Chapter 33 Chapter 32 The Fool
Although Eve Frostleaf was very angry, she didn’t show it and just coldly hummed in response.
Ji Ma spoke sincerely, “Thank you.”
Eve Frostleaf took a deep breath but didn’t say anything.
“I’m being sincere,” Ji Ma said. “I know you must have fought all night last night, your armor and the marks from the battlefield say it all. I also know that if I say this, you will be unhappy. I can lie to others, but how can I lie to you?”
Eve Frostleaf turned her head to the side and asked, “What then?”
Ji Ma whispered in her ear, “Can I compensate you?”
The voice of the succubus was so melodious that Eve Frostleaf found it hard to stay angry. She turned her head and saw Ji Ma’s smiling face, pure and beautiful. She forced a serious expression and said, “No need.”
It seemed as if a wind had blown past, muffling the sound; Ji Ma appeared not to have heard her.
Her fleshy tail wrapped around Eve Frostleaf’s icy calf.
Eve Frostleaf said, “Let go.”
But Ji Ma hugged her tightly and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t help it. You are so good to me that I simply can’t suppress my enthusiasm; that’s how succubi are.”
She was like a cute cat, nuzzling and clinging, her warmth seeping through the cold armor into Eve Frostleaf’s heart.
Eve Frostleaf couldn’t help but wonder whether this was an extraordinary ability of the succubus, as she felt no anger towards Ji Ma and reminisced about the joy she had had while playing with her earlier.
Ji Ma leaned close to her snow-white long ear and whispered, “How about I compensate you well right now? Just now?”
The cold wind blew, but it couldn’t extinguish the warm campfire in her heart.
Eve Frostleaf’s lightly colored lips opened and closed but said nothing.
Ji Ma lowered her head, looking at Eve’s neck, which was as pristine as ice, tinged with a faint pink. Her lips curled slightly, as if no matter who had ever been close to her, they would find it hard to resist her charm afterward.
Even the once honorable George, the pure-hearted Janna, and the icy beauty Eve Frostleaf could not escape her web of allure.
Although Eve Frostleaf did not express her thoughts, Ji Ma could see that within the chest wrapped in silver-white breastplate, the purple aura symbolizing desire was larger than the others.
Beneath them was a snowy mountain, and Ji Ma tilted her body, embracing the light-weight Eve Frostleaf as they descended into a valley covered with thick white snow and howling cold winds.
It was very cold here; the cold and snow could take the life of mortals.
Even Ji Ma felt a bit chilly when she stepped into the snow.
In the biting cold wind, they fought side by side against the chill. In the deserted forest, they rolled and tussled, unleashing a side of themselves that was unknown to others.
Coincidentally, Eve Frostleaf needed to release her pent-up energy. She, like a wild beast, fulfilled Ji Ma’s prophecy shown in the glass ball bestowed upon her by the Lord of Trickery.
After that.
The two traveled together towards the capital of the Kingdom of Keesliff, progressing eastward for two days and nights.
On the third day, as night fell.
A small city appeared before them, its walls splashed with water and coated in a layer of ice. On both sides of the main road stood guillotines, with several corpses dressed as Nosclam people hanging on them. Ji Ma noticed that there were also several men with rat-tail braids on the gallows.
The two landed and walked along the main road. Eve Frostleaf patted Ji Ma’s shoulder, and the latter quickly withdrew her fleshy tail from beneath her skirt.
Ji Ma said, “Let’s find a better place to rest.”
Eve Frostleaf buttoned up her deep green hood, her long ears emerging from the holes at the back, and nodded.
Though using the Dream Palace would allow for good rest, it was also dangerous. Firstly, it severed connection to the outside world. Secondly, returning from the Dream Palace to reality could leave one in a transient state of “waking from a dream,” which was not ideal.
Learning from past experiences, it was better to find a safe place to rest.
On the road, the path was muddy, with two deep ruts formed by the passage of carts, which kicked up the cold, dirty mud as the wheels turned.
Ji Ma’s deerskin boots splattered with mud. She looked at Eve Frostleaf, who was walking alongside her, matching her pace. The latter appeared as clean as a feather, completely free of any stains.
Ji Ma wondered what kind of magic was woven into the clothing worn by this highborn elf, preventing the mundane dirt from clinging to her.
Ji Ma muttered, “I really should get a horse.”
At that moment, Eve Frostleaf’s long ears perked up, and she reached out, grabbing Ji Ma’s wrist and pulling her to the side of the road.
How domineering; it was hard to see the softness she had that day, the humiliation in her demeanor.
Ji Ma followed Eve Frostleaf as they stood at the side of the road.
Before long, the sound of hooves approached. A group of knights wearing nose guard helmets and red robes, with wings strapped to their backs, rode on unarmored red horses, galloping along the main road. Although they wore plate armor, the coverage was less compared to imperial knights, but they compensated for it with enhanced mobility.
The winged knights rode their warhorses, their hooves shod with horseshoes, trampling the mud beneath while heads twisted in grotesque shapes dangled from their saddles, and they marched toward the little city.
Along the way, people hurriedly made way for these noble warriors.
Watching the magnificent warhorses pass by, Ji Ma couldn’t help but raise her hand, wanting to charm one of the wealthy fools.
A hand clad in a white glove pressed down on Ji Ma’s, and she turned to see Eve Frostleaf’s delicate face peering from under her hood. She shook her head.
“That would cause trouble; they have priests with them.”
Indeed, this was a group formed by nobility, striving to exterminate Nosclam raiders and the followers of the Dark Four Gods in this dark age, attempting to bring a semblance of safety to a world fraught with danger and death.
Naturally, they would have basic defenses against demons like Ji Ma.
Ji Ma said, “We’re kind of big shots in the world-saving department too; I just think we should ride in on a grand warhorse.”
Just then, someone called out, halting the warhorses.
A tall winged knight, with a black beard that reached his chest, approached the two women, followed by a few knights. His gaze lingered on Ji Ma’s face for a moment before reluctantly shifting to the tall, elegant Eve Frostleaf, focusing on her long ears.
“Hey, you two.” He raised his whip, pointing it at Ji Ma and Eve Frostleaf, his speech marked by a noticeable rolling of the tongue.
Ah, finally a bit of fun on this long journey. Did he take a liking to our beauty, or did he discern my demonic identity? Or simply thought that two oddly dressed beauties standing by the road were quite unusual.
A smile crept onto Ji Ma’s face as she looked up at the bearded winged knight leading the group.
“A highborn elf dressed in luxurious armor and a dark-haired woman?” The bearded knight squinted at Ji Ma. “You’re quite peculiar.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I can feel the bear god’s amulet heating up; it’s protecting me.”
Beside him, another winged knight gripped the hilt of his sword or tightened his hold on his hollow lance.
“Oh.” Ji Ma smiled and asked, “So, are you planning to arrange a good place for us to stay?”
The bearded winged knight raised his chin and said, “I can, but you must meet the fool. He foresaw your coming.”
