Chapter 7: Airael: Time to Pay the Tax

Chapter 7: Airael: Time to Pay the Tax

Mages might not excel in close combat, but you still need to get close enough to them!

If you aren’t well-prepared or your strength isn’t crushingly overpowering, it’s not easy for a soldier to close the distance to a mage.

Take the previous duels he had with Airael, for example; getting close to Airael was no easy feat.

“So this is the power of magic!” Airael smiled at Arthur.

“Is there really no other effective way to deal with a mage?” Arthur queried.

Airael was taken aback by the question, her brow furrowing in thought.

After a considerable pause, she looked at Arthur and replied, “Well, there are actually a couple of methods.”

“What methods?”

“The first one, of course, is assassination. If a high-level assassin catches a mage off guard, whether from a distance or up close, or even using some underhanded tactics, they can certainly take down most mages. As for the second method, it’s a bit unrealistic; you just need to lure the mage to a place where magical elements are depleted. In such a place, casting magic isn’t easy, and without magic to rely on, mages become like fish on a chopping board, ready to be cut by warriors.”

Arthur chuckled wryly after hearing this. “The first option is indeed a viable method, and not just for mages. It should work on other professions too. But as for the second, I’ve never heard of a place where magic elements are depleted. Shouldn’t the world be brimming with magical elements?”

“Not necessarily!” Airael responded with a chuckle. “While everyone says that this world is filled with magical elements that mages can utilize, don’t forget that the universe is vast and full of wonders.

Some things might exist, they’re just yet to be discovered by you or me.

Moreover, to stop a mage from casting spells, it’s not necessary to drain all nearby magical elements; just ensuring the mage doesn’t control the magical elements is sufficient.”

“Ailia, what do you mean by that?” Arthur asked, confused.

“Let me give you an example! Imagine the king authorizes you to command ten soldiers, but he also grants someone else the same authority over those soldiers, and their authority is one level higher than yours. If they command those ten soldiers to perform a task, can you still direct them to do something else?”

Arthur shook his head.

Clearly, that wouldn’t work.

Then he realized something was off and looked at Airael. “But that should still be a mage’s doing, and they’d need to be significantly stronger than their opponent.”

Airael felt a bit embarrassed at his words.

She laughed awkwardly and said, “The idea is similarly applicable! Or you could also choose to disrupt the mage’s command, preventing their orders from reaching the magical elements.”

“These should all be the abilities of mages, right?” Looking at the very serious Arthur, Airael desperately wanted to find a crack to hide in.

How embarrassing!

How did she overlook the premise of fighting magic with magic? Or had this ‘truth’ of using magic against magic somehow become etched into her very soul?

Seeing Airael’s expression, Arthur instantly grasped the reason.

He decided not to ask further and told Airael, “Ailia, if you’re feeling a bit tired, why not rest for now?”

“And you? Aren’t you going to rest with me?” Airael couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at Arthur’s attempt to change the topic, looking at him with curiosity.

When it came to resting, her mind began to brew with little schemes.

Although Arthur might be on the frontline tomorrow, it should be fine just this once.

After all, Arthur’s energy was always quite robust.

And they hadn’t had any fun together for quite some time.

Then her monthly cycle was coming soon, and if they didn’t soon, they wouldn’t be able to again for a while.

That was clearly not in line with her prime plan for quick conception.

Speaking of her cycle, although Airael had become accustomed to it, her body was healthy with no adverse reactions, it still pained her deeply.

Who designed for elves to endure such torturous experiences, mirroring human cycles no less?

It had tormented her for centuries, and it would continue to torture her for thousands, even tens of thousands of years to come.

Arthur, noticing Airael seeming to tempt him, paused for a moment before replying, “I’ll rest after I finish up these matters.”

Once he spoke, he focused on handling his tasks.

Airael clearly had no intention of letting him off so easily.

She moved closer, leaning against him and asked, “How much is left? Will it take long?”

While speaking, she glanced at the documents on the desk.

Arthur had processed some but still had a few left.

“Not much!”

The sensation from her body and the fragrance wafting over made Arthur feel a fire igniting within him.

After all, he wasn’t a certain virtuous sage or lacking in desires; he was a normal man.

Moreover, the relationship between him and Airael was also quite normal.

But Arthur still stifled the rising desires within him.

Because today was definitely not the right time.

“Then I’ll just wait for you so we can rest together afterward.”

After saying this, Airael stepped away from Arthur and lay sideways on the bed, her big eyes staring at him as if calling him over.

Arthur glanced at Airael, then hurriedly lowered his head to focus on his work.

Airael felt quite pleased watching Arthur flounder, smiling slightly as she patiently waited for him.

Since it wasn’t very late yet, they had plenty of time.

At this moment, Arthur had also realized that avoiding it today was no longer an option.

He sighed inwardly and continued tackling the remaining tasks.

Since there was no escaping, he might as well face it head-on.

He just hoped Airael would understand the bigger picture and not press him too hard.

That night, things naturally went as Airael wished.

Content, she lay on the bed and peacefully fell asleep.

As Arthur looked at her, feeling a bit tired, he also felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart.

To be honest, he had been holding back for a while, and it was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable.

Every night was a test of his patience.

Now, he had finally been relieved.

Meanwhile, the sleeping Airael was having a beautiful dream.

In her dream, she successfully conceived.

After succeeding, she left Arthur’s side, returned to the Elven Race to nurture her little one, and eventually gave birth to her heir.

Yet throughout this process, Arthur was not by her side, leaving her feel a little empty.