Chapter 49: The Pet Fox Who Tangles Fate
“Bang!”
“Seal the city! Don’t let them escape!”
Hilna slammed her hand on the table and jumped to her feet. If Kailun escaped, she would lose her best leverage against the Grand Duke.
“Yes, Your Highness!” Shirley rushed out to carry out her orders.
Hilna stared at Shirley’s retreating figure, her mind racing. “What went wrong? Why did he suddenly run away? Did he receive news of Duke Stamp’s reinforcements?”
She clutched her head in frustration, her beautiful hair falling into disarray.
She was on the verge of a breakdown before even becoming Queen. She couldn’t imagine what life would be like after ascending the throne.
Ten minutes later, Shirley returned with bad news. “Your Highness, it’s too late! Kailun has already escaped the city! Our knights couldn’t catch up!”
“…”
“I understand. You’re dismissed.” Hilna’s voice was low and defeated.
“But Your Highness…” Shirley tried to protest.
Hilna’s voice turned cold. “I said you’re dismissed. I’ll handle Kailun.”
“Yes, Your Highness…”
…
Apart from Roden, Kailun had only brought a dozen attendants with him.
He wasn’t worried about Hilna attacking his manor while he was away. Its defenses could hold for at least half a day, giving him enough time to return with reinforcements.
While a few thousand knights might seem insignificant, it was a considerable force for the Xiya Kingdom, whose main army was stationed at the border.
They rode towards the Lier River without stopping, reaching their destination within half an hour.
A large caravan of over a thousand people awaited them. Kailun instantly recognized it as the vanguard of the Silver Moon Knights.
Although they were all cloaked in black, their slender figures couldn’t conceal their true identities from him.
At the front of the “caravan,” he spotted the silver-haired figure he had missed so dearly.
Afra. Her beautiful silver hair, golden eyes, and stunning features, tinged with a hint of heroism, captivated him.
She wasn’t wearing a robe. Instead, she was clad in a white military uniform, her armor accentuating her curves. Every time he looked at her slender waist, he wondered if he could snap it with a single squeeze.
Afra’s beauty was radiant and unforgettable. She held a special place in his heart.
Their eyes met. Hers were calm, like an older sister looking at her younger brother.
His were filled with longing and possessiveness. He wanted to capture this light, to hold it close.
He also noticed the fox-eared woman standing before Afra. She was crouching by the riverbank, her slender fingers playing with the water, seemingly bored.
If he hadn’t known of her existence, he might not have even noticed her.
Sensing his gaze, she stood up, dusting off her hands, and looked at him curiously, her white fox ears twitching playfully.
He instinctively looked down, hoping to catch a glimpse of her tail, but he saw nothing.
“Young Master, she’s dangerous.”
Roden, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his voice laced with caution. He could sense the immense pressure emanating from the fox-eared woman.
“It’s fine. She won’t attack us now.”
Kailun stepped out of the carriage and walked towards them, meeting their gazes.
“Strange eyes, strange scent, strange fate lines… If there were such a thing as a Creator, I would think you were a cosmic joke. You seem to know me?”
The fox-eared woman spoke first, her smile both alluring and unsettling, a completely different flavor from Ella’s.
Her red robe concealed her figure. Only by removing that veil of mystery would one discover the true extent of her… assets.
“Not really. I’ve simply read about you in some scrolls and formed some theories.”
Kailun shook his head and moved closer to Afra. The fox woman’s gaze was becoming increasingly predatory.
“You’re so interesting. The fate magic I practice compels me to approach you, to understand you, to dissect you, and then to reshape you. I see countless fate lines converging upon you. It seems the world’s changes are all centered around you. No wonder the person I’ve been waiting for hasn’t appeared. You snatched him away, didn’t you?”
Her pink, slitted pupils were fixed on him, her fox ears twitching excitedly, like a cheetah ready to pounce.
Kailun had reached Afra’s side. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. Or rather, I can’t kill you. Just looking at those terrifying fate lines makes my head spin. I can’t afford that kind of backlash. But seeing your rebellious spirit, how about joining our side? I’ll personally welcome you.”
She winked at him suggestively.
Kailun: “…”
If not for the power she radiated, he might have flirted back.
Just you wait. Once he was strong enough, he would turn this foolish fox into his pet.
He already had a dog. What was one more pet?
Seeing her in person confirmed his suspicions. The world was changing, and the Xiya Kingdom was about to become the center of the storm.
But there was still time. He set a small goal: conquer the Xiya Kingdom within three days and turn both princesses into his personal playthings.
“It’s getting late. I’ve been waiting for three days. I need to rest. Hopefully, next time we meet, you’ll be a corpse. Then I can finally study you properly. Farewell, my little puppet. Hehehe…”
With a creepy giggle, she vanished into thin air. No one saw how she did it.
“She’s dangerous. I’m no match for her.” Afra finally spoke, her voice as cold as ever.
“It’s fine. She’s just a lost pet.”
He embraced Afra, his head resting on her chest.
It was a shame she was wearing armor. Otherwise, he could have enjoyed her softness more fully.
He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent, his restless heart calming down.
“Afra, will you stay by my side from now on?”
He whispered after a long silence.
“Yes.”
A rare smile softened her cold features as she looked at the matured Kailun.
“Let’s be like we were when we were kids. Eat together, bathe together, sleep together. Okay?”
“Hmm~”
She pondered for a moment, recalling their childhood memories, and then nodded softly.
He smiled, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.
This time, he wouldn’t hesitate. Even if it meant resorting to underhanded tactics, he would claim her, body and soul.
He preferred action over regret. He wanted to tell her, loud and clear, that he wanted to watch the sunrise with her.
Besides, her favorability towards him was already incredibly high.
[Afra’s favorability towards you has increased by 1 due to your intimate behavior. Current favorability: 90.]
…
Around noon, Hilna, who had just taken a calming potion and was preparing to make her move against Lodis, was startled by Shirley’s panicked voice.
“Your Highness! Your Highness! Good news! Oh, no, bad news!”
Hilna clutched her chest, struggling to catch her breath.
“What’s the good news?”
“Kailun is back!”
“And the bad news?”
“He brought a thousand people with him!”
“？？?”
Characters:
Afra
Fox girl
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