Chapter 180: Chapter 180: A Keepsake from Rock Silverfang


    "Then how am I supposed to know if a food is poisoned or not?!" Long Xiurong panicked. "If I don''t have a way to prove that the food is poisoned by that bunny maid, then I won''t be able to eat anything she serves and I have to wait until the banquet ends to ask Princess Swan to change an attendant."


    "Does that mean I have to starve myself for the next five days or so? Can I even do that? Maybe I should tell Princess Swan about this immediately and request for a change of attendant."


    Rock listened to Lady Long''s panic rambling. He wasn''t annoyed by it because he understood that she must''ve been scared for her dear life.


    She was just a human, and humans were naturally fragile with no way to detect poisons or get rid of them from their bodies.


    ''If only I''m still in the castle, I''d protect her, or at least make sure her new attendant wouldn''t try to poison her.''


    ...


    ''Or should I just give it to her?'' Rock asked himself. He clenched the gift that he had prepared for Princess Swan. He wanted the Princess to have it to protect herself from danger, but seeing how scared Lady Long looked, he began to pity her.


    ''Princess Swan will be safe. She is not a normal human, unlike this one,'' Rock told himself. ''Princess Swan seems to be an incarnation of a Goddess or something since I cannot detect any malevolent presence in her. Her aura is so warm and soothing, like an angel...''


    Rock remembered those moments when Princess Swan saved him twice from the Beast King''s wrath. She could teleport at ease without a spell, so she couldn''t be a witch.


    She could also cure his muteness caused by Lady Jade''s poison, something that no dark magic could ever do. In fact, he had never heard of anyone who could heal a destroyed vocal box. Hence, what Princess Swan did was nothing less than a miracle.


    ''That means she will be safe, right? Unlike this woman who is so fragile and clueless,'' Rock thought. He took a deep breath, and in the end, pulled out the gift that was meant for Princess Swan.


    He grabbed Long Xiurong''s hand and put the item in her palm.


    Long Xiurong was surprised when he grabbed her, and even more surprised to see a ne with a strange w-shaped pendant on her palm.


    "What is this?" Long Xiurong asked.


    "It''s the tip of a white mammoth''s tusk. They are ancient creatures, but they still scarcely exist in the far north continent," Rock replied. "White Mammoths are very sensitive animals, and their tusk can detect any type of poison."


    "You can dip that tusk into any food or drink, and its color will change if there is something dangerous in it," Rock exined. He dipped his finger inside the teapot


    to get the tea in his hand, then rubbed it on the mammoth pendant.


    Long Xiurong witnessed how the white tusk turned purple instantly, "D-does that mean the tea has been poisoned?"


    "Yes," Rock replied firmly this time. "I still cannot determine what kind of poison it is, but it''s definitely poisoned. If you notice how faint the purple color is, I guess the amount of poison inside that teapot isn''t that high. Maybe that bunny attendant is trying to kill you slowly."


    Long Xiurong shivered thinking how a bunny maid whom she had given a second chance would betray her like this.


    "Then, I will make sure to put this to good use," Long Xiurong said before she hastily put it on her neck. She gently rubbed the tusk pendant and added, "It''s beautiful. Thank you very much."


    "It''s not beautiful, but as long as it''s useful for you," Rock scoffed. "I know the Eastern Long Dynasty are very keen on gold and gemstones."


    "It IS beautiful. Well, perhaps it''s because I''ve never been given a gift from a man before. I will treasure it," Long Xiurong said. Though, she was lying.


    As a popr Princess in the Eastern Long Dynasty, she was showered withvish gifts from many men who wanted to court her.


    But she had never felt this happy before, because the gift-the mammoth tusk- was given to her by this handsome young wolf who was worried about her safety.


    Rock smiled thinly, "Make sure to keep it a secret. His Majesty might get angry if he knows about the ê source of that mammoth tusk. Since he knows that tusk is native to the far north continent, and I don''t think anyone from the Eastern Long Dynasty ever reached the far north before."


    "That''s unfortunate. I was about to use the mammoth tusk as proof that my attendant wanted to poison me," Long Xiurong sighed. "But thank you, I will find another way to protect myself and take Lady Jade down."


    Rock''s smile widened as he said, "I will return in two weeks. Take care of yourself, Lady Long."


    Long Xiurong nodded. She was reluctant, but she knew she couldn''t keep him here, "Don''t worry about Princess Swan. I will do my best to protect her as well."


    "I know. I trust that you and I have her best interest in mind," Rock said. He climbed the window and gave her onest look before jumping out.


    Long Xiurong peeked from her window, wanting to see if she could catch a glimpse of that handsome young wolf, but he simply disappeared into the night.


    She held the tusk pendant tightly and muttered, "Thank you for prioritizing me, Rock Silverfang. I know this pendant is supposed to be for Princess Swan, right? But you gave it to me out of concern for my safety."


    She had nothing against Princess Swan, but to be prioritized by a man was a new feeling that made her happy after she got sidelined and rejected by her supposed husband.


    Long Xiurong tooked up to the moon


    and uttered, Goddess Asmara, is this your answer for my prayer? Is he truly the one for me? If he is, then please keep him safe, and give us a harmonious life, just like Princess Swan and the Beast King."