Is this cheat code from Bika? Just do it!

"I can't act rashly," a multitude of thoughts raced through Avery's mind. Even if she could kill them with her superior martial arts, she would be severely injured—no, she might die first. That arrow was incredibly powerful and fast; she wasn't confident she could dodge it. Besides, she couldn't die. The princess hadn't been found yet; if she died here, who would protect her? Thinking of this, her hand gripping the greatsword trembled slightly.

"Put down your weapon, you can't escape today!" A cold female voice came from behind Ivy, like a winter wind, making her turn around in surprise.

179. Idiot

"Tap tap tap..." The straw curtain of the greenhouse was lifted, making a soft sound. Quill and Raven stood on either side, holding the curtain, like loyal guards. Link, wearing a military overcoat, stepped in slowly with steady steps. He was tall and had a powerful aura, as if he possessed an invisible authority.

He gazed at the female orc before him, first glancing at her ears, which were furry and twitching slightly. His dark eyes then swept downwards, noticing her tail, and he recognized her orc race.

"A wolf clan? Or a dog clan?" Link raised an eyebrow, a playful smile playing on his lips. These two races shared many similarities, often making them difficult to distinguish.

"Wolf, I am a wolf! Not one of those big, stupid dogs." Avery was instantly provoked and bristled. She glared with her orange eyes, raised her head, and shouted proudly like a proud mother wolf, "I am a wolf-clan orc knight from the royal family of the Brutus Orc Kings." Her voice was full of pride and stubbornness.

"Oh! Such an impressive identity?" Link nodded slightly, and under Ivy's somewhat smug gaze, he smirked and said softly, "So what? He just came to my house to steal things!"

"Steal? Who stole it?" Avery's wolf ears perked up instantly, her face flushed as she shouted, looking like an enraged little beast. "I borrowed it, and I'll return it later, I promise! I swear on my honor, I will definitely compensate you for the cucumber later." Avery said seriously, her eyes filled with determination.

Given her aloof personality, if it weren't for the numerous crossbow bolts aimed at her, Avery would have already charged out with her sword. Why would she bother arguing with these humans? In her view, force was the best way to solve problems.

"Her name is Ivy, a nice name!" Link nodded and asked casually, "So, Miss Ivy, how long is 'later'?"

“This?” Avery’s orange eyes flickered, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she tried to straighten up, saying seriously, “Soon, at most a year… cough cough… half a year…” However, under Link’s earnest black eyes, she felt her confidence waning. Her straight back bent more and more, her tone shifted from confident to hesitant, and the date decreased from a year to forty days, until her voice was almost inaudible.

"Forty days? Are you sure you're not lying to me?" Link's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze sharp as he slowly and impassively scanned Avery's armor. Though somewhat worn, the armor possessed a resilient quality, seemingly having witnessed many battles. A slight smirk played on his lips as he said calmly, "If I let you go, and you simply walk away, where am I supposed to find you to return the cucumber? Wouldn't I be losing this rare cucumber for nothing?"

"You...I..." Avery was momentarily speechless, her cheeks flushing slightly. That was truly her plan; after being let go, she intended to flee far away and never return. As for returning the cucumber? Hmph, no, there was no way she would return it. Why should she return the cucumber she had "borrowed" through her own efforts? In her view, it was her due.

"I will definitely pay it back." Avery was a little exasperated. When had she ever been in such an awkward situation? She felt like she was being roasted over a fire. If she didn't know she couldn't beat these people in front of her, she would have killed them to silence them and vent her anger.

"What do you think if I went to your house to 'borrow' something and then told you I'd return it to you in forty days?" Link's lips curled slightly, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery.

"I'll chop you up... cough cough cough..." Avery blurted out, realizing her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth. Her face turned bright red, and she quickly shut her mouth, thinking how incredibly embarrassing she was, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

"Cut me?" Link nodded calmly and said indifferently, "Then, should I cut you down too, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?"

“You…” Avery took a step back warily, her eyes fixed on Link, like a frightened little animal ready to retaliate at any moment.

"Fine, I won't pursue the matter of you stealing cucumbers," Link said lazily, as if it were just a trivial matter.

"No, who stole it? I borrowed it, I'll return it to you," Avery shouted earnestly, her face flushed. Her proud nature made it difficult for her to accept this misunderstanding. Did she really think she was worth only a few cucumbers?

"Huh? You really want to pay it back?" Link raised an eyebrow, barely suppressing a laugh. "When are you going to pay it back? If you say forty days from now, then forget it. Consider it a gift from me, and it'll save me the trouble of worrying about it later."

