Ch28 - [Screwed up] Is there some kind of misunderstanding here?

Perhaps feeling like it was about time, Sirius continued to unravel the mystery: “Through the observations in the past few days, the Metal-devouring Bug really doesn’t seem likely to commit crimes.”

Nalun: “For you to think like this, I really feel quite gratified.”

Sirius: “Right now, the true culprit has appeared. He needs a scapegoat, and you guys are the best candidates.”

Nalun immediately understood what he meant.

Sirius: “There’s a bug that’s only the size of a fingernail. You should know what it’s called, right?”

“Why would I know?”

Sirius reminded him kindly: “Last time we met, I thought you were very interested in bugs.”

“……” It seemed like he had indeed given himself the character setting of a bug enthusiast.

Nalun fell silent, wordless.

Sirius: “Right now, the Insect Planet has split completely into different factions, every group scrambling for the position of King. Is it possible that you guys have established an agreement that involves using the Asha people’s Scepter as the bargaining chip?”

Nalun: “You guys? Don’t randomly classify me. I have nothing to do with the Insect Planet, the Scepter, and all those things.”

Sirius chuckled and said ‘ok ok ok’.

Nalun: “……” Why has he never noticed how annoying this guy was?

The sound of activity started behind him again.

However, after learning from Sirius that it was only a suspected bug behind him, the originally eerie atmosphere changed. Nalun lowered his head and looked at the ground, almost as if he was trying to pick out the fingernail sized bug under the dim lighting.

“Not only is the Flake Bug small, it can adjust its color according to its environment. They are often used to trail people. Even if the person they’re following knows there’s something behind them, it’s still very hard to throw them off.”

Nalun: “……” Then there’s more reason to find it!

Otherwise, this bug would follow him home. Then there’d be another bug threatening him in the future.

In the next few minutes, Nalun gave a strong demonstration of walking in an S shape, hiding and ducking, sprinting, rolling and hopping around inside this shrubbery area…… He refused to believe that he couldn’t throw off this tagalong!

However, the sound of footsteps was still there.

The Honored Prince, on the other hand, was so exhausted he huffed and gasped for breath.

As a result, he grasped the communication device tightly and said: “What do I have to do to drag it out?”

Sirius yawned: “It’s very late, baobei.”

Nalun: “……”

Sirius: “It’s time to sleep.”

So unreliable at such a critical moment. The Honored Prince expressed his deep disappointment.

Sirius: “Perhaps a goodnight kiss can wake me up?”

Nalun: “……”

He pressed the end call button and once again understood one fact: In this world, the only one you can rely on is yourself.

If there was any question you didn’t know, then first go online and search.

— Very sensitive to odors and smells.

After Nalun pondered briefly over the result of his search, he pulled out the cologne in his pocket and sprayed it in his surroundings.

For a brief moment, he felt suffocated.

Just as he decided to open the cover and completely pour out the contents of the bottle, a small bump suddenly bulged out of the ground and swiftly moved outward.

Nalun narrowed his eyes– found you.

Raise foot, step down.

“Squeak–” The Flake Bug under his foot let out a sharp noise.

[I threw it off. Very simple.]

After this occurred, sure enough, there were no more strange footstep sounds behind him.

The Honored Prince, who battled for a good latter half of the night, woke up with two huge black circles the next morning.

When the servant asked him if he needed help washing up, he turned his still not fully awake head, heavy and dizzy. It took him a very long time before he finally realized: his vacation had ended.

The work to prepare for the Hunting Festival wasn’t actually hard. As a traditional, ancient holiday passed down over thousands of years, there was a specific department in charge of the details of the preparation. Nalun only needed to go show his face over there and make sure everything was on schedule. Occasionally, if there were any hard issues, he was required to make the final decision.

–Actually, not going was also fine.

Nalun stared, dazing off into the distance, his entire person emitting a withered aura.

“The list for the Hunting Game is already out. These are all of the willing participants. Currently, the numbers look a bit low. The previous years generally had this amount.” The one speaking was the person in charge of registration for the Hunting Game, Marshall. He gestured and then continued to say: “Other people will continue to register in the future. There will also be people withdrawing midway. It will take 10 days for the list to finalize.”

Nalun nodded his head and accepted the list from Marshall’s hand. He saw a long list of familiar and unfamiliar names of aristocrats.

Marshall raised another pile of information.

“This is the list of the staff responsible for protecting and maintaining order at the site. The Admiral sent it over today.” Marshall turned around and pulled out a box.

Nalun: “……” What now

Marshall smiled briefly: “Oh, these are my personal items.”

Nalun let out a breath of relief.

Marshall carried the paper box and walked outside, saying: “There are electronic versions of all of this information. I will send them to you in a bit.”

Nalun nested in his chair and glanced at the list. He discovered that Alida, who was the most devoted participant, actually wasn’t on the list. Recalling how his little friend had nagged about this for a period of time previously, Nalun moved his fingers and sent a message.

[Don’t forget about the Hunting Festival competition.]

He was just about to lock the screen when he heard the notification sound.

[I will remind him.]

Nalun: “……”

Ever since he paid the balance to Xi Jin that night, everything became quiet and peaceful. Even Sirius had vanished without a trace for a while.

On a certain day, Nalun feigned nonchalance and asked his Majesty the Emperor. He was told that the Scepter case had a new development; Sirius went forth to deal with it.

In an instant, several days passed.

The Hunting Festival was imminent. The entire Imperial Capital was brimming with an enthusiastic atmosphere in anticipation of the festival. All sorts of big business and shopping stores were re-decorated afresh. Even walking down the street, one could hear delightful music drifting in the air.

