Chapter 99: The Reckless Young Princess

The silver moonlight added a layer of ethereal beauty.

While it was warm and romantic here, in another room of the Behemoth King's Mansion, Niruis tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The scenes from the duel earlier that day flowed before her eyes like a movie...

How *did* I lose?

Though she wouldn't say it out loud, deep down, the young princess deeply regretted her impulsiveness that day... she shouldn't have gambled with her lifelong happiness.

It was all because she had underestimated Xu Feng, thinking human nobles only knew how to eat, drink, and womanize, never expecting there to be an exception. He wasn't much older than her, so how could his magical prowess be so high?

Now it was too late to regret. Not only had she failed to rescue her cousin, but she also had to marry him. The young princess's heart was filled with remorse.

For the beastfolk, duels held sacred significance, and for millennia, no one had ever broken a wager set by such a contest. What on earth should she do?

Alone now, with a sigh, Niruis no longer displayed her usual willful temperament; she was simply a pure, troubled girl.

Unable to sleep, the young princess got up, dressed, and went for a walk in the back garden. The moonlight in the sky was lovely, but when she thought about her life and having to marry a detestable stranger, her eyes were clouded with confusion...

Walking slowly through the garden, even the soul-refreshing scent couldn't lift her spirits. All of a sudden, she sensed someone quietly following behind her.

"Who's there? Come out!"

After all, she was a princess of the Behemoth Clan. When alone, she could be troubled, but she would never show this vulnerability to outsiders. Her delicate, beautiful hands clenched into fists, and ripples of power surged around her. Could there be a spy who had infiltrated the mansion?

"Ni'er, it's me!"

A familiar voice reached her ears. Mishouleite emerged from the flower bushes. A flicker of surprise crossed Niruis's pretty face: "Father, you're still awake?"

"Worried about you, so I couldn't sleep." Mishouleite smiled slightly. At this moment, he was no longer the Behemoth King renowned throughout the land, but like any ordinary father among thousands.

"Worried about me?"

"Are you troubled because of the marriage contract?"

Niruis bit her lip. Though willful and headstrong, she was still a girl, and marriage was a lifelong matter. But what could she do? If she broke the engagement, the Behemoth Clan would lose all honor. She didn't want to become a sinner to her clan.

"That's not what I meant." Mishouleite shook his head and sat down with his daughter in the garden pavilion. "Ni'er, you've been willful since childhood. It's also my fault and your mother's for spoiling you too much, leading to today's outcome."

Niruis didn't speak. She had long regretted her recklessness.

"But this matter, I don't think it's such a bad result..."

"What?" Niruis stood up, almost thinking she had misheard. Could it be that her father was willing to marry her off to a stranger? After all, Xu Feng wasn't a beastman, but a human noble.

"Listen to me." Knowing his daughter's impatient nature, Mishouleite waved his hand. "So what if he's human? Although the Taige Empire's relations with our beast tribe aren't good, intermarriage isn't uncommon. As long as he treats you well, I don't mind the race."

Truly worthy of being a clan's king, his mind was broad.

"But..." the young princess retorted defiantly, "Human nobles only know how to eat, drink, and womanize. How could your daughter be happy marrying someone like that?"

"Eat, drink, and womanize?" Mishouleite chuckled, finding his daughter truly thoughtless. "Perhaps other nobles are like that, but Xu Feng definitely isn't. If he were truly a good-for-nothing, how did he win the duel against you?"

"This..." The young princess was speechless, wide-eyed. Thinking about it, Xu Feng was indeed different from the rumors about nobles. It was just that because of her cousin's situation, she had been prejudiced against him from the start, so she always thought the worst.

But the thought of marrying an unfamiliar boy still made her heart pound with fear.

"You..." The Behemoth King stroked his daughter's hair. "Actually, I don't know much about Xu Feng either, but that girl Xiaoya..."

At this point, Mishouleite smiled slightly. "That girl is also willful, but bolder and more careful than you. The husband she personally chose, I think, can't be too bad."

"You and Xiaoya have always been close. If you want to know what kind of person Xu Feng really is, why not ask her?"

Her father's advice pointed her to a clear path. Right, why not confide her troubles to her cousin?

"Thank you, Father." A smile finally reappeared on Niruis's face. With a light turn, she disappeared into the flower bushes. "I'll go find Cousin then."

...

"Hey!" Mishouleite called out, but couldn't bring his daughter back. He shook his head. This girl was too impatient, not even considering the time. It was so late; Arola must have been long asleep.

However, this time, the wise Behemoth King guessed wrong...

At this very moment, in the Snake Clan young princess's room, where passion knew no bounds, Xu Feng and Arola were spending a beautiful, unforgettable night together.

A knocking sound came from the door. "Cousin."

No answer.

Although in terms of strength, both Xu Feng and Arola could be considered experts, at such a time, their vigilance naturally dropped significantly, and they hadn't expected anyone to disturb them so late at night.

After a few more calls, still no response. Niruis frowned. What was her cousin doing, sleeping so soundly? The young girl found it strange. She and Arola were not only cousins but had also been close since childhood, never standing on ceremony with each other. So, she decided to check herself.

Although the door was locked, how could that trouble the Behemoth Clan's young princess? She reached out a slender hand, gave a gentle twist, and the door opened. A strange moan reached her ears. If it were another girl, she would surely blush and her heart race. However, as a princess of the Behemoth Clan, though willful, she was pure. No one had ever told her about matters between men and women; she was a girl as innocent as a blank sheet of paper...

"Cousin." The sound made the young princess frown, completely clueless what it was...

Still no answer. Xu Feng and Arola had no idea someone had entered the room. Niruis felt a twinge of worry. That moan... was her cousin sick?

Greatly anxious, her figure flashed as she darted toward the bed. With a wave of her hand, she pulled aside the gauze curtain...

Astonishment!

The awkwardness at this moment was beyond words. All three of them stared wide-eyed, the air seeming to freeze in that instant...

A full ten seconds passed.

"Ah—"

Twin screams erupted from Arola and Niruis. This unexpected turn left Xu Feng at a loss too. But as a man, he naturally had to be much calmer. Seeing the two girls scream, he quickly cast a soundproofing spell. *Jeez, do these two want to bring the whole mansion running?*

Pulling over the nearby brocade quilt to cover himself and Arola, Xu Feng's expression was one of being torn between laughter and tears. He glanced at the blushing Behemoth Princess: "For heaven's sake, what are you doing here at this time?"

At this moment, the usually willful and headstrong girl didn't even dare raise her head. Faced with such an awkward scene, how could she possibly stay? She spat in disgust, turned, and left.

"It's all your fault."

Clearly, Niruis wasn't the only one feeling embarrassed. Arola was also blushing furiously. Oh no, wouldn't she die of shame when she saw her cousin tomorrow?

It was all his fault, her boyfriend and his... urges. She completely forgot that she herself hadn't heard the knocking earlier either!

"Alright, alright, it's my fault!"

Xu Feng hugged his girlfriend, comforting her softly. He knew the beauty in his arms was thin-skinned, and that little girl Niruis was too reckless, barging in late at night. Thinking about this fiancée of his, Xu Feng truly didn't know whether future life would be a blessing or a curse.

Arola was still too embarrassed to look up. Xu Feng held her, coaxing her for a long time before she gradually calmed down and sank into a deep sleep. Xu Feng was still unsatisfied, but clearly, it wasn't the right time to continue. He kissed his girlfriend's cheek and went to sleep as well.