Chapter 179

It still didn't work. I couldn't create the AI character design; my skills weren't up to par, so I gave up.

Chapter 124 Strategy! Go, Magana!!!

Ryan stared at the pile of things in Avril's backpack and fell into deep thought.

Durandal Holy Sword

[Quality: Tier 1 - Epic]

[Effect 1: Constitution +3, Spirit +3, Magic Power +3]

[Effect 2: Lunar Eclipse, increases damage by 15% when used through the Faith Path.]

[Feature: Upgradeable]

[Equipment Requirements: Knight-type classes]

This is a silver-white Cross Sword, a Tier 1 epic weapon with upgrade features; it's practically a divine Divine Artifact for the knight Divine Path.

Love Under the Moon and Dew

[Quality: Tier 2 - Excellent]

[Effect 1: Spirit +5, Magic Power +5]

[Effect 2: Increases the user's defense by 10%.]

It's a very common defensive relic, but its attributes are still quite good.

In addition, there were various Magic Scrolls of attack and protection types, which made Avril's already wealthy family even richer.

These other items can be obtained by having alt Alts farm them, but the Durandal Holy Sword is the one that you absolutely cannot obtain. Epic equipment like this is basically unique, and it's impossible to get a second one.

Ryan was caught off guard. He had just finished talking to Amabena when, to his surprise, Avril was strolling around the castle with Elvian.

Moreover, there were a lot more things Elvian had given him in his backpack.

①⒈㈡/○㈨

What exactly did I miss?

Looking through the AFK (away from keyboard) history, I discovered that Elvian had already started calling 'Avril' her best friend, which was incredibly fast.

Indeed, the Starry Knight profession is simply the most powerful Faith Path, and 'Avril' is a pure-blooded Veldyan. Why wouldn't she be given a prominent position?

However, the fact that she gave away epic equipment was such a heavy favor that Ryan once had the illusion that 'this woman is even more generous than the Grand Duke.'

Yes, it must be an illusion. The Grand Duke is the most powerful person in the world. What about the mere Queen? Besides being taller, what else does she have?

Ryan looked up and glanced discreetly at Magana, who was sitting opposite him, engrossed in her work.

"What's wrong, Ryan?" Magana was studying a map of the Great Plains. She planned to launch a large-scale counterattack as soon as she got back. According to Ryan, she would use war to force the barbarians to unite against the Iron Blood Army, and then she would find a way to encourage them to establish a country and build a city.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Ryan waved his hand somewhat guiltily. "How's your research going, Your Grand Duke?"

"Oh, I was just about to tell you, Ryan. Look, I'm planning to go along this line... then like this... and then like this..."

Would it be better to move the arrangement from here to here?

"Avoid them? No need, we can win."

"We should wage a flanking maneuver. The barbarians' goal in winter is very clear: to seize survival resources. So we should engage them in a protracted battle. Eliminating the Western Barbarian Army is not the objective; we just need to keep an eye on them. The longer we drag it out, the more anxious they will become. The more anxious they become, the more likely they are to make mistakes. When the time comes, we can seize the opportunity to strike them down decisively. Once we break their traditional methods of plunder, they will naturally seek change if they cannot survive. That will be the opportunity to establish a nation."

"Oh, I see! Ryan, you're amazing!"

"Ha~ Not bad."

Ryan wasn't a true military genius; he just had a habit of looking at problems from a reverse perspective.

The Iron Blood Army has been fighting the Western Barbarians every year, but after so many years there has been no result. Obviously, the conventional approach is not going to work.

The Western Barbarians are strong, and although their forces are scattered and difficult to unite, there are advantages to their dispersion, namely that they fight their own battles, keeping the Iron Blood Army busy with its own affairs.

Although the Iron Blood Army always won, after winning on one side, the other side would plunder the supplies and take them back.

It must be said that the output of the Western Barbarian Army was too high. The harsh living environment actually made most of them good at fighting. They were not afraid of the army's consumption. They achieved their strategic goals by seizing supplies. They would fight and run away. They knew better than anyone else what they wanted.

This is also why Magana has never been able to completely eliminate the Western Barbarians.

The Grand Duke is trying to wage a large-scale war against the other side, but they only want to plunder. They're not even on the same wavelength.

Since that's the case, then keep an eye on the other side and prevent them from doing whatever they want. When the real winter comes and the cold arrives, without supplies, a large number of those barbarians will die on their own, so there's no need to fight at all.

"... If that's the case, I understand. I'll look into it further!"

Magana's head seemed to light up with a lightbulb, as if she had come up with a great idea.

Although the Grand Duke wasn't usually very bright... cough cough, and didn't like to think much, her mind would immediately become sharp when it came to matters of war.

Just then, a wisp of magical energy suddenly appeared in the air.

"Um?"

Magana looked up and gazed out the window.

A streak of white light flashed and landed in front of Ryan —it was a magical letter.

"A letter? Who wrote it to you?"

"Uh... let me see."

Ryan pointed, and the white light transformed into an envelope that appeared before him. It was unsigned, and the letter contained only one sentence—

Don't forget our promise—the sea.

Ryan: "?"

Magana stood up, craning her neck to look at the letter. "A promise? What promise? Who's Hai? Sounds like a woman's name? Ryan, you're writing to another woman?!"

Ryan: "..."

"Your Grand Duke, please listen to my explanation... uh, please let me explain. This is a letter from Vice Dean Hainuo."

Although Janus Path's full name wasn't written, Ryan immediately recognized her from the Magic Power fluctuations she passed through and the contents of the letter. Besides, he hadn't made any promises to anyone else besides her.

