Chapter 44: Clash on the Candy Carriage (Requesting Monthly Votes)

"So it is Miss Beve."

Wang Xi smiled with an elegant grace, proactively extending his hand.

"It is my honor to learn your true name."

"You certainly have a way with words, Mr. Gaih."

Beve replied in a lazy, languid tone, extending her hand as well. However, rather than offering a proper handshake, she gently rested her hand upon the young man's palm.

Wang Xi paused for a fraction of a second.

Possessing a quick wit, he immediately rose from the marshmallow cushion, bowed his head slightly, and pressed a light kiss to his own thumb as a gesture of utmost respect.

"No need to be so formal."

At that moment, Beve's teasing voice drifted over.

Wang Xi lifted his gaze to meet hers.

The witch twirled a ringlet of her curled hair, casting a sideways glance through lowered lashes.

"I permit you to kiss my knuckles and the back of my hand."

Silence hung in the air.

Without a word, Wang Xi complied with the witch's desire, pressing his lips in quick succession to her second knuckle and the back of her hand, brushing against her skin and parting instantly.

The smile at the corner of the witch's lips deepened.

Drawing her hand back, she took the opportunity to sweep a lock of black hair from the young man's forehead to the side of his cheek, then gently tapped his lips with her index finger, wiping away a tiny smudge of chocolate.

Smiling brightly, Beve lightly bit down on her fingertip, her eyes narrowing as she murmured:

"Though I am not fond of sweets, having touched the lips of Lord Gaih, it takes on an entirely different flavor..."

Seasoned as Wang Xi was, facing such a fierce and bold provocation from the witch still left him struggling to hold his ground.

His heartbeat inevitably accelerated.

Fortunately, Wang Xi took swift action just in the nick of time.

*The God-Tier Second!*

Amid the stern scoldings and warnings from his inner voice, he instantly regained his composure.

Wang Xi was acutely aware of a fundamental truth.

In a high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat duel of wits with a master practitioner, the slightest misstep would cause the entire situation to spiral out of control, leaving him utterly swept away by the opponent's onslaught.

"It truly surprises me that Miss Beve, esteemed as the Sugar Witch, holds no affection for sweets."

Wang Xi smiled with practiced elegance, sinking back onto his cushion.

"May I ask what Miss Beve does enjoy?"

When faced with a fierce offensive, one must yield to the brunt of the attack. Simultaneously, one must strictly adhere to the "Law of Reciprocity," centering the conversation entirely around the other party while playing the role of an attentive listener.

In short, during the process of verbal sparring, one must maintain nimble footwork and positioning, ensuring not to miss a single cue while actively dodging crowd-control skills. Then, meticulously pick up on keywords to flatter and provide emotional validation.

Wang Xi's mind raced through a hundred thoughts, his expression remaining completely unruffled.

Sure enough, once the topic had been subtly steered back toward the witch herself, Beve's interest was piqued, and she chuckled:

"I love wine."

With that, she locked her gaze onto Wang Xi's eyes and added:

"Bitter wine. The bitterer, the better."

"In that case, I suggest we swap our upcoming afternoon tea for wine. It would be my absolute pleasure to keep Miss Beve company."

Wang Xi smiled.

The witch raised a dainty eyebrow.

Though she had only recently made this young man's acquaintance, conversing with him felt remarkably effortless and pleasant.

As one of the three witches of the Magic Forest, Beve had spent the vast majority of her long existence surrounded by nothing more than dim-witted magical beasts and her two utterly tedious sisters.

The appearance of Gaih felt like an unexpected pebble cast into her life. Though unassuming, it sent ripples of delightful turbulence across her calm and stagnant lake of a heart.

"Very well." The witch's smiling eyes curved into crescent moons.

"Miss Beve, would you care to taste mine?"

At that moment, having listened to the exchange between the two, Pinocchio turned his head and addressed the Sugar Witch. Though he found the witch disagreeable, he had, after all, eaten her candy, and basic courtesy required a polite gesture.

He pointed to his messy, frosting-and-cream-covered mouth, directing a sincere look her way.

