Chapter 29: Giving Gifts

At first, Wen Yuzhi had doubted those Gumu.

Could something that small even lift knives, ladles, woks, and things like that?

But once they officially started working, those few Gumu ruthlessly refreshed his understanding.

Those dumpling-like little creatures weren’t just unbelievably nimble—they worked with extreme efficiency.

They could extend a soft, squishy tentacle out of their jelly-like bodies.

Don’t be fooled by how tiny that “hand” was. It was ridiculously flexible: it could curl around a knife handle to chop vegetables, and it could even haul a huge pot—one bigger than their own bodies—while scampering all over the place.

The Gumu also had very clear division of labor. You do yours, I do mine. The entire kitchen was full of the little guys hopping around.

It looked busy as hell, but in reality everything was handled in perfect order.

Wen Yuzhi washed the fruit on this side, and over there they were already helping simmer the jam.

As for the bone spines, they only knew how to fight. They couldn’t help much with this kind of thing even if they stayed nearby, but they also didn’t want to leave the cub, so they could only carry plates, pass things over, and do odd jobs like that.

Luckily, no other Saint Clan happened to see this scene—because if they saw the king’s companion entity doing kitchen grunt work...

...that visual impact would be enough to make them instantly start questioning their entire existence.

Especially with the bone spines planted there—every now and then they’d get disliked by the Gumu for being in the way.

The Gumu chattered “gu guji ji” for a while.

In the end, it wasn’t clear whether the bone spines understood or not, but those terrifying killing tools that made enemies tremble on the battlefield, at this moment, looked like wronged little pitiful things. They shrank and shrank again, until they were basically pressed into the corner, making room for the little dumplings to pass.

Wen Yuzhi also knew they had been wronged, so he comforted them: “When it’s done, I’ll give yours to you first.”

Hearing that they had a share too—and that they would get it first—those bone spines immediately stopped feeling sad, stopped feeling gloomy, and they swayed in front of Wen Yuzhi.

“You want three?” Wen Yuzhi asked.

The bone spines made a nodding motion.

...Three... want the cub to give them more than Mansendis...

Those bone spines were also very vengeful.

They still remembered the things Mansendis had mocked them with before, and they even had a sneaky plan to find a chance to get revenge.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t know about their “grudge” with Mansendis. What Wen Yuzhi was thinking was whether three would be too few—whether it wouldn’t be enough to split—and it would be best if everyone could have some.

But if that was the case, berry tarts wouldn’t work, so Wen Yuzhi planned to bake a separate batch of small cookies just for the bone spines.

Even though Wen Yuzhi already had an idea, Wen Yuzhi didn’t just decide on his own. Wen Yuzhi chose to discuss it with the bone spines first, trying to accommodate what they wanted as much as possible—

to see whether they wanted cookies or berry tarts.

And the bone spines, without hesitation, chose the cookies with the larger quantity.

...They want cookies... everyone can have some!

Wen Yuzhi wasn’t surprised by their choice. Wen Yuzhi pressed his palms together and softly asked, “Then please bring the flour over for me!”

...A task the cub gave... must be completed!

Those bone spines immediately turned around and went to find flour, overjoyed.

After calming the bone spines, Wen Yuzhi turned around—and discovered the Gumu at the side were also secretly watching what was happening.

When they noticed Wen Yuzhi look back, those few Gumu immediately pretended to be very busy, stirring the jam boiling in the pot, acting like they hadn’t been slacking off, and definitely hadn’t been secretly watching.

It was just that they withdrew too quickly and too frantically, and a few little dumplings even bumped into each other.

Their jelly-like bodies were extremely bouncy—wobbling and swaying.

Wen Yuzhi was so amused by them that he couldn’t help laughing a little.

When those pairs of tiny bean eyes looked over in curiosity because of the laughter, Wen Yuzhi finally reined in his expression a bit.

He held a fist to his lips, but his brows and eyes were still curved as he asked, “What about you? Do you want little cookies too?”

The Gumu hadn’t expected they would have a share too.

In surprise, they even lifted their short little tentacles and poked toward themselves, as if asking whether Wen Yuzhi meant them.

Wen Yuzhi said warmly, “Yes, you. Because I want to thank you for helping me so much. If you weren’t here, I probably wouldn’t be able to handle it on my own.”

When the Gumu heard that, their bean eyes abruptly widened.

They excitedly walked over one by one and rubbed the small antennae on their heads against the back of Wen Yuzhi’s hand. Then they all gathered into a circle and chattered “gu guji ji” about something.

Wen Yuzhi also patiently waited for them to discuss it slowly.

In the end, the result of the Gumu’s discussion was that they unanimously decided they didn’t want little cookies.

They wanted jam.

“Only jam?” Wen Yuzhi felt that if it was just jam, it would...

But those few Gumu...

While it was simmering, they were already secretly peeking into the pot.

Seeing that they really did like it, after some polite back-and-forth, Wen Yuzhi simply packed a huge portion of jam onto a plate for them.

He couldn’t see them open their mouths, but the jam on the plate visibly decreased at a speed you could see with the naked eye.