"Haino? That old woman?" Magana frowned, displeased. "Ryan, although she's not bad looking, she's from the Caslathdi side. If you're really in such a hurry, I'll help you find her when we get to the Western Territory. Honestly."

Backup number 96 ○126270

Hainuo is a good brand.

This Ryan, while I was still considering important matters in the Western Territory Grand Duke, he was actually flirting with another woman!

What a useless piece of trash!

Ryan looked bewildered. "Huh? What are you talking about, Your Grand Duke?"

"Weren't you having a secret rendezvous with her?"

Ryan looked bewildered. "Why would you think that?"

"That's how it's written in those novels and stories. It's just that kind of thing between noble men and women."

"???"

Ryan's expression was strange. "Your Grand Duke, what do you usually watch?"

Magana tilted her head. Wasn't that right?

Because of what happened on the mountain last time, Ryan even said he wanted her to teach him, so Magana made a surprise visit to Baron these past few days and bought a whole bunch of 'knowledgeable' books. And you know what? She usually doesn't read those books, but once she started reading them, she got really hooked and stayed up all night for several nights.

In short, Magana's level is already very high!

She patted Ryan on the shoulder and said earnestly, "You're all young and impetuous, I understand. But don't worry about Ryan, following Grand Duke is the right thing to do. When we get to the Western Territory, I'll find you eight or ten noble girls, all young and beautiful."

Ryan opened his mouth, "Your Grand Duke, if you say that... oh, I can't repay this debt of gratitude! This is an immense favor that I can never repay!"

"Your Grand Duke, you misunderstand. I'm trying to win over Haino. Anyway, there's no hope for Caslathdi. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? If Haino can side with us, our chances of winning will be much greater."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"Otherwise what?" Ryan spread his hands. "Although Haino is very beautiful, she is not even a tenth as beautiful as you, Grand Duke."

"Is that so? Yes, that's right. How could Haino possibly compare to Grand Duke?" Magana was a little flustered, but on the surface she still nodded with a generous and calm demeanor. "Who am Grand Duke? How could Haino, a mere sage, be compared to me?"

"That's right, the Grand Duke is the most adorable."

"Hmm..."

"The Grand Duke is most charming when he is serious."

"Okay, okay, stop talking. I know everything. You contact her. Let me look at the map."

Magana sat down again, staring at the map, but her mind was not on it at all. Every now and then she would raise her eyelids to steal a glance at Ryan, and a blush would involuntarily spread across her beautifully made-up face.

A faint blush rose to her cheeks, which felt slightly hot. She touched them and felt something was off. Was that how it was written in the book?

It's so annoying, why is my heart beating so fast?

Stop jumping! I, the Grand Duke, command you to stop jumping!

The more tense she felt, the stranger the feeling became. This uncontrollable restlessness both captivated and irritated Magana. She had to work now, to attack the Western Barbarian Army!

"I... I'm going back to my room."

Feeling that sitting here wasn't a solution, Magana put away the map and hurried toward her compartment.

"The Grand Duke is so adorable... wait, Ryan, what are you thinking? The Grand Duke has been so kind to you, and you actually..."

Ryan turned his attention back to the letter in his hand.

Because he was returning to the Western Territory, he did not implement the Fountain Plan against Haino for the time being. After all, 'Lin Qi' was still in Baron. If he were to take the Pot of Greed, Haino might inevitably develop murderous intent towards 'Lin Qi'.

However, the contract Ryan signed with Haino is entirely one-sidedly advantageous. Afterwards, he can even perform classic butter-style sex on Haino, and whatever he does to Haino during this process will increase his affection for him.

Even a couple of hard slaps on her butt can increase your liking for her.

There's nothing we can do; the Contractual Power is there.

In the game, this would be a typical masochistic trait... Wait, in the game, TJ seems to gradually fall in love with the protagonist in the end, so does Haino actually have a masochistic streak deep down?

"Hmm... should we call Hainuo over?"

Forget it, maybe when we go to the grasslands, we can arrange for Hainuo to protect us secretly.

Now that they've reached the Western Territory, the Grand Duke's territory, Ryan is worried that if he were to call Haino over, the two of them might start fighting.

"The plan is underway, don't worry, there's hope."

Ryan replied with a message and then sent out the magical letter.

He wasn't in a hurry; he'd leave it hanging and let Hainuo remove it himself.

The scene shifts to Elvian chatting with 'Avril'.

Basically, he asked about Avril's personal situation. Ryan found that this Queen could even chat casually. It's true that talented people get special treatment.

Then something interesting happened: Elvian actually asked 'Avril' if she had a lover.

Because of the unique existence of the Moonlight Knight Order, there is actually a big difference between having a lover and not having a lover.

However, Wildea does not forbid Moonlight Cavalry from dating; otherwise, it would be too inhumane. If soldiers are denied the right to get married and have children, who would want to join?

"... Your Majesty, I have a lover."

"Avril said."

Elvian chuckled, "That person must be very outstanding."

"He is an adventurer."

"Bounty Hunter?"

"No... He's not a member of the Hunter's Guild. He just likes adventure and travels around. Most of the time, I don't even know where he is."

"Oh?" Elvian raised an eyebrow. "You two don't usually spend time together?"

"Rarely, but we keep in touch by magical letters often." 'Avril' smiled. "He shares interesting stories from his adventures with me, and we meet up occasionally, spend time together, and then part ways."

"..."

Elvian's expression was strange; the more she listened, the more uneasy she felt.

What kind of couples only live together occasionally and are separated most of the time?

Looking at Avril's innocent smile, Elvian had a feeling that the girl might have been deceived.