Beve glanced sideways at the boy, and her smile vanished instantly.

In a cold, detached tone, she replied:

"I have no habit of using scrap iron as tableware."

"If you don't want to taste it, fine. As if I was begging you."

Pinocchio let out a huffy scoff.

He turned his head back toward his good friend Gaih and said:

"Gaih, then you taste it."

Wang Xi watched as Pinocchio lifted his chin and cast an expectant gaze his way, momentarily lost for words.

All the mental gymnastics and strenuous efforts I put in couldn't even compare to this turnip's sudden flash of inspiration...

*Sigh!*

He let out a heavy, internal sigh.

Without further ado, he quietly produced a handkerchief and gently wiped clean Pinocchio's brightly smeared face.

Catching this scene out of the corner of her eye, the corners of Beve's mouth curled upward. For some inexplicable reason, it reminded her of a gentle older brother wiping the face of a foolish younger brother.

"Gaih, you're so nice."

Pinocchio chuckled, and as he spoke, he reached down to pull at the hem of his tunic.

"You didn't see Medusa's eyes earlier, and you seemed so disappointed. Here, take a look at mine instead..."

*Thwack!*

Wang Xi reached out and grabbed Pinocchio's hand, halting the youth's absurd intention, and spoke with a helpless expression:

"There's no need. I am far more interested in women."

"Oh." Pinocchio nodded with a look of vague comprehension, dropping the matter. "Next time I return to the Clockwork Kingdom, I'll ask Father to modify my body into a woman's."

Wang Xi's expression stiffened.

He found it both utterly ridiculous and faintly touching.

This fellow was simple-minded to the point of pure silliness.

"Pinocchio."

Wang Xi assumed a solemn expression, his tone turning serious.

The boy blinked in confusion.

"If you wish to make your father proud, simply imitating so-called heroes is not enough."

Unwilling to let the child stray down the wrong path, Wang Xi offered a soft sigh and delivered an earnest piece of guidance:

"You ought to strive to become a noble person."

"A noble person?"

Pinocchio remained mystified.

"Indeed," Wang Xi nodded. "Their personalities may vary, but most share a single common trait: they steadfastly hold onto who they are."

"Do not easily change yourself simply to cater to others. If you do, the person you become will no longer be you."

"Hold onto who I am..."

Pinocchio nodded, still only half-understanding.

"Even when it comes to Gaih?"

"No exception," Wang Xi shook his head.

Seated across from them, the Sugar Witch listened with rapt attention, her gaze repeatedly drifting back to the dark-haired young man.

*An interesting man...*

The candy carriage rolled onward for a while longer.

*Rustle.*

Beve laid down the sheepskin parchment, rolled it back up neatly, tied it with a cord, and handed it back.

"So, Mr. Gaih, your purpose in tracking down the petrified lizard is simply to complete this demon-hunting commission and thereby gain access to Lord Andor?"

"Mm." Wang Xi took the sheepskin scroll and put it away. "I wish to seek the assistance of the Snow Queen, but the snow mountain has been sealed off and is impassable, leaving me with no other choice."

"However, you should know that both the Dick Mint Master who issued the commission and Lord Andor are utter scoundrels..."

Beve offered a disdainful smile.

"The Stag Kingdom has been indiscriminately logging in the outer fringes of the Magic Forest, severely polluting the environment. I've captured quite a few managers from the silver-refining workshops and uncovered numerous secrets through magic detection."

"While shouting slogans about creating wealth for Queen Xiana, they are frantically embezzling, stuffing countless silver coins into their own pockets."

"If you intend to use those two vermin as stepping stones to reach Queen Xiana, I am afraid it will not be so simple."

Hearing this, Wang Xi knitted his brows.

Obtaining intelligence regarding the Mint Master and the minister directly from the Sugar Witch was an unexpected boon. At the same time, it made him realize that, just as the witch had warned, things might not go as smoothly as he hoped.

...

The candy carriage finally came to a halt.

The lollipop wheels grew still, the heart-shaped chocolate door swung open, and Wang Xi and Pinocchio followed the witch out of the carriage.

"Whoa! So pretty!"