"No, no, I..." Avery's cool demeanor crumbled completely, and she cried out anxiously, "I can help you kill someone!"

“Yes, I can help you kill someone you want to kill, as a way of repaying Cucumber!” Avery said earnestly, her eyes filled with determination, as if this was the best way she could think of to repay him.

Link's lips twitched, and he rolled his eyes, saying, "I don't have anyone I want to kill. Killing is not a good thing, and I don't want to get into unnecessary trouble."

"Forget it, you should just leave!" Link turned around and waved his hand. "You can pay me back in forty days. I hope you'll keep your promise then."

"You, you clearly don't believe I'll pay you back!" Avery said through gritted teeth, her orange eyes flashing with furious flames.

"Huh? You really will pay it back?" Link turned his head, feigning surprise. "I thought you were joking, but I didn't expect you to be so serious."

"You..." Avery's wolf tail bristled; she felt her dignity had been greatly challenged, and she had an urge to rush up and bite this nobleman. What kind of tone is that? It's as if she'd eat your cucumber for free.

“Tell me! What will you give me in return?” Link turned around, crossed his arms, and said with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes, “Silver coins are fine too, after all, this cucumber has some value.”

"Silver? Silver coins?" Ivy stared with her orange eyes and exclaimed in astonishment, "It's just a few cucumbers, why do you want silver coins?" In her opinion, cucumbers were just ordinary food, why would they need to be exchanged for silver coins?

Coins? Avery truly has no coins right now, not a single one. She's given them all to others to recruit soldiers and build her own power. Besides, she's been spending her time in the Monster Mountain Range lately, hunting for food, so coins are practically useless to her. In her mind, strength is the most important thing.

"Of course, have you ever seen green vegetables in winter? Have you ever seen this cucumber before?" Link asked two questions in a row, a hint of smugness in his eyes.

"No!" Avery shook her head honestly. She had never seen green vegetables in winter, let alone cucumbers.

"So, it's not too much for me to sell this cucumber for a hundred copper coins, is it?" A smile flashed in Link's eyes. Actually, a hundred copper coins was an exaggeration. He could only sell it to the merchants for twenty copper coins at most, but at this moment he just wanted to tease this female orc.

Avery paused for a moment, then, thinking of those aristocratic merchants who always spent lavishly, nodded and said, "It's not excessive."

“So, you must have stolen at least twenty or thirty cucumbers last night, right?” Link said slowly, his tone serious. “Moreover, you broke the cucumber vines. New cucumbers would have grown in ten days, but now they’re all gone. That’s a loss of more than just a little.”

“This…” Avery stood there, a sheepish look on her face. She looked as if no matter how she reasoned, the fault was undeniably hers. She felt wronged and helpless, but didn’t know how to refute it.

Link crossed his arms, his expression calm and unhurried, and said, "Based on this calculation, you'll have to compensate me at least several dozen silver coins. This cucumber is no ordinary item; it's already rare on the market. Now that you've damaged the cucumber vine, you'll have to factor in the subsequent losses as well."

"I..." Avery opened her mouth, but then immediately became speechless, her mind a complete mess. What should she do? Was she really going to be branded with the stigma of stealing cucumbers? If the princess and the others found out, they would laugh themselves to death, and it would probably become the subject of their gossip. Just thinking about it made her feel incredibly embarrassed.

Fiora rolled her eyes, thinking to herself: This wolf-eared girl has actually gotten herself into trouble. How naive is she? She's as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.

Link suppressed a laugh, though a slight smile still lingered at the corners of his mouth. He sometimes found that some naive orcs were incredibly easy to fool, like this wolf-eared girl before him, who had completely fallen into his trap. From her initial shameless attempt to deny stealing the cucumber, to her subsequent attempt to escape under the pretext of stalling for time, to her current willingness to repay her cucumber debt out of consideration for her reputation, this transformation was truly amusing.

"Give me thirty silver coins!" Link said, feigning a serious expression, though he was secretly overjoyed.

“Thirty silver coins?” Avery’s orange eyes widened, filled with shock and panic. After a long while, she lowered her head in defeat, her lips moving slightly as she weakly uttered, “No thirty silver coins!” Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, as if she had used up all her strength.

"How many silver coins do you have?" Link raised an eyebrow, looking at the somewhat hesitant wolf-eared girl with interest, wondering just how desperate she could be. He sighed and continued, "Just give me a few silver coins; I won't make things difficult for you."

"I..." Avery's face turned even redder, a vibrant red flush spreading across her neck like the sunset. How could she possibly admit that she didn't have a single silver coin? She felt ashamed just saying it.

