Chapter 171: The Lift-High Knight

Fate is never short of accidents and miracles; perhaps what it lacks is merely the eye capable of precisely observing that moment.

Looking out the window, at just the first glance, Li En felt himself go numb.

Princess Dai Niya was not alone; behind her stood a group of knights, fully armed and mounted.

Among them were even several Radiant Guards; these people leaving the city together were clearly on official business.

Rush over and scoop her up directly? Uh, charging in to forcibly embrace Her Highness under the protection of a group of knights? You'd become a honeycomb of arrows in an instant.

Li En realized this malicious joke might actually kill him.

But if he doesn't fulfill it? Then he waits for the oath to be broken.

Should he regret it? If he hadn't added that extra word, perhaps he wouldn't have to endure this crisis?

No, that won't happen; everything has a price.

The Snake is currently in a state of "non-existence," but the results caused by its fluctuations must instead adhere to the principle of balance.

If Li En benefits from this without paying a price, then this karma will accumulate, eventually turning into misfortune. This is what the Snake said afterward; he seemed to enjoy seeing Li En worried, constantly forcing Li En to overthink with various "truths."

Watching the knights who seemed ready to depart, Li En knew he had to make a decision; perhaps it would be difficult and life-threatening, but not entirely impossible!

"Heh, now that's flavorful."

After weighing it, Li En already had a plan.

At this current moment, this army going out, and in the direction I came from, what could it be for?

He didn't rush to embrace her; instead, he checked his "mirror," his face showing obvious joy, and walked over quickly.

"Her Highness the Princess!!"

The young man's face revealed an expression of urgency; on his previously calm-as-water countenance, a rare joy had appeared.

"I thought I would never see you again." Speaking words he would never normally say aloud, Li En, under the gaze of all, approached Her Highness the Princess.

"Wait." And this enthusiasm instead made Dai Niya show a look of caution.

If you were some kind of shapeshifter or disguised assassin, clearly you didn't do your homework; how could Li En possibly show me a respectful expression! He scolded me just a few days ago!

She looked back at her attendant; the other person touched their ring and actually shook their head.

"Uh, is it true?"

And at this moment, Li En had already walked up to Her Highness the Princess.

"I have urgent news to report. If I am not mistaken, you are heading to quell the ogre bandit gang on the road leading to the city of Muzodilka."

This is actually quite easy to guess; you have several strong men of Great Knight level in your group, yet you haven't brought enough supplies, clearly indicating a short-range hunt.

And within this range, there aren't many targets worth quelling; considering the contract just signed between the two cities, having "Her Highness the Princess personally lead the knightly order" to quell the bandits intercepting the trade routes would become a political gesture of friendliness.

The next moment, more swords and arrows pointed at Li En.

Knowing the target of the advance beforehand, especially the whereabouts of the royal family, is not a good thing.

And Li En continued to smile.

"I suggest you do not go for now. Among those bandit groups, there is a Lich, at least an eighth-circle, very likely a ninth-circle! He cast an eighth-circle spell in front of me almost instantaneously."

After Li En spoke, the knights immediately showed expressions of surprise and began to murmur among themselves.

"Guessed right, as expected." This scene made Li En sigh with relief; the other party was indeed not just going to quell bandits and had not had time to do intelligence work.

This was only a matter of a few days; that bandit gang had been active for at most two or three days. In such a short time, the intercepted merchant caravans indeed had no one who recognized that it was actually a Lich!

They might have recognized it as a high-circle mage or a Magical item, but the difference between fifth or sixth circle and ninth circle is probably like the difference between a World War II jet and an aircraft carrier.

The former is a combat weapon of a backward era, while the latter is a national-level strategic weapon of mass destruction.

With the lineup before them to quell that bandit gang, it wasn't completely without a chance of victory, but encountering a ninth-circle spellcaster without preparation? Surviving half would be considered lucky.

"I encountered it before and barely survived."

The knightly party stopped, exchanging opinions in low voices; if this was the truth, they might owe Li En a favor.

Their expressions toward Li En also showed more respect; they already knew his abilities, and now he had escaped from a Lich above the eighth circle.

"The truth."

