CH 19

Chapter 19: Prepare to Upgrade

[Zero, ignore him.]

Qiao Xingnan said to Zero. The reins he clutched in his hand were slightly squeezed, and his fingers moved unnoticeably.

Now, he absolutely can’t let Zero agree to a match with Howard. If he does, he’s asking for trouble!

Zero, who was walking behind, heard his master’s words and replied: [Got it, master.]

Qiao Xingnan was still not relieved when he heard that. He seemingly unintentionally tilted his horse’s head to the right, and his eyes swept over Ster.

Howard was too pestering, and Zero might be unable to handle it.

But if he suddenly called Zero to come over and evade Howard’s questioning, that would be a bit conspicuous. He could only use his mental power to control Zero while hinting to Ster to help Zero out.

Ster sensed his new master’s gaze, and his gentle expression remained unchanged. He was clear that Qiao Xingnan wanted him to go to the rescue.

The cane moved forward and fell to the right, and Ster walked over kindly.

The new master was really kind-hearted.

In Ster’s opinion, Zero could have remained silent to deal with Howard’s pestering, but since the new master was not at ease, he was happy to do the other side’s bidding.

Howard hadn’t met an evenly matched opponent in a long time.

Looking at the white-robed man in front of him, his brown eyes flashed with a hint of anticipation. To avoid disturbing the emperor in front, Howard’s voice was low: “I heard Ilir say that you can use a sword too.”

However, after waiting a long time, the white-robed man ignored him and did not even turn his head. The wide hood covered the other party’s face, looking silent and mysterious.

The expectation in Howard’s eyes gradually receded. He looked at the white-robed man just to say something when he heard a voice tinged by a smile and kindness.

“Your Excellency, does the chief knights of Arilance act like you when accompanying others?”

Howard’s actions paused, and his eyes fell on the old man on the right-hand side of the white-robed man.

The other party’s face was still gentle, but the emotions in his eyes made Howard feel a little strange.

Howard knew this butler.

Ilir once said that the old man was summoned to the manor with a magic scroll. He behaved very elegantly, but for some reason, he always made people a little uncomfortable when he spoke.

“What do you mean?” Howard looked at Ster in confusion.

Ster paused for a moment as if thinking about how to not damage the friendship between the two countries with his words. But after thinking for a while, he gave up and looked at Howard with particular sincerity: “Do you not see that our chief knight does not talk to idle ones while he is attending to people?”

Idle people? Howard frowned and was about to say something in rebuttal when he heard the elder next to him continue: “If you can’t see, then I think there is something wrong with your eyes. I can introduce you to an old friend of mine. He made my gold-framed glasses, but he is eccentric and may not be as attentive as when he made them for me, but don’t worry. I will advise him to do it with all his heart.”

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“After all, you’re young and have bad eye-sight, which is too pitiful.” Ster held up his glasses, and his gentle smile seemed to breathe a hint of ridicule.

But when Howard looked over again, that smile looked kind and simple, as if it was just his illusion.

Howard, who had been dazed by a long series of consecutive outputs, subconsciously turned his eyes to the white-robed man again.

From the emperor’s room to the foot of the back of the mountain, these subordinates followed the two emperors on foot. The journey was not far, but some knights, including Ilir, although not tired, can clearly be heard panting a lot, but the white-robed man remained as he was at the beginning.

His back was straight, and each step seemed like it was measured. He moved lightly and smoothly. Although the hood covered the white-robed man’s face, it was obvious that he had been looking at his emperor, and his eyes did not deviate in the slightest.

Even Howard had to admit that the white-robed man before him was a true knight, powerful and loyal.

At that moment, Ster muttered, “I’m really worried about the future of Arilance. It’s unbelievable that the chief knight would be whispering when he is accompanying the emperor.”

Howard frowned slightly, suddenly feeling a little ashamed.

He couldn’t guard the emperor as intently as the white-robed man, but it was perfectly possible to keep silent like he did when accompanying him.

But on second thought, their country does not have this rule. Besides, if he keeps staring at their emperor like the white-robed man, their emperor of Arilance might be the first to snap off his eyes to feed the snake.

Thinking about it, Howard’s body stiffened and temporarily lost the idea of fighting with the other party.

With the help of Zero’s vision, Qiao Xingnan saw Howard walking back to Ilir’s side again, and the big stone in his heart completely dropped.

The crisis has been lifted for the time being.

Qiao Xingnan’s fingers holding the reins loosened and silently gave Uncle Ster a nod of approval for his approach.

