Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

Xia Wula nodded quite affirmatively.

Seeing that she had figured things out, Natsuki Subaru continued onward with the earth dragon and the sake.

Xia Wula followed closely beside him, her shoulder almost touching his body, as if afraid that the scent would disappear from the tower in the blink of an eye.

This also drew a snort of displeasure from Capela, who was sniffing Subaru's hair.

What displeased her even more was the earth dragon behind her.

With her expertise in biology, she could immediately tell that the earth dragon with the nameplate "Patrashu" on its body was female!

Capella was quite annoyed by the way this female earth dragon seemed unable to move when she saw Subaru Natsuki!

Subaru's relationship with her began when he wanted to use her as a mount.

This earth dragon probably can't get through this path either!

Capella's eyes narrowed slightly. If Subaru Natsuki could accept her original form, perhaps it wasn't impossible for him to accept her as a dragon...

Even if it doesn't happen that way,

Even with the earth dragon and the woman named Xia Wula remaining by Subaru's side, she still always felt that she would become superfluous in the future!

A sinister glint flashed in Capela's eyes!

【Ta-da!】

With fine wine, the prerequisite for overcoming the first trial was met.

However, Subaru Natsuki certainly didn't intend to drink alone.

This is where the advantage of bringing Elsa along became apparent.

How can we say we have no clothes? We'll drink together.

How can we say we have no robes? Let us drink together.

Subaru Natsuki quickly found Elsa in the next room.

The woman in black was sitting alone on the edge of the bed, wiping her curved knife with her head down.

She had already polished the blade until it gleamed, but her hand still mechanically moved slowly along the same spot.

Mary was also looking down and playing with her ponytail.

Both of them looked distracted.

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a voice came from inside:

"Heroine, let's have a drink together."

Elsa looked up, and the gloom that had been lingering in her eyes was suddenly brightened.

"it is good."

She had just put down her scimitar when, unexpectedly, Merry, who always avoided Subaru like the plague, suddenly ran over carrying an empty wine glass.

He handed it to Natsuki Subaru with great eagerness.

During Subaru's daytime rest, Merry, who was always worried about her future, didn't waste a moment of her rare free time.

Using the senses of the Beastmaster, she quickly located several sand worms living near the Sage's Tower, and then, taking advantage of the fact that no one else was paying attention, she controlled them to burrow into the sand beneath the tower.

Let those enormous magical beasts now lie dormant underground, awaiting her command.

Mary didn't tell anyone about this.

The fear that Subaru instilled in her never dissipated.

Her past experience living with monsters taught her a simple rule: monsters that don't win the leader's favor are the first to be ostracized and are most likely to be abandoned in the wild to fend for themselves.

She didn't want to end up like that.

Previously, the leader was Capella, and she had to be a good child in order not to be disliked by Capella.

The current leader is Subaru Natsuki…

Trying to please the other party is still the safest option.

Although Melly felt she couldn't reach the level of Elsa and the others.

However, she would try her best to please Subaru Natsuki in the smallest details and try to meet his requests.

If it really gets to the point where she can't handle it, for example, if some activities exceed her limits...

The earthworm buried underground was her last resort.

At that time, one could be responsible for ambushing Subaru Natsuki, another could carry her and Elsa out of the Sage's Tower, and the remaining few could block the pursuit from behind.

These monsters might not be able to harm Subaru Natsuki in a direct confrontation.

Subaru doesn't look strong; perhaps his powers are terrifying, but his body is still as fragile as an ordinary person's.

If Capela hadn't been clinging to Subaru the whole time, Merry felt that the stairs outside would have been enough for her to take down the man single-handedly.

But now...

Looking at the inseparable Capella and Subaru, Merry felt a deep sense of despair.

They could only muster a little confidence by relying on the faint signals coming from underground.

She rushed to Subaru's side before Elsa could, took a wine jar, and put on an exceptionally sweet smile.

"Let me pour you some wine, Dad."

With a smile, Merry poured the first glass of wine, then leaned closer to Subaru Natsuki, tilting her head up and trying to look on with adoration, saying somewhat affectedly:

"Merry loves her dad the most."

