Chapter 62: A Chasm? I’ll Bridge It!

Wu Qingsong shifted his gaze to Harold, who didn’t immediately speak but looked intently back at him.

“Alright, what do you have to tell me?” Wu Qingsong asked, his voice tinged with irritation. “You’ve played the skeptic for as long as I can remember. But I want to be clear, whatever you say, I won’t give up.”

His affection for Nina wasn’t a fleeting impulse. Perhaps he fully grasped this during his fight with the undead mage. Maybe it might have started when he was rescued in Rem City, yet he didn’t consider it a mistake.

From the moment he met Nina, he was drawn to her. initially, his mindset, carried over from his previous world, made him instinctively shy away from such feelings and possibilities. But the thought of Nina had always lingered in his heart, occasionally surfacing to fill his daydreams.

Nina was extraordinary, to the point where he initially felt inadequate beside her. However, as he adapted to this world, turned his knowledge into wealth, and his true talents came to light, he finally found the courage to chase after her.

For someone raised in the modern world, Ram’s fixation with social hierarchies was incomprehensible.

“Whether a prince or a beggar, aren’t we all made of the same stuff?” Growing up with such principles, Wu Qingsong couldn’t possibly abide by this antiquated notion.

Rather, the status of a fallen princess added an extra allure to Nina, fueling his desire to earn her affection even more.

“Do you truly have no idea?” Harold finally broke his silence, although his opening remark was enigmatic.

“What don’t I know? There’s a whole list of things I’m in the dark about.”

“Do you really not grasp what it means to be a half-blood?” Harold asked.

Wu Qingsong was momentarily stunned.

He had expected Harold to dampen his enthusiasm from some angle, but he never thought it would be for this particular reason.

In the world he came from, being of mixed heritage often equated to enhanced beauty, especially for women. He knew of several female celebrities who had dual or even triple national backgrounds, which often lent them unique, enchanting attributes.

That was why he had never taken his own half-elf heritage seriously.

While he understood Ling’s sense of inferiority and tried to comfort and encourage her, he had never really internalized his half-elf status. When he made the decision to pursue Nina, the thought that this could be an obstacle had never crossed his mind.

“Though the lineage of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan might not hold much weight on a continental scale,” Harold started, drawing a disapproving glance from Ram, “it’s nothing short of a sacred bloodline to the wolfkin and their subjects who live in these lands. Do you really think Nina would risk her lineage by marrying a half-elf? And even if she were willing, do you think the wolfkin, who revere and adore her, would agree?”

“They’d kill you to preserve their honor and lineage,” Ram couldn’t help but interject. “Do you have any idea how many wolfkins would lay down their lives for Nina? Even if she did have feelings for you, which is highly unlikely, it wouldn’t stop them from seeing you as an enemy. To them, your union with Nina would be nothing short of blasphemy. They’d go to any lengths to kill you, even if it meant causing Nina immense sorrow or anger. They would even commit suicide right after killing you as a form of atonement.”

“Kill me?” Wu Qingsong asked. “Do they even have the capability?”

“They might not be able to kill you, but they’ll relentlessly try. How are you planning to deal with these wolfkin, who are devoted to Nina but hold an intense loathing for you? If you genuinely love her, would you want her to be caught in this emotional torment?” 

Although Ram had long wanted to recruit Wu Qingsong into their ranks, she had never thought of using this particular angle. To her, it was not only far-fetched but also somewhat sacrilegious.

She now grasped the source of Nina’s distress and her resulting unusual behavior. Nina must be grappling with how to fend off Wu Qingsong’s unwarranted advances while keeping a critical ally on board.

Were it someone else, Ram might have already intervened. If not to kill, then at least to serve a harsh lesson that made him understand his place.

However, Wu Qingsong was laden with secrets. Beyond his mysterious talent for unlocking hidden potential in people, even his involvement in the soap smuggling operation had become one of the most vital financial lifelines for the Silver Moon Wolf Clan.

“If you truly have her best interests at heart, you shouldn’t be putting her in such a difficult position, making her live in agony, should you?” Ram carefully said.

She started to appreciate Nina’s foresight. She had foreseen this dilemma. Had they imprudently exploited Wu Qingsong’s abilities from the get-go, and he later expressed such inappropriate intentions, would they even be in a position to reject him?

Everything Nina feared was likely to unfold, spelling catastrophe for the already vulnerable Silver Moon Wolf Clan.

She studied Wu Qingsong, scrutinizing the expressions that played across his face, hoping that he’d come to his senses and make the right choice. Unexpectedly, Wu Qingsong broke the silence, asking, “So who deserves her then? Who is worthy of marrying her?”

With a sigh, Ram replied, “It’s not that simple. If you were a wolfman, you’d already have the standing to court her. At worst, you’d be the subject of ridicule for your infatuation. But if you could prove your worth, no one would dare to oppose you. You’re not a wolfman, Wu. No matter how hard you strive, you can’t alter your lineage.”

