Heh, Tsundere

Dragons and elves.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Tina, Stella, and even A Xing's gazes became somewhat meaningful.

The professor is right. If there are any historical records of this swarm, they must be preserved in the archives of powerful forces that have never experienced war. The Tower of All-Seeing, which gathers the world's arcane paths, is one such archive, and the Royal Library of the Holy Empire, the sovereign of the human world, must also be among them.

However, the headquarters of the Arcane Council is too far from here; there's no time to make it in time.

Needless to say, the empire was another matter entirely. Given the grudges and feuds between the two sides, the public enmity between the empire and Goth, and the personal vendettas between the knights, Kang De wished he could kill the blood mother of the eldest prince Alex. There was still a score to settle between the two sides, so how could the emperor possibly issue Kang De a debit card for his own library—especially since it was so far away.

After all, Iron Son was severely damaged and unable to perform supersonic maneuvers in flight mode.

If things are too far away, then it has to be nearby.

Dragons and elves.

The dragons are from the city, and the spirits are from outside the city.

Employees of Dragon Island Defense Company, dispatched by the Dragon Emperor to Danfeng Lucerne to discuss business.

And then there's the Phoenix King, who is currently preparing for negotiations and withdrawal from the military.

The latter, in particular.

Elves are a race favored by the gods. Their long lifespan, powerful talents, and perfect physique and appearance are the envy of all intelligent beings on the continent. As the monarch of Twilight Moon, the renowned Phoenix King Dairila is naturally the most outstanding and beautiful elf.

Her unparalleled beauty, her peerless noble lineage and supreme power, along with her world-class personal combat skills, essentially allow her to completely overwhelm the three women present.

The key issue is that her relationship with Kang De seems somewhat ambiguous.

Whether it's the details and content of the negotiations in Valentan, or what happened in Danfeng Lucerne that day, everything is subtly suggestive— the Phoenix King actually impersonated Duke of Tiling to meet Kang De. Such an outrageous thing could happen in the world; even the most unrestrained bard wouldn't dare to fabricate such a story, yet it actually happened.

And that painting, "The Kiss of Victory," is truly biting to the bone. Even Tina, the person involved, couldn't help but have all sorts of wild thoughts as she looked at it. Moreover, after the mysterious attack that day, the Phoenix King appeared almost immediately, not only showing concern but also casually handing over the Sun God's Ring. If you say there's nothing going on here, A Xing wouldn't believe it.

Thinking of this, not only the intelligent and kind-hearted Tina and Stella, but even the most simple-minded A Xing's eyes sharpened.

Kang De pondered for a moment, then said to the professor, "Thank you for your help. Regardless of the outcome, I owe you a favor. Please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything I can do to help in the future."

"Uh... where?" The professor bowed deeply, flustered. "Then... then I must take my leave!"

His gossipy nature was completely satisfied, because the changes in the eyes of the two princesses and the unknown lady had already revealed a lot. His scholarly caution and wisdom told him that staying any longer would be dangerous. Sure enough, the rumors had some basis; Prince Kang De was indeed having an ambiguous relationship with the Phoenix King...

The professor hurriedly left through the side door.

Kang De gazed into the three beautiful eyes, paused for a moment, and then said, "This matter is very important."

Stella glanced at Tina and spoke first, "We know, otherwise you wouldn't be in such a hurry. So, from whom do you want to seek the answer, the dragon or the elf?"

"I'll ask whoever is more afraid of me."

Kang De said, "We still have a duel with the dragons, but they've already broken their promise once. We can't afford to cause any more trouble. So I've chosen the elves. Even if they can glean some clues from my questions, they won't act rashly, because the Forbidden Spell sword hangs over their heads, and the lesson they've learned is enough."

He glanced at Stella, then said to Tina, "Don't overthink it."

"No one will think much of it, Kang De."

Stella's answer was not a polite remark, but a statement of fact.

Even though the gossip about Kang De and the Phoenix King has been escalating in Danfeng Lucerne these past few days, not a single Goth People believes he was a spy colluding with the elves.

From Valentan to Danfeng Lucerne, he slaughtered, killed, and annihilated elven warbands and high-ranking lords, inflicting a heavy blow on the Dusk Moon Dynasty. The direct casualties and indirect losses of national strength and prestige were almost incalculable. If this was a ruse orchestrated by him and the elves, no Goth People would believe it... The reason is tragic, but Goth is unworthy to accept it.

