Chapter 21: Castle Ball
Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!
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Hudson Castle, masquerade ball.
The towering Gothic architecture stood against the backdrop of the dying twilight, with the blue-green tiled castle spires soaring into the clouds, each brick and stone stacked meticulously to form steps.
The heavy stone doors opened, faintly revealing the melodious waltz flowing from within the hall. Two half-human, half-horse centaurs stood at the castle gates.
They were dressed in bright cavalier uniforms, with the lower halves resembling the white hooves of a horse. They politely welcomed the arriving guests. Not far away, a vampire gentleman was approaching.
The centaurs scrutinized the man before them. He was tall, at least six foot three, with long legs encased in black leather boots. A black cloak billowed behind him as he walked, its outer layer as dark as a raven’s feathers, while the lining was as crimson as blood. His jacket was made of the finest black satin, soft as the night sky without a cloud, adorned with intricate golden threads and layers of snowy white collar, exuding an aura of luxury.
However, his entire body, including his face, was wrapped in bandages, and he wore a silver-black bat mask above his nose. The centaurs found it strange; bandages were typically associated with zombie or monster makeup, and those who dressed as vampires usually did not bother with bandages.
One of the centaurs stopped him and said, “Hello, please show us your invitation.”
The vampire gentleman pulled out a snow-white letter from the voluminous sleeve of his cloak. Even his slender fingers were wrapped in snowy white bandages, giving off an air of melancholy and pallor, yet his towering stature and black attire imposed a subtle pressure on those around him.
The centaur inspected the letter carefully. Unlike the other players’ golden invitation cards, this was an internal letter issued by the game company, containing information only visible to its owner, representing the highest level of invitation. The centaur’s attitude became even more respectful as he turned the letter over and saw the wax seal on the back of the snow-white envelope.
On the wax seal, engraved in cursive English, was the letter “X”.
—The Supreme regulator!
“It turns out to be the Supreme regulator!” The two centaurs immediately exclaimed, “We sincerely welcome your arrival. According to the regulations, regulators can bring one companion to the event. Presumably, this gentleman is…”
Stepping forward from behind X, Chu Feng reluctantly took a step forward, affectionately hooking his arm with X’s, and fake smiled.
“Companion.”
The centaurs: …
Chu Feng: “Is there a problem?”
“No problem! We also sincerely welcome the arrival of the companion of the Supreme regulator! It’s just…” The centaur glanced at Chu Feng’s normal suit and shoes, “We suggest you change your clothes.”
Chu Feng looked around. There were people dressed as zombies, ghosts, with pumpkins on their heads, with dragon horns, and even as flower fairy wings. Only he, dressed like a normal person in a suit, stood out as the only anomaly among the eccentrically dressed crowd.
X lowered his head and asked him, “Do you have any other costumes in your bag?”
“No.” Chu Feng never bothered with such extravagant things in the game.
“Uh…” The centaur cautiously reminded, “Other costumes may not be suitable either. Since you are the invited companion, you must wear a matching companion outfit with the regulator. Purchasing a regular outfit from the store is not suitable for the companion’s identity, and you will not be able to enter the castle’s top floor ball.”
Chu Feng: …
The centaurs enthusiastically answered questions and doubts for the Supreme regulator and his companion, projecting a screen to showcase the vampire count’s special attire section, and presenting Chu Feng with:
“This is the companion costume of the vampire outfit—a plush black kitten with cat ears, tail, and a small blood bag on its back. It’s very cute and perfectly matched! It is the latest limited edition design that we spent 360 days creating!”
As a big spender, Chu Feng thought to himself that the designer should be replaced. He would go to the game company’s private messaging system later to file a complaint.
X sensed Chu Feng’s reluctance from his silence. “If you don’t want to wear it, you can switch outfits with me.”
Chu Feng: ?
X continued, “It’s just… you wear the vampire outfit, and I can wear this, the plush cat.”
Chu Feng stared at X, unable to imagine what this tall man would look like in a plush black cat costume.
X himself didn’t mind much. He thought the black cat outfit was quite nice, and Chu Feng seemed to like black cats, especially fluffy ones. X had noticed that Chu Feng’s profile picture on WeChat was a fluffy black cat plush toy.
“Forget it, it’s fine. Let’s go with this.” Chu Feng said straightforwardly. He wasn’t too concerned about what to wear to the ball; he was just here to participate in the lottery. If he managed to draw the “Regret Medicine” or “Time Machine” item, he could go back and save Little Shiyu.
X clicked a button in the store, instantly changing the companion’s outfit.
