Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Gu Si sat across from a man named Emolin in the office, separated by a tea table. She cautiously glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

The man's expression remained unchanged, as if he were the host, serving tea to her and Nolan. Wispy steam blurred his deep, tired eyes.

His eyelashes were thick, and when they lowered, his eyes seemed devoid of light. His demeanor was cold and tired, yet his etiquette was impeccable.

He had handsome features, and his gold-rimmed glasses and neatly groomed black hair added an aura of formality and reliability. Yet, Gu Si inexplicably felt that beneath his professional facade, he seemed to be suppressing immense frustration.

"That is the Church's message. The Bishops, led by Mou Li, have agreed to cooperate with Miss Sissi. Unfortunately, I am not privy to the specific details. My responsibility is solely to take Miss Sissi to the Red Knights to select suitable candidates."

He pushed the teacups toward the two of them, his voice as flat and unemotional as stagnant water.

Nolan, sitting beside her, cast a questioning glance her way.

Did he really have to mention this in front of the pure-hearted Commander...

A cold sweat broke out on Gu Si's forehead. She was grateful the Church hadn't revealed too many details and mumbled incoherently to indicate she understood.

"So, you agree?" Emolin raised an eyebrow, confirming her willingness.

Gu Si was taken aback. "Do I have a choice?"

The shadow Loki had left her was so long that she wasn't keen on dealing with the Red Knights.

"No," Emolin denied flatly. "The Church only offered the Red Knights and the Beastkin as options. If you have no interest in the Red Knights, I would be immensely grateful. I am willing to convey your thoughts to the Church."

Gu Si felt she was being subtly unwelcome.

"Please rest assured, I'm not targeting you, Miss Sissi. Rather, I lack the confidence to guarantee your safety under the Red Knights' care."

"I'm not much of a fighter. If something were to happen, I would have to go to court to defend those scum who are supposedly prosecutors," he said expressionlessly, using a rather insulting term. "This is also for your safety. I hope you understand."

Gu Si: "..."

Oh, so he's the only lawyer in the prosecutor's team? Could it be that he rose to the position of Deputy Commander precisely because the Red Knights caused so much trouble that he had to defend them one by one, thus solidifying his status?

No wonder he reeks of corporate drudgery.

Gu Si could also understand why the Church didn't give her other options. The Moon Knights' faith required chastity, the Priests demanded absolute rationality, and the Lion Knights were too far away.

The Moon Knights and the Priests had very similar conditions for receiving blessings. If there was a difference, it was probably that the Moon Knights' creed involved no petty love but required great love, while the Priests should not harbor any superfluous emotions, as that would affect their reason and judgment.

Beastkin...

Since the Moon Knights had been taking care of Gu Si all along, and both Wost and Archer had high favorability, Gu Si hadn't considered entering their dreams. Come to think of it, should she choose Archer as her real first challenge?

Gu Si wasn't very decisive. Counting on her fingers, she said, "Can I think about it a bit more?"

"Of course," Emolin replied, as if he had expected this, his tone indifferent. "The Church requires me to take you on at least one tour of the Red Knights. Once you've made your decision, we can contact each other using a communication crystal."

Communication crystals were tools developed by the Star Tower, resembling modern cell phones with video and communication functions. They were expensive and only affordable for the upper class.

Gu Si felt embarrassed. "...I don't have one of those."

Emolin touched his glasses and took a business card from inside his jacket. His fingers were slender and long, with prominent blue veins, as he handed it to Gu Si.

"My apologies for not considering your situation. If you make a decision, simply send a letter to my office."

Emolin exuded an aura of gloom, but he had explained everything clearly in a short time. Seeing their conversation conclude, Nolan spoke up: "During her rest periods, can she still stay with the Moon Knights?"

Emolin replied distantly, "I have not confirmed that. It is not within the scope of my duties."

Nolan's lake-blue eyes were elegant and delicate, his lips pressed together. In truth, his mind had gone blank.

"Then, I shall take my leave."

With that, Emolin bid farewell and left, his retreating figure efficient and without hesitation. Gu Si patted Nolan's shoulder understandingly.