The second princess continued, "We don't doubt your goodwill and stance, but can we trust the elves?"

Elves are untrustworthy, but Dairila is trustworthy, for so far she has not lied to me— Kang De was just about to say this when Horus, which was pressed against his back, emitted a faint electric current.

Then he realized what was happening and said, "I will use a cautious attitude to verify and judge, and those who deceive me will pay a heavy price... and always will."

Tina, who had been silent, gently took Kang De's hand and said softly, "Go on, business is important, but take A Xing with you and be careful. Things are different now."

He sent a messenger out of the city to deliver the message to the elven camp temporarily stationed dozens of miles away. Kang De was waiting in a village thirty miles outside the city, right in the highest watchtower.

Kang De stood atop the tower, observing his surroundings with his Phoenix Vision, watching for any abnormal elemental fluctuations, to prevent a massive fireball from several miles away from destroying the watchtower.

Horus, assisting with the vigilance, continued his incessant chatter, "Father, when you ask the Phoenix King about the locusts later, if she asks you where you found them, don't beat around the bush, don't say anything suggestive, don't say it was in Cathay, and don't hesitate."

He said earnestly, "You want to tell me? I'm sorry, I can't, because I don't want to lie to you."

Kang De, studying the moss on the stone bricks, rolled his eyes and said, "You're so annoying."

Iron Son said, "That's a reasonable suggestion, Father. Whether for the current situation or the future, maintaining goodwill is something that must be done."

"Is that why you told me not to bring A Xing?"

"Theoretically speaking, if it comes to the point where Miss A Xing has to take action, it will definitely be a tough battle. Father won't even be able to escape via teleportation because Miss A Xing cannot enter the White Mist World. But in normal circumstances, we can handle it ourselves, and we have more flexible tactical options."

Horus then changed his tone. "Of course, the above is purely the understanding of someone like Father. From a psychological perspective, if His Majesty the Phoenix King came to see you and saw Miss A Xing accompanying him, his mood would drop by about 22.8%, and conversely, it would rise by 46.5%."

"... How was this number calculated?"

"I made it up, Father, just to make it sound more convincing."

Pick.

Kang De's expression was subtle. Iron Son continued, "Father, since we have nothing else to do, let's practice. I'll play His Majesty the Phoenix King, and you can simulate a conversation with me."

"... don't want."

"Father, don't let me down. Only through practice can you improve. In fact, I've rarely made a lasting impression on girls growing up. I don't even have any female friends besides Wang Xiaoman. It's all because of a lack of practice. Playing visual novels can't develop your emotional intelligence and social skills. After all, real women are fickle and unpredictable, something that rigid programming can't simulate."

Horus said in a deep voice, "But AI can! As a Superman, I am willing to relieve Father's worries."

"Roll."

"Father, this really breaks my heart, I can..."

"If you say that again, I'll turn you into a VTuber to make money online! You can simulate a woman's personality, right? Then go and scam money from those otaku! Artificial intelligence can perform multi-threaded operations, right? Then turn me into dozens of different personas, covering all the good and bad things, to scam money from those stinky bastards! Then you won't need to think about starting a company or doing real business in Africa anymore, you can make a fortune just from this!"

"..."

Horus was sunk.

Despite repeated persuasion, Kang De could not be persuaded to change his mind.

It sighed inwardly and temporarily abandoned the plan. Its father was both stingy and suspicious, refusing to admit that he was emotionally clueless and distrustful of his own son, which saddened it greatly.

It seems the plan to film my father flirting and saying sweet nothings to the camera will have to be shelved for a while.

It wanted to say something more, but the sensor detected a thermal fluctuation. Kang De looked up and saw fiery phoenix wings on the horizon, Dairila arrived gracefully on her phoenix.

She was still wearing that heavy armor, brilliant and dazzling, shimmering with magical runes, noble and eye-catching. A king's sword hung at her waist, and she wore a full-coverage phoenix-winged helmet, concealing her stunningly beautiful face.

Reaching the top of the tower, Dairila looked around but didn't see anyone else.

Then she took off her helmet.

Her long hair danced lightly in the wind, and the Empress unconsciously swayed her head. With this movement, her messy hair was flung back as if splashing light. Beneath the majestic, heavy, and sacred armor lay unparalleled elegance. Her dark green eyes were like distant mountains, exuding both heroism and beauty, majesty and the power to topple kingdoms.

