Evil Dragon Chapter 25: Not Gentle!

Chapter 25: Not Gentle!

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: CaiCai, Kris

Although Lin Nuo loudly proclaimed, “Everything is under control,” he was extremely flustered. He had no idea why Rennes was here. Moreover, after repeatedly escaping from him, Lin Nuo had been caught again. How would Rennes handle this ‘pet’ now?

Lost and anxious, Lin Nuo could only anxiously curl up in Rennes’ hand, watching as Rennes opened the carriage door. At a glance, Lin Nuo recognized this carriage; it was the same one they had ridden together last time, and the coachman was the same middle-aged man as before. It seemed this carriage was specifically for the Clement family and wouldn’t have other passengers.

Before boarding the carriage, Rennes spoke to the coachman, “Let’s head back to my mansion for now. I happened to pick up the pet I had lost earlier. As for the person I’m looking for, I’ll continue the search tonight.”

Hearing this, Lin Nuo raised his head slightly, wide-eyed: Ah! I get it! He must have passed by here while searching for the little prince! Then he coincidentally found my dragon-shaped self!

Feeling relieved, Lin Nuo relaxed completely in Rennes’ hand, forgetting to wonder why the usually taciturn Rennes suddenly explained so much to the coachman.

Inside the carriage, the curtains remained drawn, keeping the light dim. Once seated, Rennes opened the curtain with one hand and held up the little dragon in front of him, observing like one would watch a kitten.

What’s he looking at? This made Lin Nuo nervous.

After a while, Rennes finally spoke, “Why do you keep running around? You’re all dirty and smelly.”

His tone was disdainful.

Lin Nuo was surprised, thinking, Why is this guy so sharp-tongued! But then again, after being surrounded by crows and then caught in a stinky net, I probably am really dirty. Nevertheless, Lin Nuo still felt annoyed and protested by waving his little paws and kicking his hind legs.

Seeing the flailing little dragon, Rennes remarked slowly, “Ah, this time, you’re finally not getting stressed out.”

Lin Nuo blinked his eyes, realizing: Oh, when he caught me this time, I didn’t get stressed out? Wow, I’m really great! Feeling rather accomplished, Lin Nuo swished his tail and proudly squeaked.

Rennes pursed his lips, readjusted the curtain, placed the little dragon on his lap, and softly said, “Don’t move around. Rest for a while.”

Lin Nuo propped his little claws on Rennes’ leg, resting his head, thinking: Huh, he’s not minding me being dirty and smelly anymore. The little dragon raised his head, wanting to see Rennes’ face, but Rennes was also looking down at him. In the dim light, his dark eyes seemed especially deep.

Lin Nuo felt a little flustered and instinctively withdrew his head, rolling over subconsciously. Hmm, despite the fabric layer, it’s still warm. Not a scorching heat, but a pleasant warmth. Unable to resist, Lin Nuo shifted a couple more times, stretching and wiggling, firmly holding onto Rennes’ pants with all four claws.

Rennes glanced at the seemingly stretching little dragon, extended his index finger, and rubbed the top of his head, saying, “Quite energetic before bedtime.”

“Of course,” Lin Nuo said but what came out was just a faint squeak.

Rennes lifted his lips slightly, running his palm from the dragon’s head to its tail, once again saying, “Time to sleep.”

The carriage swayed, the cabin remained dim, the ‘mattress’ beneath him had just the right warmth, and the palm on his body was pleasantly cool. Lin Nuo, already tired, soon closed his eyes. The clip-clop of horse hooves on the cobblestones continued for a while before finally stopping.

The coachman in front dismounted to open the door for Rennes. Rennes didn’t get off; instead, he gestured for the coachman to close the door again. The coachman complied silently. Rennes remained motionless inside the carriage, not even shifting his posture.

The little dragon nestled on his legs slept deeply. Initially curled up, he gradually sprawled out, his little belly rising and falling steadily.

An hour later, Lin Nuo slowly woke up. Fluttering his wings and rubbing his little eyes, he let out a drowsy squeak. Only then did Rennes rise with the little dragon cupped in his palm and step out of the carriage.