People who are strong in their professional fields often aren't good at socializing. Emolin maintained his boundaries, probably also worn out from overtime work.

After Emolin left, Nolan and Gu Si returned to the desk. Over the past few days, Gu Si had not only studied medical texts but also read many history books. Under Nolan's guidance, she had learned most of the common language.

Gu Si's current task was to improve her handwriting.

When encountering unfamiliar characters, Gu Si would copy them for Nolan, who would then mark the pronunciation for her. Even after becoming familiar, they still communicated through writing. But just as Gu Si was consulting him as usual, she discovered that beneath the original annotation, an unrelated question had been added.

[The Red Knights are difficult to get along with. If you encounter any trouble, I will help you resolve it if I am able.]

The handwriting in this line was somewhat neat yet awkward, as if the writer had been hesitant while writing.

Gu Si fretfully rubbed her face with both hands, like a hesitant little sea otter, sighing inwardly.

It wasn't that she didn't want to tell the Commander... but Gu Si was truly grateful to Nolan, which was precisely why she didn't want the favored one of the God of Purity to get involved in the affairs of dreams.

Her conscience couldn't bear causing such a wonderful person's faith to shatter.

[Don't worry about me... Anyway, I'm not in any life-threatening danger!] She scribbled quickly, adding a cute smiley face at the end of the sentence.

[What character is this?] Nolan asked, utterly lacking in internet savvy.

Gu Si wrote back, shocked: [It's a smiling face! Did I draw it poorly?!]

Nolan stared at the three wavy lines on the paper, a symbol comparable to something from mysticism, and fell into deep thought.

He lifted his eyelashes and glanced at the girl. Her golden hair still glowed with a gentle radiance in the dimly lit room, a beauty that was not blinding.

Gu Si stared back at him blankly. Nolan's gaze traveled from her forehead to her neck, mentally sketching her features, then lowered his head. With a few sparse strokes, he captured her essence.

The abstract, chibi-style figure on the paper transformed into an exquisite half-body sketch, holding a bouquet of vibrant roses. When Nolan handed it to her, Gu Si felt genuine delight.

It was drawn so beautifully!

[Who is this?] She couldn't help but smile, picking it up to admire it before asking, already knowing the answer.

[Sunflower.]

[Bunny.]

[Citrine.]

Nolan calmly wrote down his impressions of her—clean, pure praise, more moving than any gentleman's sweet talk.

Ever since Gu Si had praised him that day, he had long wanted to return the courtesy.

He finally wrote:

[...Stay with the Moon Knights.]

Gu Si held the letter in her hand, for a moment at a loss for how to respond.

Nolan watched her expression, his glove pressing creases into the desktop, his brow slightly furrowed.

Nolan rarely expressed his feelings. To avoid trouble, he always accommodated others. Only after writing those words did he realize he had interfered with her decision, touching that unspoken boundary between the opposite sexes.

He just...

Nolan thought, he had to care for her until she recovered. This girl had a weak constitution and lacked confidence. The Red Knights and the beastmen's camp were not suitable environments for convalescence.

"Are you... still wanting to study my wound?" Gu Si tentatively asked.

Nolan gave a slight start, his mind instantly becoming clear and cool. He gave a faint, low "Mm" in response.

So that was it, the emotionally inexperienced young man thought, lowering his gaze.

Gu Si breathed a sigh of relief.

That made things simpler. After all, Gu Si didn't plan to turn him into a Blood Servant.

"Then... would you like to take a look now?"

Gu Si's brown eyes darted slightly as she spoke softly. Her hand went to her neck, the soft fabric rustling as she undid the bandage. She turned her head slightly, revealing the wound near her delicate collarbone.

Like a pure, innocent lamb trustingly exposing its soft underbelly.

Nolan's gaze fell on her wound, which refused to scab over. He tried to shed the chaotic thoughts and enter that focused, rigorous academic state.

"...Come closer." Perhaps because the curtains were drawn, his voice was somewhat low.

