Chapter 13: The Arrival of Kaelan
Night fell, and the imperial capital of the O’Brien Empire, the strongest nation on the Yulan continent, was as quiet as usual, except for a few streets filled with entertainment venues.
On Fushi Road in the eastern district, after the bustling crowds of the past few days, the Earl’s estate had gradually returned to its former tranquility.
In the side hall of the Earl’s estate.
Linley, the butler Hiri, Hillman, the five Barker brothers, Sessler, and a group of other core members had gathered. They were discussing matters concerning the Seventh Princess.
“If His Majesty truly chooses Brumer, then I’ll naturally follow Big Brother’s plan,” Wharton said without hesitation.
Hillman, standing nearby, spoke solemnly, “The empire’s soldiers are renowned for their bravery and fearlessness, but the Seventh Princess is deep within the palace. If we’re discovered during the abduction… even if we fight our way out, the casualties would be immense.”
Since arriving in the O’Brien Empire, Hillman had been deeply impressed by the atmosphere within it.
Martial worship!
The entire empire revered the War God with extreme devotion, and the deity they believed in was the ‘War God.’ In such a nation, the strong were highly esteemed. This was fully evident from the frenzied displays of the fighters in the arena.
Cowardice and retreat were looked down upon in the empire.
The O’Brien Empire was located in the northern region of the Yulan continent, and the year-round cold climate had tempered the resilient character of its imperial capital.
“Uncle Hillman, since we’re going to abduct the Seventh Princess, we naturally won’t send ordinary people. Although the empire’s soldiers are formidable, in my view, they pose little threat. The only trouble is the Saint-level experts residing in the imperial palace.”
The emperor was not entitled to have Saint-level experts as personal bodyguards, but since the palace was the residence of the War God, Saint-level experts would certainly be stationed there. The palace housed the national treasury and various treasure vaults accumulated over the years, which were even more important than the emperor himself, so they naturally required protection.
If anyone dared to venture deep into the palace to abduct a princess, those stationed Saint-level experts might step in to stop them. Linley was confident in dealing with a Saint-level expert alone, but if he had to bring Nina, an ordinary person, it would become troublesome.
Linley looked at Bebe, who was lying on his lap. “Bebe, it’ll be up to you then.”
Bebe immediately jumped up and landed on the table.
“Woo? Up to me?” Bebe’s small black eyes darted around as he looked at Wharton. “Little Wharton, don’t worry. Your woman—I, Bebe, will definitely bring her back without a scratch.”
“Bebe’s going?” Wharton was taken aback.
“Little Wharton, you don’t trust me, Bebe?” Bebe raised his little head, his eyes wide as he glared at Wharton.
Wharton quickly shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but… there should be Saint-level experts in the palace. If they interfere, and Bebe has to carry the fragile Nina, can he manage?”
“Wharton, with Bebe’s strength, taking the Seventh Princess out of the palace should be no problem,” Linley said, full of confidence in Bebe. “Bebe’s speed is the fastest I’ve ever seen.”
“The fastest? Bro, even faster than you and Olivier?” Wharton asked in surprise.
“Bebe’s speed is the most terrifying I’ve seen among magical beasts,” the Blackstriped Cloud Leopard ‘Blacky’ suddenly spoke up from where he lay on the ground. The Blackstriped Cloud Leopard was renowned for its speed. Back in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Bebe had just entered the ninth rank, but even then, he was not far behind Blacky.
Especially after five or six years, Bebe’s speed had far surpassed Blacky’s, reaching an extremely terrifying level.
And now, Bebe had reached the Saint realm, pushing his speed even higher!
“Of course, faster than Olivier.” Linley smiled and patted Bebe’s head. “Wharton, let me tell you, Bebe’s defense and speed are the most terrifying I’ve ever seen. Back when I was still at the Ernst Magic Academy, Bebe was still growing, probably at the seventh or eighth rank. But when a ninth-rank peak Spiky-backed Iron-armored Dragon struck him with a desperate, life-or-death blow, he only suffered severe injuries.”
Wharton was hearing this for the first time, and Sessler and the others were also hearing it for the first time.
“How is that possible?”
They were all shocked. The Spiky-backed Iron-armored Dragon was an extremely terrifying magical beast among the dragon race.
“Back then, when we encountered Blacky in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Blacky attacked Bebe but couldn’t hurt him at all. Bebe was only at the early ninth rank at the time. You should know… Blacky’s attack back then would have injured even my transformed ninth-rank peak defense.”
Bebe, hearing Linley’s praise, raised his little head even higher, looking around like a victorious general.
“I can tell you this: Bebe’s speed is definitely faster than Olivier’s. And that Olivier’s ‘Aurora Sword’—even if it struck Bebe, it probably couldn’t break through his defense.”
Linley laughed.
Bebe’s fur defense was terrifying.
“The Aurora Sword, probably can’t break through his defense?” Wharton and Hillman’s group were speechless. That inconspicuous little Shadowmouse Linley had obtained back then had turned out to be so terrifying.
Bebe shook his head and said, “Gaga, my defense is beyond words. But… I’m not confident I could take the boss’s ‘Earth’s Profound Mystery.’”
Linley’s ‘Earth’s Profound Mystery’ almost ignored defense. At most, it would be weakened during transmission.
“With Bebe’s speed, carrying the Seventh Princess and fleeing the palace at top speed, the Saint-level experts in the palace probably wouldn’t even have time to give chase.”
“Hehe, boss, just leave this to me, Bebe.” Bebe was extremely excited, as if he wanted to go abduct the Seventh Princess right away.
