The Strongest Conquest System

Chapter 282: He Cared…

.....

There was so much to answer and so much to uncover that Azmond doubted whether he would be able to fully understand all of the inner and outer workings of Asterion within the next few years.

But in the end, what he had the most of was time, and he had plenty of it, so he wasn't too worried.

That was not to mention that he was getting a little ahead of himself, as in Asterion alone, there were still thousands of kingdoms, dozens of Empires, and an untold number of secret areas for him to delve into.

In addition, Azmond still had to become a secret edgelord who ruled over all of Asterion before he started worrying about what lay beyond it...

...

"Azmond?"

A meek and tiny voice sounded out as Calista pulled on Azmond's robes from the side.

"Hmm?" He looked over at the girl.

"Is there any way we can go up to the twentieth step? Th-There's something I need to know" She began with a cute stutter.

"We don't have to go right now, but maybe within the next couple years? I-I know I am asking for a lot, but I n-need to know. I need to know whether they-"

Her voice started to tear up toward the end, so Azmond interrupted her.

"Don't fret over it, Calista. I was already planning on going up to the twentieth step," he interjected with a honeyed tone.

*Pat Pat*

That same warm hand landed on her head as it worked to soothe her troubled nerves.

She wiped away the tears that were building up in her eyes before a grateful look formed on her face.

"Th-Thank you, Azmond" An almost inaudible voice leaked out as Calista started to speak. "I will pay you bac-"

Her small, dainty hands clenched above her dress, as she didn't know how to properly express her gratitude for him.

The only thing she could do was promise something she knew she wasn't strong enough to accomplish.

"I already said you don't have to," Azmond declared.

"Bu-But, I am such a nuisance and I-"

"You are not a nuisance, and I enjoy your company. Just think of that as a form of payment."

His eyes never left the window seal while he conversed with the stubborn white-haired girl.

And the girl in question couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling at that moment.

Sh-She didn't know

S-She didn't know why

"Why are you being so nice to me??" She blurted out.

"!!!"

Her hands immediately went to cover her face as she accidentally spoke a little too loudly.

"..." "..." "..."

Some of the other passengers even started to stare at them.

But Azmond could care less about a bunch of busybodies as he turned his gaze away from the flashing lights that passed them by.

His deep blue eyes seemed to peer into Calista's very soul, and his voice followed not long after.

"Why am I being nice?" He questioned.

Azmond felt like those words popped up just about every day as of late.

He didn't particularly consider himself a 'nice person' and he was the furthest thing from the 'hero type'. But for some reason, unbeknownst to him, the people close to him always thought of him as 'nice' or 'benevolent'.

And that was something he just didn't understand.

In his opinion, he was neither 'nice' nor 'kind'; he did everything that he did for his own benefit.

That is what he told himself, and he fervently believed that was truly the case.

'For myself'

His thoughts entered a state of deep reflection, as hearing that question made him doubt...

'I do everything for myself. That's the way I have to be if I wish to live in a power-driven world. That's how I must be if I wish to survive, if I wish to let everyone around me survive.'

But the doubt only started to grow from there.

The doubt that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't doing everything for himself.

After all, why would Azmond go through so much trouble to patiently explain and cater to everything Calista asked of him?

Why did he care so much about the opinions of Crystalline, Boundless, and Emu??

If he truly did everything for himself, why did he care?? Why did he care so much about everyone close to him???

'Close to me'

That was when Azmond realized it.

He did everything for himself!

But he also did it for those he cared about.

A world where he stood at the top of everything but there was no one around him who truly cared about him was a painful thought.

And it was because of that thoughtthat premonition of the futurethat he had subconsciously acted 'kind-hearted' toward those close to him.

Which was all to say that he...

He cared.

*****

"I am nice to you because I care about you, Castila."

Azmond's voice came out like a warm spring breeze, followed by the brightest smile blossoming on those otherworldly handsome features of his.

"Mhmm"

Calista entered an almost hypnotized state when she saw that brilliant and resplendent smile grace her sight.

She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life!

*Tap*

But such a dazed trance didn't last for long, as she felt his large hand press up against her forehead.

"Are you okay? Your body has started to heat up. Is that fever coming back again?"

Azmond's compassionate words dripped into her ears as the blush on her face only became more profuse.

"I-I" Calista began with a flustered voice.

"Pl-Please back away a little bit" She ended with a timid tone.

Her hands lightly pushed him away before she turned her head toward the window nearest to her.

"???"

Azmond didn't understand what that reaction was all about.

He recalled doing similar things before, and when he asked her about her sudden redness, she would always respond, 'My fever c-came back again!'.

That's why he assumed it was the same situation again, which was why he had his 'Minor Heal' spell prepped and ready for her like always.

'But apparently it was something different this time?'

The longer Azmond interacted with different girls, the more and more he realized just how puzzling they were.