Chapter 70 Birthday: Reunion after a long separation [VIP]
The Sun Empire is the oldest and most powerful country in the Western Continent, and naturally occupies the best and most fertile land. The empire is vast, has a pleasant climate, and is rich in natural, cultural, and historical scenery.
Magha, located on the shores of Lake Lilia, is a beautiful city with scenery that surpasses all other cities in the empire.
If the terrain wasn't so flat and there weren't any strategic locations to defend except for Lake Lilia, it would have replaced the Capital of the Kingdom of Light as the capital of the Sun Empire simply by virtue of its charming natural scenery.
Therefore, for thousands of years, the city of Maga has been nicknamed "the mistress of the royal capital" by the people, and almost all famous royal nobles have built palaces and villas here.
Most of the local people in Magha do not engage in agricultural labor, because they can live a rich and refined life simply by providing food and accommodation, tour guide services and selling various souvenirs to tourists visiting Magha City.
The fishermen living on the shores of Lilia Lake do not make a living by fishing. Their source of income is to take tourists on tours of Lilia Lake, allowing them to watch the different but equally beautiful scenery of Lilia Lake from dawn to night. Occasionally, they will cast their nets and catch a few fish at the request of tourists, and then kill and grill them on the spot.
In order to ensure the enjoyment of tourists from afar, the people of Maaga have designed a tourist route that passes by all the famous palaces and villas built in the city of Maaga, allowing tourists to take a look at the exterior of these buildings that can be called works of art without alerting the guards.
Among the many buildings that can be called works of art, the most attractive to tourists is the Palace of Love on the shores of Lake Lilia.
It is the holiday palace of successive Holy Grand Dukes. Since its construction, it has undergone five major renovations and countless minor internal modifications. It is recognized as the most perfect palace building in the history of the Western Continent.
No sightseeing route allows tourists to get close to the heavily guarded Little Cupid's Palace. They can only rent a boat to tour Lake Lilia under the guidance of a tour guide, holding up a monocular to admire from a distance the exquisite beauty, elegance and luxury of the buildings hidden among the flowers and green trees.
Despite this, ever since the Holy Grand Duke announced that he was recuperating in Maga City, tourists and devout pilgrims have been coming to Maga in an endless stream. The east side of Lake Lilia is crowded with cruise ships day and night, just to catch a glimpse from afar of the residence of the sacred bloodline they worship, and the vague figure of the Holy Grand Duke, which is as rare and occasional as the moon in the daytime.
…
…
At half past three in the afternoon, there were few diners in the tavern about 500 meters away from the Little Palace of Love.
The landlady served the young bard bread and soup, and then began to talk incessantly about his outstanding appearance after he took off his tricorn hat.
"Brother, did you come to Maga City to sing for the nobles at the Holy Grand Duke's birthday party?"
"Unfortunately, tomorrow is the Grand Duke's birthday, so it's too late to find anyone to sign up now... Of course, if your singing voice is as beautiful as your appearance, you still have a chance to enter the Little Love Palace and sing a solo for His Majesty the Grand Duke."
"Your Highness doesn't sleep well, so he needs a singer to sing a lullaby every night. He also has musicians playing soothing music next door while he bathes... So, the area outside the Little Love Palace is always crowded with singers and musicians eager to serve His Highness..."
"...You seem to admire His Highness the Grand Duke very much?"
Xiao Yun couldn't help but interrupt the proprietress.
The proprietress nodded. "Everyone in Maga City worships the Holy Family, especially His Highness Grand Duke Yaris. Since becoming a territory of the Holy Family, we only need to pay taxes to the Holy Family, and no longer to the Empire. After His Highness Yaris became the Holy Grand Duke, he also issued a new welfare policy. Those who meet the new regulations not only do not have to pay taxes, but they can also receive a monthly payment from the city hall."
"People in other cities envy Magha for its beautiful scenery and their ability to live comfortably on tourism alone. But if Magha's taxes were as heavy as those in other cities, even the generous tourism revenue wouldn't allow us to live the comfortable life we do today."
