Chapter 68. Heat and blanket overload

Chapter 68: 68. Heat and blanket overload

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER

I started at system response. Lately, answers started becoming too hilarious to believe.

"Two jealous princes detected?"I stared at the system. "You really had to announce that?"

"DING." Host’s current situation requires caution."A system said.

"What kind of caution?"I asked.

"Avoid unnecessary mating competition."A system said.

"Why would you phrase it like that?!"I nearly dropped my spoon.

"Isolda, where is the private chamber?"Lang Li immediately stood up.

"I’ll accompany Wei."Song Hue also stood.

"No." Lang Li’s voice became cold.

"I wasn’t asking you."Song Hue said.

"I know."Lang Li frowned.

"Can both of you stop?"I groaned.

The heat in my body suddenly intensified.

"Ah..." My hand instinctively went back to my lower belly.

"Wei."Lang Li’s expression immediately changed.

"I’m fine."I said.

"You don’t look fine."He said.

"Enough."Isolda calmly stepped between the two princes.

Her voice wasn’t loud, it didn’t need to be. Both men immediately stopped.

"The heat has only begun." Isolda explained. "His body will become increasingly sensitive as it progresses. He needs rest and privacy." She looked directly at Lang Li and Song Hue. "Neither of you will pressure him."

Both princes became silent. I was incredibly grateful.

"Thank you."I said.

Isolda nodded, then she looked toward two temple attendants.

"Prepare the Moonflower resting chamber. Cooling herbs, water, light blankets, and anything else he requires."She said.

"Yes, High Priestess."The attendants bowed.

I slowly stood. The warmth made my knees feel slightly weak. Lang Li immediately reached toward me, but stopped before touching me.

"May I?"He asked.

I looked at him. His golden eyes were filled with concern rather than possessiveness.

"Yes."I nodded.

He carefully supported my arm. Song Hue watched quietly, for once, he didn’t argue. As we walked away from the dining hall, the system appeared one more time.

"HEAT STATUS: ACTIVE. STAGE: BEGINNING. HOST COMFORT: PRIORITY."A system said. "Please remain calm."

"That’s easy for you to say."I sighed.

"Do you think the system can feel embarrassment?"Behind me, Ana whispered to Hin.

"Judging by its messages, probably not."Hin whispered back.

"I can hear both of you!"I groaned.

I had barely stepped into the private chamber when several temple attendants hurried in carrying trays.

"What is all that?"I stopped.

"Food for Prince Wei."One attendant bowed.

"Prince Wei?"One attendant bowed.

Another attendant placed a tray on the table.

"Yes, Prince Wei. You should eat while your heat is beginning."He said.

"I can feed myself."My face immediately became warm.

"Of course, Prince Wei."A servant said.

Another attendant entered carrying a large basket.

"What is that?"I stared at it.

"Your nesting supplies, Prince Wei."The attendant smiled politely.

"My... what?"I froze.

"Nesting supplies." She began placing things around the chamber.

Soft blankets, pillows, cushions, a thick quilt, another pile of extremely soft fabric, a basket of cooling herbs. Even a small stuffed looking Moonflower shaped pillow.

"Why is there so much?"I stared in horror.

"Because Prince Wei is entering heat."The attendant looked genuinely confused.

"I KNOW THAT!" My face burned.

Behind me, Lang Li coughed suspiciously.

"Don’t laugh."I turned toward him.

"I’m not."He said.

"You are."I frowned.

"I’m trying not to."He said.

"That’s worse!"I sighed.

"Prince Wei, this is cooling herb soup."Another attendant approached with a bowl.

"Thank you."I reluctantly accepted it.

Then another attendant appeared.

"Prince Wei, would you prefer the blankets arranged around the bed or-"She asked.

"Just put them anywhere!"I groaned.

"Yes, Prince Wei."She immediately bowed.

I covered my face. Why did everyone keep calling me Wei like this was perfectly normal? Suddenly, Song Hue appeared at the doorway, he looked at the mountain of pillows, hhen at me, then at Lang Li. A tiny smile appeared on his face.

"Wei."He began.

"Don’t."I said.

"I wasn’t going to say anything."He said.

"You were."I said.

"You seem comfortable."Song Hue smiled.

"I am going to throw a pillow at you."I said.

"Oh!"Ana peeked around him. She walked inside and picked up the Moonflower pillow. "That’s adorable."

"It looks like Wei."Hin followed her.

"How does a flower pillow look like me?"I stared at her.

"Soft. Confused. Easily embarrassed."Hin shrugged.

"Ana."I groaned.

"DING. NESTING ENVIRONMENT: 87% COMPLETE. RECOMMENDATION: ADD MORE PILLOWS."The system appeared.

"No."I stared at it.

"Host appears emotionally resistant."A system said.

"No kidding."I groaned.

Lang Li finally stepped closer and picked up one of the blankets.

"Do you want this one?"He asked.

I looked at him. He wasn’t teasing, he was genuinely asking.

"Yes."I sighed.

He carefully placed it beside me, then he quietly adjusted the pillows so I had somewhere comfortable to sit. My embarrassment softened slightly.

"Thanks."I smiled.

"Anything you need, Wei."His golden eyes met mine.

