608-614

Chapter 608: The Rite Begins

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As the Elf Queen was deciding on their representative for the Sword Dance Rite, Rhode led Lize, Anne, and the little mermaid for a stroll around the gathering place.

The gathering place was entirely different from human parks and markets. Large trees and greenery surrounded the area with two clear, slow-flowing streams forming a circular plaza. The Elves sat on tall tree branches and lawns on both sides, listening to the harmonious tunes of the performing Elves in the middle. The Elves were talented musicians and singers and their suave, melodious voices resounded in the vast forest.

If the performers were the Humans, perhaps the crowd would have applauded for their graceful performance. However, the Elves didn't have the habit of doing so. Before gathering at this place, Rhode had warned Anne and Lize that they shouldn't applaud no matter how well the Elves sang because the Elves deeply valued the beauty of nature. Those who truly respected their performance would be showing their deepest respect by listening quietly.

The arrival of Rhode's group had attracted a lot of curious gazes since Humans rarely visited them. Due to various reasons, seldom would there be Humans who entered the Elf Forest as most of them couldn't withstand the strange, rigorous rules, and they would rather stay in the resting points ran by the Elves than to find trouble for themselves. Moreover, Rhode's beautiful facial features weren't too different from the Elves and the little mermaid floating in water ball was also fascinating to them.

The Elves were more curious that even though Rhode was in their gathering place, he didn't seem anxious at all. Instead, the hidden paths in the underbrushes and bushes didn't pose a problem for him. He seemed really familiar with this place as though he had lived in the Elf Forest for years. However, the Elves were sure that they had never seen him around.

Not only did the Elves feel strange, but Lize and Anne also felt dubious. Logically speaking, Rhode shouldn't have visited this place before. However, he led them around like a tour guide on a 'Free One-day Elf Forest Tour'. Lize and Anne barely recognized the man-made buildings and plants in Blackberry Town, but they failed to find any traces of man-made constructions in this Elf territory. Although the Elves also lived in wooden houses, their wooden houses were different from the Humans'. The Elves joined and stacked branches to create their own space. Looking from a distance, their wooden houses appeared like a dense greenish treetop. However, not only could Rhode recognize which were the Elves' houses in a single glance, but he also educated the three young ladies from time to time about the history, interests, and accomplishments of the residents. He sounded so convincing that Lize suspected if he was a locally born and bred Elf disguised as a Human.

"What a beautiful place..."

Lize turned to the circular plaza where the melodious voices sounded from. It was simply a paradise of her dreams — Tranquil, cozy, and peaceful. She felt as though the mundane matters of the world had gone far away and the troubles bugging the Humans were unseen on the Elves. The Elves got by everyday peacefully and had no conflicts about money, fame, and status. If it were possible, Lize hoped to stay here forever to get away from all worries...

"Yes, such a great place!"

Anne nodded with might and bite on the red apple in her hand. The apple was a gift given to Anne by an Elf child and there was nothing more satisfying than food for Anne.

"Woah... So delicious. Lize, Little Cutie, do you want one too?"

Anne retrieved two more apples from her pocket and waved them around playfully. Lize accepted her offer gladly while the little mermaid pushed against the wall of the water ball and curiously scrutinize the apple in Anne's hand. She hesitated for a moment before extending her hand. However, she quickly retracted her hand as soon as she touched the outer wall of the water ball as though she had scorched herself.

"What a pity."

Anne let out a chuckle before biting on the apple in her hand once more, letting out a crisp, refreshing sound. This was also a method that Anne had come up with to get along with the little mermaid. She knew that the little mermaid was afraid of strangers and wouldn't approach others closely apart from Rhode. Although Anne and Lize had been by the little mermaid's side along the way, she appeared much closer with Rhode instead. Even though Anne had been 'determined' in enticing the little mermaid, the little mermaid had been keeping a distance from her, which troubled Anne a lot. But Anne refused to give up. Anne liked this little fella a lot because such a cute and amusing playmate was hard to come by. There were even a few times when Anne felt like drooling whenever she saw the little mermaid... However, Anne felt hopeless because the little mermaid had been rather wary of her. If Rhode had to leave her side, the little mermaid would rather get close to Lize than to be with her.

If Rhode knew about this, he would surely lament that the existence of the food chain was truly significant..

"Mr. Rhode."

Suddenly, the group heard a voice. Rhode lifted his head and witnessed Corina leaping off a tree and landed gracefully on the ground like an agile cat. She nodded to Rhode.

"You guys are easy to spot."

"Is anything the matter. Miss Corina?"

Rhode twitched his brows while Corina pondered for a moment before responding.

"Mr Rhode, the Elf Queen has decided. If it is convenient for you, we shall hold the Sword Dance Rite tonight. If both of them... pass the test, we will agree to your request for entry into Ivory Valley," Corina said with a complicated expression. She subconsciously swept a glance to Rhode's side, but failed to spot the two girls anywhere near him. Corina was also confused by her emotions. Ever since she heard the past achievements of the Carlesdine, her mind had been clouded with complex thoughts. She realized that she had understood why Rhode wished to enter Ivory Valley now. If the two girls were indeed Carlesdine, there must be something related to them in Ivory Valley. However, it was due to this that Corina felt guilty. Although it wasn't her responsibility, she felt that the two heroes who had sacrificed themselves for the Elves weren't treated well enough.

"Oh?"

Rhode didn't notice Corina's reaction. Instead, he was surprised by her words. He thought that his request wouldn't be that easily approved because, no matter if it was Ivory Valley or Sword Dance Rite, they were the traditions of the Elves. Participating or entering as a Human would definitely cause discomfort to the Elves. According to Rhode's experience in the game, any of the Elves' discussions usually lasted days before decisions were finally made. Such situations were common in the later stages of the game, after his reputation in the Country of Law had reached new heights and he gained the authority to enter the Elf Dominion to seek assistance. This was why Rhode was used to it. Whenever he required assistance from the Elves, he would send out his application a few days earlier and head out for missions meanwhile. After Rhode completed the mission and received the mission reward, the Elves might not have even come up with a solution. But this time, he didn't expect that the Elves actually approved the Sword Dance Rite suggestion so quickly.

Although he didn't know why the Elves were so unusual this time, it was naturally a good thing for him to settle this problem as quickly as possible. He nodded hurriedly.

"No problem, Miss Corina. We're ready for the Sword Dance Rite anytime."

Corina smiled and nodded in agreement.

"We have prepared dinner and rooms for all of you. After your dinner, I will bring you to the rite."

Corina turned around and headed into a path that led into the shade.

Rhode shrugged and followed her lead. On the other hand, Lize puckered her brows slightly and gazed at Corina with suspicion. Although Corina behaved composedly, Lize sensed the complications and hesitations hidden under her facade. Lize looked curiously at Rhode before shifting her gaze to Corina. Although their interactions were normal, she felt that they had an unusual relationship. The Moon Elf young lady seemed to have some special views on Rhode. This wasn't a conclusion derived from observation. This was a woman's instinct.

The dinner prepared by the Elves weren't sumptuous because they didn't like eating meat or cooked food. In fact, most of the Elves only needed fruits to satisfy their cravings. However, this didn't mean that the Elves' food wasn't delicious. The wine and Elf biscuits that they made had always been popular in the Human world.

However, Rhode didn't focus his attention on the tasty food. Instead, he caressed the dagger hilts around his waist and sensed their spiritual undulation. He realized that his relationship with Gracier and Madaras had become closer after meeting the Elf Queen and now, he could detect their emotions through their spiritual undulation. The nonstop flowing spiritual undulation was long and steady, which represented that Gracier and Madaras were feeling calm. They didn't appear in the least bit tense for the upcoming battle.

The final ray of sunset shone at its finest before falling below the horizon. Then, the bright moon emerged from the darkness and illuminated the dusky forest with gentle, soft light. The sound of birds singing also gradually softened.

Rhode lifted his head and turned to Corina.

"We're ready, Miss Corina."

Although the Sword Dance Rite was a solemn rite for the Elves, the location wasn't as holy and inviolable. In fact, it was held in the circular plaza which Rhode had brought Anne and Lize to in the morning. However, it was currently empty and the moon had brightened the entire venue with its gracious, soft radiance.

The Elves stood patiently and silently by the perimeter, observing everything that was taking place. Rhode lifted his head and spotted the Elf Queen standing on the plaza platform. The Elf Queen revealed a smile to Rhode and turned to the surrounding Elves.

"My compatriots. My people. Today, we are holding a sacred rite to recognize two pure, great souls. They shall prove their honor, bravery, and pride with their blades. And now, under the watch of the moon and the Twin Holy Dragons, we promise and pledge the fairness of this Sword Dance Rite."

The Elf Queen's speech caused a slight uproar among the Elves. Many of the Elves who 'didn't know the truth' expressed different extents of astonishment and doubts. Although the Elves had witnessed several Sword Dance Rites, this was the first time that they had heard the Elf Queen evaluating the challengers as 'pure, great souls'.

Rhode twitched his brows as he sharply detected something abnormal. When the Elf Queen mentioned the Creator Dragon Soul, she used 'Holy' to describe them instead of calling them 'Gods'.

Although the pronunciation was similar 1, they had totally different meaning.

"Alright then, please welcome our representative."

Shortly after, a familiar, yet unfamiliar figure walked out of the crowd. He was clad in fine glass armor, luxurious helmet and a polished sword emanating magical radiance hung by his waist. But even so, Rhode immediately recognized who he was as soon as he sensed his amusing gaze. It was Dale, the Elf Knight who had suggested this Sword Dance Rite to the Elf Queen.

What is this guy up to?

