Chapter 150: He Is Mine! (35)

First of all, the Mist Monastery itself is independent of the Frost Crystal Kingdom; being so powerful, they don't need anyone's recognition at all.

Not to mention, they've been there longer than the history of the Frost Crystal Kingdom itself — it's more accurate to say that the Frost Crystal royal family are the later arrivals.

Secondly, the Mist Mountains occupy one-third of the entire Frost Crystal Kingdom's territory, and there's also a natural port there, but that place is a barren wasteland overrun by magical creatures, fraught with danger.

The Kingdom had also thought about developing that area, but after three or four rounds totaling over fifty years of wilderness development, they only managed to push the residential area a few dozen kilometers into the wilderness, still far from the main body of the Mist Mountains.

Since that place is entirely an undeveloped wilderness with no actual control over it to begin with, handing it over wouldn't have any impact.

Better to go with the flow and do a favor.

Leonhardt looked at Herbert's shocked expression, smiled, patted his shoulder, and deliberately emphasized: "But, mind you, that place isn't being handed over to the Mist Monastery — it's being handed over to... you!"

Herbert:?

Huh?

How did you know that's what I wanted?

Herbert didn't say it out loud, but his thoughts were written all over his face.

Old man, you reading my mind too?

"Hahaha!"

Leonhardt burst into laughter:

"You little punk think you can fool me? Don't you know who watched you grow up?"

"Besides, I've dealt with those old fogeys at the monastery for so many years, of course I know those people have zero interest in that territory."

"But since you opened your mouth and asked for it, I'll give it to you!"

Leonhardt didn't ask Herbert what he wanted to do with this piece of land.

No need to.

Since you want it, I'll give it to you.

"How about it? Am I not great? Hahahaha! Cough cough cough..."

After laughing until he started coughing and taking a while to recover, Leonhardt continued: "In that case, your fief will be arranged there."

Herbert hesitated, weakly raising his hand: "But I don't want to inherit the Silver Wing title..."

I, I don't want to!

The king waved his hand grandly, saying indifferently: "If you don't want to inherit, then don't inherit — you think I can't enfeoff you with another one?"

"Uh... alright then."

Herbert had nothing to say.

What kind of elder-to-junior forced love... forced affection is this.

Here, take it, it's for the kid!

After laying things out plainly, the conversation between the two became much more relaxed.

Herbert talked about some of his experiences at the monastery, and what had happened during the king's period of unconsciousness.

At the end of the conversation, Leonhardt hesitated, coughed once, then asked: "By the way, you and Felia, between you two..."

Leonhardt tentatively brought it up, but looking at Herbert's calm eyes, he stopped halfway, shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Alright, alright, stop looking at me like that, I won't meddle, alright?"

Not long after waking up, Leonhardt had already noticed the problem.

This once-close pair of childhood friends had never appeared before him at the same time, and whenever the other was mentioned, they both appeared unusually calm, even cold.

"I won't get involved in your affairs, you decide for yourselves, lest you pee on my tombstone someday, hahahaha!!! Cough cough cough..."

He laughed heartily, waved his hand, then picked up the wine cup by the bed.

"Friends, strangers, even enemies — it's all fine, it's your own lives."

"As a father, I can only say, she probably has her own difficulties."

Herbert also laughed, raised another wine cup, gently clinked it against his, shook his head, and didn't answer.

He whispered in his heart:

"In this world, who doesn't have their own difficulties?"

"But if you can't go back, you just can't."

While Herbert and the king were conversing in the bedchamber, another conversation was simultaneously taking place outside.

In a garden deep within the palace, Valentina was looking at Felia with a smug face, occasionally letting out provocative little snorts.

"Hmph~ hmph~"

And the little Princess being stared at was utterly bewildered.

Felia:?

What's wrong with her?

The Princess frowned, glanced at Valentina, turned her head away not wanting to pay attention, and continued gazing at the remaining flower bushes in the garden.

Although it was already late November, the entire kingdom had begun to cool, and heavy snow had fallen several layers thick, the Frost Crystal Kingdom had a special kind of flower.

The Frost Crystal Flower, the national flower of the Frost Crystal Kingdom.

Legend says it was a wild rose transformed by bathing in the blood of that Frost Snow Dragon, able to bloom in the dead of winter, possessing certain special medicinal properties that can replenish the blood and qi of the wounded.

She was waiting in the garden now to pluck the flowers at the moment of their blooming and freeze them for preservation... that was just an excuse.

The real reason, perhaps only she herself knew in her heart.

However, just as Felia turned her head, that annoying dragoness turned her gaze along with hers.

Dada da...

Small quick steps hidden beneath the nun's long skirt, upper body still but feet moving at lightning speed, whoosh, she appeared right in front of her.

"Hmph~"

"???"

Feliya's eyes widened; she truly could not understand what the other was doing at this moment.

What on earth are you doing?

Do you want to take a look at what you're actually doing!?!?

"..."

She took a deep breath, forced down her emotions, and turned her head to look the other way.

Turn head to the left.

Tap tap tap.

"Hmph hmph!"

"..."

Turn head to the right.

Tap tap tap.

"Hmph↑ hmph↓"

"... Tch."

Feliya really did not want to lock eyes with Valentina, but this annoying fellow was like a fly she couldn't shake, constantly buzzing right up to her face.

Finally, after the two of them had played "a duet of head-turning" in the garden for half a day, Feliya finally spoke helplessly: "... What exactly do you want?"

She surrendered.

She knew Valentina's identity; if she could beat her, she would have frozen this annoying fellow into a block of ice!

Seeing Feliya finally speak, Valentina smiled smugly.

Hmph hmph!

This is my victory!

I won!

Then, she walked up to Feliya, and in the proud posture of a victor, looking down at the Princess from above, declared:

"He is mine!"

She lowered her head, fixing those flame-burning vertical pupils on those cold eyes, and said, word by word:

"He. Is. Mine!"

Boom!

Invisible waves of heat surged from the vertical pupils, instantly sweeping across the entire garden, melting all the ice crystals that had formed on the frost-blossom flowers.

Under this terrifying pressure, Feliya tried to retreat, but was pinned by the shoulders by two hands like iron clamps, forcing her to face the horror before her eyes head-on.

Staring at Feliya, Valentina revealed a savage, bewitching smile, and made her declaration once more:

"He is mine!!!"

(End of chapter)