Redeem The Villain [Quick Travel] Chapter 3
byHe pushed open the large door. The terrifying scene he had imagined did not materialize. Instead, the room was unexpectedly clean and tidy. In the center, the Merfolk had a head of long, dark, curly hair draped over his shoulders, and his deep, dark eyes watched him with a gloomy intensity. Perhaps due to the black tail, the Merfolk’s skin was dark, and his wheat-colored arms were muscular.
The Elf’s gaze traveled downward, but he could only see so much; a table in front of the Merfolk completely obscured anything below the waist.
After understanding his own value, Lu Qinian was no longer afraid of the other party. He pondered for a moment at the door, finally deciding to meet Aleksi’s gaze with a calm expression, as this better suited the personality of the Elf Saint Child.
“How is it? Do I meet your expectations?” Aleksi’s voice was neither loud nor soft, yet the chill penetrated to the bone.
Lu Qinian paused his bowing motion. The next second, he straightened his back. Perhaps it was an illusion, but he thought he heard a hint of weakness in the Merfolk’s tone.
Weakness? Why would he be weak? According to the information, Aleksi had not sustained any injuries recently.
The Elf’s silence made Aleksi more irritable. He patiently said, “Come here.”
The current situation didn’t give Lu Qinian time to figure out the reason for the Merfolk’s weakness. But before he could take a step, the surrounding temperature plummeted again. The Merfolk’s expression grew even gloomier, likely contemplating stabbing him to death.
Without time to speak, he instantly took several steps forward.
Elves possess affinity, which is a natural magic. The magnitude of this affinity energy largely depends on the Elf’s innate talent. Thor was the Elf Saint Child, naturally the most talented Elf in decades.
Aleksi’s deep eyes remained fixed on the Elf, and he felt a strange sensation. Compared to half a month ago, the Elf in front of him was only slightly thinner. His steady steps proved that his wound had long since healed. Looking at his face, it was still that annoying appearance, yet Aleksi felt something was off.
Just now, he clearly wanted to stab the Elf directly. He had never seen what color an Elf’s heart was, but then he suddenly felt he shouldn’t do that.
Damn it, did this Elf cast a spell on him?
Elves can use curses?
Lu Qinian was unaware of Aleksi’s thoughts. He stopped when he was neither too close nor too far from the table. His tone was profound, yet respectful as he said, “Your Majesty, the Merfolk.”
He was only two or three meters away from Aleksi. Although he had recalled the Merfolk’s appearance many times, he was still captivated by the Merfolk’s looks before him.
Different, Lu Qinian withdrew his gaze.
The Aleksi at the banquet had been casually seated on a high platform, a wicked smile playing on his face, his deep eyes becoming extremely sinister with the grin. Without warning, he instantly raised his hand, snatched the weapon from the Guard beside him, and with a flick of his wrist, plunged the long sword straight into the Elf’s abdomen—a complete lunatic.
The Merfolk now, however, was gloomy but extremely calm, a huge difference from the tyrant at the banquet. Even with his wheat-colored skin, it was easy to see the pallor on his face, as if he was struggling to endure inhuman torment.
If the days in the Dungeon hadn’t been so idle, forcing Lu Qinian to only read materials about Aleksi daily, perhaps he wouldn’t have noticed Aleksi’s perpetually furrowed brow, which seemed to indicate pain, or the subtle, hard-to-detect tremor hidden within his cold tone.
What exactly is the problem?
Could it be that the Merfolk’s problem can only be solved by an Elf… If so, then the System choosing the identity of Thor makes sense.
The Elf’s quiet demeanor surprised Aleksi. He hadn’t expected the Elf to be so compliant.
His eyes scrutinized the Elf before him. The Elf’s face was naturally pleasing to the eye, even more handsome than any Merfolk.
He had originally thought the Elf would cause a scene like before, allowing him to kill the other party directly without heeding Yang Luo’s advice.
But now… Aleksi hesitated.
After a moment, he curled his lips, his expression turning wicked, the perfect villain. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?”
“I am.”