"oh oh……"
Xiao Yun nodded repeatedly, then pretended to be nonchalant and asked, "This place is not far from the Little Love Palace where His Highness resides, so the road shouldn't be so deserted. Is it because His Highness's birthday party is being held tomorrow, and the knights protecting His Highness are worried about safety issues and are not allowing tourists to approach the Little Love Palace?"
"One reason is that I'm worried about safety issues on the birthday party, but there's another reason..."
The proprietress lowered her voice.
"What's the reason?"
Xiao Yun pretended to be interested.
The proprietress glanced around, making sure no one else was in the store, and then whispered, "Someone is trying to steal His Highness the Grand Duke."
"ah?"
Xiao Yun was shocked: "Who! Who is so bold!"
"The knights who protect His Highness often come to my tavern to drink. According to them, the direct descendants of the Holy Family possess divine blood capable of performing miracles, especially His Highness the Archduke, who serves as the High Priest. The purity of his divine blood is so high that there are rumors that anyone who obtains the High Priest's true love and chaste blood can rule the world."
"Of course, even if there is no benefit of ruling the world, with your prince's beauty, I would still dream of taking him into my harem."
"Therefore, to protect His Highness, three permanent knight groups are stationed around the Little Love Palace to take turns patrolling. Last month, His Majesty the Emperor of the Royal Capital also sent a knight group of 500 men here."
"Thanks to this incident, I am crowded with people."
old.
Xiao Yun returned to the upper floor to question, muttering, "No wonder the atmosphere felt a bit tense when I entered the city this morning."
Upon hearing this, the proprietress enthusiastically suggested, "If you don't want to face even more stringent questioning, try not to go too close to the Little Love Temple. You can play in the square in the city center. If the people at City Hall hear your beautiful singing, they'll contact you."
"Thank you for your kindness, but I still want to take a walk around Lake Lilia... It's rare to come to such a beautiful place..."
"All right."
The proprietress went into the kitchen and got a few loaves of dry bread. "The east side of Lake Lilia is lined with nobles' palaces and villas, so there's no place offering food. Take this bread with you; it'll fill your stomach when you're hungry."
“May the light of God shine upon you.”
Xiao Yun accepted the gift from the proprietress and while she turned around to greet new customers, he secretly threw a few gold coins into the counter drawer.
…
…
Because he didn't want people to find out that Lucien, who was born and raised in the Little Palace of Love, was unfamiliar with everything in Maga, Xiao Yun immediately separated from the other knights after arriving at the outskirts of Maga, and disguised himself as a bard to enter the city in the name of "giving his brother a birthday surprise."
Unexpectedly——
(There was an unexpected gain...)
Xiao Yun walked out of the tavern thinking distractedly.
(The situation in Magha seems to be worse than I expected. Although it is a beautiful city, due to its long-term prosperity and leisure, the locals have no sense of crisis.)
(And that rumor...)
(Who on earth fabricated the rumor that obtaining the brother's true love and chaste blood would allow one to rule the world, and for what purpose?)
(No one would believe such a ridiculous statement, but...it's hard to guarantee that someone will be curious. Besides...those who receive the brother's love will indeed receive the support of the Holy Family and the Church...)
(after all……)
"Stop! You can't go any further!"
A group of knights suddenly appeared in front of Xiao Yun, shouting threats.
Xiao Yun came back to his senses and looked around, and found that he had unknowingly walked along the shore of Lake Lilia to the vicinity of the Little Love Palace.
Just as he was about to reveal his identity, Xiao Yun suddenly saw the emblem of the Yula Dynasty adorned on the knights' cloaks.
(It's Edmund's knight!)
Xiao Yun, who hated Edmund, turned around decisively and prepared to find another way to enter the Little Love Palace.
"I'm so sorry..."
"Wait a moment!"
The leading knight suddenly shouted, "What's your name?! Why are you still wandering around Lake Lilia when it's almost dark?"
