Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

Natsuki Subaru leaned down, a soft smile playing on his lips, and whispered the answer in Merry's ear:

"Because it's always hidden away~"

Mary was completely devastated. This man was a devil!

He must have seen right through Mary's thoughts.

After three jokes, Merry was certain that Subaru Natsuki knew about her plan to use sand worms against him.

She hurriedly knelt up from the ground, and in her haste, the wine jar she was holding slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

Snapped!

The shards mixed with the liquor splashed out, and the strong aroma of the liquor instantly filled the room.

Ignoring her clothes soaked with alcohol, Mary quickly knelt down again, her voice trembling so much she could barely form a complete sentence.

"Merry will never do it again..."

"Please, Daddy, don't punish Mary..."

Subaru Natsuki's laughter, which had just been echoing, stopped abruptly, and an eerie silence fell over the surroundings.

After a few moments, Meryl mustered the courage to raise her head slightly, only to be met with Subaru Natsuki's gloomy face.

The black-haired youth was staring intently at her with his head down.

More accurately, it was about watching the wine that was spreading due to the broken wine jar.

Mary couldn't tell the difference at all.

He assumed that Natsuki Subaru was angry because of his thoughts, and his body trembled even more violently.

How would Dad punish Meryl?

Is it like this? Or like that?

Or perhaps Daddy would turn Mary into an obedient toy, keeping her locked away forever for him...

Mary's eyes became watery.

"Is Meryl going to be turned into a toy?"

Before she knew it, the words in her heart slipped out of her mouth.

Xia Wula, who had the best hearing, tilted her head, then, as if her position had been stolen, grabbed her master's arm with both hands and loudly announced:

"What are you saying, you lecherous brat!"

"Master's toys will always belong to me alone!"

Mary's body trembled even more violently.

She was just thinking about it casually, but she never expected that her father would actually have it!

Xia Wula spoke with such pride, clearly indicating that she had long been completely tamed by her father, both mentally and physically.

This man is indeed an extremely dangerous pervert!

Merry...

Is Merry going to transform into the other person's shape too?

Mary closed her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Just then, Subaru moved.

The sound of boots hitting the ground grew louder as they approached, and with each sound, Mary's head drooped a little lower.

When the shoes stopped in front of her, she had already pressed her chin to her chest and was tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, which was soaked with alcohol.

"Please, Dad, at least be a little gentler with Mary."

She frantically clutched the buttons on her collar, then stole a glance at Elsa standing beside her.

Just thinking about being punished in front of her sister made her cheeks burn with embarrassment, her breathing become rapid, and her body stiffen.

But to her surprise, the expected rudeness did not materialize.

Instead, a hand landed on her head and patted her gently three times.

"Ruzi can be taught!"

The black-haired youth threw his head back and laughed, his previous gloom replaced by satisfaction.

"You can already catch our jokes after only a few times! Looks like you'll be a source of joy in the future!"

"Great, Mary! You're ten times more heroic than Aunt Sima!"

that is...

What a waste of this fine wine.

Natsuki Subaru sighed, glancing reluctantly at the shards on the ground.

What a waste!

Mary knelt there, stunned.

She was even prepared to use sand worms to deal with him. But he didn't even ask her a question, let alone punish her.

How can this be?

Did I really misjudge this man?

The man isn't actually a pervert; the real pervert is Meryl herself.

Mary shook her head. Impossible!

He might just be planning something bigger!

We'll settle things once Meryl is completely relaxed.

Mary tightened her grip on the buttons, and then—the lingering sensation on her head gave her a new idea...

The man patted it three times...

Is this a hint that Meryl should go to her room tonight to receive her punishment?

Meili suddenly looked up, trying to find the answer from Natsuki Subaru, but he had already finished the rest of his drink. Feeling that his mind was basically clear, he picked up his sword and prepared to break through the first trial.

As Subaru walked past Meryl, he suddenly stopped.

As soon as Mary stood up, she saw him turn back, and her knees went weak, almost causing her to kneel back down.

As expected, the punishment came.

She closed her eyes tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably.