It was now afternoon, typically the hottest time of day. Under the dense shade of the plane trees, the road felt pleasantly cool. Looking around, Lin Nuo noticed it was a serene and narrow alleyway. On one side stood rustling plane trees, while the other side showcased a neatly kept low-rise building.

This building resembled other mansions in the city, adorned with blooming rose bushes at the front, an arched porch leading to a carved, hefty wooden door with dark brown copper door handles. Two glass-covered lanterns hung nearby.

This is Rennes’s mansion? Lin Nuo couldn’t mistake it for the Clement family estate. Judging from its secluded location and appearance, it seemed like Rennes’s personal residence in Faro City.

Ascending the steps, Rennes, without a word, entered the mansion. Right after, he turned right, proceeding up a wooden staircase.

Peeking, Lin Nuo noticed six rooms on the second floor, evenly distributed along the corridor’s sides. Rennes headed towards the innermost room. So, I’m about to see Rennes’ room? What does this knight, who brings monsters home as pets, have in his private space?

Moreover, what did he ask the attendant to prepare? A jolt surged through Lin Nuo’s mind, wondering if Rennes had prepared ‘tools for studying monsters’ in advance.

As he approached the door, Lin Nuo’s mind was flooded with a collage of images: a wall filled with monster specimens, various translucent jars on the floor, a row of shiny scalpels on a shelf…

Lin Nuo’s wings trembled. Noticing the little one trembling in his hand, Rennes rubbed the creature’s head reassuringly.

The door opened. Lin Nuo craned his neck, nervously surveying the room. This was an integrated suite with a small living room doubling as a study, along with two other rooms, their doors closed, possibly a bedroom and a bathroom. The small living room had an octagonal bay window, offering a view of lush plane trees outside. The gentle light poured in through the greenery, casting shadows on a music stand & a violin standing nearby.

Oh, Rennes plays the violin? I’ve never heard him mention that. But then again, Rennes never engages in idle chatter. What does he like? Or dislike? I actually know nothing about him.

Opposite the music stand was a wall with a mahogany bookshelf, neatly arranged books adorning its shelves. Next to the bookshelf stood a gilded arched flip-top desk, with inkwells and a sealing wax set on the surface.

In the center of the room sat a light gold cushioned sofa embroidered with little seashells. On it lay two books, accompanied by two velvet cushions and a thin rug underneath. Beside the sofa lay a gold-rimmed white porcelain plate filled with various cut-up foods, each about half a centimeter square. From their scents and colors, there seemed to be egg whites, cherries, fish, chicken, peas…

Lin Nuo blinked uncertainly at these foods’ purpose. Rennes touched his head and said, “You can try them, see if there’s something you like. I don’t know what species you are, so I prepared what most little monsters eat. You can give it a try.”

Lin Nuo scratched the porcelain plate, thinking, This guy is really gentle with pets. Why is he so harsh with people? But did he really keep many little monsters? Are these bowls and plates for other monsters? Thinking about it made Lin Nuo feel awkward.

Rennes silently rotated the plate, shifting the other half of the food closer to Lin Nuo, saying, “This chocolate has gold leaf in it, just like these utensils, all custom-made.”

Oh? Custom-made? Meaning they haven’t been used by other monsters, only for me? Lin Nuo inexplicably felt happy, picking up a small piece of chocolate and licking it. He couldn’t taste the gold leaf, but it was sweet and quite delicious.

Uninterested in the other food, Lin Nuo savored the tiny piece of chocolate.

Seeing Lin Nuo finish the chocolate, Rennes picked him up again and walked to another room’s entrance, saying, “Alright, time for a bath.”

Bath? Lin Nuo’s eyes widened in shock. Ho- how to bathe? Am I going to be thrown into a bathtub? I can’t swim!

Rennes’ spacious bathroom had glossy white tiles on the walls and floor, interspersed with small cherry-red accents. At the far end was a transparent window shielded by beige blinds. Under the blinds lay a claw-footed bathtub, its steam indicating it was filled with warm water. Looking at that generously sized tub and the rising steam, Lin Nuo clenched Rennes’ finger, thinking if he were tossed in there, he’d become dragon stew on the spot.