180. Eel Transformation

"Don't tell me you don't even have a single silver coin?" Link's lips twitched, thinking to himself: This girl is too "poor." Then he saw Avery shake her head slightly, the movement as light as a feather.

"Seriously... I'm speechless." Link slapped his forehead in exasperation, muttering to himself: not a single silver coin, yet this wolf-eared woman had arrogantly promised to return his cucumber—wasn't that just empty talk? He was genuinely wondering how this orc had survived this long. Or were all orcs in the orc kingdom so naive, completely oblivious to human relationships?

“I…” Avery fell silent, her wolf ears drooping like wilted eggplants. Her orange eyes were fixed on her toes, as if there were some treasure there, and she dared not look up at Link.

"Do you have anything valuable?" Link's gaze swept over Avery, finally landing on the dented greatsword in her hand, thinking that it might still be worth something.

"No!" Avery quickly hid the greatsword behind her back as if protecting a precious treasure, her eyes filled with vigilance. This greatsword was her prized possession, having accompanied her in countless battles and slain countless enemies; she couldn't bear to give it away to anyone else.

"Then you should just leave. You don't need to return it." Link's eyes twitched slightly. This broken greatsword, with its pitted surface and somewhat dull blade, was probably only worth a few dozen copper coins, not even enough to compensate for his loss.

Avery shook her head, her face serious, and said, "It has to be paid back!" Her firm expression seemed to say that there was no room for negotiation.

“Emmm…” Link was speechless. This wolf-eared girl was too stubborn. He had already said he didn’t want her anymore, but she still wouldn’t listen. Her stubbornness was really a headache.

"Lord Link, let Avery work to pay off her debts," Fiora suddenly suggested from the side, thinking it was a perfect solution.

"Huh?" Link's eyes lit up, as if he had suddenly seen a bright light in the darkness. He had been worried about the safety of Luo Suli, Miyajima Sakura, and the others, and had been thinking about how to assign them guards. Now, there was a suitable guard right in front of him. Although this wolf-eared girl was naive, her strength should be quite good.

"Working?" Ivy tilted her head, looking puzzled. What kind of new word was this? She had never heard of it before.

"It means you have to work for Lord Link and get paid," Fiora explained simply. She used some unfamiliar words that she had heard from Link, and she thought this explanation would make it clear to Avery.

“Okay, I’ll take one silver coin a day.” Ivy straightened up, already calculating her own options. Wasting thirty days paying off her debt would give her a good chance to evade her enemies, and at one silver coin a day, she could pay off the debt in thirty days—it seemed like a good deal to her.

"What?" Fiora stared wide-eyed at Ivy in disbelief, and shouted angrily, "Don't even think about it! You're not even worth a silver coin a day. Look at yourself in this pathetic state, and you still dare to ask for such a high salary."

"How can I not be worth a silver coin a day? I'm a royal knight of the Brutus Orc Kingdom!" Avery shouted through gritted teeth, her expression slightly flustered. She suppressed her inner panic and silently calculated in her mind: at the Orc Palace, her monthly salary was three hundred copper coins, which was already considered a high salary, translating to about ten copper coins a day. But she felt that her value here should be even higher.

“It’s simply not worth it.” A glint of wisdom flashed in Fiora’s eyes as she exclaimed, “Tell me, how can you be worth one silver coin a day? You need to demonstrate your worth with some skills.”

“You, I…” Avery gripped the greatsword tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. She was filled with anxiety, her thoughts a jumbled mess. How could she prove her worth? Should she demonstrate her strength by killing? But she was barely able to protect herself, surrounded by dangers, and a single misstep could plunge her into dire straits. She had no mind to think about proving her worth.

"Can't say anything now, huh?" Fiora crossed her arms, a slight smugness playing on her lips. She tossed her long, black, silky hair and said, "Then how about one silver coin for thirty days? That's a very reasonable price."

“Alright, one silver coin for thirty days then.” Link nodded in agreement, suppressing a laugh and trying to make his expression look serious as he said, “Let’s go back, they must be getting impatient.”

"Mmm!" Fiora's blue eyes curved slightly, like stars twinkling in the night sky, and a playful smile appeared on her lips. She thought to herself: It feels so interesting to help "abduct" this wolf-eared girl. This experience is really novel.

"Ta Tata..."

Link was the first to step out of the greenhouse, his steps steady and confident. Fiora immediately followed like a little tail, her steps light and cheerful. As for Avery, her beloved greatsword had been forcibly confiscated by Quill, and she looked sullen, like a little animal whose toy had been taken away, and could only reluctantly follow behind.

