Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

Those eight hundred brothers are all formidable! If we brought them all along, the sheer number of them would be immense.

But against a monster capable of freezing an entire mansion, eight hundred people combined would probably not be enough to withstand even a casual flick of its wrist.

If he were to lead eight hundred brothers to confront that giant beast, Natsuki Subaru felt that all he could probably do was shout at them:

"Brothers, follow me into battle! Fight to the very last moment, then commit suicide and return to heaven!"

It's useless otherwise.

Even if all eight hundred lives were sacrificed, it probably wouldn't be enough to freeze that behemoth in one move.

Like Clarissa, most people were probably already freezing to death before they even got close to the behemoth.

Therefore, those who can truly help must be people with sufficient power.

Enough power?

Who else do I know who has enough power?

Natsuki Subaru subconsciously thought of the sword demon Wilhelm!

That's certainly possible. Wilhelm has been searching for the White Whale, which happens to be affiliated with the Witch Cult.

He will most likely agree.

But after all, he was a subordinate of Crusch, that candidate who was both treacherous and seemingly loyal, and both a hypocrite and a genuine person.

I'm afraid he'll be good at fighting the Witch Cult, but he won't put in any effort when it comes to protecting Emilia!

We still need to find other people, trustworthy people...

Thinking of this, Subaru Natsuki's gaze slowly shifted to Shaula beside his left arm.

If he remembered correctly, Xia Wula seemed to be quite strong.

At least in some subtle, unintentional details, the sheer power he displayed was terrifying enough. (He was capable of kicking Garfield's internal organs out with a single kick.)

If we can really get this scorpion, which has been guarding the tower for four hundred years, to make a move, the situation will have a better chance of turning around.

Great! Excellent!

Subaru Natsuki had already made up his mind. He slowly lowered his head and looked at Shaula, who was frantically inhaling and exhaling in his arms for some reason.

At this moment, Xia Wula was burying her face in his shoulder, her emerald green eyes half-closed, as if she were enjoying some kind of unparalleled delicacy.

"Master's smell...it's so stinky, but so addictive~"

"Xiawula has been waiting for this taste for four hundred years. I miss it so much."

Natsuki Subaru looked at her, his gaze gradually becoming serious.

Upon noticing this gaze, Xia Wula abruptly stopped breathing.

She looked up, first at Subaru Natsuki, then down at her still-hugging posture, her previously languid expression suddenly turning tense.

"Master...Master?"

She carefully observed Subaru Natsuki's expression.

Why does your gaze seem different?

"You were just knocked unconscious by that scoundrel Red once, so why has Master's gaze suddenly become so profound?"

As Xia Wula spoke, her cheeks gradually flushed. She raised her hand to cover her mouth, as if she had suddenly thought of something terrible, and her voice became hesitant.

"It feels like my master has grown up without me even realizing it..."

"Could it be that scoundrel Reid? I knew he'd harbored ill intentions towards Master for centuries..." Xia Wula gritted her teeth in anger, her gaze towards Natsuki Subaru tinged with pity and sorrow.

"No matter what you become, Master, Xia Wula will always love you!"

After uttering these words that sounded like a declaration, Xia Wula leaned closer, her emerald green eyes like two water-washed gems, gleaming with anticipation.

Natsuki Subaru's lips twitched; he felt like something was off...

Xia Wula noticed that Natsuki Subaru hadn't looked away and was still staring intently into her eyes, and her expression began to flush even more.

"Such a passionate gaze~"

"Could it be that, Master, after you became an adult, you finally noticed Xia Wula's beauty?"

“This is wonderful! Xiawula has been waiting for this day for four hundred years.”

As she spoke, Xia Wula reached out to untie her cloak.

Natsuki Subaru saw that not only were her words becoming more and more outrageous, but her actions were becoming even more outrageous.

He quickly reached out and pressed down on her shoulder.

"Xia Wula, can we ask you for a favor?"

Xia Wula immediately sat up straight.

"of course can!"

"Master, please feel free to give Xia Wula any instructions."

"Whether it's a morning with nowhere to vent, a noon with nowhere to vent, or an evening with nowhere to vent, Xia Wula will serve her master wholeheartedly!"

Xia Wula's tone was quite firm!

"Good! Very energetic!"

Natsuki Subaru tapped Shaula on the shoulder with satisfaction under Capella's suspicious gaze, unaware of the ambiguity in Shaula's words just now.

“My family wants you to come with me outside the tower to deal with an enemy.”

The moment those words were spoken, the blush on Xia Wula's face quickly faded.

"Go...go outside the tower?"

Her eyes widened suddenly, and her expression, which had been full of affection just moments before, became awkward.

