NOVEL NEXT chapter 242
20. The Question of Death
“Mu En Campbell, don’t die.”
Vi’er’s voice, half filled with pity, half with encouragement, and nine parts schadenfreude, echoed from outside the door, causing Mu En to begin doubting the reality of this world.
It was already absurd enough to get drunk on a chocolate liqueur; even more ridiculous was that this matter could be tied to the crisis of world peace.
Well, this actually seemed quite possible.
Mu En glanced at the icy crystal sword beside him that easily pierced through the formation, his heart fluttering uncontrollably.
Given Celesia’s ferocity at this moment, if she really ran out, Mu En had no doubt she would level at least three blocks.
But…
“What good is it for you to leave me in here? I’m no match for her, open the door, let’s think of a way together!” Mu En shouted in anger, tears in his eyes as he pounded on the door.
“If the president gets out, it will really be impossible to control. Don’t worry, the president is just drunk, she hasn’t completely lost her mind. You just need to attract her attention, and you should be able to hold out until the effects of the alcohol wear off.
Probably…”
“Damn it, you don’t have any confidence yourself, hurry up and open the door, Vi’er, this is murder, do you understand?”
“Murder? I’m doing this for the greater good, for the peace of the majority!”
“If it’s for the greater good, why don’t you come in yourself!”
“Oh, just in case, I’m going to start reinforcing the formation now. After this, no sound will be able to get out from inside, so good luck, I’m rooting for you, Mu En Campbell.”
After Vi’er’s feigned ignorance, accompanied by a “beep,” the magical energy surging at the door suddenly thickened.
Then, the world fell silent.
—
In the stillness, Mu En could only hear his own increasingly frantic heartbeat, and… another breath, growing more chaotic and heavy.
“Hey, Mu… Mu En Campbell, why won’t you look back at me? Is it because I’m not pretty?”
The ice crystal sword was pulled from the door, swaying unsteadily, and with Mu En’s heart racing in fear, it plunged down once more.
This time, it grazed past Mu En’s side.
Mu En’s sturdy frame shuddered, his face twisted in despair as he turned around, then forced a smile as he faced the girl.
“How could that be? Celicia, you’re so beautiful, I could stare at you forever.”
“Really? But why do I feel like you’re not being sincere?”
Celicia suddenly leaned forward.
Being able to almost stab the sword into Mu En’s side, she was naturally already very close to him.
And this forward motion brought her nearly flush against Mu En’s body.
But Mu En was a head taller than her; she tilted her head for a long time, only able to see his chin and Adam’s apple.
Celicia pouted in dissatisfaction, “You’re too tall; let me shorten you a bit.”
“No, no, no!”
Mu En was nearly scared out of his wits by Celicia’s words, quickly waving his hands to suppress the long sword she was about to raise, stammering:
“I’ll make myself shorter, I’ll make myself shorter…”
Mu En slowly bent his knees but didn’t dare to crouch too low, only able to hover in a half-squat, slightly lower than Celicia.
Seeing Mu En shrink down, Celicia nodded in satisfaction, then reached out with her other hand, and with a snap, pressed it beside Mu En’s head.
Is this… a wall slam?
Mu En’s vision darkened, and he felt a wave of humiliation wash over him.
He, the son of a duke, a seven-foot-tall bear of a man, was someone who wouldn’t flinch even in the face of an evil god; how could he be “wall-slammed”?
If there was to be a wall slam…
“Ugh… you don’t seem to like this move?” Celicia stared intently at Mu En.
“I like it, I like it very much.”
Mu En forced a smile, nodding vigorously.
In fact, there was nothing wrong with this position; thinking about it carefully… it really did make one’s heart race, didn’t it?
Only the little deer in his heart was about to die from the impact.
“Then… ugh… say it again, am I pretty?”
Celicia let out a fragrant hiccup, continuing with her earlier question.
Mu En’s breath caught for a moment.
He raised his gaze, carefully studying the girl before him.
At this moment, the specially made candles flickered with bright light, casting a soft halo on the girl’s fair skin.
The flames in the fireplace burned, warming the room like spring, while the girl wore only a thin garment, outlining her perfect figure.
Silver-white strands of hair fell naturally, brushing against Mu’en’s cheek, fragrant and slightly ticklish.
And through the strands, it was as if one were traversing a lush jungle, ultimately discovering in the tranquil depths a hot spring shrouded in steam.
That was the girl’s eyes at this moment.
The cold ice that had never melted under the gaze of others had completely transformed into the spring water of jade waves under the influence of alcohol, accompanied by an uncharacteristic innocence and charm that was continually rippling and swaying in Mu’en’s heart…
“Beautiful, really very beautiful…” Mu’en instinctively blurted out.
“How beautiful?”
“So beautiful that one can’t take their eyes off.”
“Is that so?”
Clearly, it was an almost identical response to the one just moments ago, yet it made Celicia’s lips curve slightly.
Seeing Celicia smile, Mu’en couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
But the next moment, Celicia asked:
“Then… among the women you know, where do I rank in terms of beauty?”
“…”
Thud.
Heart stopped.
“Rank rank rank rank rank rank rank… rank where?”
Mu’en’s teeth chattered.
“What’s there to rank?”
“But I just want to know.”
Celicia shook her head, her tone innocent, but her knee instinctively nudged, creating a huge dent in the door that had been fortified by formations under Mu’en.
“Quick, answer me.”
“…”
Feeling the chill beneath him, Mu’en wanted to cry without tears.
He didn’t even dare to struggle, fearing that in this drunken state, the girl who had completely transformed into a humanoid Tyrannosaurus might be dissatisfied and tear him apart.
This was no longer about poor alcohol tolerance; it was as if she had become a different person altogether.
“Then of course, I would rank…”
Crack.
Just as Mu’en was about to say something flattering to soothe Celicia, a crisp voice made him immediately shut his mouth.
He widened his eyes, looking at the small, exquisite communication stone in Celicia’s hand.
“C-Celicia, what… what are you doing?”
“Gulp… Of course, I’m recording what you said.”
“R-recording?”
A darkness clouded Mu En’s vision.
Is this a game of such thrill?
“Th-this isn’t good, right? Such intimate secrets, if they get out, it would be terrible.”
“You don’t like it?”
“Mm-mm!”
This time, even with tears in his eyes, Mu En nodded vigorously.
“I see, it seems this question is too difficult. How about I change to a simpler one?”
Though he didn’t understand how the difficulty was related to the previous question, Mu En still nodded with all his might.
As long as it’s not that damned question, anything is fine!
“Something simpler, something simpler… Let me think…”
Celicia shook her head vigorously, using what was clearly a rapidly diminishing IQ to ponder the so-called “simpler” question.
After a long while, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she said:
“I’ve got it!”
Mu En’s eyes brightened in response, looking at her with anticipation.
“Since it needs to be simpler, let’s not make the scope so broad.”
Celicia said:
“Gulp… then let’s… limit it to just three people.”
“Eh?”
Mu En’s expression froze.
“Me, Anna Carberlin, and your little maid… if you had to choose the prettiest among the three of us…”
Celicia toyed with the communication stone, now in recording mode, lowered her head, and stared into Mu En’s eyes:
“Mu En Campbell, who do you choose?”