Two completely different qualities were unified in her, making the Phoenix King look astonishingly beautiful. No wonder she was so fervently respected and loved by the elves. A stunningly beautiful elf was also a ruthless commander and a legendary warrior, enough to make even the proudest male elf bow down to her.

But Dairila, in Kang De's eyes, possessed another layer of character. When she impersonated her brother, came to Valentan to negotiate with Kang De, and even warned him, this other identity allowed her to unleash her bound self, revealing another side of her to Kang De... The beautiful elf held a high position and possessed unparalleled power, seemingly favored by the gods and possessing the entire world—and she, too, carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Ultimately, these thoughts and admiring glances transformed into a composed smile, "Hello, Dairila."

The Phoenix King, holding the helmet in his hands, was taken aback at first, and subconsciously wanted to smile.

Then stop immediately.

She glared at him fiercely. "What's so good about it? You're constantly managing your soldiers, writing letters to lords and ministers back home, arranging plans, discussing matters after the withdrawal, figuring out how to settle accounts with Parliament, and... ugh, why am I telling you all this!"

She walked to the side, her back to Kang De, her metal boots clattering on the stone bricks.

"Speak!" The Phoenix King's tone was filled with impatience. "What do you want?"

Kang De raised an eyebrow. "I didn't have time to ask last time, and the parliament bypassed you to launch another war. Whether from a legal or imperial perspective, this is an act of usurpation and rebellion. If you go back and try to investigate, they certainly won't sit idly by. They might already be plotting something. You must be very careful."

Dairila glanced back at him and scoffed, "This is the internal affair of the elves. What right do you have to interfere or meddle? I am the Phoenix King. Do I need you to remind me of such matters?"

"Instead of meddling in my affairs, you should worry about your little Goth state. The external threats may be gone for now, but internal turmoil will begin. Don't assume all Goth People are on your side. They're only nice to you now because we share the same stance. They'll definitely turn on you if you threaten Goth People interests later. Besides, the Empire certainly won't let you, this threat, go unpunished, and the enemy from beyond will pay you even more attention..."

As Dairila was talking, she noticed that Kang De had a smile on his lips and was looking at her with a smug gaze.

She roared, "And me! And our Dusk Moon Dynasty! Don't think this is over! We'll settle this score with you, slowly but surely! Enjoy your momentary victory, but we'll be watching you closely!"

Kang De nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, but since His Majesty the Great Phoenix King is going to settle accounts with me sooner or later, why remind me to be careful of certain Goth People?"

Dairila retorted angrily, "Of course I'm the one sowing discord! Is that wrong?!"

Kang De nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes, the Phoenix King's brilliant plan brings peace to the world."

Although she didn't know the reference to those words, the Phoenix King did sense a hint of mockery. She coldly replied, "You invited me out just to say something like that? I'm leaving!"

"Alright, alright, let's get down to business." Kang De sighed. "It just feels a bit opportunistic of me to call you out and immediately start making demands and asking questions."

Dairila snorted.

"Alright, alright," he said seriously, "I just wanted to ask you, have you ever heard of the 'Grewind Swarm'? Locusts, silvery-gray, they look like this..."

He took out a box with a locust nailed inside, still dripping with soup.

"... nausea."

Despite saying that, the Phoenix King took the box, examined it carefully for a while, and his eyes flashed with Phoenix Flame: "It's not a living being, but a strange construct... I've never heard of it before."

Kang De's heart sank.

He struggled to explain, "Goth's spellcasters didn't recognize it, but a professor of natural history said he'd seen this insect in an ancient encyclopedia, and that it caused a catastrophe in ancient times..."

"Humanity's ancient times?" The Phoenix King chuckled dismissively, but quickly realized what was happening and suppressed his laughter. He glanced at Kang De, noticing his expression was unchanged, only revealing anxiety and anticipation. After a moment's thought, he gently shook his head, his tone softening.

She said, "I have no such impression. Believe me, as the Phoenix King, I spent most of my childhood receiving royal education. I may not recognize every insect that has ever existed in the world, but I will certainly know and recognize any alien species that cause disasters and have destructive power. Kang De, I am not exaggerating. I have read the relevant records of almost all the disasters that have occurred in this world in ancient times."

"This is the kind of knowledge that a world hegemon should possess."

