Chapter 13: The Embarrassing Lunch

When Lien led Lin Sheng to the dining room, Serveyia was already sitting at the table, a feast spread out before her.

“Se-Serveyia, I’m downstairs.”

Even though Lien had promised to make Serveyia apologize to Lin Sheng, an apology was still an apology. Lin Sheng couldn’t help but feel a primal fear at the sight of Serveyia.

After all, Lien was just Serveyia’s maid.

Back when I was in school, wasn’t there a saying about how the vassal of a vassal isn’t your vassal?

Similarly, your maid’s maid isn’t your own maid.

Can I really order Lien around?

Not to mention, Lin Sheng could clearly sense that Serveyia was in a bad mood, stabbing at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks.

As for our poor rice, it had long since lost its shape, to the point where it was questionable if it could even be called rice anymore.

Seeing such a violent side of Serveyia, Lin Sheng wondered if coming downstairs had been a mistake.

Lin Sheng’s tail, ever sensitive to its master’s fear, instinctively sought shelter nearby—manifested by another tail winding around Lien’s invitation.

“Hmph!”

Obviously, after seeing Lin Sheng’s actions, Serveyia stabbed the rice even more fiercely.

The brutality of it sent a chill down Lin Sheng’s spine.

“Lien, you can go out first.”

“As you wish, Princess Serveyia. Don’t forget what we talked about earlier.”

“I know. Now go.”

Watching Lien—who was practically his guardian—firmly unwrap his tail and leave the room, Lin Sheng felt like the sky was falling.

He didn’t know why Serveyia was angry, but his instincts and intuition told him that now was the time to surrender.

So, the moment Lien left and closed the door, Lin Sheng obediently moved to Serveyia’s side and gently tugged at her sleeve.

“Serveyia, I’m sorry.”

With Lin Sheng’s soft voice came an equally soft sensation on her arm.

Serveyia looked down to find a mischievous tail wrapped around her arm, gently stroking it.

Seeing this, Serveyia couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

She knew her earlier actions had scared the little fox in front of her, but looking at her timid expression, a mischievous urge bubbled up inside Serveyia as well.

“If that’s the case, Princess, why don’t you tell me exactly what you did wrong?”

“Hmm?”

Lin Sheng was momentarily stunned by Serveyia’s question.

He’d apologized simply because Serveyia seemed angry, and he felt that not apologizing might bring bad consequences.

But deep down, Lin Sheng didn’t feel he’d done anything worth apologizing for.

“All right, I won’t scare you anymore.”

“Yah~”

Serveyia reached out and pulled Lin Sheng into her arms, gazing at him sincerely while using the fox-petting technique she’d painstakingly learned from Lien to smooth down Lin Sheng’s tail fur.

“I’m sorry, little fox. I was too impatient. But as a member of the Isabella family, bearing the name of Arcadia, my value has always been closely tied to the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox. That’s why I was so eager to witness the birth of the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox.”

“Nn~ I… I understand~”

Even as Serveyia apologized, Lin Sheng’s mind was filled with pink bubbles from being petted.

At first, his body was tense sitting on Serveyia’s lap, but it gradually relaxed.

The remaining eight tails swayed behind him, as if hinting at their master’s happiness.

“So, can Princess forgive me?”

“Forgive? Of course~”

Lin Sheng had just wanted an apology.

Now, with Serveyia’s skilled technique making him melt in her arms, he had no complaints at all.

Seeing Lin Sheng’s eyes turn into dizzy spirals, Serveyia stopped stroking his tail.

If Lin Sheng got too lost in pleasure, that would be a terrible dereliction of her duties.

However, Lin Sheng’s tails seemed to disagree.

The moment Serveyia’s hand left, two or three tails chased after her hand, trying to wrap around it.

“All right, little fox, reward time is over. No more acting spoiled.”

Lin Sheng’s fuzzy mind was still muddled, marveling at Serveyia’s unexpected gentleness.

The next moment, a small ice cube slipped down his collar, sending a chill that shattered every pink bubble in his mind.

He tried to retrieve it, but it had already melted, leaving only a thought in his heart: “She really is a mischievous maid.”

Seeing Lin Sheng’s glare, almost tangible with indignation, Serveyia met it head-on, not backing down at all.

“It’s time to eat, little fox. Or are you planning to stay limp in my arms and skip your meal?”

“C-Can’t you use a gentler way to remind me?”

“Gentle? If I don’t use strong enough stimulation, Your Highness would just stay lost in those pink bubbles, unwilling to come out. Besides, your tails were just screaming ‘not enough, don’t stop’ a moment ago. Or, should I try giving your disobedient tails a good lesson next time—maybe a tug?”

“N-No, let’s not. This is fine.”

Serveyia’s earlier petting had already proven how sensitive his tails were.

The mere thought of having them tugged made Lin Sheng shudder.

“That’s right. Good little foxes are the cutest. Come on, the food’s still warm—ah—”

Seeing Serveyia pick up a piece of food with her chopsticks and offer it, Lin Sheng didn’t recognize what it was, but the aroma made his nose twitch.

It was clearly a delicious meal.

But… was it really necessary to be fed in her lap?

“Serveyia, I don’t think this is—”

“I said, ah—”

Lin Sheng tried to slip out of Serveyia’s lap, but feeling her arms tighten around him and the chopsticks draw closer, he finally gave in, closing his eyes and opening his mouth.

“How is it? Do you like the taste?”

“Mmm… I like it.”

There was nothing to complain about in terms of flavor.

In such a luxurious room, Lin Sheng didn’t believe anything could taste bad.

Still, being fed in such an embarrassing position… what the heck was with this sense of violation?

That meal was pure torture for Lin Sheng.

He was used to eating like a warrior—big bites, meat and rice together.

But Serveyia only offered tiny, delicate mouthfuls each time, even reminding him repeatedly to chew slowly, or else she wouldn’t give him another bite.

Damn it!

Lin Sheng hadn’t been treated like this even in kindergarten, let alone as an adult.

Even though there were only two people in the room, shame didn’t care how many witnesses there were.

So, throughout the entire meal, Lin Sheng’s cheeks remained flushed.