As Avery walked, she blinked repeatedly, still bewildered. She kept thinking to herself, "This isn't how things are going to turn out! All I did was steal a few cucumbers. How did things escalate to me having to work to pay off a debt? This is all happening so fast, completely beyond my comprehension."

After boarding the carriage, Avery remained frowning, deep in thought, trying to figure out where things had gone wrong that led to this situation. Her earnest expression, as if she were solving a complex puzzle, made Fiora, who was standing beside her, barely suppress her laughter, almost burst out laughing.

Something's not right? Of course not! To Link and Fiora, it all made perfect sense. But for Avery, that was the biggest problem. She used to be straightforward and brutal, just slashing with her sword, giving no chance for reasoning, preaching, or sophistry. Her opponents either fled in terror or met their demise under her fierce swordplay.

If it weren't for the military crossbows as a deterrent, Ivy would probably have already started fighting with her sword. She wouldn't be stuck here worrying about cucumbers and debt repayment. In her eyes, cucumbers are not worth mentioning at all.

"Phew..." Finally, with a heavy heart, Avery let out a long sigh, as if to release all her troubles. She decided to help out for a few days, and then find a chance to sneak away to find the princess. After all, the princess was the most important person to her, and she couldn't stay here any longer.

"What kind of work do you want me to do?" Ivy sat cross-legged, arms crossed, a hint of wariness in her eyes, and said calmly, "I won't do anything to bully the weak. Although I'm down on my luck now, I still have basic moral principles."

"I just need you to protect a few people!" Link said with a gentle smile, his smile warm and friendly, making people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze.

“Okay!” Avery breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it was just a protector's job, which was exactly what she was doing. Back in the Orc Kingdom, she was a royal knight, responsible for protecting the safety of the royal family members, so this was nothing new to her.

"Stop!" Avery abruptly turned to stare at Link, her eyes wide, her mind reeling. Why? Why didn't she feel that aversion towards this human nobleman? This didn't make sense. In her mind, human nobles were all arrogant, rude, and selfish people; she had always felt a deep disgust for them.

But this human nobleman before her, aside from being somewhat handsome—his strikingly handsome face seemed sculpted; his pleasant scent carrying a faint, reassuring aroma; and his friendly demeanor—having shown her no hostility or contempt since their first meeting—had nothing else that appealed to her…

Could it be because of the dark-skinned elf next to her? Avery looked at the two people who were standing very close together in surprise, and couldn't help but wonder if Fiora's presence had influenced her judgment of Link.

"Is there a problem?" Link looked at the startled wolf-eared girl with some confusion. He really couldn't understand what was going on in Avery's mind, and why her expression changed so quickly.

"It's nothing!" Avery tossed her long orange hair, the strands tracing a graceful arc in the air, then turned her head away, muttering, "Now that I've calmed down, I still hate humans, especially the nobles." She tried to regain her previous indifference and disgust, not wanting others to see the wavering in her heart.

Link turned to look at Fiora, his eyes questioning. Wasn't everything fine just now? How could things change so suddenly? Could the female orc also be an 'eel' in disguise? This change is too unpredictable.

Fiora opened and closed her mouth silently a few times, and Link immediately figured it out: it was these words: "She's just being dramatic."

He understood. It seemed that humans still left a very bad impression on the orcs, or rather, the human nobles had done too many disgraceful things, causing the orcs to be full of prejudice and hostility towards them. Changing this impression would not be an easy task.

181. Morning Exercise

"Tap tap tap..."

The carriage sped along the winding road like an arrow, the horseshoes striking the ground with a crisp, rhythmic sound. Night had fallen, and the starry sky, however, offered little respite from the winter chill. It was eight o'clock, and Link and Fiora hadn't had dinner yet; their stomachs were already rumbling in protest.

"Gulu..."

Just then, Ivy's stomach growled at an inopportune moment, and her face instantly flushed with embarrassment, her ears turning slightly red. Why was her stomach growling? She was filled with doubt. Hadn't she ate a few frozen cucumbers today? Although the cucumbers were cold and hard, and didn't taste very good, at least they filled her stomach a little. How could she be hungry again so soon?

"We're almost at the castle!" Fiora smiled gently, a smile as warm and captivating as the winter sun. She lightly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes revealing her anticipation for their return to the castle.

“Hmm…” Avery simply nodded slightly, without speaking, her mind already elsewhere. Her brows were furrowed, a hint of anxiety in her eyes, as she pondered how to escape this seemingly predicament. She didn't want to be trapped here indefinitely; she still had her own mission and goals to accomplish.

A dozen minutes later, the carriage slowly returned to the castle. The castle gates were tall and imposing, exuding an ancient atmosphere under the lamplight. The three of them alighted from the carriage and headed straight for the dining hall. Their footsteps echoed clearly in the empty corridors.

