Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 438: A Great Knight from Pine City
“Knock, knock, knock.”
“Your Majesty, Benson Nidayer, the City Lord of Pine City in Eagle Territory, requests an audience. Shall I refuse him?”
Xi Wei, who was handling documents at his desk, raised an eyebrow. He had some impression of the City Lord of Pine City, mainly because of his rather eccentric name. Perhaps, to the people of Cain Continent, this City Lord’s name wasn’t particularly special.
But Xi Wei sensed a strong aggression from it.
He vaguely recalled Benson being a newly promoted Great Knight. At over forty years old, his head was already completely devoid of hair. If he were transported to his past life, wearing a plaid shirt, baggy jeans, and square-toed leather shoes, he could immediately become the chief programmer of a software company just by standing in front of an interviewer.
Why would this man travel all this way to Winter City?
“Make him wait for now.”
Although he had some doubts, Xi Wei still responded.
He decided he would still meet with this City Lord of Pine City.
Even though Benson was just a minor figure.
But as a king, he couldn’t always appear iron-blooded and cruel.
Occasionally, he had to show a relatable side.
He was still in his pajamas, making it inconvenient to go out.
He glanced over at his velvet bed. The little maid, Loli, was sleeping soundly, wrapped in her blanket. Her soft, pretty face was rosy, and a crystal teardrop hung from the corner of her eye. She occasionally smacked her lips, murmuring adorable nonsense in her sleep.
“Master…”
“Hmm?” Xi Wei walked to the bedside and responded.
He thought the movement of him getting up from his office chair had woken Loli. When he leaned closer, he realized Loli was just talking in her sleep.
“No, don’t… too… much…”
Xi Wei: “…”
He wondered what this little girl was dreaming about.
He had indeed just finished plowing the field, and the little maid was already exhausted. Logically, she shouldn’t be having the same dream.
He reached out and gently pinched the little maid’s cheek. The touch was soft and warm. In her sleep, the little girl pouted unhappily.
If he didn’t have urgent matters to attend to.
Xi Wei stated that he could stand there and pinch her face all day.
After this brief interaction, he no longer delayed. He reached out, took the Dragon Crystal Armor hanging on the weapon rack, and then swiftly put it on. The King of Conquest Long Sword was also slung across his back.
His armor and weapons were maintained by Loli every day. They were already cleaned and oiled. The inner lining of the armor still carried a faint scent of roses, which was Loli’s scent.
Speaking of which, he was indeed a unique king.
Since his ascension to the throne, he had only worn the splendid royal ceremonial attire a few times. Most of the time, he was clad in armor and wielded weapons. His years of battlefield experience and hands-on combat had accustomed him to it. There wasn’t another king on the entire continent who enjoyed personally leading campaigns as much as he did.
He walked through the long castle corridors.
Servants and soldiers he encountered along the way respectfully saluted him. Xi Wei would usually give a slight nod. To those he was more familiar with, he would even offer a smile.
Servants or soldiers who received a smile from Xi Wei would remain in an excited state for the entire day. In the cafeteria, corridors, and garden lawns, their voices could be heard boasting everywhere.
“His Majesty smiled at me today! You guys didn’t get that treatment, did you?”
At such times, the surrounding servants and soldiers would look on with genuine envy and swear that they would adjust their own states the next day to strive for a smile from Your Majesty Winter themselves.
…
…
Xi Wei walked into the Conference Hall.
His eyes immediately locked onto a brightly shining bald head.
The warm light from the crystal chandelier reflected off the bald head, making it look like a perfectly cooked egg. It was incredibly conspicuous.
His gaze moved lower to a pair of slit eyes. Yet, even so, their clarity was visible. Below that was a bulbous red nose, a standard middle-aged man’s mustache, and a pair of thick, sausage-like lips.
This was the second time they had met, and the impression was even deeper.
Xi Wei finally understood why this Great Knight had left such a strong impression on him. It wasn’t just because of his shiny bald head, but also because this Great Knight bore a striking resemblance to a hunter named Baldy Qiang from an anime in his past life.
Upon seeing Xi. Wei.
Benson Nidayer’s eyes widened slightly.
As for why he knew his eyes had widened, it was because the light in those eyes had become considerably brighter.
He placed one fist over his chest and bowed.
The shiny bald head was angled towards the crystal chandelier, and Xi Wei found it somewhat blinding.
“Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness for intruding unannounced. I have grievances too difficult to express.”
The Great Knight’s face fell, his sausage lips pursed. He immediately launched into a torrent of complaints.
To be honest, Xi Wei detested this kind of approach the most, so he retorted curtly:
“Is that so? Since you have grievances too difficult to express, then do not speak of them.”
Benson: “…”
Why was this so different from what he had imagined!
Why wasn’t His Majesty playing by the rules?
When a subordinate spoke like this, shouldn’t the King ask about the difficulties the subordinate encountered? Then offer some heartfelt comfort, and finally, point out a path forward for his unfortunate subordinate.
The Great Knight’s mind clearly froze.
He stood there motionless for a long time before finally, with a wronged tone, managed to stammer out:
“Your Majesty, although I have unspeakable grievances, I can still manage to speak if I try hard enough…”
“Then don’t try.”
Benson: “…”
He couldn’t take it anymore.
He decided that no matter what the King of Winter said or how unconventional he acted, he would ignore it and pour out everything that had recently happened in Pine City.
“Your Majesty, my Pine City has been frequently attacked by bandits. The soldiers under my command fought them when they went out, but it was difficult to exterminate these bandits. On one occasion, I personally engaged them and discovered that there was a Great Knight among the bandit group. I was no match for him, but he didn’t try to kill me outright. As if carelessly, he let me go, only leaving a sword wound on my chest…”
As Benson spoke, he pulled up his leather armor.
Revealing a sword wound that stretched from his shoulder blade to his abdomen for Your Majesty Winter to see clearly.
Logically speaking, that opponent was a Great Knight.
If that strike had been imbued with Qi, it could have instantly split a Great Knight in two. Thus, such a wound was clearly intentional.
Seeing Xi Wei pondering, Benson paused and continued:
“Moreover, I discovered a strange phenomenon. Every time these bandits kill soldiers, they strip them of their armor and weapons… And, when they fight with the soldiers, they deliberately avoid damaging the armor. I initially thought these bandits were after better Winter standard equipment, but when these bandits attacked again, they were still wearing ordinary leather armor.”
