Chapter 72: Axi’s Opinion

Chapter 72: Axi’s Opinion

The voices were low, just enough for the two of them to hear.

In this way, the distance between them was so much closer.

Axi was momentarily stunned.

Not only by Airael’s proactive closeness but also by the words coming from her mouth.

Having seen Airael’s true appearance, he knew she was an absolute beauty.

Such beauty was hard to resist, even for someone like him, who prided himself on self-control.

Moreover, Airael’s opinion was not wrong; it was quite expected, but the reason behind it caught him off guard.

While it was true that both he and Ailia were here to help and didn’t fall under the Duke Rayman’s command, he had to consider the consequences of any potential punishment afterward.

If that happened, the knights who acted alongside them would be the unfortunate ones.

That would make them seem somewhat unscrupulous.

Not to mention, pursuing the orcs was a rather dangerous decision.

The orcs might have set a trap on the way, just waiting for them to walk right into it.

“What do you think?”

Seeing Axi deep in thought, Airael spoke up actively.

“There’s some feasibility, but this suggestion is downright risky.”

It wasn’t just the external risks, but also the internal ones.

Dangers could be far or right at their doorstep.

And those cautious knights were sure to voice their discontent.

Although they didn’t have to worry about punishment, if things went smoothly, that was fine; if not, both his and Airael’s reputations would likely be ruined.

“Exactly because it’s a risk, it holds value in challenge! If we pull off this adventure successfully, the rewards will be all the richer,” Airael replied.

Axi nodded along vigorously.

He really agreed with that sentiment.

Unfortunately, practical issues needed practical analysis.

Looking at the contemplative Axi, Airael didn’t disturb him further and turned her gaze to the knights around them.

These usually noble and gentlemanly knights were now red-faced from arguing.

They couldn’t persuade one another.

If it weren’t for military discipline restraining them, they might have broken out into an all-out brawl!

In normal times, it wouldn’t be unusual for these knights to duel privately.

But right now, it was wartime.

The requirements for this were pretty strict.

Airael couldn’t help but sigh in her heart.

It seemed that some things truly transcended race, society, and status—they all possess certain commonalities everywhere.

While the two sides argued, Axi weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

After careful consideration, he found himself leaning towards pursuing the orcs.

Letting them escape just wouldn’t sit well with him.

He had another thought.

That Duke Rayman might not necessarily punish those knights who acted on their own.

Though he wasn’t intimately familiar with Duke Rayman, he had heard tales of the Duke’s reputation over the years.

The Duke was quite capable and not overly rigid.

If they achieved a favorable outcome, the likelihood of punishment would also decrease.

Just then, a loud shout suddenly pierced the air: “Are you done yelling yet?!”

It was none other than Hudeman, leader of the human forces, unable to tolerate the chaos anymore.

They had been arguing for ages without reaching a conclusion; at this rate, they’d miss their chance!

Hearing Hudeman’s roar, the knights immediately fell silent.

One by one, they lowered their heads, too afraid to meet Hudeman’s gaze.

Hudeman’s eyes swept over the knights.

Anyone could feel the anger radiating from him.

Not daring to make a sound, the knights became utterly silent.

After scanning the knights, Hudeman turned his gaze to Airael, who had been observing quietly.

After all, it was her words that had initiated this whole debacle.

But Hudeman didn’t blame Airael.

He knew that even if Airael hadn’t brought it up, they would still have to face this dilemma.

It was also the Duke’s oversight that had put them in this bind.

But Hudeman had another thought.

As part of the southern noble factions, he was well acquainted with Duke Rayman.

Furthermore, he shared the same faction as the Duke.

In a sense, he could be considered a subordinate of Duke Rayman.

He believed the Duke should have foreseen that the orcs might have retreated, leaving behind an empty base for them.

With that in mind, Hudeman formed another explanation.

It was possible that this was done intentionally by the Duke.

The goal was to allow him, as the leader of the vanguard troop, the flexibility to make decisions on the fly.

One knight had mentioned it aptly before.

When you’re out in the field, orders can sometimes be disregarded.

Faced with special circumstances, strictly following orders could make things way worse.

So, the Duke intentionally refrained from giving any specific instructions, letting him assess the situation as it unfolded.

With this thought, while Hudeman found himself in a bit of a bind, his gaze landed on Axi, who had been silent until now, and he asked, “Mr. Axi, do you have any thoughts on this? Do you support pursuing the orcs, or not?”

With just that one question, Axi instantly became the center of attention for everyone present.

Not to mention, his popularity was already quite high.

Although he didn’t have much seniority in the army, no one dared to belittle him or completely disregard his opinions.

That was the power of reputation.

The fame Axi had built over the years was well known to all.

Airael’s gaze followed suit, landing on Axi.

She was also curious about what Axi would do next.

Surely he had come to a conclusion by now.

In fact, it was quite simple.

Pursue or not pursue—those were the two choices.

If he still hadn’t decided by this point, that would be overly hesitant.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Axi didn’t make them wait too long. After gathering his thoughts, he spoke up, “My lord, I believe we should pursue those orcs!”

His resounding voice made everyone’s emotions shift dramatically.

Airael smiled at him.

The knights who favored the pursuit smiled at him as well.

But while the smiles were similar, the meanings behind them were quite different.

Airael’s smile held more mixed emotions.

The knights’ smiles were far more straightforward; they were simply happy that Axi agreed with their stance.