Chapter 586 - Soft Feather
On a hill some distance away from Leon and Duna's tent, Aria sat in a meditative position as she quietly drew in the world's natural energy to cultivate.
After a moment, Aria opened her eyes and expunged a breath of foul air.
Lilith walked over shortly and found herself a seat on the grass beside Aria before gazing at Leon and Duna's tent ahead.
"Are you not going to do something about your man? I can smell some spicy business is about to go down in there. After all, a man and woman in a tent alone, something is bound to happen," Lilith said with a curious gaze.
"As his wife, my only wish is to be able to accommodate his desires. Who he chooses to spend time with is his choice to make. I will not stop nor interrupt his moment," Aria said coolly before flashing Lilith a look.
Shortly after, she added, "But if you are so interested in snooping on their business, feel free to go ahead. I won't stop you."
"Wait, you two are already married? When did this happen? Where was the mad invite?" Lilith was startled.
"Eh? Ahem," Aria issued a slight cough before she said with a bit of embarrassment, "We are not officially married yet."
"I see… Well, it's none of my business anyway," Lilith said. But after a moment, she asked for confirmation, "Are you sure I can peek?"
Aria raised an eyebrow before glancing at her, "Didn't you say it's none of your business?"
"Well, it being none of my business, and me being curious is two different things, right?" Lilith asked with a dumb look.
Aria was a bit speechless.
Nevertheless, she shrugged and gave Lilith the nod of approval.
However, not long after Lilith left, Aria saw her coming back with a panicky expression before she asking, "What's wrong?"
"I think Leon is dead."
"What?" Aria immediately shot to her death before asking, "What do you mean by that? Why do you think that? Did Duna killed him?"
"Eh? No… They are both lying motionlessly on the bed without a single movement…" Lilith explained with a particular expression.
They could not have passed out so quickly after doing the deed, right? That would seem a little pathetic.
Meanwhile, Aria studied Lilith's expression carefully incase the person was playing a mean prank on her.
After a moment, she furrowed her brows before making her way over to check for herself.
However, just as she was about to lift the veil and enter, it was raised on the inside. Leon exited with a refreshing look while Duna followed behind.
"Oh? You're both here. Just in time. Come with me to see the General Marquis and Blue Luan Tribe's monarch, then we can set out on our journey together."
Shortly after Leon said this, Aria flashed Lilith a questioning gaze—only to see her return a look that says she does not know what is going on either.
She could only turn her gaze back to Leon and asked, "Are you alright, Leon?"
"Oh? I'm perfectly fine, Aria. Why do you ask?" Leon was slightly surprised by her question before he suddenly paused.
Thinking back, he had yet to have much intimate moments with Aria while he had been with Duna twice already.
This was not good.
Aria might misunderstand and think that he was showing Duna favoritism while leaving her behind.
Thinking up to this point, Leon moved his head closer and whispered softly into Aria's ears, "You are curious, Duna and I were doing together later when we are alone."
Aria immediately blushed and pounded Leon's chest with a blaming look before she whispered back shyly, "Don't talk about private matters when others are around…"
"Right…" Leon smiled wryly before he quietly apologized, "It was my bad."
Shortly after, the group left and paid the General Marquis a trip.
However, they did not stay for long, nor did Leon speak too much with General Marquis Hendrick.
After finding a nice spot to lay down one of his portable teleportation arrays, he left the General Marquis with a few instructions to protect the teleportation array.
'Can this thing really allow people to travel between two points instantaneously?' General Marquis Hendrick wondered.
He glanced at the round disk made of bones that seemed to be drawing in the so-called hidden Wrathful Demonic Energy from the surroundings.
The size was not big, but it could fit roughly five people at a time.
'I guess I can only find out later when His Highness uses it to return…'
…
On the other side of the big rift, Leon quickly arrived with Duna while Aria followed shortly behind with Lilith on her ice-lightning sword.
"You're planning on leaving, human?" The Paragon-level Blue Luan, Bluewinter, asked before Leon could speak.
"You can tell?" He asked.
