Chapter 163 The Master of Stoking the Flames
Directly fleeing to the realm of dreams?
Ji Ma immediately dismissed this idea, not because she had that tiny bit of conscience left after being discarded by a dog, but because she calmed her mind and imagined the current situation with Zhen Na coming over.
There’s a high probability that nothing will happen; Zhen Na prides herself on being the main wife and has a broad heart. She will likely give George a way out, creating some melodramatic scenario like tying three headbands together.
This speculation felt like a bucket of cold water poured over Ji Ma’s head.
She sighed, “Sigh~~.”
At this moment, the group had already crossed the city outside the castle and exited the city gates. Even the walls of the city were filled with young noblewomen wearing small tents on their heads, waving handkerchiefs and bidding farewell to the knights below.
The knights below were shouting something loudly: “With the blessing of the ladies, I will bravely kill the enemy and return safely,” and so on.
They were just short of saying, “I’ll come back and marry you.”
The young knights were filled with thoughts of the slender young ladies; they glanced at the headbands on the hilts of their swords and couldn’t wait to ride their warhorses, armed with the blessings of their beloveds, to fight the beastmen in a life-or-death struggle.
Cutting off the heads of the beastmen, returning triumphantly, and boasting about their accomplishments to their beloveds. Even if they bravely sacrificed themselves, returning with their bodies wrapped in white cloth, earning tears and cries from their beloveds would still be worthwhile.
In such an atmosphere, the young knights were truly exuberant, pairing up and boasting about their feats and their beloveds, saying anything they could. Some even directly arranged to duel.
Eve Frostleaf couldn’t take it anymore; she snorted coldly and, rarely, spoke up:
“Humans and their boring customs.”
Her voice was not loud, yet George and Ji Ma could hear it.
George had no reaction; he was already accustomed to Eve Frostleaf’s disdainful manner.
Ji Ma glanced at Eve Frostleaf, whose posture was as straight as a flagpole — though she was always straight, right now, she was straighter still. A gentle breeze blew, causing the sky-blue bow tied in her silver hair to flutter like a banner.
Ji Ma felt a sudden itch in her hands, eager to reach out and pull it off.
Undoubtedly, Silver-haired Long Legs found this custom to be boring for real, but she secretly hoped that her own headband could be tied to George’s sword hilt.
However, she would certainly make an effort to conceal this intention.
But if jealousy burned fiercely enough, even an iceberg would turn into steam.
Ji Ma’s golden eyes turned shifty, and an excellent idea formed, almost causing her to clap her hands in excitement.
As long as she stirs the pot, first igniting the jealousy of Silver-haired Long Legs, then running to find Zhen Na to stoke her fire, and pulling them together, she could fan the flames further.
Hehe, it would be difficult for this harem not to ignite.
Ji Ma shot a sideways glance at Eve Frostleaf, flicking her fingers through her black hair, raising her black headband.
Eve Frostleaf didn’t even look at Ji Ma, so Ji Ma rode her horse forward, taking a “spot,” pretending to be inspired by music, humming a tune off-key, shaking her head left and right, making her headband flutter.
After swinging for about three to five minutes, Ji Ma abruptly turned her head back to look.
Eve Frostleaf remained the same, expressionless, with a blank face.
Ji Ma smiled, turned back, and pinched her Li Anxi cat in her arms, causing the sleepy cat to open its eyes.
Ji Ma lifted the cat, leaned down to whisper in its fuzzy ear, “Help me watch the elf behind.”
The cat nodded.
Ji Ma then placed the Li Anxi cat on the horse’s head. The horse’s head dipped slightly, and the Li Anxi cat lay on the front, its chunky flesh almost blocking the horse’s eyes.
“George, George,” Ji Ma tapped George’s shoulder plate.
“What is it?” George turned from his thoughts to look at Ji Ma.
Ji Ma tilted her head, her palm supporting a strand of black hair, “Is my headband pretty?”
“Headband?” George was slightly surprised, “You wear a headband?”
Ji Ma felt a bit embarrassed; indeed, her jet-black hair made the black headband quite inconspicuous.
She fumbled with it for a moment and pinched the headband, “Yes, it’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“Average.”
Ji Ma sighed deeply, “Sigh, forget it, after all, you’re a straightforward paladin who doesn’t understand romance. Next time, I’ll buy a pretty one.”
“But the headband looks beautiful on you.”
Ji Ma smiled, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons, “Thank you for your honesty.”
With that, Ji Ma turned her head and flicked her hair, purposely tossing it back to show off to Eve Frostleaf.
Hehe, now that Silver-haired Long Legs would surely be on edge.
George said, “Before we head out, there’s a short ceremony. After the ceremony, we officially set out…”
“Oh, oh, oh.” Ji Ma was eager to see Eve Frostleaf’s reaction, “Wait, the ceremony is to pray to the lake goddess, and then we officially set out?”
“Yes.”
“So, that means all the work before setting out must be completed?”
“That’s right.”
In the distance, many knights were gathering in front of the temple of the lake goddess, colorful banners flying. A group of knights knelt before the lady in the white dress to receive blessings and tie on headbands.
“Oh, I see.”
Ji Ma had understood long ago; she was deliberately asking George just to inform Eve Frostleaf that soon they would be tying headbands. Once they passed this village, there would be no store left.
“Do you have anything else to prepare?”
Ji Ma interrupted the conversation: “Let me think about it alone.”
“Okay.”
Once George turned his head, Ji Ma picked up the Li Anxi cat and leaned down to whisper in its ear, so the elf should be able to hear.
“Is the elf getting angry?”
The Li Anxi cat shook its head.