Hearing this, Aleksi’s smile became more genuine. He half-smiled and half-asked, “Then why did you still dare to come?” He paused, then added, “It seems you really hate me.”
The Merfolk had deep eye sockets, a high nose bridge, and clear, angular facial contours, making him look more like a mixed-blood. His sincere smile brought a hint of mirth to his gloomy eyes, making him even more handsome and slightly dazzling.
Lu Qinian quickly closed his eyes, responding with feigned indifference, “You hate me just the same, don’t you?”
Calm down, calm down. Aleksi is a demon. It doesn’t matter how good-looking he is!
Noticing the Elf’s abnormality, the Merfolk suddenly became more interested. He had only reluctantly spared the Elf’s life because he couldn’t stand the High Priest’s nagging; otherwise, there was no way he would have lived until now.
But… the Elf in front of him not only lacked the arrogance of half a month ago but had become extremely interesting.
Aleksi smiled and admitted, “Yes, so… have you thought about how you want to die?”
Should he kill him or not? Aleksi tapped his slender fingers on the table.
The “tap-tap-tap” sound was extremely clear in the quiet room.
Lu Qinian’s hairs instantly stood on end. His entire spine felt cold and stiff. What kind of joke was this? Of course, he didn’t want to die!
He now deeply regretted agreeing to that damned ball and taking on this damned mission! He might as well have just died!
The Elf’s eyes were tightly shut, the green gaze hidden beneath his eyelids.
Aleksi suddenly felt irritated, and even his throbbing headache worsened. He wanted to see those eyes. His tone instantly turned fierce. “Open your eyes!”
The furious shout reached his ears, and Lu Qinian instantly opened his eyes, staring directly at the other party.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knocking sound from outside the door.
Aleksi rubbed his painfully throbbing forehead. The commotion just now had alerted Yang Luo, who was waiting outside. His condition could only be treated by an Elf with a very high level of affinity.
Yang Luo was afraid that Aleksi, in his emotional state, might kill the Elf.
Lu Qinian was not curious about the noise outside the door. Perhaps the knocker hadn’t received a response from inside, or perhaps they were genuinely urgent, as the knocking became more frantic.
Aleksi was utterly annoyed and lost the desire to tease. “You, come and stand behind me.”
As the Elf stepped behind him, Aleksi’s deep eyes turned cold and terrifying. He hissed like a venomous snake, “If you dare to make any small moves, I won’t just take your life…”
Lu Qinian frowned deeply, nodded in response, maintaining an air of refusing conversation, and stood behind Aleksi.
As expected, the High Priest entered first, followed by several other Merfolk.
A gray-tailed Merfolk looked at Lu Qinian: “Your Majesty, this person behind you…”
Lu Qinian had no desire to seek knowledge from NPCs, nor was he interested in prying into the secrets between the monarch and his subjects. He simply shifted his gaze to observe Aleksi’s back.
From the back, Aleksi’s physique was the classic inverted triangle—truly a perfect figure that was muscular when unclothed and lean when dressed.
His gaze slowly moved downward. Lu Qinian raised an eyebrow, unsurprised to see the Merfolk’s legs. Beneath the luxurious brocade robes was not the ominous black fish tail.
It made sense. A Merfolk who had been abused since childhood because of the color of his tail must harbor deep resentment towards it. If Lu Qinian were him, he wouldn’t expose his tail either.
Before he could observe for long, the surrounding temperature instantly dropped, becoming icy cold. Lu Qinian quickly looked up, instantly meeting that chilling gaze.
“You are truly bold.”
Lu Qinian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He subconsciously replied, “Thank you… for the compliment.”
·
Closing the door, Lu Qinian instantly slumped against it, exhausted. The coarse cloth on his body was already soaked with sweat. Thinking back to the scene just now, he heavily exhaled. “I thought I was going to die.”
Thank goodness. Thank goodness.
Only after surviving did he realize how cold his hands and feet were. He had almost forgotten how sensitive Aleksi, the villainous tyrant, was.
He had been so brazenly observing him for so long. Fortunately, he was only scolded by Aleksi’s anger and then picked up by the Merfolk and thrown out of the room.
