(BL) Reborn as Lycan's Emperor's abandoned Beta concubine?!

Chapter 21: 21. The world’s system is awake!

AT THE EXACT MOMENT

XAVIER

My brain had officially stopped functioning. One second I had been enjoying the peaceful night. The next the Lycan Emperor was hugging me from behind and refusing to let go.

"Y-Your Majesty..." I squeaked.

"Hm."He looked at me curiously.

"I... I think this is close enough."I said.

"It isn’t."Lang Li said.

"It isn’t?" I repeated weakly.

"No." His arms somehow tightened, not painfully, just possessively.

I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my back. My own heart immediately decided to compete.

What is happening?! This wasn’t in the novel! He barely touched the heroine! Why am I the one getting surprise back hugs?!

Just as my panic reached critical levels, ’Ding!’ A pleasant chime echoed inside my head.

"Did you hear that?"I froze.

"Hear what?" Lang Li asked.

"Nothing."I shook my head.

Another chime. Ding! A glowing blue screen suddenly appeared before my eyes. Only nobody else reacted, only me.

"I am hallucinating."I whispered.

The screen shimmered as the elegant silver letters appeared.

’WORLD BALANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED! Welcome, host Xavier Ashwood."

"Host confirmed: Xavier Ashwood. "

"Current name : Wei."

"Previous world: Earth."

"Current world: "Lycan Emperor’s Secret Male Concubine."

"Status: Reincarnated outsider."

"What."I whispered as more text appeared.

"Greetings, Host Xavier!"A cheerful voice echoed directly inside my head.

I nearly screamed.

"Please remain calm."A voice said.

"Remain calm?! There’s a floating Windows update in front of my face!"I argued.

"I am the World balance system."A voice said. "Your successful reincarnation has been confirmed."

"I don’t remember signing up for this."I groaned.

"Correct."I heard voice again.

"That wasn’t a compliment!"I said angrily.

The screen ignored me.

"MISSION :Restore the world’s balance. Increase Emperor Lang Li’s affection. Reach the required completion percentage. Return to Earth."A voice explained.

"Excuse me?"I started in complete shock.

"Current objective accepted."A voice said.

"No, it wasn’t!"I argued.

"It was accepted automatically."A voice said.

"I reject it."I said.

"Request denied."A voice repeated in the same deadpan voice.

"I reject your denial."I said again.

"Request denied again."A voice said.

"What kind of scam is this?!"I gasped.

The system continued without mercy.

"Host has successfully entered the main storyline."A voice said.

"I entered the wrong novel!"I argued.

"Correction. You entered the correct novel." A voice said cheerfully.

"No!"I shouted inside my head.

"Yes."A voice said.

"I am straight!"I argued again.

"Confirmed."A voice agreed for once.

"You... know?"I asked.

"Naturally."A voice said.

"Then why am I here?!"I asked angrily.

Before the system answered Lang Li shifted slightly behind me. Perhaps thinking I was trying to escape and his embrace became even tighter.

"Your Majesty?"I asked.

"Hm?"He asked.

"I can’t breathe."I said.

"You can."He said.

"I can breathe less."I said annoyed.

"You’ll survive."He repeated.

"HE’S MAKING THIS WORSE!"I argued with the system again.

"Physical proximity detected."The system chimed happily. "Recording affection-related interaction."

"Don’t record anything!"I argued.

"Too late."A voice said.

Another screen appeared.

"CURRENT EMPEROR AFFECTION: 5%."A voice said.

"Five percent?"I asked.

"Correct."A voice said.

"From ONE hug?!"I asked.

"Multiple events have been recorded."A voice said.

"What multiple events?!"I asked, flustered.

"Festival, royal banquet, personal meal tasting, private chef appointment, repeated voluntary visits and current hug."A voice explained, and each made me even more flustered.

"This man has been collecting affection points without telling anyone?"I stared blankly.

"Correct."

I slowly turned my head as much as I could. Lang Li looked completely calm, as if hugging his former concubine in the middle of the night was perfectly reasonable. It was terrifying.

"Host."The system spoke again.

"What?"I asked.

"To return to Earth, you must successfully complete the affection route."A voice said.

"No."I said. "I not gay."

"Host currently has no alternative method of returning home."A voice said.

"Seriously?"I asked.

"Seriously."A voice agreed.

I looked down at the Emperor’s arms still wrapped firmly around my waist. I tried pulling away and again. Nothing. Lang Li simply held me a little closer.

"Stay."He said.

"I have absolutely no say in this, do I?"I asked quietly.

"Current assessment."The system answered immediately. "Host has no other choice."

