Chapter 72

Chapter 72

The Ancient Castle

Louis finished washing up and changed into more casual clothes, his hair still dripping wet. Just as he stepped out of the bathroom, Jiang Yao blocked his way at the doorway.

"Your hair is still wet."

Louis took the towel Jiang Yao offered him with both hands.

Jiang Yao leaned lazily against the bathroom door, one arm propped against the frame. There was something about his posture—proper yet roguish—that defied easy description, yet he managed to block the door completely. "Your Grace."

Jiang Yao probably had no idea how he looked right now. Louis felt his throat tighten. "Hmm."

Jiang Yao steadied himself as he swayed. Louis had just stepped out of the bath, and the mere arm's length between them was not enough to resist Louis's pull.

"I'll go clean the bathroom." Jiang Yao brushed past Louis with a playful gesture and stepped into the steam-filled bathroom. The moment he entered, Louis kicked the door shut behind him.

Jiang Yao took two steps back into the bathroom. "Your Grace?"

"Jiang Yao." Louis frowned, suddenly feeling ridiculous. "Aren't you going to ask me?"

Almost everything Jiang Yao thought—aside from what the system told him—was impossible to hide from Louis.

Louis pressed, "Aren't you going to ask what Yor talked to me about?"

If he couldn’t hide anything, that likely meant even his origins and mission were laid bare.

Jiang Yao smiled. "Mr. Yor is your destined one. It's not my place to pry too much."

Louis frowned, seemingly caught off guard by how abruptly Jiang Yao had revealed everything. He stepped closer, about to say something, but their stance was too intimate—one supporting the other, bodies pressed close. Jiang Yao was just short enough that Louis had to bend slightly to hold him, and when Jiang Yao looked up, he could see Louis’ sharp brows that tapered to his temples.

Louis gazed at Jiang Yao, and in the end, he stopped thinking entirely. He lowered his head and kissed him.

The moment their lips met, Jiang Yao shivered with anticipation. He flicked his tongue out, tasting Louis—cool lips against his warmth, a hint of mint between his teeth. It was the toothpaste Jiang Yao had recently stocked for the castle, one he’d been using for days.

"I told Yor about this. He didn’t seem surprised," Louis said, his tone unreadable.

Jiang Yao smirked to himself, raising a brow. "And then?"

Louis: "He won’t be with me. Nor will I be with him."

System: "Then this world will collapse."

Louis: "Let's test that theory."

Jiang Yao: "Let this world be destroyed?"

Louis: "War is coming. Even if it weren’t for you, the conflict between humans, vampires, and werewolves can only end with the annihilation of one side."

System: "Sigh."

"I almost became the demon consort who ruined a kingdom," Jiang Yao mused. "Since you’re being so clear, let me make a prediction too—no one will make it out alive."

Louis gripped Jiang Yao’s throat, tightening slightly. "Then you’ll be buried with me."

Jiang Yao crossed his arms and tilted his head, studying Louis in silence. His intentions couldn’t be hidden from Louis, just as obvious was his rebellious urge rising in his chest.

"Doug would probably help me," Jiang Yao said.

Louis shook his head helplessly, stepping closer to run his fingers through Jiang Yao’s hair. It was soft under his fingers, like petting a cat. Unable to resist, Louis slid his hand to the nape of Jiang Yao’s neck, squeezing slightly. It was slightly sweaty, but he didn’t mind.

Jiang Yao gently moved his hand away. "You need your rest, Your Grace."

Louis’ madness surpassed anything Jiang Yao expected. He had thought this man would throw a tantrum like Shen Mo, even imprison him or grovel at his feet, begging him not to leave.

Instead, this silent lunatic had shown his cards openly—revealing Jiang Yao’s origins to Yor, abandoning the world’s storyline, pushing things to the limit just to see if the world would truly collapse.

If it did, Jiang Yao would be buried with him.

If it didn’t, Jiang Yao would never fulfill his mission in this world, never leave, much less return to his own world to save his paralyzed body.

And Xiao Lihua—who had died with her name slandered by spiteful gossip—he had wanted to take the money back, give her a proper burial, and make those bastards kneel before her grave.

Louis had torn it all open. His sweet dream had become just that—a dream.

Jiang Yao closed the door, unbuttoned his collar, and removed his glasses. Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his dark hair. What now?

He chuckled, leaning against the dresser to study his reflection—looking every bit the rogue. Some things just came down to who was willing to go all the way.

The system said nervously, "Host, don’t smile like that. It’s a little scary."

Jiang Yao laughed softly. "I’m a little hungry."

As he spoke, a crimson glint flashed in his eyes.

The night was oppressive, Jiang Yao’s room completely dark. Dressed in gray silk pajamas, he sat on the edge of the bed, quietly polishing his leather shoes.

-

The next morning.

The first sunny day after the winter snow arrived.

When Louis came downstairs, he frowned at the golden sunlight pouring in.

Jiang Yao emerged from the kitchen holding a bowl of steamed egg custard, beaming. "You’re awake, Your Grace. Breakfast?"

Ai Wei landed on Louis’ shoulder, puffing out his chest. "Foolish human, bring bread and milk. And garnish it with fresh human blood."

Jiang Yao grinned. "This is a dish from my homeland."

"Shen Mo loved it."

Louis frowned. Who was Shen Mo? He took his seat at the table.

"Is it good?"

Louis: "A bit bland."

Jiang Yao stood at attention, still smiling. "Aren't you going to praise me?"

Louis scoffed. He'd been laughing more lately, even when he knew Jiang Yao was lying. As he stirred the bowl, his chopsticks hit something. Looking closer, he discovered a coin at the bottom. "What’s this?"

"Today is your birthday. Happy birthday." Jiang Yao beamed. "Where I’m from, finding a coin in your food means good luck all year."

Louis: "Good luck."

Jiang Yao’s lips curled slowly. What does it matter if you see through me, Louis? Do you really think I'm afraid of your obsession?

"If you like it, will you grant me a request?" Jiang Yao asked.

Louis eyed Jiang Yao. The man who usually dressed in suits had swapped his usual suit for a shirt and casual pants today. "Going out?"

Jiang Yao knew there was no hiding it, nor any need to. "Yes, Mr. Doug is missing. I want to look for him."

Louis tightened his grip on the silver spoon. "Be back by sunset."

"What if I don't come back?" Since the pretense was up, Jiang Yao might as well lay it all bare. He taunted, "Will you go out and kill people on the streets?"

"You’d kill a human for every minute I’m late?"

Louis: "You seem more eager than me for this world to burn?"

Once Louis started killing indiscriminately, the war would escalate faster.

Jiang Yao: "From the moment I entered this bizarre alternate world, distinguishing reality from illusion was what I had to do. Every person you kill, in my eyes, is just a fake, just a few scribbles from the author’s pen."

Louis was furious: "In your eyes, so am I."

Jiang Yao: "Just a few more wasted brushstrokes, that's all."

The system’s heart jumped to its throat—this was terrifying. To describe a foundational figure maintaining the world's stability, the keystone of this plane, the absolute protagonist, as a paper-thin character outlined in a few strokes.

Jiang Yao was as arrogant as a higher-dimensional being, coldly looking down on the self-important lower-dimensional beings.

"Your life has been grand and tumultuous, but in truth, it's nothing special. In the world of books, legends far surpassing yours are hardly rare."