ATAPOW Chapter 213
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Chapter 213: Silk
“I ended up like this again.” The girl silently murmured through the corner of her mouth as she looked at her naked body and her silver hair drooping downwards.
Disheveled, she got up to her feet.
Bai Ji found herself in a weakened state, as her vampire side actively disrupted the balance of her body by force. This was unlike her previous transformations, where her dress and accessories had accompanied the change.
The once violently surging [Magic] in her body now felt as dry as an ancient well. Her soft limbs, devoid of strength, hung limp like the appendages of an inanimate doll.
This nostalgic feeling evoked a memory which she had hidden in the deep recesses of her mind.
It was a phenomenon not unfamiliar to her.
Around six months ago, she had been in her vampire form, when, due to unavoidable circumstances, she found herself face-to-face with the very enemy she had desperately hoped to avoid: human knights.
When confronted with the provocations and abuse from her opponents, her emotionless scythe effortlessly sliced through their chests and organs.
She had originally braced herself to go through a series of mental struggles, but in reality, her approach in handling them had been so decisively efficient that it could be aptly described as vicious and ruthless.
After tasting their blood and enslaving their souls, a wave of sadness and fear washed over her, causing her knees to powerlessly give way and forcing her into a kneel.
She had actually sensed a faint spark of excitement lurking within the sea of her negative emotions…
As Bai Ji fell into a daze, a realization struck her; Just like on that day in the past, it was no longer possible for her to return to her human form.
Only when her disillusioned self neared the point of exhaustion and collapse, would she be able to find relief.
‘What now?? What should I fight for now…?’
Her petite and frail body collapsed onto the brick-paved floor, her disoriented eyes appearing exceptionally miserable.
Following which, her scarlet eyes grew vacant.
In her hazy consciousness, a bloodstained long dress fluttered in the wind. A face filled with salvation and longing, and a pair of eyes, devoid of impurities and brimming with affection, appeared in her vision…
After an unknown amount of time had passed, she propped herself up on the brick tiles, strenuously raising her body and rising to her feet.
She was not sure if it was disbelief, doubt, guilt, or plain logic guiding her, but she felt she should not risk staying there any longer.
Bai Ji decided to go out, take a stroll and explore the extremely dilapidated streets.
In a state of muddle-headedness, she painstakingly pulled out the thick coat from inside the chainmail. Without even paying attention to whether she had it on the right way, she put it on and walked out of the door…
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“Your Highness, it’s time for your meal,” With a food tray in his hands, a middle-aged man sporting a pair of cat ears and a slightly plump build spoke respectfully to the petite figure lost in thought. He had taken the time to groom himself before carefully entering the room.
“…Don’t call me ‘Your Highness.’ I’m no longer a princess, am I?” Lil’ Sha turned her head and pouted as a way to express her dissatisfaction.
“My deepest apologies, Your Highness…”
“I already told you I’m no longer a princess anymore, Uncle Chef.”
“Well, we still need a way to address you.”
“In that case, just address me as Lil’ Sha. You can treat me as a commoner.” Lil’ Sha responded with extreme nonchalance on this matter.
“Ah? H-How could I? As Your Highness the Princess, you are the beacon of hope for the rejuvenation of the Asiatic Cat Race. This humble servant would never dare overstep my authority. Besides, Miss Nael would blame me.” The cat-eared middle-aged man froze in shock before incessantly shaking his head in panic.
“This old servant is merely a subordinate, at best. ‘Uncle’ is too honorable a title for me. I implore Your Highness not to make things difficult for this old servant.”
“Well, consider this my order then, uncle.”
“That…”
“Alright, it’s time to eat, right? Thank you for bringing the dishes here, uncle. Lil’ Sha can take over from here.” Lil’ Sha hopped down from the tall chair, and took the initiative to receive the meal tray from the cat-eared middle-aged man.
“Please slow down, your highness. If you’re scalded by the food…”
“Mhm…” Upon seeing the dishes on the tray, Lil’ Sha fell into deep thought.
Meat, vegetables, soup, and rice – This was considered an exceptionally lavish dinner by Lil’ Sha’s standards.
“I apologize if this meal falls short of your expectations, Your Highness… The scarcity of resources and ingredients, combined with my limited culinary skills, must have paled greatly in comparison to the exotic delicacies served in the palace. However, for the sake of Your Highness’ growth and development, I humbly beseech you to partake in a few bites, even if it may not align perfectly with your refined taste.” The chef had clearly misunderstood Lil’ Sha’s contemplative demeanor.
It deeply saddened him to watch the princess, who hailed from a prestigious lineage, eat her food as if it lacked any flavor.
From living a life of luxury to wandering about the city in a pitiful state, from having a harmonious family and home to being destitute and homeless… He couldn’t help but feel that this child had endured an excessive amount of hardship and sorrow. It truly broke his heart.
“Mhm… I think you misunderstood, uncle.” Lil’ Sha shook her head like a rattle drum. “Could you help me prepare another meal?”
“Ah? Oh, of course that’s no problem.” The middle-aged chef wiped the sweat on his forehead.
While he couldn’t guarantee that the food would meet her standards, he could ensure that there was enough to fill her stomach. At the very least, that was something he could do.
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“Excuse me, let me pass please~” A petite figure carrying two meal trays on her head was shuttling through a narrow path.
Her uncommon golden hair and foreign appearance naturally drew considerable attention from the local Asiatic Cats in the area.
“Oh? Strange, where did this child come from? I don’t recall ever seeing her before.”
“Mind your tone and show some respect. She’s actually our royal princess.”
“Princess?! …That’s right. Golden hair, purple irises… Don’t tell me she really…”
“You ignorant fool! Lady Nael actually announced this afternoon that we had found a Princess. Furthermore, she seems to be closely related to Great Princess Felina.”
“Really?!”
Without paying heed to the whispers around her, Lil’ Sha continued on her path while carrying meal trays on her head, passing through several corners until she ended up before a door.
“Obscene Middle-aged man, it’s time for your meals… Hmm?” She was slightly caught off-guard, just as she was about to use her head to knock on the door.
The door was slightly ajar unlike earlier, indicating that it was not locked from the inside.
“Ji Bai? I’m coming in.” Seeing that her shouts went unanswered, Lil’ Sha pushed open the door and entered the room.
The wood in the small fireplace continued to burn fiercely. She looked around, but failed to sense any human presence in the room.
“Ji Bai, are you here? Make a noise if you are.” Lil’ Sha placed the two meal trays on the small wooden table and scanned the area for any trace of the person she was seeking.
However, this small and cramped room contained only two bookshelves, a table, and chairs. There was no other furniture that could serve as a hiding spot.
‘Did Obscene Middle-aged man go out?’
‘He’s clearly in a very bad state. Seriously… He’s always doing these things that make me worry.’
Lil’ Sha walked furiously towards the chair, intending to take a seat. Suddenly, her vision flipped upside down as her leg got entangled by an unknown object, causing her to trip.
“Ah! Ouch…” Having fallen flat on her back, she clutched her head and directed her gaze towards the object near her leg that had caused her to trip.
“What is this thing… Hmm?” Lil’ Sha’s head was fortunate enough to have avoided the impact of the fall. As her vision cleared, she was slightly surprised to see the cross-shaped helmet that had fallen at her feet. She picked it up and cradled it in her arms.
“Obscene middle-aged man’s helmet…?”
After rummaging through the helmet’s interior, her fingers extracted a strand of silver hair that felt like silk.