Chapter 23 Cousin

A cunning enemy.

The savior stared at the black-haired young man's profile, and the smile on his lips became softer.

"Amazing, Professor - I have to be thankful once again that I didn't let you stand against me. This is one of the best choices I have ever made." His voice was clear and soft, and it seemed so sincere that it naturally made people let down their guard.

"...It's just because I keep the habit of thinking, and I saw it and wrote it down." The other person blinked uncomfortably, but his brows, which were usually slightly frowned, relaxed a little.

"Mr. Brody."

A voice interrupted. The professor adjusted his expression, raised his eyelids and looked at the cardinal in front of him: "Mr. Miller? Please go ahead."

His tone was flat and sounded perfunctory.

"Please don't blame yourself too much. I believe the soul of that righteous man will fall into a comforted slumber after learning of your actions." The cardinal's attitude inexplicably warmed up a little. Nova wondered absentmindedly whether the kind and gentle smiles on the faces of these clergymen were the result of unified training. In comparison, the God-favored ones were much more pleasing to the eye.

"Thank you for your comfort. The light is with you and me. May the innocent souls rest in peace." Using the hood to hide his boredom, Nova lowered his eyes and drew a diagonal cross on his chest - a prayer gesture commonly used by the Glorious Church.

These days, aside from the most extreme believers, most people just cite various gods in turn, using them as needed. For example, coastal fishermen often worship Odres, the god of the sea; Dilga, the god of wanderers and travelers; and Aranbe, the god of luck. However, they generally choose and worship a primary deity—the most mainstream deity currently being the God of Light, whose teachings are often recounted by everyone.

The major churches detested this, and many conservative clergy denounced it as blasphemy. However, there were too many people doing this, and even the Glorious Church was powerless to do anything about it.

The other party continued to exchange pleasantries with him: "It is a pity that I could not meet you at this Dawn Celebration. Please give my regards to Dean Rabelais - is he feeling better?"

Nova's face was expressionless. "Before I left, the dean was busy preparing for the spring exams and covering classes for the entire school. The students were terrified of him."

Bishop Miller's smile faltered. "I'm so glad to hear he's recovered."

The letter attached to the invitation clearly stated that the other party was seriously ill and about to die, and could not come to attend the Dawn Celebration.

The most authoritative seminary in the Silver Iris Empire, the White Pagoda University Seminary, is the official organization designated to compile the history of theology. Its dean is a stubborn old man with a weird temper, a cunning and mean streak. As a result, his most beloved student is also a straightforward person who is arrogant because of his talent. In a sense, they are of the same lineage.

Unfortunately, he'd seen many young people like this before. Bishop Miller said goodbye gently and politely, his smile remaining unchanged even as he turned away. Young geniuses abound, but these arrogant and naive youngsters can never go far without external help, fleeting like a meteor in their own field.

What's more, the other person is just an ordinary person, destined to be unable to see the higher scenery and can only bury his head in the ground for his whole life.

What a... pity.

Count Saman originally wanted to follow the Cardinal's leaving figure and leave together, but he had to pinch his nose and come over to test the waters. Nova didn't want to play along with him, so he just continued to play dumb, which made the other party's face darker.

"Please escort Mr. Brody to the Pearl Sea Mansion to meet with the guests from Baita University." Before leaving, Count Saman instructed several sheriffs with a forced smile, "Be sure to treat our distinguished guest who escaped death well."

A more alert sheriff had already driven up the carriage: "As you command, Master Salman—Mr. Brody, please get in the carriage, and if you have any luggage, we will fetch it for you."

Nova said coldly: "I had nothing when I woke up on the shore, so you don't need to worry about me."

The gorgeous and spacious carriage started swaying with the sound of whips. As soon as the servant closed the door, Nova immediately poked his side tentatively, and his hand was caught.

Nova: “…”

Is this guy addicted to catching them? It seems his skin hunger is about to be confirmed.

The professor pulled his hand away and tapped his lower lip. The voice of the God-Favored One, tinged with a hint of laughter, sang softly in his ear: "No problem, they can't hear you—what are your instructions?"

"Give Captain Scarpo a few words for me." The black-haired young man spoke very quickly. "Manny is on the fourth block east of Fishtail Street. It's one of the third to sixth buildings from the left. There should be a large bush with a pungent smell and small leaves growing at the door. Maybe it's Rosemary? The people in the brothel dare not stop you - but go and come back quickly, otherwise the people from the Public Security Bureau will react and kill you. Also, turn over the floor in the corner where we rested last night. There is a bag of pearls under the second plank. Please use them as you like, Captain and the other two sailors, or you can pay them to the families of the deceased crew members. I personally suggest that after the storm has died down, find an excuse to take your family away."

"...How many things have you considered in such a short while?" another person couldn't help but exclaim.

"Stop talking nonsense," the professor said with an impatient tut. "What are you going to do with the Natalin ship? We only briefly covered it up last night. If this continues, it will be discovered sooner or later."

Azuka blinked. "Please ask Captain Scarpo to keep it for me, as compensation for the Explorer being ripped apart by the Wall of Sighs."

Nova nodded unceremoniously. "Then I thank you for your generosity, Captain—now please continue with your work."

He heard the man chuckle, and the professor suddenly felt something gently hugging him, and his shoulders sank - was it a spell?

"Professor, please be sure to protect yourself - I will be back soon." The strange sense of surrounding quickly disappeared. The other party left only one sentence and disappeared silently like the wind.

