adbindia Chapter 378 - 17: You Know the Score, Don’t You?
Chapter 378 - 17: You Know the Score, Don’t You?
Westheid found Ailorus’s attitude baffling. Was she in a good mood or a bad one? She seemed to be smiling happily, but for what reason?
It had been a long time since Westheid had to deliberately strategize to win someone over. Even with Reiya and Mivana, he had possessed a profound understanding of their personalities and pasts, allowing him to devise plans with ease.
But this Elf Queen, who was younger than many humans, had barely any screen time or lore in *Poem of Destiny*. Westheid knew plenty about several Demons, but when it came to Ailorus, he was truly in the dark.
Westheid could only offer a cautious reply:
"You flatter me. I was merely doing my duty."
"It’s not your fault, Westheid."
Ailorus tapped the rim of her teacup, gesturing for Westheid to drink it while it was still warm, and said:
"We of the Elf Royal Family inherit the Blood of the Divine Ancestor and are subject to its will. Because of this, we have no resistance to beautiful things. It’s perfectly normal to encounter some rather... passionate Elves. I just didn’t expect even Lord Amithren to fall so quickly."
The young Elf propped her chin on her hands, her sacred, cyan eyes fixing on Westheid with a clear, focused gaze. She scanned him from head to toe, then sighed in heartfelt admiration.
"Mmm... You really are handsome."
It was obvious the Wind Law Queen was quite taken with Westheid’s appearance. This was hardly surprising; Duke Qinghui had yet to meet anyone who *wasn’t* taken with him.
But Ailorus’s gaze was different from that of the Pure Holy Spirit. Though they might say the same things, that unworthy ancestor of hers would completely lose her head at the sight of a handsome face and immediately get clingy, as if she simply couldn’t withstand the backlash from a high Charm Attribute.
Westheid smiled. "Do you like me too, Ailorus?"
"Yes, I like you quite a bit."
To Duke Qinghui’s surprise, the young queen showed no sign of bashfulness. Instead, she nodded and admitted it openly.
"Because you’re just so handsome!"
"But if it’s only about liking a pretty face, it feels... how should I put it? A little too superficial. It’s like being a prisoner to the Divine Ancestor’s legacy."
The little, golden-haired Elf poked a finger into her flawless, delicate cheek, then placed a hand over her heart.
"So, I’d like to get to know you better. May I?"
"Of course," Westheid replied without hesitation.
’Her curiosity is, without a doubt, a good thing.’
’Curiosity is the first step toward surrender. Even without a strategy guide, I’ll capture the Wind Law Queen with my own abilities!’
Ailorus clapped her hands.
"Lord Eilvette isn’t monitoring us here, so don’t worry. We can talk about anything; nothing is off-limits."
’If you’re going to put it that way... then I won’t hold back.’
Westheid got straight to the point. "The Grand Law Officer... is his current behavior considered normal? As the master of the Thousand Laws Royal Court, you allow him to dominate it as he pleases. Frankly, that seems a bit reckless."
This was a question on the minds of many within the Royal Court. After all, the Grand Law Officer’s arrogance and domineering behavior had already provoked widespread anger, yet the Wind Law Queen’s response was... complete concession?
She showed no sense of urgency, as if her power wasn’t being threatened at all. It was no wonder rumors were circulating in the Royal Court that the Wind Law Queen had become a mere puppet.
The moment Duke Qinghui finished speaking, Faticia, who stood to the side, jumped in fright. Her normally downcast, melancholic eyes widened for a rare moment.
’Wait, is that a topic we’re allowed to touch?!’ Even though she was one of Her Majesty the Queen’s trusted confidantes, she had never once dared to voice an opinion on the matter.
"Because Lord Eilvette is very loyal, and very capable!"
Despite being asked such a sensitive question, Ailorus’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. She answered without a moment’s hesitation.
The Little Queen explained, swaying her body with elegant agility:
"Although Lord Eilvette is terrible at reading the room and completely inept at social interactions, only ever doing as he sees fit, he’s a truly pure-hearted person. He is completely loyal to the King of Wind Law... hmm, or should I say, loyal to the Royal Court? Or perhaps to tradition?"
"Anyway, he’s that type. The most old-fashioned sort of person, so you don’t need to worry at all. Besides, I only recently ascended the throne and haven’t even fully mastered the [Ten Thousand Wind Melodies]. I don’t need that much power right now. In this harsh environment, with gods and mortals separated and Demons running rampant, having Lord Eilvette stabilize the situation is for the best."
Ailorus swung her legs, speared a snack from the table with a silver fork, and parted her cherry-red lips. Taking small bites of the Elven sweet suffused with a faint floral fragrance, she said:
"For now, the Grand Law Officer is still needed. Once I have fully mastered the [Ten Thousand Wind Law], it will be a simple matter to reclaim my authority from him."
’So she understands the situation perfectly!’
Westheid had intended to probe the relationship between the monarch and her subject, but from Ailorus’s words, it was clear this little ruler of the Royal Court was not some naive, sheltered girl.
On the contrary, she knew everything and saw the situation with perfect clarity. The seeds of discord Westheid had been prepared to sow now had no ground in which to sprout.
’This is going to be difficult...’
"I see. It seems the Grand Law Officer is a man of great loyalty to the state. I only asked because Lord Eilvette doesn’t seem very friendly toward me."
Ailorus waved her fork and smiled. "Don’t worry. As long as you don’t endanger the Royal Court, Lord Eilvette won’t take any action against you. Westheid is here to help the Royal Court quell the Demon turmoil, is he not?"