"I……"
"Take off your hat right now! Turn around! Let us see your face!"
The knight's voice was loud, but it made Xiao Yun feel inexplicably uncomfortable, as if the knight talking to him was not a real human being.
(Do you want to turn back?)
(My intuition is warning me to stay away from this "person", but...)
Xiao Yun was in a dilemma.
——After obtaining the Zhouyi fortune-telling ability granted by the card drawing system, the ability of the Holy Family's bloodline to sense ominous signs has also been qualitatively improved.
“I, I…”
Xiao Yun suddenly had an idea and asked in a deep voice, "Who are you? Why are you here?"
"What did you say? We are—"
"I'm a secret sentry protecting His Highness the Grand Duke. I've been ordered to disguise myself as someone from a different profession and wander around. I can't turn around, lest you remember my appearance and reveal it to the villains who are trying to kidnap His Highness while we're drinking in the tavern."
"There are actually secret patrols?"
The knights looked at each other, seemingly surprised by Xiao Yun's answer but not daring to question it openly.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yun's voice suddenly became stern: "Whose subordinates are you? You don't even know about the secret sentry! Show me your identification documents immediately!"
"We, we..."
The knights were stunned by Xiao Yun's strength and had no idea how to respond.
"Can't you produce your identification documents?"
"We, we were ordered by the Emperor to come to the Little Love Palace to protect His Royal Highness the Grand Duke. We are not affiliated with the Holy Family Knights and do not accept orders from the Grand Duke, so we didn't know there were secret patrols around Lake Lilia..."
"I see."
Xiao Yun pretended to be persuaded by the knights: "You can go now."
"call……"
The knights breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't report me to your superiors. I don't want to lose this job."
Xiao Yun added.
"We also don't want to see Your Majesty feel humiliated by the Holy Family again because of this matter."
"In that case—"
"wrong!"
The knights suddenly rushed to Xiao Yun and surrounded him.
"Who the hell are you?"
The voice was mechanical and stiff, the eyes covered by the shadow of the helmet flashed a suspicious blue light, and strange cracks appeared on the facial skin!
Something inhuman hiding under the human skin may crawl out at any time!
"Why the sudden silence!"
The knights, unaware of their own changes, questioned Xiao Yun harshly.
"Who on earth are you?"
"I……"
Xiao Yun instinctively took a step back, and the "golden blade" in his right arm glowed faintly.
(This thing——)
"Come with us! Unidentified bard!"
The leading knight strode forward, trying to catch Xiao Yun. His eyes, which were already faintly flashing with blue light, suddenly became as dazzling as light bulbs in the dark night. He stared at him scorchingly, trying to devour him!
"ah--"
Xiao Yun quickly looked away.
His right arm rose uncontrollably, and golden light flashed into his hand, piercing the knight's throat.
“Ahhhhh…”
The knight who was stabbed by the "golden blade" let out a miserable cry, and then he knelt down. Starting from his throat, the skin all over his body quickly dissolved and peeled off as if it was placed in strong acid, revealing the dark green keratin-like scaly skin hidden under the human skin!
The human face also became distorted and deformed, turning into a strange lizard-like creature!
(Ah…ah…)
Xiao Yun was frightened by this scene.
My intuition is… well! What on earth is this—
The knight's companions also stood there in shock, unable to believe that the companion they had been with day and night had turned into an inhuman monster in the blink of an eye!
"W-What's going on?!"
"Cruz! How could Cruz turn into a monster!?"
"Hey! Who are you? What did you do to our companions?!"
"Devil! He's a demon!"
The knights who thought they had found the truth rushed towards Xiao Yun, completely unaware that their bodies were undergoing the same horrible changes as Cruz's - their skin peeled off, revealing dark green keratinized skin, their faces twisted and turned into lizard-like creatures, their limbs' joints reversed, and their spine bones protruded from the human body through the flesh and blood to form sharp spines!
