Chapter 500 - Clash (VII)
“Did he really say that?” A deep voice sounded from the crystal ball and Danny stood up and bowed hurriedly, even though it was to a lifeless crystal ball. “Yes, Sir. That young man seemed extremely confident and to be honest, I didn’t expect that he actually dared to…”
“He’s messing with fire,” the voice interrupted Danny harshly. “Isn’t he aware of the consequences of his actions? This is provoking the Country of Light! Forget it, there’s no point talking about this now. What was Lydia’s intention?”
“Royal Highness Lydia didn’t make any decision. However, it was apparent that she was siding the young man.”
“Hmph…” The voice from the crystal let out a cold sneer. After a few moments, the voice continued. “This is within our expectations too. But I didn’t expect that little girl, Lydia, to be this determined… Great. MP Danny, you did well. But, since the other party has decided to go against us, we need to change our plans. MP Danny, you didn’t contact the Parliament just to report the content of the hearing, right?”
“Yes, Sir. Just as I have mentioned, since that young man has made his move, I believe that Royal Highness Lydia will comply with his moves by heading into the Land of Atonement as soon as possible. However, to be frank, I don’t think that the young man has the capability to defeat a presence like the Duke Fiend. But… After all, I’m not in a position to determine the truth, so I hope the Parliament will send a person to assist me in this matter.”
“Oh? Who are you thinking of?”
“The Mist Sword Saint.”
“…” This time, the voice from the crystal ball didn’t respond immediately. Instead, it paused for a long while. “Is there a need to? MP Danny, you do know what this request means. To be honest, I think that apart from the little girl, there isn’t anyone worth dispatching. You are aware of the consequences if there’s a mistake in your judgment…”
“Please pardon my rudeness, Sir. I think that this young man isn’t that simple at all. Since he had the courage to provoke the Country of Light in front of everyone fearlessly, the possibility of him bluffing wouldn’t be high. Besides, it will be convenient to have the Mist Sword Saint around if there are any unprecedented situations…”
Rhode let out a sigh as he recalled the past that he had experienced and read on the forum. He lifted his head and gazed at Lydia with a solemn expression. “Your Highness, please pardon me. I have always wanted to seek an answer from you.”
“Are you trying to ask why the Munn Kingdom, as a direct subordinate of the Light Dragon, just sits idly and watches the Light Dragon lose its authority?”
“…” Lydia answered Rhode’s question with a question of her own and Rhode nodded simply. Even though many players on the forum had guessed plenty of possibilities, Rhode wished to hear the answer personally from the Duchess.
Lydia gazed at Rhode with a gentle smile while her eyes glittered like the bright summer sun. However, Rhode felt that her smile was rather sorrowful. “Baron Rhode, vines will climb up the tree that it grows on because it has the will and thirst for the warmth and brilliance from the sun. For the sun, the vine will strangle the tree at all costs. Whereas, for the flowers that landed on the ground, no matter how one tries, one will not be able to let it bloom on the top of the tree because the flowers lack the strength to climb upwards.”
“What you mean is…” Even though Lydia’s explanation was ambiguous, Rhode felt that he understood the meaning she was trying to convey.
“That’s right.” Lydia refilled Rhode’s teacup before putting in two sugar cubes gracefully. “But the Munn Kingdom doesn’t exist to be manipulated by others. The storm may perhaps overwhelm and sway the trees, but the trees will still be back towering again, right?”
“But, some trees may collapse from the storm, Your Highness.”
“That’s for sure, Baron Rhode,” Rhode’s retort didn’t displease Lydia at all. Instead, she smiled and gazed at the young man as though she were a cheeky little girl that had gotten her way with her prank. “But, why would the storm destroy only one of the trees when the trees stood against it in unison?”
“… I think I understand your meaning now, Your Highness,” Rhode let out a bitter laugh and lifted his teacup. His tea was overly sweetened by the two sugar cubes, but he drank it without batting an eyelid. He knew why Lydia put two sugar cubes into his teacup because, after all, it was somewhat rude of him to interrupt the Duchess as a lowly-ranked Baron. The tea could also be considered as a little punishment for Rhode.
“But, Your Highness, once one enters the forest to hew the trees, the storm will sweep by again before long.”
“That is why I need a courageous forest protector to help me expel the unscrupulous intruders.”
“Just to expel?”
“Well, if the intruders go overboard, I also wouldn’t mind…” Lydia paused for a moment before strolling towards the window. Rhode gazed at the young lady’s back and shortly after, her crisp voice sounded. “Baron Rhode, as a leader of a guild, I’m sure you have faced bandits that harassed the villages, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“So then, what would you do if you wish to protect the entire village from the invasion of the bandits entirely? Would you just build a solid defensive line and fend off their attacks time and time again with hopes that they would back out on their own accord?”
“That’s definitely impossible, Your Highness… I would capture and get rid of them once and for all.”
“That’s right,” Lydia turned around and the glaring sun shone on her back which cast a shadow on her face. Rhode couldn’t see her expression, but he heard her voice clearly. “One can bear with the sneaky mice, but it would be an entirely different story if the mice were vicious, ravenous dogs instead.”