After work, start to speedrun the other world-Chapter 176 - 53: Instigation
One must not expect a hero to save oneself.
Yasiraqi understood this principle when she was very young, as her father told her personally. To hope for one’s hero to appear in times of danger, just like the princesses in stories, is merely... the wishful thinking of the cowardly.
No matter the hardship, never give up on saving oneself.
Therefore, at a very young age, she had already discarded any yearning for a "hero," choosing instead to strengthen her own knowledge and willpower. She diligently learned everything a princess should, magic, swordsmanship, politics, music, history...
In the end, she became a qualified heir to the throne.
Even though her current predicament was quite terrible, with no way to confront the threat from the Dragon Kingdom, she still never abandoned the thought of saving herself, as long as she waited for her father’s... death, her own country might be destroyed in short order.
And the force supporting all this was her father’s education from childhood.
One must not expect a hero to save oneself.
"Why am I suddenly thinking of these things?" Yasiraqi leaned against the door, her crimson eyes flickering with a trace of confusion.
Then she remembered something.
After returning from the Magic Kingdom, her father Siegfried had asked her if she was interested in Ahtal and if she would like to try being in a relationship with him.
Admittedly, she had a good impression of Ahtal. She admired Ahtal’s extraordinary abilities, as well as his character.
But she did not want to steal her best friend’s lover. Since Ahtal and Letixia had mutual feelings for each other, she would not allow herself to intervene.
The story of uncontrollably falling for her friend’s outstanding boyfriend was a third-rate plot that would never occur to her. Even if she had feelings, she would extinguish them herself.
She maintained an appropriate distance from Ahtal.
And at that moment...
The door opened.
Yimar’s eyes lost their sparkle as he staggered out, his face marked with tear streaks.
Though there were no signs of torture, he gave off the impression of someone who had suffered inhumane torment, both body and soul shattered.
What on earth had he experienced...?
The thought popped into Yasiraqi’s mind just as Yimar suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned his head to look at her, and said in a hoarse voice,
"You... really are... a lucky woman." With that, his body shook violently, and a hand landed on his shoulder.
"More precisely, you’re quite unfortunate." Xi Mu walked out and spoke to Yimar,
"A dragon wallowing in despair will ultimately be drowned by it."
"You... are right." Yimar managed a smile, showing no intention of resisting Ahtal, not only because Ahtal had the backing of the Witch of Death but also because Ahtal was the mastermind behind the Church of Death.
Ahtal was the true embodiment of despair and... the dark hand.
"Remember not to show any oddities," Xi Mu withdrew his hand and glanced at Yasiraqi with a smile,
"The negotiation went relatively smoothly."
"You’ve worked hard." Yasiraqi raised her hand to gently gather her hair at the ear, revealing a soft, beautiful smile, then glanced at the departing Yimar.
She could feel Yimar’s fear and helplessness as all his beliefs and pride collapsed, wishing nothing more than to hide beneath the covers, shivering.
Seeing this, Xi Mu explained, "He’s been cursed so that he’ll die if he betrays us."
This was a lie. Whether Yimar betrayed them or not, he was fated to die. Once Yimar outlived his usefulness, he would be killed by Xi Mu to gain experience.
After all, Yimar had a high experience value.
"But even with Yimar as a mole, we can’t delay for too long," Yasiraqi frowned, her expression still revealing worry.
The Dragon Kingdom would not easily give up the idea of bringing down Sky City, and Yimar’s influence was insufficient to interfere with the decisions of the Dragon Kingdom, since Yimar was only the twelfth prince and not very high in the line of succession.
The only beings who could actually affect the decisions of the Dragon Kingdom were the Dragon King who managed the Dragon Kingdom, and a few gods living within the Dragon Kingdom.
Indeed, in the Dragon Kingdom, gods resided, and one of these gods was even the... partner of the Dragon King.
If the Holy Maiden is a follower of the godly Dao, likened to an offspring, then the partner is akin to a fellow traveler on the same path as the god.
Sharing power, enjoying the affection of a god.
Of course, this is a metaphor, not implying that "partner" is equivalent to a conjugal relationship, but simply a fellow traveler. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
This is also the... limit of the path of the believer, to be with the god.
Upon becoming the partner of a god, one does not only borrow the power of the god, but also helps to expand the ultimate reach of the god’s Dao.
Indirectly aiding the god in extending the limits of the Dao.
"Frowning like that doesn’t suit you," Xi Mu raised his hand to smooth Yasiraqi’s inadvertently furrowed brow,
Then he comforted under Yasiraqi’s gaze,
"Leave it to me to handle, no need to worry too much."
"I... am not..." Before Yasiraqi could finish, she fell silent again, as she indeed had no way to confront the Dragon Kingdom.
In response, Xi Mu smiled gently, placing a hand over his chest and said, "Princess, try trusting your knight a little."
"...It’s not... that I don’t trust you," Yasiraqi replied with a helpless smile, looking at Ahtal’s gentle smile, she uncontrollably turned her head away,
"Jed is still waiting for us outside," she initiated a change of topic, not wanting to carry on the discussion of princesses and knights.
