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joy of the progress I had
「All of this must have something to do with young master Linley.」
Although these common citizens didn’t know the specifics of Linley’s situation, they were able to guess.
……
Within the Baruch clan’s main hall, Linley was still kneeling on one side.
t enough yet. Although they are courteous to me, that is plooked towards Guillermo.
「Linley, didn’t I previously say that I was going to give to you books regarding magical incantations for wind-style and earth-style spells? That’s what the
ulders, but the owner of those claws, Linley, stared beseechingly into Hillman’s eyes.
「Uncle Hillman, I’m begging you, tell me, where is my father?」 Like a poor, lost orphan child, Linley stared at Hillman, his eyes begging. Like a drowning man clutching at a stalk of grass, Linley clutched at Hillman.
Hillman gently shook his head. 「Linley, your father…is dead!」
Linley laughed. Laughed so desolately. 「No…no way. I have to show him the warblade 『Slaughterer』. I have to tell him that I can transform into a Dragonblood Warrior. And tonight, I’m going to drink wine with him.」
As he spoke, tears began to cover Linley’s face.
Staring at Linley, Hillman couldn’t help but lower his face, and then two rivers of tears began to flow down his own face.
「Impossible. Impossible!」
Gripping onto Hillman fiercely with his two claws, Linley stared a deathly stare at Hillman. His eyes even took on that same, icy, dark golden color of the Armored Razorback Wyrm. The entire hall was suddenly filled with a baleful aura that was even more terrifying than the one emitted by the warblade 『Slaughterer』.
A low, hoarse growl emitted from Linley’s throat…
「Tell me….where is my father?」
Book 6, The Road to Revenge – Chapter 1, The Dusty Affairs of the Past
Hillman was being gripped so tightly by Linley’s claws that his clothes were torn open. Scarlet blood slowly leaked out, staining his clothes red.
But Hillman didn’t notice in the slightest.
Staring at Linley, Hillman said in a downcast voice, 「Linley, calm down first.」
「Tell me.」 Linley was staring at Hillman.
Hillman said solemnly. 「The troop of Knights following you is about to arrive. For now, let’s not allow others to know about the affairs of your clan. Come with me first.」 Hillman shook his shoulders loose of Linley’s claws, then grabbed Linley’s scaled arms and with the intention of pulling him to the ancestral halls…only to find that he was unable to budge Linley.
「Linley!」 Hillman turned his head, a spark of anger in his eyes.
「Uncle Hillman, I know how to act.」
Linley’s face was deeply sunken, but he took a deep breath, retracting the scales on his arms into his body, returning to normal. Just as he once more returned the 『Slaughterer』 to his case and held it, Linley could hear the sounds of hoof steps outside drawing near.
The troops of Knights of the Radiant Temple had finally arrived.
Linley turned, glancing at them coldly, but paid them no mind. He said directly to Hillman, 「Uncle Hillman, lead the way.」
「Alright.」
Seeing that Linley was able to calm down, Hillman felt a little bit better. He immediately led Linley into the ancestral hall’s direction. Linley’s face remained sunken. At this moment, aside from Linley himself, perhaps nobody knew that beneath that calm expression, there lay hidden an incredibly deep, painful wound.
Neither the Shadowmouse Bebe nor Doehring Cowart made a sound.
They were connected to Linley’s soul. Naturally, they could feel the unimaginable grief and pain which Linley was currently suffering.
The wind rose, catching up and hurling into the air countless leaves which had been lying on the unimaginably ancient stone tiled grounds.
「Creaaaak.」
Hillman pushed open the door to the ancestral hall, then turned to look back at Linley. Holding the warblade 『Slaughterer』, Linley stepped inside, his face calm. But his gaze was fixed upon those rows of spirit tablets placed in the middle of the ancestral hall. With Linley’s current vision, he could clear read the words on the newest spirit tablet, located at the front.
There were only two words on the front. 「Hogg Baruch.」
Linley felt his mind growing dizzy, as though he were having a hallucination. But he still stood there, unmoving. And then, still carrying the 『Slaughterer』, Linley stepped forward to the stone platform in front of the spirit tablets, placing the 『Slaughterer』 on top of the platform.
Linley looked at the spirit tablet, a peaceful smile appearing on his face. In a soft voice, Linley said, 「Father. I’m back.」
「I know that all your life, your greatest desire was that we recover our ancestral heirloom, as well as regain the bygone splendor of our clan, the Dragonblood Warrior clan.」 Linley spoke very carefully, as though he were afraid to startle someone. His voice was so gentle, so careful.
Linley stared at the spirit tablet. 「I didn’t disappoint you. I have already brought back to the Baruch clan, to the Dragonblood Warrior clan, our ancestral heirloom, the warblade 『Slaughterer』.」
「Now…I have already brought back the 『Slaughterer』. And very soon, I will restore our Dragonblood Warrior clan to glory. I will make sure the entire Yulan continent knows of the splendor of our Dragonblood Warrior clan, and will make sure everyone in the Yulan continent knows your name.」
「All of this, I will accomplish. I so swear.」
Suddenly, a fiendish look appeared on Linley’s face. 「But of course, before I do all of these things. I will avenge you.」
There was no question at all in his mind. His father, Baruch, had been killed by someone.
Otherwise, based on his father’s prowess as a warrior of the sixth rank, as well as a man in the prime of his health, he couldn’t have died due to any ordinary illness. And what’s more, if he had died of illness, Hillman wouldn’t have acted so secretively. Linley’s intuition was telling him that his father’s death was no ordinary death!
「The person who caused you to die. I will make sure he dies as well!」
Within Linley’s eyes, once more there seemed to be a hint of that cold, dark gold color of the eyes of the Armored Razorback Wyrm. That terrifying dark golden color.
