Chapter 365 - 260: One Unwed, One Unmarried

It was just like being a Prince Consort to a princess in his past life.

His power would be vastly increased, but he would inevitably be constrained in other ways.

Especially since Tina was still waiting for him at High Cliff Castle. As the princess of a fallen kingdom, her sheer importance was no less than Liya’s. If he married Tina, Levi would have a legitimate claim to power.

The difference was that with the former, he could sit back and reap the rewards, while with the latter, he would have to build his foundation from the ground up, bit by bit.

But without a doubt, the Lord with the Conquering System on his side chose the latter.

Compared to inheriting a mess, he much preferred to tear everything down and rebuild.

His confidence stemmed from his strength!

"Lady Onaya, please forgive my refusal. After all, Miss Liya and I..." he began, choosing his words carefully, but was cut off before he could finish.

"It is you and I, not Liya!" Onaya smiled faintly, displaying the composure of a seasoned veteran.

"?"

...

Levi fell silent. Internally, confusion and disbelief gave way to profound admiration.

’I need to learn from the people of this world. No wonder I’m still just a paltry Baron after all this time. If I don’t change my way of thinking, how will I ever build my own harem of Beast-eared Maidens?’

Levi carefully sized up the woman before him.

Although she had already given birth, she still looked very young, perhaps only in her late twenties. She had a voluptuous figure and skin as smooth as cream.

In terms of looks alone, Liya and Fulina, who had inherited much of their mother’s beauty, were both considered top-class beauties. How could the woman herself be anything less?

Her unique status, in particular, added a certain allure and appeal.

If nothing else, the Lord could guarantee that his future children would certainly never go hungry.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then just raked his fingers through his hair, looking tormented.

"Levi, you don’t need to rush to a decision. There is still time."

Compared to the Knight, Onaya seemed all the more composed.

She had learned everything about this Lion Hunter Knight from Liya. Through an account devoid of any flattery, she immediately realized that his journey to this point was a miracle of miracles.

Theoretically, the things he had accomplished should have been nearly impossible.

It was like a bandit trying to become a nobleman; no amount of effort could make it happen. It wasn’t a goal one could achieve through hard work alone—it also required luck and the favor of the Gods.

Thus, Onaya concluded that Levi was one of those rare, once-in-a-generation individuals.

Such people were darlings of destiny, possessing top-tier talents that others lacked.

Given time, he would undoubtedly make some serious waves.

This wasn’t just Onaya’s imagination.

Among a crowd of barefoot farmers who only knew how to go home and take out their frustrations on their wives, the sudden appearance of a handsome Knight in Silver Armor was as conspicuous as a Giant Dragon—impossible to ignore.

His string of accomplishments was so incredible that ordinary people found it hard to believe, even suspecting them to be exaggerated and his reputation undeserved.

But Onaya knew one thing for certain: the world of a genius is incomprehensible to mortals. And because they cannot comprehend it, they automatically chalk it up to good luck.

She, however, would not make that mistake. It wasn’t as if she had never met such a person—look no further than her own younger sister.

Inheriting the title of Duke of the North as a woman, and the younger daughter at that, said it all.

For such an individual, the only solution Onaya could devise was to bind him firmly to the Southern Territory.

The most obvious way to achieve this was through a marriage alliance.

However, Liya was, after all, a Duchess. Although he possessed impressive strength, his current status was indeed a bit low. Furthermore, Liya could secure a more powerful ally through marriage.

After thinking it over, she decided that she herself would form a marriage alliance with this Lion Hunter Knight.

This was not out of the question.

She was still young. Not long after she had married into the family, Liya’s father died at White Bone Fortress.

She could have even gone on to marry a Marquis or a Count, but for Liya’s sake, she had remained in the Southern Territory.

Now, this Knight perfectly met her requirements in every aspect. That, combined with her desire to bind him to their cause, led her to this solution.

"Lady Onaya, does it really have to be me?"

To be honest, for a fleeting moment, the Lord hesitated. ’Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with my penchant for mature women,’ he thought, before saying aloud in feigned confusion, "What about the Count of Monvert? I think he has the air of a great leader."

"It can only be you!" Onaya gazed at his handsome face. Unlike those pretty male favorites who were beautiful in a feminine way, this Lion Hunter Knight possessed a rugged, masculine handsomeness. He had certainly proven it a few days ago when he rescued her from the pursuing Mercenaries.

For her, a woman of the Northern Lands, it was an irresistible, addictive feeling, like a suffering patient taking a dose of potent medicine.

His deeds, and the image of him risking everything to save her just days ago, were now etched into her mind, impossible to forget.

"SIGH..." The Lord heaved a long sigh. "Lady Onaya, as much as I hate to say it, I must refuse."

"This has nothing to do with you, of course. Your beauty is no less than that of an Elf; no nobleman in his right mind would refuse you."

"It’s just... I am already betrothed. The virtues of a Knight are etched upon my very soul, and I simply cannot bring myself to break such a vow!"

"Levi, you know, sometimes breaking a vow isn’t entirely a bad thing," Onaya said, not angry in the slightest, but gently coaxing him.

She was like a clumsy peddler trying to sell her wares.

She leaned in close, her fragrant breath brushing against the Lord’s face from between her fiery red lips.

"Mother, I heard Levi was here."

Just as the Lord was thinking he had walked into the lioness’s den and a long, earth-shattering battle was inevitable, a clear, feminine voice came from the doorway.

The two of them separated at once, returning to their respective seats.

Today, Liya was wearing the same pink gown from the banquet. The worries that had once creased her brow were gone, and the faint sorrow of past days had vanished. It was as if she had returned to being the Duke’s granddaughter of old.

"What are you two talking about?"

Liya looked at her mother and the Knight she had personally invested, feeling that something seemed a little off between them.

"Nothing much," Levi said nonchalantly, taking a sip of wine. "Lady Onaya summoned me to discuss my reward and asked what I might desire."

"That’s right," Onaya nodded. Looking at her daughter, who was staring intently at her, she blinked her eyes—as beautiful as a starry sky—and put on an innocent expression.

"Hmph. Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?" Liya said, putting her hands on her hips, clearly a little upset.

She was his Feudal Lord, after all, and they had the closest relationship. Yet he came to the castle without telling her a thing.

She had gone to the High Cliff Castle camp to find the Lion Hunter Knight, only to learn he’d been summoned to White Castle, which was why she had rushed over.

"I figured you must be busy," Levi said, his face still calm as he offered a weak excuse. "I was only coming to discuss a few matters and would be heading back shortly, so I didn’t want to disturb you."

"Yes, that’s right. I thought so as well," Onaya chimed in, nodding in agreement.

"Fine," Liya said, extending a hand toward the Lord. "I came to find you because the painting is finished. I didn’t expect to go all the way to the High Cliff Castle camp only to miss you."

Levi tactfully took the girl’s small, fair hand and helped her to her seat.

"Really, Miss Liya, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble. You could have simply had a Maid deliver the painting."

"It’s not the same," Liya said, though she didn’t elaborate on how. The corners of her mouth merely curled into a slight smile as she gave her little hand a shake.

A Maid quickly came over carrying a painting and set it up for the Lord to view.

Levi was also quite curious to see how the painting had turned out, and his gaze shifted toward it.

But the next moment, a voice boomed throughout the room: "Where the hell am I?!"