Chapter 460: Beyond the Main Story, New Year’s Bonus Chapter 15

Chapter 460: Beyond the Main Story, New Year's Bonus Chapter 15

When it was time to sleep at night, Ye Mo dragged his little pillow and insisted on walking to his own room door, right next to Norton's.

Adelaide was somewhat surprised—the young prince actually remembered. It seemed he shouldn't tease him too much in the future.

Norton stood nearby as Ye Mo faced the door, standing there for a long while before finally saying, "Mo Mo sleeps alone, brave!"

He tugged at Norton, trying to stand on his tiptoes to reach the doorknob, but Grath's AI detected him and opened the door automatically.

It was dark inside. Although it was the young prince's room, since it had never been used, no automatic lighting settings had been configured. Ye Mo had already hidden himself behind Norton, slowly shuffling inward.

He's trying so hard, the little prince. Adelaide had no choice but to go to the next room to fetch his beloved little blanket, nightlight, and bottle.

Prince Norton's bedding should be brought over too—Ye Mo's room only had bedding for a young child, which might not be comfortable to sleep in.

When Adelaide returned, Theodore, who had originally been parked in Norton's room charging, followed behind him. The two carried a pile of things and quickly rearranged the room.

Ye Mo watched quietly as Adelaide placed a pillow that was clearly not his next to his little pillow, too nervous to say a word—as if speaking would remind everyone that he was supposed to sleep alone tonight.

Then Adelaide said, "May I ask Prince Norton to coax you to sleep? Young prince, though brave, I don't think you've reached the age where you don't need to be tucked in."

Ye Mo quickly seized the opportunity—"Okay!"

Adelaide turned off the lights, leaving only a small nightlight, and quietly slipped away.

The room fell quiet. He hugged his little lion plush and nestled into Norton's arms, occasionally peeking over at Theodore charging silently. Before long, his eyes began to droop, but he still mumbled, "Haven't coaxed Mo Mo to sleep yet."

"Mm."

Norton gently patted his back. "I'm here."

Ye Mo didn't answer—he had already fallen asleep at some point.

...

The next morning, Ye Mo rarely didn't sleep in. Usually he'd keep his eyes closed and reach out for someone to dress him, but now he sat up all at once, forced his eyes open, saw Norton, then lay back down and burrowed into Norton's arms.

Norton was already awake, half-risen, looking down at Ye Mo curled against his side.

Ye Mo slept a little longer before slowly waking. He looked up at Norton. "Mo Mo slept alone all night, right?"

Norton gave a slight nod, smoothing his hair without speaking a word of praise.

Ye Mo looked at Norton with great expectation. "Did Mo Mo grow a little?"

Norton sighed, pressing his forehead against Ye Mo's, then moved down slightly, pressing against his small chest.

He listened to the heartbeat within—quicker than his own—and said softly, "No need to rush growing up."

Ye Mo reached out to hug Norton. His arms weren't long enough, so one hand grabbed Norton's hair and the other rested on Norton's cheek. "Mo Mo is big, Mo Mo can go see lions."

"Then you don't need to grow any bigger."

Norton nuzzled him gently. "You can already go see lions."

Ye Mo blinked in confusion.

Before breakfast, he dragged his little blanket and bottle back into Norton's bedroom, with Theodore quietly helping him carry the little lion and little pillow.

Mo Mo sleeping alone for one whole night was already amazing!

At breakfast, Ye Mo couldn't wait to announce that he was already big enough to go see lions—Daddy said so.

Sylvia was especially encouraging. "Really? Mo Mo is amazing."

Adelaide had already begun to think it over seriously. "Should we bring some apples to feed the lions? We could also have lunch over there. There are several nice outdoor spots, and the balconies of the nearby viewing halls have excellent views."

Only Arnold was unhappy. Having sensed his brother's presence before the door even opened last night and quietly turned back, Arnold now felt deceived as well.

But when Adelaide asked for opinions, he immediately said, "Of course I'm going. Sister Elia, don't film me—and if you do, no flash."

Then wouldn't everyone know he was being filmed?

...

Norton held Ye Mo with one arm, carrying a basket of apples in the other.

Ye Mo held an apple with both hands, already marked with several little bite marks. He couldn't bite through it, but it was crisp and sweet, so he cleverly treated it like a lollipop, occasionally licking the bite mark and sucking out the juice.

He had visited the garden many times, but the garden of Grath Palace was frighteningly large—not a boundless plain, but trimmed trees and flower trellises dividing up scenic spots, with a stretch of woodland at the far edge and a plain beyond the hills. Ye Mo hadn't even finished exploring just the garden.

He only remembered once being held by Norton, staring ahead the whole time, so Norton walked along the path forward. The next thing Ye Mo remembered was rolling over in bed, and halfway through the roll, Norton caught him.

But Norton didn't seem to intend to venture further in this time—he simply crossed the grass and stopped by the stream.

The others also stopped by the stream in small groups.