Linley fiercely turned to stare at Hillman. 「Uncle Hillman, tell me. How did my father die, exactly? In addition, where was my father buried? Also, you said my father died three months ago? Why didn’t you tell me?」
Hillman opened his mouth, but did not speak.
「Linley, first calm down,」 Hillman finally said slowly.
Calm down?
How could he calm down?
「I wish so much that my father could be here and personally see this warblade, 『Slaughterer』, with his own eyes. I long to tell my father that I have become a Dragonblood Warrior. I deeply desire to see my father’s smile, hear his gratified laughter. See the pride on his face when I assume the Dragonform! However…all of this is now impossible.」
Linley felt as though his heart had been sliced by knives.
And Hillman was asking him to calm down?
Linley wanted to angrily rebuke Hillman, but he restrained from doing so. Taking in a deep, unwilling breath, he swallowed his rage. Staring at Hillman, Linley said, 「Uncle Hillman, tell me everything which happened. I want to know everything.」
「Your father died three months ago. But before he died, his instructions to me were that only after you had the power of a warrior of the seventh rank could I tell you. Otherwise, I cannot tell you the circumstances surrounding his death.」 Hillman said solemnly.
「A warrior of the seventh rank?」
「Yes.」 Hillman nodded slightly. 「This was the reason why I went to the Institute to look for you, but didn’t inform you of your father’s death or why he died. Your father’s dying wishes were that I was not to allow you to know of his death, so that you could calmly focus on your studies.」
Hillman looked at Linley. 「Linley, it isn’t that I’m not willing to tell you. It’s that this was your father’s dying wish. I cannot go against it. Only if you are able to become a warrior of the seventh rank, would I be willing to tell you everything.」
Linley understood.
A warrior of the seventh rank?
Linley withdrew a leather-wrapped book from his clothes and handed it to Hillman.
「This is?」 Hillman looked at it with surprise.
「A magus』 proof of rank.」 Linley’s face was calm.
Every single magus, from the day he began to be evaluated, would be issued a certificate with his proof of rank. Each time he advanced a rank, there would be a record of it.
Hillman opened the book and saw that under the 『wind-style』 and 『earth-style』 entries, there were seven stars.
「Seventh rank…a seventh rank dual-element magus?」 Hillman was stunned. He stared disbelievingly at Linley.
How old was Linley?
Only seventeen.
What did a seventeen year old dual-element magus of the seventh rank represent? Hillman wasn’t too clear on the specifics, but he knew that in the entire Kingdom of Fenlai, the most powerful magus present was a magus of the eighth rank. But that was an old man, well over a hundred years old.
Hillman remembered how, when he joined the army, there was a magus of the seventh rank who had arrived at the same time. He remembered the glory, the pomp of it all.
But now, little Linley, whom he had watched growing up, had become in the blink of an eye a dual-element magus of the seventh rank.
「This…this is real?」 Hillman asked an extremely stupid question. Hillman knew very well that this certificate of rank definitely couldn’t be fake.
「Uncle Hillman. Now you can tell me what happened, right?」 Linley stared at Hillman.
Hillman nodded, then headed for the private room behind the ancestral hall. A few moments later, he came out. Walking over to Linley, he withdrew an envelope from his clothes. Presenting it to Linley, he softly said, 「This was left behind by your father, right before he died. Once you read it, you will understand.」
His hands trembling, Linley reached out and accepted the envelope.
There weren’t any words on the envelope.
He opened the envelope and withdrew the letter. The letter had two full pages of content.
「Linley: By the time you actually read this letter, I most likely would have died a long, long time ago.」
「Towards you and Wharton, my heart is filled with boundless remorse, but there is no way for me to do right by you two any longer. I only hope that you two will be able to live for a long period of time in peace, which is why I have instructed your Uncle Hillman to only provide this letter to you when you have become a warrior of the seventh rank.」
When he read this, Linley’s heart felt sour.
「Let me live for a long period of time in peace? I imagine that father never had expected me to become a magus of the seventh rank so quickly. After all, based on the normal rate of progression, from the sixth rank to the seventh rank would take a considerable amount of time.」
「Linley, within my heart, I have held a secret for many years. Your mother did not actually die when giving birth to Wharton.」
These words from his father caused Linley’s heart to shudder.
Ever since he was a child, Linley had known that his mother had died when giving birth to Wharton. But apparently…that was a lie.
「That year, when your mother was pregnant with Wharton, both of us were very happy. But the medical facilities at Wushan township were simply too poor, so I went with your mother to Fenlai City. Within Fenlai City, your mother safely gave birth to Wharton. Little Wharton was very adorable, and both of us were overjoyed. Shortly after he was born, filled with joy, your mother and I took young Wharton to the Radiant Temple to pray for Wharton to be blessed. That day, both your mother and I were extremely happy. Afterwards, we left the Radiant Temple and stayed overnight at a hotel in Fenlai City.」
「That night, a group of mysterious people came to the hotel and forcibly abducted your mother. Totally outnumbered, I was only able to protect young Wharton…but I did see that on the arm of one of the assailants, there was a red, spider-like birthmark.」
As he read this, Linley himself felt as though he had been transported back to that night, ten years ago.
Under the combined attack of many assailants, unable to ward them all off, his father had only been able to protect Wharton, and could only watch powerlessly, unable to save his beloved wife.
「I know that this group of people was definitely not an ordinary group of people. The weakest of them was a warrior of the fourth rank, while the strongest was even stronger than me. Fortunately, their target was only your mother, as otherwise I would』ve died long ago. Someone capable of mobilizing a squad such as this, definitely would be a major figure in Fenlai City. I didn’t dare to go public on this affair. I took little Wharton back home and told everyone else that your mother died in childbirth. Only your Uncle Hillman and Housekeeper Hiri know this secret.」
Seeing this, Linley’s mind was filled with questions.
