Chapter 472 - 471: "It’s Been Too Long Since I’ve Held You.

The little rabbit refused to return with him to the Varolan Imperial City, and she’d even threatened him with her own life for another male—

The Duke had been brooding over the events of that day ever since.

Her attitude during their reunion in Silan City had been ambiguous. As furious as the Duke was, he was still helpless against her.

’Didn’t she care about the wedding?’

’So why wish me well?’

The Duke knew the little rabbit wasn’t one for mind games; she wouldn’t play hard to get.

The night at the Holy Tower was exceptionally quiet.

The mist swirled in the wind, gathering and then slowly scattering.

The Duke rested his chin on the little Rabbit Clan female’s head. He held her quietly, and in that moment, his turbulent emotions began to settle.

Yu Zhizhi was still puzzled by the Duke’s answer.

’He doesn’t like Miss Jin She?’

"...It’s been too long." The Duke’s voice was so soft, she thought she might have imagined it.

"What?" Yu Zhizhi tried to turn and look at him.

"It’s been too long since I’ve held you."

The Duke slowly coiled his snake tail, wrapping it layer by layer around the little rabbit.

This time, his movements were gentle.

Apparently unsatisfied with her back facing him, the Duke turned her around to face him, pulling her into an embrace.

He held her firmly, tightly, just like he used to.

He could feel the blood thrumming in his veins.

Yu Zhizhi’s face was buried in the Duke’s chest. She heard the powerful thumping of his heart, and her mind was still reeling—

’The Duke doesn’t have a sweetheart?’

’The mission...’

’Does that mean I still have a chance to complete it?’

There in the mist, the Duke’s hold on her didn’t loosen in the slightest. Their embrace was so tight that not even a sliver of a gap, not a single wisp of air, could squeeze between them.

Wrapped in such a powerful, encompassing embrace, Yu Zhizhi couldn’t help but tremble.

’It feels...’

’Like I’m about to be swallowed whole by a python.’

’When pythons hunt, they wrap their prey tightly, just like this.’

"When are you coming back?" the Duke’s voice sounded in her ear.

Yu Zhizhi faltered. "...I have my own territory now."

"I know." A hint of displeasure crept into the Duke’s voice. "There’s no need to keep reminding me. Even with a territory, you can still come back to the Varolan Imperial City often."

The Duke never consulted others about what he wanted to do.

But things were different now. If he pushed the little rabbit too hard, she might hurt herself.

The Duke had no choice but to try another approach.

’First, I’ll coax her back. We can talk after that.’

"After Yun Ze’s advancement, he’ll have to leave for a long journey. Don’t you want to see him?"

The Duke brought up the pups.

"Yu Meng’s assessment day is coming up, too. He’d probably do much better if you were there."

Yu Zhizhi’s heart softened at the mention of the snake pups.

Although she couldn’t see the Duke’s eyes from this angle, she had the distinct feeling that he was staring at her.

Hmm...

’Return to the Varolan Imperial City?’

’What if the Duke has another fit and tries to lock me up?’

Yu Zhizhi didn’t answer for a long moment.

After a good while, she finally spoke slowly. "Duke, you could also come visit my territory. You can bring Little Amon and the others with you."

The Duke lifted his eyelids slightly, his golden, slitted pupils completely unreadable. "You’re still unwilling to come back."

"Why?"

"Is it because you can’t bear to leave them?"

Sensing the shift in the Duke’s mood, Yu Zhizhi said apprehensively, "In my territory, no one tells me what to do."

’It’s so freeing.’

The Duke frowned. "Does someone tell you what to do in the Imperial City?"

’Of course there is.’ Yu Zhizhi pursed her lips. ’Isn’t the one bossing me around the Duke himself?’

She said nothing.

The Duke seemed a little strange today. Seizing the opportunity while they were on the topic, Yu Zhizhi gave a light tug on the corner of his sleeve.

"Lord Bo Lan," she called out softly.

The Duke hummed in response.

Yu Zhizhi said in a small voice, "I... If I sent you an invitation, would you accept it?"

Her heart suddenly began to pound as she said this.

For some reason, her cheeks began to burn.

It was a probing question, but it all but laid her intentions bare.

’If the Duke agrees, will that stabilize his favorability rating?’

The Duke’s tone was calm. "I don’t personally attend things like territory banquets."

Yu Zhizhi froze.

She had wanted to explain that it wasn’t an invitation to an ordinary banquet, but a bonding invitation.

But in that instant, she remembered the Snake Clan’s prophecy.

Clarity washed over Yu Zhizhi.

’Even if I asked, it would be pointless.’

’The Duke would never agree.’

’He didn’t form a bond with Miss Jin She this time, but... will he meet other Snake Clan females later? Will the bonding ceremony be successful then?’

’I just hope I can complete all my missions before that happens.’

’Then I can finally go home.’

Yu Zhizhi’s emotions had been on a rollercoaster for the past few days. One moment, she thought her mission was doomed to fail, and the next, she saw a glimmer of hope.

’The Duke’s thoughts are truly the hardest to guess...’

Yu Zhizhi’s rabbit ears drooped slightly. She said no more, simply remaining quietly in the Duke’s embrace.

It felt as though their reunion was only momentary, and they would soon be parted again.

The Duke, for his part, was still thinking about the Sky Star Territory.

’The circumstances were special then, which is why I allowed her territory application to pass the alliance’s review.’

’The little rabbit doesn’t want to come home now.’

’I’m not in a hurry.’

’Sooner or later, I will make the Sky Star Territory a part of the Valoran Empire. Then I’ll have a perfectly logical reason to bring her back to the Imperial City.’

’As for...’

’...all those she has bonded with... I will make the little rabbit cast them all aside.’

’She will spend the rest of her life in the Valoran Empire. By my side.’

Just then, the voice of his personal attendant came from outside the door.

"Lord Bo Lan, the distinguished guest from the Deep Sea has arrived."

The "distinguished guest from the Deep Sea" referred to the Hai Giant Shark. He had accepted the grave responsibility of Chixing, yet he’d taken time from his busy schedule to come to the Holy Tower. It seemed he had heard about Miss Rabbit planning to stay the night.

The personal attendant waited quietly at the door for the Duke’s instructions.

’Deep Sea? Distinguished guest?’

Yu Zhizhi immediately thought of the Big Shark, and her first instinct was to struggle out of the Duke’s arms.

The Duke lowered his gaze, his golden eyes turning unfathomably deep.

He stared at the little rabbit for a long moment before slowly loosening his grip.

The mist in the room dissipated.

The snake tail vanished as well.

The Duke sat before the low table, his deep purple robes pooling over the cushion beneath him. His posture was casual, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

"Let him in."

Yu Zhizhi stood beside the low table, suddenly unsure where she ought to stand. As she hesitated, she heard footsteps approaching from outside.

The attendant pushed the door open.

Shen He strode in from outside. He had come straight to the Holy Tower the moment he finished his business with Chixing.

The moment he caught sight of the little Rabbit Clan female, he said directly, "I’ve come to get you."

’The little rabbit is staying the night at the Holy Tower?’

’That’s not happening.’

Yu Zhizhi was taken aback. She’d already told Buli, hadn’t she? ’Did Buli not explain it clearly when he passed on the message?’

"Lord Shen He, Little Amon is here, so I..."

"A call just came from undersea," Shen He interrupted. "The mermaid cub is sick. It wants to see you."