Book 10, Baruch – Chapter 23, The Wedding
O’Casey landed in the middle of the lake, while at the same time, removing his enveloping black robe. Inside, he was wearing a tailored suit, like a gentleman at a banquet.
“Lord Desri, I’ve heard of your famous name long ago, but only today do we meet. I truly feel honored.” O’Casey smiled as he bowed, and then turned to look at the nearby Osenno. “Oh, Osenno. Who is this person next to you?”
Lehman’s voice rumbled out, “Commander Lehman of the Zealot Division!”
“Mr. Lehman.” O’Casey smiled and nodded.
“Master Linley, ten years ago, our Cult of Shadows invited you to come to us, but sadly, at that time, the Radiant Church had sunk its claws into you and wouldn’t let you go.” O’Casey looked at Linley and began to grumble, as though seeing an old friend of his.
Linley could only smile politely.
“Enough.” Desri laughed calmly. “Everyone should know what the situation is. It truly is rather inappropriate for Saints to participate in mortal battles. The Yulan Empire and the O’Brien Empire both do not use Saints in normal battles. Saints are just used as a source of fear.”
Desri sighed. “I’ve been in the Anarchic Lands for thousands of years now. I don’t want it to be too anarchic. Thus...I suggest that in the battles between your three sides, Saints are not to participate. Would you be willing to accept this?”
“Yes.” Osenno nodded.
Linley smiled and nodded.
Desri immediately looked at O’Casey, who grinned. “Do you need to ask? Of course I accept.”
“Wonderful.” Desri’s face grew solemn. With a flip of his hand, he retrieved four scrolls of paper and a pen. “Then today, let the four of us write down a treaty. If any side goes against it...then the other three sides will join forces to destroy them!”
Linley frowned, while O’Casey and Osenno were also startled.
Right now, the strongest of the four sides was definitely Desri’s side. After all, Desri had Higginson, Hayward, and the other Saints behind him.
“Sign here.” Desri quickly wrote down the four agreements, then handed them to Linley, Osenno, and O’Casey.
With a smile, O’Casey was the first to sign his name. Linley didn’t hesitate either as he put down his name.
“Sign!” Osenno signed his name as well.
“Excellent.” Desri smiled. “Each of us will have a copy of this agreement. But of course...this agreement is founded on our personal honor. If someone is so shameless as to allow Saints to do battle, then destroy the evidence...you must know that no secret is airtight. Once it is discovered, then the other three sides will immediately destroy the fourth.”
......
It was nightfall now. The night fog covered the skies.
Linley and Delia were enjoying the peaceful night.
“From today onwards, our life will become very peaceful.” Delia’s face had a hint of happiness on it. Smiling, she said, “In the future, we’ll no longer need to worry about many things. Linley, in the future, will you regret today’s decision? Actually, you didn’t have to agree today. I think Desri would still have supported you.”
Linley, too, had the feeling that Desri was still on their side.
Even if he had not agreed, Desri wouldn’t have allowed the enemy to kill him.
“No. I will never regret today’s decision.” Linley held Delia in his arms. “Because if I did not agree, given my current power, although I can protect myself, I am not necessarily able to protect you. If you were to die...I think I would regret it for the rest of my life!”
It was because he had thought of Delia and of his family and friends that Linley had made this decision.
“Thank you.” Delia rested her head against Linley’s chest and said in a soft voice.
Feeling her soft warmth, Linley felt all the more certain that this decision was the right one.
.....
Yulan calendar, year 10010. July 21st. The city of Baruch (formerly Blackdirt City) was a hubbub of commotion. The construction of Baruch City was now complete. The inner city was a renovated Blackdirt City. The construction style of Baruch City focused on ‘simplicity’ and ‘practicality’.
The palace didn’t take up too much area. It was only two square kilometers in size.
In the past, when the Baruch Duchy had been founded, they had begun the renovations. After five months, they had finally finished. Most of the buildings in the palace were a single story tall, while the tallest buildings were only two stories high. The main hall of the main palace was very large, capable of holding several hundred people.
And today, the main hall was full of guests.
“Your Majesty, Linley, I come as the representative of the Emperor of the Rohault Empire to bring our sincerest congratulations.” A middle-aged man said respectfully to Linley. Linley toasted him with a cup of wine, while Delia held her arm in his. Smiling, the two toasted him.
The two were very tired from all of this, but they were very happy as well.
“So many people have come today.” Wharton walked to Linley’s side. “Big brother, the envoys from the Rohault Empire, Rhine Empire, and the O’Brien Empire have all arrived. Oh...look. Those ones are from the kingdoms of the great plains of the far east.”
“Mighty King Linley, on behalf of our King of the Muhan Kingdom, we would like to convey our King’s most sincere congratulations.” An envoy from the Muhan Kingdom of the great plains of the far east also toasted Linley, and Linley naturally had to give him face and respond.
Linley and Delia shared a smile.
“Linley, you seem rather tired.” Delia said softly.
“I’m not too bad.” Linley forced out a smile. Linley hated having to welcome guests, but today was his own wedding. He couldn’t hide from this responsibility. Delia said softly, “How about this? For those people of lower status, let me handle them.”
In the past, Delia worked as a diplomat. Thus, making conversation was quite easy for her.
And she was much better at it than Linley, who would just say a few short, blunt sentences.
“Lord Cardinal Guillermo of the Radiant Church has arrived!” The voice rang out from outside the hall, and the entire hall fell rather silent. Linley and the Radiant Church, and the grudges between them, was known to everyone here. After all, the news of Linley’s slaughter of those six Angels had spread across the continent.
But now, the Radiant Church was actually sending someone over?
“King Linley.” Guillermo bowed modestly as he stepped forward.