Immediately, Chu Feng’s head sprouted fuzzy pointed cat ears, and his fair and delicate wrists were covered with cat gloves, with cute pink paw prints on the undersides. He wore a red blood bag on his back and a cat tail on his lower back, swaying back and forth, exuding a unique charm.
X carefully watched the little cat in front of him. Chu Feng’s demeanor was cold and aloof, his skin extremely pale, his features as if chiseled from ice and snow, radiating a cold and glamorous aura. However, the fluffy cat ears and paws softened this icy allure, adding a touch of cuteness and intimacy.
Yet, his expression was anything but cute; it was cold and indifferent, tinged with a hint of reluctance. Standing at over 1.8 meters tall with cat ears on, he presented a strange contrast.
—Seeing him made people want to hug him, yet they were afraid of being too presumptuous. The little cat beauty might suddenly pull out a cannon and blast them into the sky.
“Alright. With this, you can enter the top floor of the castle as companions.” The centaur stepped aside and gestured, “Please.”
The plush little black cat Chu Feng, pretending to be coerced, hooked his arm with X’s and walked into the intricately luxurious castle. Beneath the bandages, a faint smile graced X’s lips.
As they ascended the brick steps, a silver archway opened before them, and an NPC dressed as a prince stood at the entrance. As Chu Feng and X passed by, the NPC automatically announced:
“Identified—Supreme regulator and companion. Welcome to the top floor ball. In fifteen minutes, we will begin the skylight photo lottery event.”
As they entered the ballroom, Chu Feng immediately discreetly let go of X’s arm, his movements natural as if he had never intimately claimed they were companions. He resembled a passing little cat, utterly uninterested in the unfamiliar humans around him.
X felt a slight sense of loss. Throughout the journey, he had felt the soft touch of the furry cat paws on his arm, and he missed that tender feeling. Due to his amnesia, he was not accustomed to being close to people, nor did he like others approaching him too closely. However, Chu Feng’s proximity did not repulse him. On the contrary, this player, who he had only met a few times, made him feel at ease, as if he had returned home, warm and comforting.
The elegant waltz music played in the background, and the golden champagne tower cascaded like a fountain. Church-like stained glass windows shimmered with crystal light. The scene was filled with opulence and magnificence, with beautiful men and women in lavish attire.
X handed a glass of champagne to Chu Feng.
“Would you like some?”
Chu Feng noticed X’s hands, his knuckles prominent, fingers wrapped in pale bandages, holding the glass with a rigid, cold feeling. But the bandages were covering wounds, and the glass was fragile. As Chu Feng watched X holding the glass, he suddenly felt a twinge of heartache. This man was powerful, but in occasional moments, he exuded a fragile quality.
“Do you also wrap bandages for the ball?”
Chu Feng looked at X’s bat mask, curious about his true appearance. Was his face under the mask also covered in bandages? One eye on the mask was completely black, while the other was hollow, revealing X’s eye. That eye was a beautiful amber color, reflecting the champagne gold under the crystal light, very beautiful. It reminded him of Xie Shiyu’s eyes, which he had seen under the scorching sun on the playground.
X, rarely seeing Chu Feng so interested, smiled, “What’s wrong? Don’t like my bandages?”
They leaned against a corner under the painted glass window. The marble statues of angels and demons were depicted on the corridor behind them, with a revolving crystal chandelier above their heads. The music, conversation, and dance steps of the crowd gradually faded away around them, as if separated by a layer of mist on the water, unable to affect them in the slightest. Chu Feng, wearing a companion outfit matching the vampire gentleman, seemed to have truly become someone’s exclusive little cat, creating a slightly sweet and ambiguous atmosphere.
“Do you find it strange?” Chu Feng smiled and didn’t say anything further.
X cleverly understood his meaning, “Do you want to see it?”
Chu Feng was indeed very curious. What did this man with eyes like Xie Shiyu’s look like?
“Can I?”
“Sure, why not,” X took a step forward, approaching Chu Feng, “But, I can only show it to you.”
Chu Feng, leaning against the painted glass window, was taken aback.
X leaned beside him, extending a hand to support himself against the stained glass, pinning Chu Feng against the window. With his back blocking the crowd behind them, the silk black fabric swathed around his body outlined his sturdy back.
“You can unwrap the bandages and take a look.”
Chu Feng stiffened. He was trapped between X’s arm and the stained glass window, protected like a guarded animal, a gesture previously only performed by Xie Shiyu. Chu Feng’s view was blocked by X’s broad shoulders. He couldn’t see the dancing crowd behind him, with the cold and beautiful stained glass pressing against his back. Before him was X’s silver bat mask. Taking it off would reveal his true face.