Rhode puckered his brows and scanned the Elf Knight who had stepped into the middle of the plaza from head to toe. He gently caressed and stroked the daggers around his waist and a wave of dizziness hit him out of a sudden. His vision blurred in a flash and two petite Elf girls emerged before him.

"I'll leave it to you. Gracier, Madaras."

Rhode nodded. The two girls let out crisp chuckles and stepped into the middle of the plaza while holding hands. Then, they pulled down their hood in unison to reveal their extraordinary faces.

"...!"

The crowd cried out in alarm and exclamation. It was apparent that they didn't notice Gracier and Madaras' presences until they had decided to show themselves. The two Elf girls presented their gentle smiles and stretched out their right arm forward. Then...

Shing!

Snowy short blades emerged from their sleeves.

Chapter 609: Double-edged Sword Dance

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"...!"

Several Elves sucked in a deep cold breath. Rhode squinted and scrutinized the young ladies before him. This was the first time Gracier and Madaras revealed their weapons and they were extraordinary.

Snowy razor-sharp blades shimmered in a dark, menacing radiance. The length were slightly longer than their palms, which fit perfectly like a pair of viper fangs in a glance, ready to strike anytime.

Concealed blades...

Rhode's heart skipped a beat.

Concealed blades were highly popular among the players. After all, one could carry them around conveniently to assassinate and dash through the cluster of flowers suavely. Most Thief class players tried using concealed blades as their main weapon, but their luck was on the down side because concealed blades was the main weapon of the Dark Elves and the players had to enter the deep underground, avoid the wandering high-level monsters, search the underground city of the Dark Elves to become one of them, and finally, accept their path. However, the players' reputation in the Elf Kingdom would fall to 'Hostile' instantly as soon as they had chosen to join the Dark Elves and they could never win their trust back. As for their reputations in other Human nations, they would fall to 'Indifferent' and 'Normal' no matter how much reputation one had earned previously. Their only home left would be the Country of Darkness and they had to find their meaning of existence under the hands of the Undead Creatures.

The loss of their reputation was secondary because the most troublesome area was to increase their mastery of the concealed blades. 15 Skill Points were required to upgrade from Mastery E to D, which exceeded the total degree of difficulty for every other swordsmanship technique. Even the Legendary swordsmanship techniques would require 6 to 8 Skill Points, which was extremely tough. However, the concealed blades required 15 Skill Points at the start and needed 20 Skill Points thereafter, which meant that players would face difficulties in building other techniques.

However, concealed blades were tough to master unlike other weapons. They had high level of concealment and was extremely dangerous. Rhode remembered that there was such a saying in Chinese wuxia novels: longer blades would have a wider range of stronger attacks and although the shorter blades would have a shorter and riskier attack range, they could be used to launch much quicker attacks. The dangers of concealed blades were double-edged. They were difficult to use as daggers for attack and defense because they were only longer than their palms by a little. In fact, the players would often feel helpless whenever their PVP opponents in the Assassin and Swordsman class were welding concealed blades.

But now, the atmosphere had changed.

When Gracier and Madaras flashed their concealed blades, Rhode sharply detected the bewilderedness in the crowd. The Dark Elves' assassination technique came from the Carlesdine and they had naturally inherited the Carlesdine's specialized weapon. But after the disappearance of the Carlesdine, there naturally weren't any places for the existence of concealed blades. Even in the game, most of the players treated concealed blades as the Dark Elves' specialized weapon, which explained the crowd's reaction.

If Gracier and Madaras didn't have the distinctive features of the White Elves, perhaps they might have been judged as the Dark Elves' scouts.

"Oh?"

Dale was also astonished when he witnessed their weapons. He slowly drew his sword and widened his stance.

"Leader, who are they?"

Rhode turned around and saw Anne's curious emerald eyes gazing at himself. Not only Anne, but even Lize and Snow also looked at him dubiously. After all, they had never met the two young girls and it would be even more suspicious if they didn't have any doubts.

But Rhode didn't answer. Instead, he placed a finger on his lips.

"I'll tell you about them later."

Rhode turned his attention to the circular plaza. The battle was about to begin.

Dale raised his sword in an upright stance without any traces of hesitation in his eyes. Shortly after, powerful blade air streams rose from the ground and shrouded his body. In the blink of an eye, Rhode sensed that the Elf Knight had merged with his sword as one. Sharp, bone-chilling blade air stream emanated from his body and rustled the innocent leaves on the tree branches.

What a powerful blade aura.

Rhode's heart skipped a beat. As a Spirit Swordsman, he clearly knew what a blade aura meant. Currently, Rhode could only accumulate his blade aura slowly before emanating it. However, Dale was different. He was like a sword that withdrew out of the sheath in a clean draw and the ice-cold blade aura burst into the air instantly. This speed was sufficient to prove that Dale was an exceptionally powerful swordsman. Rhode was sure that he would die under Dale's sword miserably if they dueled using swords only.

It was due to this that Rhode was curious to witness Gracier and Madaras's performances.

Dale had made it clear that he wasn't holding back. So, could Gracier and Madaras stop an Elf who had entered the Legendary Stage? Rhode knew that their current strength was powerful. Both of them hadn't enter the Legendary Stage and he had no idea about their swordsmanship standard. Their Stealth Skill could hide them from detection, but could it guarantee their victory?

If it was true, then these two daggers would be too important for him.

Rhode focused his attention and stared at the circular plaza.

The two young girls were unfazed. They presented gentle smiles and took two steps back, dropping their arms to their waists relaxedly.

Then, everything flashed before the crowd.

Dale stepped back abruptly and let out a deep grunt. The glass sword in his hand exploded with immense radiance, spreading wild air streams forward.

However, there was no one to receive his attack.

As the dazzling, ice-cold radiance ripped through the air in a sharp, ear-deafening screech, everyone shockingly realized that the two young girls had disappeared as though they didn't exist in this world.

However, Dale's reaction was equally quick.

He drew a circle swiftly with the tip of his sword before leaping backward. In the blink of an eye, layers of protective crisscross blade rays spread all around him.

But there were still no signs of the two young girls.

As though they didn't exist.

How powerful.

Dale kept his sword and made a defensive stance. Although he stared forward calmly, he wasn't as composed as he appeared. Even when the two young girls were standing before him, they were like phantoms that didn't exist. And now, he had proven that it wasn't his misconception. Dale had struck out a wave of powerful attacks to force the two young girls into fighting him face to face. However, he didn't expect that they would vanish into thin air as soon as he struck. Even though his senses had been heightened to the maximum, he still couldn't spot their tracks!

It's truly the Carlesdine.

Rhode nodded in satisfaction. The Carlesdine weren't swordsmen but were assassins instead. Therefore, they couldn't tire their enemies through battles before taking their lives suavely. Instead, they sought after one-strike-kill and silent battle techniques. Even though Dale was capable of brandishing his sword to protect himself from the surrounding, he couldn't detect their presence at all. As soon as he stopped, he had to defend from all directions. This mental pressure was much more intense than a true sword fight.

However, Dale seemed to have realized this and he didn't attack blindly anymore. He laid his sword by his side and scanned the surrounding vigilantly. Not only him, but even the crowd also widened their eyes curiously. Oh my goodness. I've never seen such a Sword Dance Rite!

Where exactly did the two young girls go to?

Dale felt a shiver and turned his body abruptly, at the same time slashing his sword to his own neck. The crowd was stunned. They thought that this Elf Knight had gotten crazy and tried to commit suicide.

Dale was indeed quick. He flicked his wrist and slashed an arc blade ray toward his neck. Clang! The violent collision shook the atmosphere. A petite figure retreated silently with her hood concealing her face from the crowd. However, Dale didn't stop. He charged forward and slashed his sword at the young girl!

This time, Dale's attack wasn't flowery, but was swift and lethal instead. In the blink of an eye, the tip of his glass sword had arrived at the young girl's chest! Gracier swung her left arm and flashed her concealed blade to strike off his attack. Dale rotated his wrist to the recoil and struck forward at her neck instantly. Gracier welcomed his attack and pushed her right hand forward to extend the razor-sharp concealed blade and strike toward his chest.

This was clearly using one's life in exchange for another's!

"...!"

The Elves shrieked in surprise while the Elf Queen closed her eyes sorrowfully. She wasn't worried that both of them would end in mutual defeat. However, Gracier's determination to end in mutual destruction filled the Elf Queen with unprecedented pain. This was the way the Carlesdines battled: they abandoned everything and sacrificed themselves for the Elves. They were the true heroes.

Dale was equally gobsmacked as he didn't expect Gracier to be this firm. This instantly forced him off his attack and he retreated backward to avoid her attack. But, even so, Dale brandished his sword to apply some pressure on Gracier... At this moment, he lowered his head abruptly!

Clink!

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Madaras emerged behind him and the concealed blade in her hand brushed Dale's helmet. Then, Madaras sprung back and laid both arms before her. At this moment, Dale had stomped his right leg forward.

Clang!

Madaras retreated in a rather miserable manner. Her fluttering white robe made her look like a specter and she vanished like a soap bubble. Not only her, but Gracier who had been obstructed by Dale also disappeared to nowhere.

They're really hard to deal with...

Dale kept his sword and scanned the surrounding sharply. He had fully understood the terrifying aspects of the Carlesdine now. He had once fought with assassins and as an Elf Knight, he had been responsible for border patrols and had no lack of fights against the Dark Elves. This was also part of the hostility between the Elves and Dark Elves. Whenever the Dark Elves grew to adulthood, they would hold a coming of age ceremony and that was to come to the surface via the underground tunnels and slaughter the Elf Patrols. The more Elf Patrols they murdered, the better the treatment that they would receive in the underground world. This was how the hatred between the Elves and Dark Elves gradually solidified.