Rennes merely placed him on the wash basin counter and brought out a transparent crystal container. About 10 centimeters square, the crystal container was entirely transparent and radiant under the light, crafted from a single piece of high-quality crystal. Such a flawless piece of work, even in the palace, would be a rare treasure.

Rennes just filled it with warm water and tested the temperature with his finger. Then, he lifted Lin Nuo’s wings out of the way and immersed the dragon’s entire body in the water.

It dawned on Lin Nuo: This expensive crystal container was his bathtub? Unable to resist, Lin Nuo splashed around a few times, finding the water’s temperature just right, with a faint fragrance, perhaps some added scent.

Relaxing in the warm water and subtle scent, Lin Nuo settled in, closing his eyes and letting his body float while his claws and tail gently paddled. Seeing the comfortable little dragon, Rennes tapped his head with his finger, saying, “Don’t stay in too long.”

Lin Nuo wagged his tail slightly in response. Rennes tapped his head again, then moved aside to undress. Soon enough, the sound of running water filled the room— Is Rennes taking a shower?!

This is the bathroom, and the only thing one can do after undressing and entering the bathroom is to take a bath. Despite knowing that it’s wrong to peek, despite having seen this person without a shirt before, Lin Nuo was still very curious and wanted to take another look at the man’s v-line.

He propped himself up and stuck his head out of the crystal case, trying hard to see something— Unfortunately, due to the angle of the counter, he couldn’t see anything at all.

Feeling bored, Lin Nuo retracted into his small bathtub and continued splashing water with his claws. About fifteen minutes later, when Lin Nuo was starting to feel a bit dizzy from soaking, Rennes scooped him out of the water again and carefully wrapped the little dragon in a fluffy soft cloth, patting away the water droplets.

While enjoying the drying service, Lin Nuo stole a glance at Rennes who had just finished bathing: this person who usually meticulously brushed his hair back was now casually letting it fall over his shoulders, making his usually gloomy and icy face somehow much gentler. And now, he wasn’t even wearing a fitted vest, just a white soft silk shirt, unbuttoned at the collar.

If it weren’t for the toned muscles and well-defined pecs below the open collar, if Lin Nuo hadn’t seen the distinctly shaped abdominal muscles, he would almost have the illusion that this was an elegant and tender beauty.

Now, this ‘elegant and tender beauty’ lifted the cloth wrapping Lin Nuo and carried this little dragon towards his own bedroom.

Actually, ever since Rennes led him into this mansion, Lin Nuo had been wondering what Rennes’s bedroom would be like. And the most crucial point: would there be gold coins in Rennes’s bedroom?

Finally getting to see the bedroom, Lin Nuo, who had been a bit drowsy, suddenly became very alert, craning his neck in Rennes’s hands, trying hard to look around.

Different from the magnificent suite in the palace, Rennes’s bedroom here was comfortable but not ostentatious, refined yet not extravagant. The room was also very spacious, with a charming bay window and a carpet that looked very soft, embroidered with intricate decorative patterns.

Aside from the wall with the window, there was a wall with a silver wardrobe against it, and a comfortable armchair placed beside a round table engraved with patterns. In the center of the room was a large bed, heavy brocade curtains gathered at the headboard, and a white down comforter laying over a deep blue velvet blanket.

After scanning the room, Lin Nuo’s gaze froze on the small round table: just like in the palace suite, this small table was scattered with gold coins! And not just two, there were a full five coins!

Five gold coins! Lin Nuo felt like his blood was about to boil. He resisted the impulse to jump out of Rennes’s hands and dive straight onto the coins, wriggling his body twice and giving Rennes a little chirp in the hope that this person would let him down.

Rennes looked at the hopeful little dragon and bent down, placing the creature on the carpet, saying, “Find a place for yourself to stay.”

Ah, I can choose a spot myself? Ecstatic, Lin Nuo immediately rushed towards the small round table, then used his four claws to grab onto the smooth table leg, attempting to climb up. After climbing less than 10 centimeters, he slipped and fell back down, ending up sitting on the soft carpet.

How could this happen?! Lin Nuo, unwilling, tried several times, scrabbling with his four paws and exerting all his strength to climb, but still slipped down each time. His best result was 15 centimeters. Huh, if I could fly now, how could I be stuck at such a height!?