Gu Si didn't overthink it. She stood up, walked around the desk, and, to make it easier for Nolan to see, crouched down. Her dense, golden hair cascaded down. Nolan's Adam's apple bobbed instantly, a fleeting illusion that she might lean onto his lap.

After all, his legs had once felt her warmth.

Warm and soft, clinging to him in utter innocence. He could have arranged her in any pose he liked.

The conservative knight stiffly supported Gu Si's back, startled again by the softness of the touch. He didn't know why these thoughts suddenly surfaced. Even in his dreams, his research had never been disturbed by such ambiguous imagery.

Gu Si certainly hadn't intended to sit on Nolan's lap—how presumptuous would that be? She merely bent slightly at the waist, and Nolan's arm was there for her to lean on. She gave him a grateful look.

Yet that glance made her vaguely aware of something.

Gu Si had been wearing the same hospital gown in the Moon Knights. She had a small frame, and the standard-sized collar was too loose for her. This posture left her collar gaping open in front of her chest. A soft "ah" escaped her, and she quickly brought her arm up to cover herself.

Gu Si's instinctive action left both inexperienced individuals flustered and awkwardly frozen in place.

"I wasn't looking there," Nolan cleared his throat lightly, as if scalded by the air, withdrawing his arm as he explained.

"I... I know," Gu Si's cheeks flushed crimson, "and I'm wearing a slip, it's just..."

Why had she done something so foolish?

Gu Si clearly wanted to draw a line with Nolan, to establish boundaries!

"It's... it's fine, really," Gu Si forced out a dry laugh, "It was just an accident. Please, examine the wound."

Nolan's fingers gripped the quill, the pressure already bending the shaft. He calmly agreed, his gaze indeed focusing on her neck.

Seeing him look so seriously, his expression neutral as if unaffected, Gu Si's sense of shame gradually subsided.

Nolan didn't touch her body again. Gu Si maintained her half-bent posture, but after a while, she couldn't hold it much longer.

"Um..."

Nolan's blue eyes rippled slightly as he averted his gaze, his voice calm. "The wound's condition hasn't changed significantly. Take your medicine on time, and you can keep the bleeding at its current level."

Gu Si smiled and quickly straightened up. "Okay, thank you!"

"It's almost noon, so I'll... go get lunch now?"

Nolan watched the girl push the door and leave. He looked down at the letter on the desk. He wasn't good at organization, so besides official documents, his desk was covered with letters he and Gu Si had written, filled with words.

Sheet after sheet, page after page.

The dense traces of ink blurred together into a heavy, indistinguishable mass. Nolan couldn't focus on anything, just as he couldn't truly focus while examining Gu Si's wound earlier.

He took a sharp breath, raised his head, and closed his eyes, silently reciting a prayer of penance in his heart.

—His mind was filled with the image of her lying on his bed, snow-white and pure, like a sleeping doll.

After lunch, Gu Si returned to her bedroom, explored the Spider Nest again, and had a new idea.

The Spider Maiden's authority worked like this: the more Blood Servants she had, the greater her allure would grow. Archer's favorability was already at forty. If she entered Archer's dreams a few more times and had some contact with the Red Knights in reality, could she gain more high-quality experience points?

Gu Si understood Archer somewhat, knew about his possessiveness.

If she went to the beastmen's camp, he would definitely keep her under close watch. Even if she sneaked out, Archer would likely follow and monitor her secretly.

On one hand, a group she disliked; on the other, seeing the same male day in and day out.

Was it safer to stay put, or was it better to improve her self-preservation abilities sooner?

Gu Si sighed, took out the letter paper she had gotten from Nolan, and wrote a letter to Emolin, setting a time to visit the Red Knights.

It wouldn't hurt to go take a look first.

During Gu Si's stay with the Moon Knights, Wost and Isaac had reached a balance. Isaac usually visited her during the day and afternoon, while Wost kept watch over her at night.

The two of them generally didn't meet now.

Gu Si gave the letter to Isaac. After dinner, she went to bed to rest, waiting to enter Archer's dream.

The shuttling threads intertwined above the Nest. For a moment, Gu Si once again sensed Mou Li's presence, though it vanished even faster than last time.

What was making him waver?