"I'm sorry, Master... Of course, Xia Wula would love to help you, but it's not possible right now."

She hurriedly grabbed Natsuki Subaru's clothes, as if afraid he would blame her for it.

"Master also knows that as long as Xia Wula tries to leave the Sage's Tower before the trial ends, she will turn into a scorpion and attack Master."

"This isn't Xia Wula making up an excuse; I already told Master about it before."

"So, Master, please, please don't blame me!"

Subaru Natsuki frowned slightly.

"So it still doesn't work?"

In the previous cycle, after passing three trials and realizing that Frugal was unreliable, he also invited Shaula to leave the Tower of Sages.

Even though Xia Wula was already wavering at that time, she still rejected him.

However, her refusal at the time was not firm, and her words still carried a struggle. Natsuki Subaru once thought that if he persisted a few more times, or did something that could move her, she might agree to leave with him.

Thinking of this, Subaru Natsuki subconsciously looked at Shaula's feet, seemingly seriously considering how to persuade her.

Where are you looking?!

Capella, who had been staring at Subaru Natsuki, immediately reached out and blocked his view, forcibly turning his face towards her.

Natsuki Subaru stared into Capella's eyes, his mind still deep in thought.

Although his subconscious thought was to solve the problem with his shoelaces.

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need to consider Xia Wula’s feelings.

After all, Xia Wula's refusal now seems different from the refusal in the last reincarnation...

Last time, Xia Wula hesitated, but this time, her refusal was so decisive that it left no room for negotiation.

Is it because the trial wasn't completed?

After some thought, Natsuki Subaru had an idea in mind.

Coming to his senses, he realized that Capela's face, which he had been staring at for so long, was now so red that it looked like it could be squeezed to drip water.

"Wh...what...are you bewitched by my beauty?" Capella's voice had unconsciously become coquettish and breathless.

Unfortunately, Subaru Natsuki ignored her and looked at Shaula again:

"Shawula, so you mean that as long as we pass the trials of the Sage's Tower, you're willing to let us go out and help?"

Xia Wula subconsciously wanted to nod, but seemed to think of something and hesitated.

She first glanced towards the depths of the tower, then looked down at her hand gripping Subaru's clothes. Expectation and hesitation mingled in her emerald green eyes.

Besides her responsibility to protect the Tower of Sages from outside interference, she also bears the burden of the trial.

They also bear the responsibility of protecting 'that layer'.

Leaving this place means that she has to temporarily put aside the mission she has been waiting for for four hundred years.

This could very well affect Master's journey...

But my master needs my help now. I...

Two underlying logics were clashing in his mind, and the little scorpion felt dizzy and disoriented.

"Master, I..."

Natsuki Subaru noticed her hesitation:

"Xia Wula, I know you're hesitating."

He raised his hand and patted her head, revealing a kind smile.

"How about I tell you a joke? It might help you make a decision~"

"A joke?"

"Yeah, the one I never get tired of hearing—the one about hands and feet!"

Xia Wula's throat moved slightly.

As she watched Subaru Natsuki's smile, her eyes gradually grew tense.

"Master, you haven't seen through something, have you?"

Xia Wula recalled the scene not long ago when Meili was so frightened by the three consecutive jokes that she knelt down on the ground.

She suspects that Subaru Natsuki has discovered one of her secrets, but the problem is that she doesn't know which one Subaru Natsuki has discovered.

Natsuki Subaru didn't know what Shaula was asking, so he chose the standard answer:

Before answering your question, I also have a question for you.

"What do you think I've seen through?"

"No, no, Xia Wula thinks Master didn't see through anything!" Xia Wula waved her hands repeatedly.

“In that case,” Natsuki Subaru said, starting to tell a joke on his own:

"Shaula, do you know why hands and feet are..."

Shaula's body tensed instantly. [Merry: This is exactly what I wanted to see!]

Could it be that Master really saw through it?

Just moments ago, Master believed that as long as they passed the trial, they would meet the sage Frugal, so he focused intently on conquering the tower.

How come after being knocked unconscious by Red once, he suddenly seems to see everything clearly after coming back?

Fear gradually crept into her gaze as she looked at Subaru Natsuki.

"Master, what are you saying?"

"Why can't Xiawula understand?"

"Shaula really has nothing to hide from you!"

"Why are you still talking about things you've been hiding from me?" Natsuki Subaru paused for a moment, then his expression changed to one of sudden realization:

"Are you referring to the lie you told us before, that we could meet the Great Sage Frugal by passing the trials of the Sage's Tower?"

Xia Wula's face turned deathly pale—Master really saw through it!

"It's okay, I forgive you."

Xia Wula's expression softened slightly.