Chapter 27: Wine
Linley couldn’t help but turn his head toward the hall entrance.
Gillmer, clad in a long red robe, stood with his back straight and a warm smile on his face. His gaze, however, was sharp and resolute. Accompanied by two white-robed priests, Gillmer strode boldly into the hall.
“Gillmer is already here. I hope Clayde comes a little later,” Linley thought with anticipation.
The only weakness in his plan was that Clayde might arrive at the same time as a ninth-rank magician, since hemolytic poison was ineffective against mages.
Linley immediately stood up, stepped forward, and said, “Lord Gillmer.”
“Linley. Look at you, your face is so pale. Sit down quickly.” Gillmer hurried forward two steps and supported Linley.
“Lord Gillmer, it’s nothing. Although I injured my internal organs while training battle qi, I can still move normally. Unfortunately, at least for now, I can’t train battle qi anymore.” Linley sighed as he spoke.
“And you’re still thinking about training at a time like this?” Gillmer said angrily. “External injuries are easy to heal, but internal organ injuries are dangerous. If you don’t rest properly, you’ll suffer from them for the rest of your life.”
“Thank you for your concern, Lord Gillmer.”
Linley genuinely felt some goodwill toward Gillmer. He couldn’t help but glance toward the hall entrance again. “This Clayde. I hope he comes a bit later.”
Yesterday’s heavy snow had made Fenlai City extremely cold. The road in front of the palace was nearly deserted. At that moment, a guard team of over a hundred people was protecting a luxurious, entirely golden carriage as it exited the palace gates.
“Creak, creak~”
The carriage wheels pressed against the accumulated snow.
“Ransem, open the door,” Clayde commanded.
The interior of the carriage was extremely spacious—five or six people could sit inside without feeling cramped. Ransem was Clayde’s personal palace attendant. Ransem immediately responded, “Yes, Your Majesty.” He lifted the carriage door curtain, and a gust of cold air rushed in.
But neither Ransem nor Clayde feared the cold in the slightest. Clayde wore only an inner shirt and an outer coat, while Ransem was dressed in the traditional attire of a palace attendant.
“This Linley, training battle qi until he injured his internal organs. Tsk, tsk.” Clayde couldn’t help but laugh and sigh.
Ransem quietly echoed, “Lord Linley is young but has already achieved so much. Even with great talent, he still needs to train diligently. For a warrior to train battle qi to the point of injuring his internal organs shows just how hard he’s been working.”
The human body’s limits could be very high, but the potential unleashed each time couldn’t be too great. While diligence and hard work were good for a warrior, overtraining to the point where the body couldn’t handle it was not.
“Yes. This Linley’s future achievements are limitless.” Clayde nodded in agreement.
Ransem observed Clayde’s expression and marveled inwardly.
As Clayde’s personal attendant, he knew his master well. With Clayde’s domineering personality, he rarely treated anyone so politely. But toward Linley, Clayde had never been anything but courteous from start to finish.
“It’s a pity that back then, His Majesty… ah, he knew he had no hope of reaching the Saint Realm, which is why he values Linley so much.” Ransem was well aware of Clayde’s secret.
Although Clayde was a ninth-rank warrior, Ransem knew that unless the Lord of Light bestowed divine power to help him, Clayde would never enter the Saint Realm in his lifetime.
“Your Majesty, Lord Linley’s residence is ahead,” Ransem said softly.
Through the carriage door, the gates of Linley’s residence were clearly visible. Two burly, broad-shouldered warriors stood at the gates—elite members of the Radiant Church’s ace knight order.
“Creak!” The carriage came to a halt.
Ransem was the first to step down from the carriage, then respectfully waited for Clayde to descend.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.” The two warriors at the gate bowed.
“Oh, someone arrived before me?” Clayde noticed another luxurious carriage parked nearby, along with a group of Radiant Temple knights waiting there.
“Yes, Lord Gillmer has already arrived,” one of the knights at the gate replied respectfully.
“Lord Gillmer has arrived? Good.” Clayde glanced back at his own team. “All of you stay here. Ransem, come with me.” With that, Clayde led his personal attendant through the gates of the residence.
******
At that moment, Linley was still talking with Gillmer, unaware that Clayde had already reached the entrance.
“Is Gillmer not leaving yet?” Linley was growing anxious.
If Gillmer kept talking with him like this, how long would it drag on? The longer the delay, the more troublesome it would be. Linley’s heart raced, and he immediately covered his mouth.
“Cough. Cough!” Linley coughed several times in succession, his pale face flushing red from the effort.
“Linley.” Gillmer was startled.
He hadn’t expected Linley to be so seriously injured.
“Linley, make sure to take the medicine I brought. It helps repair internal organs,” Gillmer said quickly. “Since you’re unwell, rest early. I won’t disturb your rest.” With that, Gillmer stood up.
After coughing, Linley’s face was deathly pale, devoid of any color.
“Lord Gillmer, I apologize,” Linley said regretfully.
“It’s fine. Rest well. Your health is the most important.” After giving a few more instructions, Gillmer left the room with the two white-robed priests.
Clayde, leading Ransem, had just stepped through the gates of Linley’s residence when he heard a call from behind: “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Puzzled, Clayde turned around. Merit was quickly jumping down from a carriage. “Your Majesty.”
“Merit, you’re here too?” Clayde smiled and stopped to wait for Merit.
