Chapter 358: The Crystal of Love

The disguise Spiritual Technique Card from Zero was incredibly useful. No one in the Underground City had noticed her identity.

But the Lord of the Underground City before her had seen through the Spirit Art enveloping her with a single glance.

Yu Zhizhi felt the familiar aura enveloping her gradually fade away. She squeezed her eyes shut, too nervous to look at the man outside the cell.

The lop-eared rabbit’s form began to change...

Her build remained about the same, and she was still of the Rabbit Clan, but her snow-white ears now stood erect, and her features had subtly shifted. Once the Blinding Technique was completely gone, everyone could clearly see her true face.

Dracula’s fingers froze in midair.

Beside them, the Director of the Underground City cried out in disbelief, "Ms. Zhi... Ms. Zhi Zhi?!"

It was Ms. Zhi Zhi of the Rabbit Clan!

When they investigated the tavern, she had used the name "Zizhi."

No one had paid it any mind.

It must have been an alias she’d adopted to avoid trouble.

Who would have thought this lop-eared rabbit’s true identity was the most esteemed Rabbit Clan Lady from the Valoran Empire!

The guards thought it odd. Who was this Rabbit Clan Lady, to make the ever-calm Director lose his composure?

Most people in the Underground City knew nothing of the Lord’s personal affairs.

But the Director knew everything.

And the female sparrow in charge of caring for the Little Prince knew even better—

She hurried to the iron bars of her cell. The Rabbit Clan Lady was in the cell next door, so she couldn’t see clearly. But just from hearing the name the Director shouted, the female sparrow became extremely agitated. "Is-is it Ms. Zhi Zhi of the Rabbit Clan?!"

The Little Prince’s birth mother was the most noble female of the Valoran Empire’s Rabbit Clan—

The one who had just recently been promoted to SS+!

The Little Prince adored his mother. Her photo had been hanging over his cradle since birth, and he needed to see it at all times.

Yu Zhizhi slowly opened her eyes.

She saw the Lord of the Underground City turn and walk away.

"Release her."

The misunderstanding was resolved.

The Director scrambled to open the cell door, his attitude a complete one-eighty from before. "Ms. Zhi Zhi, I am so sorry. We didn’t know you had returned..."

Yu Zhizhi was still bewildered.

’They... know me?’

’The Underground City of Cang Mountain is so far from the Valoran Empire. Would they really keep up with news from there?’

The Director knelt on one knee, undoing the shackles binding the Rabbit Clan Lady to the chair.

"The Little Prince misses you terribly. He waits for you every day. He’ll be overjoyed to know you’ve returned. Ms. Zhi Zhi, would you prefer to dine first, or go and see the Little Prince?"

"He’s... waiting for me?" Yu Zhizhi thought of the snow-white Eagle Clan fledgling. From the middle-aged man’s tone, it sounded like the Little Snow Eagle had been waiting for her for a very, very long time.

The Director finished unfastening the chains.

He rose slowly, a look of astonishment on his face.

’Could it be? Does Ms. Zhi Zhi not know the Lord’s identity?’

’Ah... How could I be so foolish!’

’Of course Ms. Zhi Zhi doesn’t know!’

’She’s never been to the Cang Mountain Domain before, let alone the Underground City.’

’After all, the Lord’s identity has always been a closely guarded secret.’

The Director of the Underground City bowed. "Ms. Zhi Zhi, you know our Lord. The Little Prince is the fruit of your love."

’The Little Prince...’

’The fruit of our love?’

’She gave birth to the Snow Eagle fledgling?!’

It suddenly clicked for Yu Zhizhi—

"It’s Dracula, isn’t it?!"

AAAH!

’The Lord of the Underground City is Dracula!’

’But...’

’Why did he just walk away?’

Whenever Cang Mountain was mentioned, he was the first person Yu Zhizhi thought of. But the Lord’s reaction made her hesitate.

’If it was really Dracula, why was he so cold?’

A smile touched the Director’s face. His tone was gentle, tinged with a hint of melancholy.

"Ms. Zhi Zhi, our Lord was forced to use the Sun Array last time he was in the Valoran Imperial City. The injuries he sustained were so severe... there’s a lot he can’t remember."

That included this particular Rabbit Clan Lady.

If not for the Eagle Clan Beast Egg he’d brought back, the Director never would have known that the Lord had met his beloved in an enemy nation.

Of course, even now, very few people in the palace of the Underground City knew of this.

After the Little Prince hatched, he missed his mother terribly.

The Director was the one who had prepared the photograph for him.

Yu Zhizhi got up from the chair, reeling from the sudden influx of information. The Lord of the Underground City in Cang Mountain was Dracula, and that adorable Little Snow Eagle... was her baby!

’No wonder—’

’—every time I saw him, I felt such a strong connection.’

The Director said softly, "Ms. Zhi Zhi, the Lord likely doesn’t remember what happened in the Valoran Empire. I hope you won’t take it to heart. Perhaps one day, he will recall all the little moments he spent with you."

"I understand. As long as he’s all right, that’s all that matters."

Back then, Yu Zhizhi’s greatest wish had been for Dracula to make it out of the Valoran Imperial City alive.

’As for his memories...’

’It was a little sad that Dracula didn’t remember her.’

’But what she wanted more than anything was for Dracula to live a good life!’

In that case, everything made sense.

It explained why Dracula hadn’t come to speak with her, even after removing her disguise and learning her identity.

A small smile touched Yu Zhizhi’s lips. "I’d like to see the Little Snow Eagle first, and then I’ll go find the Lord. Is that all right?"

"Of course!"

The Director quickly took the lead.

The guards outside the cell bowed as they saw her emerge.

Nearby, the female sparrow gripped the iron bars, her body trembling with emotion. Seeing that familiar Rabbit Clan silhouette, she fell to her knees, her voice choked with sobs. "My Lady, I’m so happy to see you..."

’Just the thought of the Little Prince’s wish finally being granted was enough to make her cry!’

’The Little Prince had waited for this moment for so, so long!’

Yu Zhizhi hurried over to the cell, wanting to help the sparrow up. She glanced back at the Director, who immediately understood her unspoken request.

For the first time, the notoriously strict Director of the Underground City voluntarily commuted a sentence. "Bev, you can come out. Take good care of the Little Prince."

"Yes, Director! Thank you!"

She prostrated herself. "Thank you, My Lady!"

Yu Zhizhi was still unaccustomed to the title, but the Director couldn’t keep the smile off his face. ’How wonderful would it be,’ he fantasized, ’if Ms. Zhi Zhi could truly stay in the Underground City.’

’Even if the Lord has lost his memories...’

’...he knows that Ms. Zhi Zhi is the Little Prince’s birth mother.’

’The female he once loved so deeply.’

’If they could see each other often, perhaps it would help Lord Dracula recover his memories quickly.’

Yu Zhizhi followed the Director out of the dungeons and toward the deepest part of the palace. It was the most secure location in the entire Underground City: the Little Snow Eagle’s personal chambers.

The Director had just pushed the door open when they heard the Little Snow Eagle’s choked sobs—

"It’s all my fault... If I hadn’t run off, Bev wouldn’t have been locked up, and the Rabbit Clan Lady wouldn’t have been treated like a criminal."

His two small wings were wrapped around a communicator. "Father, I know I was wrong. Please let them go. I’ll reflect on my actions, I promise... SOB SOB SOB..."