Norton shifted Ye Mo in his arms, turning him to face a specific direction. Ye Mo stared blankly at the trees on the other side and the dense shrubs and flower bushes, blinking—then the bushes moved.

Ye Mo suddenly realized something and got excited. "A little, little lion."

Then a massive golden head emerged from the shrubs, breaking branches and leaves, before quickly retreating.

Ye Mo quickly corrected himself. "Big lion!"

Pawpaw cautiously peeked out, then after a moment stuck its head out from another clump of bushes that was closer.

It had been lured all that way by a flying robot dangling an apple early this morning. It never got to eat the apple, and was then caught, bathed, had its teeth brushed, and was blow-dried before being released.

Now Pawpaw was questioning its lion existence—last time it broke the apple tree, it had been lured back the same way with an apple by Adelaide, scolded while being patted on the head in front of the apple tree's remains, and even given a bath in the end.

Pawpaw wanted to turn back, but somehow mustered up some courage, thinking that since it had already bathed, what was there to fear? So it stayed nearby until now.

But soon it was just across the stream, staring at Ye Mo.

There were no more bushes to hide behind. Pawpaw hesitated for two seconds, then swiftly leaped across the stream and affectionately rubbed against Norton's leg.

Pawpaw was so big that Ye Mo felt like it could bite him just by lifting its head. He was both amazed and a little scared, tucking his feet in. Norton then lifted him slightly. "Mo Mo, I'm here."

Arnold came over, having just set down the box he'd been carrying next to Adelaide. Now empty-handed, he took the apple basket from Norton while introducing Pawpaw. "His name is Pawpaw. He likes apples."

"I like, I like—"

Ye Mo's mind quickly flashed through the roast goose he'd first tasted, the soft little cake Adelaide had given him that he couldn't bear to eat. Eventually, it wasn't even limited to food—there was the little marble Adrian had given him, the plushie from Sylvia...

So many things he liked—how could Mo Mo have so many things?

In the past, Ye Mo could easily list them—he only had those few things. A piece of candy he couldn't bear to eat, a song Theodore sang late at night.

When had he quietly gathered so many good things that he couldn't even count them all?

He froze for a moment before shouting, "I like when Daddy holds me, I like Theodore singing to me, I like Arnold..."

He even forgot about the apple, letting go of it and counting on his fingers, rattling off everyone one by one.

Pawpaw quickly caught the falling apple in his mouth.

Arnold looked at Ye Mo blankly for a moment before stammering, "Want an apple?"

Ye Mo, who had tried biting it several times but only left a few failed tooth marks, covered his mouth and said, "Mo Mo's mouth is tired."

Adelaide set his basket onto the spread picnic mat. "Slicing the apple thin might be nice, but since we just ate, maybe we can play for a bit first."

Pawpaw caught the key word, reluctantly spit out the apple he'd been holding in his mouth—now coated with a layer of drool—and set it down on the grass.

Norton quietly stepped back.

So Pawpaw, looking a little wronged but also a little happy, picked up the apple he'd just set down, bit it, and swallowed it in one gulp.

Ye Mo let out a small gasp. "Pawpaw, awesome!"

Arnold took out another apple and offered it, and Pawpaw gently licked it out of his hand, gave it one bite, and swallowed it whole.

Ye Mo gasped in amazement again, forgetting to pull his feet back, leaning in to watch Arnold feed the apple.

Adelaide opened the basket and, while busy, looked up and glanced over, muttering to himself as he watched Pawpaw gulp down apples one after another, "Sometimes I wonder if eating that many apples could actually poison someone."

Ye Mo now bravely decided to feed the apple himself. Norton held him and slowly crouched down, while Arnold grabbed Pawpaw's fluffy mane to keep him from getting too excited.

But Pawpaw seemed to understand he needed to be gentle with the little one. He was still young, but no longer a cub, and had looked after the younger cubs in his pride. He knew how to handle fragile things—keep his claws sheathed, be gentle and gentler still, and never let his guard down, even when sleeping.

He gently curled his tongue around the apple Ye Mo held in both hands, then couldn't resist leaning closer, rubbing his big head against Ye Mo's foot.

Ye Mo wasn't afraid of him anymore. He even wanted to stand on the grass himself to touch Pawpaw's golden fur.

Pawpaw lay down very slowly, his body curving in a half-circle, tail swaying softly.

Arnold sat down on the grass, and Norton sat too, leaning casually against Pawpaw's back, with Ye Mo beside him carefully poking Pawpaw's belly.

The other Graths gradually gathered around as well. Jacob, holding a fishing rod, sat down next to Ye Mo. He had brought a small fishing rod too, waiting for Ye Mo to get his fill of the lion so they could fish together. For now, Adrian was using that small rod to fish for Ye Mo, while Theodore checked the water quality beside him.

Elia was sharing the photos she had taken with Sylvia, heads together. Not far away, Herli and Deenlie had rolled into a heap again—as always—with Baide nearby taking photos, deliberately using Elia's camera with the flash on.

A breeze blew past, and Adelaide closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. "What a beautiful day."