Chapter 155 The King's Game "When the forest bestows upon you treasures beyond your embrace..."

"ah..."

Jiang Nuoer slowly woke up in Ji Yang's arms, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

The hazy gray-blue light beneath her eyelids slowly focused, and as she made out her surroundings, her small mouth opened slightly, letting out a soft, confused gasp.

"Is this a place for solitary confinement...?"

The child's soft, sweet voice from just waking up was completely gone, and he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

Soft light flowed down from the crystals embedded in the dome, illuminating the entire palace, yet without any harsh or glaring effect.

Ji Yang squatted down and put Jiang Nuoer down. He didn't take anyone to the confinement room or back to the Pope's palace. Instead, he spent a long time choosing a side hall that was neither too big nor too small.

A light, refreshing scent, similar to cedar, filled the air. Jiang Nuoer stood outside the door, his gaze shifting between the bookshelves on either side and the fireplace. The warm firelight inside made him hesitate, afraid to take another step.

It had nothing to do with the "cage" he remembered, which was less than half a square meter in size and filled with darkness and suffocation.

Jiang Nuoer subconsciously gripped Ji Yang's clothes.

"What's wrong?"

Ji Yang looked down at him, trying his best to appear approachable with a slight smile.

The child looked up at Ji Yang, his eyes filled with disbelief and hope: "Are we going to imprison Jiang Nuoer here?"

Are you still scared?

Ji Yang looked inwards, puzzled; this was the room with the best lighting.

Jiang Nuoer nodded her chin, then quickly shook her head, nervously twisting her overly long sleeves with her fingertips, and added in a low voice, "Jiang Nuoer just feels it's a little too good..."

"It used to be... dark... and there were rats..."

His voice trailed off, carrying a lingering fear from the depths of his memory.

"...There won't be any more like this in the future."

When Ji Yang spoke, he didn't say anything comforting or soft; he simply stated a reassuring fact.

It was like a pure guarantee, especially clear in the quiet side hall.

Jiang Nuoer puffed out her cheeks, seemingly trying to determine the truth of the statement. Ji Yang didn't urge her, but waited patiently, letting that little hand tug at the hem of his clothes.

Finally, he heard a sincere, yet somewhat bewildered, expression of gratitude.

"Thank you."

...

Jiang Nuoer is a good child.

Thinking this to himself, Ji Yang reached out and pinched the child's cheek, encouraging him, "Go in."

It was as if the child had received the most important permission that allowed him to finally let loose and be happy.

He released the fabric from his hands, but instead of rushing inside, he first leaned against the doorframe, bent down, and took off his dusty boots.

Then, they carefully placed the two shoes side by side outside the door, with the toes pointing outwards, neatly arranged.

After doing all this, Jiang Nuoer, barefoot, carefully stepped across the threshold like a kitten testing the water temperature.

The warmth of the jade penetrated through the soles of his feet, and he couldn't help but curl his toes, making "hissing" noises. Even so, he endured the discomfort and stood quietly waiting for Ji Yang's next instructions.

It's like being a well-behaved child who tries hard to follow etiquette when invited to someone's home.

Ji Yang followed her in and couldn't help but laugh when he saw Jiang Nuoer fidgeting around, stepping on her left foot with her right.

He pointed to a large chair covered with thick silver wolf skin next to the fireplace: "Go sit there."

Jiang Nuoer followed Ji Yang's hand and saw that the chair looked big and comfortable, and it was close to the warm fire. She couldn't help but tear up.

Before the tears fell, he took a few quick steps, ran over, and climbed up using both his hands and feet.

The soft animal hide wrapped around Jiang Nuoer's small body. He curled up in the chair, only his eyes showing, and quietly observed Ji Yang.

I feel like crying again.

Ji Yang walked to the bookshelf, casually selected a thick volume of ancient texts, and turned around to see the child staring at him with teary eyes, lost in thought.

The child's mouth opened and closed as if he were muttering something.

He walked over and sat down in the chair opposite Jiang Nuoer. Only when he leaned closer could he hear him say, "Why does Jiang Nuoer, who clearly feels so happy... still want to cry..."

"Isn't Jiang Nuoer being too greedy...?"

Ji Yang placed the book into Jiang Nuoer's palm, which was resting on her knees, and then got up to sit in the same chair as Jiang Nuoer.

He held Jiang Nuoer's hand and turned the pages of the book.

It was a children's book, yet it contained strategy, wisdom, and philosophy.