And their jelly-like bodies gradually turned the same red color as the jam. Their bean eyes were full of that satisfied, post-meal fullness, and the little antennae on their heads swayed along with their eating motions.

Wen Yuzhi watched at the side for quite a while, his gaze constantly landing on those antennae that looked just like bunny ears.

Maybe he was just too curious—quietly, quietly, while the Gumu were all eating, he reached out and touched one.

So soft!

The instant he touched it, Wen Yuzhi’s eyes lit up.

So cute.

Wen Yuzhi slightly pressed his lips together. Watching them eat, he felt like his heart was about to melt.

Mond stood outside the kitchen and saw every bit of Wen Yuzhi’s interaction with the Gumu. Mond’s gaze paused for a moment on the smile on the little Highness’s face. Then Mond didn’t rashly barge in and disturb everything, and instead silently chose to turn around and withdraw.

When Merita saw Mond again, Merita realized that this general affairs officer seemed... very happy?

Of course Mond was happy.

The little Highness finally showed a smile—how could that not be something to be happy about?

If possible, Mond wished he could keep the little Highness this happy forever.

“What do you think... about us finding a few chefs from the human side and bringing them over?”

Mond was thinking that the little Highness was said to have been raised by humans before. Maybe having a few humans nearby would make the little Highness happier. And it was said the human race was also good at cooking; the little Highness’s diet really did need to be more varied.

Merita didn’t say yes, and Merita didn’t say no either. Merita only stated the objective fact calmly: “I think there probably won’t be any humans willing to accept this job.”

What Merita said was already considered tactful.

In reality, it was simply impossible for any human to run all the way to Dark Tower Star. They weren’t out of their minds—who would dare come when they knew Dark Tower Star was the Saint Clan’s capital?

How was that any different from walking alone into a tiger’s den?

Maybe walking into a tiger’s den could at least leave a corpse. But if you fell into the Saint Clan’s hands, you would absolutely die without a whole body.

Mond wasn’t discouraged.

If humans wouldn’t work, then Mond would look among other races instead. The selection range could be expanded to species that looked relatively small and weak, with gentle and harmless temperaments.

Because the little Highness seemed to like creatures with cute appearances.

......

Wen Yuzhi stayed busy in the kitchen for nearly the entire afternoon.

He counted the people he needed to give gifts to: Mansendis was a must; Alvin, Mu Luo, Mond, and Merita also needed gifts; and he had promised Yiluo and Feier they would have a share too. On top of that, there were so many Saint Clan in the palace, and also that group of Heimo he’d run into today.

The jam he’d simmered couldn’t make that many portions, so Wen Yuzhi only planned to give berry tarts to a few key gift recipients. For the other Saint Clan, he baked little cookies as gifts.

Because of that—and to make it up to the bone spines—he specifically differentiated two kinds of cookies. The cookies made for the bone spines had special patterns: on top were chibi drawings Wen Yuzhi had drawn by hand, showing the bone spines from different angles. The cookies for the other Saint Clan had no patterns.

That way, what the bone spines received was still the most special.

...Cub... gave them... special...

The bone spines were also very happy.

They eagerly helped Wen Yuzhi carry the finished cookies and berry tarts, patter-patter-patter, following behind.

As for the Gumu, at some point they had quietly slipped up onto Wen Yuzhi’s shoulders. One by one, they squeezed in close, crowded together, sprawled on his shoulders and refused to come down.

Wen Yuzhi wanted to set them down.

The Gumu acted spoiled and insisted on clinging to him.

The light-gold pupils and the tiny bean eyes stared at each other for a few seconds, and in the end, Wen Yuzhi compromised.

“Fine, then be careful not to fall off.”

Wen Yuzhi reminded them uneasily.

“Guji guji.”

The Gumu replied too.

Wen Yuzhi couldn’t understand, but seeing how calm they looked, that chirping was probably telling him to relax...

Wen Yuzhi first found Yiluo and Feier.

They were easy to find.

The Ge De’s size made them stand out no matter where they went.

Wen Yuzhi handed over the berry tarts he had promised them. He had wrapped them and tied pretty ribbon bows.

Thanks to the Omega Academy’s “bride course”—even though Wen Yuzhi hadn’t liked that place—he truly had learned many things there, like how to make desserts and how to carefully wrap gifts.

Compared to using those methods to curry favor with an Alpha, Wen Yuzhi preferred this: giving what he made as sincere intent to the ones he cared about.

Yiluo and Feier had already gotten a little snowman before. Now they also had the berry tarts the little ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Highness gave them.

They lowered their heads and stared without blinking at what was in their palms, afraid it was an illusion—like if they looked away for even one second, it would disappear.

A gift.

They remembered that word, and they also remembered today, and the two things that had been called gifts.

Wen Yuzhi hadn’t expected that just giving out desserts would add two more tails—

No, not tails. Big tails.

Yiluo and Feier silently followed behind him. Even with the bone spines threatening and warning them from the side, they still didn’t leave.

For some reason, Wen Yuzhi suddenly felt like this scene was familiar.

