Chapter 172: Only You, Mr. Lin Wei! This Escort Mission Is All Yours! ​

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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Yalis lingered at the threshold, her gaze flickering warily toward the room behind her.

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Truth be told, she’d arrived several minutes earlier. But the prospect of being alone with Mr. Lin Wei had her nerves twisted in knots.

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So she’d hesitated outside, quietly rehearsing greetings in her mind, summoning the courage to knock.

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Then—before she could move—a strange woman darted out of the house, clutching a bulging coin purse, her face alight with giddy excitement!

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Who on earth was that?

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A woman—not even a servant—just waltzing out of Mr. Lin Wei’s house? And with such obvious delight?

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Yalis’s mind spun with questions, alarm bells blaring in her head.

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After all, she was here on a special mission from Her Holiness herself.

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She was to keep a close eye on Mr. Lin Wei and make sure no suspicious women got too close!

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And yet, she’d barely left the Imperial Capital before running into a completely unknown—and highly suspect—female.

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This was a complete failure of duty!

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No wonder Her Holiness had issued such a special order.

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Yalis’s clear, enchanting eyes sharpened with vigilance. She clutched at her skirt, gaze slipping away in distress.

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Was it her imagination, or did the air carry a faint scent of cat—something furtive and guilty, like a feline caught stealing fish?

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It had to be her nerves playing tricks on her.

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“Oh… just a friend from the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy,” Lin Wei explained, catching sight of her expression. “She’s fallen on hard times—can’t find work, short on money. I lent her some gold coins to help her get by.”

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He grinned. “What’s wrong, Miss Saintess? Worried I’ll be seduced by the cunning nobles? Relax, I’m a model member of the Clergy. I won’t fall for any honeyed traps so easily.”

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“And good afternoon to you, too, adorable Miss Yalis.”

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He honestly hadn’t expected to find her at his door again. But seeing that cute, conflicted look on her face, Lin Wei couldn’t help but find the situation amusing.

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Yalis’s eyes kept darting toward the room, torn between suspicion and uncertainty.

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Was she really so unsettled by Afuduo’s sudden appearance at his house?

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Could it be… Veya had put her up to this? Given her strict instructions?

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Back in Aurens Town, his wife’s possessiveness was legendary—she’d bristle if he so much as spoke to another woman.

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This familiar tension… it seemed almost hereditary.

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Unable to resist, Lin Wei reached out and gently pinched Yalis’s cheeks.

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Her skin was as soft and delicate as a hothouse blossom—so innocent, it was almost criminal. He thought, If someone bolder than me came along, they’d probably scam her out of all her pocket money in a heartbeat.

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“Ah! Mr. Lin Wei!” Yalis squeaked, startled out of her anxious thoughts.

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As Lin Wei’s warm hands cupped her face, the Saintess—never before touched by a man—flushed bright red, her cheeks puffing up in shock.

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Weird!

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So weird!

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Being touched by Mr. Lin Wei… felt like this?

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She knew he was teasing her, but—strangely—it made her a little happy.

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This kind of closeness… there was a warmth to it she couldn’t quite put into words.

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Sure, she’d hugged him before, but this was different—this time, he’d taken the initiative.

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“Mm~ I understand,” she mumbled, voice low and a little shy. “I’ve never wanted for money, but I can imagine how hard it must be. Lending a hand is only natural.”

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“I trust you won’t be swayed by those nobles…”

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Her cheeks puffed out in a shy pout as she spoke, but the mission from Her Holiness was clear: keep suspicious women away from Lin Wei.

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Not that she counted herself, of course. So a little close contact now and then was perfectly fine, right?

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“I’m glad you trust me,” Lin Wei said softly. “Now, let’s talk about what comes next. Where’s your luggage? And I don’t see the Griffin Duke’s Guard Corps—are they waiting by the Portal?”

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He finally let her go, hands dropping away.

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He’d always been good at guiding newcomers—back when he’d led the Demon Generals, he’d trained them all from scratch.

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He remembered waking up in that stone coffin, surrounded by “Demon Generals” who were all bluster and no substance.

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It had taken years to whip them into shape, transforming clueless demons into true commanders.

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Maybe that was why, when they eventually rebelled and forced him out, he left without killing them. He’d simply walked away—angry, but without vengeance.

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“The bodyguards have already gone ahead to scout the Northern Countries for us,” Yalis explained. “Her Holiness wants you to personally escort me as we leave the Empire and travel into the Northern Countries.”

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“She said it would be good for me to see the world outside the Holy See, to take things slowly and gain some real experience. But I don’t really know what to do—I was just told you’d treat this like the toughest adventure of your life. That’s all I know.”

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No bodyguards—Lin Wei was to escort Yalis himself?

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So Veya wasn’t just asking him to give the Saintess a ride. She wanted Yalis to undergo real training—just as she herself once had.

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After so many years together, Lin Wei could read her intentions at a glance.

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“I see. So, no luxurious carriages, no squadron of guards. Looks like the pampered noble treatment is off the table. I suppose I’ll have to be a little cruel to you,” he said, his tone light but carrying a teasing threat.

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But instead of shrinking back, Yalis’s adventurous spirit burned even brighter, her cheeks glowing with anticipation.

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“Please, be as cruel as you like!” she said, almost breathless.

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“In that case, I don’t have much to pack. Let’s head out now.”

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Training the Saintess wasn’t exactly a difficult task. All he needed to do was let her taste a bit of hardship—show her that the road ahead wouldn’t always be smooth.

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The future of the Holy See would be full of obstacles, after all.

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“Sleeping rough, visiting remote villages, rising at dawn and traveling until nightfall…”

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He’d already mapped out the perfect adventure itinerary in his mind.

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But first, he needed to temper Yalis’s overexcited enthusiasm.

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What’s the quickest way to cool off a hot-blooded fool?

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Simple: fear.

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“Miss Saintess, have you learned the Flight spell yet?”

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“Eh? I’m not high enough Level for that! I’ll have to wait until I’m an adult before I can.”

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That was exactly the answer Lin Wei had hoped for.

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“Good. You haven’t learned it yet.”

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“In that case…”

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Thank you, tsundere magical girls, for the inspiration!

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The next moment—

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While Yalis was still scratching her head in confusion, Lin Wei suddenly cast a spell and—with no warning at all—scooped her up and shot into the sky.

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The shriek of the wind swallowed every word, leaving only two streaks of light soaring toward the horizon.

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Just like that, they rocketed off toward the Borderlands at top speed.

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“We’re off!”