Pinocchio's dark eyes lit up in amazement.

Wang Xi looked around. What met his eyes was a clearing nestled within the woods. Flowerbeds constructed from syrups of various colors blanketed the surroundings, alongside towering cake mushrooms rivaling the height of a man, their chocolate milk-foam crowns dotted with star-like fragments of crushed nuts.

Before them quietly stood a cottage built entirely of confectionery and sweets: walls of gingerbread, windowpanes of crystallized rock candy, tapestries spun from sugar thread, pillars made of candy canes, and a roof thatched with chocolate tiles...

The air was filled with a rich, complex fragrance of fresh fruit and sweetness that was entirely free of cloying sickness, lifting the spirit and bringing peace to the mind.

Everything felt dreamlike and surreal.

"The Witch is back!"

At that moment, small doors swung open near the bases of those gigantic mushroom trunks, and over a dozen "mushroom sprites" scampered out.

Their caps were brilliant multi-colored hues, resembling peaked hats perched atop their heads, and their plump, roly-poly bodies rested on stubby little limbs. Bobbing their heads, they hurried over and crowded affectionately around Beve.

[Sugar Sprite (Green / One-Star)]

A string of descriptive text materialized within Wang Xi's field of vision.

These were magical entities personally crafted by Beve using confectionery magic. Their voices were high-pitched and youthful, sounding much like little girls.

"Zanny, lead these two guests inside."

The Sugar Witch issued the lazy command.

The lead sugar sprite, sporting a deep blue mushroom cap, chirped happily in agreement. Gathering a few other sprites, she trotted over to Wang Xi's side and enthusiastically tugged at his trouser leg, guiding him toward the candy cottage.

"Respected guest, please come in," the sugar sprite named Zanny piped up in her childish voice.

"Alright." Wang Xi smiled, setting his stride to match their guidance.

Simultaneously, he glanced at Pinocchio not far away. The boy was likewise being enthusiastically swarmed, scratching his head with an embarrassed look on his face.

Wang Xi was sorely tempted to ask him: *Were you really surrounded by these little ones spitting at you, cursing and humiliating you?*

Though intensely curious about how Pinocchio might react, he ultimately managed to restrain himself... lest the clockwork youth instantly overheat and spontaneously combust right on the spot.

Once inside, Wang Xi was directed to a seat beside a cake table, where the sugar sprites thoughtfully rolled over a high-backed chair fashioned from sandwich cookies.

Beve stepped forward with grace, two sugar sprites lifting the train of her skirt on either side.

"Please make yourself at home, Mr. Gaih."

The witch seated herself deliberately, a gentle smile gracing her features.

With a flick of her hand, a dazzling array of pastries materialized across the table, served upon gleaming, transparent crystal-sugar platters.

Immediately afterward, Beve summoned Zanny to bring forth a long-necked, pot-bellied bottle of red wine.

*Glug, glug...*

The witch poured a glass for Wang Xi, handing him a crystal-sugar goblet.

"My own home-brewed 'Bitter Sugar Wine'."

"Thank you."

Wang Xi accepted the glass and took a sip.

Instantly, a complex blend of dark chocolate, coffee, absinthe, pomelo, and citrus peel unfolded on his palate, followed by a surging wave of rich alcohol warmth.

"A truly unique bitter wine. Miss Beve has exceptional taste."

Wang Xi offered an approving smile.

Having just taken a sip herself, the blonde-haired witch covered her mouth and chuckled merrily upon hearing his words, clearly delighted.

Those two sisters of hers never drank wine of this sort; drinking alone and admiring one's own reflection could never hold a candle to the atmosphere of the present moment.

"If you enjoy it, we shall drink our fill."

A faint flush crept across Beve's cheeks, brought on either by the alcohol or the flattering words.

"By all means." Wang Xi gently clinked his glass against hers.

Their gazes locked as the complex flavors lingered on their taste buds, and even the air between them seemed to thicken with lingering ambiguity.

"Where... where is my wine?"

To the side, Pinocchio stared in utter bewilderment.

A tiny hand extended from beneath the edge of the table, placing a cup of milk before the boy.