Within that gang of people, the strongest was even stronger than his father, but they didn’t care about his father, only about abducting his mother. But why was his mother worth their time to abduct?
「I couldn’t let you know about this. During these past ten or so years, I have always buried this secret deep in my heart. I didn’t dare tell anyone…and I couldn’t even go by myself to investigate your mother’s whereabouts, or to find out if she was alive or dead, or who that group of people was. I didn’t dare.」
His father’s words caused Linley’s heart to feel so much pain that it clenched.
「I am the successor to the leadership of the clan of the Dragonblood Warriors. At the very least, I had to raise you until you were grown. I cannot allow the Baruch lineage to come to an end in my hands. Year after year, I could only secretly endure…but every night, I found it difficult to fell asleep. The question of whether your mother was alive or dead constantly tormented me. I have endured…I have endured eleven years!」
「Linley, you have made me incredibly proud. First, you became a student at the number one magus institute in the Yulan continent. And then, you became one of the top geniuses there, at the Ernst Institute. I am filled with confidence towards you. What’s more, even little Wharton’s density of Dragonblood in his veins has reached the requisite level. I am extremely proud. For both of my sons to be so outstanding…I feel that I have done right by the ancestors of the Baruch clan! But despite all of this, I still did not dare to investigate your mother’s whereabouts, because Wharton still needed a large amount of gold to sustain his costly studies.」
「And so I have endured for eleven years. But when
se two tomes are.」 Guillermo laughed.
Linley couldn’t help but feel excited.
Magical incantations and the proper method by which one cast the spell were both very important. Otherwise, even if one had enough spiritual energy and mageforce, one still wouldn’t be able to cast more powerful spells.
Linley immediately withdrew one of the two books and opened it up.
「Wind-style!」 Upon reading the first page, Linley saw that the first page was a general summary regarding this tome.
After the summary, it began to describe one wind-style spell after another. This tome explained everything in great detail, and also clearly explained what to focus on for every single spell.
Linley flipped directly to the section on spells of the seventh rank.
Linley felt astonishment as he read about one powerful, intricately designed spell after another. Linley had to admit, the bygone people who had invented these spells in the past were, without a doubt, absolute geniuses.
「Spell of the ninth rank – Windshadow Technique. It was derived from a combination of the 『Supersonic』 spell and the 『Airwings』 spell. It possesses the special effects given by the Airwings spell, great speed, and great agility. It can be described as perfect…」
Seeing the deep, in-depth explanation of the Windshadow spell within this tome, Linley felt all the more excited.
A brand new world of magic was beginning to open up in front of him.
In the future, with his prowess in earth-style and wind-style magic, as well as the power of a Dragonblood Warrior, his future offensive potential would be enough to cause anyone to shudder in their heart.
Seeing how Linley had become totally absorbed with these magical tomes, Guillermo didn’t make a sound as he quietly left by himself.
….
Within the Hot Springs Garden.
Linley was seated cross-legged on the grass, all of his muscles and bones quivering as that special Dragonblood battle-qi was permeating every part of his body with its force, causing Linley’s entire body to experience a constant strengthening.
「Boss, Patterson will be arriving tonight. You still are in the mood to train?」 Bebe mumbled, lying next to Linley.
Linley opened his eyes and looked at Bebe.
「In the mood?」
Linley felt bitter in his heart. Early this morning, that Duke Patterson had sent word via messenger that tonight, he wanted to come have a one-on-one visit with Linley. As the Minister of Finance, naturally Duke Patterson felt the need to have good relations with all the other important nobles. These past few days, he had been handling and worrying over the issue of illegally mining and smuggling water jade, which was why he hadn’t had the time to visit Linley yet.
「I’m not in the mood, no, but I must train. Only when I have enough strength will I have confidence.」 Linley said to himself.
Per his current plans.
Within the next half year, he would kill Patterson as well as find out who the person behind Patterson was.
After finding out who the person behind Patterson was, Linley would, before the next anniversary of his father’s death, find out what happened to his mother, or kill the person behind Patterson.
「Swish! Swish!」
「Ahhhh!」 Outside the Hot Springs Garden, a miserable scream.
With a leap, Linley jumped atop the man-made hill within the Hot Springs Garden. Standing on the top of the hill, he could clearly see that the bodies of those ten or so Knights of the Radiant Church had begun to decay. They screamed in agony nonstop as their blood began to stain the ground.
At the same time, from every direction, a dense black fog began to billow at high speed towards the Hot Springs Garden. Wherever this black fog passed, everything, be it animal or human, would begin to corrode, then die.
Linley looked up into the sky.
The sky above him, as well, was now covered with that dense black fog. The surrounding black fog swept towards him at high speed.
「Someone’s here.」
Linley could sense that within that dense black fog, there were several black blurs that were charging towards him at high speed.
At this moment, there was nowhere for Linley to flee!
「Haaaargh!」
At a high speed, Linley descended from the man-made and, as though he were a fish, jumped into the hot springs pool.
Book 6, The Road to Revenge – Chapter 7, Heavy Casualties
The hot springs water bubbled about. By now, Linley was at the bottom of the hot springs.
This hot springs pool wasn’t very deep, at most around two meters or so. Right now, Linley was pressing his body against the bottom of the pool. The water of the springs was very clear, and Linley could vaguely see what was going on outside.
「Who are these people? Why were the warriors of the Radiant Church outside unable to take a single blow from them?」 Linley’s mind was full of suspicions. No matter what, at the very least the warriors of the Radiant Church outside were of the fifth rank. Every one of them possessed the ability to use battle-qi.
