Chapter 88: Airael: You’re Quite Good Looking

Chapter 88: Airael: You’re Quite Good Looking

Sighing inwardly at the sight of his prince cousin next to him, Georges couldn’t help but feel a mix of admiration and concern.

Though his cousin was undoubtedly impressive, he was just too young—way too eager to make his mark.

Take just now, for instance.

Still, Georges understood where that eagerness came from. As the prince of Nick Kingdom and the heir to the throne, Crown certainly attracted a lot of attention.

To satisfy those gazes, he had to show off as much as possible.

That’s exactly why his father, Duke Ogg, had placed him beside this prince cousin. Otherwise, if this prince cousin resolved to go on some reckless mission, no one could stop him in time.

After all, he was still a prince of Nick Kingdom.

Once he acted stubbornly, the consequences could be tremendous.

A prime example? Just like what we saw a moment ago.

So sometimes, letting some opportunities slip by isn’t such a bad idea.

Putting idle chatter aside, while Hudeman and his crew received a warm welcome at Mark Fortress, Airael and her party were still leisurely making their way down the road.

They looked utterly relaxed, as if they were on a vacation rather than heading into battle.

But none of them seemed to mind that little detail.

As for Airael and her three elven companions, even though they were once humans, Airael’s allegiance now firmly stood with the elves.

She was an elf herself—specifically, the Elven Queen.

The ongoing war between the factions had little impact on her.

In fact, if humans lost, she might find joy in it.

As for Axi, like before, he knew that arriving too early wouldn’t serve any purpose; it was just suffering more by getting there ahead of time.

He didn’t want to interact too much with those people.

Yet, even though they were walking slowly, they were indeed heading north.

And this leisurely pace was just relative, after all.

Soon enough, they reached the border area of Nick Kingdom.

It appeared very desolate, and from their vantage point, they couldn’t spot a single soul around.

Such a barren atmosphere was bound to affect one’s mood.

“Looks like the orcs have really done a number on this place!” Airael exclaimed after taking in her surroundings.

“This is the border area; it’s quite normal,” Axi responded. “Even the borders between two peaceful human kingdoms can look desolate, let alone between two rival races.”

Airael nodded lightly, understanding this well.

“It’s just a shame about this land,” she remarked, sensing the rich vitality present within it.

This was a piece of earth that had seen little development, and with what could be a hidden “fertilizer” underground, it was truly fertile and untouched.

Such a land wasted like this was really unfortunate!

Airael thought to herself that if something could be planted here, even a neglectful farmer could yield a decent harvest.

“While planting here could yield good results, the risks are just too immense. One year could mean losing everything, even your own life could end up at stake,” Axi coldly replied.

His uncharacteristic attitude disgruntled Celia and Aurora.

However, since Airael hadn’t displayed anger, they felt it inappropriate to speak out.

But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t take action.

Their gazes turned stern towards Axi.

At Airael’s slightest command or hint, even if they weren’t Axi’s match, they would do their utmost to teach him a lesson for their beloved queen.

How dare that bold ruffian show disrespect to her Majesty!

Instead of getting angry, Airael smiled at Axi and said, “I was merely speaking hypothetically. But if planting could truly be done here, I assure you, it wouldn’t disappoint.”

Axi then softened a bit, nodding in agreement, “You’re right about the land! But reaching that point is extremely difficult; the northern orcs are tough to handle. Moreover, not many are willing to engage in such a thankless task.”

Airael sighed at that.

Axi wasn’t wrong—logically, it made sense, but putting it into practice was a whole different story.

It was intricate!

Then, Airael glanced at Axi with a curious expression.

Based on his remarks, he seemed disinterested in nobility and governance, yet he had a considerable amount of knowledge on the subject.

What a peculiar phenomenon!

If you have no interest in this, why would you know so much about it?

Acquiring such understanding isn’t easy and requires long-term focus and careful analysis.

In other words, Axi probably received some professional education in this field.

But he was clearly opposed to it.

Despite having learned, he had no intention of getting involved in those affairs.

Thinking this through, Airael realized one layer of mystery had come off Axi for her.

Because this hinted at Axi’s background surely being anything but simple.

He must have had an “elite education.”

But why, then, was he a mercenary now?

Could it be that, like her, he was merely out for some experience?

Airael continued her thoughts inwardly.

She shook her head, feeling that couldn’t possibly be it.

His aversion to those situations seemed genuine to her.

So, something must have happened to him to lead to his current state.

Airael felt this hypothesis was quite plausible.

With that in mind, she cautiously cast a glance at Axi.

What could have happened to make him this way?

Otherwise, a man who had received “elite education” should’ve been on a different path altogether—one he disliked!

Thinking of this, Airael couldn’t help but reveal a wry smile.

Such is the intrigue of fate!

But—

Airael continued to scrutinize the Axi before her.

She found herself thinking he wasn’t too bad in his current form.

At least now, he was living entirely for himself.

As long as he focused on his own life, he didn’t have to worry too much about others.

Her continued scrutiny made Axi frown in dissatisfaction and ask, “Is something on me? You’ve been staring at me the whole time.”

“Nothing much. I just suddenly realized… you’re quite good looking,” Airael replied with a smile, pausing for a moment during her contemplation.