Wu Qingsong saw no fault in his own heritage but lacked the words to express this.

‘How infuriating,’ he thought. 

Yet, this sentiment only fueled his resolve.

‘What a farce,’ he mused. ‘This is the first time I’ve been so deeply smitten with a girl, and also the first time I’ve had the guts to openly express my intentions.’

Abandon the pursuit now? Unthinkable.

He paused momentarily, then asked once more, “What if I could offer every member of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan a life of prosperity? What if I could even restore the Silver Moon Kingdom? Would that not be enough?”

The absurdity of his claim prompted Ram to laugh, “Do you even understand what you’re saying?”

“I know exactly what I’m saying,” Wu Qingsong declared earnestly.

“If you can genuinely make that happen, then… well, there’d obviously be no issue. But you…” Ram shook her head, utterly baffled by Wu Qingsong’s train of thought.

Rebuilding the Silver Moon Kingdom had always been their dream. Yet the more they struggled and experienced, the more she realized the enormity of the task. That was why she was so taken aback when she first witnessed Wu Qingsong’s abilities.

However, after calming down, she had to admit that Harold was right. The strength of a single individual could hardly shift the status quo. Merely maintaining their current situation was already a monumental challenge. If they could extend their influence across the entire Tecks Mountain Range, forming a de facto kingdom, it would already be a monumental achievement worth a lifetime’s effort.

Alternatively, as Harold had once suggested, they could relocate to the unconquered northern wastelands to build anew. But that would mean starting from scratch, facing off against barbaric beast tribes, and enduring a harsh living environment. It wasn’t necessarily any easier than staying put.

The elves had not conquered these lands not because they couldn’t but because the territories were too barren and frigid to be worth the effort. They occasionally sent their young on so-called rites of slaughter, but that was it.

Reviving the Silver Moon Kingdom would mean overturning the existing political order. A move not even the influential elven nobility would dare undertake against the collective will of the empire.

Wu Qingsong’s declarations were nothing more than the passionate cries of a young man.

“Then watch and see for yourselves,” Wu Qingsong declared, standing up abruptly before striding out.

“Wu!” Ram had no option but to call after him.

“What?”

“Look, whatever you’re planning, if you genuinely care for Nina, keep those feelings locked away. Don’t add more to the load she’s already carrying, okay? She has enough on her plate as it is,” Ram advised.

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Wu Qingsong assured her.

Seeking a moment to collect himself, he walked toward the training ground he had visited earlier. To his surprise, he found Nina there again.

‘Is fate giving me no option but to confront this?’ he mused.

“Wu, you’re here,” Nina said, her demeanor noticeably anxious but also resolved. Unlike before, she didn’t avoid him, instead, she walked directly toward him.

“Nina?” Wu Qingsong felt a little unsettled by her unexpected approach.

If Nina were to repeat what Ram had warned him about earlier, he honestly wouldn’t know how to handle it. 

Although he had clarified his own feelings, he couldn’t bear the thought of stubbornly imposing himself on her.

“The words you spoke to me earlier, I’ve given them serious thought,” Nina began, her cheeks flushed but her gaze steadfast. “I’m grateful for your feelings, Wu. You’re a remarkable man, and any woman would consider herself lucky to have your attention.”

“However,” she continued, “I’m not just any woman, Wu. You should know well the responsibilities and duties that come with being a descendant of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan. There are many tasks I must fulfill. So, although your sentiments have touched me, I can’t accept your feelings the way an ordinary girl might.”

It was a rejection, yet it felt far more considerate than what Ram and Harold had previously said. But Wu Qingsong’s fighting spirit had been awakened. How could he so readily retreat and abandon his feelings now?

“It’s alright,” he told Nina. “I like you, every part of you, including your responsibilities and duties. And I’ll prove it, not just in words but in action. From this moment on, you’re not in this fight alone. Starting today, I’ll do whatever it takes to help you fulfill the tasks you must carry out.”

“Wu?” Nina was caught off guard. Her pre-scripted conversation had just been completely upended.

“You might think I’m all talk, but I assure you, if I have the courage to tell you I like you, I’ll have the courage to show you as well. Don’t worry, Nina. Just don’t rush to decisions, and don’t close that door on me too soon. Give me a little time, give me an opportunity. Once you see what I can truly offer, then make your decision. Is that okay?”

Nina stared at Wu Qingsong in astonishment. She had always thought highly of him, but he’d never been like this.

He seemed transformed. A new man, brimming with a newfound sense of confidence and initiative, but without coming off as arrogant or overly aggressive.

She had already seen many remarkable things in him. Could even more surprises lie ahead?

‘What if he was of the wolfkin?’ the thought involuntarily crossed her mind.

“Very well, Wu,” she finally replied. “If this is your resolve, then I choose to respect it. But let’s continue to support each other, as we’ve always done, rather than you taking it upon yourself to handle matters for me. That wouldn’t be fair. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I understand perfectly,” Wu Qingsong responded. “Nina, thank you.”