Chapter 11 Treize’s Compensatory Meal
Chapter 11: Treize’s Compensatory Meal
“Big brother Bai, try these dishes. Lan made them all by herself.”
The sumptuous dishes on the table made Bai Li’s mouth water. He sat down and began eating without ceremony, too hungry to care about etiquette.
Suddenly he felt a heavy blow to his head and blacked out.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself gnawing on Vivian’s arm, and quite intently at that.
“Don’t ask, just keep eating.” Vivian didn’t pull her arm away and even stroked his head.
Bai Li’s entire body jolted as if electrocuted. He shoved Vivian away and moved to the side in disgust.
“When did you come in?”
“Hehe, I was worried you might starve to death, so I brought you something to eat. Treize is so clumsy and messed up again. To help you work better, I had to let you drink from me.”
“Pff, who wants to suck the blood of an old village corpse like you?”
“I told you I’m not some old village corpse! Today I’m going to fix that bad habit of yours…”
Vivian picked up a pillow and started whacking Bai Li with it, and a fierce pillow fight broke out without warning.
When Treize came in with the prepared meal, she found the entire bedroom in disarray, with cotton scattered all over the floor and something frantically wriggling under the blanket.
“Mmm… ah, could you be gentler…”
“Your Highness, I’m coming to save you right away!”
Treize yanked off the blanket, and what she saw made her blush.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s all Treize’s fault!” She covered her face and ran away.
She had seen Vivian pinning Bai Li down, her left shoulder strap had slipped down, Bai Li’s shirt buttons were undone, and critically, Vivian’s skirt hem was covering everything behind her while she was still moving around. It was hard for Treize not to misinterpret the situation.
Then Vivian and Bai Li explained in unison:
“It’s not what you think, really it’s not.”
After a good deal of explaining, Treize finally understood they had been having a pillow fight.
“Mm-hmm, can you take Treize with you next time? I want to play too.”
After the two straightened their clothes, they sat down at the table and began chatting.
Bai Li had been thoroughly beaten. It was a crushing defeat, the first time he’d been pinned down like that.
“I’ll be gentle…” Vivian truly had skill; she hadn’t used magic to fight him but had beaten him with technique alone.
Having unconsciously drunk some of Vivian’s blood in his sleep, Bai Li had indeed recovered some energy. But using Vivian as a blood bank in the long run wasn’t a solution.
“No, why would I think that?” Bai Li shook his head and looked at Treize. “Treize, have you eaten yet?”
The food on the table was indeed appetizing in appearance, aroma, and flavor. The only flaw was a piece of cake.
Bai Li’s brow immediately tensed, but seeing Treize’s expectant gaze, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh.
“Her Majesty said Your Highness loves cake. Treize’s handmade cake will surely satisfy Your Highness.”
Vivian pressed her lips together, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
If looks could kill, Bai Li would have carved Vivian into pieces by now. He picked up a slice of meat and started eating. The taste was indeed similar to what he ate at the Knights’ Order, perhaps even better.
There was a subtle hint of blood added as flavoring, but it smelled delicious. After one bite, he couldn’t stop, devouring the meal heartily, completely ignoring that Vivian and Treize were watching him.
“Hey, aren’t you two eating?”
“It’s all for you. Eat up so we can work together later.”
For once, the usually lazy Bai Li didn’t contradict her. Just as he was enjoying his meal, Vivian suddenly grabbed his hand and fastened some kind of bracelet on it.
“What are you doing? Take this thing off right now,” Bai Li protested.
“Bleh! Try and hit me now?” Vivian’s mischievous gaze couldn’t hide her glee, making a face like a triumphant little devil. “It’s nothing, just a gift for you.”
“You… forget it, food comes first.”
Treize tugged at his sleeve, finding that the prince was no longer as cold and intimidating as before, but rather quite approachable.
“It’s okay, Your Highness. Her Majesty only wants what’s best for you. We’ll help you.”
Treize looked up, her eyes unable to hide her anticipation and excitement.
Looking into her eyes, Bai Li seemed to return to that tree, where he had once been the same.
In his days at the Temple Knights Order, everyone wore heavy helmets. There were no smiles, no vitality, only mechanical training and routines.
All he heard were insults, curses, and belittlement.
“Bai Li, what are you doing? Is simply completing the training enough?”
“As a glorious Temple Knight, does your behavior honor this sacred emblem?”
Only imperative commands and questioning interrogations. Slowly, he got used to it, wearing his helmet all day.
Only when he returned to his office, with Lan having prepared food and waiting with a smile, did he feel a moment of warmth.
“Welcome back, Brother Bai Li.”
…
Back in the present, Bai Li found himself experiencing a long-lost warmth on the enemy’s side.
“Mm, thank you, Treize.” They were about the same height now, with only Vivian being slightly taller.
Treize sipped from a blood bag while snuggling into Bai Li’s arms. Since vampires had no body temperature, and Bai Li’s transformation wasn’t complete, he still retained some human characteristics. So Treize found him warm and instinctively wanted to snuggle closer.
“This child seems attached to you. Don’t disappoint us.”
Bai Li put down his bowl and chopsticks, looking at the cake in front of him, allowing Treize to lean against him and snuggle.
“I understand, but next time don’t let her bake me a cake. You must promise.”
“Alright, alright, but if you don’t modify it well, I’ll have Treize make cakes for you every day.”
Bai Li silently picked up a knife and fork, cut a piece of cake, and put it in his mouth. The sticky cream nearly made him sick on the spot. With his ice element unusable, he could only swallow the large chunks of cream.
“Mmm…”
“Your Highness, is it delicious?”
“Ahem, Treize’s is the best, but such delicious things shouldn’t be eaten too often. Less is more, you know.”
“Yes, yes, next time let’s teach you how to cook with Her Majesty Vivian.”
Bai Li nodded. Outside the window, Rose Hall was bathed in rare sunlight.
The crystalline bracelet was set aside by Bai Li. Vivian’s sudden gift of a bracelet left him puzzled, not knowing what she intended.
However, it didn’t seem meant to insult him deliberately.
“Strange, how can there be sunlight in vampire territory? Am I seeing things again?”
Bai Li rubbed his eyes. The sunlight was indeed shining on him, and he felt warmer than usual.
“That’s not right, why does it hurt so much…” He hurriedly withdrew his sun-exposed hand, which already showed several burn marks.