TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 60

The lion escorted Albin all the way to the lord’s manor where he was temporarily staying. Compared to outside, the food here was clearly much more plentiful, and passersby would not panic and flee at the sight of him.

After dismissing the servants so there was no need for them to wait upon him, Emerald was also able to crawl out of Albin’s pocket and feast without restraint.

Albin eagerly fed Emerald, even worrying that he might not be able to reach the food on the table, so he offered:

“Emerald, what do you want to eat? I’ll get it for you. I really have to thank you this time for saving Uncle Jacques.”

Emerald said bluntly: [That one, that one, and also the one that was just brought up… I want them all!]

“Alrighty!” Albin propped up his chin and, smiling, spoon-fed him bite by bite.

With a little bib tied around his neck to keep clean, Emerald closed his eyes and enjoyed the food being delivered right to his mouth, completely immersed in happiness.

Just for casually storing away a human—something he didn’t even consider saving—he was receiving such wonderful treatment?

Emerald munched on meat and fish, unable to help but think.

Although he didn’t particularly like humans, if saving them meant he’d get praise and rewards… then rescuing a few here and there didn’t seem so bad.

After all, compared to humans, food obviously weighed much more in his heart!

Trading humans for food—what a huge profit!

Thinking this, Emerald lifted his chin, tapped his belly with the tip of his tail, and said to Albin:

[If there’s anyone you want saved in the future, just tell Lord Emerald. Lord Emerald will make sure to keep them safe.]

Albin was delighted: “Emerald, you’re amazing! Such a good little snake, a truly kind monster!”

[That’s right!] Emerald said smugly.

“But Emerald, you can’t only think about other people—you also have to take care of yourself,” Albin reminded him. “What if you faint from hunger again? You should keep some food stored in your belly.”

Although Emerald could transform into a giant python, in Albin’s eyes he was still a pitiful little snake who might faint from hunger.

Padma, listening from across the table, twitched the corner of his mouth.

He thought, although Emerald was sometimes stupid, with his strength he’d never have to worry about such things. Albin was overthinking.

Unaware of Emerald’s true power, Albin held up a big chicken leg, dangling it in front of him: “Store this one away, okay? I’ll feed you other tasty things.”

Emerald wriggled: [I know, I know.]

Only after that did Albin let go, and Emerald lunged forward, swallowing the drumstick whole —meat, bone, and all.

Albin asked suspiciously: “Did you actually store it?”

Emerald’s eyes darted: [Of course.]

“Then can you take it out and show me? I’m really curious how you save food.”

Emerald’s body went stiff. Lowering his little head, he muttered softly: [I… ate it.]

[Food is meant to be eaten…] he whispered.

Albin gave him a look of “just as I thought.”

What a gluttonous snake—he’d never be able to store anything like this.

“Silly Emerald!” he poked him helplessly. “If you’re hungry later, just come to me, okay?”

[Awoo!] Emerald rubbed his cool little head against Albin’s finger.

Sitting at Albin’s right, the lion, seeing how happily he was feeding Emerald, grew a little interested himself. Raising a brow lazily, he began feeding Albin instead.

“Little one, open your mouth.”

He should eat more, and not be as skinny as he was in the dream.

Albin turned his head and bit down on the food the lion handed over with a happy “awo.”

Across the table, Padma glared at the scene, teeth gritted.

Hah, what’s Albin got to do with you?

This stranger who popped up out of nowhere was an eyesore!

If only he hadn’t let Zeman heal him earlier!

Padma and Zeman soon joined the feeding frenzy too, and Albin felt a wave of familiarity.

It reminded him of Uncle Jacques and Xiao Hei from before.

Luckily, after the past year, he was already battle-tested!

After taking a bite from each of them, he decisively stopped—otherwise this would go on forever.

When dessert came, Albin used magic to reheat the roasted apples he’d brought, cut them into little pieces with a spoon, and went around the table feeding everyone.

“Papa, ah—” Albin’s eyes sparkled as he held up a spoonful for Zeman.

Usually so composed and dignified, Zeman found it strange to be fed by a child. But feeling the burning stares from the other two, he curved his lips into a faint smile and ate it.

Since they were father and son, everything made sense.

Albin went over to Padma again, switching spoons to feed him.

He said proudly, “I found out, Brother Padma also likes fruit! And fish too.”

Padma was extremely picky with food. Faced with the lavish feast on the table, he had only taken a little. Not only was it because he, unlike Emerald, did not care much for indulgence in food, but also because neither the nobles’ oily, sugary cuisine nor the commoners’ pickled foods suited his stomach.

He truly did prefer fruit, as well as fish with lighter flavors.

Aside from his obvious dislike of alcohol, Padma hadn’t expected Albin to notice his other tastes as well.

They hadn’t had fish in the past few days, had they? Was it only today?

Padma glanced at his plate—could it be that Albin had actually been watching what he ate this whole time?

And as for fruit… he hadn’t eaten any today. Did Albin remember that from before?

For Padma, apart from the day and a half that Albin had been unconscious, the past few days they had eaten and lived together, so it wasn’t strange if he had noticed by chance.

