Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Showcase.
Xiao Lan: “…”
The silver-haired boy tilted his head and shifted his gaze between the two of them, as if trying to determine if there was any deeper meaning to this sentence.
Because judging from Su Cheng's expression, this didn't seem to be something that made her very happy.
Xiao Lan: "Then I won't bother you anymore."
There was still a hint of red on the boy's cheeks. Although his breathing had calmed down and the alcohol had dissipated, there seemed to be a lingering aftertaste in his heart.
He resumed his polite demeanor, but the look he gave Su Cheng was still very gentle, and contained a certain kind of unconcealable happiness.
After saying that, he turned and left.
After taking a few steps, he couldn't help but look back at her.
Su Cheng smiled and waved to him.
Ian stood aside and looked at her quietly. "I think you must have had a very rich experience tonight."
Su Cheng turned around, "And I guess you're not here to date me."
Duke Oulu said that there were people from the Vatican attending the banquet, and from the way he expressed it, it was obvious that there were more than one or two.
If Archbishop Johnson's relationship with the Duke was not good, or if they appeared to be fine on the surface but secretly disliked him, she might not come to the mansion.
but--
Among the Vatican clergy who came to pay their respects this time, there must be someone who can speak in front of Archbishop Johnson.
In other words, he could help me arrange a meeting with the Archbishop.
That's why the Duke said that.
Su Cheng knew very few high-ranking officials of the Vatican, and they might not wear uniforms in such occasions, so she had no idea who was from the Vatican.
But given her status, she would most likely get the opportunity if she went directly to the temple to request a meeting someday.
Having said that, Duke Oulu himself has had many transactions with the Holy See and has made various large donations, so it is normal for some high-ranking clergy to have dealings with him.
Su Cheng couldn't help but fall into deep thought - he had to find out Archbishop Johnson's attitude himself. Was the purpose of this matter exactly what he said?
Since he surely knew many priests, why not let them do it?
"You're wrong." Ian glanced at her, "If I hadn't heard you were here, I wouldn't have come here."
Su Cheng: “?”
It has been some time since I arrived at the Duke's Mansion and made my debut.
It would make sense if he came here after hearing some news.
Su Cheng: "...So what's your plan? By the way, the two of you go to someone else's house to attend a party together. I don't think this is a date."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but look at the other person.
The blond young man stood straight, his ivory shirt was slightly translucent, and the slim cut outlined his broad shoulders and long arms. The silver-gray vest was embroidered with dark patterns and was tightly fitted around his slender waistline.
The leather of the trousers also fits the shape of the legs, the plump thighs are stretched out into a bulging arc, and the boots that reach the knees show the graceful lines of the calves.
Another waiter passed by with a tray.
Ian grabbed a glass of wine.
He wore two black onyx cufflinks, and his sleeves rippled like flowing water in the light. "Is it delicious?"
Su Cheng's gaze fixed on him for a moment, "Hmm? I don't know, it should be okay."
"You don't know?" Ian looked at her with a half-smile, "Then who drank the wine in your hand?"
Su Cheng looked down at the goblet he was holding and suddenly realized that he had the same wine.
Su Cheng: "…………This matter is very complicated."
Ian raised his eyebrows slightly, "You seem to have a knack for making everything complicated."
This sounded like sarcasm, but his tone didn't seem to be that way. Instead, it contained a hint of appreciation.
Su Cheng pinched the wine glass and said, "So I advise you to be cautious. I mean dating."
"Actually," Ian said noncommittally, "I did make some preparations. I'm here just to invite you to come with me."
"Ha," Su Cheng handed the cup to the passing waiter, "Why do you think I would want to go with you? Maybe I'm enjoying the party."
"Oh, about which part?"
"...a priceless delicacy, or being praised and admired."
"Well," the blond young man curled his lips slightly, "and you chose an inconspicuous corner of the corridor, which must be conducive to your experience."
Su Cheng puffed up his cheeks. "I haven't been here all the time. The person who informed you probably knows that I was just invited to dance by the owner of this mansion. We also had a happy private conversation. This seems to be the perfect start for me to make a name for myself in the aristocratic circle of the imperial capital—"
Ian looked at her subtly, "If that's the case, then we should change our itinerary. I also happen to know several powerful figures in the imperial capital. If your dream is to integrate here, then as your date, I have an obligation to help you."
Su Cheng: “…………”
She was talking complete nonsense and showed a look of resistance when she heard this.
"Just kidding," Ian said calmly, "I do know them, but I don't want to waste my time meeting them unless you're really willing."
Su Cheng shook his head. "I don't want to. I said those things just now just to criticize you, because you started it."
