Chapter 99: Annie's Redemption

Facing Annie, who had the appearance of a young girl with a childlike face and large breasts, Fulade couldn't help but cough dryly and asked curiously, "Annie, what is this."

Annie's eyes flickered, and after a long silence, she finally spoke: "I don't know, I only know that I have two forms."

This was exactly why the Giants rejected her so intensely.

The Giants believed that Annie was a cursed jinx, and none of them were willing to have any contact with her.

No matter how hard Annie tried, how attentive she was, she could never earn the Giants' approval—only looks of disgust.

This made Annie very hurt and despairing.

There were even many times when she simply wanted to help out of kindness, hoping to earn a trace of goodwill from them, but what greeted her was a beating with sticks, nearly beating her to death on many occasions.

From then on, Annie understood that she was alone.

The only thing she could do was keep growing stronger, because the Giant race was a race that worshipped martial prowess.

So Annie placed all her hopes on the possibility that after striving to become stronger, she could earn the recognition of her Giant companions.

Although Annie was "short in stature and thin and frail," she was at a disadvantage from birth.

But through her own efforts, she reached the level of a first-tier expert, something rare among the Giant race.

She also awakened the bloodline of a Giant Shaman, and through her own tinkering, comprehended several augmentation auras, thereby leaping to become the strongest under Follen.

But the ignorant Giants still clung stubbornly to their views, and their rejection of her only intensified.

Only now, she already had the strength to protect herself and would no longer be harmed.

When Annie was defeated and opened her eyes, what she faced was not the cold mockery of her clansmen, but a smile like warm sunlight, and acceptance.

Especially when Fulade said those words: "Annie, you're quite good. How about following me from now on."

It was like an arrow piercing through one's heart, instantly shattering the fragile defenses in Annie's heart at that time.

Anyone who had not experienced what Annie had could not possibly understand or feel the joy and excitement in Annie's heart at that moment.

That feeling of being acknowledged, being needed, being looked at by the person before her—Annie now no longer had the arrogant pretense from when they first met, only extreme nervousness and cautiousness.

Annie's gaze wandered and flickered, yet she forced herself to stare fixedly into Fulade's eyes, and said softly:

"I, can I really follow you from now on? They, they all say I'm ill-fated, a jinx."

Looking at Annie's tightly clenched, whitened fingers, and her constantly flickering eyes that she forced herself to keep looking straight.

Although Fulade could not understand Annie's feelings at this moment, he still nodded and said, "Of course, I always keep my word."

When Fulade smiled and affirmed again, Annie's taut heartstrings finally relaxed, and a smile that even she herself had not noticed appeared on her face.

Looking at Annie before him, who seemed to have suddenly become a different person, Fulade did not press further.

Everyone has their own secrets, or a past they cannot bear to look back on.

So Fulade did not ask her why she said she was ill-fated, a jinx.

He believed that as they spent more time together in the future, when Annie wanted to tell him, she would definitely take the initiative to do so.

"Annie, are you a Shaman?" Fulade asked curiously.

"Mm, I awakened the bloodline of a Giant Shaman," Annie nodded with an "mm."

"That's very impressive. You're the most powerful first-tier creature I've ever seen. I believe your future achievements will definitely far exceed Follen's," Fulade nodded and praised.

Facing Fulade's repeated acknowledgment and praise, Annie suddenly felt bashful, a faint shy smile appearing at the corners of her lips. After chatting with Annie a bit more and seeing that she was no longer so nervous, Fulade finally had time to examine the stone hall's murals.

Unfortunately, they were too severely damaged, and coupled with the erosion of time, there was truly nothing of value.

Only faint silhouettes of roaring dragons, Giants floating in the air, and erupting volcanoes could be seen.

Fulade shook his head in disappointment, turned back to call Isabelle, and walked out of the great hall.

Now the entirety of Gantuva had fallen under Fulade's control, but the no-flight domain of this Sky Island gave him quite a headache.

If they had to climb up and down the Heaven-Reaching Vine every time, it would be very inconvenient, and also unfavorable for future development.

He would leave this problem for the Wizards to research; if that didn't work, they could first set up a Transmission Array to try.

Having made up his mind, Fulade looked at Isabelle beside him.

He saw Isa looking around with a face full of excited curiosity; clearly, she was very interested in this place.

"Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of inviting you to explore this beautiful and mysterious island?" Fulade wore a smile and invited Isa in an extremely gentlemanly manner.

Facing Fulade's invitation, Isabelle smiled shyly, "Ahem, sir, thank you for your invitation, but I already have someone accompanying me."

"Hahaha~" Saying that, she herself couldn't help but laugh first.

Looking at Isabelle's cheerful expression, Fulade smiled knowingly in his heart, understanding that Isa had already let go of the heavy burden in her heart.

Without hesitation, Fulade turned to look at Annie, who was following closely behind him, and said, "Annie, you can go back first and organize the things you need. I'll go accompany Isa to look around."

After saying that, he took Isabelle's small hand and headed toward the distant cluster of waterfalls.

But he did not notice Annie's expression of wanting to say something yet stopping herself.

This floating island was very large; the two of them walked around for a day, yet only covered a tiny area around the waterfall cluster.

Of course, this was also related to the fact that they were purely enjoying themselves.

Even at night, the two admired the huge full moon in the sky and had a romantic waltz in the water.

Until the next day, when the first touch of golden dawn appeared in the sky.

Fulade, embracing the blushing Isabelle, watched the sunrise together before bringing Isa, whose face was full of contentment, back to the stone hall.

"Annie, why are you sleeping here?"

When Fulade brought Isabelle back to the stone hall, he was startled to find that Annie, with her golden ponytail, had actually fallen asleep on the stone steps of the hall, which greatly surprised Fulade.

"I, I was waiting for you," Annie smiled shyly.

Seeing that there was nothing around Annie, and that her clothes were the same one Isabelle had draped over her yesterday to temporarily cover her, how could Fulade not understand that she had been waiting here all night.

Looking at Annie's shy smile, Fulade couldn't help but feel a trace of pity in his heart.

Raising his arm and ruffling her golden hair, Fulade said, "You don't have any family, right? From now on, you can call me brother."

"It just so happens I'm missing a younger sister too," Fulade said with a smile.

Annie lifted her head and looked at that gentle smile, radiant as the first light of dawn; her nose stung and she nearly burst into tears.

Watching Annie tilt her head back, fighting to keep the tears from falling, Fulade drew her slender shoulders into his arm and walked out toward the outside of Sky Island.

Golden dawn light fell upon Annie's slightly upturned face, as though time had been frozen in this moment.

(End of this chapter)