[COD] Newbie's Rise to Power

The cloudless sky overhead made the moonlight exceptionally bright, casting a cool white glow on the road and making your shadows, which were walking side by side, appear rather short.

You chuckled and stepped in front of Keegan, blocking his shadow.

Some understandings don't need to be expressed in words; Keegan immediately understood your playful banter.

Normally, he would look at you with a gentle expression and indulge your mischief.

But at this moment, he had drunk too much and lost his usual restraint, revealing some of his hidden mischievousness. He stretched out his long leg, wrapped it around your leg, and stepped on your shadow.

Very well, the other party has accepted the challenge.

So the two of you began your confrontation, chasing each other's shadows on the quiet street while dodging each other's 'clutches'.

"Hahaha, you can't catch me!"

You raised your eyebrows and laughed loudly, taunting Keegan behind you.

Keegan didn't refute, but simply raised his hand with a serious expression and pointed behind you.

"kid, zombie."

You were startled, then turned around.

The road was empty; there was nothing there.

Oh no, I've been scammed!

You turn around abruptly, only to be surrounded by a broad chest.

Then...

You were already unsteady from drinking, and your bodies swayed and you rolled down the gentle slope by the roadside!

"Hoo hoo...you jerk, you're teasing me again!"

You sat on Keegan and angrily punched his chest.

Keegan smiled, his eyes crinkling with delight, and then placed his hands on your waist.

"All's fair in war, but you're too careless, kid."

"And what are you afraid of? If there's any danger, I'll stand in front of you."

You slap his hand away, turn around and leave with your back to him, pretending to be angry.

I'm angry!

You don't buy into the "beat the stick and then offer a sweet treat" approach.

Keegan leans back, resting his head on your shoulder from behind, his deep, seductive voice ringing in your ear.

"I was wrong, what can I do to get your forgiveness?"

Just as you were about to speak, a night breeze swept in, carrying a faint fragrance.

You looked around and realized that you had actually rolled into a camellia grove by the roadside.

The branches of the tea tree stretched out in the night, the serrated leaves were dark green and thick, and camellia flowers were adorning the branches, their petals layered and wrapped, pure white and warm, like pieces of fine white jade under the moonlight.

You smiled and pointed to the top of a tea tree.

"I want that flower. If you can pick it for me, I'll forgive you!"

The camellia at the very top is completely bathed in moonlight, and from your current vantage point, it exudes a sense of lofty sanctity, making one want to pluck it and keep it for oneself.

The tea bushes are only about three meters tall, too high to reach while standing, but their slender branches are also impossible to climb.

You know, but she turned to look at him with a smile, her eyes gleaming with cunning.

"Don't damage the tree, it doesn't look like a wild one."

Keegan didn't say anything, but just nuzzled you with the tip of his nose before standing up and walking toward the tea tree you were pointing to.

He stood in front of the camellia tree, tilting his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the most beautiful camellia flower at the top of the tree.

The trunk was straight and tall, and the branches stretched upwards in sections. The whole tree was more than a meter taller than him.

Without hesitation, he took a half-step forward and precisely grabbed a relatively thick side branch with his right hand!

At the same time, he raised his left hand high upwards and stood on tiptoe to lean his body upwards little by little.

Under the moonlight, his figure, dressed in a flying fish robe, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his shoulders and back exuding a calm and capable demeanor.

Moonlight shone through his eyelashes, casting a soft shadow on his cheeks. His expression, with his lips pursed, was calm and composed, as if he had everything under control.

Unfortunately, I couldn't reach it.

Even though his chest was being pressed down and pushed by the branches, and many leaves and twigs brushed against his face, he didn't care at all, he just stared intently at the flower at the top.

The raised arm was stretched as far as possible, but the fingertips were still a short distance from the tender petals.

He frowned, revealing two small mounds of flesh.

Then, he adjusted his grip and grabbed a thinner branch that was a little higher.

He leaned slightly, pressing almost all his weight against the tree trunk, making it look as if he had plunged into the tea tree.

