Chapter 52: The Beirut Clan
"Kaelan, whether as an individual or in terms of family background, is outstanding," Warden said, embracing her. "What I worry about most is your father the Emperor betrothing you to Kaelan."
Nina nodded. "Father does think highly of Kaelan. His magical talent is exceptional, and he has a strong chance of becoming a ninth-rank archmage, perhaps even a Saint-level magus. The Empire has many Saint-level experts, but most are Saint-level warriors. Saint-level magi are far too rare."
Warden also felt the threat from Kaelan.
That Lammo, though considered a disciple of the War God's Temple, was only a nominal one. Moreover, his own family wasn't particularly powerful. And he, Warden, was after all a Dragonblood Warrior. As long as the Imperial Emperor wasn't muddle-headed, he would surely choose him.
But Kaelan competing with Warden was a different matter. The man's father was the powerful and influential Left Prime Minister.
"Nina." Warden's expression turned serious.
"Hmm?" Nina, in Warden's arms, looked up at him.
"I plan to personally ask the Emperor for your hand in marriage when I have an audience with His Majesty, requesting that he give you to me as my wife," Warden said solemnly.
Nina was stunned, then a look of ecstasy spread across her face.
"Really?" Nina was extremely excited.
"Mm." Warden nodded. "Nina, you can talk to your father beforehand, sound him out a bit."
Nina shook her head helplessly. "I've already told you about this. Father hasn't made up his own mind. He just says there's no rush, no rush... But Father has a good impression of you and thinks highly of you. If you really go to ask for my hand, the chances are very good." Nina was also looking forward to it.
Of her several older sisters, except for one whose marriage was relatively perfect and mutually agreeable, the others' weddings weren't so good. They were all for political necessity.
Warden nodded slightly.
"Don't worry, Nina. I won't let anyone take you away from me." Warden held Nina tightly, and she leaned against his solid chest.
******
In the Northwest Province, at Cloud Peak Town on the outskirts of the provincial capital, in a forest west of Cloud Peak Town, Linley, already in his Dragonblood Warrior transformation, was sparring with Bebe.
"Bebe, don't force me," Linley said helplessly, holding the Black Mithril Heavy Sword. "If you keep this up, I'll have to use the Earth Essence."
"Hehe, Boss, I know you can't bear to," Bebe said, floating in mid-air, speaking in human language.
Once a magical beast reached the Saint-level, it could freely change its size and also speak human language. However, to transform into human form required reaching the Deity-level.
Currently, on the entire Yulan Continent, only the King of the Dark Forest and the King of the Wushan Mountain Range, these two Deity-level experts, could take human form.
As for Bebe, who knew how many years it would take.
"You little rascal," Linley sighed. "I just reached the Saint-level not long ago, and my speed and defense have caught up to yours. Then you immediately enter the Saint-level, and your speed becomes even more monstrous."
However, movement speed and sword-swinging speed were two different concepts.
Sword-swinging speed far exceeded movement speed. Although Linley was inferior to Bebe in dodging and movement, he could still block Bebe with his Black Mithril Heavy Sword. So when facing Bebe, Linley generally stood his ground and could only assume a defensive stance.
"Hehe," Bebe chuckled smugly.
In truth, Linley's Earth Essence was quite a threat to Bebe. After all, the Earth Essence almost completely ignored external defenses. Bebe's strong defense was useless.
But how could Linley bring himself to be ruthless with Bebe?
So Bebe deliberately taunted Linley like this.
"Alright, you've scratched me a couple of times. Are you satisfied now?" Linley smiled and rubbed Bebe's head. "Come on, let's go back and get ready for dinner."
With that, Linley reverted to human form and changed into new clothes.
"I know Boss is the best," Bebe chirped, flying onto Linley's shoulder.
Among Linley's group now, if Linley didn't use the Earth Essence, no one could defeat Bebe. Bebe was a genuine Saint-level magical beast.
"Bebe, what kind of magical beast do you think you are?" Linley asked casually as they walked along the road.
"I don't know either," Bebe said, shaking his little head rapidly.
A scene suddenly flashed through Linley's mind, and he looked at Bebe in surprise. "Bebe, do you remember when we formed our equal contract? I asked you what your name was, and you said 'Be, Be...' without finishing."
Linley remembered the scene clearly.
...
"Little Shadowmouse, what's your name?" Linley asked directly through his mind.
The black Shadowmouse seemed a bit excited. "Be, Be..."
Linley stared blankly at the little Shadowmouse.
"What is the little Shadowmouse saying?" Linley had no idea.
The white-haired Delin Cowart said, "Linley, this little Shadowmouse is still in its infancy and can't form accurate syllables. Even in soul communication, it can probably only convey simple meanings."
"Hmm, you said Be, Be something, so I'll call you 'Bebe,' okay?" Linley said cheerfully, looking at the little Shadowmouse.
The little Shadowmouse looked thoughtful, then happily nodded.
...
And that was how Linley came up with that name.
"I said that?"
Bebe was stunned.
"Yes," Bebe realized. "I remember when I was very, very small. My eyes weren't even open yet. I heard a very kind voice."
Linley immediately looked at Bebe. He had never heard Bebe mention this before.
It was normal for a newborn magical beast to have its eyes closed. Bebe must have been born not long before that. That memory was very distant. If Linley hadn't brought it up, Bebe wouldn't have remembered it.
"That voice told me I was from the Be-something clan. Then it told me to hide in your family's abandoned ancestral home and not run around. After that, the voice disappeared." Bebe looked very puzzled.