Subaru picked up his glass but didn't drink it immediately.

He glanced at Meryl with a puzzled look, feeling that Meryl was acting strangely today.

Although she smiled sweetly, her fingers holding the wine jar remained tense.

Before getting close to someone, they would secretly glance at their own face first.

Especially when he said the word "like," his tone became distorted.

This is a bit too much of a pandering tactic.

Subaru drank a glass and let Merry refill it for him, his brain racing amidst the aroma of the wine.

The girl is going to such lengths to please me; she must want something from me.

What exactly does she want from me?

Subaru Natsuki pondered silently.

A leader of children is a sign of an emperor!

Natsuki Subaru has always been quite generous when it comes to fulfilling the wishes of obedient children.

But no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't figure out what Mary really wanted.

From Subaru's perspective, he and Merry didn't have much interaction, except for the fact that he had previously mistaken her for a hermit who could manipulate people's minds.

So, aside from calling for a master for a long time, nothing else of note happened.

But she was unusually attentive today, even carefully leaning closer to me while pouring the wine. Why was that...?

Just as he brought the second glass of wine to his lips, Subaru, struck by a sudden inspiration, abruptly opened his eyes wide.

"We understand!" Subaru Natsuki slammed his hand on the table.

Meryl was startled and looked up to meet Subaru Natsuki's intense gaze, which made her panic.

Natsuki Subaru thought to himself: Merry must want to hear our jokes a few more times!

Poor child, he must have been so bored these past few days in prison and the Tower of the Sages.

Since that's the case, then let your Natsuki Subaru brother tell you a few more good jokes~

Let me make you laugh!

Natsuki Subaru put down his wine glass, placed his hand on Merry's head, and patted it twice with satisfaction.

“Merry, we’ve seen through your intentions.”

"You kids are really bad at pretending."

The smile on Mary's face froze instantly.

He saw through it?

Is it true? Or is he bluffing?

She hugged the wine jar tightly, quietly took half a step back, and her lips also lost their color.

Natsuki Subaru, however, drank and laughed heartily.

Elsa looked at Subaru Natsuki with a puzzled expression, then at Merry, whose shoulders were tense. Only then did she belatedly realize that Merry seemed a little strange today.

Before she could think any further, the black-haired youth spoke in a low voice:

"Well then, Mary, we'll do as you wish and tell you a joke!"

Do you know why people's feet are whiter than their hands?

Mary's face paled even more.

Sure enough! It's that same joke again!

She had lost count of how many times she had heard this joke, and she naturally understood what the phrase "always hiding" was implying.

This man must have discovered the sand worms hiding under the tower!

A sneak attack, or escape?

It all means nothing now...

Meryl's eyes gradually lost their luster...

Subaru Natsuki, engrossed in his own art of humor, paid no attention to the reactions of others and blurted out the answer:

"Because it always hides!"

Upon hearing this, Meili's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching the wine jar.

She subconsciously concealed her true intentions:

"Daddy, Mary didn't mean to hurt you!"

“Those sand worms were just to protect Daddy! Mary was just worried that Daddy might get into danger!”

Natsuki Subaru, who was laughing heartily, didn't hear what Merry said. Judging from her actions, he assumed she was so amused that she couldn't stand up straight, and his smile only deepened.

"Haha, it seems you really like it."

"In that case, we'll say it again!"

Mary's body trembled violently.

Do you know why people's feet are whiter than their hands?

"Because...because it always hides..."

With a sob in her voice, Mary answered the second half of the question, revealing more of her thoughts:

"Those sand worms were just something Mary used to escape!"

"Merry absolutely did not mean to hurt Daddy, she really didn't!"

But she still dared not tell the truth at crucial moments, fearing that if Subaru Natsuki knew her true thoughts, he would punish her immediately...

Let her, Elsa and her sisters, and even Capela, the three of them, be together...

The more Mary thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Natsuki Subaru saw that she had even memorized the answers, and immediately clapped his hands and laughed.

"Good! Very good, Mary! It seems you've learned all about our family's jokes by heart!"

"Then we'll say it again!"

Mary's pupils suddenly contracted!

Do you know why people's feet are whiter than their hands?