Dairila said softly, "Moreover, the 'ancient times' recorded by us elves are two completely different concepts from the 'ancient times' of humans... Do you understand?"

Although I was mentally prepared, disappointment was inevitable.

"I see..." he sighed softly, "Then I'll think of another way... Thank you for your help."

"Wait a minute," Dairila said, "Is this important?"

Kang De looked into the other person's eyes and nodded, saying, "Very important."

So the Phoenix King put the box away. "Then I'll ask for you. You go back to the Maple Leaf Palace and wait."

Kang De was taken aback and said, "Didn't you say..."

"Even I have things I don't know. Perhaps the 'disaster' caused by these little insects is just a disaster recorded by you humans. Hmph, just wait and see, the elves' true strength is beyond your imagination."

She summoned the phoenix, put on the helmet, and nimbly leaped onto the phoenix saddle.

Kang De looked at her and couldn't help but say, "Aren't you curious about the origin of this thing?"

She didn't ask a single question from beginning to end.

With a flap of its wings, a line of fire shot into the sky, leaving behind only one sentence.

"Idiot, look in the mirror and see the conflicted look on your face when you took that thing out!"

Kang De stared blankly up at the ceiling for a moment before finally saying, "I'll wait here!"

"Whatever you want!"

These words drifted over faintly.

Kang De stared at the sky in a daze for a while, then Iron Son suddenly said, "Something's not right."

"What?"

"The Phoenix King's attitude is strange; it's quite different from last time."

"Um?"

Horus said in a deep voice, "Converted to favorability ratings, that's an increase of about twenty percent, and she's also gone through a key plot point. But it wasn't like this when she came to see you last time. Just now, her eyes darted away and she even showed instinctive shyness when she looked at you. She was clearly imagining something, which means..."

Kang De asked, "What does this illustrate?"

"This means someone is constantly talking to her and encouraging you, which has created a subconscious effect on her."

"... who?"

Click, click. Horus extended an electronic eye probe from Kang De's back, rolled its eyes at him, and said, "How the hell should I know?"

"Lan Guizhi!"

"I learned it all from my father!"

As noon approached, Kang De set up a parasol on the deserted watchtower, the logo of Master Kang Iced Tea bathed in the otherworldly sunlight. He lay on a deck chair, squinting his eyes as he took a nap.

The phoenix has returned.

He rubbed his eyes, got up, and found Dairila already standing in front of him, looking down at him with a frown. "How long has it been since you've had a rest?"

Kang De paused, then smiled, "Not long."

Dairila gave him a deep look, then produced a book from who-knows-where and tossed it into his hand. "It just so happens that there's a scholar in the military camp who knows about these insects. His mobile library just acquired books documenting this insect plague, including their causes, habits, and extermination strategies. That's all I can do for you. As for the spells and supplies needed to exterminate the swarm, I can't provide them."

Kang De smiled with delight and nodded, saying, "That's enough. Thank you, thank you."

Without even glancing at the Phoenix King, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you."

Dairila said, "No need to thank me, I'm just returning the favor. I'm leaving—humph, a Grand Forbidden Spell Master meeting with the Phoenix King in private, you may not care about shame, but I do."

She turned to leave, Kang De said, "Wait!"

The Phoenix King turned around, and a stack of boxes rained down from the sky. Kang De poked his head out from behind the boxes. "Did you finish what I gave you last time? This time there are even more varieties and flavors!"

Dairila said angrily, "How could we possibly finish eating so quickly!"

Despite saying that, Dairila still hid the boxes in some space, and she seemed relieved, for some reason.

She glanced at Kang De, then summoned the phoenix and flew away. "Take care of yourself. I'm counting on you to be cannon fodder and wear down the extraterrestrial enemies as much as possible. Be stronger next time, don't be so pathetic."

Having said that, the king had already ridden away on a phoenix.

"Make a run for their lives."

Horus made this assessment.

Kang De watched the other person disappear, then lowered his head and opened the book.

"The ink is fresh, it was just written." Iron Son scanned it and commented, "Heh, so arrogant."

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PS1: Update! Still 5500 words! Damn, I'll have to split this into two updates next time.

PS2: Sigh, I've complained about this so many times. I update individually, but I write a lot of words. If I break this chapter down and write a little more, I can make it three chapters. Also, the pricing on the Shuke is uniformly set by the website. My chapters are expensive because I write a lot of words. Why do friends always complain about my chapter subscriptions being expensive...?