"What a true warrior!"
Esdeath's face was filled with gratification. She had known the imperial capital must have warriors like Lin Feng.
A long wound had been slashed across Lin Feng's abdomen.
If he had wanted to dodge, he only needed to evade that strike, and Tatsumi would have had no options left, leaving him entirely at Lin Feng's mercy.
However, Lin Feng possessed rapid self-healing abilities, so he had simply turned the move to his advantage and finished Tatsumi off quickly.
"Although this Tatsumi is a warrior too, his strength still falls short of Lin Feng's..."
Esdeath regarded Lin Feng with interest. This man had the courage to face danger without fear, exceptional strength, and the look of someone younger than her.
But the one thing Lin Feng lacked was the sense that Esdeath could control him.
Lin Feng's eyes conveyed nothing but arrogance and dominance. To Esdeath, he was like a wild horse, difficult for her to tame and control.
Lin Feng had won a resounding victory, and the spectators cheered enthusiastically. For a time, the arena became a rally of support for him.
In the stands, Sheele could barely contain her excitement. She nearly stood up to wave excitedly at Lin Feng.
Lin Feng also looked toward Sheele and gave a rare smile.
At the sight of Lin Feng's smile, Esdeath fell into a momentary daze.
It would have been one thing if Lin Feng had not smiled, but that smile made General Esdeath fall for him completely.
He must have an innocent smile. Of all Esdeath's many requirements, this was the hardest to fulfill.
She had thought Lin Feng unlikely to meet that requirement, because killing intent permeated his entire being, and she could see no gentle side to him.
Yet the sight of Lin Feng smiling at Sheele became deeply etched in Esdeath's heart.
"Lin Feng... so you can smile in such a soothing way too?"
"General, are you satisfied with the winner, Lin Feng?"
"Satisfied. He's the one I want!"
Esdeath's coldly beautiful face suddenly broke into a radiant smile, happiness and delight spreading across it.
With that, a surge of cold air swept forth as Esdeath strode down from her elevated seat. At her will, the cold formed a bridge of solid ice between the stands and the arena.
Walking down that bridge, Esdeath soon arrived before Lin Feng.
Seeing Esdeath for the first time, Lin Feng was astonished.
This young lady in an elaborate white military uniform, with long ice-blue hair, was actually the Empire's great general?!
It was certainly unexpected. He had never imagined Esdeath would be such a beauty.
Her eyelashes and eyes seemed coated in frost. Her fair, jade-like skin complemented her innate air of cold arrogance, lending her an air of supreme nobility.
Seeing that Lin Feng seemed about to say something, Esdeath simply took his hand and headed for the rear courtyard.
"Say no more. Come with me!"
"What...?!"
Esdeath's personal arrival sent the crowd's excitement to another peak. Watching Esdeath lead Lin Feng away from her seat in the stands, Sheele felt something she could not put into words.
"General Esdeath, correct? I heard the prize for this tournament was the right to use a Teigu. Could you let me see it?"
Having won the tournament, Lin Feng got straight to the point, but Esdeath had other plans.
"I'll show you the Teigu in a little while. Right now, we have something more important to do~"
Esdeath pulled Lin Feng into the rear courtyard. With just two light blinks of her snow-white eyelashes, a layer of solid ice sealed the entrances in front and behind them.
"Lady Esdeath, what is the meaning of this?"
Seeing Esdeath seal the entrances, Lin Feng could not help feeling that his situation was somewhat dangerous.
Unsure whether this great general had ill intentions toward him, Lin Feng quickly raised his guard.
Esdeath's face was filled with the happiness of having found her beloved. She involuntarily reached her wrist toward Lin Feng's face, but just before she touched him, he warily moved away.
"Ah... did I frighten you? I'm terribly sorry..."
Looking at Esdeath, Lin Feng was beginning to grow impatient.
After all, he had entered Esdeath's fighting tournament purely for the Teigu she had prepared.
"I haven't told you yet, have I? Finding a user for the Two Cuts for All Things: Ecstasy in my possession was one reason I held this tournament, but actually..."
"My real purpose was to find my beloved."
"?!"
Hearing Esdeath say that, Lin Feng could not help feeling shocked.
A tournament to choose a husband? Isn't this a little too theatrical...?
In Lin Feng's view, two people needed to build their feelings over time and deepen their understanding of one another before getting together.
Yet this great general had deemed someone her beloved after watching just a few fights. Wasn't her attitude toward romance a little too hasty?
"I want you to be my partner... to become mine. What do you say? I'll make sure you never have to worry about food or clothing, and we'll live together from now on..."
Esdeath could not forget the smile Lin Feng had shown at the very end. His smiling face had captivated her deeply.
Lin Feng, however, merely stood frozen in place, unsure how to respond to Esdeath's feelings.
No matter how you look at it, this is too sudden... I came here for the Teigu!
After all, Lin Feng had never imagined Esdeath had held the tournament for this purpose, and he found it difficult to weigh things up on the spot.
"It's all right. You don't need to give me an answer right now. We still have plenty of time..."
The smile covering Esdeath's face made it difficult for Lin Feng to refuse.
"We'll go back to the imperial palace in a little while and fetch the Teigu I promised-Ecstasy for All Things: Two Cuts. Tonight, you'll sleep with me. That's settled, then~"
"Sleep with you?"
Lin Feng could hardly believe his ears.
He had never expected this imperial general, outwardly a slender young woman, to be so wild and unrestrained on the inside.
Hearing this, Lin Feng suddenly felt
that this should be a good thing.
Although he could not possibly reciprocate Esdeath's feelings so soon and would most likely have to reject this young woman,
he could use the opportunity of Esdeath taking him to the palace in the imperial capital to learn a great deal about its inner workings.
For Lin Feng, who was not content to remain a mere Imperial Guard captain, this was truly a heaven-sent opportunity.
"Yes, sleep with me. Is there a problem?"
After looking Esdeath over, Lin Feng had to admit
that no ordinary person could resist the allure of such a beauty.
But for Lin Feng as he was now, there were more important matters waiting for him to deal with.
"I understand. I'm willing to accompany you, General. Let's discuss it once we reach the palace in the imperial capital."
"Don't call me General. Just call me Esdeath~"