Although Archer was a cat beastman, his routine was surprisingly regular. Before ten o'clock, Gu Si felt a surge of joy as her consciousness rushed into an entrance that opened before her.

The vast, desolate Nest vanished, replaced by the interior of a bathroom. Gu Si opened her bleary eyes. Her hair dripped water, and her damp body was wrapped only in a towel.

She was stunned for a moment, then opened the bathroom door and hurried out. Sure enough, she saw the familiar room—Nolan's room. In the bed lay a man in sleepwear.

His arms were resting on his abdomen, eyes closed in sleep, seemingly unaware. His silver chain earring was still on, entangled with his scattered blue hair. His posture was aloof, elegant, and ascetic.

...? ? ? ! !

Why had she entered Nolan's dream?

Moreover, why did Nolan become a sensing puppet this time?!

Nolan, with his eyes closed, seemed unresponsive, but Gu Si, having been a puppet herself, knew he was fully conscious.

Though the body couldn’t move, basic physiological functions were intact, like crying and such.

Gu Si paced anxiously, not daring to look at the Knight Commander on the bed. Compared to taking the initiative herself, she’d much rather lie back and let someone else do the work.

After racking up a few minutes of steps, Gu Si remembered the rules of the dream.

She went to the door and saw the requirement still displayed as “embrace,” which put her slightly at ease.

Below it was an additional small line of fine print stating that the area of physical contact had to be over eighty percent.

No wonder Nolan had held her like that the other day, Gu Si thought. With such a strict requirement, it could only be face-to-face or pressing against the back.

Gu Si returned hesitantly to the bedside. Frankly, Nolan’s skin was smooth, his features handsome, like a beautiful man blessed by the Lady of the Lake, with an aloof and steadfast air about him.

Gu Si was secretly glad his eyes were closed, unable to see her appearance. Since that was the case, she just wouldn't make a sound.

If Nolan didn’t ask, she wouldn’t bring it up; if Nolan asked, she’d feign surprise.

Having decided this, Gu Si parted her lips, only daring to breathe in slow, suppressed breaths. Her hand touched Nolan’s shoulder and gave a push. Nolan looked slim, but under his clothes, the lines of his arms were taut and slender, with a slight swell. Her fingertips sank in lightly; his arm was taut like a bowstring.

Underneath his gentle exterior, Gu Si saw his side as a warrior.

But however battle-ready he was, he couldn't move now. Gu Si pushed with all her strength, and Nolan shifted slightly inward. Despite her efforts, she couldn't get him to roll onto his side facing away from her, so she gave up helplessly.

Gu Si was frail, and after moving for a short while, she felt her breathing grow a bit loud, sounding delicate and soft in the empty room.

She covered her mouth with one hand while clutching the bath towel with the other, and climbed onto the edge of the bed. Her round, pink knees pressed into the bed on either side of the Knight Commander. Up close, looking at that peerlessly handsome face, she felt a vague, indescribable shyness.

Sorry, she thought.

She sat upright, parted her knees, and slowly lowered herself onto his abdomen. The whole sequence felt like it was in slow motion; her eyelashes trembled, her face flushed bright red, and she pressed her entire body weight onto him.

The man’s body stiffened, the tendons in his neck bulged and throbbed faintly from the strain, screaming resistance.

Gu Si leaned down, her hands—unsure where to place them—settled obediently in the small hollows of his collarbones. After doing this, she buried her head in his chest, taking small, quiet breaths.

Nolan, eyes tightly shut, only felt enveloped by a gentle, watery softness.

Soft and pliant, the skin pressed against his firm chest and changed shape without a cry of pain, as if they were meant to fit together perfectly.

The girl was clueless; he had told her about his sensory overload, where even a single exhale would amplify endlessly in his ears, let alone… such a soft, lingering sound.

Why?

Nolan’s mind was in chaos. He considered who the person on top of him might be but refused to accept it.

This was his dream.

Nolan had access to some materials and had been helping Gu Si verify and research from various ancient texts these past few days. He roughly understood that dreams were a collection of desires. The vampires’ trick worked on him again and again because he already harbored filthy desires deep in his heart.