They were very close, the melodious waltz surrounding them like whispers between lovers.
Chu Feng reached out, taking off X’s mask, revealing his face wrapped in bandages. Chu Feng gently undid the knot of the bandage, slowly unwrapping it—
A bit of skin on X’s cheek was exposed. Even though it was just a small part, Chu Feng could see it clearly. The skin had been burned. It was a severe burn mark.
Chu Feng’s hand froze instantly.
—X had experienced a major accident before.
Chu Feng didn’t look any further. He knew why X wrapped his face and body in bandages, to cover the burn scars. To unwrap the bandages further would be to strip away someone’s dignity. Chu Feng carefully wrapped the bandage back around, tying a small butterfly knot.
“Was it… a fire?”
Chu Feng asked calmly, without any hint of disdain or disgust.
X shook his head, “I don’t remember. It might have been a shipwreck.”
Chu Feng nodded thoughtfully, “May I ask which… part of the sea it was?”
“The Pacific Ocean.”
Chu Feng’s heart skipped a beat.
—The Pacific Ocean was also where Xie Shiyu’s plane crashed. Just hearing the name of that ocean made him physically uncomfortable.
But the Pacific Ocean was vast. Countless ships and planes went down there every year.
“Are you currently… near the Pacific?” Chu Feng asked.
X: “Yes, on an island nation. I was salvaged there back then.”
Chu Feng speculated that X’s life might have been saved at that time, but the subsequent burn injuries and skin grafts, the hospital probably wouldn’t have provided assistance for that.
“Do you have… surgery planned?” Chu Feng asked cautiously.
“I’ve been undergoing it all along,” X smiled, “The gaming company offered conditions. I deleted all my previous game guides, the copyright of the guides belongs to the company. Surgery is covered, and medical expenses are reimbursed. But I might have to undergo a craniotomy first, and then skin graft surgery later.”
“Craniotomy?” Chu Feng inquired.
“Yes. The doctor said there’s a small fragment lodged in my brain from the shipwreck, which might be the cause of my amnesia. It needs to be removed, but… it’ll have to wait until my condition improves a bit more.”
Chu Feng nodded. He could imagine how difficult it was for X to survive. A shipwreck in a foreign land, barely rescued and saved, left with no family or documents, disfigured by burns and suffering from amnesia, not knowing where he came from or where to go, and with extremely poor health. It was impossible for him to work and support himself doing manual labor. Fortunately, he was good at the game. With just a network cable, he was recruited by the gaming company and received better medical conditions, slowly piecing together his scattered self.
“For how long…?” Chu Feng asked cautiously.
“About two years,” X replied.
Chu Feng’s heart skipped a beat again.
Two years ago, in the Pacific Ocean, a major accident…
“Is it possible…?” Chu Feng couldn’t help but ask, “That it wasn’t a shipwreck?”
X: ?
This question sounded silly and strange. Chu Feng felt like he was being foolish.
“I mean…”
X interrupted, “It should have been a shipwreck. The boatman who rescued me said a nearby ship had capsized, but he was speaking English at the time, and I didn’t quite understand. Why do you ask?”
Chu Feng: “Nothing, it’s nothing.”
Boom!
At that moment, a burst of confetti sounded, and the prince NPC at the door announced loudly, “Our photo lottery event is beginning! Each player has one chance. Please aim your camera at the castle sky outside the window, take a photo of yourself with the sky, and upload it to our wishlist pool to participate in the lottery!”
The crowd at the ball cheered, raising their phones and helping each other take pictures.
Chu Feng handed his phone to X and stood by the window. This was his purpose for coming to the ball.
With a click, X took a photo of the dusk castle, with Chu Feng wearing black cat ears under the stained glass window, like a cat demon from a gothic fairy tale.
“Is it done?”
X: “…Yes.”
Suddenly, Chu Feng sensed something from X’s hesitation. He realized his mistake. He shouldn’t have asked X to take a photo for him.
—There were things of X in his phone album!
Last time, Chu Feng saw a heated debate among X’s fans on the player forum. Chu Feng casually saved X’s eyes because they resembled Xie Shiyu’s, so he clicked the little heart icon, and it got added to his “My Favorites” album, boldly appearing as the first item in all the album lists, conspicuously startling.
Chu Feng walked briskly over, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened. He reached out to take back his phone, but X flashed a glance at him, looking at Chu Feng with a hint of teasing in his tone:
“Do you collect my photos?”
Chu Feng: “No, that day on the player forum, I saw a post…”
X chuckled, “You specifically looked at my post?”
Chu Feng: …
Tsk, the more you explain, the worse it gets.
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