Translator: Mukyuu
Editor: Mikyuu
The instant he was going to fall down, the athletic reflexes that belonged to the Kindred kicked in.
Wang Xiaoming’s hands quickly grabbed onto two poles, but his body still leaned forward because of gravity and his face landed heavily… on something soft and wet.
…
The tiger struggled to keep its mouth open and looked innocently up into Baal’s forbidding face.
Wang Xiaoming slowly looked up and cautiously checked out the surroundings.
It was black and smelled a bit foul.
The poles in his hands were also vibrating slightly.
Judging by the environment and how he had fallen, his face was likely being cushioned by a tongue and the things he were holding could be teeth, so at the current moment he was in—
The tiger’s mouth?
Wang Xiaoming jumped in fear and instantly shrank into a bat, flying out from the tiger’s numb mouth with audible flaps of his wings until he was behind Baal.
The tiger slowly closed its mouth and gave the tiny bat lying on Baal’s shoulders a hurt look.
Baal offered an unbiased observation, “It tried.”
The tiger lay down and looked utterly dejected.
The little bat slid down from Baal’s shoulders and slowly turned into a human shape.
The tiger kept its head against the ground but its eyes were tracking all of Wang Xiaoming’s moves.
“Uh…” Wang Xiaoming wiped the tiger spit from his face and said carefully, “Maybe, we can try again?”
The tiger wagged its tail.
In order to succeed this time, Wang Xiaoming made a point to go slowly and carefully watch where he was stepping.
Baal silently watched as the human and the tiger approached each other slowly and cautiously like what would happen in the movies.
Finally—
After about three minutes, the two finally met up.
Wang Xiaoming cautiously stroked the tiger’s head and emotions welled up in his heart.
It was so soft, like the pet dog at home.
He had always loved animals as a child, so when his family had kept two dogs, he had been the happiest. Unfortunately, his family never let him get close because they were afraid he’d bring bad luck to the two dogs.
He had refused to believe that and had once snuck out in the middle of the night to feed them. The dogs had been really good and didn’t mind about his bad luck. They had happily eaten what he gave them, but the dogs developed diarrhea so bad the next morning that they had almost died.
From that day on, he didn’t need his family member to say anything before he stayed as far away as possible.
The tiger suddenly opened its mouth.
Wang Xiaoming’s heart jumped and he got the urge to turn into a bat again.
As if sensing his nervousness, the tiger quickly lashed out with its tongue and licked Wang Xiaoming’s elbow.
…
Though it didn’t feel good to be licked, he still felt—so adorable!
Wang Xiaoming’s eyes were practically taken over by heart-shaped emojis.
Baal’s expression darkened slightly and then he waved his hand suddenly.
The tiger vanished without warning.
…
Wang Xiaoming’s hand remained frozen in midair and his gaze was still where it had been.
From behind him, Baal said, “If you like it, we’ll take it to go.”
…
Take it to go?
Wang Xiaoming finally realized that the tiger had vanished not because Baal had transferred it elsewhere but because he had tossed it into his space.
“That… is probably not right?” Wang Xiaoming stood up. Emotionally he was quite willing, but logic told him that there weren’t too many places for a tiger to go in the human world, and residential areas were definitely not on the list.
Baal asked, “You don’t like it?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it…” Wang Xiaoming twisted his shirt in his hands as the angel and devil within him fought.
“You’re worried about Cain?” Baal and Wang Xiaoming clearly were not thinking along the same lines.
Wang Xiaoming heard that question and nodded. “Yeah. That’s also a problem.” At the very least, the Forest of Shattered Illusions was Lord Cain’s territory.
Baal shrugged. “Then we have no more problems.”
“Ah?” Wang Xiaoming could not keep up with Baal’s way of thinking at all.
Baal continued, “He should feel honored.”
…
Wang Xiaoming felt the chances of that happening were slim.
“Let’s go.” Baal spread his wings.
Wang Xiaoming thought about it and asked, “Maybe we should ask the tiger’s opinion?”
Baal didn’t refuse. “In what language do you plan on asking him?”
Wang Xiaoming, “…”
“If he’s not happy, we’ll toss him back,” Baal finally concluded.
Wang Xiaoming gave in.
He heard a rumor that the castle the Kindred gave him was very large, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him to keep a tiger, right? After all, keeping bats was a thing.
So on the way back to the Mortal Realm, Wang Xiaoming was troubled only by two questions—
What did this tiger like to eat?
Would this tiger need to find a mate?
Mario had gotten the news ahead of time, so he waited for them by the castle doors, bright and early.
Wang Xiaoming stepped out of the car, looked up at the golden sun in the sky, and couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.
It was great to feel the sun again.
“Lord Wang Xiaoming.” Mario stood in front of him and bowed deeply, as respectfully as he would when meeting a god.
Though Wang Xiaoming had already experienced this kind of treatment in the Kindred Realm, he was still not used to being treated this way by people he knew. He chuckled awkwardly and said, “Please don’t be so formal.”
“This is necessary.” Mario still refused to look up.
Wang Xiaoming looked at Baal. “What should I say now? You may stand?”
“What did you say in the Kindred Realm?” Baal gave him a hint.
Wang Xiaoming said, “I didn’t say anything. I just nodded.”
Baal lifted an eyebrow.
“But he has his head bent so low that he won’t be able to see it at all if I nod.” Wang Xiaoming was very worried about Mario’s spine.