When he turned to a certain page, he tapped on a line of characters that roughly translated into ancient script:

"When the forest gives you treasures beyond your capacity, it is not rewarding your greed, but testing your capacity."

Jiang Nuoer only half understood what he was saying, but she felt that the person in front of her was very powerful, especially powerful, just like her brother.

The child's admiration was impossible to hide.

Ji Yang ruffled Jiang Nuoer's hair, and the tender light of a loving father in his eyes could not be hidden.

"Then you can read here, and I'll have someone bring you some food later, okay?"

Are you leaving?

Jiang Nuoer blurted it out immediately, raising her voice considerably.

After saying that, she buried half her face in the furry animal skin, looking a little embarrassed, and said in a low voice, "Then I'll just read by myself..."

"Yes, I'll come over when I'm done."

Jiang Nuoer asked reluctantly, "Are you really coming as soon as you're done with your work? Won't you be coaxing me like Father God did?"

“Actually, it’s okay if Father God is busy. It’s just that Father God always says he will come back, and Jiang Nuoer is always waiting.”

The child was curled up in a tiny ball in the fur, his fingers unconsciously tugging at the soft fur beneath him, trying to appear relaxed but only revealing his loneliness.

The heavy disappointment of being promised and then forgotten floats in the air.

Ji Yang had no way of knowing about such an experience, let alone understanding it.

In my memory, my father and mother were loving and harmonious, and they took great care of him and taught him carefully. But why did everything change when it came to Jiang Nuoer?

Why had he never heard of Jiang Nuoer's existence? Why was the Father God Jiang Nuoer spoke of so different from the benevolent father he knew?

What exactly are the reasons behind Jiang Nuoer's lack of popularity...?

"I won't try to appease you. I'll come as soon as I'm done with my work. You should read your book and eat properly."

After saying that, Ji Yang paused for a moment and added, "It's okay if you don't want to read, you can do whatever you want, but don't wander off, or I won't be able to find you."

Jiang Nuoer nodded vigorously, still without doubt and still full of expectation: "Yes! I'll wait for you!"

Ji Yang withdrew from the hall, gently closing the door behind him, temporarily shutting out that dependent gaze from inside.

He stood under the veranda, examining the title "Father God" for the first time.

However, Ji Yang did not get caught up in these emotions. There was an undeniable heat emanating from his chest. He reached inside and his fingertips touched the texture of the glass mask, which was a mixture of cold and warm.

The mask was just getting hot; I don't know why.

What he can currently determine is that this mask, as a symbol of the Pope's identity, will automatically integrate into the Pope's persona once worn.

Without waiting any longer, Ji Yang put the mask on his face. The cool touch instantly adhered to his skin. Immediately afterward, he clearly felt that an envoy had locked onto his location and was rushing towards him with an urgent signal.

"Your Majesty, there is official business that requires your attention."

The messenger was the same one from the main hall that morning, bowing respectfully as he presented the papal scepter inlaid with jewels.

Ji Yang adopted the imposing demeanor befitting Pope Sirius, accepted the gift, and gave a soft "hmm."

Just as the envoy was about to lead the way, Ji Yang didn't forget to instruct, "Have someone bring some food over."

"Don't startle him, just knock on the door and leave it at the door."

He glanced one last time at the door of the side hall, then turned and swiftly disappeared into the shadows of the crisscrossing corridor.

The side hall was quiet, with only the occasional crackling sound of firewood burning in the fireplace.

Jiang Nuoer held the book, engrossed in reading a profound and obscure fairy tale.

As instructed by Ji Yang, the food was placed at the door after a gentle knock. Jiang Nuoer waited until the footsteps faded away before sneaking in through the doorframe and, upon discovering the steaming food, "sneakily" brought it in.

Ji Yang returned once in the middle of the day. When he opened the door, he saw the child lying on the chair with an open book under his cheek. His curled eyelashes trembled gently with his steady breathing, clearly tired from reading.

He approached quietly, picked up a wool blanket from the side, and gently covered Jiang Nuoer's curled-up body.

As he moved, he saw Jiang Nuoer unconsciously smack her lips, as if she had tasted something sweet in her dream.

Ji Yang stood there for a moment, making sure Jiang Nuoer was sound asleep, before quietly leaving.

It wasn't until the night was deep and the star map was clearly visible in the dome that Ji Yang finally finished dealing with his tedious official duties.

Back in the side hall, Jiang Nuoer was met with a pair of bright, sparkling eyes. She was sitting on the carpet by the fireplace, and she immediately raised her head at the slightest sound, like a little animal waiting for its master to return home.