I wanted to argue, I really did. But with an emotionally constipated emperor hugging me like a human pillow and a magical system announcing my fate, I had the sinking feeling my peaceful reincarnation had officially ended. I had managed to escape about one hour later. One moment the Emperor had been holding me as if I might disappear, the next, I had mumbled something about ’preparing tomorrow’s breakfast’. He had looked at me for several long seconds.

"You will return?"He asked.

"Y-Yes."I said.

Only then had he finally loosened his arms. The second he did I bowed so fast I nearly headbutted the floor.

"Good night, Your Majesty!"I bowed.

Then I ran, not walked. Ran. I didn’t look back once.

Unfortunately, running away from the Emperor didn’t solve the much bigger problem. The system. I spent half the night staring at my ceiling. Every time I closed my eyes a blue notification floated into view.

"Current affection: 5%"A voice said.

"No."I said.

"Good evening, Host."A voice said again.

"Go away."I groaned.

"Negative."A voice said.

"I would like a refund."I said angrily.

"Reincarnation packages are non-refundable."A voice explained.

"I never bought one!"I argued.

"Correct."A voice agreed for once.

"You are the worst."I groaned and covered my head with a pillow.

"Thank you."A voice said cheerfully.

"THAT WASN’T A COMPLIMENT!"I shouted into the air.

The next morning I made a decision. If I stayed in the kitchen, nobody could hug me, nobody could flirt with me, nobody could drag me into another romantic misunderstanding. The kitchen was safe, the kitchen loved me. Food never confessed its feelings.

"I shall live here."I sighed.

The palace cooks looked at me strangely as I rolled a spare blanket into the corner.

"Chef Wei."One of them asked.

"Yes?"I said.

"Why is there a pillow in the pantry?"One of them asked.

"Emergency."I said.

"Emergency what?"Another cook asked.

"Cooking."I said.

They looked unconvinced. I immediately buried myself in chopping vegetables.

"Host heartbeat elevated."A voice said in my head.

"I am using a knife."I said.

"Correct."A voice said.

I never stepped outside, not once. If a servant offered to deliver something.

"Wonderful." I agred instantly.

"I am busy."I said if someone asked me to take a break.

"I suddenly remembered another recipe."I said if anyone mentioned the Emperor.

By noon, even the palace servants began whispering.

"Has Chef Wei left the kitchen today?"One servant asked.

"I don’t think so."Another one added.

"I heard he slept here."Third one added.

"I think he’s becoming one with the stove." Meanwhile, Ana frowned as she peeked through the kitchen doorway.

"Hin."Ana said.

"Yes?"Hin asked.

"When was the last time he came outside?"Ana asked.

"Yesterday." Hin thought for a moment.

Ana slowly looked toward me. I was vigorously kneading dough with the determination of someone fighting for his life.

"He is hiding."Ana said.

"I believe so."Hin said.

"From whom?"Ana asked.

"His Majesty."Hin’s gaze drifted toward the direction of the imperial residence.

Ana blinked, then blinked again.

"Oh."Hin said.

Another minute passed. I aggressively punched the dough.

"This dough has done nothing to you." Ana called.

"It knows what it did."Hin said.

"The dough?"Ana asked.

"Yes."Hin nodded.

"Master Xavier."Ana said. "You have been making the same batch of bread for twenty minutes."Hin walked closer.

I looked down.

"..." I had completely forgotten to add the yeast.

"That explains a lot."Hin said.

"He is worse than yesterday."Ana exchanged a glance with Hin.

"I agree."Ana nodded. She walked over and gently touched my forehead. "No fever."

"Mentally?"Hin asked.

"I can not diagnose that."Ana said.

"I heard that."I sighed.

"We wanted you to." Ana sighed before crossing her arms. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing."I said.

"You lied too quickly."Ana said.

"I didn’t."I said.

"You answered before I finished the question."Hin said.

"Fine."I sighed.

"You met the Emperor, didn’t you?"Ana narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe."I sighed.

"And?"She asked again.

"Nothing happened."I sighed.

"Reminder: Host was embraced by Emperor Lang Li for four minutes and thirty two seconds."A voice said happilly.

"TRAITOR!" I gasped and nearly dropped the mixing bowl.

"Xavier?"Ana and Hin immediately noticed.

"I am fine."I sighed.

"You are sweating."Ana said.

"It’s... hot."I said calmly.

"You have been standing beside a cold table."Hin shook her head in disbelief.

"Psychological heat."I said.

Ana looked at Hin, Hin looked at Ana. Neither of them believed a single word I had just said. Somehow, I had the feeling hiding in the kitchen wasn’t going to work for much longer.

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