Could it be that for some reason, these warriors were not able to use battle-qi to block that black fog?
Linley didn’t understand what was going on, so for now, he did not dare to come out and directly resist the black fog!
「Linley, that black fog should be a fairly common darkness-style spell known as the 『Corrosive Fog』. You can definitely use battle-qi to resist its effects.」 Doehring Cowart’s voice rang out in Linley’s mind.
「But those warriors of the Radiant Church…」
「They should have been attacked by a different sort of spell that bewilders the mind, preventing them from utilizing their battle-qi in time to defend against the spell.」 This was Doehring Cowart’s deduction.
「Gurgle, gurgle.」
From around Linley’s body, a gust of wind began to billow outwards. It was the wind-style spell, Windscout. Linley could totally sense everything which was going on outside.
「Quick, no matter what the cost, we have to kill Linley.」 The leader in black said coldly.
The other five black robed men all nodded, charging towards the hot springs at high speed.
Right at this moment…
「Swish!」
Like an arrow, Linley shot out of the pool into the air, splattering beads of water everywhere. And then, Linley descended from above them like a fierce tiger leaping down from the mountains, his five fingers formed into claws as he ripped towards the head of one of the black robed men.
「Hmph.」 That black-robed man’s body quivered slightly, as he prepared to use his left arm to forcibly block Linley’s claw attack, while stabbing out with the sharp knife in his right hand.
A hint of a vicious smile appeared on Linley’s face.
Suddenly, a bluish-black Dragonblood battle-qi covered the right arm of Linley, which was attacking with a claw hand. The layer of Dragonblood battle-qi was very thin. Given its thinness and the fact that the surrounding area was full of the dark 『Corrosive Fog』, it wasn’t very visible at all. Most importantly…sharp claws suddenly appeared from where Linley’s fingernails had been.
「Shiiiiirk!」 Linley’s right hand easily pierced through the black-robed man’s shoulder blade. At the same time, Linley once again used force on his right hand, giving it a fierce twist.
「Crack!」
The entire left chest of the black-robed man exploded, casting fresh blood everywhere. The black-robed man instantly died, but right before his death, he stared in disbelief, because his knife had stabbed Linley’s body but didn’t leave a mark at all.
「A seventh rank Earthguard armor is made out of jadestone. Do you think jadestone is so easily overcome?」 Linley said to himself. 「Much less, aside from the layer of jadestone armor, the skin on my body can instantly transform into the Dragonblood Warrior’s scales.」
Right now, when under the full Dragonblood Warrior state, Linley had the power of a warrior of the early eighth rank.
And when using the 『Dragonform』, Linley had inherited the hallmark property of the Armored Razorback Wyrm; incredible defensive powers. Linley’s black scales were much stronger than the jadestone armor. Judging from the power of that stab by the black-robed man, he had most likely been an expert of the seventh rank.
Unfortunately, the defensive abilities of that expert of the seventh rank were totally unable to defend against this claw attack by Linley. Those were the draconic claws of a transformed Dragonblood Warrior. And what’s more, this was only the Demidragon state.
「How is that possible?」 The other four black-robed men were stunned.
Based on their information, Linley was a dual-element magus of the seventh rank, and his warrior abilities were far weaker. They didn’t expect that an assassin of the seventh rank couldn’t withstand a single blow from him.
「Our intelligence was wrong!」 The leader of the black-robed men standing in the very back cursed in his heart.
But Linley only nodded mentally to himself. 「It seems that when using a partial transformation, one can catch the opponent off-guard and make them suffer a serious loss.」
「You Cult of Shadows bastards!」 Furious roars could be heard ringing out from outside, travelling at high speed towards the Hot Springs Garden. Linley understood that another group of the Knights of the Radiant Church charged with his protection had arrived. Only ten or so people had been killed just now, while his total guard numbered over a hundred.
The expression on the face of the leader of the black-robed men changed.
「No matter the cost, kill Linley!」 The black-robed leader shouted.
And then he led the four remaining black-robed men to surround and attack Linley. The black knives in their hands gleamed with a dark aura, as they seemed to have infused every last bit of their power into the knives in their hands.
An attack which they were willing to give up their own lives to make!
「Warriors of the seventh rank, right?」
Seeing the group attack of these black-robed men, Linley didn’t dodge or hide at all. With his right hand, Linley gently touched his waist. Suddenly….
A cold, fierce, brilliant violet light flashed.
At the same time, Linley retreated at high speed towards the back. Of the five people attacking Linley, four remained at their original spots, while the fifth, the leader, hurriedly retreated at high speed.
「Shirrrrrrrrrrrk!」
The stomachs of those four black-robed men were sliced open. Their stomach and intestines fell to the ground, and blood sprayed everywhere.
「Fast. And sharp.」 The leader of the black-robed men stared in astonishment at Linley.
A single sword stroke killing four warriors of the seventh rank. This example was really too terrifying.
Linley knew very well how sharp this Bloodviolet Godsword was, but just based on Bloodviolet’s natural sharpness alone, it might be difficult to penetrate the defense of a magical beast of the seventh rank. Similarly, if a warrior of the seventh rank was to use battle-qi to protect his body, at the very most, Linley would only be able to heavily injure them, not kill them.
But just then, those four black-robed men had been using all of the energy on their attacks!
They didn’t expect Linley to have such a sword on him.
「If I want to enhance the power of Bloodviolet, I would have to activate it via my Dragonblood battle-qi. But if I use the Dragonblood battle-qi, the speed of Bloodviolet will be slower than if I used my wind-style mageforce to activate it.」 At this moment, Linley was pondering the pros and cons of each.