Dale had his own methods of dealing with assassins, especially the most threatening Dark Elf Assassins who were agile and silent in movements. Although the Dark Elves' weapon was designed to be silent, Dale understood their attacking styles and he wouldn't be afraid even if he was surrounded by five to six Dark Elf Assassins.

But now, this was the first time he felt fearful.

The Carlesdine's true strength is horrifying.

Normally, the assassin's strongest point was also his weakness. Perhaps he could stay hidden and undiscovered, but when he took actions and destroyed the balance, he would leave traces of aura in his movements, no matter how slight they were. As long as he grasped the timing right, he would be able to counterattack.

But the Carlesdines were unlike that at all!

In the two continuous attacks, Dale realized that things were looking terrible after he had been struck by the two young girls. Although he was quick, he was also miserable under the Carlesdines' silent aggression. Besides, Dale sensed that they were being lenient on him. This was especially true when Gracier first attacked. Dale had sensed the slight pause in movements in her razor-sharp blade when it was about to pierce his throat, which felt like a warning. If this was a true battle, perhaps his throat would have been slashed by their first attack.

Dale revealed a smile and caressed his neck gently. There weren't any gashes which proved that Gracier's attack wasn't filled with murderous intention. But even so, she was extremely formidable.

It seems impossible for me to win the two young girls using swordsmanship.

Dale clasped his sword with both hands and stooped forward slightly. He closed his eyes.

Alright. Let me have a taste of the Carlesdines' true powers, both of you.

Dale widened his eyes.

In an instant, the crowd felt the air around Dale distort, flicker, and form a solid polygon that spread in all directions. In an instant, the crowd witnessed a ice barrier around him.

Clink!

Gracier and Madaras emerged from thin air and they drifted apart from the left and right directions. Dale witnessed a flash and he adjusted his posture.

The two young girls slowed down abruptly.

It was similar to the curses cast by Clerics. Instead, everything around them was as though a slowed down video replay. The hem of their robes swayed along with their movements, but their speed was so slow as though they were dragging themselves in water...

This was Dale's true ability.

Air Domain?

Rhode knitted his brows together. Although Rhode was familiar with the higher-ups of the Elf Kingdom, he didn't have many impressions of Dale. But now, the Elf Knight displayed such formidable strength. The legendary powers of the Air Domain were phenomenal. Rhode didn't expect that Dale would resort to freezing the air around him to force out Gracier and Madaras!

Rhode shot a glance at Anne. At this moment, Anne was folding her arms and focused fully on the battle.

As an elemental holder, would Anne reach this stage one day?

Chapter 610: Ivory Valley

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Gracier and Madaras didn't react at all as though they were caught off guard by Dale's attack. At this moment, they were bound by the semi-frozen air like trembling puppets. Dale had no intentions of letting this chance go. In a flash, Dale slashed his sword forward.

But his sword failed to reach them when he was about two meters away. The crowd was baffled as to why Dale didn't seize the opportunity to seal the deal and he slashed his sword on the spot ridiculously instead. But he answered their doubts shortly after.

Along with his 'missed' attack, the air around him rippled into billows. His sword strike was as though a pebble that fell into the pond, spreading visible, clear air rippling from the center. Strong threatening winds rose from the ground.

Apart from Gracier and Madaras, no one knew exactly how powerful the waves were. However, it was apparent that Dale had given everything he had, judging from how the waves crashed into the defenseless young girls who were bound in the air.

When the waves arrived at their bodies, the incredibly powerful wind pressure contained them thoroughly. Their hoods were forcefully lifted open and their hair fluttered like a waving flag. The violent airstream smoothened the creases in their clothes, but this was only the start... It was imaginable how the two young girls would end up like after the waves struck them.

The crowd exclaimed in awe and even the Elf Queen adjusted her position uncomfortably. After all, Gracier and Madaras were totally trapped and if Dale didn't hold back, who knew what would happen to them.

Suddenly, everyone witnessed a scene that they had never imagined.

The two young girls looked forward with smiles. But shortly after, Rhode realized a weird change in the situation. Gracier and Madaras widened their eyes slightly and their golden pupils emanated with faint radiance. Then, they shrunk into a thin, narrow line like the eyes of reptiles!

Boom!

The powerful air waves devoured and shattered them into nothingness. In an instant, dust fluttered wildly and formed a fierce hurricane, rustling the innocent leaves and forcing the crowd to turn away.

Clink.

A faint sound was heard, but it was devoured by the sound of wind before the crowd heard it.

After a few moments, the sound of wind weakened and when the crowd turned back to the circular plaza, they were astounded. Dale half-knelt on the ground while the two young girls stood in front and behind him simultaneously. They had placed their right hands by Dale's neck. Although the crowd couldn't see clearly from their positions, it was apparent that their concealed blades were pressing against his neck.

What exactly happened?

The crowd exchanged blank looks. Just a while ago, Dale had grasped the situation and pressured the two young girls entirely. But how did the situation took a turn in the blink of an eye? What did the two young girls do? How did they escape from Dale's Air Domain that easily? Not only did the two young girls escape, but they also turned the situation around?

Dale displayed a hopeless, bitter smile, but his helmet concealed his true disappointment.

From the beginning, the situation had developed as Dale expected, especially after he activated his Order Dimension. Dale clearly felt that he had grasped the positions of the two young girls, which gave him some confidence and courage. After all, from their previous exchange of attacks, he couldn't spot their positions as though they didn't exist. This gave him a much deeper understanding of the powerful and terrifying Carlesdines. In fact, he felt that the two young girls had shown mercy. If this were a true duel, perhaps he would have died twice.

Dale didn't give up, but he wasn't that thick-skinned to not admit defeat. Instead, there was one reason why he wished to continue this battle. He wanted to enjoy this battle fully. Carlesdines—they were presences of the Creation War and this was his only chance to battle them. Since this was only a competition and not a fight to the death, he had even more chances to feel the terrifying legendary presences.

And Dale got what he asked for.

After casting his Order Dimension to trap Gracier and Madaras, he thought that he had found the key to victory. But he knew that the since the Elf Queen had mentioned how frightening the Carlesdine were, they must possess some secret techniques. Therefore, in order to prevent accidents, Dale struck fast to curb their chances of counterattacking.

But he didn't expect that he had misjudged the Carlesdine's capabilities.

When the powerful air waves erupted, Dale felt that the presences who he had restrained suddenly vanished. Or perhaps, they had as though blended into the air and he couldn't locate their positions. However, before he followed up with his attack, he felt an ice-cold sensation on the front and back of his neck. He knew that the opponents were telling him that the game had ended.

This is too terrifying.

Dale shook his head slightly. In fact, as one of the strongest in the Elf Kingdom, he was rather proud and arrogant, especially after hearing the Elf Queen's description of the Carlesdine. After all, the Elf Queen sounded as though the Elves would be extinct if the White Elves didn't sacrifice themselves to become the Carlesdines. Dale was a Moon Elf and not a White Elf. Although he respected the White Elves and admired the heroes of the Creation War, he wasn't too satisfied with the Elf Queen's interpretation. It was due to this reason that he wished to experience the strength of the Carlesdines personally, which was why he suggested to participate in this Sword Dance Rite.

And now, he finally got what he asked for.

Dale was confidence in his strength, but it wasn't arrogance. He discovered that the strength that he was so proud of stood no chance against the Carlesdines. The two young girls didn't waver to his attacks and taunts at all. They were this formidable and confident.

Creation War...

Dale felt that it was such a pity that even the powerful presence like the Carlesdines vanished entirely in the Creation War... Just how horrifying was that war? He was regretful that he couldn't participate in that war. But... He considered this as realizing one of his dreams.

"Thank you."

Dale let out a sigh and said softly. Gracier and Madaras didn't respond. Instead, they nodded slightly and laid down their arms. Along with this motion, the concealed blades in their palms retracted silently into their sleeves.

Dale stood to his feet and took down his helmet. He had restored his plain, warm expression and no one could read his emotions. He didn't react to the gazes of his compatriots and he turned to the Elf Queen to bow respectfully.

"Your Majesty, the two young ladies have passed the Sword Dance Rite. I can guarantee that they possess pure souls and graceful, formidable skills. They are the pride of us Elves and I'm certain of that!"

Dale lifted his head and gazed at the Elf Queen. The Elf Queen nodded with a smile and shifted her gaze to Rhode on the other end. Although the Elf Queen didn't comment, Rhode knew that his request to enter Ivory Valley had been approved.

The Sword Dance Rite had come to an end without a grand ceremony. The Elf Queen gave Gracier and Madaras their blessings and ended the entire rite. Afterward, the crowd stayed behind to discuss about the fascinating duel instead. As for Rhode's group, they left the plaza and headed off under Corina's lead. Anne pestered Rhode about the identities of two young girls curiously and he told the group everything about them. Of course, he didn't reveal his secrets as a Spirit Swordsman and told them that they were his summoned spirits just like Celia and Celestina. As the two young girls had some wishes that weren't granted yet, he had come to this Elf Kingdom to fulfill their wishes.

Anne and Lize trusted him. After all, they had been following him for a long time and it wasn't particularly strange that he was capable of summoning mysterious things and characters. In fact, Rhode had also been cautious and the young ladies didn't suspect him of keeping any secrets. This was a reason caused by their differences in statuses and standpoints. For natives like Lize and Anne, the world was full of extraordinary things. Therefore, they simply believed that Rhode was one of the rare people who was capable of summoning spirits in battle. As for Rhode, he instinctively looked at things from the standpoint of a player who was familiar with the game, such as understanding the specific types of military soldiers in different countries, specific classes in races, and specific skills in forces. Players would get curious as long as there was knowledge to be learned and investigated. This was why Rhode seldom displayed his strength and preferred to remain mysterious than to expose his true identity. Even though he was close to Lize, Anne, and Marlene, he wouldn't unnecessarily explain to them in details because it wasn't that straightforward...

