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Chapter 86: Divergence Point

“Ms. Xue Nuo, could you help me chop the onion? By the way, where’s the pepper?”

“Um. The pepper is up there… Don’t move, I’ll get it.”

Xue Nuo tiptoed gracefully behind Roy and fetched the pepper from the upper cabinet.

The soft feel of the silver-haired girl behind him, along with the faint scent of roses, made Roy’s heart flutter a bit.

Xue Nuo noticed his unusual behavior and gave him a concerned look, “Here you go… What’s wrong?”

In her light blue apron and slanted ponytail, she looked slightly aloof but still resembled a serene newlywed.

“Nothing, I just spaced out for a moment.”

“If you’re tired, just leave dinner to me. You can go rest.”

“I’m really fine,” Roy replied with a wry smile.

When left alone at home, Roy suddenly had the idea to team up with Xue Nuo for dinner one day.

By the time he realized it, having dinner together had become an unspoken agreement between them.

Honestly, Roy’s cooking skills were only half-baked, and with Alice always taking care of him, he’d only gotten worse.

Xue Nuo had better cooking skills than the average noble girl since she studied abroad alone, but she still could only manage not to make anything inedible.

However, together, their combined half-baked skills—one relying on experience from two lives’ worth of culinary arts for precise seasoning and the other with a meticulous nature ensuring ingredients were perfectly prepared—resulted in an unexpectedly excellent dish.

Before long, a fragrant tomato beef stew was ready.

Watching the snowflakes flutter outside, the two sat at the table, officially commencing their dinner.

“Oh, I almost forgot.”

The young boy rushed to the kitchen and returned a moment later with two cups of milk tea.

“I made this based on my maid’s recipe, though it probably can’t compare…”

Roy wasn’t being modest; brewing tea was a skill, and as a newbie, he couldn’t exactly master it straight away.

He felt like his brew came out inferior compared to Alice’s, even with the same ingredients.

Xue Nuo took the cup, brushed her hair back, took a dainty sip, her face as smooth as snow—indiscernible between sunny and cloudy, but somehow, it seemed softened and sweetened by the milk fragrance.

“Really? I think it’s even better than last time.”

Roy smiled, unsure, and took a sip, raising an eyebrow.

It definitely tasted a bit better than his previous attempt…

Maybe today was just a particularly good day for it.

“Awwoo.”

The silver wolf was munching on the beef stew when it caught sight of its two humans gazing at each other intently, causing it to shudder as if hit by some sour smell.

No one really knew when this strange scent started emanating from them.

However, Roy’s arrival had greatly improved its meals, so the little wolf didn’t mind, just feeling a bit superfluous.

The perceptive wolf pushed its bowl away and left the living room, giving the two some alone time.

Winter had arrived; outside, snowflakes fell, covering the academy in a silver blanket.

Inside, though, the fireplace and candle flames flickered while the air was filled with the aroma of meat and milk, creating a warmth just for the two of them.

But each time after dinner, thinking of crossing the cold wind back to that empty little house made Roy feel disheartened.

Xue Nuo seemed to sense this, never rushing him, as if allowing him to stay as long as he wished, making Roy feel her consideration deeply.

Yet, once school started, such opportunities might vanish, right?

He was genuinely looking forward to reuniting with Charlotte and the others, but the thought of not being able to have dinner with Xue Nuo like this anymore saddened him a bit.

However, with more than half a month until the new term, it was too early to think about these things…

“Roy, I need to take a trip soon.”

“Huh?”

The sudden words caught Roy off guard.

“Winter Festival Day is coming up; it’s an important day in the Empire, and as a lord, I must return.” After explaining, Xue Nuo sighed, feeling a bit guilty, “Sorry, I won’t be able to accompany you in the following days.”

“It’s okay; matters of the territory are more important.”

While smiling, Roy’s heart rang alarm bells.

【Warning! Detecting fate interwoven with the snow wolf, triggering reverse命任务. Your every choice will change fate, please choose wisely!】

【Current reverse命 node: Snow Wolf】

【Snow Wolf Reverse命 progress】: 10%

Winter Festival Day.

On this day, feasts and ceremonies are held throughout the Frost Empire to commemorate the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation. Every lord must attend to personally toast the soldiers, showing gratitude and respect.

This festival perfectly embodies the spirit of the empire’s military, symbolizing the army’s esteemed position in the hearts of the people. Not just lords, even the royal family would face public backlash if they disrespected the military.

The Frost Empire borders the demon realm, with tumultuous borders; the blood-soaked army defending their homes is far more beloved by the people than the aloof royalty.

As the lord, Xue Nuo naturally couldn’t miss such an important occasion.

However, this year’s Winter Festival Day was anything but simple.

In the original story, this was the crucial turning point in Xue Nuo’s plotline.

On Winter Festival Day, the Empire’s second prince, Winter, would take the opportunity to formally propose to Xue Nuo during the feast.

The long-standing conflict between the border duke and the royal family makes this proposal a way to balance the power against Xue Nuo, the duchess heir.

In a good ending, Alice would have already connected with the church by this time, using its authority to refuse the proposal on the spot while taking Xue Nuo away. Eventually, they would bloom like a pair of lilies; one would become the destined saintess, while the other the duke of the empire—together, even the imperial family would be powerless to retaliate.

The power of the Holy Light Church was no joke. It unified the Eastern Continent and was not something that Veszyra could face alone.

Moreover, the border forces represented by Xue Nuo were also a significant power.

However, Alice was far away in the Lionheart Kingdom now, making the possibility of a good ending vanish.

The coming events could only lead to a bad ending.

Unwilling to submit to the royal family, Xue Nuo would rise up, and after years of conflict, the Frost Empire would collapse entirely, with the silver-haired girl perishing in that conflict.

In other words, if Roy did nothing, Xue Nuo would undoubtedly die.

Thinking of this, Roy clenched his fists.

Xue Nuo Andrews was no stranger to him anymore; she was his savior.

A drop of water’s kindness is repaid with a fountain of grace; how could he just stand by?

Moreover, this was also an opportunity.

If he could stay cooped up at the academy, the【False King】bloodline could be digested slowly.

But the reviving【Evil Dragon Society】was targeting Nia’s All Things Wither, along with Leanna trapped in the Black Magic Society and the future saintly trials Alice would face—all of these needed his strength.

Helping Ms. Xue Nuo through the crisis in the original story could earn him reverse命 points, significantly speeding up the advancement of the【False King】bloodline and potentially gaining her support along with that of the empire’s borders in the future.

For both emotional and rational reasons, he couldn’t just watch her die.

Thinking about it, Roy smiled and casually said, “Ms. Xue Nuo, since I’m just idling at the academy, how about I go with you?”

Unexpectedly, Xue Nuo immediately replied coldly, “Denied. No need.”

 

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