The woman on top of him wasn’t Si Si.

She was a phantom born of his desires. He wanted to hold her, which was why he dreamed of such a shameless yet sweet scenario.

That afternoon, Nolan had realized he was failing in his role as a healer.

As a follower of the God of Purity, Nolan had been instilled since childhood with the belief that purity was of the utmost importance. Nolan could never take that step in the real world. The vampire amplified the dark side of his heart in his dreams, attempting to drag him into the abyss.

Nolan knit his brows, trying to shut down his senses and sink into a state of self-annihilation.

Gu Si kept it up for half an hour until the calf she was kneeling on cramped up, and she slid down. She wrapped her arms around Nolan’s neck like a furry baby possum.

Safe landing!

Gu Si gave herself a mental thumbs-up for her agility.

Meanwhile, the land felt her rubbing against him back and forth, as if jostling on horseback. His slender knuckles whitened slightly, and his somewhat low body temperature gradually rose.

He passively accepted everything Gu Si gave him.

Whether it was closeness or this kind of subtle, barely-there punishment… it was all evidence of the sin in his heart.

Gu Si lay sprawled out on Nolan’s chest, thinking that as long as she pretended not to understand, she could muddle through. The countdown ticked away second by second. The girl’s eyelids grew heavy and drooped, sweat beading from her pores, her face slightly flushed as she let out comfortable sighs.

Unconsciously, and quite heartlessly, Gu Si fell asleep.

Gu Si often felt drowsy due to her illness and stress, and her sleep quality wasn’t great, often plagued by nightmares.

Moreover, while sleeping, her hands and feet would always turn icy cold. Back in the hospital ward, her older sisters would share heating pads and hot water bottles with her. In this different world, without such conditions, Gu Si could only curl up under the blankets to warm herself.

Nolan’s aura felt cool and refreshing, and Gu Si subconsciously liked it, feeling attached and at ease.

At first, she was relatively well-behaved, but gradually, her small hands began moving toward the source of warmth.

…So warm.

Gu Si’s face was buried against his pectoral muscles, and in the end, she didn’t even know how she felt the warmth, but her hands and feet were toasty.

Liked it.

…

Three hours achieved, Gu Si returned to reality from the dream. She rolled over and continued sleeping, completely unaffected by the dream and utterly unaware that someone had tossed and turned restlessly that night.

She slept soundly until dawn. Gu Si’s consciousness once again knocked on the Spider Nest, asking the administrator there: she had been thinking of Archer’s name last night, so why did she enter Nolan’s dream?

A fragment of knowledge drifted through the mist, and Gu Si reached out to grasp it.

As her fingertips touched it, the recorded knowledge transformed into concepts flowing into her mind—it turned out that if someone’s favorability toward her was high enough and they strongly missed her before sleep, then the door to their dream would actively open for her.

Everyone’s spiritual energy had a different color; if she looked carefully, she could distinguish which door led to where she wanted to go.

Huh, was Nolan thinking of her before he slept?

Gu Si figured it was because the Red Knights’ vice-captain had suddenly visited, making him worry about her again.

Now, in the morning, it was Isaac who came to see her, taking her to the Moon Knights’ cafeteria for meals. The cafeteria food had more variety than the meal boxes, and she could also soak up the human atmosphere. Gu Si looked forward to it every day.

Isaac was good in every way, except he was terrible at brushing hair. Gu Si lost one or two long strands to his hands every day.

“Ouch…!”

Isaac wore half-finger gloves, revealing his rough fingertips. With her back to him, Gu Si felt another slight tug of pain and shot him a resentful glance.

"My bad, my bad."

Isaac raised both hands, his handsome, puppy-dog eyes looking genuinely sincere as he apologized.

"Ah, I'm all thumbs. Braiding a girl's hair is really a hard skill to master." Isaac sighed, watching Gu Si laugh at his antics. As Gu Si turned her head, Isaac's eyes crinkled at the corners. He wound a strand of her hair around his finger and tucked it into his uniform pocket.

