บท 330: The Thorny Cactus
Although the northwestern border of the Empire is a desert, finding a cactus in the cold winter is not an easy task. After all, just like no one cultivates weeds, very few people keep potted cacti here.
Just as the young man was growing impatient, a knight came rushing over on horseback, the sound of hooves clattering as he approached. In his hands, he held a potted green cactus.
The knight dismounted and respectfully handed the cactus to the young man.
"Beautiful lady, this is the cactus you requested," the young man said with a hint of pride. It wasn't easy to find a cactus at this time.
"Oh." Kaguya took the cactus and carefully examined it.
The young man wasn't in a hurry, assuming that the silver-haired girl before him was already his for the taking.
"This cactus seems a bit unusual," Kaguya said as she scrutinized the cactus in her hands.
Indeed, the cactus was peculiar. Most cacti are green, but this one was a bright red, like a glowing red candle. Kaguya had never seen a cactus like this before, and her curiosity was piqued.
"This is a rare variety, extremely scarce. It was cultivated by a master who specializes in cacti, and it's very expensive—worth more than its weight in gold," the young man said with a slight air of self-satisfaction. "But since you like it, my lady, no matter how rare it is, I'll find it for you."
"You're the lady; your whole family are ladies," Kaguya said with a squinting smile.
"What?" The young man was momentarily taken aback.
Kaguya smiled and beckoned him closer with her finger.
Entranced by the silver-haired girl's smile, the young man, as if spellbound, walked over to her.
Kaguya picked up the cactus and smacked it right into his face.
"Ah, ah, ah!"
Kaguya threw the cactus onto the ground, patted the dirt off her hands, and nodded in satisfaction. "Hmm, that annoying face finally looks better."
Cactus spines come in both soft and hard varieties, becoming harder the longer they grow. Hard spines can be as sharp as steel needles, and even a light touch can pierce the skin and draw blood.
Fortunately, this rare cactus didn't have many hard spines, possibly due to its breed, and only a few had pierced the young man's cheeks. However, the real tragedy was that the knight, in his effort to find an attractive cactus, had chosen a fresh one with many soft, fine spines.
These soft, fine spines are worse than the hard ones. They don't just leave a scratch; they stay embedded in the flesh. No matter how carefully you try to remove them, it's impossible to get them all out completely, and some always remain in the skin. This kind of pain isn't something that can be easily alleviated. Because the spines are so small and not a serious problem, even surgeons find them difficult to deal with.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and pull these spines out!" The young man, now feeling a stinging, itchy pain, forgot all about his manners and shouted at his guards.
"Yes, sir."
The guards rushed over, fumbling as they tried to pull the spines from the young man's face, like trying to remove spines from a porcupine. These men were rough and unskilled; they could handle combat, but not this delicate work. Their clumsy efforts only drove the spines deeper into the young man's skin.
As the young man howled in pain, Kaguya flipped her hair, turned around, and prepared to leave.
"Stop right there!"
Kaguya turned back, tilting her head with amused interest as she watched the frantic young man.
Some people are like sunflowers. They're brilliant and dazzling when in bloom, but once their peak has passed, they reveal the ugly seeds beneath their once-beautiful petals—just like this young man, who now had no trace of his former elegance.
"Do you really think you can just walk away? Ha!" The young man, seething with anger, forced a smile. No one had ever dared treat him like this before, and those who had were all hanged on the city walls. He had taken a fancy to this silver-haired girl, but she had proven to be infuriatingly difficult.
"Oh? Are you planning to imprison me, like some kind of plaything, for your amusement?" Kaguya's lips curled into a playful smile.
Why do people like him, who can't actually do anything, always like to make threats? Is it that the less capable someone is, the more they bark?
"That's not a bad idea. I'll consider it seriously." The young man's once-handsome face now twisted into a sinister grin as his burning gaze locked onto Kaguya.
"I don't have time to waste on you," Kaguya said, losing interest. She felt that talking to someone like this was lowering her intelligence, making her look like an idiot. This guy was nothing more than a lapdog, driven by lust.
Seeing that Kaguya was about to leave, the young man quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His eyes were ablaze with desire, like a fire burning out of control.
Yes, just as she said—he would imprison her, making her his possession. The thought of her slender neck, delicate collarbones, lithe waist, and perky chest filled him with a violent thrill, like a lion playing with its prey.
"Get her! Capture her!" The young man's face twisted with a vile smile. "Don't hurt her, or I'll have your heads."
"Yes, sir!"
The guards responded in unison, gripping their swords as they advanced on Kaguya. They didn't see this beautiful girl as much of a threat, but they did pity her, thinking another beautiful flower was about to be plucked by a pig.
Just then, a golden blur shot through the air like lightning, charging into the group with blinding speed. After a rapid series of "thud thud thud" sounds, the young man's guards were all lying on the ground, sprawled in every direction.
The golden blur then revealed its true identity. The figure turned her head, locking eyes with Kaguya, and they both showed expressions of shock.
"It's you?"
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