Su Sheng stared expressionlessly at Luo Ren, tapping his index finger on the table, signaling him to confess the truth.
After a momentary stiffness, Luo Ren’s expression returned to normal. He found a soft cushion, leaned back comfortably, and then flashed an innocent smile. “I ate a fruit, and then I was accidentally bitten by a silver wolf during the fight.”
Su Sheng’s tapping on the table grew faster, his gaze as cold as a blade. “That’s not the point.”
Luo Ren looked somewhat aggrieved. He glanced faintly at his leg and sighed, “You see, Norton, actions can be faked, but wounds can’t, right? I really ran into some trouble on the way, ate a fruit, and woke up in a daze only to find myself here.”
After saying this, Luo Ren let out a sharp hiss.
Su Sheng impatiently asked, “What’s wrong now?” while lowering his head to carefully examine Luo Ren’s leg once more.
Unbeknownst to Su Sheng, in a place he couldn’t see, Luo Ren’s gaze deepened, and his fingertips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to do something. But the moment Su Sheng looked up, he restrained himself and smiled, saying, “It’s nothing, just a sudden sharp pain.”
Su Sheng’s tone was extremely impatient. “Didn’t I already heal it? Why would it still hurt?” Yet his hand gently pressed against Luo Ren’s leg.
“It’s fine now, Norton, it’s fine,” Luo Ren said.
Su Sheng withdrew his hand, his expression dark and heavy.
Seeing him remain silent, Luo Ren rubbed his brow in distress. After a moment, he spread his hands helplessly. “Alright, if you really don’t believe me, I’ll allow you to use a truth-telling spell on me.”
“Although this spell doesn’t belong to the Holy Temple, I’m sure you know it, right?”
Su Sheng glanced at Luo Ren in surprise. He hadn’t expected the other to willingly let him use a truth-telling spell. After all, this spell was typically reserved for criminals. Using it on an ordinary person, especially a noble, was highly offensive.
Luo Ren’s readiness to verify the truth made Su Sheng somewhat uneasy.
He rubbed his fingertips uncomfortably but, recalling what had happened earlier, picked up the water jug, refilled the cup, and handed it to Luo Ren, saying calmly, “Drink. It won’t harm you.”
Luo Ren ran his thumb along the rim of the cup but didn’t drink immediately. Seeing this, Su Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly, growing wary. “Why aren’t you drinking?”
“Don’t rush,” Luo Ren said with a smile, looking at him. “I was just thinking… my Norton isn’t using a truth-telling spell on me but instead resorting to this little trick. Is it because you care about my reputation, or…”
He left the rest unsaid, but Su Sheng inexplicably felt a wave of embarrassment.
He subtly averted his gaze, fixing it on an empty spot in the air. After a moment, he said, “The truth-telling spell is only suitable for criminals. Don’t overthink it.”
Luo Ren stared at him intently, let out a low chuckle, and slowly swirled the cup in his hand.
After waiting a while without any movement from Luo Ren, Su Sheng couldn’t help but tense his face, knocking heavily on the table twice, his tone tinged with annoyance. “Are you going to drink or not?”
“I’ll drink,” Luo Ren said cheerfully, downing the water laced with the truth serum.
Su Sheng narrowed his eyes, crossed his legs, and rested his intertwined hands on his knees as he posed a sharp question to Luo Ren: “Was our meeting a coincidence?”
Luo Ren propped up his arm with a smile. “We’ve met many times. Which one are you referring to?”
Su Sheng replied, “All of them.”
Luo Ren said, “Not all of them.”
Leaning forward, Su Sheng grew more alert and pressed further, “Then which ones weren’t?”
Luo Ren admitted quickly, “The last one.”
The last one, meaning this time. Su Sheng’s expression darkened. A person under the influence of a truth serum could only be asked three questions at most, and this was the final one.
“Why did you follow me?”
After asking this question, Su Sheng stared unblinkingly at the other side, his intertwined hands unconsciously tightening, his back stiffening.
Luo Ren leaned lazily against the bed, smiling faintly as he drew out his words: “Because…”
“I wanted to. I wanted to follow you.”
“My Norton defeated the Demon King for the sake of the city’s people, a true hero. Yet he was misunderstood and suffered so many injuries. I thought I shouldn’t turn a blind eye.”
At this moment, Luo Ren looked at him with such sincerity in his eyes and such warmth in his expression.
Su Sheng was stunned. He stared blankly at Luo Ren, his mouth slightly agape, but no words came out.
He had considered many possibilities but never expected this answer.
Luo Ren already knew his identity. He had assumed this person continued to follow him with some ulterior motive, at the very least.
“You really are…” Su Sheng murmured, his entire body unconsciously relaxing.
Silence enveloped the room until Luo Ren intertwined his fingers, his azure-blue eyes radiating the purest goodwill in the world. He looked at Su Sheng, no longer calling him Norton but addressing him as, Your Holiness.
Luo Ren smiled and promised, “Your Holiness, do not worry. I swear in the name of the gods that I will not do anything to harm you.”
Su Sheng silently lowered his gaze.
No one knew that, at this moment, his heart felt as if something had touched it, like an old machine restarting, emitting a broken roar. He could feel his hands trembling uncontrollably beneath his sleeves, yet his expression remained cold and guarded.
The silence continued. After a moment, Su Sheng slowly stood up, feeling somewhat stiff in his movements. He paused briefly before turning and stepping out of the room.
“Your injuries are almost healed. Aren’t you planning to leave yet?”
The words drifted in from the doorway, spoken in the same flat tone as always.
He hadn’t missed Su Sheng’s momentary stiffness or the awkward way he stood up, his movements uncoordinated.
Luo Ren narrowed his eyes, watching Su Sheng’s retreating figure, and slowly revealed a smile.
…
After passing through over a dozen teleportation arrays, the two arrived at Luo Ren’s homeland, the Kingdom of Felichis.
Su Sheng gazed thoughtfully at the kingdom’s main city-state before them. The ground was spotless, and the smell of fresh paint on the city walls hadn’t yet dissipated, clear signs of a newly built city-state.
Luo Ren hadn’t lied to him.
However…
The castle’s decor was almost as extravagant, luxurious, and garish as the Demon King’s.
The only difference was the materials used, this one was slightly more modest.
Arriving before the city gates, Luo Ren performed an elegant bow and greeted with a smile, “My dear, welcome to my kingdom.” When he said “my kingdom,” Luo Ren emphasized the words with a heavy tone, and his gaze inexplicably deepened.
Su Sheng pursed his lips, finding the scene strangely familiar.
It seemed the Demon King had once invited him in the same way?