"They must be starving!" Link chuckled, already picturing Xuefeng and the others starving in his mind. He could imagine Xuefeng rubbing her stomach and yelling, "Why isn't Lord Link back yet? I'm starving!" Thinking of this, Link's lips couldn't help but curl into a slight smile.

There are certain rules in the castle. For example, if Link hasn't returned, we have to wait for him to come back before we can eat. This rule has been in place for a long time, and everyone silently abides by it. Unless Link isn't coming back to the castle that day, or has given advance notice that he will be returning late, Asagi will insist on waiting for Link to return before we can eat. Asagi is a person who values ​​rules and etiquette very much; she believes that only in this way can she show respect for Link and maintain the order of the family.

"Hehehe..." Fiora covered her mouth and chuckled. She could imagine the expressions on their faces. It must have been a cute and funny scene, with hunger and anticipation written all over their faces.

Avery, standing to the side, was a little puzzled. Why was this elven woman smiling so happily? Was this human nobleman treating her very well? In her mind, most human nobles were arrogant, rude, and selfish, and very few of them genuinely cared for their subordinates. But the elven woman's attitude towards Link was something she couldn't quite understand.

"Lord Link, why aren't you back yet? I'm so hungry!"

Xuefeng's loud voice boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the entire castle. "I should have eaten an extra steamed bun at the bun shop," she muttered, stamping her feet as if that would alleviate her hunger.

"Hey... Yukikaze, you've been sneaking bites of food again!" Shiranui said softly, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. Yukikaze, that girl, always has trouble controlling her mouth, often secretly tasting the food before meals.

"I'll punish Yukikaze by not letting him eat that dish later," Shiranui said softly, trying to calm him down.

"What? I didn't steal any food at all!" Xuefeng shouted, her voice rising eight octaves, her face full of grievance.

"Yukikaze, there's vegetable leaf on the corner of your mouth," Asagi said helplessly, her tone tinged with a hint of teasing.

Link and Fiora, who overheard their conversation outside, exchanged an amused glance. With these people around, it was unlikely to be quiet. They were like a flock of cheerful birds, always bringing endless energy and laughter to the castle.

After dinner, half an hour had passed. Everyone sat around the table, enjoying the delicious food and chatting happily. The atmosphere at dinner was very harmonious, and everyone ate their fill, their faces beaming with satisfaction.

early morning!

"Gaga!"

Link pushed open the door, and a gust of cold wind rushed in, cutting his face like a knife. The cold wind extinguished his urge to yawn, instantly waking him up. He involuntarily shivered and instinctively shrank back.

"Lord Link, you're dressed a little too lightly." Luca's concerned voice came from behind, and then a warm military overcoat was draped over Link's shoulders. Luca was a thoughtful girl; she always noticed Link's every need.

"I'm going out!" Link waved his hand and strode out of the room. His steps were firm and powerful, as if carrying a sense of mission.

"Lord Link is up really early today. Is it because no woman slept with him last night?" Luca tilted her head, a mischievous smile on her face. She had come to collect her things in the morning and found that Lord Link was already awake, which made her a little curious.

"Be careful carrying these things, don't let them fall," Luca then instructed the maid to go into the room and move the things. Her voice was clear and loud, echoing in the corridor.

"Yes!" the maids replied in unison, then carefully entered the room and began moving things.

"Winter here is really cold, the wind blows in gusts!" Link exhaled a puff of warm air, looking at the somewhat gloomy sky, thinking to himself: Looks like it's going to snow again. The winter weather is like a child's face, changing in an instant, making it unpredictable.

The surrounding rooftops looked like they were wearing white top hats, covered in pristine snow, making them exceptionally beautiful. The snow piled high on the bare branches resembled tiny white flowers, swaying gently in the cold wind.

"drink!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Before Link even approached the training grounds, he heard a sharp shout and the clanging of wooden swords clashing. The sounds were crisp and resonant, like battle horns, drawing him to quicken his pace.

"Looks like this wolf-eared girl isn't in a good mood this morning." Link recognized the sharp voice as belonging to Ivy. Fiora's sparring sessions are usually silent; she attacks like an assassin, making her impossible to defend against.

When Link appeared at the edge of the arena, he saw Fiora and Avery sparring, two slender figures darting left and right. Avery wielded a large wooden sword, which she wielded with great force, each strike carrying immense power. Fiora, on the other hand, held two short swords, her agile movements like a nimble butterfly, constantly closing in to find weaknesses, engaging Avery in a fierce battle.