His eyes unconsciously revealed a bit of relief, and his golden eyes were more crystal clear and shining in the sunlight. At the same time, they attracted the blond man’s attention.

The golden python’s tail was squeezed by Asrit’s hand, and the sudden pain made the golden python flap its tail around, hissing and complaining, and its cold eyes seemed a bit aggrieved.

The man patted its snake head, appeasing perfunctorily, looking at Qiao Xingnan’s eyes full of interest.

Unlike Ilir and the others.

Asrit doesn’t care which country is behind the liar or if all four countries are involved. It doesn’t matter to him.

If he cared, he would have put Qiao Xingnan in a cage and tortured him into confessing, and there were hundreds of ways to make Qiao Xingnan tell the truth.

But right now, Asrit doesn’t want to do that yet. He thinks Qiao Xingnan was a bit interesting.

In fact, unlike what Qiao Xingnan thought, Asrit called him to come and ride a horse without the implication of testing. If there was really someone behind the other party, they would never forget to let Qiao Xingnan learn those things.

The reason why Asrit called him to come and ride a horse was that he was interested in him and wanted to observe the other party a little more.

After all, it was clear that Qiao Xingnan had a better reason to go to Arilance Empire. Still, he said such a flawed paragraph. He didn’t seem to be afraid of him, along with his haughty posture and the mysterious subordinates around him.

It’s really interesting.

The corners of Asrit’s mouth were slightly hooked, and his green eyes did not blink as he looked at Qiao Xingnan.

“Asrit.” Qiao Xingnan simply could not ignore the other party’s hot sight, and he inclined his head to look at the blond man, his voice a little suspicious.

What are you looking at me for? My face shouldn’t be dirty, right?

Asrit heard Qiao Xingnan call him and still did not avert his eyes: “What is it?”

“You look at the road.” Qiao Xingnan pursed his lips, and his voice was a little cold.

Don’t look at me. It makes me panic.

Asrit didn’t even notice the panic in the other party’s heart. His green eyes raked over the other’s eyes, and he hmmed before looking away.

The road to the back of the mountain was somewhat rugged. Going deeper into the lush woods, Qiao Xingnan found that there were not many fierce beasts on the way. Not even a few animals that existed in the memory of the original body could be seen.

This should not be, there are many wild animals living in the mountains. Was it because the back of the mountain is a forbidden place?

Qiao Xingnan doubted in his heart but did not ask. Anyway, he was laying down his life to accompany the tyrant. It was useless to know so much.

Asrit also did not explain. He looked up at the beam of light through the layers of leaves, slightly squinted his eyes, and seemed comfortable here.

Then, he took the golden python on his shoulder, and as soon as it touched the ground, it scurried out very lively and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“Don’t you need to follow it?”

Qiao Xingnan watched the golden scales disappear into the depths of the forest, and his tone was somewhat puzzled.

Does raising a snake like this really not make it wild?

Asrit didn’t seem to care and said casually, “It went to the hot springs and will be back later when we go back down the mountain.”

It seems that the golden python was very accustomed to this place.

Qiao Xingnan hmmed and unintentionally caught a glimpse of some traces left on some huge trees in the forest, which seemed to have been formed by the impact of beasts, and he felt a thud in his heart.

Maybe it was because of the existence of fierce beasts in the back of the mountain that there were no animals like those hares.

Looking at Asrit’s leisurely look, Qiao Xingnan slightly clenched the reins and lowered his eyes. He should relax. Since the tyrant can come to the manor for summer vacation, it means that this place is safe.

Asrit did not know that Qiao Xingnan was worried about whether they would fold in the back of the mountain. He drove the black horned horse and strolled around twice, occasionally observing the golden eyes of the man next door, feeling very satisfied.

Waiting for the time to go down the mountain, Asrit even wanted to continue to ask Qiao Xingnan up the mountain tomorrow.

Because the horseback riding time was too long, Qiao Xingnan, who was tensed, refused this time with a cold voice, jokingly saying that if he came again tomorrow, his old arms and legs could not stand it.

Qiao Xingnan, who finally left the tyrant and returned to the room, took a long breath of relief with Zero and Ster.

He tiredly slumped on the table and spouted off and on to Zero and Ster about how he felt on the way, and when he got to Howard, Qiao Xingnan’s words paused.

“Uncle Ster, Zero, we have to go earn money tomorrow.”

Since Howard proposed to fight with Zero, there would definitely be another time.

For the sake of his own fragile little life, Qiao Xingnan decided that he needed to upgrade Zero immediately.