“Try it,” Baal said.
Wang Xiaoming nodded.
Mario’s body became perpendicular to the ground again.
“…” Wang Xiaoming wondered whether he made big motions while nodding? Such that the wind that accompanied the motion was loud?
Mario didn’t give him time to continue thinking before saying, “Having your lordships arrive again brings honor to the McAvery clan. My master, Edwin, has already prepared breakfast in the lobby to welcome you. Please, follow me.”
“Is Xiang Wenjie there?” Wang Xiaoming couldn’t help but ask before he even walked through the door.
Mario responded, “He’s already gone back.”
“Huh?” Wang Xiaoming asked in surprise, “Has his problem already been resolved?”
Mario hesitated and then answered vaguely, “More or less.”
Baal raised his eyebrows at that.
But Wang Xiaoming didn’t think deeply and said excitedly, “President Xiang must be delighted.”
…
Baal said without an expression, “I thought you would have forgotten him already.”
“Why?” Wang Xiaoming blinked. “He’s my boss.”
Baal’s expression started to turn furious. “You still plan on going back to the Silver House?”
Wang Xiaoming thought about it and said, “I haven’t decided yet.”
“You have a two hundred thousand stipend every month.” Baal didn’t have an exact idea how much two hundred thousand US dollars were, but he knew that amount was much higher than Wang Xiaoming’s salary at the Silver House.
Wang Xiaoming said, “But I still hope for something to do.”
Baal replied, “You can mop the floor of the castle every day.”
Mario spoke up from beside them, “I sincerely advise that the two of you hire a butler to take care of everything about the castle.”
Wang Xiaoming scratched his head and asked, “A butler would be expensive, right?’
Mario, “…” It wouldn’t be the right response whether he answered or not.
Edwin was already sitting by the dining table.
The breakfast offerings on the table were even richer than for dinner.
Edwin stood up and said respectfully, “Lord Wang Xiaoming, Mr. Baal.”
Wang Xiaoming nodded self-consciously.
“Very honored to have breakfast with you two,” Edwin said with a smile.
“Where’s Winston?” Wang Xiaoming still remembered the hero who had traveled thousands of kilometers and brought them to France.
Edwin’s expression froze for a second and he murmured vaguely, “He already left.”
Wang Xiaoming said, “Oh,” but didn’t ask further questions.
It was a depressing breakfast.
After the meal, Edwin asked, “Does Lord Wang Xiaoming want to tour your own castle first or go back to your home country?”
Wang Xiaoming turned around to look at Baal.
Baal shrugged and indicated for Wang Xiaoming to make the decision.
Wang Xiaoming thought and then decided, “Go back home.” He had been gone from China for so long that he finally realized what it meant to long for his home with all of his heart. Though he was already a Kindred, he always belonged to China in his mind.
Mario seemed to have anticipated this answer because he very quickly presented them with personal identification and tickets, even for Baal.
“I wish you two a pleasant journey.” Edwin personally walked them out the door.
Baal and Wang Xiaoming once again sat in the extra long Cadillac, driving toward the airport.
When it came to currently available transportation tools, flying ranked among the fastest. But for Wang Xiaoming, the plane might as well have been flying at a snail’s pace, especially when he looked at the fields and houses below him. They never even moved.
Baal noticed that Wang Xiaoming was so excited he kept moving his butt around, so his mouth curved and he said, “If you find it hard to bear, maybe you should sleep.”
Wang Xiaoming didn’t discover the glint in Baal’s eyes and naturally replied, “I can’t sleep.”
“Some exercise will tire you out and when you’re tired you’ll fall asleep.” Baal’s hands slowly stroked Wang Xiaoming’s collarbone.
Only then did Wang Xiaoming realize that the light glinting in Baal’s eyes was called desire.
“This is the plane.” His face exploded into redness, turning as red as a tomato, as he hurriedly pressed Baal’s hand down.
Baal smiled evilly. “I’ve already established a ward.”
Wang Xiaoming remembered that one time the house collapsed in the Kindred Realm and he hurriedly shook his head. “No.”
“Why?” Baal demanded unhappily.
Wang Xiaoming repeated, “We’re on the plane.”
“I said, I set a ward.” Baal squinted his eyes slightly, as if Wang Xiaoming not giving him a plausible explanation would result in Baal swallowing Wang Xiaoming whole.
“I’m afraid of the plane crashing.” Wang Xiaoming gripped Baal’s hand tightly.
Baal replied, “Don’t be scared. Worst comes to worst, I’ll carry it back.” His hand started trailing down…
Wang Xiaoming dodged and tried to convince Baal, “No, that’ll become a headline.”
“I don’t mind.”
“…” But I mind. Wang Xiaoming couldn’t take it anymore and turned into a bat, then whooshed toward the economy class.
But very quickly he discovered that he had turned into a fly trapped in a bottle.
He could see the way out but could not take it.
Baal crossed his legs and looked at Wang Xiaoming with a pleased smile, but the words he said were filled with threats. “Are you going to come lie down yourself, or should I go make you lie down?”
The bat flapped his wings but didn’t move. Instead, his eyes shifted around, examining all of his surroundings.
“There is a difference between the two.” The smile on Baal’s lips became colder and colder. “Once, or a hundred times.”
Whoosh.
The bat rushed over like a hungry tiger leaping toward sheep.