Just then, it was true that Linley had used a single strike to kill the four of them.
What he relied on was his astonishing speed, an attack so fast that his opponents weren’t able to respond to it!
But just relying on speed and the sharpness of his sword would generally only be enough to kill a warrior of the sixth rank, or to heavily wound a warrior of the seventh rank. Only if the warrior of the seventh rank were to act like these four assassins and concentrate all of their battle-qi on their attack, not caring about their lives and sparing nothing for defense, would he be able to kill them.
「But the leader didn’t suffer much of an injury.」 Linley looked at the leader of the black-robed men.
This black-robed man’s power should most likely have exceeded the seventh rank.
Using wind-style mageforce on Bloodviolet could make Bloodviolet move faster and make its movements more smooth. But it couldn’t raise the attacking power! But if he were to use Dragonblood battle-qi on Bloodviolet, he could increase the attack power but wouldn’t be able to increase his attack speed.
「You pieces of trash!」
Angry roars erupted from right outside the Hot Springs Garden. Clearly, these Knights of the Radiant Church had just seen the corpses of their companions and were all furious now.
「Linley, you are even more formidable than we thought you were. But unfortunately, you have sided with the Radiant Church. Thus…」 The black-robed leader seemed to pay no attention at all to those who were outside, as he s
The Cardinals, the King, the Dukes, the Marquises, the Counts, all either bowed or knelt down with sincerity, paying their respects. Although the likes of Cardinal Guillermo only bowed, without question, the only people they ever even bowed to were tremendously important figures.
But today, they were bowing to the departed Hogg.
rimarily bto a clean set of training clothes, then walked over to the grassy area while beginning to mumble the words to a spell. After a few moments, an earthen glow began to cover the ground beneath Linley in a certain area as earth elemental essence began to swirl about him.
Earth-style magic – Supergravity Field.
Linley immediately leapt into the air, then inverted himself, head pointed down, feet pointing up. Using his two hands, he kept himself upright. Next, he moved to holding himself up with just one finger on each hand. Relying on just one finger, under the pressure of the Supergravity Field, Linley began to push himself up and down.
「One. Two…」
Linley counted silently. Each time he reached a thousand, Linley would change to a different finger.
The most important thing for a fighter was the quality of his body. Only a strong body would be able to accommodate a high amount of battle-qi. Only through this method would he be able to quickly grow strong! Even though he was now a Dragonblood Warrior, he still needed to maintain his daily training regime.
「Hrm?」
After training for about half an hour, Linley returned to the normal upright position. Linley stared coldly at the attractive female attendant who had just entered the Hot Springs Garden, carrying a tray with tea and fruit on top of it.
「My…my lord, this is your tea and fruit.」 The female attendant was made somewhat uneasy by Linley’s stare, and she stammered a bit.
「Who instructed you to come in?」 Linley said coldly.
The female attendant started. Stammering, she said, 「Milord, I…I was worried that you were thirsty.」
「Thirsty?」 Linley glanced at her expressionlessly.
「Attend to me!」 Linley shouted.
Instantly, four burly warriors rushed in from outside the Hot Springs Garden. These four warriors all belonged to the Radiant Church. After all, the Radiant Church had dispatched over a hundred knights to safeguard Linley.
「Mercy, milord!」 The attendant was so scared, she fell to her knees.
In the Yulan continent, nobles had a much higher status than commoners, especially high ranking nobles, who could casually kill a commoner without repercussion. As for Linley, whom even the king of the Kingdom of Fenlai treated courteously, without question Linley was one of the highest ranking nobles in the Kingdom of Fenlai.
Linley glanced at the attendant. In a cold voice, he said, 「Remember, in the future, when I am in the Hot Springs Garden, no one is permitted entry. Anyone who does enter will be punished with twenty strikes of the military rod.」
「Twenty strikes of the rod?」 The attendant’s face turned pale.
Military rods were extremely heavy. Even most muscular warriors would not be able to move for ten days or half a month after receiving twenty strikes of a military rod. A physically weak female attendant might very well die from such a beating.
「Mercy, milord, mercy!」 The female attendant hurriedly pled.
Linley continued, 「Since this is your first time committing this offense, I sentence you to twenty lashes of a rattan whip. If you make this mistake again, I definitely will not be merciful.」
「Thank you milord! Thank you milord!」 The female attendant felt relieved.
In terms of pain, the strikes from a rattan whip might even be more painful than that of the military rod, but it would cause nothing more than a superficial wound. It wouldn’t cause any harm to the bones or to the organs. It would hurt, but it wouldn’t kill.
「Remove her.」 Linley ordered the four warriors.
「Yes, Lord Linley.」 Two of the warriors stepped forward, pulling the attendant away and frog-marching her out. As for the tea and the fruit on the tray, those were all left on the floor.
Linley turned and once more returned to the grassy area.
The Bloodviolet Godsword was one of Linley’s secret weapons. Although whenever he trained with it, Linley usually made sure to keep it straight and hard, on occasion, Linley would also let it remain flexible and wield it in a bizarre, flowing manner. Linley had to make certain that this secret of the Bloodviolet Godsword was not discovered by anyone.
Naturally, he could not allow anyone to watch him train.
With his right hand, Linley stroked his waist. Instantly, with a cold, violet flash, an extremely thin, violet blade appeared in Linley’s hands.
「Swish!」
From within the Hot Springs Garden, one ray of violet light after another began to appear, while Linley roved back and forth within the garden like a wandering dragon. Having totally merged the support of the wind-style Supersonic spell with his own power, not only was Linley’s movement speed fast, it was also extremely agile.