They turned into the legendary ugly monsters that were a cross between humans, dragons and lizards!
(Damn it! Why is there something like this near the Little Love Temple!)
Xiao Yun didn't have time to think, he gripped the "Golden Blade" tightly and fought desperately with the monster knights who were rushing towards him!
…
Although we were outnumbered, because "Gold of the Rhine" had a strong killing effect on life in other dimensions, Xiao Yun, who possessed extraordinary skills, quickly defeated all the monster knights who rushed over!
"You guys—what the hell are you!"
Shouting harshly, Xiao Yun raised his hand to kill the last monster.
At this moment, the Monster Knight seemed to have suddenly regained his humanity and let out a shrill scream.
He threw away his weapon, hugged the lizard's head with his hands that had transformed into claws, rolled on the ground in pain, and uttered words of despair.
"Help me! Help me! What on earth...what on earth is happening to me? Ah!"
Amidst the screams, the monster knight's entire body exploded, turning into pus-green and blackened limb fragments all over the ground.
Looking at the limb fragments on the ground and recalling the painful screams of the monster knight before his death, a dark emotion beyond despair gradually surged into Xiao Yun's chest.
(What on earth happened to this Master?)
(Who transformed normal humans into inhuman monsters!)
(Edmund... or...)
(Regardless of whether it was Edmund's idea to transform a knight into a monster, letting this monster patrol around the Little Love Palace as a knight, brother... brother...)
Xiao Yun felt an unprecedented strong anger and decided—
“Who’s there?”
A low and hoarse voice sounded. Xiao Yun looked in the direction of the sound and found that while he was staring at the fragments of the monster knights, the night of Maga had already fallen.
Fishing lights lit up on Lake Lilia, and soldiers patrolled the woods and riverbanks with magical lighting tools. At the junction of the tree shadows and the lake, the lights of the Little God of Love Palace were bright.
"Who are you? Where are you going? Why are you here?"
Two people dressed as magicians appeared in front of Xiao Yun with the sound of footsteps. Their eyes were shining under the triangular shadows formed by their black hoods.
They glanced at the monster's body parts on the ground and shouted, "We are the magicians responsible for protecting the Little Love Palace. You have entered a prohibited area without permission. Please identify yourself immediately to avoid being expelled by force."
"I……"
Xiao Yun thought for a moment and took out the crystal amulet from his chest.
"--ah!"
The moment they saw the crystal amulet, the two magicians cried out in surprise and then knelt on one knee: "Sir, how could you... and this on the ground..."
"I wanted to give my brother a surprise, but I didn't expect an accident to happen along the way."
"It was our negligence that put the young master in danger..."
"Take me to my brother immediately."
Xiao Yun pointed at the monster's body parts on the ground and ordered, "Take these things with you as well."
"Yes, sir."
…
…
When Xiao Yun arrived at the Little Love Palace under the escort of the magicians, it was already dark.
The flickering fishing lights on Lake Lilia, the lights of the town and the stars in the sky complement each other. The Little Cupid's Palace, known for its slenderness, exquisiteness and crystal whiteness, stands at the intersection of lights, starlight and tree shadows. It is as beautiful as the goddess of love gazing at the beautiful figure by the lake.
Xiao Yun had no time to stop and admire the beautiful night view of Maga.
From the moment he stepped into the building, his senses were filled with the sweet aroma that filled the air—
(This is... the scent of Rosamary, the scent that Yaris loves, mixed with Bisarua, the perfume he uses most often. It's the scent that's closest to Yaris...)
His heart began to beat violently, and Xiao Yun had to suppress his emotions in order to calm the trembling that seemed to tear his chest apart. He followed the magician through the corridor filled with all kinds of expensive works of art.
The magicians stopped before a huge white marble vase filled with golden rosamaria in full bloom.
"Young Master—"
"Um."
Xiao Yun nodded calmly, suppressing his inner excitement and fear, raised his hand and pushed open the half-closed door.
