The Rogue System [BL]

Well, the food didn’t taste nearly as good without someone around to annoy, so Eric eventually abandoned his half-eaten bowl of porridge and decided to go for a walk. The moment he stepped outside, several servant girls hurried after him, trailing behind him in a neat single-file line.

Eric glanced back over his shoulder.

The moment he stopped, they stopped too, keeping a respectful distance of about ten feet.

Eric blinked.

Then, with a playful glint in his eyes, he took one step forward.

The servants took one step forward as well.

He took another.

They followed again.

Eric couldn’t help but grin.

That was actually rather funny. He had never had people following him around like this before. It was a little unnerving, but at the same time, there was something oddly entertaining about it. He wondered how long they would continue following him if he kept wandering around.

As he walked, his attention was caught by a small pond nearby. Several delicate lotus flowers were blooming on the surface, their petals swaying gently in the morning breeze. Eric stopped to admire them for a moment, gazing at the peaceful scene with a blank expression.

Today was technically the first morning after their wedding.

As the new bride, he was supposed to follow the proper traditions and serve tea to his new in-laws. Unfortunately, Ryan didn’t seem to have any family around, so that particular tradition was conveniently impossible to carry out.

And the groom himself had run off without even having breakfast with his new bride.

Eric sighed.

What a boring third life...

He had already been through two lives before this one, and if this world was going to be just as dull, he was going to lose his mind.

So, naturally, he decided to make things interesting himself.

If he was going to experience this world, he might as well experience it to the fullest.

With that thought in mind, Eric began wandering around Ryan’s residence, poking at things he probably shouldn’t touch and stopping every few moments to admire the scenery. He crouched beside flowers, inspected decorative stones, peered into ponds, and made the occasional little sound of appreciation or disgust whenever he discovered something particularly beautiful—or particularly strange.

The servants followed helplessly behind him, too afraid to stop him and too nervous to let him wander around unattended.

Eventually, Eric’s wandering brought him to the main entrance of the compound.

Beyond the large gates, he could see the bustling streets outside. Men and women dressed in the clothing of the era walked about, carrying baskets, chatting with one another, and going about their daily lives. Small stalls lined the street, selling all kinds of food and snacks.

Then Eric saw something that immediately caught his attention.

Tangulu.

His eyes practically lit up.

The shiny, sugar-coated fruits glistened under the sunlight, their bright colors visible even from a distance.

Eric swallowed.

His mouth began watering.

I want that.

Without another thought, he walked toward the gate.

He had barely taken two steps outside when—

Clang!

Two spears crossed directly in front of him.

Eric froze.

He slowly looked at the weapons before raising his gaze toward the two guards standing vigilantly on either side of the entrance.

"Um..." He pointed toward the street. "I just want to get some tangulu. Is that not allowed?"

The guards exchanged a brief glance before looking back at him.

"We apologize, Your Highness," one of them said seriously. "You cannot leave the premises without a permission plaque from the General."

Eric stared at him.

"...What?"

"You cannot leave without the General’s permission."

Eric’s expression slowly changed.

"So I can’t leave this place?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Eric stood there in stunned silence for several seconds.

Then he slowly turned around and looked at the servants following him.

"Gods. So I’m a prisoner in this house."

The servants immediately looked uncomfortable.

"Isn’t this unfair?" Eric demanded, spreading his arms dramatically. "Tell them! Isn’t this unfair?"

One of the servant girls hurried forward, offering him a nervous smile as she tried to soothe him.

"Your Highness, we should not disturb the guards. Why don’t we go and enjoy the flowers in the north garden instead?"

Eric looked at her as though she had just suggested something completely absurd.

"All flowers are the same."

The girl blinked.

"I want something sweet to eat."

He put his hands on his hips and pointed stubbornly toward the tangulu stall outside.

The servant girl looked conflicted.

"I’ll have the cook make something sweet for you, Your Highness. Please, let us go back inside."

"But I want that."

Eric pointed again.

The servant girl’s expression became even more troubled.

"Your Highness, you mustn’t eat food that hasn’t been inspected by a poison tester. Please..."

At those words, the other maids also hurried forward.

One after another, they pleaded with him to return inside, practically begging him to stop arguing with the guards and leave the entrance.

Eric stared at them in disbelief.

He had to admit, he was shocked.

He was being held captive in a luxurious residence, surrounded by servants, dressed in expensive clothes, and sleeping in an enormous bed...

Yet he couldn’t even walk outside and buy himself a piece of tangulu.

And now they were telling him that he couldn’t eat food unless it had first been inspected by a poison tester?

This was torture.

Absolute torture.

Eric let out a long, suffering sigh before finally turning away from the gate.

He walked back toward the residence, his sleeves swaying dramatically with every step.

The servants followed behind him, visibly relieved.

But beneath Eric’s sulky expression, a mischievous smile slowly began to form.

He thinks he can contain me...

His eyes gleamed.

Oh, he is so wrong.

If Ryan thought putting guards at the gates was enough to keep his hostage wife under control, then the poor man clearly had no idea what kind of trouble he had brought into his home.

Eric’s smile widened.

I’ll show him exactly what I can do.