Through the usage of the Secret Dragonblood Manual, Linley trained his body. When he was relaxed, he would engage in the carving of sculptures to raise his spiritual energy, while he would enter the meditative trance in the middle of the hot springs to refine his mageforce.
His training permeated his every daily activity.
Only, Linley still had not been able to find the best time to make his move against Patterson. After all, he had relatively few encounters with Patterson. If Linley went directly to Patterson’s manor, or Patterson came to Linley’s residence, once Linley killed Patterson, within perhaps just half a day, King Clayde would know what had happened.
No matter how great Linley’s potential was, if he murdered King Clayde’s own brother, Clayde definitely would not be gentle with him.
Within the main hall, Linley was gracefully eating lunch.
After he finished his lunch, Linley once again began thinking about Patterson. 「This Patterson fellow hasn’t come to visit me at all. Seems like I』ll have to personally pay a visit.」 Linley decided to no longer be the hunter setting a snare for the rabbit. He would head directly to the Patterson manor.
「Milord.」 Just at this moment, an attendant ran over from outside. 「Milord, Lord Cardinal Guillermo of the Radiant Church has arrived.」
「Guillermo?」
Linley’s body trembled, and then he immediately headed for the door, going out to personally welcome Guillermo.
Within the main hall.
「Linley, I hear that recently, your life has been leisurely and carefree. Every day, either you are training, resting in the hot springs, or engaging in stonesculpting. This sort of life really makes one envious of you.」 Guillermo said with a laugh to Linley.
Linley nodded and laughed as well.
「But Linley.」 Guillermo said solemnly, 「I must remind you that although your sculptures are worth money, the thing which truly determines a person’s status is power! Just look at that nearby Debs clan. Don’t they have money? But in terms of status, they are inferior to you.」
Linley understood this rationale as well.
True, money was a useful thing.
But when one’s power reached a certain level, the uses of money would grow fewer and fewer. For example, to a Saint-level combatant, money was nothing more than a worldly possession. This was also why the Dawson Conglomerate had been willing to offer a hundred million gold coins to acquire Linley and have him join them.
To these trading unions, the support of a super-combatant was simply too vital.
「Lord Guillermo, I thank you for your reminder.」 Linley said with a smile.
Linley didn’t say, of course, that it was stonesculpting that was the true reason behind him becoming a seventeen year old dual-element magus of the seventh rank.
「I’m just making small talk. After all, when you need to rest, you should.」 Guillermo glanced at one of the Vicars behind him, who immediately opened the package he had been carrying on his back. After opening the silver-white package, a stone case was revealed within.
The Vicar then placed this stone case between Linley and Guillermo.
「Lord Guillermo, this is?」 Linley already had an idea as to what this was.
Guillermo laughed with self-satisfaction. 「Linley. Open it up yourself.」
Linley slowly opened the stone case, lifting up the lid. Within the stone case, there were two tomes made from silk thread. Both of these two tomes appeared to be colored a dark gold color.」
「This is?…」 Linley
qi in his body once more began to circulate throughout his entire body, and all of his muscles and bones began to tremble.
Linley could feel his muscles and his bones slowly rise in power, as the tiny Dragonblood cells also began to merge with his muscles and bones, raising their durability and toughness.
Once one first began to train in accordance with the Secret Dragonblood Manual, their pace of their improvement was very fast.
In this training state, Linley didn’t notice the passage of time at all.
At roughly around eleven at night.
「Knock!」 「Knock!」 「Knock!」
The sound of knocking on the door. At the same time, a familiar voice. 「Linley. It’s Delia. Can I come in?」
Linley was startled.
「Whew.」 Linley let out a deep breath. All of his trembling muscles returned to normal, and the Dragonblood battle-qi in his body was once more retracted to his dantian region. Linley looked towards the direction of the door. In his mind, he couldn’t help but question, 「Why did Delia come here to speak with me so late at night?」
As he wondered to himself, Linley verbally responded, 「Come in.」
Pushing the door open, Delia stepped inside.
Upon seeing Delia, Linley’s eyes couldn’t help but brighten. At this moment, Delia’s golden hair was bound in a simple way. Those few tassels hanging down made her light purple dress seem all the more graceful. Linley had to admit…Delia was a very mesmerizing person.
Especially given that she was in the primary line of descent for the Yulan Empire’s Leon clan. Delia had an aura of nobleness which Alice couldn’t match.
「Linley, are you okay?」 Delia asked in a gentle voice as she walked over to Linley’s bed and sat down. She stared at Linley with concern.
Linley couldn’t help but feel warmth in his heart. Smiling, he said, 「I’m fine.」
Delia nodded. 「In Fenlai City, I heard about your father’s passing. I was a little worried. But…you really are as resilient as I』ve always felt you are.」
「Thank you.」
Linley continued, 「Delia, is there something you wanted to discuss, this late at night?」
「You idiot.」 Next to him, Doehring Cowart was secretly cursing at Linley.
A beautiful girl had come over this late at night to talk with you and comfort you. And you actually were asking her what she wanted?
Delia laughed, slightly nervously. But then she regained her usual calmness. 「What, if I don’t want something, I can’t come over to chat with you? I』ve known you since our very first year together at the Ernst Institute. Since when did you decide to keep me at such a distance?」
「No, that’s not what I meant.」 Linley hurriedly said.
Delia couldn’t help but laugh in delight, but then she let out a long sigh. 「Linley, there really is something I want to talk to you about, which is why I came over so late at night.」
「Go ahead.」 Linley couldn’t help but begin mentally guessing at what Delia was going to say.
Delia said helplessly, 「Linley, you should know that this is year 9999 of the Yulan calendar. In eight more months, it will be year 10000 of the Yulan calendar. The first day of each year, the entire Yulan calendar celebrates the Yulan Festival. You can imagine how important an event the celebration of the 10000th Yulan Festival will be.」
Linley nodded.
