Chapter 17: A Place to Belong
In Osenor's study.
"Your Eminence, the Inquisitor General?" the blond middle-aged man called softly. Ever since Osenor had fled back after being attacked and routed by Linley and Bebe, Osenor had become much more gloomy. The servants didn't even dare to approach him.
Osenor raised his head, his cold, dark eyes fixing on him.
The blond man forced a smile. "Your Eminence, how should we deal with Linley now?"
"Linley?" Osenor snorted coldly.
The blond man's heart trembled. He could feel the temperature in the study plummeting. Osenor then said coldly, "Send someone immediately to deliver the news here to the Holy Island and inform the Pope. If Linley is not eliminated... then in the future, if our Church is destroyed, it will likely be destroyed at the hands of this Linley!"
Osenor was truly terrified of Linley's rate of growth.
In August of last year, Linley had fought Hedderson. At that time, Linley's strength was roughly equal to Hedderson's. And now, it was only April of the following year, a total of about eight months having passed. In just eight months... Linley's strength had grown this much.
The attack of that violet longsword had previously been unable to threaten Hedderson, but now, it had wounded him, Osenor.
"He... he isn't even thirty years old yet!" Osenor's heart was filled with anxiety.
"Yes, Your Eminence, the Inquisitor General. I will immediately send someone to convey your wishes to His Holiness the Pope." The blond man quickly replied.
Osenor sighed inwardly. "If, back then, among those sacrificed to the Lord of Light, Linley's mother hadn't been one of them... perhaps... this Linley would have become a pillar of our Radiant Church, helping us suppress the Dark Church."
Too late.
Linley and the Radiant Church had already become enemies.
...
In the Chaos Province, there were now three main powers: one was the Radiant Church, one was the Dark Church, and the third was Linley's faction. After the battle at Sherry County City, the Radiant Church had gone silent, keeping a low profile.
The Dark Church was even less likely to make a move. They wanted to watch Linley and the Radiant Church tear each other apart, so they naturally kept a low profile as well. As long as Linley didn't provoke them, they wouldn't provoke him.
Under these circumstances.
Linley's faction had the strongest momentum. The preparations for the Baruch Duchy were underway. The current Baruch Duchy possessed three county cities and nineteen small towns, governing a population of over twenty million. Such a vast area was already comparable to half of an average kingdom.
A super-large duchy.
And Linley was once again being sung about by countless people... his deeds now included slaying six four-winged angels and repelling the Inquisitor General of the Radiant Church's Tribunal. Linley's growing fame also caused many mages and warriors who admired him to surge towards the Baruch Duchy.
They wanted to fight for Linley!
*******
Yulan Empire, Imperial Capital.
At Master Loers' residence, Delia was still in the courtyard, basking in the morning sun, breathing fresh air, and studying Master Loers' magic notes.
"Miss Delia, someone from the Dawson Conglomerate is outside." A guard ran over to report.
Delia's eyes immediately lit up.
"I, Ah Huang, dare to bet it's a letter from Linley." The Earth Bear beside her chuckled. Delia glanced at him with a smile, then instructed, "Let the person from the Dawson Conglomerate in quickly."
"Yes." The guard respectfully acknowledged.
After a short while, a smiling middle-aged man arrived in the courtyard. Seeing Delia, he immediately took a letter from his bosom. "Miss Delia, this is your letter, from the Chaos Province." This wasn't the first time he had delivered a letter to Delia.
Seeing the messenger, Delia knew the letter was from Linley.
"Miss Delia, I'll take my leave then." The middle-aged man was very respectful.
Delia smiled gratefully. After the man left, Delia opened the envelope and began to read. The Earth Bear stretched its head over to look, and Delia turned back and glared at it. "Ah Huang, I'm getting angry!"
The Earth Bear immediately let out a few simple-minded chuckles.
Delia smiled again and continued reading. But as she read on, Delia became so excited her body trembled.
"Great, great!" Delia stood up excitedly. She could feel her heart racing and her whole body starting to sweat.
"Delia, why are you so happy?" the Earth Bear asked in confusion. Even the Thunderbolt Stormwind Eagle beside her looked at her quizzically. Just then, a middle-aged man walked out of the house. It was the wind-style Grand Magus Saint, Master Loers.
"Teacher." Delia said respectfully.
Master Loers smiled at Delia and said, "Hatton told me you received a letter from Linley, and it seems like great news?"
Delia glared at the Earth Bear, who laughed smugly.
"Teacher," Delia replied, still excited, "It's a letter from Linley. He told me... the Baruch Duchy was established today, on the 416th day of the year. Today, Linley's duchy has finally been founded. It's really, really wonderful."
Master Loers was well aware of Delia's situation.
"So happy? Is it because you'll be seeing Linley soon?" Loers teased.
Delia's face flushed red, whether from shyness or excessive excitement, it was hard to tell.
"Alright, teacher, I won't talk to you anymore. I need to go home first and tell my parents about this. According to what we discussed initially, now that Linley has established a duchy, they shouldn't oppose my being with Linley anymore." Delia said.
Master Loers nodded.
"Alright, go ahead."
Delia nodded repeatedly, then immediately left Master Loers' residence with the Thunderbolt Stormwind Eagle, 'Pare'. Watching Delia leave, Master Loers shook his head and sighed. "Delia's parents... probably won't be so easily convinced."
*******
Within the Leon Family estate.
