Chapter 10: Acquaintance

The noise in the village continued unabated, as the disputes between nobles and peasants gradually reached a resolution. 

After all, compared to starving to death, living on their knees was a better bargain. 

Soon, deeds to land were sold off cheaply, and gaunt, emaciated peasants received bags of life-saving grain. 

Even if they felt unwilling, there was nothing they could do but glare at the detestable noble with eyes that wished to kill. 

They didn’t dare treat the noble the way they treated Emilia—truly, they were just bullying the weak while fearing the strong.

In the end, they had contributed to this outcome themselves, reaping what they had sown.

Hiding in the shadows, Sigg, who lived like a rat, grinned widely, letting his teeth catch some air. 

Watching this scene unfold, he expressed his satisfaction, giving it a perfect score of one hundred out of ten. 

He even had the mood to give a thumbs-up to the silver-haired girl beside him, though his mouth remained unrelenting.

“What a show! This was absolutely worth the price of admission, Emilia. You’re quite the talent.”

For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond and could only remain silent. 

Silence was indeed the best response, as she truly didn’t know what to say. 

These people were all familiar to her, some even leaving a deep impression. 

After all, this was the place where she was born and raised.

Once, she had been so beloved. 

As a saintess, an archbishop, and even a symbol of imperial authority, the villagers had taken pride in her, mentioning her in every third sentence. 

She had built all sorts of infrastructure to give back to the village, treating the villagers like family.

But everything changed after her exile. 

She had thought this place would be her final refuge, only to find that everyone kept their distance, as if afraid of her. 

They insulted her, scorned her, and hurled vicious words at her. 

Even her deceased parents became targets for their venting. 

It was as if all the good she had done was an insult to them, as they stood on their moral high ground.

And now, they were hoping for her return…

Lost in thought, she instinctively reached for Sigg’s hand. 

Her touch was cautious yet possessive, her slender, delicate hand cold and helpless. 

Perhaps she felt a long-lost sense of safety from him. 

He was her only refuge now, even if their relationship was still tinged with negative feelings.

“Hey, buddy…”

This triggered a visceral reaction in Sigg. 

His body stiffened, and he looked at the girl with disbelief, feeling her hand tightly gripping his. 

So soft, so soft—he couldn’t even pull away. 

Though he prided himself as a “sigma male” who wouldn’t fall for such things, his body sometimes betrayed him. 

He paused, his inexperience as a virgin becoming painfully obvious. 

Sweat dripped down his face, his heart raced, and he could barely speak clearly, as if experiencing a “Jie Ge, don’t do this” moment.

“Ha… buddy, don’t do this. I… I don’t fall for this stuff,” he stammered.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, really, Sigg. I just… I couldn’t help myself,” Emilia quickly apologized. 

She hadn’t meant anything by it; she had just instinctively grabbed his hand. 

Letting go quickly, she bit her lip lightly, clasping her hands together in apology, hoping he wouldn’t mind. 

Losing his favor over this would be a loss she couldn’t afford.

“Ha, that trick might work on your little boyfriend, but it won’t work on me. Don’t think I’ll be your fallback guy just because of this. Save it—we’re just partners, and that’s never going to change,” Sigg retorted, his words sharp as ever. 

Perhaps he was reminding himself to stay true to his principles or warning her not to cross any lines.

He quickly put some distance between them, wiping the sweat from his forehead and trying to steady his breathing, not wanting anyone to notice his unease. 

He even changed the subject.

“So, Emilia, what’s your take on this? Spill it, let me have a laugh.”

“Me? I don’t have any opinions. After all, they’re just strangers to me now.”

As she spoke, she recalled the events of a year ago. 

Her crimson eyes misted over, a trace of pain flickering in her expression. 

The villagers’ heartlessness and actions were still vivid in her memory. 

She was only here to pay respects to her parents, with no intention of meddling in their affairs. 

She wouldn’t bother with them anymore and hoped they’d leave her alone too—just strangers passing by.

Having seen enough, she averted her gaze and spoke softly, almost pleadingly.

“Let’s go, Sigg. I want to visit my parents’ graves. Once I’m done, we’ll leave. Please.”

“Alright, let’s go. You’re already like this, so I can only go along with you. What a pity, we can’t watch this good show to the end.”

Sig shrugged, putting on an indifferent expression. Indeed, there wasn’t much point anymore. 

Besides, building the Demon King’s Castle was the top priority.

The sooner they dealt with things here, the sooner they could return.

Planning the layout of the Demon King’s Castle, managing slaves, and all sorts of miscellaneous tasks…

As he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly looked up, his pupils widening, sensing a familiar scent. The sound of hooves reached his ears.

A trace of ferocity and killing intent flashed in his eyes, but it quickly vanished. 

After all, he knew his own limits and that it was better not to throw his life away recklessly.

In short, the Dragon King chose to endure.

He patted her shoulder, stopping her as she was about to leave, and gave a faint smile, his tone slightly teasing.

“It’s getting lively, isn’t it? Your old friends are here, Emilia.”

“…Delia? And Duke Ole…”

Looking at the approaching group on horseback, she recognized the leaders.

But the reason she said that was because she knew these two had significant conflicts.

For them to act together was utterly bizarre.

Their purpose for coming here was, without a doubt, most likely…

Sig, standing beside her, leaned close to the girl’s ear and softly voiced her inner thoughts, his tone strange, as if probing or suspicious.

“Eighty percent chance they’re here for you, Emilia, my big star. Given the current state of the empire, they really need you to take charge.”

He paused, and his next words were more like a jab.

“The empire is such a mess, relying entirely on you as the pillar. Without you, it just falls apart.”

He pointed at Duke Ole.

“I remember this guy was your supporter, right? But unfortunately, in the end, he didn’t stand by your side.”

“Yes.”

There wasn’t much to say. She nodded. Indeed, he was someone she knew well, and he left quite an impression.

After all, he was a highly capable individual, whether in handling affairs, politics, or even intelligence.

Moreover, his status and position were significant, and most importantly, he was loyal.

He was easy to work with, and his only flaw was that he didn’t need any rewards or have any demands, nor did he have any weaknesses to exploit.

Later, Emilia learned that this guy was simply in love with her, coveting her…

He had proposed multiple times, but she rejected him each time using Gerald as an excuse.

But in the end, he chose to stand by and watch coldly.

As for why he made that choice, honestly, she couldn’t figure it out, nor did she care anymore.

From now on, she wouldn’t get involved with the empire or its people.

She would focus entirely on Sig, atoning for her sins—not just to make up for the guilt in her heart, but also to return home.

She slightly raised her eyes, filled with trust and dependence, meeting his observant, vigilant gaze.

After a long silence, he looked away boredly, not seeing any hint of excitement in her expression.

It seemed she truly had no intention of returning to the empire.

But her past betrayal and his own experiences made him wary and suspicious, afraid of ending up with nothing but an empty basket.