Those Gumu just now had been the same—no matter what he said, they wouldn’t come down.

And now these two Ge De also refused to go.

Wen Yuzhi had no choice but to let them follow.

So a special “team” appeared inside the palace.

Wen Yuzhi walked at the very front; a pile of Gumu sat on his shoulders; Mansendis’s companion entity followed closely at his side; and two Ge De guards trailed behind.

Any servant who passed by couldn’t help but take a few extra looks at this group.

It really was special.

In their eyes, the little Highness carrying a bunch of Gumu was unbelievably adorable.

And those bone spines—they recognized them too, as the king’s companion entity. Seeing them so docilely following Wen Yuzhi, those Saint Clan were so shocked they couldn’t even speak for a moment.

As for the two Ge De, the servants in the palace felt only envy toward them. That snowman and that berry tart—one look and you could tell they were made by the little Highness’s own hands.

Damn it, they wanted some too...

Bathed in so many envious stares, Yiluo and Feier straightened their backs even more.

Their faces were still cold and ruthless, but their hands held perfectly upright the little snowman sealed in heat-preserving glass and that portion of berry tart—

like they were holding some priceless treasure.

Wen Yuzhi found Mond.

The latter saw him and greeted him with a gentle expression. “Little Highness, do you need anything?”

Wen Yuzhi told Mond why he was here, and personally handed the berry tart he made into Mond’s hands.

“I really like that room. Thank you. This one is for Merita—can you help me pass it to her?”

“And these little cookies are what I want to give to everyone in the palace too. Can I trouble you to help me hand them out?”

As he spoke, Wen Yuzhi used those round almond-shaped eyes to carefully observe Mond’s expression.

He didn’t know whether what he was doing would be allowed inside the palace.

So he waited a little anxiously for Mond’s reply.

Mond didn’t answer right away, because Mond was still immersed in the fact that Wen Yuzhi had given Mond a gift.

Mond had personally seen the little Highness go into the kitchen and stay busy inside for a long time.

So... had the little Highness been inside preparing gifts for them?

Mond’s chest suddenly felt a little blocked up, as if a huge wad of cotton had been stuffed into it.

Mond looked at Wen Yuzhi with an even gentler gaze. “It was this subordinate who was discourteous. I will distribute these as soon as possible.”

“I believe everyone will feel happy receiving gifts as well—just like this subordinate.”

Wen Yuzhi was a little embarrassed by Mond’s praise and lowered his head. He tugged at the hem of his clothes, and the earlobe hidden by his hair was also a little red.

Mond noticed that inside the small basket the bone spines were “holding,” there were still some cookies and berry tarts.

Mond already had a vague guess.

“Are these for the king?”

Wen Yuzhi nodded. “And for Alvin too. Do you know where... they are?”

“The king should be in the council hall right now,” Mond replied.

As the Saint Clan’s sovereign and the only one in power, Mansendis’s daily schedule was far busier than Wen Yuzhi had imagined. Going to Thorn Castle last night already counted as squeezing out a little time from an overwhelmingly packed schedule.

Now Mansendis had only just returned, and immediately had to deal with matters on Kanirila’s side again.

The war was already over, but postwar matters—reclaiming and sorting the spoils—still had to be handled at once.

Even though, to the Saint Clan who possessed the entire Ninth Star Sector, Kanirila could be called dispensable, once they had taken it, it became their thing.

Mansendis had no intention of wasting time on that small planet.

Alvin suggested, “Little Highness is still missing a crown. Kanirila isn’t large, but its star core can at least serve as a decoration on Little Highness’s crown.”

Compared to gemstones the outside world considered precious, Alvin felt a star core was more worthy of the little Highness’s status.

The other Heimo had originally had objections, but the moment they heard it would be presenting Kanirila to the little Highness, they followed Alvin’s train of thought and also felt it was a good idea.

It was just...

“If it’s only one Kanirila, won’t it be too plain?”

“This subordinate thinks Little Highness’s crown should be handled more cautiously. How could one Kanirila be enough? In this subordinate’s view, we should get a few more better-looking planets, so Little Highness can switch them out and wear different ones.”

“The Seventh Star Sector isn’t bad. Elves and merfolk live there, and haven’t their planets always been praised as the most suitable planets to travel to?”

The council hall’s discussion direction very quickly shifted from how Kanirila should be dealt with to, exactly, how many planets they should take, and which planets were qualified to become accessories on Wen Yuzhi’s crown—until the Heimo argued endlessly about it.

When Wen Yuzhi arrived, he happened to bump into this lively scene.

He stopped at the doorway, deciding to wait outside first.

He had just forgotten one thing.

The bone spines were right beside him. At such close distance, how could Mansendis not sense where his own companion entity was?

The silver-haired sovereign on the throne casually lifted his eyes.

His gaze just happened to catch a glimpse of a hem of clothing that flashed past at the doorway.

He stood up and slowly walked down the steps.

The heated argument below also came to a screeching halt because of that movement.

Those Heimo watched helplessly as Mansendis stepped down from the throne and walked straight toward the door.

They heard Mansendis speak.

“Why aren’t you coming in?”