Anne and Lize knew the strength of Rhode's summoned spirits. Just Gillian and the little mermaid's performances were enough to take on a fully armored mercenary team. There wasn't anything wrong for Rhode to come here and fulfill one's obligations and increase the strength of the Guild simultaneously. Moreover, they had also witnessed how powerful the two Elf girls were.

But...

"Leader, you sure have a lot of pretty girls among your summoned spirits."

Rhode felt a peculiar gaze from Lize after Anne gave this innocent remark.

But Rhode knew how to handle Lize. He had used all sorts of methods to resolve the conflicts back home and successfully led Lize into a satisfying, sweet dream. Not only that, but he had also used physical actions to prove that the setback was only an accident. He didn't always strained his waist.

But these were only the small details. After passing the test of the Sword Dance Rite, he finally achieved his goal to enter Ivory Valley.

"Mr. Rhode, please be careful."

Corina turned back and said softly. On the second morning, Corina looked for Rhode with the Elf Queen's orders. The Elf Queen had granted his entry to Ivory Valley, but for safety's sake, she had assigned Corina to accompany them and bear the responsibility of being their guide.

Rhode didn't feel that there were any problems with this arrangement. After all, Ivory Valley was a sacred place for the Elves and he didn't wish to have any misunderstandings with the Elves if he entered alone. With Corina by his side, he could avoid unnecessary such problems. At this moment, Rhode was following Corina and heading into the depth of the forest, casually chatting about the Sword Dance Rite that happened last night.

"Frankly speaking, Mr. Rhode, I'm really surprised. Dale has never suffered such a straightforward defeat. After the rite last night, we learned about the identities of the two young ladies from the Elf Queen. But... They were much more formidable than I've imagined."

"Oh?"

Rhode twitched his brows. He discovered that the corner of her mouth perked up amusingly when she spoke about Dale, which was unusual to see in her.

"Miss Corina, you seem really close with Mr. Dale?"

"Yes, Mr. Rhode. Because Dale is my..."

Corina shut her mouth and came to a halt abruptly. She turned to Rhode and beckoned.

"Mr. Rhode, we have reached Ivory Valley."

Chapter 611: Twin Elves

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Ivory Valley—the Elves' sacred ground and eternal resting place for all Elven heroes. From this description, perhaps one would think that it was an extraordinarily grand place. But this place didn't seem any much different from other parts of the Elf Forest. Verdant and lush forest, beautiful streams, dense treetops, and bright sun light spilling in from between the leaves. Curious little wild animals like the squirrels jumped down from the branches and peered curiously from the bushes at the two guests. Ivory Valley appeared nothing more than a perfect place for a picnic.

However, the truth was otherwise.

The only sign that could symbolize Ivory Valley was the cloud of white fog permeating in the forest, but it wasn't dense enough to conceal vision. As one walked through it, one could hear indistinct and faint breathing—the sleeping spirits' hymns of glory.

And now, Rhode had stepped onto the sacred ground.

He stepped on the fresh, soft grass and took in a deep breath of the fragrant flowers that filled the air. Then, he lifted his head to gaze at everything before him quietly. The twin daggers around his waist trembled and their spiritual undulation surged strongly. Corina followed by his side, but he didn't need her guidance. He knew what he had to do and where he had to go. He held the dagger hilts gently and stepped into the depth of Ivory Valley.

Corina gazed at him from the back curiously. Although Rhode had informed her of his intentions, she was still curious as to what he was about to do here. Not only that, but this Moon Elf was filled with unprecedented curiosity. Where did he come from exactly? How did he manage to get into contact with the Carlesdines who had vanished entirely? And what does he intend to do here?

Such questions popped up in her mind one by one. As she followed Rhode closely, she realized that this was the first time she was so interested in a Human.

The spiritual undulation guided him.

There weren't any smaller pathways in Ivory Valley. But he knew where and how he should go ahead because two spiritual undulations that were similar to Gracier and Madaras gradually became distinct. They intertwined and responded with one another as though an obvious signal reflected on a radar. Rhode strode through the underbrush, shrubs, and brooks patiently.

The sound of wind gradually became louder.

"T-This is..."

Corina widened her eyes in astonishment because she sharply sensed the abrupt transformation in the atmosphere. The peaceful Ivory Valley was slowly becoming lively as though a tranquil lake was rolling and boiling over violently. This was nothing that she had ever seen!

The leaves rustled loudly along the strong wind and the surrounding animals were nowhere to be seen. Rhode lifted his head nonchalantly and looked into the depth of the forest with his pitch-black eyes. His vision had as though seen through entire Ivory Valley.

"Mr. Rhode..."

Corina came to a halt and gaped uneasily. Suddenly, the entire Ivory Valley darkened and a scene that she had never seen emerged before her.

Not only did the light green radiance burst with spiritual aura from the land of grass and specks of light dust float skyward, but the surrounding bark also emanated equally dazzling radiance. The two different tones of green blended together perfectly and formed a path that led them deeper into Ivory Valley. As this corridor of light emerged, indistinct figures emerged behind the bushes one by one and watched the two visitors quietly. Some were clad in glorious armor, Mage robe, and Ranger attire.

"This is..."

Corina looked in disbelief. She had been to Ivory Valley several times, but she had never seen it in this state. The Queen Elf often reminisced about the memory of holy spirits. But the holy spirits had never shown themselves before anyone!

Spiritual aura permeated and gentle breeze blew against Rhode as he walked down the corridor of light. The tree branches and tangled vines made way to both sides while the grass obediently paved way for him.

Magnificent.

Rhode didn't reveal any signs of excitement, but he was exclaiming in awe inwardly. The little girl who resembled Christie didn't reveal this scene to him, so everything that happened astonished him. He was clear about Ivory Valley's history and he also knew the ones who had emerged before him. They were generations and generations of Elf heroes and only they were qualified to be buried here. But now, the heroes who should have been fast asleep forever actually appeared. Rhode knew that the holy spirits weren't here to welcome him. Instead...

He lowered his head and gazed at the twin daggers. Then, he furrowed his brows slightly.

He had always been suspecting that the identities of his spirits in the Holy Sword Card Deck weren't that simple at all. It was apparent from their offense and defense values and their incredible growth rates. Besides, when the summoned spirits reached their peak, they would possess strength in the Legendary Stage, which wasn't ordinary at all. The standard, high-end deck for a Spirit Swordsman included a Core Card, Venue Card, various spell cards, and subordinates of the unique element to the deck. Although some luckier players could get their hands on two to three decks, the strength of the decks were insignificant. On the contrary, the Holy Sword Card Deck was entirely different. Like Celia and Celestina, they could reach the Legendary Stage even without unlocking their seal and just by being under the influence of a talent skill. A deck with full 10 cards of legendary level was basically cheating in the game.

The overwhelmingly powerful card deck was also the start of Rhode's doubts. After he had discussed with Celia and Celestina, the doubt in his heart grew even deeper.

Spirit Swordsmen were different from Mages. Spirit Swordsmen could summon presences that existed on this continent while Mages could only summon presences from other elemental Plane of Existences. This was why Rhode's summoned spirits mostly appeared normal while Mages' summons were all a mess. From his conversation with Celia and Celestina, he sensed that they had high statuses and existed since generations ago. Normally speaking, the earlier the generation they came from, the higher their strength would be.

This was the same for Gracier and Madaras.

The thing that Rhode suspected the most was that their backgrounds were pointing toward the same thing—the Creation War.

Yes. The background history which was only described by lines of words in the opening music of the Dragon Soul Continent game.

Rhode didn't understand the specific details to the history. In fact, apart from the players who were interested in archeology, most of them were only concerned about getting their hands on legendary weapons or magic scrolls and no one knew about the explicit details.

But, even so, Rhode understood this clearly: Gracier and Madaras held high status among the holy spirits!

Their presences woke the holy spirits up from their long slumber, which proved a powerful point. After all, the Carlesdine were rarely seen. But there were up to thousands of Carlesdine during the Creation War. So who would be worth the welcome of that many holy spirits?

The spiritual undulation around his hands surged violently. Rhode lifted his head and spotted two short, unremarkable pine trees before him.

Perhaps due to the long time, their trunks and branches had withered and drooped lifelessly. The towering trees around them had as though submerged their irrelevant presence entirely.

Rhode approached the two pine trees and laid his daggers before him. Then, the daggers flew out of his hands and slowly drifted forward, emanating warm, dazzling spiritual radiance from their blades.

The two pine trees lit up like Christmas trees and specks of green radiance spread upward from their roots. Then, every branches and leaves emanated a glorious luster.

Corina stood behind Rhode and looked at the scene blankly. She was flabbergasted.

At this moment, the radiance on the twin daggers flickered and two young girls emerged before Rhode.

However, Gracier and Madaras were no longer dressed in their usual plain robe. Instead, they were clad in pure, white cloaks inlaid with golden lining. Not only that, but flashy golden threads were also embroidered on the backs of their cloaks. The skin-tight clothing that they wore previously had become spotlessly white and were embedded with leather of beautiful patterns.

An immense air pressure struck forth.

Rhode took a step back uncontrollably as he almost half-knelt to the ground with his weakened knees. He had never sensed such a tremendous might from the two young girls, and not even from Lydia. They were announcing to everyone their strong, absolute authority.

However, Rhode withstood it.

His body shook slightly and he turned to find the pale Corina half-kneeling on the ground with sweat beads spread across her forehead. She didn't dare to lift her head up.

At this moment, the two young girls turned around and gazed at Rhode with adorable smiles. Gracier and Madaras extended their hand forward. Their sweet, crisp voices sounded in Rhode's ears like a gentle whisper of the spring breeze.