After recovering for a while, Lu Qinian finally looked up to examine the room before him.
The room was large and extraordinarily luxurious. Exquisite crystal artifacts were everywhere, and massive luminous pearls were embedded in the walls in pairs, serving as lamps.
On a crystal table in the distance were many supplies. Animal fur products hung on a chair nearby. Looking at the other side, the crystal bed and sofa were draped with quilts and cushions made from interwoven gold silk threads. Just one look suggested how soft they must be.
This… this looked exactly like Aleksi’s sleeping quarters!
What did it mean to bring him here? Was he going to be… forced to attend to the Merfolk?
Lu Qinian’s feigned aloofness had already vanished. He wrinkled his face and quietly complained, “Although I’m a sucker for good looks, I don’t want such a fierce husband.”
A “knock-knock” interrupted his thoughts. The Elf put on his cold expression and opened the door.
An elderly Merfolk wearing black-rimmed glasses sized up the Elf the moment the door opened. After a moment, he nodded, revealing a smile. “Saint Child, I am His Majesty’s butler. You can call me Fish Butler.”
With that, the Fish Butler quietly watched Lu Qinian.
“Fish Butler.”
The butler was Aleksi’s man. Lu Qinian filed the nodding gesture away in his mind.
Hearing the Elf respond, the Fish Butler stepped aside, revealing a cart behind him. “These are the clothes His Majesty prepared for you, as well as some food. Would you like to dine now?”
Yes! Yes! Lu Qinian quickly stepped aside, his movements swift but polite. “Yes, thank you.”
Guards swiftly placed a dining table in the center of the room and arranged plates of exquisite food on the surface.
The Fish Butler smiled gently. “The Saint Child needn’t thank me.”
This was the first kind Merfolk Lu Qinian had encountered since arriving in this world. After much deliberation, he asked, “May I ask, Fish Butler, this room is…”
The Guards finished setting the tableware and quickly exited the room. Lu Qinian stopped speaking, quietly looking at the butler before him.
The Fish Butler understood the unspoken meaning of the Elf’s words, but he simply smiled and said, “Saint Child, please enjoy your meal first. We will wait outside the door.”
The Fish Butler’s smile was bright. Lu Qinian withdrew his gaze and turned to sit at the dining table. The fish and meat on the plates were exquisitely prepared and very appetizing. There were even neatly sliced fruits, the Elf tribe’s favorite.
He picked up a piece of fruit, put it in his mouth, and chewed quietly. The fruit was lightly sweet and juicy, and the crisp flesh was very palatable. Only after he swallowed the fruit did he hear the sound of the door locking behind him.
“Damn it.”
Although it was delicious food, he felt like he was being watched while swallowing poison.
Aleksi might be terrifying, but he wouldn’t use underhanded tricks to kill him. This meal was the most satisfying Lu Qinian had eaten in half a month.
After the Guards removed the tableware from the room, Lu Qinian noticed a neatly folded piece of clothing on the sofa. From a distance, the fabric appeared to be woven with gold thread, but the thickness seemed overly thin.
After a day of activity, he was sweaty and dried out. His skin was sticky, and the rough cloth chafed uncomfortably, causing a burning sensation. While he could endure it in the Dungeon, in this environment, the desire to clean himself lingered.
After thinking about it, he walked toward the sofa, bent down, and picked up the garment, spreading it out with both hands.
The moment his eyes registered the clothing, Lu Qinian’s pupils instantly dilated, and the Elf’s pale complexion flushed crimson.
This was actually… lewd… lewd!
The crucial areas of the garment in his hands were entirely hollowed out. Even the back was largely exposed. Only a thin thread connected the front and back pieces of fabric between the waist and hips.
This! Could Aleksi have specifically ordered this?!
He instinctively wanted to throw the clothes away, but before he could make a move, he heard a “click”—the sound of the door opening.
Aleksi was also surprised by the scene before him. He immediately recognized that the garment in the Elf’s hands was made of the same soft, smooth fabric as his bedding.
The Merfolk raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips, and his deep, husky voice was laced with a hint of laughter.
“Are you planning… to seduce me?”