The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 618 - 642: Request and Reason

Chapter 618: Chapter 642: Request and Reason

Half an hour later.

The sparring had ended, and both Lancelot and Tijana had returned to their normal sizes, sitting shoulder to shoulder, resting and drenched in sweat from exhaustion. Initially, Lancelot had been able to maintain the advantage, but once the Succubus Lord had gotten used to her new size, he couldn’t gain the upper hand any longer.

“Phew… that was exhilarating,” Tijana turned over and, rolling into Lancelot’s embrace, said, “We should spend more time doing this, don’t you think?”

“Of course, my lady,” Lancelot said with a smile as he touched the Succubus’s pointed horn, “How does it feel? I mean, this ability to transform into a giant…”

“Hmm… it’s far more powerful than the Enlarge Spell, lasts longer, and doesn’t require spell concentration…” Tijana furrowed her brows in thought, “The drawbacks are also clear, such as the equipment not growing with you, which needs to be compensated with special enchantments; it severely reduces speed, as you have already experienced… In terms of the transformation ability alone, it’s not bad and can be very useful in specific scenarios, but the biggest benefit is actually the enhancement to one’s physique. At my current level, it’s becoming difficult to grow stronger unless I seize control of a certain domain and gain more Abyssal Power…”

Aware that she had gone off-topic, Tijana laughed awkwardly and then pouted at Lancelot, who obligingly leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the soft lips of the Succubus.

Both paused for a moment, only now becoming aware of each other’s state—the bulging muscles, alluring curves, skin covered with beads of sweat; everything was intensely stimulating the rapid secretion of hormones inside their bodies.

As if struck by lightning, Tijana leaped up from his embrace, and with a flash of blue Magic Aura, she was already clad in a ‘standard’ Succubus leather outfit. However, Lancelot had to admit that even though the leather outfit concealed much of her skin, it did nothing to diminish her allure, in fact, making her seem even more tempting than before.

“There’s a lot of work waiting for me tomorrow,” Tijana avoided Lancelot’s gaze, “and I’m already very tired now, needing rest…”

“Of course, my lady,” Lancelot nodded, standing up, “May I take up a little more of your time? There’s something I would like to discuss with you…”

“Hmm… of course,” the Succubus Lord regained her composure, her cheeks still flushing slightly,”What is it?”

“This might sound somewhat difficult to understand… but I want to join the mercenary army heading to Volcano Fortress.”

“What?” Tijana’s reaction was unexpectedly intense, as if Lancelot had just confessed he was a Celestial servant, “You surely aren’t in it for the money—look at that mountain of gold behind us; you’re not one of those battle-crazed fanatics, either, since you never boast about how many enemies you’ve defeated… So why join that army? Could it be…”

Tijana’s face showed a mix of fear, guilt, and regret, as she began hesitantly,

“Could it be because… I’ve been too rough? Have you been silently enduring it all along but never dared to speak up to me? I promise from now on…”

“My lady! Where has your mind wandered off to?” Lancelot somewhat helplessly cut off the other, “I thoroughly enjoy all the time I spend with you, and there is no need for me to lie about it. If possible, I would be more than happy to stay with you in the training grounds all day, which would undoubtedly be of great benefit to both of us…”

“Then why must you leave me?” Tijana was completely unaware that her eyes had become pitifully pleading, highly unbecoming of her status as the Succubus Lord, “Especially since we were apart for so long, and you’ve only just returned to my side?”

“My lady, the last time I returned, you were being besieged by several Bone Demons, and this time is even more exaggerated, as an entire Legion of Demons is assaulting your city walls. If this trend continues, the next time I come back from an adventure, perhaps I could not only see the Lord of Twin Bridges Town but also the Archduke of Aphnas,” Lancelot said half-jokingly, “A knight should take the initiative to strike out for the protection of his lady, instead of hiding within her territory, waiting for others to drive off the enemy.”

“But with your strength alone, you can’t change anything!”

“I know,” Lancelot nodded in acceptance, “Even though my power has surpassed that of the vast majority of mortals, it still pales in comparison to yours.”

“I am not doubting your capabilities,” Tijana, realizing the inappropriateness of her earlier words, hurriedly explained, “Even if I were to join the battle myself, I wouldn’t be able to contribute much more than you. This is, after all, the Blood War, the largest and longest-lasting war in the Multiverse. It’s a monster that devours everything, and no matter how many lives both sides pour into it, there seems to be no end in sight. Most people would rather stay as far away from it as possible, so who would want to approach it like you do?”

“Because I want to protect you and the town you rule,” Lancelot replied with a sincere and stern expression, “As far as I know, cities can’t just drift away down the river.”

“Nice thought, something I’ll consider,” the Succubus Lord glared at him annoyed, “Decisions of the great ones, the command of Generals, and logistical support determine the course of a war, individual bravery can only play a very small part… You were once a Commander yourself, surely you understand what I mean?”

“Of course, my lady, but that’s exactly why I want to head to Volcano Fortress,” Lancelot shrugged, “As you said, I was once a Commander, and forgive my conceit, but I certainly qualify as being quite excellent. However, recent experiences have made me realize that much of my knowledge has become outdated, and I must quickly reacquaint myself with war, this ‘old friend,’ because if it ever comes to visit Twin Bridges Town again, I fear I won’t have the same good fortune as yesterday.”

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“…I understand,” Tijana nodded with difficulty, her expression still very reluctant, “I will make arrangements. You won’t be bound by a contract, and should the situation turn dire, no one will be able to stop you from withdrawing from battle…”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“No, this is something I must do…” the Succubus Lord paused, “And there’s something else, something I feel I must clarify with you…”

“I’m all ears, my lady.”

“If you wish to invite me onto your little boat…” Tijana’s cheeks flushed rapidly red, but she forced herself to continue looking into Lancelot’s eyes, “there’s no need to wait until after conquering the whole world.”