"You've finally awakened us, Master."

"Our blades will fight for you and our glory will shine for you, Master. We will follow your path to the end. This is our promise and duty..." The two young girls let out a crisp, lovely chuckle before turning around and drifted to the two pine trees. They extended their finger forward and touched the branches.

The two pine trees erupted into a blinding radiance and slowly shattered into countless specks of light, which flew into their petite bodies. Shortly after, the pine trees vanished like melted snow. The brilliant rays on Gracier and Madaras shone increasingly brighter and at the same time, the spiritual radiance on the ground rippled as though responding to their presence. Every tree, branch, leaf glittered fascinatingly like an ensemble. The ground trembled as though the powerful energy contained in them was roaring and trying to break through to the surface...

And they finally emerged.

Boom—!

An ear-deafening, thunderous explosion numbed their ears and everything before them were enveloped in complete whiteness as though the entire world had been devoured.

If Rhode stepped back farther, he could see two light beams emitting from the ground, ripping through the dense clouds, blending into one with the azure sky as though they were pillars that connected heaven and earth. In an instant, the bright sun seemed inferior to the two light beams. The pale green radiance had become the main theme of the world.

"Your Majesty..."

Dale looked up with astonished, widened eyes. Not only him, but the Elf Knights around him were also stupefied and lost their calm. They gazed at the two pillars rushing into the sky in bewilderment.

The Elf Queen neglected the inappropriate behavior of her knights because she also stood to her feet and gazed at the two light beams with a complicated expression. She let out a slight sigh.

"It seems... This is the fate that we certainly have to experience."

The Elf Queen closed her eyes and listened quietly to the almost inaudible whispers that echoed in the depths of her soul...

Chapter 612: He & She (I)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Marlene stood by the window and gazed at the picturesque city glowing in radiance of gold. However, her thoughts had drifted to the far southern seaside. She remembered how the sun shone on the clear azure sea and the fishy smell that assailed her nostrils. There wasn't a single trace of cloud in the sky as the massive magical fleet sailed and stole the show from the sun slowly. Billows of smoke hovered above the harbor city and indistinct screams and mourns could be heard from the distance.

The battle had ended.

The farce of the Reformist Party's independence that lasted almost half a year was finally about to end in this late autumn. As winter approached, autumn would end completely like withered leaves that had fallen to the ground. After the Chairman of the Southern Parliament committed suicide by consuming poison, the Reformist Party crumbled entirely as they lost their main backbone and turned into a complete mess. Not only that, but internal chaos also arose among them. After the Royal Fleet had sealed off the Southern Port, the entire Southern region had been crippled and the Southern Parliament also faced unprecedented fears and pressure. The Chairman had it easy because, no matter what, he was safe from the fate of getting his neck hung in Golden City. However, the others weren't that fortunate. The Southern Port had been sealed off and no ship could enter or exit. The current battle in the front line was intense while the unstable rear was filled with Barbarians penetrating into the Southern hinterland. The core members of the Reformist Party were petrified and the magic fleet's emergence also meant the chances of the Country of Light's Parliament sending help had become zero. Therefore, their only choices left were to either give up, run to the Barbarians' territory with all their lives, or pass through the borders to enter the Country of Darkness.

However, all the three choices led to death for members of the Reformist Party.

They knew how vicious Lydia was and nobody would believe that she was an honorable and kind-hearted Archangel. In fact, there were many times where many people's evaluation of her were accurate and that was her 'tyrannical' trait. She sought riches, pleasures, and loved grand banquets. She would cruelly put down those who resisted her and perhaps even Humans couldn't be this demanding. But she could.

This was also why the Reformist Party would rather grit their teeth to struggle than to give up. They knew that the gibbet would be awaiting them at the end of the road as soon as they surrendered. Of course. Lydia wouldn't execute their whole family unto the third generation, like ancient sovereigns. However, she also wouldn't capture the principal offender and let the others off—no one would be spared.

It was due to this understanding of Lydia that the Reformist Party's core members wouldn't surrender no matter what.

However, the other two choices weren't hopeful for them either.

The wasteland of the Barbarians wasn't enveloped in the Order Forcefield and the people there were barbaric, violent, and recognized strength only. It didn't matter how high one's position was in the Munn Kingdom was or the amount of wealth one had because they were meaningless. Moreover, it was located near the Dragon Souls where the Order Forcefield had become unstable with and days and nights were of varying lengths. The areas which wasn't enveloped in the Order Forcefield was much more terrifying and it was basically impossible for ordinary humans to survive.

The Country of Darkness wasn't a great choice either.

Everyone knew that the Country of Darkness was a nation of Undeads and Humans had low statuses there. Even though the statuses of the Humans had increased due to the existence of one of the Four Legendary Generals, 'The Conqueror', Garcia, it only influenced some of the Humans. In the Country of Darkness, most of the Humans were either slaves or meals for the Vampires. Therefore, even if they passed through the borders safely, they wouldn't face any better endings.

What left the Reformist Party in desperation was that although the Country of Darkness and the Country of Light had a terrible relationship, their ties with the Munn Kingdom were rather decent. If Lydia requested for the Country of Darkness to hand over the Reformist Party's core members, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't send them back!

They could either turn into corpses instantly or serve as slaves before eventually turning into corpses. It was only the difference between death penalties and deferred death sentences, which wasn't a huge difference for them because there weren't any possibilities for them to appeal for their cases.

As of now, they could only drag it out day by day and for as long as possible.

However, they had forgotten that human nature was selfish, where one could neglect the death of others as long as one could survive.

The core members of the Reformist Party were the minority, after all. Most of the other members weren't willing to die along with them. Previously, they didn't dare to wreak havoc when the Chairman was still alive. But now, they had toughened up and believed that the Chairman's suicide meant that everything had ended entirely and they had no chances of winning! If they didn't surrender, only death would be waiting for them!

It was due to this that the internal department of the Reformist Party erupted into chaos.

'A small stubborn core molecule' failed to take effect in the 'vast ocean of people'. Not only that, but the 'traitors' also took the initiative and released the Southern Legion's ex-chief commanders who were captured by the Reformist Party. And this marked the end of the so-called Southern independence of the Reformist Party.

What happened next wasn't worth mentioning. The Southern Legion that was stationed in Callenbach City broke out into chaos after they learned that the Chairman had committed suicide. The King's Party seized this chance and encircled Callenbach City from the rear and cut off their source of supplies, which trapped the Southern Legion entirely. After three continuous failed attempts to break through, the defenders in Callenbach City surrendered without any resistance.

Everything that Marlene saw when she entered the Southern Port had been etched in her memories. She had been to the Southern Port in the past and it used to be an orderly and beautiful city. The pedestrians on the streets wore brightly colored clothes and conversed courteously with their heads held high as though their futures were filled with glimmering hope. Got to say, those Southerners indeed had the qualifications to look down on the Northerners who always behaved crudely and wore roughly manufactured clothing.

But this time, it was entirely different.

Bloody corpses and carcasses had tainted the clean streets and putrid smell spread all over the city. Several bloated corpses were also seen on the beautiful, azure bay. Residents who appeared malnourished and sickly hid in their homes in shabby clothes, peeping from the windows at the King's Party soldiers entering their city. No one maintained the neatly aligned houses and the recent riots had crushed the magnificent city into a pit for beggars.

What a disaster.

Marlene shut her eyes and tried to forget about the unpleasant scenes in her mind. If it were Lize, perhaps she would pity the unfortunate people. However, Marlene wouldn't because she didn't feel that they deserved sympathy. This was their choice and they paid the price for it. As for whether the price was a bit too high, it wasn't within her concerns.

In just two days, Lydia had taken decisive actions against them. She captured every single one of the core members and threw them into jail. Her punishment for them was exceedingly grave: she confiscated all their property and wealth and turned them back to ordinary civilian status. Apart from those that were confirmed to be hanged, the others would receive different extents of punishment.

To the Reformist Party, Lydia's actions were drastically vicious because almost everyone who participated in the armed rebellion was a noble or a merchant. They held large properties under their names, which was why they dared to fight against the King's Party.

Almost all the trade associations and nobles of the South had been wiped out by Lydia and it could be considered pulling the rug from under the Reformist Party's feet. This also meant that they wouldn't have sufficient strength to resist the King's Party in the future.

Lydia's actions would certainly raise protests from the civilian workers because her actions weren't just about wiping out the foundations of the Reformist Party. All the trade associations were managed by civilian workers and now that the trade associations had all been seized by the King's Party, it would mean that the livelihood of all civilian workers would be affected. Perhaps a riot would have been in place in peacetime.

But now, the high and mighty Southerns accepted this arrangement without saying a word. They were like beautiful greenhouse flowers and Lydia had smashed the protective glasses and completely drenched them under the violent storm. After the cleansing of the storm, the fully bloomed flowers withered thoroughly. The cruel reality smashed their imaginations and educated them that a war wasn't only just about glory and cheers. Instead, a war was a path that led to destruction and deaths and they had chosen this path foolishly.

"Miss Marlene."

Marlene turned around and spotted her personal female servant looking at her respectfully.

"The banquet is about to begin..."

"Got it. I will get changed now."

Marlene stole a final glance at the tranquil sceneries of Golden City. Then, she turned around without hesitations and entered the room.

***

Rhode stepped out of the chariot and gazed at the lofty, majestic castle beaming in golden radiance. He couldn't help but whistle in awe.

After awakening Gracier and Madaras, Rhode didn't return to the Land of Atonement immediately. This was because Gillian had informed him of the invitation letter from the King's Party to participate in the grand banquet organized in Golden City. Although Rhode's time had been occupied by the twin daggers and he disregarded the battle between the King's Party and the Reformist Party, he had confirmed that the Reformist Party was done for. In fact, it was as Rhode had expected.