Deya Leon and his wife were puzzled. In the quiet side hall, what was there to discuss?
"Father, Mother, I have something to tell you." Delia took a deep breath.
Delia's mother laughed. "What great news is this, with such a look on your face?"
Delia also smiled. "Mm. Father, Mother, you said before that being together with him might reduce His Majesty's trust in our family, right? But now, Linley has established his own duchy in the Chaos Province."
"Established a duchy?" Deya Leon and his wife were stunned.
"Delia, my dear daughter, you can't be deceiving your father. After all, I've never heard of this matter you speak of." Deya Leon said.
Delia chuckled inwardly.
Linley's Baruch Duchy was only established today. For the news to travel thousands of miles to the Yulan Empire would take at least ten days to half a month. It would be strange if her father knew about it now.
"It's true. I just got the news early. Linley's duchy is called the 'Baruch Duchy'." Delia said affirmatively.
Deya Leon and his wife exchanged a glance.
"It's true, Father, Mother. Don't you believe what I say?" Delia frowned.
Deya Leon shook his head with a faint smile. "I believe you. But why must you marry Linley? Even though Linley has established a duchy... is being the wife of a Grand Duke better than being the Empress of an Empire?"
The smile on Delia's face froze.
"Father, what are you trying to say?" Delia's expression was unprecedentedly serious.
Deya Leon reached out to hold Delia's hand, but Delia pulled away. Deya Leon sighed. "Delia, yes, Linley is a Saint-level powerhouse. He is formidable. But His Majesty Lande is also the Emperor of our Yulan Empire. Marrying him would be very good for you. Furthermore... our entire Leon family would benefit from it."
Delia looked at her father, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"Father, are you still the father you used to be?" Delia's voice was a little hoarse.
Deya Leon was taken aback. His wife was also stunned.
"Father, I love Linley very much. But it's not because he is a Saint-level powerhouse. I fell in love with him back when we were at the Ernst Institute. Was he a Saint-level powerhouse then? Why do you think of your daughter that way?"
"Also, in the eight or nine years since I returned from the academy, I haven't accepted the pursuit of a single young man in the Imperial Capital. Why? Don't you understand?"
Delia really didn't know what her parents were thinking.
"When I came back from the O'Brien Empire and told you about Linley and me, I wanted your blessings. But instead... you tried to dissuade me." Tears glistened in Delia's eyes. "I admit, what you said made sense. At that time, being with Linley would indeed affect His Majesty's trust in our family."
"Father, Mother, I love you, and I love this family. So I didn't want to make things difficult for you. Even though I wanted to go to Linley earlier, for your sake, I held back. I stayed in the Imperial Capital because I cherish this home and I cherish you."
"But you keep trying to persuade me to marry this person or that person. What's wrong? Is Linley inferior to those aristocratic wastrels? Why are you always like this?" For the past seven or eight months, Delia had been feeling deeply suppressed.
"Finally, today has come. Linley has established his duchy. I came here today, happy and joyful. I hoped... I hoped to receive the blessings of my dear parents. But..." Delia's tears began to fall as she spoke. "You have disappointed me, deeply disappointed me."
Deya Leon and his wife were silent, facing their daughter's accusations.
"Father, Mother, I love you very much, and I cherish you very much." Delia took a deep breath. "If you still cherish me, I hope that on the day Linley and I are married, I can receive your blessings. If you don't care about this daughter of yours... then, forget it."
Delia finished speaking, turned around, and left.
Deya Leon and his wife were momentarily stunned.
It wasn't until their daughter was about to leave that they snapped out of it.
"Delia!" they called out. But by then, Delia had already mounted the Thunderbolt Stormwind Eagle and was flying into the sky.
...
Sitting on the back of the Thunderbolt Stormwind Eagle, looking down at the shrinking Imperial Capital below, after bidding farewell to her teacher, Delia directly left the city. The wind blew through her flowing golden hair and dried her tears.
Her heart aching, Delia's only thought was of Linley. Only Linley's embrace could make her feel warm.
The Thunderbolt Stormwind Eagle chirped softly, as if comforting Delia.
Gradually... the figures of the Thunderbolt Stormwind Eagle and Delia disappeared into the northern horizon.
*******
Outside Blacksoil City, at the foot of Black Raven Mountain.
"Linley is currently cultivating on Black Raven Mountain." Sessler pointed at the mountain before them and said with a smile. Delia looked at the picturesque scene before her, her heart filled with suppressed excitement. "Mr. Sessler, has Linley been here all this time?"
Sessler laughed. "Almost all the time. Linley has been cultivating here. Bebe is here too."
As they spoke, they began to ascend the mountain.
Following the stream, Sessler led Delia to the shore of a curved lake. Delia immediately spotted Linley. He was wearing a sky-blue robe, his long hair casually loose, holding a violet longsword as he tested his swordsmanship on the lake's surface.
Wherever the Violet Blood Soft Sword passed, space rippled. Linley's entire figure seemed blurry.
Clearly, Linley was deeply immersed in his training.
"Ah, Delia, you're here! Boss!!!" Bebe, who had been playing in the water, immediately spotted Delia with his beady little eyes and shouted excitedly.
Linley's movements came to an abrupt halt. He immediately turned around.
Seeing Delia, Linley felt as if his soul had been struck. He was stunned for a moment, then immediately flew over excitedly. Delia's face broke into an uncontrollable, joyful smile, and her eyes instantly became moist.