"Boss, can you tell me when I'll get married?" She followed Xi Mu's steps, her eyes filled with curiosity.
In this world, astrologers were a group of very capable people. They could propel an ordinary person to become a legendary hero or cause a nation to naturally decline.
"I never expected Lord Ahtal to have a humorous side," Letixia shook her head, a delicate smile appearing on her beautiful face.
Letixia felt… reassured by Ahtal's unflinching lies. Sometimes, being too perfect made her feel like he was unapproachable.
...
…
Soon after.
A group of about a dozen adventurers drove out of town in five horse-drawn carriages, quickly disappearing into a cloud of dust.
"Boss, just calculate someone's fate for them~" The girl with wheat-colored skin was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the carriage.
Her cheeks were slightly puffed up as she looked at the knight in silver armor sitting by the carriage window.
"When will I get married?"
"Miss Jed, please don't trouble Ahtal," Letixia explained with a bit of a laugh and cry to the girl with bulging cheeks.
"It was just a joke."
"But I feel like he wasn't joking," Jed scratched her cheek and looked at the knight by the window.
She felt as if she was being seen through; it was not a feeling common to first meetings. Maybe he really was the legendary astrologer.
Letixia's emerald eyes conveyed a bit of helplessness. She gave up on trying to persuade Jed, who was a bit single-minded.
As for Ahtal, she knew him well. He came from a poor background, joined the dueling arena, learned methods of magic power cultivation, and quickly grew into an upright knight.
Like a plot out of an epic story, most people would find it unrealistic in real life, but it indeed happened.
Even the Dragon-Slaying Hero Siegfried noticed Ahtal's talent, took him as an apprentice, and added to that was the chance encounter with the down-and-out princess, setting off to help her reclaim her kingdom.
Why did Ahtal really seem like the protagonist of a legend?
The atmosphere grew silent.
"According to my observations, you'll stay single for life." Xi Mu suddenly spoke up, causing Jed's cheeks to inflate further, clearly dissatisfied with the knight's statement.
It wasn't bragging; as an adventurer with her capabilities and ability to earn a living, she would never lack suitors, not to mention she was not bad-looking.
No matter what, it was impossible for her to remain single forever.
"Boss, do you believe I can get married right now!" Jed lifted her chin defiantly, only to see Xi Mu giving her a glance.
"No, you'll stay single for life."
"So annoying!" Jed widened her eyes, then suddenly burst into laughter, "Boss, you're definitely not an astrologer."
Xi Mu shook his head, looking at Jed, "You were struck by lightning and survived, and come from a single-parent family."
"How did you know that!" Now Jed was really surprised and started feeling anxious inside. Could it be that she was really going to stay single for life?
It didn't make sense, considering she was a lively, beautiful girl.
"Because I am an astrologer." Xi Mu said with a light laugh, unexpectedly patient in teasing Jed, adeptly playing with her emotions.
If it were a normal player venturing to hunt giants initially, they'd very likely encounter Jed, whose ability mechanics were quite ordinary. However, she could accompany the player during the initial challenge and was lively and righteous.
If they encountered danger, Jed would indeed risk her life to protect the player, which made her very likable. Unfortunately, Jed's ability mechanics and level were just not up to mark.
Once players leveled up to around forty or fifty, keeping Jed around would become a burden, and they would sadly have to part ways.
"Actually, I also know a little about astrology!" Jed revealed a mysterious expression, and Xi Mu cooperatively showed a puzzled look.
She laughed slyly.
"Boss, you are a fake astrologer."
"Is it that hard to accept reality?" Shaking his head, Xi Mu said with a slight helplessness, "My divinations... have never been wrong."
"So, can you divine when we will be attacked by giants?" Jed asked cheerily, as Xi Mu turned his head to look out the window, observing briefly.
"We will definitely be attacked today."
"What if we aren't?" Jed tightened his legs slightly, his smile turning crafty as he questioned Xi Mu.
"If there are no giants attacking today, then the boss owes me a meal at the next stop."
"Deal." Xi Mu agreed with a smile, pointing towards the distant mountains where several giants peeked out half of their bodies.
Their sizes were mostly above five meters, with the taller ones being at least eight meters, eyeing the caravan with ill intent.
"Are we really encountering a giant attack?" Jed twitched his mouth, hurriedly stood up to confront it, but suddenly halted before stepping out.
"Boss, stay in the wagon and don't wander off. I know you're strong, but you lack experience in fighting giants."
She clasped her hands together, revealing a sweet smile.
"If you don't cause trouble, I'll treat you to a meal at the next stop," she said, then turned and left the wagon.
Shortly after, she rode out with several adventurers to meet the giants.
"..." Xi Mu watched the distant battle, where a few adventurers rode around the giants, seizing the opportunity to throw their spears directly.
Even without a fatal hit, just piercing the thigh, the giant convulsed and fell, dying soon after.
The Giant Hunter's Spear was not only used in close combat but could also be thrown from a distance, and because it was smeared with deadly poison, once it penetrated the flesh, it could inject the poison into the giant's body, easily killing it.
And this was precisely why humans could hunt giants.
However, giants killed by the poison had no value as consumable meat and had to be discarded in the wilderness.
"The efficiency of hunting giants is so high." Letixia observed this scene; she had thought that battling giants would be a very troublesome and dangerous affair, but the actual scene she witnessed completely surprised her.
The attacking giants were easily subdued.
"This area is open and those giants were weak, so such a result is normal," Xi Mu explained.
"Those giants are like beggars in giant society, don't expect much from their fighting ability."
"I see." Letixia nodded lightly, watching Jed ride back, and casually asked.
"Lord Ahtal, do you like someone like Miss Jed?"
"Why would you think that?" Xi Mu pondered, "If I really had to say what kind of person I like."
He said it amid Letixia's tense expression.
"I hope she has long golden hair, gentle yet decisive, and of course, if she's strong enough, that would be even better."
"..."
Letixia raised her hand, smoothing her golden short hair behind her ear; apart from her hair not being long enough, everything else could meet Ahtal's criteria.
Maybe she should grow her hair out in the future.
"I'm back!"
The door of the wagon opened, Jed walked in, rejoining Xi Mu and sitting cross-legged beside him, her smile radiant and confident.
"Did you see me kill the giant earlier?" she posed as if throwing a spear, "Wasn't it cool?"
"I was napping earlier and didn't notice." Xi Mu shook his head, curiously asking Jed, "Did you kill a giant?"
"That's so mean, I was so cool~" Jed complained, stretching out the tone and grumbling to Xi Mu, "I took down a giant with just one spear."
"I saw it, you were really cool." Letixia smiled as she began, "Miss Jed, you're really amazing."
Jed's eyes sparkled, her attention turned to Letixia, and she enthusiastically started chatting with her.
Is the next stop almost a giant siege?
Xi Mu looked out the window at the retreating scenery, deep in thought. Every step he took was timed, and if the game optimization hadn't changed part of the plot progression, by the time they reached the next city, they would encounter a giant siege scenario.
That's when he would have the opportunity to farm some... experience points.