Chapter 44: Another Unquantifiable Master

‘Damn it, that damn Wolf King. It took both Safiya and me to bring it down, and yet it submits so easily to this woman?’

Draxel’s curiosity was instantly piqued. “You all retreat to a safe area. I’m going to investigate this. Is this woman really that powerful?”

“I’ve warned you already, brother. Be careful.” Count Haringoth’s expression was ashen as if the fall of Dark Castle was now a foregone conclusion, filled with despair.

Seeing Draxel still determined, he slowly shared a well-known fact. In all the kingdoms, there existed an unwritten rule. if one encountered the Steppe Valkyrie on the battlefield, fleeing was not only acceptable but advised, underscoring her formidable prowess.

At that moment, Safiya fiercely grabbed Draxel by the ear.

“Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! What’s the problem?”

“Are you looking to check out that woman, you lecherous Count?”

“I am not.”

“You are too.”

“I am not!”

“If I say you are, then you are!”

“Fine, let’s go together then. You’ll see just how ‘lecherous’ I am.”

“Roar. You’re definitely lecherous, Count.” The young dragon Lein also joined in the teasing.

“All right, let’s go together. What, am I supposed to be scared?” After saying this, Safiya released him, leaving Draxel’s ear red and sore.

“You violent woman, I should’ve never taken you from the Abyssal Mountains. I ought to have left you to… Ahhh!!!”

Just as Draxel finished voicing his complaints, he experienced a second round of ear-pulling torture. Shortly after, they stealthily made their way to the outskirts of Dark Castle.

Gazing up at the walls, Draxel spotted a woman with a balanced figure and delicate features riding a sturdy steppe wolf, surveying the land from above.

[Character Identified: Steppe Valkyrie, Tiancheng Yanqian, daughter of the Khan of the Khergit Khanate]

[Character Status: Known as Valkyrie Tianyan, Level: ?, Strength: ?, Agility: ?, Wisdom: ?, Charm: ?]

[Evaluation: The gap between your and the opponent’s data is too significant to reveal precise details.]

Damn, this was another formidable character whose details the system couldn’t fully discern, following the enigmatic Profit Empress Ronnie.

“It seems Count Haringoth wasn’t misleading us. Safiya, we should really leave now.”

“Why should we? I refuse to leave! How does she look that formidable?” 

Spurred by a sense of competition, Safiya impulsively drew her bow and fired an arrow her way. This move scared Draxel out of his wits. 

He urgently whispered, “Damn it! You just revealed our position. Let’s go, now!”

The arrow flew with astonishing speed, directly targeting the Valkyrie’s face. Yet, the woman didn’t flinch, instead, she smirked disdainfully. In the moment before the arrow could pierce her ethereally beautiful face, she swiftly caught it with her hand. The arrow stopped merely a centimeter from her skin.

This effortless interception made Draxel finally understand the deep significance behind her name, Tianyan (Heavenly Face).

In an instant, a shade of sadness and reluctance passed through Safiya’s eyes. She realized then that her strength was significantly weaker than this woman’s.

“Now’s not the time to feel sad about our strength. We need to leave, fast!”

Draxel, without hesitation, grabbed Safiya’s arm, taking her and the young dragon Lein, and vanished into the night.

The Valkyrie on the walls only then spoke softly to herself, “Such lowly beings, killing my beloved steed.”

As they fled, Draxel found himself believing the unwritten rule more firmly, encountering the Steppe Valkyrie on the battlefield warranted a retreat, regardless of the mission.

Safiya was silent throughout their escape, deeply disheartened, all of which Draxel observed closely.

‘Hmm, this won’t do. I have to cheer her up. But how? Maybe comment on the weather? Ask if she’s cold? Or…’ the young Count pondered internally.

Just then, the system decided to chime in with its mockery.

[Evaluation: Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. You’re all charm and wit when chatting up the guys, like a sow wearing a bra. And now? Gone quiet?]

“Shut up,” Draxel snapped at the system, his frustration barely contained in a whisper.

Unfortunately, that whispered rebuke was overheard by the young dragon, who thought the Count was having another of his moments.

“Roar? Who spoke? You’re not going mad in the middle of the night, are you?”

“It’s nothing. Didn’t you notice our beloved Princess Safiya is upset? Go and comfort your mom.”

“Roar. My dear mom, don’t be sad. I’ll help you in the future. Together we’ll take down that so-called Valkyrie. She’s nothing special.”

“You need to communicate through actions, she won’t understand your words.”

“Roar! Then why the hell can’t you translate for me?”

After its outcry, the young dragon Lein affectionately licked Safiya’s arm and nuzzled against her, displaying a demeanor of obedience and understanding.

Safiya, looking down at the young dragon cradled in her arms with a face brimming with adoration, asked, “Count, what did it say? I’m curious to know.”

Draxel found himself in an awkward position, internally exclaiming, ‘How do you expect me to translate such overly sentimental rubbish?’

However, failing to translate was not an option, so he braced himself and said, “Safiya, my dear mom, don’t be sad. I’ll help you in the future. Together, we’ll take down that Valkyrie. She’s nothing special.”

This reinterpretation finally elicited a smile from Safiya, who had remained silent until then.

With a playful smirk, she teased, “Count, it’s impossible for me to have birthed a son as big as you~”

“Damn it, I’m just translating. Are you trying to make a fool of me?”

“Hahaha, you’re so stingy, it was just a joke~ Are you feeling homesick? After the battle, let’s head back to Uxkhal and check on your mother, Bena.”

“My mother’s name is Yan— Alright, hopefully, we’ll wrap up the battle soon and return to see her.”

Draxel nearly let slip his mother’s true name from his past life in the modern world, Yanzi.

At that moment, he deeply missed home, yearning for the cozy little space of just a few dozen square meters and his true parents. That day at home, while listening to music and playing video games, he was mysteriously transported into the game world along with the system. Perhaps his parents were now anxiously looking for him, searching for any clue to his whereabouts.

“Safiya.”

“Yes? What is it, Count?”

“Just remember, we will defeat the Steppe Valkyrie. When that day comes, I promise to be there with you. All we need to do now is continue to train and improve ourselves.”

“Mm… absolutely.”

[Your friendliness with Safiya has increased by +2, currently at 52.]

[Assessment: Actually, my earlier comments were meant to challenge you. See, didn’t you perform well?]