Chapter 14: The Weakness of the Kitten

"Jokes fall short, ancient follies and modern madness amount to nothing, blades dull and edges wane, kindness severed and righteousness destroyed as dreams shatter on the wild path. Many footprints remain unseen, through the tumultuous mortal world, I failed to see through, words mock and ink exhausts, myriad emotions and heroes grieve, as songs end and people scatter, hair grays and beauty fades, candles dim unnoticed, and in competition with the sun, all is wasted..."

From a distance, Catherine observed Felix, who hummed a melody while squatting on a carved railing. He was just a young boy, but when he calmed down, he seemed to exude a sense of age and experience, almost like an illusion. Catherine shook her head to dismiss such an absurd thought.

She slowly walked over and sat next to Felix. Her ruby-like eyes fixed on Felix's face, which was as delicate as a creator's masterpiece. Curiously, she asked, "Is this an elfish melody?"

"No, I don't know elvish music," Felix replied, snapping back to reality and giving the beautiful knight a faint smile. "It's a song a down-and-out wandering poet taught me. I remembered it because I liked its melody."

"Is your mother really a half-elf?" Catherine asked, her gaze upon Felix oddly. Perhaps sensing her question might be taken as an insult, she quickly added, "I mean no offense, but you don't seem to have any elvish features."

"It's okay." Felix lifted a strand of his brown hair to reveal his ear. The lobe was clear and pale with a slight pointed tip, not very pronounced. He pointed at the tip and said softly, "It's a bit longer and sharper than a typical human's ear. This is the only elvish trait I possess."

"Have you ever seen an elf? Are they as beautiful as the rumors suggest?" Catherine looked at Felix's ear with curiosity. The smooth and fair earlobe made her want to touch it.

Elves had migrated out of this realm a long time ago. Due to human proliferation, their living spaces were severely constrained. Over a thousand years ago, following a unified consultation by the Elven Council, forty-six legendary figures from various tribes opened the "Gate of Space" and relocated the entire clan out of this dimension.

The primary spell caster responsible for opening the "Gate of Space" was the Shadow Queen Christie. In fact, the elves now living on the continent were all abandoned due to impure bloodlines. Otherwise, given the protective nature of the elven race, even half-elves would have been under the protection of the Elven Council.

Felix lifted his head and glanced back at the beautiful knight. In that moment, the usual cold demeanor she wore deliberately was absent from her face. He nodded slightly, pointing to himself and said, "Here's the proof."

A rare smile graced Catherine's delicate face. She sat down beside Felix, her sparkling gaze making him slightly uncomfortable as she examined his earlobe. After a moment's hesitation, she flushed slightly and asked the much shorter Felix, "May I touch your ear?"

Now understanding the sparkly look in the beautiful knight's eyes as the curiosity and excitement of a girl faced with a fascinating toy, Felix gave an exasperated smile and nodded.

Excitement danced across Catherine's features as she reached out to gently pinch Felix's ear. It felt soft, smooth, and oddly comforting to touch, reminding her of stroking a plush toy.

"Ah~!…"

To Catherine's surprise, whenever she pinched Felix's ear, he wore an odd expression, as if he was immensely comfortable. Driven by curiosity, she pinched a few more times, only to find Felix eventually collapsing weakly onto her lap, his handsome face flushed and swiftly spreading.

Startled by Felix's reaction, Catherine quickly withdrew her hand, her own face turning beet red from her neck to the tips of her ears.

As the sudden wave of weakness receded, Felix, like a startled rabbit, hopped off the knight's thigh and retreated a fair distance, his head hung in embarrassment, not daring to look at Catherine again.

From the moment Catherine touched his earlobe, Felix felt a chill, followed by a strange tingling sensation, like a mild electric shock. It was somewhat comforting, and he didn't want to escape from her grasp immediately. But when she started rubbing, an overwhelming sense of weakness took over, making him feel as if his energy was being sapped away. This pleasant sensation made him lose his balance and fall onto Catherine's thigh.

"I... I need to eat something…" Felix felt disoriented, his face burning as if he had a fever, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. Without looking back, he bolted towards the hall.

Catherine watched Felix with a bemused expression. Seeing him flee like a startled deer, she couldn't help but let out a light chuckle. Pinching her own delicate hand as if savoring the moment, she wore a playful smirk, "Perhaps I should share this intriguing discovery with the Lady…"

Propped against a pristine ivory-white marble pillar, Felix panted heavily. One hand pressed against his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. Raising his hand to touch his earlobe, a bitter smile emerged, "Why did that happen? That strange sensation… Could this possibly be my…?"

"Damn it!" Felix could already envision the dreadful scene if Lady Elizabeth ever found out about this vulnerability, sending a shiver down his spine.