"The Be-something clan?" Linley asked, confused.
"I can't remember clearly. It sounded like Be, Be... ah." Bebe's little eyes lit up. "Beirut, yes, I think it said Beirut. That voice told me I was a member of the great Beirut clan. It also told me not to run around because it was dangerous. So I stayed in Boss's family's abandoned ancestral home. I stayed there until I grew up."
Linley understood.
"The Beirut clan?" Linley asked doubtfully. "Do magical beasts have clans?"
Bebe shook his head blankly. "I don't know either. I was born without parents, just in your family's abandoned ancestral home. I could only eat those rocks and things."
Linley silently memorized this name – the Beirut clan!
Linley was quite sure he had never heard of a powerful clan on the Yulan Continent called the Beirut clan. But this clan should be a magical beast clan.
Do magical beasts have clans?
Linley didn't know, because he wasn't a magical beast.
Bebe didn't know either. He had grown up without parents.
*******
Linley had spent over ten days in Cloud Peak Town. According to his agreement with McCansey, he just needed to visit the Jax clan within a month.
"Brother Linley, there's a letter for you," Jenny said, rushing in excitedly from outside.
"Oh, it should be from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce."
The Dawson Chamber of Commerce sent a letter once a month. Linley immediately walked out. Outside, a young man was holding the reins of a horse. When the young man saw Linley, he immediately said respectfully, "Lord Lei, this is your letter."
Linley took the letter and said with a smile, "You don't need to come here next month."
The young man looked at Linley with confusion.
"I won't be here this time next month," Linley had already made his decision. In a few days, he would set off for the Jax clan.
His injuries had long since healed, and after transforming, he had stepped into the Saint-level. It was time to go see his younger brother.
It had been a very, very long time since he had seen Warden. Linley's heart had always been concerned for his only brother.
"Yes, Lord Lei," the young man said respectfully, then mounted his horse and left.
Linley opened the letter. It contained quite a bit of information about the general situation on the continent, including the Radiant Church, as well as news about Reynolds, George, and Yale. Finally, there was information about Warden.
"George is really impressive," Linley praised in his heart.
George, in the Yulan Empire, with the support of his Huasi clan, was advancing steadily in his official career. He himself also possessed great talent. Most importantly –
The Third Prince of the Yulan Empire had succeeded the throne and become the Emperor of the Yulan Empire.
Because before the Third Prince ascended the throne, George had a very good relationship with him, and their political ideas were very close. Now that the Third Prince had succeeded, George had become the youngest 'Yulan Cabinet Minister' in the Yulan Empire.
There were only twelve Yulan Cabinet Ministers in total. Each held a very high status, and George was currently the deputy to the Right Prime Minister of the Yulan Empire.
"Reynolds can't keep up with George," Linley said with a smile, then carefully read the information about Warden. He was generally aware of Warden's current affairs.
Now, reading this.
"What!" Linley was greatly shocked. "Warden asked the Imperial Emperor for a marriage?"
This news had just been transmitted by the Dawson Chamber of Commerce to the provincial capital, Basil. This matter had happened just a few days ago.
"The Emperor didn't agree?"
Linley frowned as he looked at the content. "Well, although he didn't agree, the way he said it wasn't a complete rejection either."
According to the letter, the Imperial Emperor had been stalling.
Lammo had already gone to ask for the marriage, and the Imperial Emperor hadn't agreed. Now Warden had gone to ask, and the Imperial Emperor still hadn't agreed. He even said, 'Nina is still young, no rush.'
Nina was twenty-one years old, which wasn't considered young.
But Nina practiced both magic and martial arts, and she cultivated water magic, which was very beneficial for the body. Nina's lifespan would certainly be long; living three or four hundred years wouldn't be difficult. In that case, there was indeed no rush to get married.
"The son of an Empire's Left Prime Minister, and a nominal disciple of the War God's Temple." Linley immediately identified his younger brother's biggest rival as that son of the Empire's Left Prime Minister, a mage named Kaelan.
"The situation doesn't seem very favorable." Linley's brow furrowed, and then a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "No matter what, I can't let Warden repeat my old path. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'll go to the Jax clan. After fulfilling the agreement, I'll set out directly for the Imperial Capital."
Linley made his decision.
But at that moment –
"Milord, Milord!" Gates' familiar voice rang out. Gates was probably the most lively of the five brothers.
"Milord!" Not just Gates, but the voices of others sounded as well.
Linley walked back into the courtyard with a puzzled look. Gates and the others rushed over, their faces filled with ecstatic joy.
"What happy event has you all like this?" Linley asked with a smile.
"Second brother, Second brother has also reached the ninth rank," Gates said first.
"Second brother, Anko, can also reach the Saint-level after transforming," the third brother, Black Shark, said in surprise.
Linley was momentarily stunned.
Of the five Barker brothers, after Barker reached the ninth rank and gained Saint-level strength, the other four, who were all at the peak of the eighth rank, had been working hard. Now, another one had reached the ninth rank.
"Me, Bebe, Barker, Anko – that's four Saint-levels already." Linley had never heard of any clan having four Saint-level experts. And the most crucial thing was... of the remaining three Barker brothers, any one of them could break through at any moment.
Linley himself didn't notice that the corners of his mouth were curling up into a smile.
Maybe tomorrow, someone would tell him that another one of the five brothers had broken through, and that would be another Saint-level.
Linley felt more and more that rescuing the five Barker brothers had been an extremely wise decision. Besides Barker and Anko, the other three brothers were practically reserve Saint-level experts.
PS: Three chapters completed today~