Merit ran up to Clayde and flattered him, “Lord Linley is injured—how could I not come? Your Majesty, why are you going in with just Ransem? That’s not safe!” Merit quickly urged.
When a king visited a subject’s home, the guard escort was usually brought inside.
First, for safety. Second, to display the king’s authority and status.
“No need. I’m just here to see Linley. There’s no need to make a big fuss,” Clayde said with a smile. “Besides, in Fenlai City, do you think anyone can threaten me?”
Clayde’s confidence wasn’t unfounded.
First, he wasn’t afraid of ordinary ninth-rank warriors. The only ones who truly intimidated him were Saint Realm experts. But would a Saint Realm expert come to assassinate him, a king? And this was Fenlai City—the Holy Capital of the Radiant Church!
In the Radiant Church’s stronghold, who would dare cause trouble?
“Yes, yes. I was overthinking it,” Merit quickly said.
“Come on, let’s go in together.” Clayde led Merit and Ransem inside.
“Your Majesty, Lord Linley is recuperating in the eastern courtyard. Allow me to guide you,” a pretty maid said. Under her guidance, Clayde, Merit, and Ransem headed toward Linley’s resting place. But halfway there—
Clayde and the others saw Gillmer leaving with his two white-robed priests.
“Lord Gillmer.” Clayde, Merit, and Ransem all bowed.
“Clayde, you’re here too.” Gillmer nodded. “Linley’s internal injuries seem serious. He was coughing just now. When you visit him, don’t waste too much of his time. Just check on him and let him rest.”
“Understood.” Clayde nodded.
“I’ll be off then.” Gillmer nodded and left with his two white-robed priests.
Clayde led Merit and Ransem toward Linley’s quarters.
Gillmer’s departure allowed Linley to breathe a sigh of relief. But before he could rest, a maid hurried in to report.
“Lord Linley, His Majesty the King and the Right Prime Minister have arrived,” the maid announced.
“Arrived?”
Linley’s eyes lit up.
“After waiting so long, they’re finally here.” Linley couldn’t suppress his excitement. “You may leave,” he said, dismissing the maid. Then he sat down calmly, waiting for Clayde’s arrival.
Within seconds, Linley heard footsteps.
“Linley.” Clayde’s voice rang out as soon as he reached the hall entrance. In a few quick steps, he was in front of Linley, saying with great concern, “Linley, you don’t look well. Sit down. Rest. Get some good rest.”
Linley was pressed back into his seat by Clayde.
“Lord Linley.” Merit also bowed to Linley.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Lord Merit.” Linley spoke weakly.
But inside, his excitement was surging. Ever since he learned of his father’s death, Linley had asked Uncle Hillman to take the family heirloom, the warblade “Slaughter,” to the O’Brien Empire, fully prepared to risk his own life for revenge.
Father, Mother!
His father’s death was connected to Clayde. If Clayde hadn’t ordered Paderson to kidnap his mother, his father wouldn’t have sought revenge and ultimately lost his life. As for his mother, she was also tied to Clayde.
“Your Majesty, I’m fine. I just injured my internal organs a bit and can’t train battle qi anymore. But I can still move around normally,” Linley said with a smile.
“That’s good. That’s good.” Clayde also showed a faint smile.
“Lord Merit has come too,” Linley said, suddenly thinking of something. “Ah, right. I haven’t drunk that bottle of fine wine you gave me last time, Lord Merit. Since both Your Majesty and Lord Merit are here today, let’s have a drink together.”
Linley walked toward the wine cabinet.
“No need, Linley. You’re injured. Don’t drink,” Clayde advised.
“It’s fine. This injury is minor. Besides, a little wine can help stimulate blood flow.” Linley took out four glasses and a bottle of red wine. “Ransem, sit down too. At my place, there’s no need to stand on ceremony.”
Linley knew Ransem well.
As the king’s personal attendant, Ransem was extremely strong. Although Linley couldn’t be certain, he estimated Ransem was at least a seventh-rank warrior, possibly even eighth-rank.
“No, I don’t drink,” Ransem refused with a shake of his head.
As the king’s personal attendant, he had to stay alert at all times.
“Linley, Ransem doesn’t drink. Don’t force him,” Clayde said, shaking his head at Linley. “Linley, Lord Gillmer mentioned to me earlier that you were coughing badly. He said you should rest. Let’s skip the wine.”
Not drink?
Linley knew very well that the hemolytic poison he had prepared was in the wine. If Clayde didn’t drink, how could he poison him?
“It’s fine. Lord Gillmer was just overly concerned about me,” Linley said with a smile as he poured the wine. “Your Majesty Clayde, this wine is excellent. Lord Merit, come on, let’s raise our glasses.” Linley lifted his glass.
Clayde and Merit had no choice but to raise theirs.
The crisp clink of glass echoed, and then Clayde, Merit, and Linley each took a sip.
“Cough!”
Linley suddenly coughed violently, spitting out the wine in his mouth. He coughed so hard that his face flushed with an unhealthy red.
“Linley, I told you not to drink, but you insisted,” Clayde said disapprovingly, moving to support Linley.
“It’s nothing.” Linley smiled and raised a hand to stop Clayde.
Suddenly, Linley fixed his gaze on Clayde and said solemnly, “Your Majesty, there is something very important I need to discuss with you.”
“Something very important?” Clayde was puzzled by Linley’s expression.