Bluewinter nodded her large head before she said, "I can tell from reading your expression… But once you are gone, who will cleanse the evil energy from the food for us?"
As the Blue Luan said this, the icy bird showed a bit of embarrassment.
" You need not worry about this, Monarch Bluewinter. I have already made arrangements for someone capable to take over for me while I am gone."
"I see… If someone else can do it, then there is no problem…" Bluewinter nodded.
Leon paused for a moment.
He contemplated for a moment before he made a sudden decision.
"Monarch Bluewinter, if you don't mind, I would like to transmit a technique to your mind directly as a token of my sincerity," Leon stated with respect.
Bluewinter gazed at Leon deeply in silence, seemingly trying to see through him and understand his intentions.
However, she frowned in failure.
After a moment, she ultimately nodded her head, "Alright. This monarch will accept your token of sincerity. How will you transmit your technique to my mind directly?"
A lot of concession was made on Bluewinter's end. A normal Blue Luan would not allow a human to their head directly.
"Like this."
After Leon flew over with a nod, he poked Bluewinter's crown and transferred a technique into her mind with his True Grandmist Energy.
A glimmer of surprise flashed in Bluewinter's eyes before she stared at Leon deeply in silence for some time.
"This Monarch will not say any words of gratitude. However, I do believe that sincerity must be reciprocated in kind."
After the Paragon-level Blue Luan said this, she issued a soft cry that reached far into the group of Blue Luans camping in the distant field behind her.
Sometime later, a noticeably smaller Blue Luan flew over swiftly before she asked, "You called for me, mother?"
Although the Blue Luan was said to be noticeably smaller, this was in comparison to the other Blue Luans.
Being 200 feet big, it was still humongous to the likes of humans.
"Un." Bluewinter shortly nodded before she turned her head back to face Leon and introduced, "This is my daughter, Soft Feather. She is not very strong in the tribe, but she is amongst the fastest."
"Although I am not sure what you will be doing in the Wildlands, I believe she will be of excellent assistance on your travels."
"You want us to mount your daughter?" Leon asked with surprise.
With the Blue Luan's pride, it was almost impossible for them to allow this to happen. He did not expect that the Paragon-level Blue Luan would offer up her own daughter as a mount.
At the same time, Blue Luan was immediately caught off guard by Leon's question as her expression crumpled in astonishment.
But shortly after she recovered, she cleared her throat and said, "That's a strange way to phrase it… but yes. Please use her as a mount for your journey."
"Mother, you want me to be a mount for humans?" Soft Feather looked at her mother with disbelief.
How could her mother subject her to such humiliation? Was this still her mother?
"That is exactly what I wish of you. Why? Do you want to object to your mother's decision?" Bluewinter looked at her daughter.
Soft Feather gazed back with a hard look before she unwillingly stated, "If mother orders me as such, I will comply as you require me so. I only ask one question; why me?"
"As I have ascended the Paragonal throne and become the monarch of our Blue Luan Tribe, that makes you a princess."
After a slight pause, Bluewinter continued to explain, "As the Blue Luan Tribe's princess, it is your responsibility to share some of its burdens."
"And this responsibility requires me to lower myself to the humans and become their mount?" Soft Feather frowned with incomprehensibility.
"Naturally, there are other candidates, but you must know that I chose you because this will be beneficial for you. You might hate me for this now, but you will be grateful for my decision later..." Bluewinter said with a sigh.
"Just know that it is crucial to remain close and friendly with this human, okay? The rise of our tribe may depend on it."
"I understand, mother." Soft Feather lowered her head in compliance. She understood that she did not understand anything her mother told her.
However, since it was her mother's decision, she can only follow obediently.
Meanwhile, Leon listened in on their entire exchange despite the fact that Bluewinter and Soft Feather communicated in the beast language.
Little do they know that Leon had understood every word they had spoken to each other.
'Interesting...' Leon's eyes flickered in thought.
Shortly after, Bluewinter turned her attention back to Leon and spoke, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all.." Leon smiled lightly.