"Okay," the blond youth murmured, "Then... I'm sorry? I hope the kind and merciful Lord, the God's Favored One, can forgive me?"
Su Cheng crossed his arms and said, "That depends on how the date show you prepared goes."
They left the noisy and extravagant Duke's Mansion. Outside, the night was deep. The upper city of the imperial capital was brightly lit, and from time to time, gorgeous carriages passed by on the wide and flat streets.
Su Cheng fell into a subtle psychological dilemma.
If the date is a rotation-based one - then if he arranges this round, she will have to figure out the next one.
If he really came up with something new and special, she would have to worry about how to repay him and not make her response too perfunctory.
However, their relationship remains a question mark.
Her understanding of dating is still limited to having dinner together, shopping together, and then going to a hotel.
"I said last time that I think any method that helps us understand each other is fine—"
As they strolled along the long, quiet streets of the upper city, Ian suddenly spoke up, "But since you haven't made a decision yet, I want to give it a try."
"...Alright."
Su Cheng couldn't say that I was too busy. I killed a prince yesterday and had no time to think about a date.
They walked slowly through the quiet and tidy tree-lined avenue, surrounded by the mansions of the imperial dignitaries, and the lights were hidden behind the trees and walls.
Su Cheng tilted his head and looked at the carriage passing nearby. "Is the place we are going to very close? Or do we have to walk to the station?"
The imperial capital is extremely large, and there are public horse-drawn carriages in the city with routes extending in all directions. The prices are not expensive, and most local people can afford them.
But in the upper town, especially where these nobles live, there are no public transportation stations.
There are no other buildings here except private houses. Ordinary people don’t come here easily, and those who can come will have their own cars.
"No," Ian shook his head calmly, "We'll be there in a little while."
A black iron lamppost stood by the roadside, and a warm yellow light was emitted from the translucent glass cover, inside which were placed the crystal core fragments of mid-to-high-level fire-type monsters.
They not only provide lighting, but also emit warmth on damp and cold nights.
Su Cheng couldn't help but look at the people around him again.
The lights fell on him, illuminating his shiny golden hair, making the edges of his hair almost transparent, and spots of light swayed between his brow bones and nose bridge.
Then it flowed into those eyes that seemed to contain the light of dawn.
The blond young man also tilted his head slightly and gave him a questioning look.
His back was straight, every movement he made was pleasing to the eye, his posture was impeccable, and there was not a trace of affectation.
For some reason, she always had a vague feeling that it was not a manner formed by acquired training.
It's something that's innate.
She had also come across descriptions of elves in some travel novels in this world.
Some bards say that the race's unique elegance and demeanor are more like those of animals.
Just like the cats in the jungle, the wolves on the snowfield, the fish in the water, and the birds on the branches.
At the time, she agreed with this and believed that primates were indeed inferior in this regard.
"So," Ian raised his eyebrows slightly, "what are you looking at?"
Su Cheng didn't want to admit that he was bewitched by beauty.
Su Cheng: "...Can I ask you something? I heard someone mention at the banquet that Archbishop Johnson and Duke Oulu seem to have some conflicts. Although they appear friendly on the surface, there seems to be some misunderstanding behind the scenes."
She was actually prepared for the possibility of being answered in official language or being asked where she heard it.
Ian: "That's right, and it's not a misunderstanding. They both have enough reasons to hate each other, but their pursuits and perspectives are different—"
Su Cheng: “?”
Ian paused. "So there's no right or wrong here. If Duke Oulu wants you to help him with something, you can completely refuse or accept it based on your own wishes. There's no need to be cautious. Besides, his actual purpose may not be the same as what he says."
They walked into a quieter street, surrounded by ancient mansions. Lush vines climbed over the walls, and moss covered the dark gray rocks that were not exposed to the sun.
The terrain of this block is more complex, with houses of all sizes piled together, and the streets are twisted into an irregular grid, no longer the flat and straight roads before.
The two stood in front of a bronze door that almost merged with the wall. The blond young man raised his hand and lightly touched the door panel. A shining rune appeared where his fingertips touched.
Then the door slid silently inward.
Passing through a lush courtyard with flowers and trees, there is a stone staircase leading underground, where there is an empty and quiet hall.
The hall was tall and spacious, with a chandelier hanging from the dome. A huge luminous pearl was trapped in the lampshade, emitting a soft and warm light.
The air seemed to still be humming with magical energy.
There were more than a dozen crystal display cabinets in the hall. Two mages in robes were busy beside a cabinet, with various complicated tools beside them.
There were layers of magic arrays on the base of the display case, and the two mages seemed to be adjusting them.
