Chapter 104
The ball was held for three days but Shang Ke did not follow along the second day, because Yitamo and Tima were finally formally introduced to each other. The following ball dances, Tima would be his designated dance partner.
Shang Ke’s objective was to make opportunities for them to have contact with each other as much as possible, it was not to be the third wheel. The Shu Clansman also has their own mission, and that was to head out and set up their stall, sell some finely made objects, special deserts and small handiworks and so on. They could get used to the environment as they earned money.
The elders of Shu Clan did not wish for their young clansman to forever live within the forests of the mountain. They should come out and gain experience when given the chance. They were not asking to be related to the Yu Empire through marriage with the Prince, they only wished for permission for their clansmen to come to the empire and develop themselves.
In this lifetime, they have Yitamo and the War God’s approval, Shang Ke was sure that they would obtain their wish in advance. As for being related to the Royal Family through marriage, if it’s meant to be it will happen, but if it isn’t they don’t need to force it either. Although this world has the concept of arranged marriages and marrying within your status, most people still went for free love, and it was also the reason why Love God Neil was so strong. In the chaotic era of war when the Evil God ran amuk on the continent, who knows just which corner of the world was this Love God at planting apples. Based on seniority, the Evil God was older by him by who knows how many generations, but that guy did not know how to respect his elders at all. He completely treated him as a love-deprived god in poverty, and would hang around him from time to time.
In addition, Lord War God has been turning up around him uninvited all the time these past two days. You can glorify it by calling it supervising, but who doesn’t know that it was because he was just too free? In the era of peace, the War God does not have many places to use his abilities, so he could only sleep before. The conclusion of that was that the aura of a certain Evil God had accidentally woke him up.
Ever since they’ve met face to face, Shang Ke was almost certain that he was his man. However, he did not want to develop their relationship beyond companionship under the situation where they have such a disparity in strength and their ambiguous identity as enemies.
However, their feelings haven’t even been developed yet that guy has already cultivated the skill of shredding his clothes in a second. No matter what he wore, they would all be mercilessly peeled off. The only things that couldn’t be peeled off were his true mask and the animal hide skirt…
Right while he was thinking about that, Shang Ke saw Yitamo holding Tima’s hand and leading her onto a carriage. The two of them were talking cheerfully and seems to be getting along well.
“Neil, look at them, aren’t they quite well matched?” Shang Ke asked Neil who was lying on a branch.
Neil slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the two and mildly answered, “They are quite well matched as friends.”
Shang Ke seriously questioned him, “Friends? They don’t have the pink aura of romance on them?”
“There is one.” But it was not targeted at each other. Neil was also somewhat puzzled by this, Tima adoring her god was very normal, but why did Yitamo who did not have any romantic feelings before, suddenly have a pink aura from his body floating toward the Little Mask next to him after interacting with Tima for a few days.
Neil used a scrutinizing gaze and looked Shang Ke over.
Shang Ke: (￢︶￢) What?
Neil: …Fine, he will admit, Little Mask’s charm of getting onto the good side of people isn’t something a normal human or god can resist.
“Has God Uno not shown up these past two days at all?” Yitamo and Tima sat in the courtyard and chatted over a cup of tea. From time to time, their gaze would naturally scan their surroundings.
“I haven’t seen him since the day I danced with him.” Tima fiddled with the wooden carving hanging from her neck, her mood somewhat gloomy.
“He is your clan’s god, even if he can’t be seen, he is beside you all, protecting you guys.” Yima shifted the subject, “Why don’t you tell me some more about him? Those entertaining anecdotes from when he was imparting skills onto you all.”
Tima immediately returned to her energetic self at the new subject and laughed, “Don’t judge our god by how he looks so tall and sturdy, but he is in fact very adorable…”
The two chatted very exhilaratingly, completely unknowing of the two eavesdroppers sitting on the tree close to them.
Neil listened with keen interest and thought to himself: No wonder Yitamo’s pink aura would float toward Little Mask, what they have been chatting the entire time was about him.
Neil subconsciously glanced at Shang Ke and almost lost it.
Shang Ke: (˙︿˙) What the heck? You guys can have fun on your date, but why must this god be your topic?
(▔△▔) Tima, so my image in your heart was actually like this? Didn’t you praise me before for being strong, straightforward and full of manliness?
(⊙□⊙) Hold it, when I taught you guys martial arts, my skirt really flew that high? Why didn’t you guys tell me! Does it make you guys happy to see me expose myself?
(╰ ︿ ╯) I am warning you two, don’t say anymore. If you guys say anymore, I am going to flip out!
Neil covered his mouth, his shoulders trembling nonstop as tears were squeezed out from his eyes.
“Hahaha.” Yitamo below the tree happily laughed, the pink aura on his body also billowed with his laughter.
Although it has not reached the love standard, his favorability toward Shang Ke was clearly increasing sharply.
Neil took a second to study Yitamo, then switched to Shang Ke, an unknown light flickering in his eyes. If this human and god fell in love with each other, who knows what kind of interesting situation would happen? With that thought in mind, he silently moved his fingers. A red string of energy spiraled out, one twisting itself around Shang Ke’s wrist while the other went for Yitamo.