Lydia wiped out the entire Southern base, where it was the home for hundreds of nobles and trade associations. After the battle, the Southern Legion and their fleet had to be cleaned and rebuilt on the large scale. It was impossible for no one to be disinterested in a huge slice of cake placed before them. Rhode was also clear that even though Lydia organized this grand banquet to celebrate the victory against the Reformist Party, she had no intentions of sharing the cake.

It was due to this that Rhode had left the Elf Forest and brought Anne and Lize into Golden City. But this time, he had an uninvited guest with him.

"So... This is Golden City..."

Corina stepped out of the chariot and gazed in awe at the magnificent castle.

Rhode turned around and stole a glance at her.

Rhode was surprised that Corina had joined him here. In fact, he didn't expect the Elf Queen to request sending Corina to the Land of Atonement with him when he took his leave.

Of course. Rhode knew that young Elves would often travel while undertaking some obligations. Back then, Corina had traveled into Soraka Mountain as the representative for the Country of Law and her duties were naturally fulfilled now that Soraka Mountain no longer existed. However, Rhode didn't expect that the Queen Elf would send Corina to the Land of Atonement!

The Queen Elf explained that she wished to closely examine the aftermath which the Duke Fiend had left. However, Rhode knew that this was a lie that would only work on children. If she truly wished to observe, why didn't she send Corina over and get Rhode to go to the Elf Forest instead? Rhode wasn't sure why the Queen Elf had made this decision. However, he approved of her decision because he knew that the Country of Light and Country of Darkness would break out into a war soon and his Land of Atonement would definitely be one of the front line. When that happened, with Corina helping in the Fortress, perhaps she could drag the Country of Law into the situation and strengthen his forces. So, how would Rhode let this opportunity slip? Moreover, Rhode was clear of Corina's talents and with her help, he would have an easier time defending his Fortress.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't a good thing to allow Corina to be by his side. Rhode knew that his method of work would be disapproved by the Elves based on the understanding of human culture. However, he couldn't care less. The war would begin in about a year and as long as he didn't take it too far and upset Corina, everything would be fine. Anyway, Rhode was an expert in disguise and it wouldn't be anything tough for him.

But now, Rhode had focused his attention on the golden castle. His mind was thinking about another person who he hadn't seen in a long while: Marlene.

Strictly speaking, Marlene was the first woman who Rhode had after he came to this world (Canary wasn't counted, of course.). First love would always be etched into one's memory, not to mention one's first sexual encounter. Even though she hadn't been following him for a long time, her contributions in developing Starlight weren't anywhere less insignificant than his. It could also be said that Starlight perhaps wouldn't be growing this steadily if she didn't exist.

However, Rhode was clear that Marlene couldn't possibly stay in Starlight as his adjutant forever. She was the only heir of the Senia Family. Besides, compared to a less important character like Rhode who only ambushed enemies from the rear and did nothing else, her performances were striking. Not only did she lead her team of Mages and resist against the Reformist Party continuously, but she had also coordinated the encirclement around Callenbach City. Of course, this wasn't due to her natural talent in military tactics. After going on countless adventures with Rhode, she had tremendous growth in her understanding and mastery of magic.

It was also due to this that Marlene performed outstandingly well in the battle. She had taken off the title of a 'rare magical genius who only appeared once in a hundred years' and was officially recognized as a 'young and formidable Mage'. It could be said that her hard work had been recognized.

On the way to Golden City, Rhode had heard several rumors about the remarkable Marlene. Some also mentioned that she might join the Court Mage Guards and become Grand Mage Amund's assistant or possibly the next Court Grand Mage. There were some rumors that mentioned she might receive brand new territory and an honorable title.

Rhode knew that Marlene was more than qualified to receive these rewards. Unlike him, she was born into a prestigious family and had always been the center of attention. This was why such results weren't surprising at all. Everyone knew that she was the heir of the Senia Family and a rare magical genius and she would definitely succeed if she worked hard for it. However, the situation was different for Rhode. No matter how outstanding his performances were, he had only appeared before everyone in a short period of time. As a result, the nobles were much more dubious of him as compared to Marlene. This was apparent from when Lydia bestowed him the feudal rank. She must have considered this factor and therefore, given him the lowest Baron rank. On the contrary, perhaps Marlene might be bestowed the rank of an Earl if she were in his place.

Rhode felt rather reluctant to part with her.

Perhaps Marlene's feelings toward him wouldn't change, but who knew? They would see each other so much less after she left the Guild and distance was always the biggest enemy to a loving relationship. Based on Rhode's experiences, he knew that their feelings would become dull if they couldn't meet due to various reasons. Moreover, Rhode had no lack of women around him. If everything didn't work out, the Senia Family would perhaps search for another well-matched family in order to continue the family lineage or Marlene wouldn't consider marrying others at all. No matter what, that had nothing to do with Rhode.

Rhode felt annoyed at the thought of this possible future. He had always been snatching women away from others and never lost... Is this the rhythm leading to failure?

Rhode didn't know what to feel. He was glad that Marlene's growth had been recognized, but the thought of her leaving Starlight left him feeling out of sorts.

But...

Rhode let out a helpless sigh and threw this matter to the back of his head.

At the very least, he was about to meet Marlene soon.

Chapter 613: He & She (II)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When Rhode stepped into the hall of the castle, he sensed plenty of gazes on Lize and himself from the nobles. But that lasted for only a while. The nobles continued their passionate conversations with one another. The banquet would be held on the evening of the 15th and the nobles had rushed their way back to Golden City. Of course, they were aware that the banquet wasn't just a grand dinner. Instead, it was more like a session to share a delicious cake. The King's Party army was mainly formed from the nobles' private soldiers and legions. After this war, the higher-ups of the Southern Fleet and Southern Legion would be re-selected. Although the current Southern Legion Commander didn't participate in the armed rebellion and was imprisoned by the Reformist Party for resisting, everyone knew that this was enough to get him out of his position.

However, military affairs weren't related to the nobles. The Munn Kingdom had always treated the military and nobles as unique entities. Therefore, even though the Southern Legion had suffered huge damages, it was imaginable that the King's Party would eventually select outstanding candidates from other legions to replenish vacant roles. Therefore, it was impossible for nobles to poke their noses into military affairs. This time, the nobles were most concerned about the remaining slices of cake left behind by the southern nobles and merchants. They had been eyeing them for a long time, but they couldn't find excuses to have them. But now, since the other party had to bring about their own destruction, it would be rude of them to stop them. Please go ahead bravely. We won't have any issues safekeeping the things that you left behind.

Rhode held a low feudal rank and his performance wasn't as outstanding as Marlene's. Apart from a few remarkable performances in the Cloud Summit Fortress battle and assisting General Garcia in defending the Southern Legion's attack twice, he was nowhere to be seen in contributing to other areas. Not only that, but one of the battles was also commanded by Lize and he couldn't claim credit for that. The only achievement he could present was capturing General Dade, a leading commander of the Southern Legion.

Judging from this, Rhode's achievements were unmatchable to Marlene's. However, the nobles had their own news channel and they knew that even though Rhode didn't perform outstandingly well, the conflagration in the Grosso region and the collapse of the underground mine in the Fiat region were closely linked to him, which was the key to dissolving this war swiftly. The strength of the armed rebels weakened drastically after losing their source of food supplies and the Reformist Party lost their resources to forge armor and weapons after the Royal Fleet sealed off the Southern Port. During the final days of the war, many of the Southern Legion soldiers didn't have food for days and the blades in their possessions were terribly blunt.

In such a condition, it went without saying how they performed against the perfectly well-equipped King's Party army.

However, these rumors were only spreading among the nobles. Lydia had kept this matter a secret and not many nobles noticed it. But they knew that they shouldn't make irresponsible remarks about such matters. Therefore, they didn't appear exceptionally passionate or show disdain when Rhode's group arrived. Since Lydia had appointed such an important task to Rhode, it undoubtedly meant that this mysterious and powerful young man would be a force to be reckoned with in the King's Party.

The banquet hadn't begun yet. The nobles were waiting and chatting in the hall. However, not many of them spoke to Rhode and he didn't seem interested in joining their circle either. Although he was indeed a member of the nobles with a low feudal rank, he wasn't close to any of them. He had been busy managing operations of the Land of Atonement, his Guild, and accomplishing various missions. He seemed more like a mercenary than a noble and he didn't have time to invite nobles to his territory and build relationships.

Therefore, even though the nobles were curious to know more about this impressive young man and the forces behind his back, they couldn't do much as they weren't familiar with each other. Moreover, Rhode had shown that he was a tough and dangerous character in the Midsummer Festival and it would be best for them to not act recklessly before understanding his interests. If not, it would be troublesome if they messed with such a mysterious and formidable person.

It was due to this that many of the nobles carefully kept a distance away from Rhode. On the contrary, Rhode enjoyed the momentary peace that he was getting. He stood far away from the crowd and leaned on the wall at a relatively isolated corner, shutting his eyes for a rest while Lize and Anne stood beside him quietly. Corina didn't come to Golden City to participate in the banquet. Instead, she was here to report to Lydia about her transfer matters. No matter what, as one of the important members of the Elf Dominion, it was nothing out of the ordinary to greet the ruler of the Munn Kingdom.

Although it was a solemn occasion, Anne didn't behave appropriately at all. Since the crowd hadn't gathered and there was no sight of delicious food yet, she curled up, hugged her legs, and leaned on her shield for a short nap.

Although her actions weren't respectful, they were resting at a relatively remote corner, fortunately. Even if she were seen by one, one would at most show a hopeless smile and move on. They weren't that sick of living to mess with Rhode yet.

