AHEIAID Chapter 10: The Catastrophic Petting Incident
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When Joey woke up from his fever, the system excitedly howled that they had succeeded.
Succeeded?
What had succeeded?
Had his previously flopped novel finally become popular?
Joey groaned in pain, hissing as he moved his sore body, still suffering from the aftereffects of the fever. His black curly hair was a mess, and he dizzily climbed up, squinting his dog-like eyes as he knelt on the bed, looking out into the sunlight.
And then, he froze.
A massive floor-to-ceiling European-style window, spanning several meters wide, reflected an endless stretch of green fields in his widening black pupils.
Distant mountains, their peaks shrouded in mist, were faintly visible.
The sky was a pristine blue, as if freshly washed by the rain.
Closer, neatly trimmed trees shaped in uniform forms, goddess statues atop fountain pools, and even a unicorn leisurely strolling across the lawn could be seen…
Tiny purple and yellow flowers dotted the grass, swaying adorably in the gentle breeze.
The scent of fresh grass and floral fragrance carried by the wind drifted in through the slightly open window, lifting the pristine white curtains on either side of the glass panes.
Like a gentle mother, the wind tousled Joey’s curly black hair, landing a fresh, dreamy kiss on his utterly stunned face.
Joey: “…”
Holy shit… what the hell is this situation?!
He whipped his head around, realizing that the bed he was sitting on was bigger than the entire basement apartment he had rented in his previous life!
The canopy was neatly tied to the bedposts, a cream-colored woven rug stretched out across the vast room, and the carefully arranged decorations did nothing to diminish the sheer emptiness of the echo-inducing space.
After a few moments of silence, Joey flopped back onto the bed, smacking his lips.
Whatever, I must be dreaming.
Might as well go back to sleep.
【Sleep your ass! Wake up, you damn host, you actually did it!】 The system, both excited and anxious, shouted at him.
Joey groaned from under the covers, “Damn system, you’re annoying when I’m awake, and now you’re even bugging me in my dreams.”
The system rolled its eyes: 【This isn’t a dream. You were personally taken in by Garius Heine yesterday. You’re now in his estate. From now on, you are his exclusive ‘rare beast’!】
Joey froze mid-scratch. “...Wait, what? Say that again?”
The system snickered: 【Congrats, host! You officially have an owner now. See this vast land? It all belongs to your new poop-scooping dad.】
Joey: “…”
Joey stiffly turned his head, clicking his neck as he glanced at the fairyland-like scenery outside, then turned back just as stiffly, staring blankly at the palatial room.
After a pause.
Tears streamed down Joey’s face.
The system panicked, thinking something was wrong, but Joey mumbled, “…So this is what it feels like to marry into a wealthy family? Damn, I love it.”
The system: 【…】 Have some dignity!
“Knock knock—”
The massive door was lightly rapped twice, and Joey instinctively sat up straight.
Soon, a young Ottoman man in a white shirt, black vest, and black trousers walked in, pushing a small food cart. His sleeves were rolled up, secured by sleeve garters.
His neatly combed blonde hair was a common feature among the Ottoman race, and his handsome face was softened by a warm, approachable demeanor.
The man didn’t seem surprised to see Joey awake.
Joey, seeing this unfamiliar alien, felt a bit nervous, unsure whether to speak or not.
But the man simply smiled politely, watching Joey’s reaction as he slowly approached, stopping at a considerate distance where Joey could smell the food but not feel overwhelmed. Then, with a respectful bow, he left the room.
【Don’t worry.】
The system whispered: 【Judging by his outfit, he’s probably a servant of the estate. Your room has cameras, so he was likely ordered to bring food once you woke up.】
“Whoa, no way. That handsome guy is just a servant?”
The system scoffed: 【That’s nothing. Ottoman people are almost universally good-looking. This guy’s only average. Anyway, you’re still weak. Eat something first so we can plan our next steps.】
Joey clicked his tongue.
He seriously didn’t get why these people worshiped humans. Compared to them, weren’t humans way lamer?
Rubbing his empty stomach, he hesitantly picked up a small fork, eyeing the unidentifiable but delicious-smelling food before taking a bite.
“What’s there to plan? We succeeded. The next step is obviously to win over the rich poop-scooping dad, right?”
【It’s not that simple. Garius Heine is unpredictable. We don’t know why he took you in… But maintaining a good relationship is the right move. My mission is to help endangered ‘rare beasts’ survive and pass on their lineage. If you live well, I complete my mission. Once it’s done, I might even be able to negotiate with the main system to send you back to your original world.】
“Oh~”
【So remember, never anger him. No matter what happens, don’t piss him off! He controls your life and death. If he gets mad and decides to kill you, I won’t have the authority to save you!】
The system urged earnestly.
Joey, his cheeks puffed full of food, didn’t seem too worried. He figured as long as he behaved, there’d be no conflict.
“Mmhmm, got it, got it. Just let me know when poop-scooping dad comes back so I can prepare.”
The system gave an “OK” sign.
But Joey never expected his first face-slap to come so soon.
…
A hovercraft descended above the estate, gusts of wind scattering flower petals.
Beneath an ornately carved corridor, two men walked through the ancient murals.
Golden waves of hair swept back, cascading over a straight, broad back, finally settling atop a crisp white uniform.
A man with an expression as cold as frost tilted his chin slightly, his deeply set gold-green pupils focused ahead, listening to the butler’s report.
“It ate?”
“Yes.”
The butler, Lucian, blinked and added, “It didn’t show any aggression or refusal to eat. I suspect it’s because it recognizes your scent in the room. It’s been very quiet.”
They stopped at the door.
A subtle change flickered across Garius’s icy brows.
Lucian, noticing this, chuckled.
He didn’t know why Lord Heine had suddenly decided to keep a critically endangered ‘ancient human,’ but seeing him with a pet for the first time, he hoped it might make the man’s personality a bit warmer.
Thinking of the exorbitant cost of keeping a human, he felt it might actually be worth it.
“Biology Institute sent a batch of human-specific snacks today. Would you like me to bring some over, Lord Heine?”
“No need. Get back to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
Lucian bowed and left. Garius pressed a hand to his chest, then turned and pushed open the door.
【Host, quick! Your dad’s back!】
“What?!”
Joey, who had been staring at the scenery, immediately retracted his gaze, blinking to add some sparkle to his dead-fish eyes. He slouched his shoulders, arranging his face into a meek, obedient expression as he turned toward the door.
A man like a Nordic god stood there, approaching step by step until he finally stopped in front of Joey.
“Heh… uh, welcome home…”
Joey forced a submissive smile, but as the towering man loomed over him, his heart pounded wildly.
Garius removed his gloves and extended a cool, pale hand toward him.
Joey, ever the bootlicker, eagerly offered up a ‘boop boop’ touch.
Then—Garius grabbed his head.
Joey: “…”
What the hell kind of petting was this?!
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OH THIS IS SOO GOOD
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