Transmigrated As A Beautiful Cannon Fodder Omega To Marry An Evil God Alpha In Place of Another - Chapter 30

The brass doorknob slowly turned all the way to the end, just as the eccentric accent of the guest outside came to a halt.

Outside the window, a flash of brilliant lightning illuminated the sky, followed immediately by the rumbling roar of thunder. The pitter-patter of the rain made the quiet interior feel even more like a dark, sunless cage.

Everything seemed to suddenly go still, a profound silence fell, leaving only the sound of the rain washing over the strange little town.

The brass handle had already been turned to its limit. With just a gentle push, this decayed, old wooden door would allow the interloper at the threshold to drive straight in.

Truthfully, this door couldn’t block much. It was made of wood bound by two iron strips at the top and bottom, looking as if it had been forcefully broken open and crudely repaired, its style mismatching the original European doorknob.

As for why it had been broken open before, no one knew…

Bai Rui’s heart began to thud violently. In this dim wooden room layered with the background noise of rain, the sound seemed clear enough to be easily captured by anyone spying from the shadows.

Bai Rui swallowed hard. The water reached up to his shoulders, swaying gently. His wet “wolf tail” hair clung to his ivory shoulders, the damp tips sticking in clusters against his skin.

This place was indeed very strange. From the room to the people, and even that bizarre act of hospitality involving sheep intestines, it was all unsettling.

At this moment, the person outside who was so intent on entering stopped speaking. The chatter died down, the rain drizzled, and the room felt even quieter by contrast. All defenses rested on that brass lock, and clearly, that defense was about to collapse.

Yet, just as a gust of piercingly cold fragrance drifted through the crack of the door, the turning brass handle stopped. The teeth-grinding creak ceased abruptly, and visibly under the moonlight, the handle slowly turned back to its original position.

Bai Rui had no capacity to consider what had just happened. In the distance, a shrill, eerie wail echoed, sounding like the scream of some animal. Other than that, there was only the rain. The downpour threatened to bury the entire Town of Gamblers…

After a long while, there was still no movement. An An’s voice at the door had vanished, and the tense discomfort seemed to dissipate with it. However, Bai Rui remained silent, even as he heard his heart thumping wildly in a compensatory reaction to the sudden loss of pressure.

The water in the wooden tub still made faint ripples because the person inside moved slightly, but nothing more.

After an unknown amount of time, three knocks sounded at the door again.

Knock, knock, knock.

After knocking, there was another pause. Then, A-Wu’s magnetic voice sounded from outside: “Master, you’ve been bathing for a long time. I personally toasted some fresh bread. I’ve brought it for you to taste, to replenish your strength.”

A-Wu’s voice faded, but the room remained silent, devoid of any response. Only the background noise of the torrential rain persisted. The entire room and the hallway outside felt thick with a rising, chilly gloom. But as that crisp, cold fragrance diffused, the unpleasant odors seemed to become fresh and elegant.

Seeing that Bai Rui didn’t speak, A-Wu thought for a moment and spoke again. “Your Highness, your body has never been strong. The humidity here is heavy, soaking for too long might make you dizzy. You should eat something.”

While these words didn’t seem particularly special, that title. “Your Highness” was a secret known only to A-Wu and Bai Rui. Since arriving in this town, neither had acknowledged this identity openly. By saying this now, A-Wu was trying to put Bai Rui at ease.

The hot water still flowed around him, and Bai Rui felt the temperature of his limbs gradually return as the tension ebbed. His fingers regained their warmth. This time, his water slicked lips parted slightly, but he still didn’t speak. He seemed to be either thinking or hiding. In this world, he always felt so small, and self-preservation was a primary instinct.

There were nearly imperceptible ripples in the room. The sound was faint, but it caused A-Wu’s slightly pointed ears to twitch. He first looked up toward a dark corner, subsequently, in the distant Frost Badger Castle, a purple velvet cloth “snapped” over a crystal ball.

Only then did A-Wu turn his face back, placing his hand on the doorknob. “Your Highness, soaking for this long is truly worrying. I’m coming in.”

Although he said the words “I’m coming in,” the effect was entirely different from An An pressing his face against the door. A-Wu’s magnetic voice acted like a calming pill in the quiet environment, possessing the power to steady a racing heart.

With a creak, the old hinges groaned. The wooden door opened.

A-Wu’s tall, slender figure appeared in the doorway. He held a tray in both hands, upon which sat a steaming loaf of toast. The soft, golden bread emitted a mouth-watering aroma. The scent of butter wafted from the warm pores of the bread, infusing the air. This warm, sweet sensation added a touch of comfort to the gloomy room.

A-Wu carried the tray, on one side was the toast, and on the other, a candle burned atop a brass candlestick. This cluster of light was warm and striking, seemingly brighter than the other dim oil lamps in the room.