But Linley didn’t understand why Delia was saying these things.
「Although the entire Yulan continent holds the Yulan festival in high importance, our Yulan Empire holds it in even higher esteem.」 Delia continued.
Linley understood why. After all, the first year of the Yulan calendar was the year when the Yulan Empire had unified the continent. The 10000th Yulan Festival would naturally be an extremely important day within the Yulan Empire.
「My clan has sent out an order. For this Yulan Festival, I must return home. For this Yulan Festival, our Yulan Empire will carry out an empire-wide celebration. Naturally, we main-branch descendants of the Leon clan must return to participate.」 Delia looked at Linley. 「Linley, the Yulan Empire is very far away from the Holy Alliance. This round trip will most likely take one or two years. Tomorrow, I』ll have to leave and return to my motherland.」
Linley understood Delia’s meaning.
In other words, within this next year or so, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to meet with Delia again.
Staring at Linley, Delia bit her lips, then suddenly said, 「Linley. Before I leave, can I hug you?」
「Hug?」 Linley was stunned. He stared at Delia.
Linley knew very well how Delia felt towards him. But because the two of them interacted too often, ever since the first year they studied together at the Ernst Institute, in Linley’s mind, Delia had become a close female confidante. And especially after that affair with Alice, Linley’s heart had been frozen and locked.
Seeing the look in Delia’s eyes, Linley nodded.
A smile appeared on Delia’s face, and she immediately reached out with her arms, embracing Linley by the neck, then pulled herself firmly against Linley’s body. Delia pressed her face gently against Linley’s face as well.
Linley seemed to be able to feel their mutual breaths…
He could also smell the enchanting fragrance on Delia’s body. In particular, when their faces touched, he could feel the warmth of her skin…all of this caused Linley to feel a very unique sensation.
「Linley. Thank you.」 Delia murmured into Linley’s ear.
Linley didn’t make a sound.
Releasing him, Delia slowly rose to her feet, her eyes still locked on Linley’s. But halfway to her feet, Delia came to a halt. There was only two inches of distance between her eyes and Linley’s.
Suddenly, Delia bent down.
Delia’s lips just so happened to land and brush against Linley’s, causing Linley to be stunned.
Delia didn’t give Linley the chance to react, as she then quickly stood up. Taking one last look at Linley, she quickly ran out of Linley’s bedroom.
「Boss, you just got kissed by force!」 From the opposite side of the blanket, Bebe popped his tiny head out, staring at Linley.
「You. Go back to sleep.」 Linley mentally shouted at Bebe.
Bebe let out a few disgruntled squeaks before returning to the blanket. But Linley still stared at the closed door through which Delia had left. His nose still seemed to be filled with the fragrant aura of Delia’s perfume. His face seemed to still feel the warmth of Delia’s face.
Rubbing his lips, Linley felt a soft, warm feeling in his heart. The feeling was very similar to the feeling he had that night, when he had hidden with Alice on her balcony and talked the night away.
「Delia…」
Shaking his head, Linley cast away all of these extraneous thoughts.
「Linley.」 Doehring Cowart looked at Linley with interest. 「When you were young and first entered the Ernst Institute, and first saw this Delia girl, didn’t I say to you, then and there, that this was a beauty in the making? I told you from the very beginning to chase after her. Feeling regretful yet?」
Linley frowned as he looked at Doehring Cowart.
「Alright, I』ll stop talking now.」 With a twirl of his beard, Doehring Cowart transformed into a beam of light and retreated into the Coilin
「Linley, don’t be too heartbroken.」 Guillermo said softly by Linley’s side.
「Thank you.」 Linley bowed fractionally.
「Linley, your father’s passing truly fills us all with regret.」 King Clayde also comforted Linley.
After a while.
「Linley, don’t be too heartbroken.」 A clear voice.
Raising his head, Linley saw that Delia, dressed in simple clothes, was there, her face filled with concern.
「Thank you.」 Linley said in a soft voice.
Delia nodded fractionally before being led away by servants as well. One noble after another came in to pay their respects to Linley’s father. Even that Bernard, leader of the Debs clan, had come to pay his respects.
「Master Linley, don’t be too heartbroken.」 Bernard said courteously.
Linley responded with the same courteous thanks. 「Thank you.」
…..
「Duke Patterson of the Kingdom of Fenlai has arrived!」 Suddenly, the announcing voice rang out from outside.
Linley frowned very slightly.
His father’s death was linked to this Duke Patterson. But Linley knew very well that his father had disguised himself before entering Duke Patterson’s manor. Most likely, Duke Patterson had no idea that Linley’s father was the person whom had succumbed to the severe injuries caused by his subordinates.
Patterson looked extremely similar to Clayde. Both of them had long, golden hair, with eyes that seemed hawk-like. His waist was straight as a ramrod, and he had the aura of a noble.
Entering the main hall, Patterson bowed respectfully in front of Hogg’s memorial spirit tablet.
「Master Linley, don’t be too heartbroken.」 Patterson walked over to Linley and said with sincerity.
Linley raised his head and glanced at Patterson. Seeing the sincere look on Patterson’s face, he still responded with the same courteous, 「Thank you.」 From the surface, one couldn’t tell that Linley’s treatment of Patterson was any different from his treatment of anyone else.
Book 6, The Road to Revenge – Chapter 4, A Nighttime Chat
「Patterson!」
Linley silently uttered this name to himself. His mother had been taken away by Patterson’s men years ago, and now, eleven years later, his father had been injured and killed by Patterson’s men as well over the course of his investigating his mother’s whereabouts.