"Why are you only getting back now..."

The long wait made Jiang Nuoer complain with a hint of coquetry, and Ji Yang patiently explained, "I came back in the middle and saw that you were asleep."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the child lowered his head and chuckled, his shoulders swaying as he did so.

"why are you laughing?"

Ji Yang sat in a chair with his hands crossed in front of him and his upper body leaning slightly forward.

Jiang Nuoer raised her little face, her eyes gleaming with mischief: "I know! You came back to cover me with a blanket!"

A faint smile flickered in Ji Yang's eyes, which he deliberately curved into a more cunning smile as he slowly denied, "It wasn't me who covered it."

"ah?"

Jiang Nuoer blinked, stunned: "Isn't that right..."

Ji Yang slowly raised his chin to the side, where a snow-white puppy with gray paws was hopping around energetically by the fireplace.

The little white dog sneaked into the side hall by itself in the afternoon. Ji Yang said in a serious tone, "It was the dog that brought the blanket and covered you with it."

"Jiang Nuoer isn't a little fool!"

Jiang Nuoer stomped her foot, finally realizing that she had been tricked.

Ji Yang laughed out loud and was about to ruffle the curly fur when he saw the child dash towards the little white dog, shouting as he ran, "You naughty dog! Don't steal food! You've already eaten today!"

A plate of honey cakes sat atop the fireplace. Jiang Nuoer rushed forward and shielded the plate, then nudged the little white dog's wet nose with her other hand, sternly reprimanding it in her childish voice, "It's wrong to steal food!"

But the dessert that he had so carefully protected was presented to Ji Yang as if it were a precious treasure.

He stood on tiptoe and held the plate high: "Would you like to try some? It's sweet."

The little white dog was still affectionately rubbing its head against Jiang Nuoer's leg, making soft, whimpering noises.

Ji Yang looked at the almost full plate, reached out and picked up a piece: "It ate it all, and there's still so much left. Didn't you eat any yourself?"

"I ate a piece!"

Jiang Nuoer emphasized with her fingers, her tone proud.

But before he could finish speaking, Ji Yang flicked his wrist and presented the honey cake to his lips.

Golden honey cake pressed against Jiang Nuoer's slightly parted lips, its sweet aroma continuously wafting into her nostrils.

"Let's eat together."

Jiang Nuoer blinked, looked at the pastry so close to her, then glanced at Ji Yang's expressionless yet exceptionally gentle face, obediently opened her mouth, and took a big bite of the honey cake.

The sweet taste blossomed on his tongue, seemingly much, much sweeter than the piece he had secretly tasted himself.

He chewed with his cheeks puffed out, his eyes curving into two little crescent moons, and mumbled indistinctly, "So sweet..."

Ji Yang took another piece from the plate, put it in his mouth, and it was really sweet.

...

"Can Jiang Nuoer be kept in solitary confinement indefinitely?"

Jiang Nuoer's eyes darted around, and his voice lowered; he really liked this place.

"Can't."

The answer was as expected. The light in Jiang Nuoer's eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly accepted reality and gave a soft "Oh".

Ji Yang looked at the little head that had been lowered and changed the subject: "There is a morning class tomorrow, and all the hostages have to attend."

Sure enough, these words immediately provoked an even bigger reaction.

Jiang Nuoer slumped into her chair, feigning sleepiness: "I don't like getting up early... I'm so sleepy..."

It did, however, add a touch of the vibrant energy that children should have.

Ji Yang walked to the bedside and pulled back the heavy curtains a little: "Go to sleep early, then you won't be sleepy."

Jiang Nuoer jumped up, her face showing reluctance, but she obediently crawled back into bed and whispered to herself, "Then... will you come again tomorrow?"

"Um."

Jiang Nuoer was relieved to receive this affirmative answer.

He closed his eyes, then opened them a crack after a while. He saw Ji Yang still standing by the bed, seemingly checking if he was asleep. He quickly closed his eyes again, but couldn't help but smile.

Ji Yang extinguished several candles in the hall, leaving only the faint light from the fireplace and the star map on the dome.

The little white dog jumped onto the bed and lay down next to Jiang Nuoer's pillow. Two steady breaths filled the air as both the big dog and the little dog drifted off to sleep.

In front of the solitary confinement cell.

Inside the solitary confinement cell, the man, who was tightly bound, began to writhe wildly on the floor when he heard the door open.

Ji Yang removed the gag from his mouth: "Hello, Sirius, I am Yao, I have something to ask you."