“No rush. After all, His Majesty Joan hasn’t announced his choice yet.” Linley had two plans ready and was not flustered at all.
*******
Wharton and Brumer had been worried these past few days. Many nobles in the imperial capital were also secretly guessing who would ultimately win the Seventh Princess—Wharton or Brumer.
In the imperial palace.
The emperor was sitting opposite a blue-haired middle-aged man, playing a military strategy game. This game was popular in the army, and His Majesty Joan usually enjoyed it.
“Your Majesty, you’ve raised quite a daughter, causing so many young men to pursue her, including my youngest son,” the blue-haired man said with a smile.
This blue-haired man was the powerful Imperial Left Prime Minister ‘Jared Daryl.’ Jared had a very close personal relationship with His Majesty Joan, the two being like brothers.
“Jared, don’t tease me.” His Majesty Joan referred to himself as ‘I’ at this moment, showing just how close he was with Jared. Of course, this form of address was only used when no one else was around.
“You don’t know, but I’m actually quite troubled. Brumer and Wharton—I don’t care much about either. Choosing either one wouldn’t be a big problem. But their older brothers…” His Majesty Joan sighed. “Olivier and Linley—those two are too terrifying.”
Jared nodded. “Indeed, I saw that earth-shattering battle in the arena. Both Olivier and Linley initially displayed Saint-level peak strength. But I didn’t expect that what they showed at first was just the surface; they both had hidden trump cards. And that Olivier even dared to challenge the Panshi Sword Saint ‘Hederson.’”
His Majesty Joan nodded. “Olivier has sparred with the Panshi Sword Saint before and lost last time. Since he’s sparred with him, he must know the Panshi Sword Saint’s strength. Yet he still dared to challenge him, so he must have had some confidence.”
“I feel that Olivier and Linley might become two more Panshi Sword Saints in the future,” His Majesty Joan sighed. “The worst part is that both of them dote on their younger brothers. Jared, tell me, isn’t that a headache?”
Jared laughed.
“So, has Your Majesty made a choice?” Jared looked at His Majesty Joan.
His Majesty Joan nodded. “I’ve made my decision.”
“Who?” Jared was curious.
His Majesty Joan said helplessly, “I admit, Linley is the most brilliant person I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s astonishing in every aspect. But Olivier isn’t far behind him. If there were no other factors, I might have chosen Wharton.”
“Your Majesty means… choosing Brumer?” Jared caught the implication.
“Yes.” His Majesty Joan nodded.
“There’s no choice. Brumer is, after all, a personally accepted disciple of the War God. You should know the War God’s influence in the empire. Moreover… four of Brumer’s senior brothers have already come to see me, all on Brumer’s behalf.” His Majesty Joan said helplessly.
“Four?”
Jared was also surprised. “I’ve heard that the War God’s personally accepted disciples rarely meddle in affairs. I didn’t expect that as soon as Brumer became a personally accepted disciple, four senior brothers would come forward for him.”
“Jared, you know that although I appear to have the most power in the empire, in reality… the War God, His Eminence, is the ultimate authority.”
In the end, His Majesty Joan had to lean toward the War God’s sect.
*******
At the Imperial Left Prime Minister’s residence.
A handsome young man with flowing blue hair strolled leisurely along a shaded stone path, wandering around his own estate. Even when he encountered servants, he would smile and nod at them.
Kaelan Daryl was a magical genius.
“His Majesty ultimately chose Brumer?” Kaelan shook his head with a sigh. His father Jared doted on Kaelan and had even told him such matters.
“Why? Why doesn’t His Majesty consider his daughter at all?” Kaelan was deeply dissatisfied with the cold, calculating behavior of the nobility and royalty.
In his ideal world, relationships between people should be beautiful. Two people should love each other. And His Majesty Joan should have chosen based on Nina’s perspective.
“That little girl, Nina.”
Recalling the times he had played with Nina as a child, Kaelan finally made a decision. He walked straight out of the Left Prime Minister’s residence, only telling the butler he met at the gate, “I’m going out.” Then he headed directly toward Wharton’s Earl’s estate on Fushi Road.
Kaelan had made up his mind.
He had to tell Wharton about this.
……
In the evening, Wharton was still training in the practice field, while Linley sat cross-legged in quiet meditation nearby. At that moment, a servant ran in: “My lord, Lord Kaelan of the Left Prime Minister’s residence has arrived.”
“Kaelan?”
Wharton stopped. He still felt some gratitude toward his former rival. After all, Kaelan had voluntarily withdrawn. Otherwise, the situation might have been even more complicated now.
“Kaelan is here? Wharton, I’ll come with you to see him.” Linley was also curious about the young man who had voluntarily given up.
Linley and Wharton went directly to the living room. When he saw Kaelan, Linley could tell from his demeanor that he seemed like an easy person to get along with.
“Wharton.” Kaelan smiled at Wharton, then looked at Linley. “This must be your elder brother, Master Linley. I’ve long heard of your reputation.”
Linley smiled back.
“Kaelan, please sit down,” Wharton said warmly.
Kaelan shook his head. “No need. I came today just to tell you something. Once I’ve said it, I’ll go back.” Kaelan’s expression turned serious.
“What is it?” Wharton asked, puzzled.
Kaelan said helplessly, “Wharton, according to the information I’ve received, on March fifteenth, His Majesty will likely choose Brumer, not you. Of course… it’s not March fifteenth yet, so anything is possible. But this news of mine is almost certainly true.”