Finally, Isaac tied her hair into a single ponytail. Her slightly curled, dazzling golden hair was pulled back, flowing over her shoulder like a river of gold, as elegant as a noble lady.

Gu Si looked at herself in the mirror and was fairly satisfied.

Gu Si followed closely on Isaac's heels. No matter how many times she saw it, she was always amazed by Isaac's popularity. Except for some unaffiliated cleaners and field personnel, most Moon Knights walked with their heads down, their steps hurried.

But Isaac managed to greet everyone and even accurately call them by name!

The Moon Knights whose names were called either stiffened their shoulders or quickly lowered their heads. But upon seeing it was the Deputy Commander, their expressions relaxed. Some who were around Isaac's age could even exchange a few pleasant words with him.

Gu Si watched with wide eyes and couldn't help but look up and ask Isaac if he had any social tips.

Isaac snapped his fingers: "It's simple. Just remember their names. If you're patient, remember their preferences too. If your attitude is natural and confident, the other person won't feel so constrained either."

Gu Si seemed to understand but not quite: "What if the other person just glances at me and still ignores me?"

Isaac raised an eyebrow, asking strangely: "Why would you let them get to you? You're not making friends with them. You do your thing. How others treat you won't make you lose a piece of flesh. No need to take it to heart."

Gu Si felt she still had a lot to learn.

When they reached the cafeteria, they happened to run into Lan Ruo. Isaac asked Lan Ruo to keep an eye on Gu Si for a moment, asked Gu Si what she wanted to eat, and went to fetch her food himself.

Even while eating, Lan Ruo held a prescription in her hand, studying it. Her way of keeping her occupied was to hand her a piece of candy. Gu Si, for her part, took it and chewed away quietly, waiting for Isaac.

"Hello, miss..."

A voice came from behind. Gu Si turned and saw a young man with a few freckles beside the bridge of his nose, who wore a gentle, shy expression: "Sorry, I've been paying attention to you these past two days. I wanted to give you this."

The young man raised the gift in his hand—a small sachet emitting the fragrance of medicinal herbs.

"I heard Knight Commander Nolan is your attending physician. My medical skills are far inferior to the Knight Commander's, so I made this, hoping you can sleep a little better at night."

Isaac returned to see this scene before him.

He knew this knight, Bill Brown, from a difficult family background, focused and studious by nature. On the surface, Isaac had a good relationship with him and understood his character somewhat.

But seeing this ordinary young man approach Si Si, Isaac's bright green eyes darkened. His fingers rested on his belt, ready to draw his sword the next second.

The veins on his wrist faintly bulged. The back of his fingers tapped the scabbard lightly but firmly. His control slipped for only a moment before he lowered his wrist, standing irritably behind Bill, waiting for this clueless fellow to leave.

Lan Ruo sensed something, looked up, saw Isaac's murderous expression, and gave a light cough.

Gu Si had only slightly turned her head to talk to Bill and didn't see Isaac standing behind him. Bill felt a chill, straightened his back, and shakily looked to his left.

The usually friendly and cheerful Deputy Commander lowered his head, staring at him. Stray hair fell above the bridge of his nose, gathering shadows under his eyes. His always smiling, curved eyes were now sharp and straight, turning icy.

Bill knew right away he was in trouble, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, bid farewell to the three, and quickly left as if fleeing for his life.

It was only then that Gu Si saw Isaac and said happily, "You're back!"

"Yeah, Si Si." Under Lan Ruo's knowing gaze, Isaac bent down, slightly tilting his head up. The sharply defined eyes appeared pure and innocent from this angle, like a smiling angel Samoyed.

"What were you two talking about just now?"

"Look what I got!" Gu Si picked up the sachet to show Isaac, her light pink lips curving up, eyes crinkling happily. "It's the first time I've received a gift."

"But I didn't thank him properly. He left so quickly?"

Gu Si didn't understand: "I don't even know his name..."

It wasn't even anything valuable, Isaac noted with a cool glance.

She likes receiving gifts?

Watching her expression, Isaac scratched the side of his face thoughtfully: "Maybe he had something to do. I'll thank him for you next time."

