Ethan Gray rubbed her head and smiled, "I know."
Yuna grabbed his sleeve to wipe her tears, pouting, "I want to eat."
The restriction in her body had been accidentally unlocked by Ethan Gray, and now the surging soul power was too much for this little cat's body to contain. That's why she suddenly turned human. But to fully break through the body's restraints and leave the cat's form behind, she would still need time—after all, this was no ordinary kitten, but a Divine Beast.
Once Yuna had eaten her fill, Ethan Gray quietly took her away to carry out the task from Emperor Augustus's secret decree, leaving Quentin Hua and Roxy Shangguan behind.
This time, they didn't try to run. Ethan Gray had made it clear—the Cloud Guild was no longer his concern. Roxy Shangguan could only accept it helplessly. After all, how could she ignore it? It was a gift from her mother.
Mingxing Town wasn't far from the capital, nor was it very close. It was one of the wealthiest towns in Silvermoon Kingdom.
At this moment, the largest restaurant in Mingxing Town was bustling with noise and excitement. Everyone wore looks of anticipation, all discussing the same thing.
"Have you heard? In three days, the First Beauty will celebrate her birthday and invite everyone in Silvermoon Kingdom—whether you're a court official, a hero of the martial world, or just a commoner or beggar. As long as you want to go, the Penglai Pavilion will welcome you with open arms."
"The First Beauty? Is she more beautiful than the courtesan from Xiangling Courtyard?"
"Come on, you have no idea." The man rolled his eyes at the question, then lowered his voice mysteriously. "They say the First Beauty is even more stunning than the Empress Dowager was in her youth! Everyone knows the Empress Dowager was once the most beautiful woman in Silvermoon Kingdom. Now this new First Beauty is said to surpass her. Can you imagine how breathtaking she must be?"
Although none of them had ever seen Sophie Qiu, who could stop them from imagining her?
"I've heard too—the First Beauty has always been hidden away by the Pavilion Master of Penglai Pavilion, afraid someone might steal her away. Now, she's finally going to make an appearance."
"So what are we waiting for? Didn't they say even beggars would be treated well? Let's go and see for ourselves." They might not be important people, but at least they're better off than beggars!
The First Beauty they were all talking about was none other than the eldest daughter of Penglai Pavilion. Rumor had it she was as beautiful as a fairy descending to earth.
Penglai Pavilion wasn't a martial arts sect, but a merchant consortium. A third of Silvermoon Kingdom's economy was in its hands.
Penglai Pavilion was usually low-key, but now it was suddenly hosting a grand banquet for everyone—an unprecedented event. Something about it felt off. Emperor Augustus naturally paid attention, knowing any trouble in Penglai Pavilion would affect Silvermoon Kingdom. So he assigned the task to Ethan Gray, who was traveling freely outside. In the end, it was just the emperor feeling unbalanced!
Why should Ethan Gray get to roam the world freely, living so carelessly, while he was stuck in the palace, facing piles of memorials every day?
Besides, if the Ghost Guild and Cloud Guild hadn't slacked off, Penglai Pavilion wouldn't have flourished so much, and he wouldn't have to worry. So Ethan Gray was responsible for this, too.
To say he trusted Ethan Gray most wasn't quite true—a ruler never fully trusts anyone. He admired Ethan Gray and their relationship was good, but the lessons of kingship were ingrained in him. Sometimes, even if he didn't want to, he instinctively kept his guard up.
The only reason he didn't guard against Ethan Gray was that he had no attachment to the throne. If Ethan Gray wanted it, he'd gladly hand it over. In a way, he was quite the oddball!
As for why Ethan Gray kept helping Emperor Augustus over and over, it certainly wasn't out of loyalty to the throne.
It was simply because the Ghost Guild and Cloud Guild were both based in Silvermoon Kingdom. If anything happened to the kingdom, they would be affected too. So for Emperor Augustus's tasks, Ethan Gray's attitude was: if it was easy, he'd help.
Yuna munched away, ears perked to catch the gossip around her. Hearing people talk about the First Beauty as if she were unparalleled, she couldn't help but snort, "If they've always kept her hidden, how do they know she's so beautiful? That's a contradiction!"
Ethan Gray listened with a blank expression, his eyes thoughtful. To invite everyone in Silvermoon Kingdom—Penglai Pavilion could afford it, and not everyone would actually go. Still, such extravagance was unusual. Penglai Pavilion had always known not to reveal all its strengths, so this kind of showiness must have a hidden agenda.
Lynn Yee wore a harmless smile, but he didn't miss a single detail of the conversation.
Glancing at Yuna—now full, sprawled on the table with her round belly in the air—Ethan Gray's eyes softened with a smile. He tossed a handkerchief over her, and Yuna was instantly buried beneath it, only her tail sticking out.
Yuna grabbed the handkerchief and carefully wiped her mouth, then tried to stuff it into Ethan Gray's arms. Ethan Gray wrinkled his nose in distaste, grabbed her and held her away, warning, "Don't put used things in my arms!"
Yuna thought it was a bit improper to wipe her mouth on Ethan Gray's sleeve in public. Besides, when traveling, his sleeve was always dusty—she wouldn't want that near her mouth. So now his arms were stuffed with a pile of colorful handkerchiefs, enough to build a cat's nest.
Ethan Gray didn't mind most of it, but those handkerchiefs covered in grease were absolutely not allowed in his arms!
Seeing his look of disgust, Yuna shook her legs, struggled free from his grip, put her paws on her hips, lifted her chin, and snorted, "What's the big deal? Think you're so clean? You've tasted my drool before!"
"Pfft..." Lynn Yee couldn't help but laugh, then quickly stifled it, his body shaking as if he were having a fit.
He couldn't help but think to himself: Was Prince Damien really that desperate? Sure, this kitten was special, but she was still a cat!