Chapter 39

Chapter 39

After hearing Adelaide's tactful reminder, Arnold hesitated for a second before immediately declaring with conviction, "It's fine. He's a good kid. Even if he doesn't like them, he won't do anything to them. Besides, brother's pets sleep all day. Even if brother goes himself, he might not even get to see them."

Grath's garden couldn't really be called a garden. It was connected to a mountain, and Norton's pets roamed freely both in the garden and on the mountain. When he and his siblings were young and full of energy, they all loved playing with them, which led to the pets now hiding whenever they saw people.

It had been a while since Arnold had seen them. His strongest impressions of them were that they were very furry, loved sleeping, and the largest one was the most dim-witted but had an incredibly sharp sense of smell. It was particularly fond of apples and had sneaked into the kitchen several times by climbing through the windows near the garden corridor to steal apples, breaking several vases in the process.

Next to him, Secretary-General Lin pushed up his glasses expressionlessly, watching Arnold boldly call Norton "brother" right in front of him. He felt that his sleepless night spent speculating about Arnold's identity had been completely unnecessary.

Furthermore, if he remembered correctly, the Emperor's pets were one of the galaxy's ten most recognized ferocious beasts: the Baran Lion from the Western Star Domain. Some of them could even organize to hunt insectoids as prey. Even a single lion could hold off an insectoid for a while, as long as a King Insect wasn't nearby.

As for Ye Mo, to be honest, Secretary-General Lin had seen him once before when he went to Ye Zhiyuan's house to deliver documents. Ye Mo was very young then. Mrs. Ye was knitting, and he sat at her feet, a tiny figure, quietly helping her untangle the yarn ball.

Secretary-General Lin had pondered for a long time why Ye Mo, with his typically Grath appearance, could live in the Ye family for so long without raising any suspicion. After recalling that memory of their meeting, he completely understood. It was because Ye Mo was very much like a Grath, yet at the same time, very unlike a Grath.

Norton looked thoughtful. He closed the book on his lap and raised his eyes. "Let's go take a look."

According to the parenting book, a qualified father should also pay attention to his child's interests. If Ye Mo didn't like the Baran Lions, he could give him other pets.

Adelaide was especially pleased. He was already prepared to dispatch staff near the garden to look for Ye Mo.

...

Ye Mo went down the stairs and encountered almost no one along the way. Subconsciously, he headed to the dining room, the place he was most familiar with besides his room, intending to sit there for a while before returning.

There was some faint activity in the dining room. Ye Mo hesitated at the door, peeking inside. Several butlers and maids were busy arranging something.

One of them walked over to Ye Mo, holding a basket filled with various fruits. They said warmly, "Young Master, do you need something to eat? Please wait a moment, I'll get it for you right now. Would you like some milk? Or some fruit? The freshest fruit just arrived."

Ye Mo had just finished his meal and was still full. He tried to decline, "Thank you, no need. I've already eaten. I don't need milk either."

The servant remained very enthusiastic, holding the basket out to Ye Mo and taking an apple from it to place in Ye Mo's hand. "Then, Young Master, take an apple. It's sure to be very sweet."

Ye Mo paused for a few seconds before finally deciding to accept it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Young Master. It's my honor to serve you."

Ye Mo took the apple and hurried away. Only after walking some distance did he quietly let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't very good at handling overly enthusiastic people and hadn't learned how to turn down kindness.

Holding the heavy apple, he sniffed it. It was indeed very fresh, still with a leaf attached, emitting a fresh, grassy scent and a sweet, rich fruity aroma. Having been cooped up indoors these past few days, Ye Mo hadn't smelled such a refreshing scent in a long time.

Ye Mo had also planted an apple tree in his small greenhouse, starting from a seedling. It was too small and had only borne fruit for the first time last year, producing just one apple. Ye Mo would check on it every time he visited, often leaning in to smell it. Perhaps due to the variety, the apple that grew was very small and wasn't very fragrant. But Ye Mo couldn't bear to pick it. In the end, it ripened, fell off naturally, and rotted away.

A bird suddenly landed on the nearby windowsill. It chirped twice, tilting its head to look at Ye Mo. It was grayish-black all over, with a small body, but its song was melodious. Ye Mo snapped out of his thoughts and slowly approached the windowsill. Placing the apple on the edge, he softened his voice, "Do you want some?"

The bird tilted its head, staring at Ye Mo for a few seconds, then suddenly flapped its wings and flew away. Following its flight path, Ye Mo realized he had unknowingly walked to a first-floor corridor. Outside the window was a lush expanse of greenery. Green vines climbed all over the walls, rippling like green waves when the wind blew. Within sight were several statues, their themes harmonizing with the surrounding plants, which then connected seamlessly with the seemingly endless forest in the distance.

"So amazing," Ye Mo murmured, taking a step forward. He placed his hands on the windowsill and vaulted over, not forgetting to grab his apple on the way.

Ye Mo tentatively walked into the garden but suddenly stopped. Not far away, a lioness was drinking from a small stream. Water droplets still clung to its chin as it paused its action, staring intently at Ye Mo.

Ye Mo's entire body tensed up, and he stared back at the lioness. He instinctively reached behind his waist for his dagger but found nothing—he was still wearing his pajamas. Fortunately, although the lioness didn't look away, it began to slowly retreat.

They were social animals; encountering one alone might cause it to automatically avoid humans.

Ye Mo also started backing away, planning to return the way he came. But soon, a patch of bushes as tall as a person not far away was rapidly flattened, and a flock of birds flew up in alarm.

Before Ye Mo could react, a male lion with a thick mane burst out from the bushes. Its fur was very light, shimmering gold in the sunlight. It was massive, and as it ran, its mane rippled with its movements. It made a beeline for Ye Mo.

It only began to brake when it reached Ye Mo, its huge paws digging deep grooves into the ground. Unfortunately, it didn't stop in time and tumbled together with Ye Mo, enthusiastically licking Ye Mo's face with its barbed tongue.

Ye Mo was buried in its thick mane, still clutching the apple in his hand.

Just as Ye Mo raised his hands to defend himself, the weight on him lightened. Norton stood beside Ye Mo, holding the male lion aloft by the scruff of its neck and mane with one hand. The lion hung there, all four paws tucked against its chest, motionless.

Norton glanced at it and used his other free hand to pull Ye Mo to his feet. "It was just trying to act cute and beg for the apple."