The runes on the magic circle kept flickering, flashing from the outer circle to the inner circle, and then back again, and after several cycles, they subsided.
The mages packed up and left.
"They were doing scheduled maintenance."
Ian explained softly, his voice particularly clear in the silent hall.
"Some of the collections here still have some power left. Some are not very stable, and others are being eroded—"
He raised his hand and knocked on the display case beside him, "Look at this."
There was a broken sword in the cabinet, inserted diagonally into the dark rock. An ominous dark red light flowed between the cracks in the stone and the broken edge of the sword.
Like dried, congealed blood.
Even through the thick crystal cover and layers of invisible magic barriers, she could still feel an oppressive and uncomfortable atmosphere.
Su Cheng's gaze fell on the bottom of the display case. "... Charles Wayne, the Supreme Commander of the Holy See's Knights of the Northern Continent, beheaded a corrupted ancient dragon during the Battle of Dark Gate and was burned to death by the dragon's breath."
Su Cheng: “?”
This name and surname are very common, but she vaguely remembers that she had seen this surname in the temple monument in Tielong Town.
And if you calculate the time, it seems that they are from the same period.
Su Cheng: "So he and Gu Long perished together? What did the sword stick into?"
Ian shook his head slightly. "An ancient dragon wouldn't die even if it was beheaded, but Mr. Wayne is definitely dead. The part you see beneath the sword is also part of the dragon's body. If you pull out the sword, this flesh and blood will probably dissipate, and the power within will return to the original body."
"Wait? Return to the original form?"
"Yes, this is the power of the ancient dragons. Their bodies cannot be truly destroyed because they were born from nature, and in nature, all matter is indestructible. Like firewood consumed by flames, some turns to smoke and rises into clouds, while some turns to ash and sinks into the earth. It's also like streams merging into rivers and seas, not dying, but becoming part of the waves. For the ancient dragons, the transformation of their bodies has nothing to do with life or death."
Su Cheng took a deep breath. "I... I heard that there are dragon bones in the auction at Jinzhan Palace. It seems that those bones still contain the power of ancient dragons?"
"If the ancient dragon is currently sleeping, or sealed, or for some reason, doesn't want to reclaim its power and reshape its body, then perhaps this wouldn't happen. Furthermore, there are ways to control the remains of the ancient dragon."
Ian said casually, "If you want dragon bones, I can give you some."
Su Cheng didn't want to ask him for anything, so he didn't speak immediately after hearing this.
"Wait," she suddenly realized, "You also have the bones of an ancient dragon?"
"Well, I have a lot... I wouldn't say I do, since I don't keep them in my house. I just know where they are."
He spread out his hands. "I can take you there, or I can get it for you. It's the same thing."
"When you say take," Su Cheng asked cautiously, "does that location include someone else's home or someone else's tomb?"
Ian: “…”
Ian: "No. But if you're that into it, I can join you."
Su Cheng coughed lightly. "No need. Anyway, speaking of this, humans—this Mr. Wayne is a human, right? It's really amazing that humans can achieve this level and cut off the head of an ancient dragon. But what do you mean by corruption?"
"...an infestation of certain creatures in the void."
Ian glanced at her and then walked towards another exhibition hall inside.
In the center was another display case, inside of which lay a long, dark arrow, longer than an ordinary sword. The arrowhead had polygonal edges and was smooth and flat throughout.
It looks ordinary.
Su Cheng lowered his head to look at the words on the display case.
"...In the 932nd year of the Blue Moon Calendar, this arrow defeated the Lord of Cloud Thunder, the Roar of Eternal Silence, and the Thunder Dragon King, Nabger—"
She paused, "Ancient Dragon King? Wait, this is the territory of the Church, right? These are the relics of the Church's heroes. So the people of the Church defeated the Ancient Dragon King? And this calendar must have been thousands of years ago..."
The blond young man in front smiled and said, "Yes."
Su Cheng was very curious, but there were too few words on the display case, and there was nothing special about the arrow.
Su Cheng: "There's no blood or debris. What happened?"
Ian: "...Actually, if they wrote it more accurately, it was shattered, shot in through the mouth, and exited through the tail vertebrae, splitting His body in half."
Su Cheng couldn't help but glance sideways, "Was this done by humans? No, was it done by gods?"
"He's definitely not human. If humans had such a strong person, he would have been sung in various poems long ago—"
Ian said casually, "But I guess that person doesn't care either."
They moved on to the next exhibit.
The moment Su Cheng turned around, a dim golden light suddenly flashed on the arrow in the display case, and a name appeared on it.
Ian Grommel.
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