Chapter 90 – The Enchanted Forest: You Are My Exclusive Love (07)
“Splash—”
Bai Tang accidentally slipped into the pool. He had always been afraid of water, and the floating sensation beneath his feet left him completely without a sense of security.
“Dan—Daniel…” Bai Tang flailed his arms in panic.
In the next moment, Daniel wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him up so he could breathe.
Bai Tang clung tightly to Daniel, his eyes glistening with fear. The blush on his face had faded, replaced by a pale complexion. His white clothes, now soaked, had turned semi-transparent, revealing the faint outlines of his delicate form beneath.
“Get me out—I want to go ashore,” Bai Tang trembled, his skin prickling from the icy water.
The pool wasn’t particularly deep, but Bai Tang was small, unable to touch the bottom.
Daniel easily lifted him out of the water.
A gentle breeze swept past, making Bai Tang shiver even more in his drenched state.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him—it was Daniel, holding a blanket as he carefully dried Bai Tang’s body.
The warmth slowly returned, easing his discomfort. Bai Tang let out a contented little murmur.
Something stirred within Daniel. He cupped the back of Bai Tang’s head, pressing their lips together in a deep, fervent kiss. Even the cool night air couldn’t stop the heat between them from intensifying. Just as Bai Tang was about to run out of breath, Daniel finally released him.
Bai Tang, now completely enraptured, gazed up at him with hazy eyes, a look of confusion mixed with longing. His flushed cheeks resembled someone who had drunk a little too much. “Daniel… why did you stop kissing me~”
His soft, sweet voice was like a trigger, releasing the beast Daniel had been keeping restrained inside.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel glanced around at the deserted surroundings before scooping Bai Tang up in his arms and carrying him back to the tree hollow…
That night, the sky was adorned with countless shimmering stars.
Bai Tang sat up, the blanket slipping from his upper body down to his waist, revealing the scattered marks of affection left on his skin. A large hand reached out from behind, pulling him into a warm embrace, his bare back pressing lightly against Daniel’s firm chest.
“Are you hungry?” Daniel murmured contentedly, nuzzling into the soft strands of Bai Tang’s hair.
Daniel had always prepared Bai Tang’s favorite things in advance. At this moment, the tree hollow had everything they needed. Bai Tang’s eyes sparkled as he cradled the freshly warmed milk Daniel had prepared, watching him demonstrate his cooking skills.
The elves’ tree hollows weren’t particularly hidden, but there was a distinction between those designated for elves and those meant for guests.
Kelly, whose sword had broken, had spent the entire afternoon searching the forest for materials to reforge it after consulting the elves. Now, as night fell, she dragged her exhausted body back.
Upon returning to her tree hollow, she noticed wisps of smoke curling from the tree hollow diagonally across from hers—Daniel’s. The flickering light from inside cast the shadows of two figures against the walls, sometimes apart, sometimes overlapping. Clear, cheerful laughter rang out from within.
Kelly took a bite of the fruit the elves had gifted her, but suddenly, it tasted bland and unappetizing.
The other person in Daniel’s tree hollow… it had to be that beautiful young man.
Her thoughts drifted back to the first time she met Daniel.
She had thought she was going to die when she was bitten by a venomous snake. Desperate, she had called out for help, not expecting anyone to come. But then, he appeared—Daniel, the graceful young man, walking toward her from afar. With gentle care, he examined her wound and administered medicine. It was at that moment that her heart had skipped a beat for the first time.
But now, that same heart seemed to be chasing after someone else—a more delicate, ethereal youth.
The appearance of that boy from back then overlapped in her mind with Bai Tang’s face.
It was him!
Kelly abruptly stood up, only to slump back down moments later, a bitter smile forming on her lips as she gazed at the entrance of Daniel’s tree hollow.
So… she had lost.
She had lost before the game even began.
Two days passed quickly.
The second trial—Dream Illusion—was about to begin.
The first trial tested courage and the ability to seize the right moment, while the second trial would assess whether the challengers could remain true to their hearts, resisting the illusions of wealth and splendor.
Dream Illusion—also known as the Enchanted Dream—was the test. The challengers would drink a special potion crafted by the elves, which would bring forth their deepest fears and desires. The key to passing the trial was whether they could see through the illusion, stay true to themselves, and break free from the dream.
Daniel picked up the bowl, casting a reassuring glance at Bai Tang, who was worried about him. He silently mouthed the words, “Don’t be afraid,” before downing the potion in one gulp and stepping into the crystal formation prepared by the elves.
As soon as he drank the potion, weakness spread through his body, his senses dulled, and the surrounding sounds gradually faded into a low hum.
Through the haze, a familiar path appeared before him—the road leading to his home.
The house where he had lived for over a decade. The path he had walked countless times.
With eager anticipation, he pushed open the door. Inside, his mother was smiling as she chatted with his father, while the household servants swept fallen leaves in the courtyard.
“Father, Mother…”
Tears welled up in Daniel’s eyes, and he couldn’t stop himself from rushing forward, burying his face in his mother’s lap as he sobbed.
“You silly child, why are you crying as soon as you return? Did someone bully you outside?” Lady Giles asked, her voice as gentle as ever.
He wiped away his tears and forced a smile. “No, I just missed you so much.”
“Go freshen up, then come out and have dinner.”
Just like that, Daniel returned to his once-happy life—studying alchemy under his father, helping his mother water the flowers and read books. Everything was peaceful and blissful.
Daniel… Daniel…
A pair of damp, shimmering eyes flickered through his mind for just a moment.
Who…?
Daniel clutched his suddenly racing heart. It felt like… something was missing.
Daniel, don’t you want me anymore?
A trembling, childlike voice, tinged with pleading sorrow, echoed in his ears.