The murderous intention in Linley’s heart was hidden, like the lava in the bottom of a primed volcano. But one day, it would erupt.
「Boss, let me kill this Patterson for you.」 Kneeling next to Linley, the little Shadowmouse spoke mentally.
「Don’t move.」 Linley shouted back mentally.
Linley remained kneeling inside the main hall, while one noble after another came inside, paying their respects to Linley’s father.
……
That night’s banquet, Linley didn’t attend for a single moment. He remained kneeling inside the hall, observing the rites of filial mourning.
Many of the nobles eventually left Wushan township late in the afternoon, hurrying back to Fenlai City. But there was still a number who remained behind at Wushan township.
For example, Cardinal Guillermo. For example, Delia.
…..
Ritual filial mourning had to last for seven days.
That night, Linley ate some random food, then returned to his bedroom, preparing to begin his training.
「Linley, do you plan to take revenge for your father?」 The white-robed Doehring Cowart appeared by his side.
Linley glanced at Doehring Cowart. 「Grandpa Doehring, I absolutely must take vengeance for the death of my father. Although I know that it was Duke Patterson who sent people to pursue and kill my father, aside from taking my revenge, I also need to investigate what happened to my mother, and find out if she is alive or dead.」
Killing Patterson was easy.
But killing him in a way which would prevent anyone from finding out was much harder. After all, after killing Patterson, Linley needed to continue searching for his mother.
Doehring Cowart nodded slightly. 「You can make your own decisions in your personal affairs. Only, I hope you won’t act rashly. After all, your current strength is still too weak, compared to the real top-tier combatants. Even Patterson…all of his soldiers combined are a force that you cannot handle.」
Linley nodded slightly.
Patterson was the younger brother of Clayde. How could he not have a large number of subordinates?
「I expect within a year or so, I should be able to reach the seventh rank as a warrior. I can’t waste any more time.」 Linley sat cross-legged on the ground. The Dragonblood battle-
made in the affection of her mistress, and blessed me with an account of that dear creature’s conversation with her, after she had retired the night before from our company. I could scarce believe her information, when she recounted her expressions in my favour, so much more warm and passionate were they than my most sanguine hopes had presaged; and was particularly pleased to hear that she approved of my behaviour to her brother after she withdrew. Transported at the news of my happiness, I presented my ring to the messenger as a testimony of my gratitude and satisfaction; but she was above such mercenary considerations, and refused my compliment with some resentment, saying, she was not a little mortified to see my opinion of her so low and contemptible. I did myself a piece of justice by explaining my behaviour on this head, and to convince her of my esteem, promised to be ruled by her directions in the prosecution of the whole affair, which I had so much at heart, that the repose of my life depended upon the consequenc
To kindred dust my weary limbs consign.
Wilt thou, Monimia, shed a gracious tear
On the cold grave where all my sorrows rest?
Strew vernal flowers, applaud my love sincere,
And bid the turf lie easy on my breast?
I was wonderfully affected with this pathetic complaint, which seemed so well calculated for my own disappointment in love, that I could not help attaching the idea of Narcissa to the name of Monimia, and of forming such melancholy presages of my passion, that I could not recover my tranquillity: and was fain to have recourse to the bottle, which prepared me for a profound sleep that I could not otherwise have enjoyed. Whether these impressions invited and introduced a train of other melancholy reflections, or my fortitude was all exhausted in the effort I made against despondence, during the first day of my imprisonment, I cannot determine; but I awoke in the horrors, and found my imagination haunted with such dismal apparitions, that I was ready to despair: and I believe the render will own, I had no great cause to congratulate myself, when I considered my situation. I was interrupted in the midst of these gloomy apprehensions by the arrival of Strap, who contributed not a little to the re-establishment of my peace, by letting me know that he had hired himself as a journeyman barber; by which means he would be able not only to save me a considerable expense, but even make shift to lay up something for my subsistence, after my money should be spent, in case I should. not be relieved before.
Chapter 62
I read Melopoyn’s Tragedy, and conceive a vast Opinion of his Genius — he recounts his Adventures
While we ate our breakfast together, I made him acquainted with the character and condition of the poet, who came in with his play at that instant, and, imagining we were engaged about business, could not be prevailed upon to sit; but, leaving his performance, went away. My friend’s tender heart was melted at the sight of a gentleman and Christian (for he had a great veneration for both these epithets) in such misery; and assented with great cheerfulness to a proposal I made of clothing him with the our superfluities; a task with which he charged himself, and departed immediately to perform it.
He was to sooner gone than I locked my door, and sat down to the tragedy; which I read to the end with vast pleasure, not a little amazed at conduct of the managers who had rejected it. The fable, in my opinion, was well chosen and naturally conducted, the incidents interesting, the characters beautifully contrasted, strongly marked, and well supported; the diction poetical, spirited and correct; the unities of the drama maintained with the most scrupulous exactness; the opening gradual and engaging, the peripeteia surprising, and the catastrophe affecting, In short, I judged it by the laws of Aristotle and Horace, and could find nothing in it exceptionable but a little too much embellishment in some few places, which objection he removed to my satisfaction, by a quotation of Aristotle’s poetics, importing, that the least interesting parts of a poem ought to be raised and dignified by the charms and energy of diction.
I revered his genius, and was seized with an eager curiosity to know the particular events of a fortune so unworthy of his merit. At that instant Strap returned with a bundle of clothes, which I sent with my cot time it was proper for me to wait upon him with the piece. He was punctual in performing his engagement, and next morning gave me to understand that he had mentioned my affair to the manager, and that I had nothing more to do than to go
tely, and, following the first dictates of my passion, wrote as follows:
「Dear Madam,
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