Chapter 283: Very Clever Dragon!

"Unicorn little sister? Where are you?" There was no response for a moment, so Zhuoyue puzzledly stepped forward to search.

And the direction he searched in was precisely the entrance to the rear garden.

Standing there, of course, was Gervas!

"Cough cough, it's me, Zhuoyue!"

Gervas took a step forward, appearing before Zhuoyue's eyes, which sparkled with delight.

"Uh… how is it you? Gervas, two-legged beast? Where's my unicorn little sister? Did you scare her off… wait, something feels off!"

Zhuoyue fell silent mid-sentence, then sank into deep thought.

Of course it felt off!

Because Gervas was currently speaking to it in unicorn language.

And that call just now? It was Gervas—not some unicorn little sister!

Zhuoyue finally realized.

"That… that Gervas, two-legged beast, the moon tonight is so round—did you just speak in our unicorn tongue?" Zhuoyue ventured cautiously.

"Correct! But I just thought I heard you say something about a unicorn little sister?"

"Cough cough, no I didn't! Gervas, you must've misheard! Also, how come you can speak our unicorn language? Are you, in fact, a unicorn yourself?"

"No, I'm not a unicorn. I merely ate a strange fruit given to me by the sea folk—it allows me to communicate with all races. By the way, I really did hear you say 'unicorn little sister'!" Gervas stared intently at Zhuoyue.

"Really? There are fruits like that? Then congratulations! By the way, Gervas, two-legged beast, I have some matters to attend to—I'll be off now. Also, I never called anyone 'unicorn little sister'—it definitely wasn't me…"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Zhuoyue flapped its wings and soared into the air, vanishing into the night sky.

"Hey, think you can just run off? Zhuoyue, I'm going to hold this secret over your head for life!"

Clearly, Zhuoyue was still too young—this secret wasn't something he could escape just by flying away…

…

【Ding! Daily intelligence has been refreshed!】

【Intelligence One: Due to the envoy banquet half a month ago, the Magic Fan has gained fame. The team dispatched by Marquis Mixus will arrive at Storm Domain this morning!】

【However, after Marquis Mixus's team, a second prince's contingent is also on the way.】

【But the second prince's team has a different goal—he seeks to court you, and also covets your Magic Fan and the Monocular Telescope.】

【To the envoy sent by the second prince, this attempt to court you and acquire your Magic Fan and Monocular Telescope is certain to succeed.】

【Intelligence Two: Dark creatures along the border have been increasing over time; today at noon, another hundred or so dark creatures will wander to the edge of Storm Domain's iron mine.】

【Notably, although this group of dark creatures is small in number, it includes five third-rank dark creatures and dozens of second-rank ones.】

【This phenomenon occurs because a powerful fifth-rank dark creature has emerged in the Land of Death.】

【This fifth-rank dark creature defeated the other dark creatures who previously ruled the Land of Death.】

【These hundred or so dark creatures are now under the command of one fourth-rank dark creature.】

【Since their leader was killed, they fled beyond the Land of Death's borders during daylight out of fear.】

【Intelligence Three: The Tulip Trading Guild's caravan will arrive in the afternoon. While here to trade, they bring bad news: your attempt to purchase warhorses has failed, as northern tensions have tightened and all horse sales have slowed.】

【If you truly wish to buy, you must wait until next spring.】

【Intelligence Four: The internal strife within the Darwin Marquis family has ended; the dispute between the second and third sons was ultimately won by the third son, who brought in outside aid.】

【To consolidate his hard-won position, immediately after inheriting the marquis title, he launched a massive purge of the family.】

【Two hundred cavalrymen who previously supported the second son were imprisoned.】

【Originally, the new Darwin Marquis intended to execute these cavalrymen and their families, but due to the family's financial strain after the internal conflict,】

【on his confidant's advice, he decided to reduce the two hundred cavalrymen to slaves and publicly auction them off!】

【The Darwin Marquis family has already sent auction invitations to surrounding nobles; the auction will be held three days from now.】

【The nobles are highly interested, even hoping the Darwin Marquis family will sell the warhorses alongside the slaves.】

【In response, the Darwin Marquis family states that as long as enough gold coins are offered, everything is negotiable.】

【For the Darwin family is one of the northern powers that breed warhorses.】

【Intelligence Five: Adamas, who has taken control of the family fleet, is growing faster and faster; to increase his achievements and secure greater leverage for his future inheritance of the Austin family title,】

【he has begun commanding the fleet to clear pirates from the coastal waters around the Austin family's territory.】

【Intelligence: Harvests are gradually beginning across the kingdom's territories, but the northern beast tribes are stirring.】

【With winter approaching, they annually raid the kingdom's borders to secure provisions for survival.】

【In the past half-month, over thirty beast tribe raids have been reported along the kingdom's borders.】

【The current situation remains manageable, but future security remains under evaluation.】

【The kingdom's current response is to order all border military units and border domains to increase vigilance.】

【Ding! Daily intelligence refresh complete…】

"Gervas! Gervas! Wake up!"

"Gervas! Gervas! Don't sleep in!"

A giant club strikes the sleeping soul, forcibly prying open your eyes.

Amidst wails like ghosts and wolves, Gervas was forcibly rebooted.

The worst part? The system's message upon rebooting was already troublesome.

"Gervas, you're finally awake!"

Eyes opened, a giant head crouched at the bedside, staring directly at him.

Who else but Taohuajin?

Gervas realized that gaining the language of all races wasn't all benefit.

Because in the past, when Taohuajin came to wake him, he only heard chirping and chattering.

Though noisy, he could treat it as bird song and floral fragrance.

But now that he understood their language, he could no longer pretend it was bird song and floral fragrance…

"Taohuajin, you've gone too far! I just overslept a little!"

"A little? Gervas, the sun's already shining on your butt—yesterday, the sun only reached the floor!" Taohuajin pointed to the ground beneath the bed.

"This… this was unavoidable! Who else but me would train so hard last night? I wanted to be strong enough to protect you if a dragon ever came to snatch you!"

Gervas resorted to emotional appeal.

But Taohuajin sneered, exposing him: "Gervas, you're lying! Though I now appear as a Swift Eagle, I am a dragon—you can't fool a dragon, even a small one, who is very clever!"

"You didn't train so hard last night to protect me—you had another reason! And I know exactly what that reason is!"

"Uh… you know that?!" Gervas was stunned.

"Of course. Besides me, Zhuoyue and Magic Swift Eagle all know! Only your human ears are too weak to hear!"

"The situation was like this… we heard Chef Rose ask you: 'My lord, wasn't training a little bit enough before? Why are you training so long tonight?'"

"And you replied: 'You changed into that short skirt—I think today I can train a little longer…'"

Cough! Cough! Cough!

"Alright, alright, Taohuajin, I admit I was wrong—don't say any more! Go wait for me in the dining hall—I'll be right there!"

"Hmph, that's better. Hurry up, my stomach's already flat from hunger!" Taohuajin flapped his proud head out the window!