“Can’t you tell?”
The Li Anxi cat nodded.
“Is her ear turning red?”
The Li Anxi cat shook its head.
“Has there been any change in her eyes?”
The Li Anxi cat still shook its head.
Could it be that she couldn’t break through Eve Frostleaf’s defenses?
Ji Ma asked, “Did her fingers move?”
The Li Anxi cat nodded vigorously.
“Is she tightly gripping something else?”
The Li Anxi cat shook its head.
“Is she clenching her fist?”
The Li Anxi cat nodded.
“Has her fist hardened?”
The Li Anxi cat nodded.
“Hehe, well, that’s good.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ji Ma felt a prickling sensation at her back, as if something sharp had pierced her back. She could even hear the faint sound of knuckles cracking, caused by someone gripping their fists tightly.
Ji Ma spun around quickly.
Eve Frostleaf still had her indifferent expression, riding her silver steed, radiating an aura of “do not approach” that was identical to before.
For a moment, Ji Ma doubted whether the Li Anxi cat had seen correctly; after all, it was just a cat, but it had almost made a mistake.
She could see the white mist enveloping Eve Frostleaf’s chest; that was the power of pain, the threads of painful energy flowing into her body. The joy built upon the suffering of others was refreshing.
Ji Ma could not help but let out a soft laugh, covering her mouth. She knew this was quite annoying, but she couldn’t help it. Realizing that the inherently kind Eve Frostleaf wouldn’t turn against her, she lowered her hand and laughed out loud under Eve Frostleaf’s cold, sharp gaze.
George asked, “Ji Ma? What’s so funny?”
“I just saw something funny.”
“What was it?”
“I don’t want to say.”
“Oh.”
At this moment, the group finally departed from the noisy main road, with horse hooves stepping on the green grass.
A morning breeze blew towards them, and Ji Ma took a deep breath, expelling all the morning’s displeasure.
At this time, the elven maid also felt happy. She secretly gave Ji Ma a thumbs-up, feeling that the well-known succubus could make Lady Frostleaf so furious without breaking skin.
With the succubus around, there was no worry about Lady Frostleaf being with such a lowly race as humans.
Eve Frostleaf couldn’t help it; she gently kicked her horse’s belly, prompting the silver steed to trot over to George’s side.
“George.” Eve Frostleaf turned her head, the sky-blue bow fluttering slightly.
“Mm?”
Do you think my headband matches my hair color?
Eve Frostleaf’s lips moved, but under the gaze of the elven maid, she still found it difficult to express her thoughts.
In the end, she said:
“Look at those crude knights, their hilt bands are made of materials that are hard to look at. We elves not only import silk from the distant country of Selis, but we also have a unique dyeing technique specifically for silk that can tint it to look like the sky has been cut down.”
As she spoke, the morning breeze stirred her sky-blue bow headband, resembling a dancer’s flowing sleeves.
George nodded, “Oh, very nice.”
Great! Even the proud elf took the initiative; this fire was definitely igniting.
Ji Ma felt secretly pleased in her heart.
At this moment, the group was getting closer to the temple of the lake goddess. Ji Ma quickly clasped her stomach, frowned, and said:
“George, I suddenly remembered there’s something I haven’t handled well and must leave for a moment, to the realm of dreams.”
“Go quickly; we will wait for you.”
“I won’t be long; you guys can participate in the ceremony first.”
As Ji Ma spoke, she rode her reddish-brown mare quickly away. After reaching a grassy slope, she concealed the surroundings with her “Hidden Tranquility Barrier” and summoned the entrance to the “Dream Palace,” eagerly jumping into the realm of dreams.
Five minutes later.
Far away in the estate next to the imperial capital of Adolf, Saintess Zhen Na was humming a pleasant tune in front of her vanity mirror, twisting her golden hair into a bun.
Sounds of running feet came from the corridor.
“Sister Zhen Na, Sister Zhen Na!” The door burst open, and Ji Ma, panting, leaned against her knees, “Sister Zhen Na, you need to go to sleep and enter the dream.”
“What’s the matter?”
Zhen Na, who had just finished styling her hair, asked. Although she instinctively felt it couldn’t be something good when she heard “Sister Zhen Na,” she quickly forgot her bad feeling when she saw Ji Ma’s urgent expression.
“George, our husband is going to war.”
“I know, is it today?”
“Yes, I suddenly thought I could take you to witness it together.” Ji Ma took Zhen Na’s hand and led her toward the bed, “So go to sleep quickly.”
She was eager to pull Zhen Na to the scene, where both men and women were tying headbands; even if Zhen Na was virtuous, she would surely feel envy and jealousy, right? Though she wouldn’t say it, just a little push…
Zhen Na sat foolishly on the bed.
Ji Ma said, “Hurry up and sleep, there’s not much time left.”
Zhen Na hurriedly burrowed into the quilt; she closed her eyes for a moment and said, “Ji Ma, I can’t sleep.”
“Relax your mind, I’ll pull you into the dream.”
In the end, it went smoothly; Ji Ma pulled Zhen Na into the Dream Palace and then ran back to the outskirts of Quinas City.
The ceremony was in progress, a group of knights who believed in the lake goddess were kneeling halfway in front of the statue of the goddess holding the holy grail.
Ji Ma didn’t rush to pull Zhen Na from the Dream Palace; she was waiting for the right moment, ideally when George untied Eve Frostleaf’s headband, then she would bring Zhen Na over.
At that time, the scene would surely be very explosive.
They might even end up fighting. Zhen Na with a Solar Fist, and Eve Frostleaf with a Fiery Leg could clash.
She couldn’t help but laugh again.