In the end, Isaac never told Gu Si Bill's information.

The busy Gu Si soon forgot about this little episode.

Since that day Meimeng helped her construct the dream, Gu Si hadn't seen him again. She had grown accustomed to Meimeng's hands-off approach.

The Church had given her two options. She had already met the person in charge of the Red Knights. She guessed who the beastman representative might be.

Returning to her bedroom at noon, Gu Si's premonition came true.

Perhaps beastmen never use the front door. Seeing two males in her room, she was startled and tried to bolt for the door.

Anyone with wilderness survival experience knows that when encountering wild beasts in the wilderness, you must not expose your vulnerable back to the predator's sight.

Before Gu Si ran, the two beastmen were each lazier than the other, either leaning against the wall or occupying the armchair with legs crossed. As Gu Si's ponytail swung, her snow-white nape was exposed to the males' sight. Their pupils both contracted sharply.

A large palm covered her lips, a domineering wave of heat rushing over her.

The young beastman looked down at her from above, the silver scales on his neck faintly visible under his long, shaggy hair.

He wore tight-fitting clothes, a tattoo on his exposed side waist and abdomen, most of it hidden in the shadow below his hip bone, the pattern unclear, making it even more intriguing.

"Skinny as a chick."

Shuangya lazily weighed her in his hand, his bulging arm digging into her stomach, letting out a disdainful snort.

Gu Si felt a bit nauseous. Before she could get sick, Shuangya tossed Gu Si to his subordinate. Then, this White Dragon frowned, leaning back against the wall as if uncomfortable all over, closing his eyes to doze off.

Archer was a beat slower, catching the delicate and frail Gu Si, patting her back to help her catch her breath. A bit angry, yet a bit amused, he asked: "What are you running from?"

"...It's scary," Gu Si said, dizzy. "Can't you guys use the front door?!"

"Applications have to be submitted to Nolan. Who knows how long it would take to get approved. I didn't want to wait," Archer said flatly and matter-of-factly, pinching her cheek. "Come with me now."

Tch.

Shuangya, who wasn't asleep, pricked up his ears listening to their conversation, seeming annoyed by their mushiness, grinding his molars.

"I haven't decided yet," Gu Si pushed him reluctantly.

Gu Si's speech was slow and soft; even her refusal seemed lacking in force. Archer had a fiery temper, but now he patiently talked with her: "What are you hesitating about?"

"You've already seen my ears. Still afraid of me?"

"After I bind with the Vampire Hunter, I'll often be on missions," Archer was quite serious thinking about their future arrangements. "...When I'm not around, I'll have Shuangya keep an eye on you."

For crying out loud, using him as part of their flirting game?

Shuangya snarled in a low, vicious voice, "Manage your own woman yourself. Don't drag me into it."

The memory of the sensation from when his arm had sunk into her earlier left his abdomen tight and his whole body feeling off, his spiked tail swishing impatiently back and forth.

Seeing Shuangya’s clear reluctance, a faint smile touched Archer's lips.

He was doing a task for Shuangya in exchange for Shuangya taking Gu Si in. If the Leader utterly despised this woman, then Archer felt even more at ease entrusting Si Si to him.

Archer and she weren't in a real relationship yet, but cat beastmen were notoriously possessive. Even toward someone he held a vague fondness for—even if she hadn’t agreed to anything yet—Archer didn’t want others getting close to her.

Shuangya was the perfect guardian.

Gu Si was a bit angry, her cheeks puffing up like a goldfish’s as she turned and retorted to Shuangya, "Whose woman am I?!"

Shuangya tilted his head, loosening the muscles in his neck, then inexplicably stared at her face. "What, can’t I say that?"

Gu Si fumed, "You… you albino dragon-man!"

Suddenly, Gu Si heard Archer let out a low, amused snort.

She stared at him in disbelief. Because of that laugh, the lethal coldness in his wild-leopard eyes faded, revealing more of the elf blood within him.

Laugh, laugh, laugh!

He wasn’t even helping her argue.

Somehow, without even realizing it herself, Gu Si had stopped being afraid of Archer. When she wasn’t fearful, her words flowed more smoothly too.

