Feeling the grip on his hand, Lucian was about to speak when he heard Jiao-Jiao's accusatory voice from beside him.
"What are you doing?"
Sanhua was startled and immediately let go of Lucian's hand, flustered as she glanced around. Fortunately, Jiao-Jiao's voice wasn't loud enough to draw the attention of others.
Lucian looked at Jiao-Jiao beside him—those golden eyes were fixed intently on him.
After a moment of contemplation, Lucian thought to himself: The only one missing now is Jinhsi. But I'm not sure if Jiao-Jiao counts as a person… Maybe…
With that in mind, Lucian bent down and picked Jiao-Jiao up. Just as she was wondering what he was doing, he planted a kiss on her cheek.
Jiao-Jiao: "?"
"Lucian!"
Jiao-Jiao's small hand instinctively swung toward Lucian's face. Unable to dodge in time, Lucian's vision went dark, and he collapsed stiffly onto the ground.
Only then did the others finally notice what was happening.
Rover quickly rushed over, crouched down, and glanced at Lucian lying peacefully on the ground before turning a questioning gaze toward Jiao-Jiao.
"What happened?"
Jiao-Jiao fell silent for a moment. As a Sentinel, to be kissed by a mere mortal—this is an utter disgrace!
I can't say it. Absolutely not!
"I didn't like the look of him, so I hit him," Jiao-Jiao offered a flimsy excuse.
Rover: "?"
"Even though everyone finds Lucian annoying, violence is wrong, understand?"
After being lectured by Rover, Jiao-Jiao obediently replied, "Understood."
But then, Rover's tone abruptly shifted: "Next time, if you want to hit him, let's all do it together. That way, no one can be held responsible."
Jiao-Jiao: "?"
Lucian, still pretending to be dead: "?"
Seeing that Lucian remained unresponsive, Abby threw himself onto Lucian's body, wailing dramatically: "Lucian! How am I supposed to live without you?!"
"But don't worry, Lucian! We'll definitely give you a grand farewell banquet!"
"I'll have steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted young chicken, roasted goose…"
"After I finish eating, I'll have the Fractsidus reimburse it—I won't spend a single coin of yours…"
Rover said helplessly, "If Phrolova were here, would she have to thank you?"
Jinhsi frowned delicately and pressed a slender finger under Lucian's nose to check his breath. After a moment, she froze: "He… doesn't seem to be breathing…"
Jiao-Jiao was puzzled: "That can't be. Even though I instinctively hit him hard, there's no way Lucian couldn't withstand a single slap from me."
Rover, sensing Lucian's condition, said, "He's not dead—just unconscious."
"I have a way to wake him up."
Abby asked curiously, "What is it?"
Rover's delicate lips curled slightly. "Have you heard the story of Sleeping Beauty?"
Abby paused for a moment before realizing: "Sleeping Beauty?"
"Oh~ I get it! You're saying Lucian needs a kiss from a beautiful girl to wake up?"
Rover nodded confidently. "Exactly."
Changli recalled, "In Sleeping Beauty, the princess was awakened by the prince's true love's kiss. So…"
Rover placed her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. "That's right. It has to be me."
Changli interrupted, "While it's true that a true love's kiss can wake someone, doesn't identity also play a role?"
Rover: "?"
Changli explained, "There must have been others who loved the princess besides the prince, yet only the prince succeeded in waking her. So, I believe identity is also a factor."
Rover's expression darkened. "So…"
Changli smiled meaningfully. "Although Rover's status is extraordinary, it hasn't been fully confirmed. Therefore, we should let someone with a higher and already confirmed status do it."
Abby tilted his head. "Someone with a high and confirmed status?"
He glanced around. "Wouldn't that be Jiao-Jiao?"
Changli: "?"
Rover: "?"
Jinhsi: "…"
Jiao-Jiao: "Huh? Me?"
Changli shook her head slightly. "No, we mustn't forget the other condition—besides status, it must be a true love's kiss. Jiao-Jiao… surely doesn't love Lucian, right?"
Jiao-Jiao glanced at her Lady Arbiter, whose expression had darkened, eyes narrowed as she stared intently at Changli—as if the moment Changli suggested someone else kiss Lucian, she would explode.
Jiao-Jiao took a deep breath, then declared solemnly:
"No! In truth, I am deeply in love with Lucian!"
Changli: "?"
Rover: "?"
Lucian, still pretending to be dead: "?"
Forgive me, Lady Arbiter! Jiao-Jiao thought desperately. Changli and the others outnumber you three to one—you can't win against them!
Rather than see you angry, it's better if I take the fall!
Besides, I'm in child form right now. If I kiss Lucian like this, no one should get mad…
Changli fell silent for a moment before shaking her head again. "No, I can tell—while you may have friendship with Lucian, there's no love. Moreover, your current form isn't suitable for kissing him."
"What were the prince and princess like? One was dashingly handsome, the other breathtakingly beautiful. Your current appearance… isn't quite fitting."
Jiao-Jiao, now determined not to let her Lady Arbiter suffer, scoffed. "That's easily fixed."
With that, she spun around—and in an instant, transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman.
She looked like an immortal maiden who had stepped out of an ancient painting, her aura ethereal and transcendent.
Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her golden eyes deep and piercing, as if they could see into one's soul.
Jiao-Jiao flicked her hair proudly, tilting her chin up. "Well? How's this?"
Lucian peeked through barely opened eyes. I have to admit—Jiao-Jiao looks like a goddess descended from the heavens right now. And those dragon horns add a unique charm…
Rover was inwardly shocked. She hadn't expected Jiao-Jiao's transformed appearance to be so striking. There's no way I can let Lucian see her like this…
She coughed lightly. "Maybe… you should change back."
Jiao-Jiao: "?"
Changli also spoke up: "Jiao-Jiao is a Sentinel, not a true human. So it still doesn't count."
Jiao-Jiao grew anxious inside. Lady Arbiter, I'm on your side here!
Abby's large ears twitched. "What a shame. If this Echo could also transform, then the highest-status person here would probably be me."
Everyone: "?"
Abby glanced at the tense group and mused, "Since that's the case, and everyone here has high status, why not take turns kissing Lucian?"
Rover immediately rejected the idea. "No."
Abby waved a hand. "Rover, don't dismiss it so quickly. Think about it—only a true love's kiss can wake Lucian. Wouldn't this be a way to figure out who his true love really is?"
Rover: "?"
"That doesn't make sense. Shouldn't it be the person who loves Lucian that wakes him? Why are you reversing it?"