chapter 4
Eric suddenly realized something and put on an apologetic expression. “Please forgive my oversight. If you don’t mind, I can carry you on my back.”
His expression was sincere, making him look like an upright gentleman.
Tu Nan blushed and nodded gently.
The Prince crouched down in front of her. Tu Nan carefully leaned onto his back, placing her hands on his shoulders.
“You’re really light,” Eric’s voice drifted, “but that’s alright. My Castle has the finest Cooks-you’ll definitely love the food they prepare.”
Tu Nan felt a bit relieved that she couldn’t speak; it saved her a lot of trouble and she didn’t have to be distracted by conversing with the Prince.
As she listened absentmindedly to the Prince’s chatter, she analyzed her current situation in her mind.
As a Novice Dungeon, the difficulty couldn’t be too high, and the risk of death wasn’t great.
Looking at the first Rule combined with the last Rule, it was already clear that the Wedding would be anything but ordinary.
On Carnival Day, she didn’t dare imagine what kind of celebration the Strange Tales would use for the Wedding.
It certainly wouldn’t be a scene of fireworks and laughter, witnessing a loving couple tying the knot.
The second Rule was easy to understand, but the third Rule puzzled her.
-In everyone’s eyes, the Princess is a delicious Little Cake.
A delicious… Little Cake?
In the world of Strange Tales, she had no choice but to take this phrase literally.
“We’re here.”
Lost in her thoughts, Tu Nan was startled by the Prince’s voice beneath her.
She snapped back to reality and looked up. In front of her stood a magnificent and exquisite Castle, with a row of Soldiers standing at the entrance, saluting the Prince in unison.
The Prince set her down. Her bare feet touched the icy stone floor, and a piercing pain swept through her. Tu Nan hissed and instinctively frowned.
Eric misinterpreted her expression as being unable to bear the cold ground, so he immediately ordered a Maid nearby to bring her a pair of comfortable flat shoes.
Tu Nan didn’t refuse his kindness. After putting on the shoes, she endured the stabbing pain with every step and followed Eric into the Castle.
This Castle was exactly as she had imagined from fairy tales; every corner radiated a dreamy atmosphere.
“It’s just dinner time,” Eric said with a cheerful smile, holding her hand as they walked toward the Dining Room. “I’m sure you’ll love tonight’s meal.”
Tu Nan followed behind him, secretly memorizing the route.
They arrived at the Dining Room, where a beautiful young woman in a white formal dress sat by the table.
She had gorgeous golden hair-Ariel once had the same, but had sacrificed it to the Witch under the sea.
“Eric.” The young woman greeted them with a gentle smile. When she saw the beautiful Ariel behind Eric, she asked in surprise, “Who is this?”
“Grace,” Eric walked up and kissed her cheek, then pointed to Tu Nan and explained, “Her name is Ariel. She’s an orphan I found by the sea.”
A look of pity immediately appeared on Grace’s face, making her seem like a goddess full of compassion.
“Poor girl.” Grace came over to hug her. She carried a sweet scent, like a strawberry Little Cake. “Please rest assured and stay in the Castle. You’ll receive the best care.”
Is she the Princess mentioned in the Rule?
Tu Nan instinctively looked at her. Grace appeared beautiful and warm, like a sweet Little Cake-no one would dislike her at first sight.
She gently hugged the Princess.
“She can’t speak,” Eric added at the right moment.
Grace’s sympathetic expression deepened, her eyes almost brimming with tears.
“Such a poor girl.” She took out a silk handkerchief to dab at her tears, then led Tu Nan by the hand to sit at the table. “You must be hungry. Let’s have dinner first.”
“The Castle has the best Cooks,” Eric said again, sitting across from them and emphasizing, “You’ll definitely love the food they make.”
Eric’s repeated emphasis only made Tu Nan uneasy. She began to think about how to politely refuse the meal.
The Maids soon filed in, neatly arranging the tableware, and then the Attendants brought in dishes that filled the room with a rich aroma.
Even before the lids were lifted, the intense, almost eerie fragrance had already permeated the entire Dining Room.
Tu Nan felt her saliva rapidly pooling, and her stomach growled. She couldn’t help but grip the cutlery, staring intently at the dish in the Attendant’s hands.
The Attendant placed the dish in front of them and lifted the lid right before her eyes.
Almost instantly, steam billowed out and the rich aroma hit her. Tu Nan hadn’t even seen the food clearly before she couldn’t help but swallow.
She licked her lips, struggling to suppress the urge to pounce and devour everything on the plate.
“This is freshly caught fish from the sea, tender and melts in your mouth,” Princess Grace explained kindly. “Go ahead and try it.”
The Attendant divided the food onto three plates and placed them in front of each of them.
Grace and Eric eagerly picked up their knives and forks to enjoy the meal. Their manners were elegant, but their speed was astonishing.
The brown sauce stained the corner of Eric’s mouth, which he quickly licked away, his eyes narrowing in enjoyment.
Tu Nan lowered her head to look at the food on her plate. She assumed it was fish, cut into chunks and topped with brown sauce, garnished with some vegetables.
It looked perfectly ordinary, yet irresistibly appetizing. The aroma seemed to tease her, wafting into her nose again and again.
She swallowed again.
“Ariel, why aren’t you eating?”
Eric suddenly asked.