Lin Nuo lay back on the carpet, looking at the not-so-high single-legged round table, feeling regretful.

At this moment, Rennes walked over and crouched beside Lin Nuo, saying, “Need some help?”

Lin Nuo looked up, staring at Rennes’s smiling eyes, and blurted out, Chirp! ‘Yes, I need help.’

Rennes tilted his head slightly, a gentle smile playing on his lips, saying, “I guess you mean ‘need,’ right?”

Lin Nuo stared at him and chirped again.

Rennes slowly extended his hand, palm open, saying, “Come here.”

Before this, Rennes had already carried Lin Nuo in his cupped hands several times. But every time, it was Rennes picking Lin Nuo up or fishing him out from somewhere and placing him carefully in his hands. There wasn’t a single instance where Lin Nuo voluntarily walked towards Rennes.

Come on, this was the knight who once scared me just with his breath, why would I walk towards him!? Even now, Lin Nuo shivered a bit, then stared at Rennes, looking reluctant.

Rennes patiently repeated, “Come here.”

His tone wasn’t stern, and his voice was gentle, but to Lin Nuo’s ears, it carried an irresistible meaning. After hesitating for a while, unable to resist the temptation of the gold coins, Lin Nuo finally moved his limbs and slowly approached Rennes’s hand, then placed his short front paws on Rennes’s hand.

Rennes’s palm remained open on the ground without moving, softly saying, “Climb up by yourself.”

Lin Nuo raised his head, looking puzzled at Rennes. Sit up by myself? Why does that sound a bit off?

But Rennes’s expression was so calm, his eyes showed no hint of disturbance.

Lin Nuo shook his head, thinking, What’s the use of thinking so much when I’m already like this? So, he plucked up his courage, leaped forward, and plopped himself onto Rennes’s palm with a plop.

The knight’s lips curled up as he steadily held the little dragon, lifting him and placing him on the small round table. Yes! There were gold coins everywhere! Lin Nuo immediately pounced on the coins, grabbing one and rubbing against it. Hmm, the scent of gold coins! Lin Nuo squinted his eyes, deeply enjoying the moment.

The System’s prompt resounded in his mind once again: [Gold coin magic replenishing…]

Phew… I’m surviving! Just as Lin Nuo was busily absorbing the nutrients, he vaguely sensed that Rennes had sat down on the armchair beside him. He also heard the sound of pages flipping nearby.

After a while, Lin Nuo finally lifted his head from the gold coins. Rennes, who was reading next to him, closed the book, reached out, and rubbed Lin Nuo’s back twice, saying, “Stay here by yourself for a while. I need to go out and find my unruly student.”

The unruly student: Oh, so you finally remember your human-shaped me?

But Rennes didn’t get up immediately. Instead, he used one hand to pick up Lin Nuo and turned the little dragon upside down, leaving him sprawled on the table. Suddenly flipped over, Lin Nuo was startled and tried hard to turn over, but Rennes held his shoulder with a finger, immobilizing him.

Then, Rennes lowered his head, looking at Lin Nuo, his voice soft and refined, “While I’m out, you stay put. If you dare to run around again, I’ll…”

I’ll what? Lin Nuo started shaking all over, nervously waiting for Rennes to finish the sentence. I’ll make you into a specimen? I’ll dissect you with a scalpel?

Rennes’s gaze once again swept over Lin Nuo from head to toe, finally stopping at the rear legs that were still kicking randomly. He leaned down slowly, bringing his face close to Lin Nuo’s little head, and whispered, “If you run around again, I’ll neuter you.”

Chirp! Lin Nuo was shocked, his rear legs tightly closed together, as if even a slight movement would be life-threatening.

Rennes chuckled lightly, stood up, and went to change his clothes.

Lin Nuo lay on the table, shivering, thinking: I take back what I said before! This knight isn’t just brutal to people; he’s not gentle with pets either!

Author’s note:

At that time, Lin Nuo didn’t know yet that he would hear the phrase ‘climb up by yourself’ many, many times in the future…

 

 

 

 

 

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