Lize would have usually reminded Anne to not sleep so soundly with that many people around her. Although Anne had an adorable sleeping face, she still had to be aware of the environment and venue... But Lize didn't do so because her mind was wandering off...

And the reason to her absent-mindedness was similar to Rhode's—Marlene.

Lize felt perplexed. She didn't know how to explain everything that had happened. Besides, she couldn't discuss this problem with Rhode because this was a problem between Marlene and her.

In Lize's mental world, Rhode had admitted his relationship with Marlene. It was due to this that Lize's phantom went out of control entirely and gave Rhode the chance to dominate the situation. Even though Rhode didn't mention this matter after returning to reality, Lize subconsciously realized that what he said was the truth. The increase in intimacy between Rhode and Marlene had actually existed for a long time. However, Lize didn't have any experience in love and she thought that they were simply close with each other. Although Lize did feel that there was something unusual between them, she couldn't put a finger to it.

But now, she detected their relationship after experiencing it for herself and putting some thought into it.

Although Lize had overcome the hurdles in her heart with Rhode's help, this matter still bothered her to a certain extent. She took advantage and dove into Rhode's embrace when Marlene wasn't around. If Marlene were to find out, what would she think about her? Lize had been tortured by her own thoughts and she didn't have the time to consider this question. And now, she discovered the bigger trouble that she had to face.

Fortunately, the Dragon Soul Continent didn't practice monogamy and Lize was clear that similar situations had emerged among the nobles. If two good friends fell in love with the same man, they could marry him with their families' approval. Not only that, but strange rumors were also spreading in the nobles circle. Lize heard that the daughter of the Chelton Family loved and adored her best friend, the daughter of the Burlington Family. Therefore, after the daughter of the Burlington Family married off to a man, the daughter of the Chelton Family also married him.

This scenario prevented a soap opera with a third-rate plot involving two close friends who had fallen in love with the same man and ended up becoming enemies. However, Lize wasn't concerned about this. She wasn't worried that Marlene would make her leave Rhode's side after she found out the truth. Instead, she felt guilty for not discussing with Marlene over her 'adultery' beforehand and was concerned that this would destroy their friendship. After all, they had grown up together since a young age and it would be a pity if cracks were to form in their friendship over a man.

Everyone had their own standpoint. As time passed, more nobles arrived in the hall and they crowded over and struck up conversations with the more reputable ones. In this internal battle, the three largest families in the Munn Kingdom were the most dominant apart from the Northern Army. Although there would be many forces rising abruptly to towering positions after this internal battle, everyone knew that the three largest families still influenced the nation the most. Besides, they had also received several compliments on this celebratory banquet. As long as one supported them, perhaps one could build a favorable relationship with them, which was of utmost importance for any nobles.

Rhode puckered his brows as he leaned on the wall and gazed at the passionate nobles. It was apparent that these people were elated and glad for victory and the end of the internal battle. But what was there to be happy about? The conflict between the King's Party and the Reformist Party couldn't be considered a war. It could only be considered a local dispute at the very most. And yet, they were overflowing with confidence and behaving arrogantly. How would they react when the war between the Country of Light and Country of Darkness broke out and when the Undead Army crossed their border?

Lydia was a great ruler, but what about her subordinates?

Rhode shook his head helplessly. He didn't need to worry about blindly for her since she was more than capable of reading the situation.

Suddenly, Rhode felt the lively atmosphere quietened abruptly. He subconsciously looked toward the hall and spotted a familiar figure.

Marlene.

Marlene was no longer clad in the Mage robe that he had always seen her in. Instead, she wore an elegant burgundy dress that showed off her slim waist and splendid curves. Layers of interweaving ruffles lined her skirt and let off a mysterious, luxurious vibe. Not only that, but he also saw faint silver magical radiances flashing around her like protection circles. Rhode couldn't help but twitched his brows slightly.

It seems like I'm not the only one who has grown from this battle.

Marlene had attracted a lot of attention as soon as she arrived in the hall. Many young nobles widened their eyes and came to her side one after another, greeting and praising eagerly for her achievements in the battle. The smarter nobles knew that Marlene would surely be awarded with generous rewards by Lydia and it would definitely be a great help for their families if they could build a close relationship with her. Moreover, they might even have the chance to capture the heart of a beauty.

Marlene presented a calm smile in response. No matter how much they flattered, she wasn't moved at all. At this moment, Rhode spotted a young man clad in a black attire stepping out of the crowd. He approached her side, placed his arm before him and bowed respectfully. As he was seemingly speaking about something, Marlene puckered her brows as though she had sensed something and turned toward where Rhode was standing. The smile on her face instantly widened to a charming grin and she stepped forward.

Marlene's every action attracted the nobles' attention. Their gazes followed her and they were astonished after spotting Rhode at the corner. Then, her next action left the crowd startled.

Rhode nodded to her as a greeting. According to his understanding of her, he was confident that she would respond politely in such a formal occasion. At this moment, Lize had also returned to her senses. She saw Marlene approaching them and she revealed an awkward smile while waving her hand.

"Marlene, long time no..."

Before Lize finished her sentence, Marlene had stood before Rhode and did something unimaginable: she embraced him tightly and tiptoed to press her lips against his.

The air froze in an instant.

Lize looked at Marlene vacantly while the nobles widened their eyes unbelievably. Rhode was slightly taken aback by her actions, but he swiftly wrapped his arm around her slender waist and pulled her in.

Marlene's aromatic fragrance assailed his nostrils and her soft tongue slithered around his. She closed her eyes and her fair cheeks were smeared with reddish pink. After a few moments, both of them separated.

"What a passionate welcome, Marlene. It seems that you've found yourself another man."

Rhode looked at the beautiful face before him and said softly. Marlene winked cheekily.

"How did you know. Rhode?"

"I was the one who taught you this and you haven't changed at all. So, I'm really confident."

Rhode extended his finger and slid across her back in a teasing manner. Marlene tensed up immediately and he let go of his embrace.

"You're still the same."

Rhode pressed down the creases on his clothes and looked at the crowd behind her. Time had as though frozen. All the nobles stood blankly on the spot as though they had just witnessed a nightmare.

"It seems that you've had a hard time holding it in for a long time... Is this considered a punishment for me?"

Rhode swept a glance to the crowd and gazed meaningfully at a young noble walking out of the crowd and beckoning for Marlene. He looked with an ashen complexion and bloodshot, widened eyes. However, Rhode had no interest in entertaining him.

"Huhuhu, I know that you are aware, Rhode."

Rhode shrugged. In the past, Marlene seldom appeared this cute and helpless-looking. It seemed that the ancestor's way of saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' made perfect sense in this case. They used to meet each other everyday and she had always revealed her feminine side only when they were alone. It was extremely rare for her to behave this brazenly before everyone.

"Lize, long time no see."

After a series of passionate, thrilling kisses, Marlene relaxed herself and greeted Lize with a smile. Lize nodded awkwardly in response and Marlene turned to Anne who was snoring away and let out a chuckle. She stroked Anne's hair gently.

"Anne still loves to sleep this much. I didn't expect to see her sleeping so soundly in Golden City..."

"Mm... Hmm...?"

Anne puckered her brows and opened her eyes in a daze. She instantly unrolled a wide smile as soon as she recognized the person before her.

"Sister Marlene! Long time no see! Anne misses you so much!"

Anne jumped to her feet and embraced Marlene tightly. Then, she let loose of her embrace after a while.

"Sister Marlene, what have you been up to? Anne feels so bored without you around. Everyone misses you a lot. When are you coming back?"

Rhode twitched his brows, but Marlene simply nodded to Anne and wrapped her arms around his.

"Rhode, my father has gone to meet the Royal Highness. The banquet is about to start, let's go."

"The banquet is about to start?"

Anne threw her questions to the back of her head and darted to Marlene's side. She gazed with glinting eyes.

"Anne heard that there will be plenty of food, right?"

"Of course. There's so much food that you can fill your whole tummy up, Anne."

"Great!"

Anne jumped with joy.

"What are we waiting for? Leader, let's go!"

Lize lifted her head hesitantly to gaze at Marlene. But, the latter was speaking to Anne and she didn't notice Lize... I-I don't intend to give up, Marlene. I will let you know the truth.

Lize approached Rhode's left silently and wrapped her arms around his. Then, she bit her lip and looked at the man before her bravely.

"Let's go, Mr. Rhode."

Chapter 614: He & She (III)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

This scene was unbelievable for the nobles gathered in the hall. They stared in astonishment at Rhode and the two young ladies hugging his arms. Every movement and even glance had specific meanings to the nobles, especially on such a grand occasion. An unwed woman wrapping her arms around a man's elbow only represented one thing—their unusual relationship with each other. And now, the two young ladies beside Rhode had extraordinary identities.

Although Lize had announced her departure from the royal family, she was still reputable among the noble circle. Besides, she had an innocent and adorable appearance, with no lack of pursuits from young nobles. Even though the attention on her lessened after she left the royal family and the noble circle, she regained her fame after her outstanding performance in the Midsummer festival. An ordinary Cleric wouldn't usually be worthy of their attention, but Lize's blood relation with Lydia and her impressive abilities gathered the attention of the Church. Fortunately, Lize had going on adventures with Rhode and Starlight was based in the far Land of Atonement, where the young nobles had a hard time pestering her.

As for Marlene, she was highly reputable within the noble circle and her capabilities were strongly recognized after this internal battle. She could also be considered the shining star of the Munn Kingdom. On the other hand, even though Lize had left the royal family on paper, she was still Lydia's sister, after all. On a certain extent, Marlene and Lize each represented the forces of the noble and royal family individually, and now, they actually stood by the same man and displayed such intimate actions.

The nobles were astounded because they knew what this meant. Marlene wasn't an innocent and naive young lady who would give up everything recklessly for the sake of love. She was bright and had never flustered when dealing with every matters. For her to behave this way in this formal occasion... Did this represent the Senia Family's will?

