult to eat.”

“Furthermore,” Felix raised a hand in front of him, looking quite disgusted, “your hands are too dirty. Do not touch my food.”

After saying this, Felix himself broke into a smile. This was something he would actually say. However, it was still a bit too subtle; if it were him, letting out all the resentment from being trapped here, he would have belittled these two from head to toe. He would use his sharp tongue to force them to tear off their mask of charity.

“Child.” The sharp Duke looked toward the Queen.

She covered her mouth, yet couldn’t hide her delight. “I am so sorry. My hospitality was lacking.”

Felix:

“Child, please give me a chance to make amends. Allow me to host you properly once more.”

The steak knife in Felix’s hand shifted direction, its sharp tip pointing outward. His legs began to move again. Felix’s gaze was cold; he hooked his right toe around the leg of the chair, forcing his body to stay pinned to the seat. Gradually, his legs began to tremble.

Disobedient legs. Felix leaned forward slightly from the pain.

Suddenly, a small black shadow darted past his vision. A flash of light reflected from a blade slid across his eyes—just a tiny bit, swift and decisive.

As he looked down, a palm-sized black shadow stood steadily on the tabletop, holding a miniature longsword high, pointing directly at Sly’s ugly face.

Felix’s tensed face relaxed almost imperceptibly. His grip on the steak knife loosened slightly, and his hand rested on his leg. Perhaps even he hadn’t noticed that the moment that figure appeared, the wariness on his face vanished, replaced by a touch of gentleness.

Except. He’s so small. Felix gestured with his hand, he really was only the size of his palm.

Where did this guy go exploring now to turn himself into this?

“The bravest soldier of the Royal Guard will absolutely not allow you to harm the Prince!”

Mini-Jiang Yi shifted the angle of his longsword and shouted those words with righteous indignation. He stood atop Felix’s teacup, his fierce gaze sweeping over his enemies.

“What is this thing?” Sly narrowed his eyes.

“The most powerful swordsman at the Prince’s side!” Jiang Yi shouted a similar slogan again.

A moment later, he leaped and stomped, using the force from the teacup lid popping up to spring toward Sly. The longsword held high above his head pointed straight at Sly’s reaching arm.

Squelch.

The sharp longsword pierced the flesh. Sly hissed in pain, clutching the small wound on his arm. Jiang Yi nimbly flipped back to the tabletop, raising his arms proudly.

“Now, submit to the Prince!”

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