Carrying the bread and candle, A-Wu entered the room like a beam of warm light, breaking through the dark, heavy air. It felt like a sharp blade slicing through a thick piece of black fabric. He walked in, and the candlelight in front of him seemed to illuminate the spacious room instantly. Even the shadows in the corners could no longer hide any prying eyes.

“Your Highness?”

A-Wu walked in and glanced at the screen. From his angle, he could only see the edge of the wooden tub, not the situation inside. Thus, A-Wu turned and steadily carried the tray behind the screen.

Behind the screen was the steaming wooden tub filled with bathwater. But Bai Rui was nowhere to be seen. Although the room was spacious, the furniture was scattered, leaving no obvious place to hide. The Bai Rui who had been bathing just moments ago seemed to have vanished into thin air.

After a moment of silence, A-Wu sighed and placed the tray on a nearby table. “Your Highness, it’s really me. No need to be afraid.”

Saying this, he turned to close the door. The door was heavy and reinforced with iron bars. Bai Rui would have had to use considerable effort to move it, but in A-Wu’s hands, it felt light as a feather. With a thud, it shut tight, sounding as if it were embedded into the wall. After this sound, the mysterious animal cries from the depths of the hallway outside the window ceased abruptly.

Splash. The water in the tub rippled. The previously still surface moved. A second later, Bai Rui reappeared in the water.

A-Wu didn’t seem too surprised. He walked back, focusing on arranging the bread on the table. “You’ve soaked for a long time. Are you hungry?”

Bai Rui held the dripping invisible cloak in his hands. His slender, fair arms struggled with the water-logged fabric as he piled it onto the small stool used for bathing. “The person… at the door?”

“At the door?” A-Wu curled his lips into a smile, his silver butter knife slicing through the toast. It looked like he was slicing through someone’s head. “Just now?” he chuckled softly. “There was no one there. It was just me.”

The aroma of the bread became even more intense. The buttery scent clung to A-Wu, and the hot steam instantly fogged the polished silver knife. Slice by slice, A-Wu divided the toast. He seemed happy because he realized his previous judgment was correct. Bai Rui was smarter and more composed than he had thought, and certainly wouldn’t trust blindly.

If he hadn’t returned in time today and the door had been breached, Bai Rui likely would have handled it. This was good, he didn’t like beauties who were too dim-witted. An “empty vase” would eventually become tiring. A “leopard cat with claws” was much more to his liking.

He didn’t even realize he had begun using “liking” as a standard to measure Bai Rui, nor did he find it odd, instead, it made him feel more cheerful.

Bai Rui leaned tiredly against the edge of the tub, his fair skin glistening under the water, looking even more radiant. He closed his eyes, no longer holding his breath, and returned to a normal breathing rhythm. “What made you think of making toast yourself?”

A-Wu’s long, pale fingers held the silver fork as he placed a piece of toast on a plate. He stood sideways to Bai Rui, his voice light. “In this poor town, the bread the taverns serve travelers is all rye bran, hard enough to commit a robbery with. Your stomach is delicate, so you naturally couldn’t eat that. I toasted some fresh bread for you.”

The fragrant buttery smell truly comforted Bai Rui’s weary heart. He lifted a damp finger to rub his temple. “You didn’t add anything strange to it, did you?”

After all, A-Wu had previously introduced himself with talk of “dark cuisine” like buttered leeches. Just thinking about it made Bai Rui’s skin crawl. At the moment, however, he was too exhausted to press the issue and simply closed his eyes, drifting into sleepiness.

A-Wu turned his head to look at Bai Rui, the firelight tracing the sharp shadows of his features. He hooked his thin lips into a smile. “No, Your Highness. Resources are limited here. When we reach the big city, I will surely show off my culinary skills and cook a legendary feast for you.”

Forget the “legendary” part, it would certainly be “shocking.” Bai Rui shifted in the water, causing a splash. He was too tired even to speak, feeling completely at ease as the hot water made him drowsy. He rested his chin on the edge of the tub, letting his hands drift naturally in the water, his body floating lightly. “No… I don’t eat those things.”

“Oh, that’s not good. Your Highness, you shouldn’t be a picky eater.” A-Wu continued to smile, picking up the plate of “ordinary” toast and walking over.

Seeing Bai Rui hanging off the edge of the tub, too lazy to even speak, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Your Highness, if you’re sleepy, go lie in bed. How can you sleep here?”

Bai Rui naturally ignored him, relaxing his limbs in the water. His fair back was submerged, becoming a blur beneath the surface. The beautiful lines of his back and his clear, pretty shoulder blades were bathed in warm yellow light, appearing as if through a soft filter. It was beautiful, like a scene from an oil painting, soft brushstrokes, dreamy colors, making him look even more mesmerizing.

A-Wu’s hand tightened slightly around the edge of the porcelain plate. “Your Highness…” His voice grew husky. After a pause, he continued, “You’ve soaked so long, aren’t you dizzy? If the water gets cold, you’ll get sick.”