You know, Miss Merchant can’t always maintain such a gentle demeanor. She knelt in front of Ben with a docile expression, lowering her head obediently. If not for occasionally sneaking glances at Ben with her lively eyes—she might resemble a noble daughter.
Of course, her disheveled and dirty clothes covered in tear marks were a different story.
Sharing a similar state was a real noble daughter, Antitina, clutching her bomb-shredded shawl with one hand, her face covered in dust. She lowered her head in silence, looking a bit nervous.
"Ben, I..." Romantic noticed the slight ease on the young man’s dark face and hurriedly tried to explain. However, before she could finish a sentence, she was silenced by his glare.
She could only dejectedly lower her head again.
She thought this plan was originally perfect and could have helped Ben greatly if not for a minor mishap at the end. Even with that tiny problem, didn’t they still crush several Lizardmen? Moreover, they blocked the escape route.
She thought next time she’d use less explosives. Latest content publıshed on Nove1Fire.net
If Ben knew this reckless girl was still considering continuing these dangerous activities, he would likely feel the urge to strangle her. He and Namenis had examined the scene. Initially, Antitina’s plan was indeed well-conceived, and according to her calculations, the cliff collapsing should have wiped out most of the fleeing Lizardmen. Unfortunately, she chose the wrong partner—or perhaps that wasn’t quite right. Antitina’s plan was only theoretical until Romantic whimsically decided to enact it.
However, history has no "what ifs". Just as Little Roman’s dictionary never contained the word "cautious", she was always a pragmatist, her plans built on straightforward execution.
Thinking of this, Ben couldn’t help but cast his gaze towards Antitina. The noble daughter seemed to sense his gaze, shrinking back involuntarily. In a low voice, she said, "I’m sorry, Lord, it’s all my fault..."
"No, this isn’t your fault," Ben shook his head.
Indeed, if not for Romantic altering the explosive amount set by Antitina at the last moment, there wouldn’t have been such chaos. Instead of crushing the Lizardmen, they nearly buried themselves. Luckily, Antitina reacted early; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Thinking of this, Ben couldn’t help but glare at Romantic again. His real anger wasn’t about how much help Romantic provided, but her perpetual reckless behavior putting herself in danger.
Yet, he couldn’t help but sigh.
This girl from Buqi had insights as if instinctual, but at times could be frustratingly clueless, like now, when Ben rubbed his temples.
"You’ve always been making similar plans?" Ben suddenly asked.
Antitina was taken aback, thinking Ben would blame her. His affection for Romantic was evident to all, and she couldn’t imagine the consequences if she caused trouble for Miss Merchant. Despite surviving the toughest times, she felt she couldn’t return to that lifestyle.
Moreover, the young lord respected her, offering equal status and treatment, engaging with her as a peer despite the hardships in the wilderness. Besides, those hardships were temporary, and she had many plans yet to be realized.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but feel deep shame. "I’m sorry..."
"No," Ben glanced at Romantic to confirm she was genuinely remorseful. "I’m talking about those plans."
The noble daughter was momentarily confused about Ben’s inquiry but ultimately nodded. Since Ben had taken her into the team, she had meticulously planned every action. Initially, she was proud of her plans, but facts proved they often lacked maturity, especially compared to Ben’s seemingly prophetic decisions. Hence, her ambition to be Ben’s strategist gradually seemed absurd. Yet, she continued the habit, more as self-reflection than the pursuit of excellence.