Nova had to admit that the male protagonist in the comics was really useful at times.

Pearl Sea Mansion is the most luxurious mansion in Huiqiao Port. The rooms are decorated in their own unique style, and there is a huge fountain covered with pearls at the door. The Saman family really invested a lot of money in the Dawn Celebration.

His colleagues at Baita University's seminary had practically confirmed his death at sea, and were utterly shocked upon seeing him. Through careful inquiries, the story of what had happened at the Public Security Bureau quickly spread, embellished and exaggerated, to the ears of a group of scholars. Everyone looked at him with strange eyes, and one brave enough, despite Professor Brody's icy gaze, ran to knock on his door, demanding to know if he had truly miraculously survived the shipwreck, relying solely on a cargo box.

"That's right, it's all thanks to the favor of the sea god Odrais." Professor Brody, who was famous throughout the school for his weird temper, blocked the door of the room. He had no intention of inviting anyone in to sit down and talk about his legendary experience. His answer was flawless, but there was not a single unnecessary word.

When someone knocked on his door for the umpteenth time, the professor, who was trying to organize his notes but had been interrupted countless times, was extremely angry. He opened the door with a sullen look, ready to lash out at someone, but the person standing at the door wasn't one of his overly curious colleagues, but a familiar-looking fellow.

"Cousin."

The visitor was elegantly and appropriately dressed, still with the slender figure of a teenager, with the same black curly hair as the Brody family, a delicate and pretty face that had not fully grown out, and a faint clergy-like smile on his lips.

"It's been a long time since we last met. I wonder how your aunt is doing lately?" Percy Brody nodded modestly at his cousin.

The older Brody said in a flat tone, seemingly having no interest in small talk: "Same old as always."

Percy tried not to let the conversation die down, but there was an inexplicable sarcasm in his voice. "I never thought you would encounter such... misfortune, cousin. If I had known we were going to the same destination, I would have invited you to travel together. The fleet of the Radiant Church that is transporting us has a wind sorcerer aboard, which would have provided some added security."

No, he already knew that his cousin, a professor at the seminary of Baita University, would most likely attend the Dawn Celebration.

Unfortunately, the other party didn't give him any face at all. Those smoky gray eyes glanced at him as if he was a fool. "We left from different ports and are not on the same route. How can we travel together? Look at the map and don't talk nonsense."

Percy: "..."

As always, he was choked speechless by his cousin for the umpteenth time.

Percy Brody had a strange feeling about his cousin. Although it sounded incredible, he was even a little afraid of his brother who was just an ordinary man.

From a young age, Percy knew that the other person was someone he needed to surpass, but the fact that this person, the heir of the most legitimate bloodline, simply made the child despair. Anyone who taught Nova Brody was astonished by his intelligence and talent. His eccentric personality was often seen as a quirk of genius, but Mrs. Brody was inexplicably dissatisfied with her only son, but this was also seen as the typical, duplicitous boasting of women.

His father once wanted to give up on him and train other illegitimate children - until he was eight years old, when he became a light mage, while his cousin was still just an ordinary person. Then Percy Brody's world shrouded in the terrifying shadow of "Nova Brody" suddenly became bright.

Although his foolish and naive aunt still held on to hope, anyone with a discerning eye knew that the Brody family's heir to the title was set in stone and would definitely be Percy Brody's.

But he wouldn't be like his greedy and cold-blooded uncle, devouring all the property and leaving nothing for his brothers and sisters. Percy once thought with some pity: his cousin was just an ordinary person, and the salary of a university professor could definitely not support the daily expenses of an aristocrat. After obtaining the title and fiefdom, he would leave enough for his aunt and cousin to live on...

But why didn't his cousin care about all this?

There was no hostility, no flattery, no jealousy, and no hatred in the other person's eyes when he looked at him. He didn't even look at him much, nor at anyone in the Brody family - his brother seemed to live in a world that no one else could reach, and the worldly mud could not hinder the other person's progress. What Percy Brody was proud of, obsessed with, and valued was just insignificant dust falling on his shoulders to that man, not even as important as chasing a group of migrating whales.

He felt extremely embarrassed under the gaze of Bishop Miller. That was his brother, but the other party was dressed inappropriately like a poor lunatic and stood with a group of dirty, lowly inferiors - but why was there a breathtaking light on his face when he spoke for that Benny or Banner, but his eyes were still empty when he looked at him?

"Do you have anything else to say?" Nova was a little impatient. He didn't want to stand in the corridor like an idiot and waste time. If this guy wasn't his cousin, he would have slammed the door on his nose.

Another person asked in a low voice, "...My coming-of-age ceremony is coming soon. Will you be back then, cousin?"

That was it, Percy waited in malicious despair. The day he came of age would also be the day his cousin would hit rock bottom, the day his cousin's life would depend on him. How would his cousin react to this vicious provocation? Would he yell at him? Slam the door in his face? Or even just punch him?

But Percy only heard the other party's cold voice: "It depends on the situation. I will try my best to come back - please come back if there is nothing else."

He stood there in a daze, and his dignity as a noble finally made him say goodbye as politely as possible, and then walked to the end of the increasingly dark corridor.

"etc."

Percy stopped abruptly and turned his head almost hopefully.

"Cousin? What's wrong?"

Then he heard his cousin ask very seriously, "Percy, do you have any money? Can you lend me some?"

The author has something to say:

Villain's achievements: Becoming a shadow in his cousin's life without realizing it.