After the maids left, Nemo finally took a deep breath. "Finally, I can relax," he muttered, looking around the room.
It was a neat and modest setup: a comfortable bed, a wooden cupboard, a few ornamental trinkets on the walls, and a clean attached bathroom. It didn't scream luxury, but after two days in the jungle, it felt like a five-star suite.
He tossed his bag on the bed and stepped into the bathroom. After a long, much-needed shower, he changed into a fresh robe prepared by his hosts and stood in front of the mirror.
He paused.
His reflection stared back: clean black hair tied loosely, sharp brows, defined cheekbones, and a lean but athletic build now accented by the dark-blue silk robe with gold trimming.
"Damn," he said, tilting his head. "I look like a noble. You look handsome, boy," he said as he pointed at his reflection. "No wonder Jade's blushing all the time," he thought.
Feeling fresh, he flopped onto the bed and instantly passed out.
---
He was awoken by a soft knock on the door.
"Sir Nemo, are you alright?" a voice called from outside.
Groggily, he sat up and groaned. His body ached from exhaustion.
He opened the door and found one of the maids from earlier. She looked at him with sparkling eyes, clasping her hands like a fangirl.
"Sir Nemo! You've been sleeping for 14 hours. Miss Jade was worried, so she sent me to check on you."
"Fourteen hours?" Nemo scoffed. "Heh. Rookie numbers. I can do eighteen without breaking a sweat," he smirked.
"Sir, breakfast is ready. Would you like to join?"
"Yes, thanks. Let me freshen up first."
After splashing cold water on his face and fixing his slightly messy hair, Nemo followed her to the dining hall.
Inside, Jade and her mother Isabella were already seated at the table, which was overflowing with food. The moment Isabella spotted him, she waved warmly.
"Nemo, come. Sit here."
He smiled and thought, Ah… so the future mother-in-law finally approves.
He slid into the seat between Isabella and Jade. Maids began serving food while Isabella asked him polite questions, how he was feeling, whether the bed was soft enough, and if he slept well.
After easing him in, her questions changed slightly. "So… tell me about your background. Your parents? Any clan or sect affiliation?"
Nemo put down his chopsticks and took a dramatic breath.
"Well... I was born in the noble land of Nowhereshire," he began. "My father was a wandering scholar, always chasing forgotten knowledge and ancient ruins. One day, he left on an expedition and just... never came back."
"My mother? She was a gifted martial artist, known in our region. She tripped off a flying sword and ascended to the heavens."
"After that, I was raised by my uncle, a retired guard with a limp and a love for acting. He too passed away with a heart attack during a performance. Everyone laughed and thought he was acting... until he died."
Jade's eyes welled up with tears.
Isabella covered her mouth in horror. "Oh my... You poor thing!"
She pulled him into a warm embrace, his face landing squarely in her ample bosom.
"There, there… Don't worry. You're family now," she said, stroking his hair.
Nemo, buried his face deep in her breasts and had the urge to grin like an idiot. He mumbled, "Th-thank you… Auntie Isabella…"
Ahh… Now this is what I call a good life, he thought.
After some time, when things started getting a bit awkward, he straightened up and returned to eating.
Once the meal ended, Jade stood up and grabbed his hand. "Come on! Let me show you around."
As she dragged him into the hallway, Nemo chuckled and thought to himself, Time to tease the princess a bit.
He suddenly stopped her near the wall and leaned close. With a sly grin, he whispered,
"Be careful, Jade… If you keep pulling me around like this, people might start suspecting we're a couple."
Her face turned the color of a ripe tomato.
Before Nemo could take it further, loud whistles echoed from nearby. Several maids peeked from behind a corner, giggling like schoolgirls.
Jade squeaked in embarrassment and shoved Nemo away.
"Tsk," he clicked his tongue. "You little gremlins…"
He turned to glare at the maids with mock menace. "I'll remember this. Don't blame me when my revenge arc begins."
The maids yelped and scattered like startled rabbits.
---
Wandering aimlessly afterward, Nemo found himself in the backyard. There, several shirtless guards were engaged in intense training. The sun gleamed off their muscles as they sparred and lifted weights.
Dorian, of course, was at the forefront, doing push-ups while counting aloud.
"9981… 9982… 9983…"
Nemo blinked. "What the hell, is he doing a world record attempt?"
After completing a round 10,000, Dorian stood up, flexed unnecessarily, and noticed Nemo.
"Ah, young hero! Come to join our legendary Steel-Chest, Super Manly Brotherhood?"
He gestured to the sweaty gathering with pride.
"Wait, what's it called again?" Nemo asked.
"The Steel-Chest, Super Manly Brotherhood!" Dorian announced with enthusiasm, veins bulging on his forehead.
"…Yeah, no thanks." Nemo turned to leave.
Before he could take two steps, Dorian casually grabbed him by the back of the collar and lifted him like a sack of rice.
"Bro, what the hell, put me down!"
Ignoring his cries, Dorian dragged him into the group, where the guards all welcomed him with enthusiasm. A few even hugged him with their sweaty bodies, expressing gratitude for saving their young miss, leaving Nemo sticky and traumatized.
As the crowd settled, Nemo looked around the training field. There were practice dummies, wooden weapons, sandbags, and even a small dueling ring.
He figured since he was here, a little exercise wouldn't hurt. He spotted a guy around his age and remembered his name was Yunchi.
"Hey, Yunchi. What do you guys do for fun?"
"Sword duels, spike ball clash, sphere in the ditch," he replied.
That piqued Nemo's interest. Finally, some real cultivation vibes.
"Can you teach me sword duel?"
"Of course! Let's go."
They headed to the dueling ring, surrounded by a crowd of excited onlookers.
Nemo stepped into the ring and waited. "So… aren't we gonna get swords?"
Yunchi said, "Of course," then he began loosening his belt.
"Wait bro, what are you doing?" Nemo asked, panic rising.
"Waking up my sword," Yunchi said as if it was the most obvious thing. "C'mon bro, you too."
Nemo stared, horrified, as Yunchi proudly stood there, with his pants down and started pumping his "spirit weapon."
"…WHAT THE HELL, BRO?!"
The crowd watched silently, unsure why Nemo was freaking out.
"I... Nope. I'm OUT." Nemo bolted from the ring, running as fast as his legs would take him.
"Wait! Why is he running?" Yunchi blinked.
"Maybe he has a tiny sword and doesn't want to show it," Dorian said solemnly, stroking his goatee.
The crowd nodded in agreement as Dorian casually flexed.