The senior noble family leaders focused their attention on the man beside her. This young man must have a powerful backing, so powerful that he received the likes of the Senia Family. Everyone in the Munn Kingdom knew that the Senia Family was one of the ancient families and it could also be said that they had existed since the beginning of the Munn Kingdom. It was due to this that it wasn't easy to have an arranged marriage with this powerful family where any impressive young man could simply be accepted by them. There were many times where the family's strength, identity, position, and even political standpoint were taken into consideration as part of the important factors of marriage. This was the sorrow for many families, just like it was Romeo and Juliet. Of course. Talk was cheap. However, the nobles didn't treated it this way, especially the sons who would be the heirs to their families. Their relationship didn't only concern them, but affected the entire family too. Marlene was the only heir and if she fell in love with a noble who supported the Reformist Party or perhaps an ordinary handsome young man, would the Senia Family agree to it?

This was definitely impossible.

Because she was the one and only one who would inherit the entire Senia Family and their fate and future laid in her every action. Marlene was also aware of this point, so she had been keeping her hands clean. Several of the patriarchs of well-established noble families had secretly admired how blessed the Senia Family was to bear such an outstanding heir. Not only was Marlene skillful and talented in politics, but she could also contain herself. There were no lack of talents in the noble circle because the education that they received was much more prestigious than that of ordinary folks and they could get in touch with things that ordinary folks could only dream of. However, the smooth sailing environment led to young men's arrogance. They often believed that they were talented and capable in 'breaking free' from the chains of fate. Although the young men matured as they grew older, the troubles that they had caused when they were younger left the patriarchs with headaches. Many of them had discussed privately how wonderful it would be if they had a confident and capable heir like Marlene. Look at the bunch of useless playboys! What else can they do apart from drinking and enjoying the pleasures of life every now and then!

To the young nobles, they didn't care about the political significance of this matter. Instead, it was more of being envious and jealous of Rhode.

After all, Marlene had always been the prime target of the young nobles. Some chased her for her beauty while some valued the strength and support that the Senia Family could provide. However, this wasn't anything strange because it was normal in marriages between nobles, where romance was nothing more than a stepping stone. The truth behind arranged marriages between noble families was an undisguised political transaction. As the heir of the family, one had to be prepared that the other party wouldn't only be valuing one as a person. Instead, one's family background might be the main reason for marriage and this went for both men and women. A pampered noble wished to pursue a pure, beautiful love? It was impossible for all the great things in the world to be taken up by all of them, right?

Ever since Marlene was 14 years old, she had had countless of young men pursuing her and she rejected them all. Fortunately for her, the young men who were left out in the cold didn't persist. After all, they had to consider their own values against the massive Senia Family. Moreover, Marlene had strict requirements for herself. She never joined hideous drinking parties and apart from going for formal occasions while representing her family, she seldom went for any private gatherings. She valued the relationships with the people around her highly. She didn't interact with strangers much other than her few close female friends. However, as the saying went, 'one that touches the pitch shall be defiled', Marlene had almost fell head-first in the Midsummer Festival.

If Marlene had chosen a remarkable young man with a strong background, others would've admitted defeat convincingly. However, most of them were stunned when they saw that she had chosen Rhode. Although Rhode performed outstandingly, he wasn't especially impressive and the type of guy who would make them accept defeat wholeheartedly. After all, Rhode had been accomplishing missions privately and he wasn't flamboyant about them. Therefore, a lot of nobles had an impression of him hailing from the Eastern Plain with powerful swordsmanship, resisted two waves of attack from the Southern Legion in the Paphield front line, and captured an enemy commander. These 'achievements' didn't seem glorious enough, so why did Marlene choose him?

They couldn't understand the exact reasons and were extremely discontented.

Antonio was one of them.

He gazed at Rhode with an ashen expression and clenched his trembling fists. If he were closer to them, the gritting of his teeth could even be heard.

Antonio Williams was considered one of the popular young nobles in the Munn Kingdom. When he was still a child, he had outstanding talents in military affairs and swordsmanship and was termed as a talented member of the Williams Family. It was due to this that Antonio had been longing for Marlene, who was also called a 'rare magical genius of the Munn Kingdom'. He was a proud, arrogant man and he didn't believe that any other woman had the qualities to match against him like Marlene. Although he had also witnessed Marlene rejecting other young men, this piqued his interest toward her even more. Unlike the bunch of foolish men who wagged their tails to Marlene, he knew clearly that it was impossible for them to be in the good books of the Senia Family. As long as he worked hard and attained high achievements, status, and honor, he would surely be qualified to pursue Marlene. The beautiful and confident young lady was like a Goddess in his eyes and the one and only person in his life who he must pursue.

Antonio had a great scheme and he had fortunate luck too. During the internal battle, the Mage team led by Marlene had coincidentally arrived at the Flourishing Blossom Fortress that he was administering, which presented a great opportunity. Antonio dispatched his troops and personally led his soldiers in assisting Marlene against the Southern Legion. It could also be said that one-third of the credit belonged to him.

Perhaps due to this reason, Marlene had been behaving politely toward him. Both of them would often have tea sessions after the battle ended. It wasn't that Antonio wished to be spending time alone with her in a room, but he was glad that Marlene had accepted his invitation. He had intended to seize the chance to bring himself closer to her, and he had chosen to invite Marlene as his dance partner in this banquet.

However, he didn't expect this from Marlene and he couldn't accept the reality.

Why? Why him?

Antonio looked down upon Rhode. Even though Rhode had proven his capabilities in the Midsummer Festival, Antonio had always treated the Midsummer Festival as merely a game and a so-called honor which the mercenaries valued highly. One with true strength and status wouldn't give a damn about that. In the noble circle, one couldn't rely solely on a great swordsmanship to succeed. One must have connections, strength and prestige, but did that Rhode have any of them?

Antonio saw that Rhode wasn't capable in military affairs and held the lowest feudal rank among the nobles. He also believed that the rumors of him having a couple of subordinates in the Legendary Stage were nothing but a coax. He had been in the noble circle for years, so surely he understood how the nobles behaved, right?

But Antonio didn't expect that Marlene had actually chosen such a man as her partner.

He felt deeply betrayed!

This was especially so after Marlene and Rhode had kissed before his eyes like a razor-sharp blade ripping through his heart. Judging from their actions, he believed that their relationship wasn't only just that and he was sure that they had a much more intimate relationship.

The inferno in his heart blazed wilder at this thought, especially after he imagined his Goddess laying nakedly before the sissy-looking man. Not only that, but Rhode had also swept a glance at Antonio as though he was worth nothing! Even though Rhode didn't say anything, Antonio could sense the disdain in his gaze.

That bastard. How dare he look down upon me!

I'm an Earl and he is nothing more than a Baron! I'm the main commander of the Flourishing Blossom Fortress of the Munn Kingdom and what about him? He is just a lowly guild leader! What rights does he have to look down upon me?! Who does he think he is?!

Antonio could feel his blood boiling. He gritted his teeth and breathed deeply like a grunting injured beast. He no longer regarded the people around him and he had totally forgotten about the occasion he was in and how he should behave...

Rhode couldn't care less about anyone's opinions on him. Or perhaps, he was unconcerned about any men's views. Although he had noticed Antonio's ashen expression and fiery eyes, he didn't give a damn at all. The barks of a defeated dog mean nothing to a winner like me, so must I fuss over such minor matters with a loser?

Instead of focusing his attention on the jealous losers, Rhode was more interested in another matter. Marlene had hugged his right arm while Lize hugged his other. Anne hopped around at the back carelessly. However, this didn't mean that everything was calm and peaceful. When Lize came up and hugged his arm, Marlene shot a meaningful look and he felt Marlene's grip tightening and dragged his arm into her round, ample bosoms. Lize didn't back out either. She wasn't as experienced as Marlene, so she stretched her arms out clumsily and tugged his elbow toward her. Fortunately, the trio was standing closely to one another. If not, they would have been mistaken to be in a tug-of-war competition.

This was a blissful torture for Rhode and fortunately, this lasted only from the hall to the banquet venue. After Rhode's group arrived at the grandly decorated banquet hall, Marlene and Lize let go of their arms simultaneously. No matter what, this occasion wasn't appropriate for them to show off their intimate relationship with their partners.

Nobles arrived continuously at the banquet and Rhode, Lize, and Marlene gathered a lot of attention. However, unlike before, Rhode sensed that the gazes toward him were filled with complexities and even hostilities. Of course, most of them came from the young men.

Lize lowered her head with a blush as though she were embarrassed at her daring behavior. However, she quickly found something to turn her attention toward... She approached Anne and instructed her softly to stand obedient on the spot. The banquet hadn't begin, so she shouldn't lay her hands on the sumptuous food immediately...

Rhode shrugged and shook his head as he gazed at Lize and Anne. Then, he turned around and spotted Marlene's smile.

"You haven't changed one bit, Rhode."

"On the contrary, you've changed a lot, Marlene."

All sorts of feelings welled up in Rhode's heart. In the past, although Marlene had always been behaving steadily before him, she would occasionally reveal an inexperienced side of her. However, she had become much more mature and steady now. The battles had polished a beautiful diamond like her into emanating a dazzling radiance.

"Can I treat this as a compliment? Rhode?"

"Of course."

Rhode nodded while Marlene winked cheekily. Then, the corners of her mouth perked up and she revealed a crafty smile.

"So then, Rhode... Later... Shall we..."

Suddenly, a deep, loud bugle horn sounded and caught everyone's attention. Marlene winked at Rhode and turned around swiftly, putting a pause to their conversation.

At this moment, the majestic doors gradually opened.