Nalun’s heart was also gradually pacified by the holiday atmosphere. Since a long time has passed since that incident, Sirius has also stopped his search for the one night stand. Xi Jin also seemed to have disappeared completely– Everything seemed to have stepped onto the right track again.

On this night, Nalun’s personal comp and his communication device both sounded in unison.

[Nalun, I will participate in the festival competition this year.]

[Baobei, I’m back.]

Nalun first had a moment of silence. Then, he flipped through the previous chat record of the communication device, contemplating on when Sirius had started calling ‘baobei’ so smoothly?

The communication device sounded. A new message popped out.

[Still in the Imperial Capital?]

Nalun threw aside his personal comp and held up the communication device in concentration. He answered with an emoji as before.

[Polite smile.jpg You left your number just to chat?]

[That’s right.]

[……]

[Let’s meet up.]

Nalun’s hand shook. He didn’t understand why Sirius would suddenly make this suggestion.

[I prepared a gift for you. Image.jpg]

Nalun clicked it open to look. It was an image of facial hairs of all sorts of shapes and sizes. A red colored French mustache. A brown curly tuff…… There was even a long beard that was braided.

Nalun: “…….”

Do you…… have some kind of misunderstanding towards me?

[Like them?]

Nalun can only bury his conscience and reply.

[Pretty good.]

[Tomorrow 13:00, Langdon Street #4843. I’ll wait for you.]

[I won’t be going.]

[It’s okay. Then I’ll just treat it as drinking afternoon tea.]

Nalun threw the communication device, feeling like this colleague of his has really become more and more unfathomable lately.

He thought briefly and then picked up his personal comp again. With the identity of the Honored Prince, he started replying.

[What a coincidence. I am also participating.]

After sending the message from the personal comp, there was no activity from the Admiral for a long time– because on the other side of Nalun’s bed, the communication device was currently giving Nalun new alerts at a pace of once every three seconds.

After the communication device slowly returned to tranquility, the personal comp finally spat out a message.

[Oh.]

For a second, Nalun felt very complicated.

After a moment of peace, the communication device started alerting cheerfully and relentlessly again, making the personal comp in Nalun’s hands seem especially lonely.

He typed noisily on the personal comp.

[The weather’s pretty good tomorrow. Let’s have a drink together?]

Maintaining a faint smile and even voluntarily suggesting a meeting, all the while facing the whirlwind barrage of messages, Nalun was almost touched by his own ability. As for which device he used to reply…… was that important?

The alerts on the communication device came to an abrupt stop.

After a long time, the personal comp sounded.

[Okay.]

“……” Nalun stared at this word, sinking into deep conflict.

One second inviting me out, then the next second, agreeing to meet with the other me ……

Can you act a bit more committed?

Nalun felt extremely disappointed in Sirius.

He regretted it now.

He actually didn’t want to waste the beautiful tomorrow drinking together with Sirius.

Pouncing over to the other side of the bed, he picked up the communication device. He discovered that there were actually a dozen of unread messages on it. Amongst these, 9 of them were detailed pictures of facial hairs. Looks like the craftsmanship was quite high quality too.

He quickly scrolled down, gaze landing on the last message.

[It’s only a quick meeting. Nothing that’ll make you displeased or unhappy.]

Nalun rolled around once on the bed. With furrowed brows, he dazed out staring at this row of words.

The Imperial Capital. Inside the Monte family’s garage, the Admiral who just rushed back from outside, was currently leaning against the car and looking down at his messages.

The lack of response from the Mist Bug, from a certain point of view, signified refusal.

Sirius sighed. He felt like the possibility of the other agreeing was extremely poor. He rubbed his forehead and thought for a moment. Finally he decided to agree to Nalun’s invitation. In addition, he wrote a new message to a certain perpetually lying Mist Bug.

[Since you’re apprehensive, I won’t force you. You and I, will meet again eventually.]

His fingers stopped over the send button. Just as he decided to send it, the notification alert suddenly sounded.

[Oh.]

Sirius’s finger remained hovering over the screen. After he read this message clearly, he abruptly withdrew his hand. He realized that the other actually agreed.

A very unexpected result.

The corner of his lips curving, he swiftly deleted the message that he didn’t send yet.

[See you there!]

Then he backed out of the chat and clicked into the message box with the Honored Prince Charvey and tapped on the screen lightly.

[Sorry, last minute business. Let’s meet again another day.]

Inside the room, Nalun blinked his grayish-green eyes. He looked at the communication device in his left hand. Then he looked at the personal device in his right hand…… and discovered that he seemed to have screwed up.

It’s not like he could really go meet Sirius as DuoNi WaEr, right?

He swiftly jumped over to the communication device: [I was deceiving you.]

Then he jumped over to the personal device: [Is this how the Monte family conduct themselves? Agreeing and then reneging not even 3 minutes later?]

After sending the two messages, he waited by the side, looking extremely well-behaved.

[I’ll take it as real.]

Nalun became displeased. Why was a suspicious, unknown person taking priority repeatedly, time and time again, before the grand, majestic Honored Prince? Sirius really did bear an ill-grudge against him internally!

He has never been so deeply aware, like he was today, of Sirius’s disregard towards him.

Therefore, he vented the resentment of being unable to receive a reply on his personal comp back to Sirius, twice fold.

[Then you can wait. Who knows. Maybe I’ll go over and take a look on a whim. Polite smile.jpg]