The torment that Capela had once inflicted on her resurfaced one after another, and the pain of having her consciousness torn into dozens of pieces also pressed back.

I just hope Subaru Natsuki's punishment will be lighter than this...

But to everyone's surprise, Natsuki Subaru squatted down in front of her.

Mary closed her eyes and waited for a long time, only to feel her shoe being lightly touched.

She cautiously opened her eyes and saw Subaru with his head down, folding and tightening her shoelaces, which had come undone at some point, and finally tying them into a neat bow.

"We need to be more careful with children like you."

He checked the knot to make sure it wouldn't come undone easily before patting Mary's head.

"If your shoelaces come undone, you're more likely to fall while running."

"If you fall, our family will be heartbroken!"

Subaru stood up, took a few steps toward the door, then turned back and reminded him:

"Remember to go back to your room and change your clothes. Wearing such wet clothes can easily make you catch a cold."

The sound of footsteps faded away down the corridor.

Mary remained standing in the same spot, staring down at the bow on her shoe.

The heat on my cheeks lingered and even intensified.

The blueberry-flavored cupcakes' gaze also quietly followed the direction Subaru had left.

Could it be that—Merry really mistook this man for someone else?

This is the first time someone other than Elsa has ever tied her shoelaces...

That feeling...

“Merry, you look a little strange.”

Elsa's voice came from behind.

Mary snapped back to her senses and hurriedly pressed the back of her hand to her cheek.

"I might have caught a cold."

Elsa curled her lips into a cryptic smile.

Mary became even more flustered by her gaze and, under the pretext of changing clothes, turned around and ran into the next room.

......

Subaru, along with Clarissa and Shaula, returned to the room of the First Trial.

The vast expanse of pure white pressed down on the three people's shadows beneath their feet, while hundreds of pitch-black cuboids still stood around, waiting for the challengers to provide an answer.

The effects of the alcohol spread through Subaru Natsuki's mind, and those previously tangled and difficult-to-recall memories finally began to reveal some clues through the questions.

"Touch the most shining part of the hero who was once killed by Shaula."

Natsuki Subaru read the question aloud again, his gaze sweeping over the rows of black cuboids.

Xiawula is...

Scorpion.

In mythology, the great hero killed by the scorpion was named Orion. After Orion died, he rose into the sky and became the constellation Orion, and the brightest star in Orion is a blue supergiant.

That is, Rigel.

The answer is already there, but the black cuboid that truly corresponds to it is still hidden in this dark jungle.

Subaru Natsuki took a few steps back.

It is clear that these black cuboids represent the arrangement of stars.

However, since they stand on the ground and obscure each other, the complete pattern is not visible at all.

If you could look down from directly above, finding the key to pass the level would be much easier.

That said, to solve this trial, challengers must possess knowledge of Earth's constellations.

In other words, the person who sets the questions must also have the relevant knowledge.

Thinking of this, Subaru Natsuki's mind started to wander.

Could this great sage also have come from the Three Kingdoms period?

OK!

No wonder Xia Wula previously admitted that he came from the Three Kingdoms period.

In this light, the veracity of her words is greatly enhanced; the great sage Frugel and his disciple Chaula were most likely two old friends who had been separated from their homeland!

Natsuki Subaru turned to look at Xiawula, his eyes gradually showing a sense of kinship as if they were old friends meeting again.

Xia Wula blinked as he stared at her, her cheeks quickly turning red.

She cupped her face in her hands, twisting and turning her body under the cloak. She was clearly so happy that the corners of her mouth were almost reaching her ears, but she pretended to be shy and embarrassed.

"Master, why are you looking at her like that? Have you finally realized your feelings and impulses towards Xia Wula?"

"Ah, Master, actually, Xia Wula has been waiting for this day too! Come, come, let's do all the things we haven't done in four hundred years right here..."

Before she could finish speaking, she flung aside the cloak that was in her way, drooling as she opened her arms and pounced on him.

The starry night gently rippled outwards.

Xia Wula hugged empty air with great anticipation, her broad chest passing through the afterimage left by Natsuki Subaru, and she almost crashed into the black cuboid behind her.

"I'm really not your master."