Ruan Shu clung to Almer’s neck, watching as he kept walking—through the day, until dusk.
The sky had darkened, and the city’s night lights were starting to shine. Yet, why did Ruan Shu feel like the road home was still endlessly far?
She glanced at Almer suspiciously, then asked, almost out of energy, “When will we get home?”
“No idea.”
Ruan Shu: “…”
I have a strong suspicion you’re messing with me, and I even have proof!
“Then… where are we now?”
“No idea.”
Ruan Shu suddenly felt a very bad premonition rising in her heart.
She cautiously asked, “So… do you even know the way?”
Almer looked down at her, a confident smile on his lips. “Take a guess. If I knew the way, would I have flown above the city and gotten caught?”
Ruan Shu: “…”
She opened her mouth, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to swear.
“But last time, you took me out…”
Almer chuckled, “That time, I was just flying randomly. On the way back, I asked Oss for a location beacon to navigate.”
“Then set the location now!”
Ruan Shu was on the verge of exploding. Even someone as mild-mannered as she was felt incensed by Almer’s antics. If it had been anyone else, they’d probably have already punched him—regardless of him being the emperor.
Only then did Almer slowly admit he had forgotten.
In truth, he simply didn’t want to go back so early. After all, going back meant he’d have to return this little charm back to the Ruan family.
Almer sent a message to his head knight, Oss, requesting a location beacon for navigation. When the map opened, they discovered that not only were they lost, but they’d been moving in the opposite direction of home.
The two of them: “…”
They had precisely avoided every correct route.
And at that moment, Ruan Shu’s video call notification popped up. She opened it, only to find it was her father calling.
Without hesitation, she pressed accept.
Marshal Ruan Xiao’s face was grim, especially when he saw a certain emperor who had whisked his daughter away and still hadn’t returned her.
“Good evening, Marshal Ruan Xiao,” Almer greeted shamelessly.
“Daddy~” Ruan Shu called sweetly.
Ruan Xiao took a deep breath. “Good evening, Your Majesty. Shushu, where are you now?”
After a polite greeting to Almer, Ruan Xiao had no intention of engaging in further conversation with him.
Ruan Shu glanced at the unfamiliar streets, her voice tinged with guilt. “I… I don’t really know. It seems like we’re getting farther and farther from home.”
She shot a look at Almer—it was all his fault!
“Send me your location. I’ll come pick you up.”
Ruan Shu obediently nodded, “Okay!”
After sending her father the location, the two of them found a place to sit and rest.
Once settled, Almer pulled out the wolf-ear headband again.
Ruan Shu watched him warily, covering her head protectively.
Almer chuckled, “What’s the rush? I’m not putting it on you.”
With that, he plopped it onto his own head. Surprisingly, the black wolf ears actually suited him, and Ruan Shu couldn’t help but steal a few glances at him.
“Just setting up something fun for you.”
Almer pulled her close and began fussing with something on her head. In moments, Ruan Shu felt her head begin to glow.
It was the antler headband—it actually lit up!
Almer’s eyes sparkled, and he snapped another picture of her.
Ruan Shu: “…”
This man was really too much! In a fit of playful annoyance, the grumpy little dumpling took a handful of his hair.
She must have triggered some switch on his wolf ears, because his headband started to glow too, emitting an eerie green light.
Ruan Shu burst out laughing.
Almer glanced up at his glowing ears but didn’t mind; instead, he replaced her antlers with a pair of rabbit ears.
This time, the fluffy bunny ears on her head also started glowing.
She curiously pulled one of the ears forward to inspect it, realizing that the glow came from fiber material without any fur on it. How amazing!
The bunny ears emitted a soft, warm golden light, a bit blinding up close, so she quickly pushed them back.
With one big head and one little head both glowing, they made for quite the eye-catching pair, drawing the gaze of every passerby.
This was quite the unique look.
When Ruan Xiao arrived to pick them up, what he saw was the two of them sitting side by side, glowing headbands adorning their heads.
He: “…”
What on earth were his daughter and His Majesty playing at?
And his daughter was one thing—she was still so young, after all—but wasn’t it a bit childish for someone of His Majesty’s age?
“Shushu.”
At the sound of Ruan Xiao calling his daughter, the two of them immediately turned their heads in unison. The coordination was almost uncanny.
Ruan Xiao glanced at the young man beside her. “Your Majesty.”
With a smile, Almer responded, “Thank you, Marshal Ruan.”
He certainly didn’t treat himself as an outsider.
Once they were finally home, Ruan Xiao wasted no time in seeing Almer out. Despite his title, he couldn’t just claim his daughter!
Just before getting out of the car, Almer clasped something around Ruan Shu’s wrist. She didn’t get a good look at it before he was already waving goodbye.
Ruan Shu waved back, “Bye-bye, Almer~”
“Grandpa, I’m back!”
“Big brother!”
As soon as she stepped inside, Grandpa Ruan swept her up in a heartfelt hug.
“Honestly, His Majesty—he’s so grown-up and has so many matters to handle each day, and yet he finds the time to take you wandering around. Shushu, are you tired? Are you hungry?”
Her grandfather fretted, as though afraid his beloved granddaughter hadn’t eaten enough.
Ruan Shu shook her head. “Not at all. Almer took me out for lunch. And when I got tired, he carried me.”
She’d only walked for a short while before he carried her for the rest of the way. Come to think of it, after all that walking, Almer hadn’t shown any sign of fatigue. His stamina was truly impressive.
Ruan Shu was beyond envious!
“And what’s with this look?”
Ruan Fengsi suddenly leaned over, giving her glowing bunny ears a playful squeeze.
Ruan Shu tilted her head slightly, “Almer put them on me. He’s too much—he even took pictures! Earlier, I was wearing antlers, too.”
Ruan Fengsi pinched the bunny ears again, letting out an understanding “oh.”
Ruan Shu gave him a sideways glance. Did she hear that right? Why did she hear a hint of regret in his tone?
And then, she watched as her big brother took a picture of her current look.
Ruan Fengsi, eyes gleaming with excitement, asked, “Where’s the antler headband?”
Ruan Shu: … So she hadn’t misheard!
Pouting, she gave her brother a little glare, then buried her head in Grandpa’s arms, showing him only the back of her head.
Ruan Fengsi raised a brow. Well, well, she’d even learned to glare at people.
After a long day, Ruan Shu was genuinely exhausted. When it was finally bedtime, she took a warm bath, soaked her feet, and then snuggled into bed.
Just before drifting off, she felt the object on her wrist. It was a delicate silver bracelet, beautiful and intricate, adorned with five different colored gems: red, blue, gold, purple, and black.
So lavish and beautiful—it was just perfectly suited to Almer’s taste.