Chapter Fifteen: Dragged Across the Snow, Expressionless and Dispirited

The leopard cried for half the night, and had just barely fallen asleep when the sharp scent of blood jolted it awake. Opening its eyes, it saw a large basin filled with bloody, fresh meat set before it. Startled, it took a step back.

“Little White, here’s your breakfast,” Lin Lei said cheerfully as he opened the cage. “Just killed, still fresh. Hurry up and eat.”

“Disgusting! What do you think I am? I’m not a carnivore, I’m—” the leopard roared, but the words stuck in its throat.

Lin Lei looked at it in confusion. “What are you, then? Do you prefer to eat vegetables?”

Impossible, he thought. He had never heard of a vegetarian leopard.

Vegetables, my foot! I’m a druid! The leopard wanted to shout, but the crown prince had cast a silence spell, forbidding it from revealing its true identity.

After going hungry for a day, the leopard did want to eat, but as a true druid, it never ate in beast form. The sight of that gory meat was simply revolting.

Turning away, the leopard tried to ignore Lin Lei, but had barely moved before it let out a miserable howl—Lin Lei had grabbed its tail.

“What are you doing!” the leopard roared, glancing back. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you a lady’s tail is off limits?”

“Are you seriously being picky now?” Lin Lei put his hands on his hips. He’d gone through the trouble to have breakfast prepared, and he wasn’t about to let it go to waste. “If you won’t eat, I’ll give the meat to the sandbag over there!”

The bear monster tied to a pillar started howling in excitement: Yes! Yes! I haven’t eaten in three days—give it to me!

It said something to the leopard, who nodded, then turned to Lin Lei. “I’m not hungry right now. That bear monster wants to eat, you can give it to him.”

Lin Lei was surprised by the leopard’s response.

“You really don’t want it? If you refuse, I’ll just switch your places.”

“Wonderful!” the bear monster cried out in delight. “Sister Leopard, if you don’t want to be his pet, I’ll switch with you! I can’t speak yet, but I’ll learn. Just translate for me!”

The leopard shot the bear monster a cold glare. Are you that pleased with yourself? Do you think I’m stupid? If I switch with you, I’ll just end up as the new sandbag!

That little pervert hits like he’s forging iron. I’d have to be insane to trade places with you!

“…grrrr…”

At that moment, the leopard’s stomach rumbled. Lin Lei fixed his gaze on it. “You said you weren’t hungry?”

The leopard was silent for a long while. “…Maybe you were right, I could eat vegetables.”

“Wow!” Lin Lei thought to himself, No wonder this is a magical world—there really is a vegetarian leopard.

“Hurry up and bring some fruit and vegetables,” he instructed the maids.

The servants quickly swapped out the food for a platter of fruit and vegetables. Seeing the bloody meat replaced, the hungry leopard dug in at once.

“Incredible!” Lin Lei was overjoyed. This leopard was something else—not only could it speak, it was a vegetarian as well. Absolutely perfect.

“Your Highness,” a guard soon approached with a report, “the breeding leopards you ordered have arrived!”

Lin Lei stood up to take a look. A carriage rolled into the garden, carrying a large cage inside which four strong, handsome male leopards paced.

“You have excellent taste!” Lin Lei walked circles around the carriage.

The female leopard, in the midst of eating, dropped her apple. She stared blankly at the four male leopards. No way… This little pervert moves way too fast!

The male leopards, eyes blood-red, stared her up and down.

“What a beauty! I haven’t seen such a gorgeous female in two years!”

“Are we to mate with her?”

“I can’t wait!”

The male leopards prowled restlessly in their cage, eyes feverish and breaths heavy. A chill shot up the female’s spine. She froze, then erupted in a furious roar and charged at Lin Lei!

“That little brat, I’ll kill him!”

She charged, but at the last instant, as Lin Lei turned, she slammed on the brakes.

“Master!” In a flash of self-preservation, she threw herself at Lin Lei’s feet. “Master, my respected master, I am willing to serve you faithfully—please, I beg you to hear my request…”

At that moment, the leopard realized that, when it came to dignity or survival, a wise worldview was far more important.

At noon, Lin Wen entered the mage’s tower to find Lin Lei, eyes wide. “What are you doing?”

“Me?” Lin Lei tugged the rope in his hand. “I’m walking my leopard.”

On the other end of the rope, tied around the leopard’s neck, the female leopard raised her tail and rubbed her head against Lin Lei’s leg like a cat. “Brother, this leopard’s suddenly gotten very attached to me.”

Lin Wen was flabbergasted. He had just handed this druid over to Lin Lei yesterday, and now she was acting like this?

“She learns fast too,” Lin Lei said, letting go of the rope and picking up a stick. “Look, brother!”

He tossed the stick into the distance. The leopard darted after it, and soon returned, dropping the stick obediently at Lin Lei’s feet.

“Haha, Little White, you’re such a good girl.” Lin Lei patted her head in delight.

Lin Wen stared in astonishment. What on earth had happened today? This wasn’t the same leopard—she was completely transformed!

“Are you really the leopard from yesterday?” Lin Wen asked.

The leopard met his gaze. She said nothing, but the flicker of hatred in her eyes told Lin Wen he hadn’t made a mistake. He gave a cold laugh. “Quick to change, aren’t you? A beast is always a beast.”

The leopard almost pounced, but managed to restrain herself, pretending not to hear his taunt.

Stay calm, stay calm. Future great druid, you’re just acting, just acting! She wanted nothing more than to tear Lin Wen apart, but kept up her meek façade. She was powerless now, and with those four male leopards around, she had to swallow her pride and bide her time.

Damn little pervert, just let me get my chance—when I do, I’ll bite you to death!

She shot Lin Lei a glance full of murderous intent. Never in her life had she hated anyone so much. Because of Lin Lei, she had lost all her dignity.

But she had no choice but to endure. She feared no torment—only the male leopards were absolutely unacceptable. That was her line as a higher being—once crossed, she would never return to the normal world.

She had a long life ahead; dignity could be regained in time, but she swore she would not let these two off.

“By the way, brother, were you summoned by the Guardian too?” Lin Lei asked as he stroked the leopard’s head. “What did he want with us?”

Lin Wen turned his gaze from the leopard to Lin Lei. “You don’t know? The chief mage was in a rush to cultivate. He took your magic array and tried to use it for his own training, but it exploded.”

“Exploded?” Lin Lei’s hand froze. “How?”

“He tried to convert his magic power into true energy like you, but something went wrong, and his body blew up—wait, where are you going?”

Lin Wen trailed off as he saw Lin Lei drag the leopard and run outside.

“I have to hurry back and write him a memorial scroll!”

Lin Lei dashed off in high spirits. The leopard, caught off guard, was dragged by the rope around her neck. She struggled a few times, then, utterly resigned, let herself be dragged through the snow.

The sight was so bizarre that Lin Wen just stood there in shock, watching his brother disappear into the distance.

“Does it have to be this miserable…”

Even Lin Wen, at that moment, felt a surge of sympathy for the leopard.

After the thought faded, he remembered his unfinished sentence.

“Memorial scroll…”

“The chief mage isn’t even dead yet.”

He was still the chief mage, after all—of course he’d have taken precautions.