After another forceful tiptoeing, with a slight exertion of the shoulders, the fingertips finally touched the cool, soft petals!

He wasn't impatient. His fingers slid down the petals, and finally he pinched the stem with his thumb and forefinger and gently twisted it.

The camellia you specified has finally landed safely in Keegan's hands.

He slowly released his grip on the branch, stepped back from beside the tree trunk, and looked down at the delicate camellia in his hand.

The petals are layered and clustered together, with golden stamens in the center of the pure white petals, and a very faint and refreshing fragrance is emanating from the stamens.

Seeing the flower being picked, you can't help but clap your hands in praise, and then reach out your hand to him as he walks towards you.

But instead of placing the flower directly in your hand, he knelt down in front of you and slowly brought the flower stem close to your face.

Suddenly, a tickle appears on the tip of your ear, and a pure white and beautiful camellia blooms right beside your ear.

Just as you were about to say something, everything suddenly went dark!

A slightly sheer cloth was suddenly placed over your head!

Bonus Chapter: Keegan x You 5

The vibrant color is the red veil worn by the bride today!

It's hard not to recognize it, because you saw the slightly translucent material and the golden double happiness embroidery in front of you not long ago.

Before you, through the red veil, you can only vaguely see Keegan's face.

How did you get this?

Ask him.

Keegan's long, dry hand cradled your chin, his thumb gently pressing against your lips through the red veil.

"It was given to me by the bride. She said that giving this to unmarried people is a custom in her hometown, a way of passing on happiness."

You tilted your head slightly in response to his movement and asked with a smile in your voice.

"You're not the only unmarried person here today, so why did the bride give this to you?"

Keegan chuckled softly, this time offering an honest confession:

"I asked her for it."

"Because...she said that whoever gets this will soon get married and never be separated from their loved one."

He slowly leaned down, his unique scent wafting over you, replacing the thumb that had been pressing against your lips.

Through a layer of gauze, it was rubbed and enveloped by a rough texture.

Like a cat or leopard licking, being scratched by a rough tongue covered in barbs is both itchy and novel...

After a long while, the red veil, still imbued with your scent, was lifted, revealing your flushed face and... swollen lips.

The pure white camellias beside your ear create a striking contrast with your current appearance, but the collision of purity and desire also brings a captivating beauty.

Through your blurry vision, you see that the usually calm and serene gray-blue lake finally begin to ripple.

A deep, resonant voice, with a slight tremor, entered your ears.

"I don't expect to definitely get married, but I like this blessing. And..."

"In your country's wedding ceremony, does lifting this red cloth signify that the couple is married?"

You're considering how to answer his question. A couple definitely needs to get a marriage certificate to be legally married, but nominally, as long as they have a wedding ceremony, they are considered a couple.

But you and he neither registered your marriage nor held a wedding ceremony; you only have this red veil, which was a gift from someone else.

But looking into his expectant eyes, you finally nodded slowly.

"Yes, only husband and wife can lift it."

This isn't exactly lying; it's just correcting his question. Yes, that's right!

When he heard your words, a smile finally appeared on his face—a smile of relief mixed with satisfaction.

His normally hard jawline softened with this sudden smile, and his eyes seemed to shimmer with a faint light.

His smile was slow and shallow, as if he were afraid of disturbing this hard-won scene before him. The smile lines at the corners of his eyes held a satisfaction and peace that only those with rich experience could understand.

"Looks like you'll have another nickname from now on, kid."

"Mrs. Russ".

Russ is his surname.

You shook your head, then smiled at his puzzled look.

"We have different cultures, so we don't use other people's surnames."

You fell backward and landed on the soft grass.

“My name was given to me by my parents, carrying their expectations, like a continuation.”

Keegan's slightly furrowed brows relaxed, and he then leaned back and lay down beside you.

“I understand. But in our culture, it’s a symbol of belonging, representing the union of two lives.”

His hand covers the back of your hand, bringing you a warm temperature.