33. High-end ingredients often require only the simplest cooking methods

“Rose, don’t think about having any strange intentions toward those two.”

With no other choice, I had to carry the still-yawning Rose, who looked completely dazed, out the door in a princess carry, heading toward her room.

Once I confirmed that Nilu and Kephir hadn’t followed us and couldn’t see or hear what was happening between me and Rose, I finally voiced the suspicions I had sensed from the script that had been apparent from the start, directed at the little midget in my arms.

“What do you really think about those two?”

The script had already unfolded, and I naturally understood: this “child of Lin Ke’s relative” in front of me harbored quite a few secrets. At the very least, she definitely had some thoughts about Kephir and Nilu. As for me, I figured she probably had no thoughts at all, given her attitude.

However, in response to my “soul-searching question” that pierced through her intentions in the script, the little midget in my arms was… not at all nervous.

If anything, she was overly casual.

She yawned, treating my embrace like a bed? She even wanted to turn over!

“Hold on tight, haven’t you eaten?”

“If you complain again, I’ll just throw you on the ground and walk away.”

“Hum~ Clearly, you’re doing a lot of things that creepy uncles dream of, so what’s there to complain about? Just be a good servant and hold on tight~”

As if to emphasize that “I’m a midget,” Ross pulled her drooping legs back in, curling up even more, making her already petite frame appear even more delicate. Rather than holding a real person, it felt more like I was cradling a life-sized doll.

Her sleepy, half-awake expression, paired with her silky, satin-like white hair, matched her excessively pale skin. And I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination, but as I held the midget in my arms, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was really just holding a doll devoid of warmth. Even now, as I wrapped my hand around her thigh, I hadn’t felt much warmth from Ross’s leg.

After a moment of complaint, this little midget finally revealed her true nature when she saw that Kephiel and Nilu hadn’t followed.

“Ha~ midget lover.”

“Not at all!”

If it weren’t for the fact that this brat was entrusted to me by Rinka, I would have seriously considered just tossing her on the ground.

“Anyway, don’t have any strange thoughts about Kephiel and Nilu. We’re just here to take care of you, not to be ordered around.”

Pausing, I looked down at Ross’s face. Although this little midget had her eyes closed, seemingly asleep, I knew very well: she could hear me.

“If I’m not mistaken, you didn’t come here just because you’re ‘the relative’s child,’ right? You know a lot about Rinka, don’t you?”

The script appeared, confirming my thoughts.

【Ross knows more hidden truths.】

It seemed that this “relative’s brat” was likely the latest “main storyline” following the earlier “death script.” However, the content and clues ended there; I wanted to see more information, but all I could see in the script was a vague blur.

Moreover, this little midget’s response was quite casual.

“Pretty much~ Anyway, you don’t need to know, you little pretty boy.”

“Sure, sure.”

You can think of me as a pretty boy if you want.

As I said this, I carried Ross back to her dim room, still tightly drawn curtains blocking out any sunlight.

“As long as you don’t do anything excessive, I won’t ask what secrets you have.”

After placing Ross down on the bed as if setting down an “object,” I let out a long sigh of relief.

It’s not that this little midget is too heavy or anything like that; it’s just strange to say, recently that “death script” that keeps popping up and occasionally “irritating” me has really worn me out. Because of this, I haven’t had the mood to deal with this bear midget.

The vague content of the death script shouldn’t happen immediately, but its frequent appearances have truly given me a headache, like a mosquito buzzing around my ear from time to time.

【Ogilvy was killed.】

See? Here it comes again.

“…What’s wrong with you?”

As I rubbed my forehead, the half-asleep midget, Ross, suddenly opened her eyes. “If your head is sick, you should buy yourself a coffin early.”

“It’s an ‘adult’s worry’ that has nothing to do with you.”

I sighed and looked at Ross, unable to help but remind her again.

After all, things like the “death script” can involve others. Previously, Lin was caught up in my death script and faced danger. Now, this Ross is frequently in contact with me, so I should at least give her a heads-up.

“Also, you mustn’t run around recklessly lately; there might be some danger nearby. The first thing you do when you wake up at night is wait for me to come over. Don’t run off alone like just now; if some bad guy grabs you, I wouldn’t even know.”

“…midget complex.”

“I told you it’s not that!”

I threw the pillow at Ross’s face and then closed the door as I left her room. A series of recent “death scripts,” combined with Ross’s little midget “knowledge of hidden truths”…

Huh… It seems this “main storyline” doesn’t want me to stop and relax for a moment. I’ll just let this little midget stay here for now.

——

As the door closed, at the same time.

Just moments ago, Ross was lazily lying on the bed, half-asleep, but suddenly she opened her eyes wide.

“What a careless man. If it weren’t for those two women protecting you, I don’t know how many times you would have died already, and you still say you’re not a pretty boy.”

After mumbling weakly, Ross raised one hand in front of her. The bright red on her fingernails clearly showed that she had just “broken something,” leaving a bit of blood. After a moment of distress, the little midget still brought her finger to her mouth and licked it.

Her tongue meticulously cleaned all the blood between her fingernail and finger.

Then, the blood-red eyes widened slightly, and in a careless moment, even the ears inadvertently changed shape—human ears slowly elongated, ultimately… transforming into a pair of long ears that only elves possess.

“Fairy envoy?”

“Impossible, isn’t he just a freeloader? How could this happen…”

In the next moment, the half-asleep, half-awake eyes fully opened, and even the body, which had appeared slightly fatigued due to the time, suddenly became vibrant—this was clearly something that could only happen at “night”!

And all of this was merely a simple “taste”! Clearly, in her eyes, it should have been Kephiel and Nilu’s ‘blood’ that was more suitable, yet unexpectedly… this man, who should be a pretty boy, was flowing with a noble ‘food’ that he was utterly unworthy of.

“Lin Ke… actually deceived me about this.”

Pouting, Ross no longer cared about being “tricked” by Lin Ke; after all, just moments ago, she had found an unexpected “surprise,” much like a monster that originally only wanted to eat a person, unexpectedly encountering a solitary “Tang Seng”!

“It would be such a pity not to find an opportunity to ‘take it’.”