CH 455

“I actually asked them for their opinion and they thought I should come help, so I came.”

“Them?”

“Yeah. them.” Lin Xiao said as he looked out at the two girls.

One reason he came was because of the trust and support ShenDai Ying had in him, the other important reason was Elena.

Lin Xiao talked it over with Elena before coming, they were in agreement that helping Claire was helping themselves as well.

If they wanted to find who was behind the enlightened society, they weren’t lacking strength, but information. Claire had exactly that but didn’t have people to go through it, so it was a waste!

Now that Lin Xiao was here, the information can show their worth! During their investigation, he indeed found some clues.

Usually when people rebel they want to overthrow the reign of the monarch, or to become king themselves. Other than a flag that convinces the people, they also need a right and proper leader that can be selected as king after they win, but this time the rebel army didn’t have one.

So far Lin Xiao only knows that the leader of the rebel army is someone called Ma Long and there are three lords working hard for him who also pulled in numerous smaller lords. Their objective remains unclear, but based on their previous attacks, it doesn’t seem like they want to defeat the army, but to delay and force the kingdom to throw more money and power into the frontlines and let the plague continue to spread.

The plague was caused by the enlightenment society and the rebel army is intentionally letting the plague spread… were they somehow related?

It was a reasonable conjecture, but he still had no proof, so he had to continue watching before making the next conclusion.

Of course, Lin Xiao never told Claire, her brain was already too full to hold any more information.

“I already sent someone reliable to watch Snow, so I’m not worried and they also support me, so I changed my mind.”

“So you asked for their opinion and came to help after getting permission?”

What Claire was focused on was kind of strange, but Lin Xiao didn’t mind, “Yeah, pretty much.”

“So you mean, ShenDai Ying and Elena are actually your masters and you have to listen to their orders?”

Claire shivered and never thought that Lin Xiao was someone like that.

“Hey! Stop giving it a strange label! Elena is my maid and Sister Ying is my teammate, they have to listen to my orders!”

“Then why do you have to ask for their opinion?”

“Uh… that’s two different things! I’m respecting them, respect, do you understand? Tsk, it feels like you think I’m wife-whipped or something…”

“Wife-whipped?”

When Claire heard that she stopped and suddenly realized she never asked if Lin Xiao was married or had anyone he liked or not, if that was the case then there was no point in her hoping for anything.

So she took this chance and casually asked, “Lin Xiao, do you have a wife?”

“Not yet… why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Because you said wife whipped earlier, so I thought you and ShenDAi Ying were already…”

“Oh, you’re asking about sister Ying… she’s not my wife now, but I will marry her.”

“I see, no wonder… hm? What did you say?”

“I said I will marry her.”

“Eh!?”

Claire initially thought she had misheard, and confirmed after getting him to repeat it. She couldn’t help but widen her eyes and nervously ask, “But I heard she was already engaged!”

“Yes.”

“And it wasn’t to you, but Caesar!”

“That’s right.”

“So why…”

“Hehe, that’s trivial.”

“You like her?”

“Yes.”

“What about her?”

“She shouldn’t dislike me. But she still doesn’t completely trust me, there’s some barrier, something’s missing.”

“You like her, she hasn’t rejected you… so, you’re planning on eloping?” Claire gulped and couldn’t believe that those two were already at this stage.

She thought that Lin Xiao and ShenDai Ying were just playing around and never expected them to already have pledged to each other.

“Elope? No, no, that’s dumb, I have a better plan.”

“What plan?”

“Well, it won’t work if I say it out loud… anyways I won’t let her marry someone else.”

“How could that….” Claire mumbled to herself and didn’t know what expression to put on. She suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, “Then what about Elena? How do you see her?”

“She’s my maid.”

“Do you also like her?”

“Hm, I guess.”

“Since you said you were going to marry ShenDai Ying, then you can’t also want to marry Elena, right?”

“That… I never thought about it that much.” Lin Xiao scratched his head and didn’t hide anything from Claire, “I have a strange relationship with her, it’s far from marriage, but I just want her to stay by my side.”

“Hm… I can’t believe it was like this.”

The conversation ended there and Claire didn’t continue asking, she could only silently mull over the shocking truth.

Lin Xiao never said it, but she could already read the deep binds they have between them through his words.

Whether it was ShenDai Ying or Elena, neither of them had a normal man-and-woman relationship with Lin Xiao, and the feelings and bond between them greatly surpassed her expectations.

“It seems like I was too naive…”

“Claire, what are you muttering about again?”

“N-nothing… we should get back to work.”

Whatever the case may be, tomorrow’s meeting was the most important, as for those feelings that she has never experienced before… she can leave it for later.

“Okay, let’s continue! Claire, you have to listen closely and learn quickly, time is limited and I still have a negotiation trick I want to teach you later so that you don’t get led around by them during the meeting.”

“Negotiation trick… what’s that?”

“Hehe, this is one amazing trick, I relied on this to survive during my time in another world!”

“Another world? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Listen up! This technique is called Tree Blossoms! As long as you learn this, you can make it so those old geezers won’t underestimate you!”

“Is it that amazing!?”

When she heard that Claire got excited, but because of the shock from earlier, she was a bit tired. Even though she knew Lin Xiao’s technique could help her, she had no motivation as she rested her cheeks on her hands and leaned over the table.

“Hey, what kind of attitude is that? Do you not believe me?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, I’m just a bit tired…”

“Tired? Tomboy, you’re not trying to slack off, right!?”

“Uh…”

As a tomboy who only knows about fighting, there was too much pressure using a day to learn about politics and negotiation. It felt like her head would explode!

“You didn’t even want to help me, so why are you trying so hard now…” Claire laid down on the table and powerlessly complained.

“Hmph, since I’m already here, I’ll definitely help you deal with them. If you fail, that’s a slap to my face! So this isn’t your own fight anymore, you want to slack off? No chance! If you don’t learn properly, then there won’t be any dinner for you! Also, don’t even think about sleeping, I’m going to torment you all night!”

“Uh, not letting me sleep and tormenting me… Lin Xiao, can you please stop saying these strange things? At least treat me like a woman!”

“There’s only teacher and student here, no man nor woman!”

“Ugh, but my head hurts, I can’t learn anymore…”

“No, you have to keep learning even if you die, continue!”

On one side, Lin Xiao was strictly lecturing Claire, on the other side, Elena and ShenDai Ying returned and coincidentally saw this scene.

“Elena, I think you should get your master a whip, then this scene will feel more powerful and explosive!”

“Hm, not just a whip, but also a candle, that will be more stimulating.”

“Hm? A whip and candle? Elena, you seem to know it well… could it be you’ve done this with Lin Xiao?”

“… No!!!”