The lady guard of Her Highness the Princess looked at her ring and nodded affirmatively.

Instantly, the knights erupted; was the Lich real? How did they run into a top-tier monster just going out to fight a beast?

Everyone's gaze turned to the leader, Princess Dai Niya, preparing to wait for her decision.

"Knight Li En, thank you for your timely warning; I will remember this merit, and afterward I will reward your consistent loyalty." Her Highness the Princess was very reliable even in public.

She realized that obviously the quelling could not proceed, and she had to thank Li En for his timely warning.

"As for the reward, could you let me embrace you?!" And Li En's words instantly froze the scene.

You, a knight appointed by a Princess, wanting to act improperly against Her Highness the Princess in public?!

Thus, spears and bows once again aimed at Li En, and this time they were drawn.

Li En acted as if he heard nothing and saw nothing; his face full of sincerity, he continued speaking:

"In the desperate situation of encountering the Lich, I made a wish to a great existence: if I could escape alive, upon returning to the city, I would embrace the beautiful lady I happened to meet!" Yes, forcing it won't work; I'll do it properly.

I helped you; you should at least help me avoid breaking my oath.

The knights would be a crisis preventing me from completing my task, but they, adhering to the knightly spirit, are also full of expectation and hope for romantic stories.

Perhaps they were a crisis a moment ago, but if used properly, they could become an aid.

The bowstrings were lowered; more gazes turned over, filled with curiosity and expectation.

Li En's pupils faintly shimmered with a pale yellow light; he saw their expectation and desire; they also longed to see the embrace bestowed by the beauty after the hero's return. He even felt he could use it, guide it.

The knights' expectant eyes focused on the Princess; the invisible subconscious coalesced into a consensus.

Perhaps the next moment, someone would shout out the words "let him embrace her."

At that time, the Princess, with her people-friendly persona, would be placed on the fire.

"A lie!"

And the red warning spiritual light on the guard's ring made the scene freeze instantly.

The subconsciousness that had been pulled apart shattered in an instant; Li En's ability failed directly.

Li En was stunned; he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

And the bowstrings, each feeling deceived, were already drawn full, waiting for a single command.

"Uh. The object of my wish to embrace is not a beautiful lady, but the first person I saw!!"

"Truth."

Instantly, the scene became even more subtle.

The originally tense scene relaxed once again, and various teasing glances swept back and forth.

After repeatedly drawing the atmosphere close and then shattering it, the mood could no longer be tense, and the "subconsciousnesses" gradually relaxed.

Many gazes and consciousnesses turned toward Her Highness the Princess, and this time, Li En felt he could pull "them" very easily.

Indeed, the difficulty was less than half of before.

So, he tried to use an intangible sensation to gently pull it.

"Heh, come on." Dai Niya sighed; what kind of thing was this?

She, too, was unconsciously being pulled by the subconsciousness outside; her original hesitation and vigilance were shattered.

"Forgive my rudeness," Li En put down his weapon, walked over slowly, and reached out to gently embrace Her Highness the Princess.

Very light, very soft, and then very high!

In the next instant, arms wrapped around and lifted; Li En suddenly hoisted Dai Niya high.

Under the gaze of all, Li En lifted Her Highness the Princess over his head! And spun a full circle!

The gaze looking down from the lifted Her Highness the Princess was completely stunned.

"Is it high? Is it high?" Next, Li En put Her Highness the Princess down, then turned and ran.

"Her Highness the Princess, I'm sorry! My vow was to pick up and lift high!" The man dashed away, while behind him came sounds of hearty laughter.

And the gaze of Her Highness the Princess behind him probably truly wanted to kill someone.

Likely, the story of many Her Highness the Princesses and their "lift-high" knights would spread throughout the entire city.

And this story, somewhat comical, somewhat romantic, and somewhat nonsensical, completely bound Li En and Dai Niya together. Previously, rumors of their conflict had vanished completely.

Fate was twisted once again; the happy snake flicked its tongue, waiting to see more fun.

He failed, yet he was happier.

"Truly worthy of me; even a route with less than a 3% success rate can be traversed. How should the next story be fabricated to be even more interesting?"

(End of this chapter)