The Duke’s kiss deepened, thick with desire. Yu Zhizhi pressed her hands against his chest, and in her hazy state, she stopped his hand as it fell to her waist—
A nasal quality entered her voice, but its soft, breathy tone sounded more like a sweet complaint. "No more..."
They had been at it for too long at the inn, and she hadn’t rested well yet.
"Move your hand."
The Duke’s gaze shifted from her lips to her eyes. "I’m not going to touch you. I’m just applying the ointment."
The tip of Yu Zhizhi’s nose reddened slightly as she slowly let go.
As she felt the cool ointment slowly dissolve, she leaned limply against his chest, once again completely in his control, held by just one of his hands.
The Duke was very gentle, his touch full of tender affection.
Yu Zhizhi’s eyes fluttered shut as a tingling numbness spread through her body. It felt like a jolt of electricity shooting up from her tailbone.
After applying the ointment, the Duke held her and slowly kneaded her rabbit tail.
’We’ll be back in Varolan soon.’
’Once we’ve left the Chelsea East Territory for good, all potential threats will vanish.’
’Then...’
’The little rabbit will be completely and utterly mine.’
The mere thought that the little female in his arms would be his to hold day and night, never to be parted from him again, sent a ripple of pleasure through the Duke’s heart.
He kissed her rabbit ears. "If you’re sleepy, then sleep."
’The road home is still long.’
Yu Zhizhi gradually felt sleepy. She leaned in the Duke’s arms and slowly drifted off to sleep.
...
「Chelsea East Territory, Luoshua Town.」
The small tavern, which had been open all night, turned off its outdoor lights as the first rays of dawn fell.
The Guard Team that had rushed from the interior of Chelsea was dead drunk.
As the tavern owner was clearing tables, he saw a young guard sitting at a round table by the window. The guard was leaning against his wooden chair, looking out at the long street.
During the night, many knights in armor had arrived one after another.
In the blink of an eye, they had completely surrounded the only entrance to Luoshua Town, sealing it off.
The tavern owner was a little uneasy. Wiping the tabletop with a towel, he couldn’t help but murmur, "Why are so many people from the Knight Alliance here? Is something big about to happen?"
On this planet, the Knight Alliance was an independent power, not belonging to any Empire.
They occupied Sun Ridge—or rather, they guarded it.
The Knight Alliance’s allegiance was to the planet’s laws. They had their own set of operating principles.
The tavern owner looked at the black-haired young man in front of him, who was staring out the window. The young man’s lips curved into a slight smile. "They’re probably trying to stop someone."
The owner’s movements faltered.
The young guard said, "Listen—"
Listen? The tavern owner couldn’t help but use his beast ears, and finally, he heard the very faint sound of distant waves churning.
But the sound grew louder and louder, gradually becoming like thunder.
Even though they were on shore, the tavern owner couldn’t help but swallow hard. This feeling... it was as if a behemoth was swimming up from undersea!
SPLASH—
The sea surged. Amidst the dawn light, a figure shot out from undersea and landed steadily on the shore.
Before he arrived, all the knights in silver armor had gathered in the street.
This was the only entrance leading deeper into the continent.
Shen He had swum all the way from Black Tide Harbor on the westernmost edge of Chelsea to Luoshua Town in the Chelsea East Territory. In his Beast Form, he was much faster than a warship, and in record time, he arrived at the Seaport where the little rabbit was last seen.
He stepped barefoot onto the gravel of the shore. The only other thing to emerge from undersea with him was the long saber that followed him like a shadow.
The man wore dark blue military trousers, his torso bare. The rugged, hard lines of his muscles were exposed to the morning air. Every step he took was filled with immense power, making the very ground of the town tremble.
Inside the small tavern, the young guard sitting by the window held a glass that trembled slightly at the Hai Giant Shark’s arrival, the rum within it slowly spilling over...
The tavern owner froze on the spot. He felt the biting killing intent from the man, and when he got a clear look at his face, he couldn’t help but cry out, "It’s Lord Shen He from the Deep Sea Empire!"
Shen He! The Hai Giant Shark! The Imperial Marshal! The most powerful male combatant in the Deep Sea!
The tavern owner’s scream woke up many of the guards.
These guards had escaped from the Chelsea heartland. They had just spent the night celebrating their survival, only to wake up and find themselves facing such a formidable enemy.
’Why is he here?’
The relationship between the Deep Sea Empire and the Chelsea Territory had been deteriorating day by day. This time, the new Lord had aroused the suspicions of the Hai Giant Shark, and the Hanhai Army’s warships had already surrounded Black Tide Harbor!
The inside of the small tavern gradually descended into chaos.
They all crowded to the floor-to-ceiling windows to watch the scene at the end of the long street.
The only thing that put them at ease was the rows of stern, silver-armored figures—
The Knight Alliance symbolized justice. They showed no fear of this giant shark from undersea, arranging themselves in rank after rank.
Compared to fighting at sea, the knights could better display their true strength on land.
Among the guards, only the young guard who had been sitting by the window from the start put down his glass and wiped the spilled wine from the web of his thumb with a white handkerchief. From under his messy black hair, the young man’s jet-black eyes held a hint of a cold smile. "Two of them?"
The tavern owner didn’t hear clearly. "What? Two of what?"
He saw that only Lord Shen He had come alone. He hadn’t brought any soldiers. Or rather, the soldiers in his legion couldn’t keep up with his speed.
Shen He saw the Knight Legion again.
He gripped the hilt of the long saber and pulled it out of his own shoulder. Blood gushed from the wound, but in mere seconds, it clotted and the flesh regenerated, leaving it as good as new.
These knights had been like this since Black Tide Harbor, silently blocking his path.
Shen He was certain the one they were working for was somewhere in this very town.
Here, the air still held a faint jasmine scent that the sea breeze quickly dissipated.
It all seemed like an illusion.
’This means the little rabbit left several days ago.’
Shen He’s gray eyes darkened. He stared at the silver Knight Legion on the long street. Gradually, the sound of horse hooves echoed down the street, and the knights, holding sharp swords, parted to the sides of the road. A black warhorse appeared in everyone’s line of sight.
Through the small tavern’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the crowd watched the tall, handsome warhorse. It was much sturdier than an ordinary horse. It wore battle armor, and its hooves clopped on the ground with a heroic air.
The knight in black armor on its back was like a king of the battlefield. Despite wearing a menacing helmet that completely obscured their face, they evoked a primal fear in all who looked upon them.
The black-armored knight came to the forefront of the Knight Legion.
Shen He’s gray eyes narrowed. "State your name."
Meanwhile, Geoffrey received the latest battle report—
"Duke, the Knight Alliance has intercepted the Hai Giant Shark at Luoshua Port!"
Yu Zhizhi quickly lifted the curtain. "Lord Shen He? Is he all right?"
Geoffrey stammered, "Er... Back at Black Tide Harbor, the Knight Alliance suffered heavy losses. That’s because at sea, no one can defeat the Hai Giant Shark. Now that he’s on land, it’s hard to say. However, the one leading the team this time is very mysterious. It seems no one recognizes them."
’The Knight Alliance...’ Yu Zhizhi recalled them. ’They’re the power from Sun Ridge. That place is said to be the most chaotic and dangerous on the entire Beast World Planet.’
’Why would they be in the Chelsea East Territory?’
"The one leading the team..." the Duke’s voice came from behind her. "You know them."
Yu Zhizhi was taken aback. ’I know them?’
’Who could it be?’
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