But he knew—Albin had spent a year and a half away.

After more than a year, not only had Albin not forgotten him or grown distant, he still remembered his preferences?

Padma was filled with astonishment. The roasted apple in his mouth, which Albin had scraped off some honey from, didn’t taste overly sweet at all.

That warm, sweet-and-sour flavor slipped into his heart, endlessly providing him with that same warmth.

Albin smiled in satisfaction and moved on to the next person—the lion, whose eyes already carried some discontent.

On the grasslands, the strongest member of a tribe had the right to eat first.

If it were only Zeman before him, that was one thing. But that sly pink-haired guy? Why should he come first? Did the little one think that pink-haired schemer was stronger than him?

The lion was deeply displeased.

Albin, however, didn’t notice his expression. Puffing up his cheeks, he blew on the roasted apple on his spoon.

“After sitting for a while and blowing on it, it shouldn’t be hot anymore. Here you go, Mr. Lion!”

The lion suddenly remembered—his past self had indeed been unable to eat hot food.

How did the little one even remember such a small detail?

Was that why he’d been placed later in the order?

The lion felt it was completely unnecessary, especially since he now inhabited Sultanlai’s body, which wasn’t as sensitive to heat as before.

Still, after using a human body for so long, he really had forgotten what it used to feel like.

He frowned, bit into the soft roasted apple, and muttered with disdain, “Sweet enough to kill.”

That mushy texture, with no meat fibers to bite into, was like sinking into cotton, leaving him no way to maintain his dignity or even scold the little one properly.

“Too sweet?” Albin thought aloud, as if trying to remember that Mr. Lion didn’t like sweets.

The lion clicked his tongue, then changed his words: “That’s not what I meant.”

Albin was puzzled.

But didn’t Mr. Lion just say it was too sweet?

The lion turned his head away. When he looked back, his expression had shifted.

His gaze flickered, and he said in a low voice, “I didn’t think it was that sweet.”

“I see.” Albin offered him another bite.

The man across from him was surprised. The others had only been fed a single bite.

“Why give me another one?”

Albin blinked. “The first one was for Mr. Lion. But Sultanlai, you haven’t had any yet.”

The man froze, not expecting him to notice.

“…You can tell us apart?” Sultanlai asked.

“Of course!” Albin’s smile was radiant. “But if you don’t want it, that’s fine too.”

“No.” Sultanlai immediately bit into the roasted apple. “I like it.”

Seeing the softened look on his face, Albin said joyfully, “So you do like sweet things!”

“Mhm, I’m used to it.”

Having grown up in the palace, Sultanlai’s tastes were the same as most nobles of the time—he loved meat, and he craved sweets.

In fact, to him, this roasted apple from the marketplace wasn’t sweet enough. Without expensive sugar added, it was far too tart.

After a pause, he asked, “How did you recognize me?”

After all, he and the lion shared the same body—their appearance and voices were identical, and he hadn’t said anything that would give himself away.

Albin scrunched his face, thinking hard: “I just knew right away. You two aren’t the same.”

It was hard for him to explain the feeling. In his eyes, even if Mr. Lion switched bodies, his gaze was still that same familiar one, carrying greater pressure and a brash, domineering aura.

But when Sultanlai looked at him, his eyes lit up, and he deliberately reined in his aura, like someone sheathing a dangerous blade before a child. He still looked dangerous, but in reality, he seemed to actually like children quite a lot.

An unexpectedly cute tough guy.

“It’s so good you’re both okay! Oh, and thank you for the roasted apple—it was super delicious!”

Sultanlai pressed his lips together.

He had thought that once his little deity saw the lion again, Albin would only want to stay by his side, having long since forgotten about him.

But Albin hadn’t forgotten him.

A god does not neglect his follower.

Albin happily returned to his seat, finishing the leftover roasted apples together with Emerald, who was busy cleaning his plate.

Emerald also noticed that the others had only eaten a bite or two, which only confirmed to him that Albin cared about him the most!

The others only got a mouthful, but he got to eat so much more!

And even though he was just eating everything up, Albin still praised him: “Not wasting food at all—good job, Emerald!”

No one else got such treatment. Clearly, he was the most special one!

After this dinner, where everyone left satisfied, Albin returned to the inn to prepare for the next day’s journey.

As for Jacques, who was still in a state of false death, Albin didn’t feel safe leaving him alone at the inn, so he asked Sultanlai to watch over him.

The next day, he woke up at dawn, went around waking everyone, and impatiently climbed into the carriage, setting off toward Thorn City in the morning light.

—Xiao Hei, here I come!

—

Elsewhere, Moon suddenly opened his eyes inside a finely crafted coffin.

In the depths of his violet pupils surged endless darkness, and his body radiated a terrifying killing intent. The rapidly spreading aura of death withered the plants around him in an instant, while flocks of crows shrieked mournfully.

He had fully absorbed the memories of his split soul, and at last completely understood the identity of the dragon who had killed his younger brother.

“Zeman—!!”

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