158: Backfire

While Lai'en was studying Arcane Shot, he attempted to transform the Dragon Might Scepter into a short bow.

When the short bow took shape, the system automatically generated a suitable bowstring using the sinews of a Pearl Dragon.

And while developing several self-created Arcane Shot magic arrows, Lai'en discovered that this bow could generate magic arrows composed of system energy without the need for actual arrows.

Without using Arcane Shot, these magic arrows could inflict 1d6 piercing damage plus 1 additional point of magic damage.

Upon hitting a target or exceeding their range, these magic arrows would revert to invisible energy and return to the Qiankun Ring.

When the Young Duke unlocked this arrow-less weapon function, he was as happy as if his professional level had increased.

Before all this happened, High Lord Ryan Black summoned Rose Knight Angel on the second day of his coronation ceremony.

Inside the Mage Tower, the Rose Knight knelt on one knee in the center of the hall.

In front of the west wall, Lai'en sat silently on the central high-backed chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest.

Holy Knight Randel stood motionless beside him.

At this moment, Lai'en looked at Angel's attribute panel in his mind; her current loyalty was 49 points.

For some time, the Bard's loyalty had been steadily increasing, reaching 49 points many days ago.

But it hadn't changed since.

Even after the red-haired beauty was conferred the title of Rose Knight yesterday, her loyalty remained at 49 points.

On its own, there seemed to be no issue, but compared to most of the other newly conferred individuals, it stood out.

At this point, the Bard had been kneeling for ten minutes.

She had no idea what wrong she had committed, and she had never seen her Lord act this way towards anyone.

If the person on the high seat opposite her were an adult man, she would assume he coveted her beauty.

But the one sitting there was still a ten-year-old child, a child who had already ascended to the Grand Duke's position; she truly couldn't guess what he was thinking.

“You…” the Young Duke began, “Your strength seems greater at night than during the day?”

“Uh…” The red-haired beauty hadn't expected such a question after waiting for so long.

If it were an adult man, others hearing it would assume something intimate had occurred between them.

But even though the Lord was now a Grand Duke, he was still only ten years old.

“Did he sense something?” the Bard thought to herself.

“What makes the Grand Duke think I’m stronger at night?” Angel asked, smiling as she looked at Lai'en.

“Is the other different soul also you?” The boy stared steadily back at the lying woman before him.

“I don’t…” The Bard was about to speak but was interrupted by Lai'en’s hand gesture, signaling her to stop.

“I've learned a little secret about you,” the Young Duke continued, “but I understand you even less now. You are not loyal to me. To say you have no loyalty at all isn't true, but your current level hasn't reached loyalty.”

“Why is the Grand Duke so certain?” The woman raised her face.

Lai'en simply looked into her eyes.

Angel suddenly felt as if she had been completely seen through.

The person on the high seat before her also gave her the illusion that he was not a child.

She lowered her head, seemingly trying hard to conceal a hint of panic.

“Perhaps your purpose has nothing to do with me,” the Young Duke said, enunciating each word, “but keeping disloyal people by one’s side for long is not the act of an enlightened ruler.”

The Bard fell silent.

“Either state your purpose, and if it doesn’t conflict with mine, perhaps I can help you. Or,” Lai'en straightened his posture, “you leave now!”

Angel bit her thin lips, her face somewhat pale.

“Or do you wish to be driven out of my territory?” The Young Duke’s tone carried a hint of playfulness, “You can stay in the old town; that’s not under my jurisdiction, but,” the Grand Duke’s expression suddenly turned serious, “dare to step one foot in, and I will know immediately! Then, only death awaits you!”

The Rose Knight shivered, remembering clearly how those Kobolds and bandits were captured, and how Edmund Kleiss, the founder of Black Claw, died.

This Young Duke, no, the Grand Duke, could absolutely make good on his words.

“I, I’ll tell you…” Angel began, “I truly came here for refuge, it’s just… I never dared to say, I carry an unshakeable mission, which is also a curse.

But I found that after approaching you, Grand Duke, this curse seems to have paused.

As for you saying my loyalty is insufficient, initially, I didn't understand.

Now that I think about it, I believe this curse is nearby; as soon as I leave the Southern District, or move a bit further away from you, Grand Duke, I feel like I'll be seized by it.

This makes me feel like I cannot stay by your side permanently.”

“That is the truth,” Randel said.

Lai'en noticed that Angel’s loyalty was now flickering between 49 and 50 points.

“Does this curse come from your father, or from your mother?” Lai'en pondered for a moment before speaking.

The red-haired beauty looked at Lai'en with a hint of fear, and her loyalty dropped to 48 points.

“I knew it! This kind of situation always happens if I’m not careful!” Lai'en grumbled inwardly.

“I can help you. I merely touched your lute and sensed the soul attached to it,” the Young Duke tried to pull her loyalty back up.

Angel suddenly hugged the lute from behind her to her chest, her waist-length hair moving without a breeze, and her eyes glared at Lai'en and Randel.

The boy quickly waved his hand, “Hey, we don’t intend to touch your things. I just thought, if you need, we could accompany you out of the city to find that curse that frightens you. Perhaps… you wouldn’t have to live in such fear anymore.”

“Sometimes, the way to overcome fear is to bravely face it,” Lai'en continued, “Constantly running away often backfires.”