Linley still remembered how, ten years ago, Guillermo had went to the Ernst Institute to recruit him. Now, after more than ten years, Guillermo was still a Cardinal, while he was now the King of a Kingdom whom even the Radiant Church had to compromise with.
“Mr. Guillermo, please come inside and rest.” Linley said with a smile.
“The disciples of the War God’s College have arrived!”
The people who came were Castro and two other personal disciples.
“Lord McKenzie has arrived!”
Yet another Saint.
“Lord O’Casey of the Cult of Shadows has arrived!”
Hearing the list of names, the envoys of the various kingdoms and Empires all headed off to the various corners to engage in conversation. Good heavens. All of them were Saints.
“Three disciples of the High Priest of the Yulan Empire have arrived!”
Linley and Delia immediately went to welcome them. Seeing these people, Delia immediately called out with excitement, “Big brother!” The person in the center of this three-person delegation was Dixie. Dixie and his two fellow apprentices both walked over, offering Linley their congratulations.
“Linley, you finally lived up to my little sister’s hopes.” In front of Linley, Dixie finally showed a smile.
When they were at the Ernst Institute, Linley and Dixie had been acknowledged as the two major geniuses.
Dixie suddenly whispered into Linley’s ears, “Linley, let me warn you. In the future, you better not make my little sister angry. Otherwise...even if I’m not able to deal with you, I’ll ask my Master to personally make an appearance!”
“No need for your Master to make an appearance. I’ll engage in self-punishment.” Linley began to laugh.
Today, Linley could feel that he and Dixie were on very close terms now. Seeing how friendly Linley and Dixie were being, Delia felt extremely happy.
Right at this time.
“The disciples of the ‘War Saint’ of the great plains of the far east have arrived!” The voice ringing out from outside the hall confused Linley.
Who was the ‘War Saint’?
Desri had arrived very early today, and he went to Linley’s side. He whispered, “Linley, currently, there are four people on par with me in the Yulan continent. The number one expert of the great plains of the far east, the ‘War Saint’ Tulily [Tu’li’lei] is one of them.”
Linley now understood.
There were five Prime Saints. One was Fain. Another was Desri. So a third was this Tulily. Who were the other two?
A middle-aged plainsman with a turban around his head walked in, two people behind him. Seeing Linley, the plainsman smiled. “King Linley. I, Moor [Mao’er], would like to bring my master’s most sincere greetings and congratulations.”
“My deepest thanks to Mr. Tulily.” Linley smiled.
The eyes of the plainsman, Moor, lit up. “So King Linley also knows of my master’s name. Ah. Lord Desri.” The plainsman immediately bowed upon seeing Desri.
Moor had previously seen his master, Tulily, personally spar with this Desri. His master, Tulily, had said that this Desri was on par with his own power. Naturally, Moor was extremely courteous.
“The Holy Lady of the Frost Goddess Shrine has arrived!”
Desri and Pennslyn immediately went to welcome her. Naturally, Linley and Delia went as well. Linley felt quite curious. How powerful exactly was this mysterious Frost Goddess Shrine?
This ‘Holy Lady’ had long, jade hair, and she seemed as cold and as unapproachable as a block of ice. Behind her were two beautiful girls.
“Big sister.” Pennslyn was boundlessly overjoyed.
Desri whispered to Linley, “Linley, this ‘Holy Lady’ of the Frost Goddess Shrine, Rosarie [Luo’sha’li], is the number one expert of the Frost Goddess Shrine. Her power is on par with mine.” Hearing these words, Linley understood that this Rosarie should be yet another of the Five Prime Saints.
He now knew four of the Prime Saints: Fain, Desri, Tulily, and Rosarie.
“Who is the last one?” Linley secretly wondered. Unfortunately, the last expert didn’t arrive, even by the time the wedding was concluded.
In the main hall of the Baruch Kingdom, there was a huge pile of Saints. All the envoys of the various Empires were engaged in conversation, while the Saints were engaged in conversation with the other Saints. Desri and Rosarie and the others were together as well.
Each level was segregated quite clearly.
“The envoy of the Yulan Empire has arrived!”
The person who had come was George.
“Second Bro.” Linley began to laugh loudly, and George excitedly ran towards him, then intentionally made a deep bow. “O most puissant King Linley! I, George, on behalf of his Imperial Majesty...urgh!” Linley whacked George on the shoulder, not letting him get the words out.
“Enough, sheesh. Acting like this in front of me.” Linley was overjoyed. “Come, come see Fourth Bro with me.”
“Fourth Bro is here as well?” George was extremely excited.
Ever since they had separated seven or eight years ago, he hadn’t seen Reynolds a single time.
“Fourth Bro!” “Second Bro!”
As soon as Reynolds and George saw each other, they instantly shouted and then threw their arms around each other. And right at this time...
“The Chairman of the Dawson Conglomerate has arrived!” Before the announcement was even finished, Yale rushed into the main hall. He immediately saw Linley, Reynolds, and George.
“Haha, Second Bro, Third Bro, Fourth Bro, your Boss has arrived!”
Laughing loudly, Yale charged towards them.
The many people in the hall all looked at these four friends. If ordinary people had caused such a scene, they probably would’ve been rebuked already. But this was Linley and his closest friends. No one dared to say a thing.
Ten years late, the four bros had finally come together in one spot.
“Hey, as soon as this kid Linley has become a King, he starts acting differently. His attendants even ask me where my letter of invitation is? And asks me who I am? Jeeze, what a pain!” A lazy looking middle-aged man in a long, loose robe suddenly appeared in the middle of the hall. He grabbed a nearby cup of wine, then took two sips, seeming to enjoy it very much.
“Mm. Not bad.” An expression of satisfaction was on his face.
“Lord Cesar?!” In the main hall, Barker suddenly saw this middle-aged man. He would never forget this Deity who had saved his life.