The heavy gates of Caran City slowly closed behind the campaign force, completely isolating the city's clamor and prying eyes.
The wind across the wilderness outside carried a primitive coarseness, making the banners snap and flutter.
The Royal Capital Knights, who had been in a neat, imposing formation before the people moments ago, relaxed almost the instant the gates were locked.
Knight Lyon, leading the group, gave a hand signal, and the knights nimbly dismounted one after another.
They skillfully tethered their warhorses to temporary hitching posts on the side. Clearly, they did not intend to maintain that dazzling cavalry formation for the rest of the journey.
The show was over; now it was time for "business."
The group silently turned toward the Black Demon Forest and began to walk.
The atmosphere abruptly became oppressive and real; the sound of clanking armor and footsteps was exceptionally clear in the silent wilderness.
Perhaps irritated by the stifling atmosphere, or perhaps simply emboldened by the lack of public scrutiny, one warrior knight on the flank—his face marked with a scar—repeatedly glanced at Theia.
Her peerless beauty, born from the fusion of elven and demon bloodlines, and the lithe, graceful figure honed by her ranger profession, as well as those red pupils that were both innocent and sinister, all challenged the self-control of certain men.
The warrior licked his dry lips.
Taking advantage of a slight shuffle in the formation's advance, he feigned a stumble.
His large, gauntlet-clad hand reached out toward Theia with a motion that was both remarkably natural and swift.
However, while his hand was still in mid-air, a cold glint flashed like a venomous snake, silently pressing against his Adam's apple!
Theia hadn't even fully turned around; she had simply flicked her wrist.
A tempered short dagger was already unsheathed, precisely fixed in place. Just a fraction deeper, and it would have pierced through leather and flesh.
Her gaze was cold and sharp, like a leopard that had locked onto its prey, devoid of any fluctuation.
The warrior's movements froze. The lechery on his face instantly transformed into astonishment and a trace of fear.
He could clearly feel the deathly chill radiating from the tip of the dagger.
"What are you doing?!"
The knights nearby immediately noticed something was wrong and shouted, hands moving toward their weapons.
The tense atmosphere exploded instantly.
Just as the knights were about to act, Lin Gui suddenly stepped forward. He used every ounce of his strength to roar, his voice so loud it even cracked slightly.
"Reporting to Knight Commander Lyon! This knight attempted to molest Miss Theia!!"
This shout was like a crack of thunder, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Every gaze focused on the warrior knight's hand, which was still frozen in mid-air, caught in his ill intent.
In fact, many of the knights had been more or less attracted to Theia's figure and beauty. They simply hadn't had the guts to act on it.
Having it called out so bluntly by Lin Gui made them feel quite embarrassed. For a moment, no one spoke up to retort.
Theia was also stunned by Lin Gui's sudden "accusation." However, she reacted extremely quickly, flicking her wrist to retract the dagger.
At the same time, she shifted her steps, subconsciously pulling Lin Gui slightly behind her.
She locked her wary gaze on Knight Lyon, her muscles tense as she guarded against a potential attack.
The warrior knight, having his filthy behavior exposed in public, was instantly humiliated. His face turned a deep red with rage.
With a clang, he unsheathed his longsword and pointed it at Theia, his voice distorted by fury.
"Nonsense! You lowlife half-demon mongrel! You think I'd actually be interested in you?"
"Clearly, you were the one who attacked a noble knight of the kingdom first! I challenge you to a duel! To wash away my shame!"
Conflict was about to escalate, and bloodshed seemed inevitable.
At that moment, Lin Gui poked his head out from behind Theia, a nearly fawning smile plastered on his face.
He stepped quickly between the two parties, waving his hands repeatedly at the furious warrior and the grim-faced Knight Lyon.
"A misunderstanding! It's absolutely a misunderstanding! This brave and mighty knightly sir, how could he possibly do such a thing?"
"The road must be uneven; Sir Knight simply lost his footing and his hand accidentally flailed a bit, right?"
As he spoke, he winked at the warrior, as if desperately trying to give him a way out.
Then, he turned toward Knight Lyon, his tone becoming even more respectful.
"Knight Commander, please understand. Theia has a short temper; she grew up in the wilderness and doesn't know the rules, so she overreacted."
"I apologize to this knightly sir on her behalf! We absolutely did not mean to offend the Royal Capital Knights!"
He bowed as he spoke, his attitude so sincere it bordered on subservient.
His low-profile attempt to play peacemaker indeed caused the volatile atmosphere to ease slightly.
Although the warrior knight was still fuming, the hand holding his sword loosened its grip a little. He seemed to be considering how to conclude this now that he had been given an out.
Knight Lyon watched coldly, not immediately stating his position.
Seeing this, Lin Gui said a few more words to smooth things over before slowly retreating back to Theia's side.
Theia watched him return, her brow furrowed deep. Her eyes were filled with confusion and a trace of disappointment.
She didn't understand why Lin Gui was acting so subservient to these people. They were clearly friends; shouldn't he have stood on her side?
Even just verbal support would have been better than making excuses for the other side and accusing her of "overreacting."
Lin Gui returned to her side, the humble smile not yet fully faded from his face.
However, the moment he turned his head and his gaze swept over the backs of the knights who were turning back to continue their march, Theia saw it clearly.
The remnant of the smile on the corners of his lips suddenly distorted, transforming into a cold, cruel, and mocking curve.
The cold light flashing deep in his eyes made him look like a hungry beast seeing a fat piece of prey and considering where to bite down.
That was absolutely not an expression the Lin Gui she knew—the one who appeared indifferent but was actually kind-hearted—would make!
An extremely bizarre sensation suddenly gripped Theia's heart, making her shudder involuntarily.
She looked at Lin Gui's calm profile, then looked at the arrogant knights up ahead who were completely oblivious to this.
In a daze, it was as if she saw Lin Gui transform into a predatory beast lurking in the shadows with its claws retracted. Meanwhile, the swaggering knights ahead had become a group of... fat deer walking into a trap without knowing it.
A Low-tier High Rank mage showing his fangs to ten knights who were one major rank higher? It was truly unbelievable.
Rate on N.U.
