Like savoring an exquisite cup of black tea, Yuri sipped slowly. For the first time, her face showed pure enjoyment.

"Alright, snack time's over." She set down the empty teacup gently, then leaned back lazily. "Hand it over. That guy must have left you something, right?"

Hearing this, Zuo Yuan froze for a moment, then blinked blankly.

"Huh? What are you talking about, miss?"

"Stop pretending." Yuri yawned boredly. She'd grown tired of the game; it was time for serious business. "The probing ends here. You're searching for something, aren't you? And I'm the only one here."

After Yuri finished speaking, Zuo Yuan's body stiffened. His expression shifted violently, his gaze at the girl flickering with uncertainty.

After a silence, he slowly asked, "How can I trust you?"

"I don't need your trust." Yuri waved dismissively, then yawned again. "Do you even have a choice right now?"

Yes, right now... what other options were there?

Zuo Yuan fell silent. The atmosphere between them grew increasingly eerie.

Finally, after a while, the young man yielded first. He sighed helplessly, then waved his right hand. A silvery-white glow appeared in his palm.

It was a delicate ring engraved with a rose and cross pattern, along with tiny, unknown characters. Its exquisite design clearly suited a woman better.

Rubbing the ring gently, a complex expression flashed across Zuo Yuan's face. He gritted his teeth and tossed it to Yuri.

The girl slightly raised her hand; the ring landed naturally in her palm.

"Back to its rightful owner, eh..."

After gazing at it quietly, Yuri slipped it onto her right index finger. It fit perfectly.

As she put it on, the ring flashed with a crimson glow!

"By the way, Zuo Qianchen... what is he to you?" Having put on the ring, Yuri suddenly looked at Zuo Yuan. Zuo Qianchen—the man who had sealed her away until now.

"...He was my ancestor, my family's founder, and someone I once saw as a goal."

"Is that so? So that means..." Yuri paused, then said softly, "He's dead, isn't he?"

Zuo Yuan: "..."

"Makes sense. So much time has passed. Though powerful, he was still human—subject to birth, aging, and death." Her tone betrayed no discernible emotion.

Hatred? After sealing her away so long, it would be natural, right? But it wasn't that... It was a faint, indescribable emptiness, mixed with regret.

"I had planned to kill him myself. But this is fine too..."

Rising from her seat, Yuri suddenly placed her slender ankle on the low table. Her bare, snow-white foot glowed like polished jade under the dim light, radiating stunning beauty. Her crimson eyes stared straight at the young man.

"Lick. From the tip of my toes to my knees. Go beyond that, and I'll kill you."

Despite her words, Zuo Yuan still couldn't process it. Moments ago, they'd been discussing serious matters; now she demanded he lick her foot. Her cute appearance and lovely foot shape made it seem harmless, but that wasn't a reason for this!

His hesitation annoyed the girl. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she whispered, "Hurry up. I can't guarantee I'll feel the same way in a moment."

Hearing this, the corner of Zuo Yuan's mouth twitched. "You... what exactly do you mean?"

"Hah? Isn't it obvious?" Yuri snorted lightly. "Your dead ancestor placed an eternal shackle on me. He must have left instructions like, 'When the family is about to collapse, take this heirloom and find her,' right?"

Zuo Yuan: "..."

The young man fell into a suspicious silence. Though he hated to admit it, she'd guessed correctly! His true purpose for coming to the Lost Woods was indeed as she said. In his family, a saying was passed down: "When darkness covers the sky, take the sacrificial item to the ancient castle deep in the forest bathed in the setting sun's glow."

When he first woke in this castle, Zuo Yuan wasn't sure if it was a trap. Those chasing him also wanted the ancestral ring. So, facing Yuri and Maria, he'd played dumb. But most suspicion vanished when Yuri revealed her inhuman identity. Monsters wouldn't cooperate with humans to act out a charade!

While recuperating, he pondered strategies. Though he'd accidentally reached the castle from his family's teachings, he still couldn't confirm if these two were its true masters. What he truly couldn't believe was that the thing passed down to turn the tide in crises was actually a monster! Humans and monsters were like oil and water—deeply ingrained in most minds, except for rare exceptions. If he hadn't been at his wit's end, Zuo Yuan would never have recalled this teaching, now only used to amuse children. After all, though the Lost Woods was easy to find, no one had ever discovered a castle inside it for thousands of years!

"But... what does this have to do with... licking feet?" Hesitating, Zuo Yuan asked the crucial question. Yes, this was the one thing he couldn't comprehend.

"To break one shackle, you must bear another—that's the curse. I don't like it, but compared to being trapped here forever, I want to see the outside world." Yuri tilted her head, her gaze slightly unfocused. That guy, even after dying, wouldn't let her go. Or rather, he'd been waiting for this moment?

"Only by forming a contract with you, who shares the same bloodline, can I leave. Boy, do you really think I'd submit to you as my master?"

Have this loli submit to him as master? Though a nice thought, Zuo Yuan didn't believe it possible. So, he honestly shook his head.

"Therefore, pledge your loyalty to me with the highest respect. For many, it would be a great honor..."