The world behind the door revolves around Yaris.
Just as he remembered, he was wearing loose clothes and sitting leisurely on a comfortable and soft sofa, his face facing him sideways, his long, shiny black hair hanging down, and his beautiful face with a smile as clear as a spring.
Behind him stood several attendants headed by Kelly, and in front of him stood the Imperial Prime Minister Ulysses who came to report on his work. Flowers and fruits were placed in every corner of the living room as incense.
Xiao Yun looked at him blankly, and inexplicable pain surged in his heart again.
(…I think…I’ve finally found the real reason why I insisted on escaping Yaris. He’s so perfect, so outstanding, so unique, that he’s enough to shatter everyone’s pride and confidence…)
(Even I, who come from a world that believes in equality for all, often feel that the idea that all people are born equal is a meaningless fantasy in front of Yaris, this person who was born to be God's favorite and the most special person...)
(So I chose to run away. I ran away regardless of everything, not only because I didn’t want to see disappointment in his eyes anymore, but also because his perfection forced me to face my own stupidity, emptiness, and inferiority…)
(“I” never hated my brother. “I” just didn’t dare to face him. “I” didn’t dare to look at him. I didn’t want to realize so clearly that “I” was a beggar with nothing…)
“—Lucien…”
The charming voice interrupted Xiao Yun's thoughts.
Yaris tilted his head and gently urged his brother: "Come in quickly! Don't stand at the door."
"Okay, okay."
Xiao Yun suppressed his pounding heart and, led by his servant, walked in front of Yaris.
"elder brother--"
"Come, sit next to me."
Yaris held out his white, fragrant hand to his brother.
"Okay, okay."
Xiao Yun was in a trance and sat down obediently next to Yaris. Then he stood up nervously and adjusted his sitting position because his thick long hair that reached Yaris' waist was pressing down on him.
“I, I…”
"It doesn't matter."
Yaris smiled as he raised his slender, soft hand and gently stroked his brother's brown curly hair. His gaze fell on Xiao Yun's bard costume. "You were planning to appear at the banquet as a bard, right?"
"Well, I wanted to give you a surprise, but I didn't expect——"
Xiao Yun calmed himself down and told his brother about the horrific accident that happened in the grove.
Yaris listened carefully.
Ulysses stood aside with a serious expression, saying nothing.
…
After looking at the monster limb fragments with inhuman dark green keratinous skin brought back by the magicians, Yaris sighed softly: "--Edmund has finally taken this step."
"Are you sure it was Edmund who did it?"
Yaris chuckled and asked Xiao Yun, "Do you remember the Hydra and the Ocean Giant?"
"Remember."
Xiao Yun recalled everything that happened on the day of the Sea God Festival.
"...The 'Sea God Priest' used magical means to transform ordinary knights, less than two meters tall, into terrifying sea giants, terrorizing the people of Kukuchia."
"The knight who attacked you underwent a similar magical transformation. Judging from the inhumanity of their limbs, the transformations inflicted upon them were even more radical and thorough."
"ah?"
Xiao Yun's expression changed drastically.
"According to the young master's account, this master didn't even realize he had been transformed into a different species until he turned into a monster."
Ulysses offered his opinion.
Yaris nodded. "Yes, the people who transformed them deliberately preserved their human consciousness, allowing these transformed knights to approach me as guards without knowing anything. Unfortunately, Edmund didn't expect you, my brother, to appear near the Little Love Palace as a bard. The things in their bodies sensed the aura of the Holy Family and mistakenly thought I was nearby, instantly revealing their true identity."
"So the real purpose of this Monster Knight is... to assassinate His Highness?"
Ulysses exclaimed.
"It's not assassination, it's intimidation."
Yaris said calmly, "These few guys alone are far from enough to assassinate or kidnap me. But I am worried about this matter. I suspect that the imperial army is already densely packed with modified inhuman monsters! At Edmund's command, they will launch an indiscriminate massacre and even eat civilians alive!"
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