Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
“Loli, I’m back.”
Xi Wei arrived at his room door and knocked, then heard the young girl’s “tutu” footsteps from inside.
“Is it Master~?”
“Authentic.”
“Master, let’s check the secret code~”
Loli’s soft and sweet voice came from the room. Xi Wei remembered the secret code he had agreed upon with Loli before going to the conference hall for a meeting.
“Cough-” Xi Wei cleared his throat and said in a muffled voice, “Lu la la, lu la la, lu la, lu la, le~”
The little maid behind the door pondered for a moment, then playfully sang, “Lu la lu la lu la le~”
“Secret code correct! Welcome Master back~”
With a “snap,” the door opened, revealing Loli’s cute and charming pretty face. She smiled at Xi Wei, her adorable big eyes curved into crescent moons.
Seeing her adorable appearance, Xi Wei couldn’t help but lean down and plant a kiss on her fair and tender cheek. He smiled and asked, “Did you miss Master?”
The little maid pounced into Xi Wei’s arms, nuzzling him affectionately, and mumbled shyly:
“Loli has always been missing Master~ I missed you so much I almost died~”
“Cough cough—”
A stranger’s voice interrupted the close interaction between the master and servant.
A castle guard reported awkwardly:
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Earl. His Highness the Prince requests your presence.”
Hearing this, Xi Wei and Loli exchanged a glance, and he asked with some suspicion:
“Did His Highness say what it was about?”
“No, but it shouldn’t be anything bad. His Highness has already met with four lords, and you are the fifth.”
“I see,”
Xi Wei nodded. He roughly knew what the Prince wanted to do. It was nothing more than feeling that he was about to become King and wanting to recruit some promising nobles.
He had to admit, he was quite confident, already considering matters after his coronation before the war had even begun.
Seeing Xi Wei nod, the castle guard bowed slightly and stood beside Xi Wei, respectfully inviting him:
“Please follow me… Oh, and your maid can come along as well.”
“Loli, do you want to come?”
Xi Wei turned to Loli, petted her head, and asked softly.
“Can I? Master.”
“Of course~”
…
In the opulent hall on the top floor of the castle.
Prince Bai Leferun leaned casually on a red beast hide sofa, his long fingers holding a wine glass. The crimson liquid sloshing within was unclear if it was red wine or a maiden’s blood.
He was still wearing the same luxurious, yet not ostentatious, noble attire from the previous evening.
His chestnut curly hair had been meticulously styled, and on his handsome face, there was the unchanging gentle gaze and a slightly upturned mouth.
Opposite him, Xi Wei sat on another sofa, neither subservient nor arrogant, with a calm expression.
Loli stood somewhat cautiously behind him, her eyes occasionally glancing at the naked Elf Girl kneeling at the Prince’s feet.
In the quiet hall, Bai Leferun admired Xi Wei for a moment before breaking the silence with applause.
“As expected of the Star of the Empire and the Earl of Eagle, a disciple of Lord Sading. At around twenty years old, you already possess the strength of a Sky Knight.”
“You flatter me.”
Xi Wei responded blandly to the First Prince’s praise, appearing as unconcerned as a dead pig unafraid of boiling water.
Bai Leferun paid no mind to Xi Wei’s indifferent attitude and instead chuckled, saying:
“I admire talented young men like you, Earl of Eagle. Perhaps it is by the guidance of our Lord Balda that we are able to meet in Grey Fortress.”
“Then, as a Prince of the Kolon Empire, I must also make a gesture.”
As he spoke, he suddenly kicked the Elf Girl at his feet with his leather shoe.
The unceremonious force made the Elf Girl frown in pain. Then, with a look of disdain, he said:
“This Elf Girl was captured by General Karallant in the Emerald Frontier. She infiltrated the fortress alone and assassinated over eighty of our soldiers and two Great Knights.”
Speaking of the fallen soldiers and knights, the Prince’s expression turned ferocious. He gritted his teeth, and the force of his foot increased, causing blood to ooze from the corner of the girl’s mouth.
“Fortunately, she stupidly stepped on a trap when she left the fortress, which is how we captured her.”
By the time Bai Leferun finished speaking,
The Elf Girl had already been kicked to the ground and was unable to move. Her entire body trembled with pain, and her dazed eyes were lifeless, like a puppet carelessly discarded on the ground.
Bai Leferun distastefully wiped his blood-stained leather shoe on the girl’s body, then said with a smile:
“She is still clean, her Magic Power has been sealed. After capturing her, I only had her tortured and whipped for a month.”
“Now, as long as you nod, this Elf female slave with excellent appearance is yours~”
“Oh, by the way,” he cast his gaze back to Loli behind Xi Wei and asked tentatively:
“I am quite interested in your maid. If you are willing to give her to me, I can grant you one condition. Territory, weapons, army, anything.”
Upon hearing this, Xi Wei’s killing intent, as deep as an abyss, was about to erupt, but he forcefully suppressed it. He looked at the First Prince with a calm expression, his tone casual, and refused with a smile:
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, please allow me to refuse.”
“I would be in a lot of trouble without my maid to take care of me.”
Loli was not just his maid; she was his family, his closest companion, and the person he would protect with his life forever. How could he trade her away?
Bai Leferun was somewhat surprised by this. However, his expression quickly adjusted, and he smiled apologetically:
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know about this. But it doesn’t matter, this Elf female slave can still be given to you.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. The Eagle Territory is located in the borderlands and is always facing war, requiring high vigilance. Please give these heart-wearying things to someone else,” Xi Wei’s expression softened slightly, but he still refused without hesitation.
“Is that so?” Bai Leferun spread his hands helplessly, saying, “Then I can only throw her into the wounded soldier camp at the Emerald Frontier.”
“Um… excuse me…”
At this moment, Loli behind Xi Wei suddenly and timidly asked, “What will happen to her if she is thrown into the wounded soldier camp?”
Hearing this, Bai Leferun glanced at Loli with interest and casually said:
“I don’t know, but those wounded soldiers hate Elves the most. Perhaps she will be tortured to death within a few days and then chopped into pieces to be fed to dogs, who knows?”
Loli looked at the Elf Girl, who was lying on the ground and trembling, with a sad expression. She felt a strong sorrow from the depths of her bloodline.
Fragmented images of tragic and heroic scenes began to flash through her mind: the majestic World Tree toppling, gods roaring in the clouds, Elves cornered in a corner of the Cain Continent by human and Orc armies, demons cackling in the darkness, death, flames, displaced Elves, Demi-humans weeping as they were driven out…
Why were there Demi-humans?
Loli’s mind was in turmoil. The images flashed by in an instant, but tears had already unknowingly streamed down her cheeks.
Xi Wei thought his little maid was sympathizing with the Elf Girl’s plight and comfortingly held her soft hand.
In truth, there was no right or wrong in this matter. War had always been like this. Although the Prince’s actions were indeed too extreme, in this war-worshipping Empire, no one would blame him.