As the red string disappeared, Yitamo and Shang Ke stopped at the same time. Then as if nothing had happened, the pair that were chatting continued to chat while the one roasting their conversation continued his roasting.
Neil leaned against the tree trunk, a smile of interest showing on his face.
The Love God can’t force two people who don’t love each other together, but if they both have a favorable opinion of each other, he can exploit his powers and raise their feelings for each other. Watching the pink aura on Yitamo’s body slowly changing, Neil mentally gave himself a thumbs up. He then looked toward Little Mask, looks like there wasn’t any change.
Little Mask was also a god, so Neil can’t see the changes in his emotion. But he did not need to worry about it, feelings needed time to ferment, he estimated that it wouldn’t take that long before he could see the effects of raising love.
Neil did not know that his impulsive mischief had offended three great powers all at once. A War God, A Evil God, and the future monarch of the strongest Empire of the continent… it can be imagined, that Neil will pay a very bitter price for this one day…
Yitamo tactfully declined the invitation to stay for dinner. Before he left, he asked Tima for something, “May I ask if I you can give me a God Uno carving like yours?”
Tima hesitated for a moment, but still gladly gave her agreement.
Watching Yitamo leave, a strange faint feeling of disappointment and frustration rose in Shang Ke’s heart.
The three day ball ended, but the Shu Clan along with the other candidates all did not rush to leave; because Yitamo had yet to choose his consort.
But the people outside all believed that the chance of Tima getting elected is the highest, Yitamo was frequently seen out together with Tima and his attitude toward her was entirely different. They were only scratching their heads over why it was taking him so long to declare his final choice to his parents.
Tima clearly understood though, there weren’t any feelings of romance between them. In comparison, his interest in God Uno was a bit out of the norm. He had taken to carrying the wood carving she had given him on him at all times and often played with it.
Tima did not care about the title of consort, as long as she established a good relationship with Yitamo, her purpose was as good as done. But as the only girl the Prince favors, she naturally became the target of jealousy amongst the other candidates and quickly got attacked.
About half a month after the ball, Tima who was always healthy suddenly fell ill. The Shu clansmen currently there at the time had all received guidance from Shang Ke on medicine, but because the timeframe they had to learn was short, they had no problem dealing with minor things, but any serious illness rendered them helpless.
Yitamo invited the imperial physician over to treat Tima, but nothing came out of it either.
After returning back to the palace, Yitamo rolled the thought of whether or not he should post an Imperial Notice to find Tima a famous doctor around his mind.
“Yitamo.” Right at that moment, a familiar voice came from behind. He turned around and saw Shang Ke who appeared at his window sill without his knowing.
“Uno.” Pleasant surprise flitted through Yitamo’s eyes and he quickly walked to him.
“Can I ask for your help on something?” Shang Ke grimly faced him.
“What is it?”
“I want to know how many gods there are for the candidates this time.”
Yitamo’s heart skipped a beat, “You mean, someone is using the power of a god to hurt Tima?”
Shang Ke nodded.
“The register is on my desk, follow me.” Yitamo called out to Shang Ke and headed for his study.
When he opened up the register, he saw Shang Ke appear next to him, looking over the names on the register.
His head was only a fist away from his chest, causing him to remember their first meeting. He was also next to him like this, concentrating on looking for something.
Yitamo’s gaze swept down his translucent body. Although he was merely a spirit, he could still see the tensions of his muscles and the beauty of his figure. His broad shoulders and narrow waist, his long and powerful legs and the animal hide skin on his waist. Although it was a bit archaic at first, it gave off some wildness and sex appeal.
Yitamo’s mind subconsciously drew out how his corporeal body would look like, bronze skin, rugged muscles and powerful legs, just like a cheetah…
His mind wandering to that area, Yitamo’s breathing sped up and his body began to heat up.
“Yitamo, thank you. I finished reading the register.” Shang Ke raised his head: ( °ˇ°)
“Would you like me to make you a copy?”
“There’s no need, I’ve already memorized it all.” Shang Ke floated up, “I will head back first, if I need more help I will come bother you.”
“Mn.” Yitamo’s gaze uncontrollably went to the floating and drifting animal hide skirt on his waist.
However, before he had the chance to clearly see the content behind it, Shang Ke’s figure had already disappeared.
“Alas, when will he become a full fledged god…” Yitamo quietly murmured.
Making his way back to the residence of the Shu Clan, Shang Ke quickly filtered through the gods that could possibly be doing this and confirmed a couple suspicious targets.
“His register isn’t complete.” While he was deep in thought, he heard a familiar voice. War God Saya’s majestic figure appeared in front of Shang Ke.
“What?”
“If you want to know about the gods in the capital, you should come to me.” Saya stared unblinkingly at his face.
Shang Ke: ( °△°)！
“You’re willing to tell me?” What happened to them being hated enemies?
Saya strangely felt a bit unhappy, “As long as you ask.”
“Okay then.” Since you are so passionate about this, “How many gods are in the capital?”
“167”
Shang Ke: “What?” (⊙Д⊙)!
“167. ”
How are there that many!! He had only seen twenty-three on Yitamo’s register, but that did not mean that only the gods within the register were targets of suspicion. In other words, he has to expand his search range from twenty-three to one hundred and sixty-seven!