"Don’t say it like that."My face immediately heated again.

"Like what?"He asked.

"Like you’re making this sound romantic."I said.

Song Hue’s expression darkened.

"Oh, he’s jealous again."Ana immediately whispered to Hin.

"I heard that." Song Hue said.

"That was intentional."Hin nodded.

"I just wanted a quiet evening."I buried my face in the blanket.

"SYSTEM: REQUEST DENIED. CURRENT EVENT: TWO PRINCES + ONE HEAT-AFFECTED HOST + NESTING SUPPLIES. SYSTEM: GOOD LUCK, WEI."The system flickered.

"I hate this system."I stared at the message and somehow, from behind me, I heard Lang Li laugh.

I was still hiding behind the blanket when my mother entered the room. She took one look at the mountain of pillows surrounding me, then she looked at me, then at Lang Li, then at Song Hue standing near the doorway.

"Ah."Her expression became strangely amused.

"What does that ’ah’ mean?"I slowly lowered the blanket.

"Your heat has started properly."She said.

"Mom!"I immediately pulled the blanket back up.

"There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Wei. It’s completely natural."She laughed softly.

"Everyone keeps saying that!"I goaned.

"Because it is." She walked over and sat beside me.

I noticed she was carrying another folded blanket.

"Please don’t tell me that’s another nesting blanket."I stared at it.

"It is."She nodded.

"Mom!"I gasped.

"You’ll understand once the nesting instinct becomes stronger."She laughed.

"Stronger?"I froze.

"You’ll probably want soft things around you. Blankets, pillows, familiar scents, warm food, cool drinks..."She nodded calmly. She glanced at the ridiculous pile around me. "And apparently this temple has decided to prepare for an entire army."

"I counted twenty three pillows."Ana giggled from behind her.

"Twenty four. There’s one under Wei."Hin raised a hand.

I looked down and there really was a pillow underneath me.

"WHY?"I gasped.

"The attendants are being thorough."My mother covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"They’re terrifying."I said.

"Where should I put this?"Lang Li quietly picked up another pillow.

"Outside."I pointed toward the doorway.

He paused, but my mother immediately answered for me.

"Beside him."She said.

"Mom!"I gasped.

"The nesting instinct often makes the person seek comfort from someone they trust."She smiled innocently.

Everyone became silent. I slowly looked at Lang Li, Lang Li slowly looked at me, Song Hue’s expression became noticeably less amused. Ana’s eyes widened.

"Oh, this just became interesting."Hin whispered.

"GET OUT."I threw a pillow at her.

"Successful nesting defense."Hin caught it.

"See? You’re already getting protective of your nest."My mother laughed.

"My nest?"I stared at her.

"Your room becomes your safe place during heat. You may rearrange things repeatedly until everything feels right."She nodded.

I looked around. There were blankets everywhere, pillows everywhere, food on the table, cooling herbs. A little Moonflower pillow, so I sighed.

"So I’m basically going to become a very angry blanket dragon."I said.

"Exactly."My mother smiled.

"DING. NEW DESCRIPTION UNLOCKED: HOST WEI - TEMPORARY BLANKET DRAGON. NESTING INSTINCT: DEVELOPING. SYSTEM ADVICE: DO NOT STEAL ALL THE PILLOWS."The system appeared.

"I wasn’t going to!"I stared at it.

"You absolutely were."Hin immediately pointed at the pile.

"Leave."I grabbed another pillow.

Ana burst out laughing. Even my mother couldn’t hold back anymore. And Lang Li? He was smiling which somehow made me even more embarrassed. I was still sitting in the middle of my ridiculous pillow fortress when Lang Li approached from one side.

"Wei."Lang Li said.

"What?"I looked up.

Before I could react, he leaned down and gave my cheek a gentle kiss. I froze. My brain stopped functioning. Then, from the other side, Song Hue stepped closer.

"Don’t think you’re the only one who can do that."Song Hue said.

"Wait-"I began.

He leaned down and kissed my other cheek. I stopped breathing, my entire face went beet red.

"..."I started.

Ana’s jaw dropped, Hin slowly covered her mouth, my mother stared at the two princes then she sighed.

"Children."She said.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"I immediately covered both cheeks.

"Comforting you."Lang Li looked completely calm.

"Exactly."Song Hue nodded.

"THAT WAS NOT COMFORT!"I gasped.

"DING. HOST TEMPERATURE: INCREASING. CAUSE: EMBARRASSMENT. NESTING INSTINCT: CONFUSED. SYSTEM RECOMMENDATION: HIDE UNDER BLANKET."The system appeared.

"I don’t need your recommendation!" I immediately pulled the blanket over my head.

Ana started laughing.

"Blanket dragon has entered defensive mode."Hin whispered.

"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!"I gasped.

"Perhaps everyone should give Wei some space."My mother shook her head, smiling.

"Thank you, Mom."I peeked out from beneath the blanket.

"Especially those two."She glanced at Lang Li and Song Hue.

Both princes reluctantly stepped back as I sighed in relief.

"Your face is still red."Lang Li smiled.

"GO AWAY!"I immediately disappeared under the blanket again.

I needed to be alone, not surrounded by princes or blankets!