บท 28: It's only natural, right?

"Rest assured, you are under my care."

Feng Huang never stayed in the same place for too long, and because he is an immortal, multiple leaders and kings granted him unrestrained authority in exchange for his cooperation(sometimes.). The orc not only had a free pass bestowed by the rulers but was widely known and notorious for his arrogance combined with his crushing power. So wherever he went, Feng Huang was welcomed with plenty of hospitality.

"You're not going to abandon me there and leave, right?" Liss said with a friendly gesture, slightly pulling a strand of Feng Huang's hair that she was playing with to pass the time.

It's only natural, right?

Deep down

Everyone wishes to be loved, to feel the warmth of another, to have someone special to share their joys and sorrows and hold close.

Feng Huang, who had only recently begun to explore his desires, took his time roaming around the area before heading to the Tiger King.

"Hm... should I? hahaha"

He, a natural predator, was quick to notice when someone's attitude or mood changed, and Feng Huang was elated seeing Liss's shift in behavior.

Her compassionate nature and gracious manner made taking care of her feel like a rewarding experience rather than a chore.

In the short time they spent together, Liss expressed goodwill, and in the face of Feng Huang's outbursts, she showed restraint and understanding, that was, until he pushed too far. To untrained eyes, Liss would appear as a calm innocent female who was amicable and easy to get close to.

Even though both were acting as if nothing happened, the dynamics between them changed.

And once again the female attitude was a surprise.

Feng Huang had shown his violent side twice in that short period, and it's obvious that Liss disapproves of such behavior and values harmony, Fenghuang was conscious of her fear of him and that she felt the urge to rejoin the youngsters. Yet, at the same time, she appeared to have relaxed around him, showing signs of being at ease in his presence.

"Shall we go?"

He halted when they reached the entrance, patting her back to catch her attention.

Liss took a deep breath before recollecting herself, willing or not, she should go and express her gratitude. The tiger king was kind to her, with interior motives or not he expressed concern for her well-being, going as far as asking FengHuang to find her.

"Okay." Liss nodded, quickly fixing Feng Huang's hair that she messed up while playing with it, and shifting forward while stretching her legs, waiting for him to release her. "Huh? Let me down."

Liss had her shoes on and was perfectly able to walk.

After squirming around a bit her annoyance became apparent as her face grimaced and she frowned while snapping her head to glare at Fenghuang.

"Come on, quit this already! Let me down."

"Enough. Stop throwing a tantrum and behave." Fenghuang sternly reprimanded Liss, returning her frown with a stern expression.

"Huh?!" She exclaimed bitterly, she squirmed on his arms trying to make him lose his grip more aggressively just to feel Feng Huang's arms move, now using his forearm to support her bottom he pulled her closer.

"Tsk"

He clicked his tongue in annoyance before using his arm to push her up, making her hop back into place.

"Behave!"

He secured her bottom with an arm while holding the back of her neck with the other, forcing Liss to face him and look into his eyes.

"It's not a tantrum, I can walk. Wouldn't it be weird if the tiger king saw you carrying me?"

"Nonsense."

"It's not!" Liss insisted. But he ignored moving his hand from her neck to her waist resuming to walk. "Don't you think it would be more polite to greet the tiger king standing on my own?"

"It's dangerous, you might trip."

"I'm not a baby, I learned how to walk long ago. It's embarrassing. Come on, Fenghuang put me down."

He didn't slow down or tilt his face to face her. In another attempt to convince him, she gently tugged the hem of his hanfu. But the moment her lips parted to speak, Fenghuang abruptly stopped walking and snapped his eyes, giving Liss a sidelong, disapproving glare.

She acknowledges that her recent behavior was out of character for her. She wouldn't have complained so much if someone else had been carrying her, but it was Feng Huang, who is known to dislike women.

In a single day, he transitioned from manhandling her and tossing her around to holding her close and keeping her by his side at all times. Levi had cautioned her about Feng Huang's unpredictability, but the sudden change in his behavior surpassed all her predictions. It wasn't just a change of heart, but a transformation in his entire demeanor.

"Right... I'm sorry."

Hearing her apology Fenghuang restarted walking but kept silent, he wasn't too keen on letting her roam free in a place full of males, and staying this way not only protected the female from any accidents but served as a warning too, that she was off limits.

After crossing the big entrance hall and the hallway, Fenghuang proudly strode through the corridor towards the last door in the hall where two males stood in front of each door.

The two individuals who heard footsteps approaching glanced in their direction, recognizing Fenghuang immediately. They turned around, each opening one of the doors while announcing who had arrived. Fenghuang strode straight ahead without acknowledging the other two.