"Now, tell me, Lux. What do you think of my Granddaughter?"
Maximilian's question made Lux frown. He didn't know why the Saint had prepared such an elaborate setup in order for him to hear Cai's thoughts about him.
Also, Cai had appeared in her Human form. Although she didn't go out of her way to make herself look beautiful, her beauty was something that Lux had known about long ago.
"Cai is one of my closest friends," Lux replied. This was what he truly felt about Cai, and he was very grateful to have her as a friend.
Maximilian nodded after hearing the Half-Elf's reply. He had already deemed Lux to be a worthy fiance candidate for his granddaughter, not because he was Alexander's Stepson, or because he was the Guildmaster of the only Mythical Guild in the world.
The Saint of the Rowan Tribe had a very good impression of Lux because of his personality and strength. He had proven time and time again that he was capable of going above, and beyond everyone's expectations.
When he won the Lionheart Tournament, Maximilian thought of him as an interesting person. Also, since he knew that the Half-Elf had discovered Cai's true form, the Chief of the Rowan Tribe had paid close attention to any news about him.
When he managed to clear The Gate of Death inside the Sacred Dungeon and helped Cai bring back the White Lotus that allowed him to create the cure for the Purple Plague, he felt truly grateful in his heart.
The Purple Plague had affected his wife, Isabella, whom he had frozen in a block of ice in order to prevent the plague from spreading inside her body.
Currently, she was not in a stable condition, but he still kept her away from everyone in order to confirm that there were no side-effects of the medicine he made.
Only when its potency was confirmed would he distribute the antidote to the Six Kingdoms, allowing them to cure those that had been affected by the plague that ravaged the borders of their Kingdom.
"Lux, not only have you seen Cai's naked body twice, but she also saved your life," Maximilian stated. "Do you not plan to take responsibility for this?"
The Half-Elf had already expected that Maximilian would ask this question to him, so he had prepared an answer beforehand.
"I owe Cai my life. Because of her, I was able to clear the Gate of Conquest," Lux replied. "If there comes a time when her life is in danger, I will not hesitate to go to her aid, and help her to the best of my abilities. This help also extends to the Rowan Tribe. If Sir Maximilian finds something very difficult for him to handle, and needs my assistance, you can call for me for help."
Maximilian chuckled after hearing Lux's answer. This was a very safe answer, and it would not break his ties with the Rowan Tribe in the future.
However, there was one thing he found pretty amusing and that was the part where his Tribe would need his assistance, when he, a Saint, was already there to safeguard his tribe's interest.
"Tell me, my boy, is there something that a Saint like me cannot handle?" Maximilian asked in a teasing tone. "Do you really think that I will need help from someone who still isn't a Ranker?"
Maximilian wasn't scared of anyone, and there were only a handful of individuals that could contend with his strength. For him, anything could be solved by using his fists. Because of this, the Rowan Tribe was able to move anywhere unhindered.
He was expecting Lux to answer his question with a No, but to his surprise, the Half-Elf gave him the answer which made the smile on his face disappear.
"Even a Saint cannot solve everything with his strength alone," Lux replied. "Your Excellency, you are undoubtedly very strong. One of the few that can make the Six Kingdoms tread carefully when it comes to dealing with you and your tribe.
"However, I have seen something in Elysium that not even a Saint, like you, will be able to handle on your own. If there comes a time when the Cai, and the Rowan Tribe face such a threat, no matter how insignificant my Rank and strength is, I will not back down and offer my help."
Lux then pressed his closed fist over his chest as he looked at the Saint of the Rowan Tribe, whom the rulers of the Six Kingdoms feared very much.
"This is the promise I make to you," Lux declared. "This is how I will take responsibility for what Cai did for me."
"Hoh… your eyes are telling me that you're not lying," Maximilian said after giving Lux a critical gaze. "Have you met a Supreme in Elysium?"
If there was someone who could make Saints feel fearful, it was none other than Supremes.
There was a saying that Saints could silence empires with a wave of their hand, and a Supreme could silence entire continents with a word.
Lux shook his head. Although the Creature of Ruin was very strong, it was not a Supreme.
At least, the one he saw wasn't. He didn't know if it could reach the Supreme Rank once all of its heads were awake.
The Half-Elf shuddered at the thought of such a Beast being controlled by an organization that didn't bat an eye in exterminating an entire Barony, just because of a woman's hatred.
If the creature of Ruin were to appear before the Rowan Tribe, he was certain that even if Maximilian fought to the death, the demise of their entire Tribe would have already been set in stone.
"I saw a Peak-Calamity Monster," Lux replied. "A creature so strong that a dozen Saints can only hope to seal it in place."
Maximilian arched an eyebrow as he listened to Lux's words. Although he found the Half-Elf's story unbelievable, he was inclined to believe it because he could tell that Lux was telling him the truth.
"Very well." Maximilian smirked. "Although I hope that such a day doesn't come, no one can tell what tomorrow will bring. Remember your promise boy, and remember it well. I will hold onto your words for now."
"Thank you, Your Excellency," Lux felt relief inside his heart because he could tell that he had managed to convince Maximilian to no longer force the issue of him taking responsibility for Cai.
However, before the Half-Elf could even thank his lucky stars, Maximilian threw him a curve ball, which almost made him choke on his saliva.
"So, on a scale of 1 to 10, with ten being the highest, how would you rate my granddaughter's naked body?" Maximilian said with a devilish smile on his face. "I'm sure you had a nice long look back then. Come on, don't be shy, and speak your mind."
Maximilian had subtly used an Intimidation Ability on the Half-Elf so he would tell him the truth.
This ability also made Lux remember when he saw Cai's naked body back in Barbatos Academy, where he was able to see everything clearly.
"9 out of 10," Lux replied before he could even stop himself from replying. "The same as Iris."
"One mark off, eh?" Maximilian laughed after seeing the Half-Elf expression immediately become pale after answering his question. "She has the same rating as your fiance though? I guess she's your type as well."
The Saint laughed again as Lux's face became beet red after being teased by him.
For Maximilian, Lux was the ideal candidate for his granddaughter, but since the two of them just thought of each other as friends, he decided to wait for now.
'Starting as friends is also good,' Maximilian thought. 'It is better than falling in love instantly, and falling out of love the next day.'
He experienced something similar when he was young, so he understood that true love wasn't something that could be rushed.
The Saint just hoped that if Cai would choose someone to help share the burden she was carrying, it would be none other than the Half-Elf, whose face was currently beet red, due to the small prank that he had pulled on him.
He would rather have someone who truly cared for her granddaughter, than a womanizer whose only goal was to get under a lady's skirt.
Cai was his beloved granddaughter, and anyone who dared to treat her as a tool in order to gain unimaginable power, would be crushed under his merciless hooves.
