Recruitment

After learning of Lina's background, Ye Wei'an straightened his expression, his tone turning unprecedentedly serious: "Sister Lina, please reconsider what I just said. Will you come with me? I intend to leave Firefall Valley for good once my father... once that day arrives."

For the first time, he voiced his ambitions in front of others: "I have prepared to respond to the Kingdom's colonization decree and become a lord with real power on the frontier. On the way back, I gathered enough supplies and gold through various means. I possess powerful magic and elite subordinates; I will certainly be able to protect you and ensure you never suffer these disgusting grievances again."

Lina was stunned, "So, the things Ailian was bragging about earlier were all true? Our young master, who hadn't even killed a chicken back home, really killed bandits in self-defense on the road, led light cavalry to capture the entire Gray Crow syndicate overnight, and 'confiscated' a massive amount of loot in the process?"

Ye Wei'an nodded candidly: "The details might be slightly off, but the outcome is correct."

"By my Lady Selune..." Lina whispered, looking at Ye Wei'an with a sense of disbelief, "I thought Ailian was just making up hero stories; Suzar has truly changed you."

"I wasn't bragging! Sister Lina, how could you not believe me!" Ailian tugged on Lina's sleeve, refusing to let it go.

Ignoring their bickering, Ye Wei'an pressed on: "Now that you understand all this, what is your answer, Sister Lina?"

"I am willing, Young Master." She answered with unusual crispness.

He had expected Lina to hesitate, given that her father and her entire foundation were rooted here.

Yet, to his surprise, Lina did not show a second of hesitation.

"That easy?" Ye Wei'an was actually taken aback, "Don't you need to discuss it with Knight Morey?"

"There's no special reason." Lina looked into Ye Wei'an's eyes, as if observing a sapling that had finally grown into a towering tree, "Although I've never seen your ruthless side before, based on what Ailian said—that you distributed gold to the victimized townspeople—it shows that even if you've learned magic and hardened your heart, at your core, you are still that upright, good child."

She blinked, teasing, "Following a lord who is both capable and kind-hearted is far better than staying here waiting for that poisonous woman to marry me off to some random drunkard, isn't it?"

Hearing the words "good child," Ye Wei'an felt a sense of helplessness.

He didn't consider himself a saint; those previous actions were merely means to win people over. He hadn't expected to receive a "good person card" for it.

This just went to show how inhumane most rulers of this era truly were.

But looking at Lina's smile, filled with trust, he felt that such a misunderstanding wasn't actually a bad thing.

Seeing Lina agree, Ailian cheered, grabbing Lina's arm and shaking it: "Great! Now I can be with Sister Lina forever, and I won't have to worry about having no one to talk to when Master is busy!"

"You're celebrating too early, Ailian." Ye Wei'an crossed his arms and cast a cold glance at her, "I haven't even dealt with you yet."

The smile on Ailian's face froze instantly. She blinked, looking completely innocent: "Young Master, what... what did I do wrong again?"

"I had intended to tell Sister Lina about the sights and details of our journey myself. But you, on the other hand, spilled everything while I was away. Since you've said it all, what am I supposed to say?"

Ailian shrank her neck, feeling a bit guilty, and whispered in defense: "Oh, Young Master... I just couldn't help it! Besides, Sister Lina isn't an outsider; I just wanted her to know about your heroic deeds sooner."

"That doesn't mean you had to tell her everything..."

Lina sat to the side, resting her chin on her hand, watching the two bicker with doting eyes.

She had originally worried that his studies in Suzar would turn the simple boy cold and heartless, but now it seemed her young master was still the same person.

After a few exchanges with Ailian, seeing Lina remain silent, Ye Wei'an took the initiative: "Sister Lina, look at her—she has no sense of caution at all. If someone were to drop her in Suzar or Firefall Town, she'd be sold off and end up helping the buyer count the money before long. I think you need to keep an eye on her, lest she spill all our family secrets to the first wandering bard she meets."

"I would not!" Ailian grumbled indignantly.

"On that point, I can't entirely agree with you, Young Master." Lina shook her head with a knowing smile, "I think... Ailian is actually quite tight-lipped. At least, she has kept certain secrets very well."

Ye Wei'an didn't expect her to say that, his gaze tightening slightly.

Ailian waved her hands: "No way! Sister Lina, I've never kept anything from you!"

"Really?" Lina teased, her gray eyes seemingly able to peer into the soul.

"Absolutely not!" Ailian insisted, though her eyes drifted involuntarily toward Ye Wei'an.

Lina withdrew her gaze and turned to Ye Wei'an, smiling triumphantly: "See, Young Master? She's quite capable of keeping secrets, isn't she? As long as she doesn't have your permission, she won't utter a single word, even to me."

Ye Wei'an realized Lina was testing them in a roundabout way, and he felt too awkward to respond.

Since it had come to this, pretending to be oblivious would only create distance.

"I couldn't hide it from you after all." Ye Wei'an rubbed his nose and asked curiously, "How did you figure it out?"

"It's simple. I watched Ailian grow up. Even after four years apart, I can still tell what changes have occurred in her."

She reached out and pointed at Ailian, who was quietly shrinking back: "Ailian used to complain about being tired just from climbing a flight of stairs, but when she pulled me upstairs just now, she didn't even catch her breath."

"And just now..." Lina gestured toward the kettle on the table, "There was something wrong when she poured your tea. That kettle is quite heavy, yet she lifted it with one hand without spilling a single drop. That kind of strength, balance, and dexterity... heh, if the old Ailian had even half of this ability, she wouldn't have cried every time someone pushed her over."

She turned, staring intently at Ye Wei'an: "Young Master, does the school in Suzar teach people how to turn a little maid into an elite warrior?"

Ye Wei'an smiled helplessly. Since Lina was planning to come with him, there was no need to hide certain things.

He offered the same explanation he had given Ailian: "While studying magic in Suzar, I developed some unconventional methods to apply [Strengthening Magic] to companions through arcane arts."

Speaking of this, his expression turned solemn: "It can reshape a person's physique at the root. Ailian is my first success. She is not just agile now; her strength and reaction speed are no less than those of a trained warrior. Moreover, this strengthening is permanent."

"Permanent strengthening?" Lina's mouth opened slightly in shock.

As a descendant of Rashemen, she had grown up listening to her ancestors tell legendary tales of the Rashemen Witches.

In those stories, only the most powerful witches could cast magic that strengthened mortal bodies, and it usually came at a great price.

Yet, the Young Master didn't look like he had paid any price at all.

She quickly recovered from her shock, her expression becoming extremely serious: "Young Master, you are right not to tell outsiders. If this power were to get out, I fear even those greedy lords and mages would go mad."

"That is why I only told you." Ye Wei'an patted the back of her hand comfortingly, promising: "Don't worry, Sister Lina. When the time is right, I will certainly make you stronger as well."

"Then I shall wait for it."