Who is that? Who are you…?
Before he could make sense of it, flames erupted all around him.
A raging fire engulfed his home. Within the blaze, several figures dressed in black raised their blades, slaughtering the household servants without mercy.
Blood. Fire. Corpses.
The ground was littered with familiar faces.
Daniel screamed, but the assassins couldn’t hear him. They rushed deeper into the house, where his last two remaining family members awaited their fate.
“No—! Father! Mother—!”
Daniel lunged forward, trying to stop them, but his body passed straight through the scene as if he were nothing more than a ghost.
He was powerless. He could do nothing but watch the lifeless eyes of his parents stare back at him, forever frozen in horror.
“If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves for not knowing your place and offending the Lord of the City.”
The leader of the assassins sneered as he withdrew his blade.
The Lord of the City… Cook Vito.
Daniel collapsed in front of his parents’ remains, unable to even gather them for a proper burial.
He hated. He hated his own weakness. He hated his own powerlessness. He hated that he was not strong enough.
He lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes filled with an all-consuming rage.
Swamp City Lord, Cook Vito…!
Big brother, don’t be sad~
I like this big brother…
That soft, sweet voice echoed again.
A pair of small, bare feet appeared before Daniel. A young boy smiled at him, dimples forming on his chubby cheeks as he reached out to hold his hand.
“Big brother, can I stay with you from now on?”
As he spoke, two pointed ears suddenly emerged from his tousled brown hair, twitching rhythmically.
“Ah! My ears popped out~ Go back, go back… Why won’t they go back in…?”
The boy covered his ears, pouting as he muttered under his breath.
Amazingly, Daniel’s heart felt lighter. He reached out, gently brushing his fingers over the fuzzy golden fur of the boy’s squished-down ears.
“They’re very cute.”
“Really?” The boy’s face was filled with doubt, but when he saw that Daniel genuinely liked them, he broke into a bright smile.
“I like Daniel the most!”
I like Daniel the most…
Daniel’s heart skipped a beat, his blood surging wildly through his veins.
The scene shifted once again.
A lush green forest appeared before him. Behind him, about five meters away, stood a small wooden house.
Bai Tang had transformed into a little squirrel, scampering through the trees, while Daniel ran after him.
“Tang Tang, slow down—”
“Squeak, squeak, squeak—”
Suddenly, a tightly woven net shot up, trapping the small squirrel inside.
Black-clad men!
Daniel’s heart clenched painfully as he sprinted toward the struggling squirrel.
But the black-clad men were faster. No matter how much Daniel pushed himself, they maintained the same agonizing distance—never letting him close the gap, yet never fully escaping him either.
In no time, they carried the captured squirrel into a stone chamber.
Daniel followed them inside—only for his eyes to widen in pure rage at the scene before him.
Bai Tang, now in human form, was pinned down beneath the black-clad men. His clothes had already been torn halfway, exposing his pale, delicate stomach.
“Daniel, save me…”
The boy’s desperate gaze was fixed on the ceiling, his voice trembling as he repeatedly called out Daniel’s name.
“Tang Tang—!”
Daniel’s heart shattered.
Old grudges and new fury ignited in him all at once. Every muscle in his body tensed as he raised his fist, slamming it into the black-clad man’s temple.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
By the time he was done, the attacker was nothing more than an unrecognizable, bloodied mass on the floor.
Daniel gathered the lifeless boy into his arms, tilting his head back as he let out a soul-wrenching cry of anguish.
“Ah—!”
In the real world, the surrounding crystal formations shattered instantly.
Daniel had awakened from the dream.
At this moment, he was covered in blood, his body slashed by shards of crystal. His eyes burned crimson—like a vengeful ghost that had crawled out of the depths of hell.
Step by step… Wherever he walked, the crystal formations shattered, until he finally stepped out of the crystal array.
“This is bad—he’s fallen into madness.”
The elven elder spoke gravely. The surrounding elven guards immediately assumed defensive stances, ready to counter any possible attack.
“Daniel~”
“Holy Son!”
Like a gust of wind, Bai Tang rushed toward the blood-soaked Daniel. The nearby elves barely had time to react—their outstretched hands still hovering in midair, unable to stop him.
“Daniel, you’re bleeding…”
Bai Tang gathered his magic, channeling healing energy.
A soft green glow enveloped Daniel for a fleeting moment—then just as quickly, it vanished.
Daniel suddenly pulled Bai Tang into his arms—tight, so tight it hurt. Bai Tang winced, his small face scrunching up in discomfort.
“Daniel, it hurts~”
Daniel, it hurts…
The words jolted Daniel awake as if snapping him out of a nightmare. Panicked, he loosened his grip, stumbling backward before falling to one knee in front of Bai Tang.
“I’m sorry, Tang Tang. I’m so sorry…”
Bai Tang’s heart ached at the sight. He gently wrapped his arms around Daniel’s head, holding him close.
“Tang Tang, don’t leave me… Please, I beg you… You’re all I have left…”
“I won’t leave. Even if you drive me away, I won’t go…”
They remained in each other’s embrace for a long time.
Finally, Daniel fully regained his senses. He lifted his head, gazing at Bai Tang, who was still whispering words of comfort.
“Tang Tang.”
His voice carried the familiar warmth Bai Tang was used to. Seeing Daniel finally return to himself, Bai Tang let out a deep breath of relief—then immediately punched him lightly in the chest.
“You’re bad! You scared me~”
A little squirrel couldn’t handle such fear. Now that Bai Tang had someone to rely on, he suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion again.
“You scared me to death… I was so scared~”
Bai Tang buried himself in Daniel’s embrace, his shoulders trembling with quiet sobs.
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I’m so sorry…”
Author’s Note:
Stream-of-consciousness driving—brake!