Recruiting

After learning about Lina's past, Ye Wei'an's expression turned serious. His tone was more earnest than ever. "Lina, please give some real thought to what I said earlier. Would you come with me? I plan to leave Firefall Valley for good once Father... once that day comes."

For the first time, he voiced his ambition in front of someone else. "I've already decided to answer the kingdom's Exploration Charter and become a lord with real authority on the frontier. On the way back, I gathered enough supplies and gold by various means. I have powerful magic and elite subordinates. I'll protect you, so you'll never have to suffer this kind of humiliating treatment again."

Lina stared at him in surprise. "So all those things Ailian bragged about were true? Our young master, who'd never even killed a chicken, really did turn the tables on bandits on the road, then take the light cavalry out in the middle of the night to capture the entire Gray Crow gang—and 'confiscate' a fortune in stolen goods along the way?"

Ye Wei'an nodded without a hint of embarrassment. "Some of the details may be a little off, but the outcome is right."

"My goddess Selune..." Lina gasped, studying Ye Wei'an in disbelief. "I thought Ailian had made up those heroic tales. Suzar really changed you."

"I wasn't bragging, Lina! You don't believe me?" Ailian clung to Lina's sleeve and protested.

Ye Wei'an ignored their playful bickering and pressed on. "Now that you know everything, what's your answer, Lina?"

"I'd be glad to, young master." Her reply was unexpectedly decisive.

He'd thought Lina would hesitate. After all, her father and roots were here.

But to his surprise, she didn't pause for even a second.

"That quick?" Ye Wei'an was taken aback. "Don't you need to talk it over with Sir Morey?"

"There's no special reason." Lina looked into Ye Wei'an's eyes, as though gazing at a sapling that had finally grown into a towering tree. "I never saw your decisive side before, but based on what Ailian told me—you shared the gold with the townspeople who'd been victimized. That tells me that even though you learned magic and toughened up, deep down you're still the same honest, good boy."

She blinked and teased him. "Following a capable, kindhearted lord sounds a lot better than staying here and waiting for that viper to marry me off to some drunk, doesn't it?"

Hearing her call him a "good boy" left Ye Wei'an feeling a little helpless.

He didn't consider himself a good person. What he'd done before had only been a way to win people over, yet somehow he'd earned a reputation as a good guy.

That said plenty about how inhumane most rulers of this era were.

But looking at Lina's trusting smile, he decided this misunderstanding wasn't so bad after all.

At Lina's agreement, Ailian cheered and grabbed her arm, shaking it. "Wonderful! Now I can stay with you, Lina! I won't have to worry about being alone with no one to talk to whenever the master has something to do!"

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

Ailian's smile froze. She blinked innocently at him. "Young master, what... what did I do wrong?"

"I was planning to tell Lina all about what happened on the road myself. But you went and blabbed everything while I was away. If you've already told her the whole story, what am I supposed to say?"

Ailian hunched her shoulders guiltily and mumbled, "Oh, young master... I couldn't help it! Besides, Lina isn't an outsider. I just wanted her to hear about your heroic deeds sooner."

"You didn't have to tell her everything..."

Lina sat nearby, chin in hand, watching the two of them bicker fondly.

She'd been worried that studying in Suzar had turned the innocent boy into someone cold and merciless. But it seemed her young master was still the same person he'd always been.

After exchanging a few words with Ailian, Ye Wei'an saw that Lina was quiet and turned to her. "Lina, look at her. She has no sense of caution at all. If we left her alone in Suzar or Firefall Town, someone would sell her off and she'd help them count the money. I think you'll have to keep an eye on her, or she'll spill all our secrets to the first wandering bard she meets."

"I wouldn't do that!" Ailian muttered 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 very good at keeping her mouth shut. She's kept some secrets quite well, at least."

Ye Wei'an hadn't expected her to say that. His gaze sharpened.

"There's nothing like that, Lina! I never keep anything from you!" Ailian waved her hands.

"Really?" Lina teased, her gray eyes seeming to see right through her.

"Absolutely!" Ailian insisted, but her eyes involuntarily darted toward Ye Wei'an.

Only then did Lina look away and turn to Ye Wei'an, smiling smugly. "See, young master? She's quite capable of keeping a secret. As long as you haven't given her permission, she won't say a word, even to me."

Ye Wei'an realized Lina was testing him in her own way. He was so embarrassed he didn't know what to say.

Now that they'd come this far, pretending not to understand would only make things awkward.

"You really can't hide anything from you." Ye Wei'an rubbed his nose, then 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 when something about her has changed."

She pointed at Ailian, who was quietly edging backward. "Ailian used to complain about being tired after climbing a single flight of stairs, but just now she pulled me upstairs without even getting out of breath."

"And just now..." Lina pointed casually at the teapot on the table. "She had trouble pouring tea for you, too. That teapot was heavy, but she lifted it with one hand and didn't spill a drop. Her strength, balance, and agility... Heh. The old Ailian would have cried if someone had knocked her over."

She turned and fixed Ye Wei'an with a piercing gaze. "Young master, do they teach people how to turn a little maid into an elite fighter at the schools in Suzar?"

Ye Wei'an smiled helplessly. Since Lina had decided to go with him, there was no need to hide certain things from her.

So he gave her the same explanation he'd given Ailian. "While I was studying magic in Suzar, I developed some unconventional methods. I can use the arcane arts to cast [Enhancement Magic] on my companions."

His expression grew solemn as he explained. "It can reshape a person's body from the ground up. Ailian was my first success. She's not just more agile now—her strength and reflexes are already on par with a trained fighter. And the enhancement is permanent."

"Permanent enhancement?" Lina's mouth fell slightly open in shock.

As a descendant of Rashemen, she'd grown up listening to her ancestors tell legendary tales of Rashemen witches.

In those stories, only the most powerful witches could cast magic that strengthened an ordinary person's body, and it usually came at a tremendous cost.

But her young master certainly didn't look as though he'd paid any price.

She soon recovered from her shock, her expression turning grave. "Young master, you were right not to tell people. If word of this power got out, even the greedy lords and wizards would go mad for it."

"That's why I'm only telling you." Ye Wei'an gently patted the back of her hand. "Don't worry, Lina. When the time is right, I'll make you stronger too."

"Then I'll look forward to it."