Beauty and the Beast: Rose Castle 6

It was an early morning, with golden sunlight filling the streets and deep purple bellflowers swaying in the wind on the balconies of the villagers’ low houses.

I had just come out of the market with freshly baked bread in my basket when someone knocked me to the ground. He was in a panic, unaware that he had bumped into someone, and continued running forward, shouting, “The snake is here, the man-eating snake is here! It’s nearby, it’s nearby… Everyone, run!”

A man-eating snake?

Is it him?

Memories of Lambert flooded my mind. I thought I had forgotten and moved on from those days, but as soon as I recalled them, his voice, fingers, breath, and even his cold body temperature were vividly clear.

The villagers hadn’t immediately connected it to the castle and were quietly discussing whether a demon had possessed the man. I got up from the ground, anxiously returned home, and placed the basket on the wooden table. Still uneasy, I fed the horse. Standing by the window, I looked at my father, who was focused on his woodworking, with a complicated expression. In the end, I couldn’t resist the urge to see him and decided to go nearby to find out what was going on.

I changed into light clothing, put on a cloak, and took a small knife for protection. After some thought, I also put a few flints in my pocket.

Leaving a note saying I’d be back later, I quietly left the house.

Avoiding the areas where villagers were active, I headed towards the castle to the west. I had thought Ulysses had spread the rumors of the snake hurting people, but as soon as I entered the forest, I heard several twisted screams.

“It’s true… The snake is nearby!”

“Go back and tell the village chief. Everyone should stay indoors for now!”

“Disgusting beast!”

A cloud of worry pressed on my heart. Could it really be Lambert causing trouble?

I tightened my cloak and walked towards the source of the sound through the bushes. Fortunately, I was wearing boots; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to get there on time. However, I was still a step too late. When I arrived, there were only a few mutilated corpses left in the mud.

Seeing is always a hundred times more shocking than hearing. I closed my eyes, held my breath, and swallowed hard to prevent myself from vomiting. But those bloody, mangled bodies remained in my mind. Hadn’t Lambert already regained his sanity? Why would he still…

At that moment, I heard something moving through the grass behind me. I opened my eyes and looked back warily. There was nothing. Was it an illusion? Absolutely not.

Was it Lambert? Or some other fierce beast…

I took two steps back, gripping the small knife at my waist, ready to draw it at any moment. Meanwhile, the rustling sound of something moving through the grass came again. I drew the knife and swung it behind me, but I only managed to cut through a few dried leaves.

I felt uneasy. The situation here was far more severe than I had imagined. I really shouldn’t have come here so recklessly. As I turned to leave, a creature hidden in the darkness launched an attack. A thick, spiked snake tail suddenly swept towards me. I narrowly dodged it. For a moment, I thought it was Lambert trying to kill me until I saw the snake clearly: its eyes were a murky white, its body about thirty meters long, covered in spiked scales, and its blood-red mouth was full of densely packed teeth.

This was a genuine giant python. In front of its massive body, the small knife in my hand seemed laughable, probably unable to pierce even its softest part.

The only option now was to escape.

I took a deep breath, mustered all my strength, and ran in the opposite direction. The python stared at me coldly, seemingly confident I couldn’t escape its gaping maw.

I didn’t know how long I had been running. My throat was filled with a metallic taste, and my legs grew heavier and heavier, trembling even with ordinary steps. The python followed me at a leisurely pace, flattening bushes and grass with its tail as it went.

I can’t run anymore. I kneel on the ground, breathing heavily, my lungs overwhelmed.

I really can’t run anymore. The python is still closing in, but I’m so exhausted that I can’t even move a finger. It’s all my fault for being too confident, thinking I understood everything, and running out to investigate. I wonder how devastated my father will be when he hears of my death…

I lie flat on the ground, close my eyes, and wait for death to come.

Sticky saliva drips down, and a foul breath sprays on my face. The python is probably thinking about how to bite me. I tightly close my eyelids but still feel a large shadow falling over me.

My heart grows cold. Goodbye, Father.

Goodbye… Lambert.

The next second, a loud crash comes beside me, like a tree trunk has fallen. The shadow disappears, and the snake’s bite doesn’t come. I cautiously open my eyes, prop myself up, and look toward the source of the sound, only to see two dark figures biting each other. Besides the python with white pupils, there is a monster with golden eyes, black scales like armor, and limbs like a lizard…

It’s Lambert.

I remember that before I left, he was fine, rational, and elegant, becoming more human…

How did he turn into this after just a month?

A large amount of dust flew up, gravel splashed, and deep green and yellow leaves poured down like torrential rain. I don’t know what happened, but Lambert’s human characteristics almost completely disappeared, which greatly increased his chances of winning. The giant python gradually became powerless to fight back under his powerful attack, let out a roar to the sky, and slid into the depths of the forest like lightning, fleeing in panic.

Lambert slowly straightened up, coldly watching the direction the python left, motionless, not knowing what he was thinking. He didn’t say a word, and I didn’t know what to say either, just staring at him blankly until I noticed his arm was bleeding.

He was bitten by the python. I hesitated for a moment and asked softly, “Are you okay?”

He turned his head and looked at me indifferently, as if he didn’t recognize me.

My strength had mostly recovered, so I stood up and walked towards him: “…Let me bandage you.”

He seemed to understand what I was saying, looked down at his arm, and his lips moved slightly: “Get lost.”

He had always been polite to me, but now his attitude had suddenly changed, and I couldn’t help but feel sad. However, I had no right to be sad. After all, I left without saying goodbye first, and it was natural for him to hate me…

Thinking of this, I suddenly felt my face burning, embarrassed to stay any longer: “Thank you for saving my life.”

“Get lost.”

I nodded, unable to suppress the shame and sadness rushing to my head: “Okay, I’ll leave immediately.”

“Wait.” He walked over, his heavy breathing audible from several meters away. He looked down at me, his sinister and terrifying fingers pinching my chin: “Why are you leaving me?”

Sharp and pointed nails pressed against my skin, with a strong smell of blood. His eyes were cold, and his presence was more dangerous than that of the giant python: “You lied to me.”

“My father is seriously ill. I must go back to take care of him…”

“Seriously ill?” He laughed coldly, bending down, “Then why did you come to the castle to seduce me?”

Such blunt humiliation left me stunned, but ultimately, I was at fault…

Just as I was about to calm down and explain to him, a shadow suddenly fell over me, reminding me of the python’s behavior earlier, and I instinctively took a step back.

“Very good.” Lambert said in a low voice.

I shook my head: “Calm down, let’s talk this over…”

Before I could finish, he grabbed my neck with one hand—a chill spread through my heart.

Did he really want to kill me?

However, the next moment, his burning lips covered mine, and he lowered his head to kiss me.

It was an aggressive kiss. He held my chin tightly, making it impossible for me to move, the hard snake scales on his palm pressing painfully against my skin. He kissed me without any tenderness as if to take revenge on me through this kiss, his tongue almost reaching my throat, forcefully invading my mouth.

I don’t know how long it lasted, but he finally let go of my jaw. My legs went weak, and I almost knelt on the ground. He picked me up horizontally: “Come back with me.”

My head was still dizzy: “No, my father will worry…”

“I’m not negotiating with you.” His tone was cold.