Chapter 16: Temporarily Safe
“I called you here firstly to see for myself if you are truly as beautiful as they say, which has been confirmed.”
“Secondly, I intended to inquire about some aspects of your background, but it seems unnecessary now. Well, to cut to the chase, nowadays the situation is not exactly peaceful, with various kingdoms and principalities engaging in overt and covert conflicts. There have been precedents of individuals infiltrating households under the guise of victims… Um, do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Oh, it’s not about that.”
“What?”
“Oh, no, I understand. It’s just that, sir, if you look at me, I don’t have any martial energy, nor do I know any magic. I don’t carry any formidable weapons or tools. How could I be that kind of unscrupulous person?” Yuehai blinked innocently. This was also the truth; she had no ulterior motives, only seeking temporary refuge in this world.
Duke Falexis nodded, ignoring the playful remarks from the other party, then turned to the elderly man beside him.
“Mr. Laogeri, from what we’ve seen so far, this girl shouldn’t have any problems. Please arrange a suitable identity for her. It’s important that everything is done properly to prevent any lascivious individuals from taking advantage of such a stunning beauty.”
“Understood,” Laogeri replied, committing the instruction to memory.
“Well done, Claude. You did a great job killing that bounty target worth one hundred thousand gold coins in a one-on-one situation. In a few years, you might be able to qualify for the ‘Emperor’ level strength assessment at the Warrior Headquarters.”
“No, that was just luck. If the ‘Mountain Axe King’ had put in full effort from the start and hadn’t been careless, I definitely wouldn’t have won so easily.”
The implication was that even if the opponent had fought seriously from the beginning, they wouldn’t have been a match for Claude.
As for who this ‘Mountain Axe King’ was and how formidable they were, Yuehai had no concept. It couldn’t be stronger than Laogeri, perhaps stronger than that beast, but that was unrealistic.
As Yuehai was lost in her thoughts, Duke Falexis smiled and shook his head. He was about to say something else when he suddenly paused, then looked at Yuehai and Leia.
“You two may leave for now. Oh, and in three months, it will be my birthday celebration. Dignitaries from various kingdoms will attend. At that time, little miss, you should also attend. We’ll also make your fabricated identity public then, to avoid any misconceptions about your status in the ducal household.”
“Yes, thank you, Your Grace.”
“Well, it’s nothing major. You may leave.”
“Yes.”
As he watched Leia and Yuehai leave, Duke Falexis continued to smile.
“She’s truly an interesting girl. Despite having no skills to speak of, she shows no fear in unfamiliar surroundings. I wonder if it’s related to her state before losing her memory.”
“So, Your Grace, what do you mean by that?”
“For now, I’ll allow it. Since Mr. Laogeri has confirmed that she has an affinity for light elements exceeding thirty percent, apart from her stunning appearance, she could be trained as a high-level mage or healer. Besides, we owe her a debt, and with nowhere else to go after losing her memory, she’s unlikely to leave if we take good care of her.”
Duke Falexis’ smile remained, but his gaze shifted to Claude as he spoke.
“If circumstances permit, she wouldn’t be a bad choice as my granddaughter-in-law.”
“Grandfather, you…” A look of astonishment crossed Claude’s determined face, then he continued, “Grandfather, my fiancée is none other than the Thirteenth Princess of the Sigril Empire, Xuelian Kergathis. And this marriage proposal was presented to His Majesty by you.”
The implication was that it was disrespectful to the royal family to consider other arrangements before the primary marriage was settled.
“Haha, Claude, my grandson, did you really think you could keep such a small secret from me? Even if Mr. Laogeri hadn’t told me, just from observing your reaction when that little girl entered the room, I could guess what was going on.”
“Place… Place…” Claude finally felt ashamed and defeated, unable to muster any rebuttal against the old man. Even if he struggled desperately, he would only be hurt more by the other’s words.
What’s the big deal about a virgin’s reaction! Is it necessary to be so absolute in one’s remarks! Claude couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
“Haha, alright, let’s leave these matters for another time. Right now, the most important thing is to handle and respond to those few matters.”
At this point, the three of them suddenly became solemn. Laogeri narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low tone.
“One of the disciples of the ‘Azure Court’ seems to have entered the territory of the duchy. Witnesses have reported seeing a woman dressed in luxurious attire.”
“A woman in luxurious attire… I recall that during the turmoil in the empire, this woman appeared with several disciples, claiming to be…”
“The seventh disciple, ‘Beautiful’ Lajess T. Jallinia.”
“However, there haven’t been any extreme actions so far. We can continue to observe the situation.”
“Hmm,” Falexis nodded slightly, then continued, “Secondly, it seems that there have been some movements in our neighboring Kingdom of Milik recently.”
“Your Grace, I believe the Kingdom of Milik might be intrigued by the recent revelation of the ‘Oracle’s Book’ from us. They must be making some moves.”
“Oh? And when does Mr. Laogeri think our neighbors would choose to pay us a visit if they’re planning something?” Falexis glanced at Laogeri, and the two exchanged a smile.
“Isn’t this exactly the effect you desire, Your Grace?” Claude’s eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn’t confused by the cryptic conversation between the two, but rather, he emanated a sense of danger, as if he had foreseen the impending slaughter.
