Ren found himself sitting at the edge of the cliff overlooking the tiny village nestled at the foot of the mountain. Despite the picturesque scene, the distance didn't allow Ren the luxury to take a close-up.
Did he transmigrate again? Where? In some ancient dynasty? His long lilac robe with a fancy-looking golden belt around his waist did indicate such a thing.
Ren was torn between two conflicting thoughts. Should he be grateful for getting rid of the molester, or should he worry about his future without modern bathrooms?
Damn, I will miss that Jurassic Park! But where is the cub? Maybe it will arrive later like last time?
As Ren marveled at the ancient-looking structures of the tiny houses, a rustling voice caught his attention. Curious, Ren rose to his feet and found himself face to face with a very handsome young man, his long hair tied up with a pink ribbon.
"Hello?" Ren could only start the conversation to get a hint at the situation.
The said person smiled at Ren, and Ren could swear he saw flowers blooming in the background.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
Looking at the figure, bowing in respect before him, Ren turned around and checked the area.
Yup, He was alone. So, did he become some higher-up of sorts?
Before Ren could decide whether to act like an arrogant prince or a humble Royal, he heard a pleasant voice again.
"I know you might be confused. You don't have to worry about anything. Please follow me to the rest area."
Ren, ".... Ok."
What else could Ren do? He wouldn't have followed a random stranger just like that, especially after the earlier incident. However, Ren couldn't shake the familiar feeling creeping into his heart. Why did he feel like he knew this person well?
Fox? Why would Ren think this person was a fox? There were no tails behind the person.
In addition to this, Ren trusted his intuition, which had saved him on several occasions before.
If the system could hear Ren, it would mock him. If this intuition was so wonderful why would Ren die like that?
As Ren walked through the lush greenery and towering trees, they stumbled upon a dilapidated temple.
"Here we are, Your Excellency. The divine beast you are looking for is inside."
"Okay."
Once again, Ren followed the instructions and stepped over the small threshold covered with red-colored powder. Was it vermilion? Not just the threshold, but the entire boundary was painted in this manner.
A scene in a certain movie flashed across his eyes. There was a group of people who wanted to trap the very powerful spirit by marking lines around the area with vermilion and later that monster was killed by the teenage protagonist.
Ren, "..."
The light suddenly dimmed, as if someone had covered the sun with a blanket. Ren cautiously stepped forward and saw a person sitting cross-legged on the ground. Blood dripped from his body, various scars littering his back. His midnight black hair, long enough to scatter on the ground, mingled with the pooling blood around the still-silent figure.
Ren's heart clenched, and he found himself kneeling in front of the injured person. His fingers gently brushed aside the strands of hair covering the person's face.
"Are you alright? Why are you so hurt?" Ren asked, concern evident in his voice.
Ren's slender hand was suddenly grasped. The injured person lifted his head, revealing red eyes that were now focused on Ren's golden ones.
The first thought that crossed Ren's mind was coldness. The hands gripping his wrist and holding his waist were cold, but the bloodshot eyes staring at him were even colder. If the previous fox could make flowers bloom, this person seemed capable of freezing anything with just one look.
"Your excellency sure loves that human brat more than anyone, Huh?"
Ren the excellency's brain went on an overdrive after looking at the most handsome person he had ever seen. Those straight brows and that sharp nose reminded him of the movie stars from his previous life. Is that jawline for real? How could someone look like this? That's a crime! Put this person under house arrest so as not to make people faint from too much handsomeness! Sure police can use his home for the house arrest.
"Umm...I like you too..."
Shit! Did he just confess to a total stranger based on their face? When did Ren become so shallow?
The said person chuckled as he traced the now red earlobe, his hoarse voice barely above whisper startled Ren out of his confused state.
"I know. But this liking is small. Too small your Excellency. You like me in the same way you like that butterfly you saved and the bird you healed."
Those hands filled with calloused slid down Ren's neck; the cold touch lingered on his now pinkish neck.
"So, I thought why not destroy everything in this world?"
The cold touch spread from Ren's neck to his heart, sending shivers down his spine. His instincts screamed at him to put distance between them, and that's exactly what he attempted to do.
How could those cold hands leave the warmth they so desperately desire for? Instead of getting free Ren was forced to be trapped in the icy embrace, unable to escape.
"So, if you could save only one who will you save..."
Ren's eyes fluttered open and he immediately dragged his body in the corner, "Stay away! Don't come closer!"
It wasn't the strange hazy person in front of him but the gentle scum he was very familiar with.
Doctor Yarx hastily held the flailing youngster.
"Hey, it's ok. You are safe. See? You are in the hospital. Everything is fine."
Ren felt overwhelmed by the onslaught of emotions. First, he was chased by the prospect killer, then he was held by his pervert uncle. If that wasn't enough, he dreamt of a stranger who resembled a Greek god but possessed the temperament of King Yama. Ren, who had only ever confessed his feelings once in his entire life, found his heart inexplicably racing for this lord of the underworld.
Ren, "..."
The doctor looked at the stiff kid and couldn't help but pat his head.
"It's all right. Don't move your arm or you will get hurt. Are you feeling better child?"
Ren looked at the liquid filling his veins with a pale face.
"I am fine."
Ren secretly looked around and finally found his cub looking at him such worry-filled eyes. Maybe the cub was afraid to hurt him, so it didn't leap onto his lap but instead sat beside him.
Ren's white face finally gained some color back. Though he wanted to hold the cub and tell it about his absurd dream, he kept quiet.
"What happened?" Ren used his 'Fainting Skill' and went to fairyland, but what happened to his body?
"You fainted from low blood pressure and low sugar, child. We need to get this liquid inside you to get your levels to the normal value."
Ren nodded, inwardly grateful. It must have been the system that manipulated his body data to make his fainting appear believable.
Ren curiously looked around and saw no one other than Fir, the robot, standing near the door.
Maybe Doctor Yarx noticed Ren's enquiring look, or he sensed something troubling from his earlier shouting. He covered Ren with the blanket he had thrown away in his haste before.
"Your uncle left due to some emergency. .... You can tell me if someone is troubling you. You don't have to worry about anything else but to get better. Okay?"
What can Ren do in this situation? He nodded his head at the gentle doctor with grateful eyes.
Finally, after some more questions, Ren was left alone to his devices.
Black Box-
To stop the century-long war immortal emperor personally went to meet the demon emperor.
The emperor, "What does his highness want in exchange for ending this bloodshed."
The demon lord, "Your fiancé."
Ren the fiancé who accompanied the immortal emperor for the first time, "..."
"Dream on!" The emperor exploded and scaredy Ren felt safe.
The demon lord chuckled, "Then I'll defeat you and claim my darling."
Ren who was suddenly hugged, "...L-Let me go please."
The demon lord sniffing the familiar calming scent bit his neck as if punishing him, "Never!"
The immortal emperor, ".... Fuck! Let my fiancé go!"
The demon lord vanished into thin air with Ren, left one last word, "Never!"