"Hurry up and decide," Archer said, pulling her into his embrace. He rubbed her hair firmly with his palm, then his lean, muscular body bent down, taking a deep, almost desperate breath of her scent. He held it, as if letting her fragrance fill his lungs. "In a few days, I won’t be able to see you," he said hoarsely.

Whenever he showed weakness, Gu Si’s heart softened a little.

"Alright, just let me think about it for a bit," Gu Si said stiffly, maintaining her composure and speaking seriously to him.

After the two beastmen left, Gu Si obediently went for her afternoon nap. By the afternoon, she wanted to find the Captain, but Isaac informed her that the Captain was concocting a new potion these past few days and couldn’t tutor her.

Left with nothing to do, Gu Si idled her time away.

Two more days passed, and she finally received Emolin’s reply. In his letter, he arranged to pick her up from the Moon Knights the next afternoon, explaining he was busy and asked for her patience.

The next day, Gu Si prepared early and boarded the carriage Emolin had hired.

"Si Si is an important guest of the Moon Knights," Isaac said to Emolin with a genial smile after seeing her onto the carriage. "We’re all colleagues, often interacting and helping each other. I trust the Red Knights will be just as friendly to her."

"I’ll do my best," Emolin replied in a normal, calm tone, accepting Isaac’s warning.

The Red Knights were lawless, but even the strongest warriors get injured. One did not cross the Moon Knights.

The headquarters of the Red Knights and Moon Knights were very close—perhaps by the Church’s design.

They rode in silence, and half an hour later, the carriage arrived at the Red Knights’ gate.

Unlike the understated Moon Knights, the Red Knights’ gate was wrought from fine iron. The nearly five-meter-high arched entrance was topped with spikes, imposing and cold. Inside, the office doors bore the Red Knights’ emblem—twin swords and a blood-red, flame-like cloak.

"Please wait here. Once I finish the remaining work, I’ll show you around the Red Knights," Emolin said courteously as he led her to a reception room.

Gu Si nodded. "Alright, I understand."

Emolin turned to leave but paused briefly at the door, his tone still faint and weary. "Also, don’t open the door for strangers before I return."

Gu Si: *She wasn’t a child, was she?*

The door closed, and Gu Si sat on the leather sofa, swinging her legs idly.

Within twenty minutes, footsteps approached the door, followed by knocking—heavy, growing increasingly urgent.

Gu Si looked up, puzzled, hesitating to rise.

"Wrong room?" a male voice asked, steady and low-pitched.

"The Church just delivered tranquilizers. They can only be stored in the first reception room."

"Tsk, it’s locked," another man clicked his tongue softly, raising his voice. "Hey, anyone in there? Just a quick question."

Gu Si pursed her lips. *She couldn’t pretend to be a ghost.*

They needed the tranquilizers urgently, so she should open the door and tell them, right?

Just as the men’s collective mood grew increasingly violent and agitated, about to break the door down, a group of tall knights in black-and-red uniforms saw the door crack open slightly. A pair of light-colored eyes met theirs.

She glanced only once before quickly lowering her gaze, like a startled deer.

Some met her eyes; others took keen interest in her delicate neck. One even braced a muscular arm against the doorframe, as if ready to drag her out and throw her into the center of the men the next second.

Gu Si hadn’t expected the Red Knights to be so intimidating.

Her beautiful, thick lashes trembled, shedding two glistening tears. She futilely pressed her body against the door, struggling to speak under the pressure, her voice muffled and strained: "I’m not here with the tranquilizers…"

None of the knights responded.

Their attention was wholly captured by the shimmer at the corners of her eyes. Due to their faith, Red Knights were prone to anger and had higher body temperatures than ordinary people. The mere hint of moisture from her seemed to bring a refreshing, cool mist carried by the wind.

The knight at the front raised his thick brows, his voice deep and hoarse:

"Can you smell… her scent?"

Author’s Note: The girl is the Red Knights’ antidote.

Grand opening, dropping a rain of red envelopes!

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11/17: Changed the name of the Red Knights’ vice-captain.