So it was her.
Although he’d already guessed, hearing her na was the final confirmation for Westheid.
"Ah, a friend from the Country of Yonglan. I know a squad of Yonglan Knights is also taking part in this Secret Realm Trial. Are you perhaps one of them?"
Mivana’s wolf ears twitched, and she looked montarily stunned. She hesitated before answering:
"I... suppose I am."
Hearing this, Yolanda gave Westheid a strange look and leaned in to whisper in his ear:
"Brother, a Ranger Knight is..."
"I know."
Westheid cut her off quietly.
He didn’t need Yolanda’s reminder; he was perfectly clear on the Knight Tiers of the Country of Yonglan. Westheid’s most frequent starting choice in *Poem of Destiny* was the Country of Yonglan. He’d lost count of how many tis he’d beco the Knight King!
To be officially recognized and incorporated into the ranks, a Yonglan Knight had to complete the "Knightly Path Trial." The so-called Ranger Knights... were actually just Cultivators who hadn’t been acknowledged to walk the Knightly Path. Strictly speaking, they couldn’t be called Knights at all.
But to make it sound better, these Cultivators would still call themselves Ranger Knights. In essence, they were just indulging themselves.
Westheid didn’t point out this embarrassing fact. Instead, he continued the conversation, "In that case, the squad of Yonglan Knights should be nearby. But I took a look around earlier and didn’t see any other Yonglan People."
Hearing Westheid’s question, the light in Mivana’s eyes instantly dimd. She then said:
"I... I’m not traveling with the other Knights."
Westheid lowered his gaze and asked, feigning ignorance:
"Going solo? That’s strange. Yonglan Knights are supposed to be very united. Their coordinated combat is second to none."
The Wolf-eared Knight seed to have sothing she couldn’t bring herself to say, but she didn’t want to fob him off with a lie, either. One of her fluffy beast ears drooped, and she fell silent.
Fortunately, Mivana knew she couldn’t just keep answering Westheid’s questions. After a long mont, she asked one of her own:
"And you, Mr. Westheid? Why did you arrive riding a Dragon Beast? And that Dragon Beast that attacked earlier..."
"Oh, my apologies. Those Dragon Beasts were indeed acting under our orders."
Westheid admitted readily, "You could say we got lucky and managed to infiltrate the Dragon Race, so we can command so of them."
Realization dawned on Mivana, her amber eyes widening. "The disturbance in the Dragon Descendants’ territory that’s causing nearly all the Trial Takers to flee east... you did that too?"
"That’s right. But it’s not entirely our fault. They made the first move. When you encounter hostile Trial Takers, killing them within a Secret Realm is justifiable, isn’t it?"
Westheid spread his hands. "Besides, fighting amongst ourselves isn’t forbidden in the Trial. Trial Takers are collaborators, but also competitors."
Mivana nodded and said lightly:
"So, you plan to eliminate as a competitor as well?"
Westheid quickly waved his hands in denial:
"No, no, no, of course not. The Yonglan People shouldn’t have any particular hatred for the Demon Dragon, right? If you’re not an enemy of Her Highness Reiya, then we have no reason to be in conflict. On the contrary, I’d like to cooperate with you."
Mivana tilted her head slightly. "Cooperate?"
Westheid gazed at the Wolf-eared Knight’s face with his deep, violet eyes and said slowly:
"Look at these Dragon Beasts. You killed all of them, didn’t you? Seeing this carnage, you must have slaughtered them all in an instant. That feat completely transcends your current Tier. Even though you call yourself a re Ranger Knight, you’re far stronger than a true Yonglan Knight, aren’t you?"
"If you’re asking to join your team, then I’m afraid I must refuse."
Mivana unslung her sword and said coldly, "I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. My power is not ant for killing."
’Wait, are those words really coming out of your mouth?’
Westheid almost couldn’t stop himself from retorting.
"Is that so? What a sha."
To the Wolf-eared Knight’s surprise, the ridiculously handso man before her didn’t reveal his hidden dagger. Instead, he just sighed regretfully and changed the subject:
"Where are you headed next?"
"East," Mivana said. "Most of the Trial Takers have gone toward the mountains east of the Kepal Plain. I heard the Resistance Army is there."
"In that case, we’re also on our way to find the Resistance Army. It’s on the way, so why don’t you travel with us?"
Westheid suggested.
The black-haired, golden-eyed Wolf-eared Maiden shook her head:
"I’m sorry, but I plan to walk there alone. Taking shortcuts is not part of practicing the Knightly Path. I will asure this journey with my own two feet and do everything in my power to save the people trapped in evil and suffering."
Westheid raised an eyebrow. "But that’s an incredibly inefficient way to complete the mission. How many people can you possibly save from the dragon catastrophe that way? We have a much more efficient thod, one that’s good enough to win the Crown of Trial."
Mivana replied righteously, "This isn’t a matter of efficiency. I have no interest in the reward from the Radiant Holy Tree. I am a follower of the Yonglan Riding God. My only purpose for participating in this Trial is to practice my own Knightly Path. Utilitarian matters do not concern ."
"The Knightly Path, huh... tsk tsk."
Hearing this, Westheid lowered his gaze slightly, a subtle smile on his face that Mivana found quite irritating.
The Wolf-eared Maiden’s delicate brows furrowed. "Is sothing funny?"
"No, no, no, I’m not mocking it. I have the utmost respect for the Knightly Path pioneered by the Yonglan Riding God."
Westheid quickly explained, but he heavily emphasized the venerable na "Yonglan Riding God":
"In fact, I am also walking the path that the Riding God once walked, viewing him as my role model."
Hearing Westheid say this, Mivana’s expression softened considerably. She nodded and said:
"I cannot verify whether you are a friend walking the Knightly Path, but all who walk this path will reach the sa destination. For now, let us part ways."
Clearly, the Wolf-eared Maiden didn’t wish to talk any further and was eager to resu her solo journey.
"Is that so? In that case, I’ll look forward to our next eting."
Westheid and Mivana exchanged farewells with a bow, then he mounted the Dragon Beast and took off with Yolanda to head back.
Only after they had flown high into the sky, breaking through the clouds, did Yolanda finally speak up:
"What a serious character. Even official Yonglan Knights aren’t that obsessed with the chivalry of the Knightly Path... Also, why did you suddenly think of inviting that Apprentice Ranger? Even if she’s strong, it’s not like we’re short on combat power."
The platinum-blonde girl sized up Westheid with a suspicious gaze and said:
"Brother, don’t tell you saw a rare beauty and started thinking with your lower body?"
Westheid was so exasperated by his sister’s words that he laughed.
"What kind of image do you have of in your head? Am I just a horn-dog?"
Yolanda fell silent for a mont, then lowered her head. "It’s hard to say."
"I’m just fostering so goodwill. Since we ran into her, I had to say a few words. But what you said... isn’t entirely wrong,"
the black-haired, violet-eyed young man said, rubbing his chin.
Even though he hadn’t finished leeching off Reiya’s Talent, Westheid was already eyeing another Tier T0 Talent.
Mivana, the [Heaven-Devouring Wave], wasn’t originally part of Westheid’s plans. After all, she was terrifying—all she did was kill, kill, kill. A bit too extre.
But the Mivana of right now... seed to be a naive young girl who still firmly believed in the justice of the Knightly Path. She was like a completely different person from the nearly-crazed woman who would one day top the K/D charts.
In that case, for the sake of power, Westheid was starting to get so bold ideas.
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