Chapter 384
Nina couldn’t help but laugh, a soft, bright sound that cut through the tense air.
What a bunch of fierce little food lovers.
Standing a few paces back, Phar’s gaze lingered heavily on the spiky fruit crushed beneath Setan’s knees.
So… this was a law of the little female’s household? Any male who stumbled or made a mistake had to subject himself to a durian?
Involuntarily, his thoughts drifted to his own closely guarded secrets. He had deliberately concealed his true identity from Nina.
Did a lie of omission count as making a mistake? If the truth came to light one day… would he be expected to kneel too? And if he did, would he have to press his weight into an entire mountain of thorns like this?
The mental image of himself, solemn and dignified, kneeling atop an endless sea of jagged green husks flashed vividly through his mind. For the very first time since arriving in her orbit, Phar felt a sharp, genuine twinge of regret over hiding who he really was.
Meanwhile, the cubs paced impatiently around the two trapped lions, their tails flicking in anticipation. At last—
Crack!
The heavy shell of one of the durians split open, releasing its rich, buttery aroma.
“It opened!” the cubs cheered in absolute delight, their previous plotting forgotten.
Yinny immediately took charge, clapping his small hands together with authority. “This one’s ready! Brothers, let’s go pick the replacements p>
“Okay p>
The pack of cubs scattered in every direction like a burst of fireworks.
Naturally, their criteria were strict: they wanted the largest, heaviest durians with the thickest armor. After eagerly selecting their favorites, they chirped and called for their fathers to do the heavy lifting. The adult males happily accepted the assignment, amused by the chaos.
Momo, however, didn’t look to Idir for help. Instead, the tiny black snake tightly wrapped his little tail around a durian’s thick stem. Summoning his internal energy, he began to fly toward Setan and Yian under his own power.
The sight was utterly comical. A minuscule snake, bobbing up and down through the air with fierce, trembling determination, lugging a weaponized fruit several times larger than his own body.
Idir merely folded his arms, watching the spectacle without the slightest intention of interfering. The brat was surprisingly strong.
The other cubs immediately burst into a chorus of applause.
“Momo is amazing p>
“So strong p>
“We can’t even budge one that big p>
Momo proudly lifted his tiny head, his small scales gleaming with triumph.
Nearby, Sunny had just pointed out a massive replacement fruit and was about to call for Sal when Rin suddenly stepped forward.
“I’ll carry it for you,” the old lion said, his smile impossibly kind and grandfatherly. “Great-Grandpa will help p>
He lifted the heavy, jagged fruit with effortless grace.
“Want another one?” He chuckled softly, his eyes drifting toward the two suffering lions on the ground. “Pick as many as you like. I’ll make sure your father and grandfather kneel long enough to satisfy you today p>
Sunny looked up at the old patriarch, his dark eyes thoughtful. Then, without a single shred of politeness… he began selecting even more durians.
His reasoning was beautifully simple. Just like his older brothers knew, the longer his scumbag father remained pinned to the floor, the more durian they all got to eat.
Setan and Yian silently glared at Rin, their eyes shooting invisible daggers.
Easy for you to say. You’re not the one taking the spikes.
Both of them arrived at the exact same bitter conclusion: they should have invited Grandmother along on this trip. Then, perhaps, Rin would be sharing their agonizing pedestal.
Before long, the cubs had finished swapping out the cracked fruits. Right on cue, Yian’s own durian split open under his weight. The children immediately slid fresh, unyielding ones under their knees before sprinting over to Sal.
“Father p>
“Open them, quick p>
Sal smiled, his strong hands easily prying the tough hulls apart.
The cubs carefully harvested the fruit, selecting the three largest, most golden segments. One went directly to Nina. One to Mimi. One to Yuna. The rest they divided among themselves with greasy, happy fingers, while the remaining bulk was handed over to Mino to be transformed into rich desserts.
Soon, the courtyard was filled with the rhythmic, contented sound of little mouths munching.
The cubs happily devoured the creamy, custard-like flesh. Beside them, one of Nina’s mates gently fed her bite after bite, while she used a damp cloth to wipe the sticky faces of her children, a warm, soft smile gracing her lips.
Yuna was eating just as enthusiastically nearby, her initial skepticism completely forgotten.
The heavy, unmistakable fragrance of the harvest drifted through the air. Watching this peaceful, domestic scene unfold before them, Setan and Yian felt the sharp edge of their complaints slowly melt away.
Their knees still throbbed terribly, but somehow… the pain didn’t seem so unbearable anymore. It was an oddly satisfying, grounding kind of suffering.
Rin stroked his chin thoughtfully as he watched. Nina’s household rule… was actually rather brilliant. Perhaps Blazing Flame City ought to introduce something similar. It would certainly improve discipline and humility among the more unruly males.
By the time the sun began to dip, Setan and Yian had knelt from the crisp morning hours straight through to the fading evening light. Yet, when everyone looked up, the formidable mountain of durians barely looked any smaller.
Yian turned his stiff neck to stare at the remaining pile, then let out a long, thoroughly defeated sigh. At last… he understood why his son had looked so utterly miserable that morning. They had survived an entire day of torment, and the mountain had barely suffered a dent.
Nearby, Rin also frowned at the enormous stack of fruit. At this glacial pace, exactly how many weeks would they be trapped here? Suddenly, his eyes brightened. A brilliant, terrifying idea struck him.
The next morning, the City Lord’s Manor became unusually, deafeningly lively.
The moment Nina stepped out of her bedchamber, she froze mid-stride. The courtyard was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with kneeling males.
She squinted, rubbing her eyes. Huh p>
Weren’t those… the high-ranking elders of Blazing Flame City? The proud, fierce warriors who usually carried themselves with absolute authority? Why were they all down on their knees?
Before her brain could process the absurd sight, a chaotic, excited chorus erupted from the gates outside the main courtyard.
“Lady Nina is out p>
“It’s Lady Nina p>
“Lady Nina p>
Nina instinctively turned toward the commotion. Through the gates, she saw a massive, sweeping crowd of city females racing toward her as fast as their legs could carry them. The sheer momentum looked almost like a stampede.
Nina widened her eyes, utterly bewildered. What on earth is happening now p>