Chapter 59: Waiting for a Storm

At the end of the Month of Winter Strings, the snow had not completely melted away. 

With some time still left until the winds of revival arrived, the entire Golden Rock Province was already stirring restlessly.

Two recent events had sent shockwaves through the noble circles of Golden Rock Province.

The first was related to Storm Territory.

After being unconscious for over half a year, Count Storm was finally declared dead.

Surprisingly, his title was inherited by his youngest son.

During the subsequent succession ceremony, Marquis Jinyan attended and bestowed blessings upon the new Count Storm.

The second event was the transfer of the title of Baron of Shimmering.

To be honest, many nobles had been mentally prepared for this outcome.

However, the manner in which it unfolded took them somewhat by surprise.

Blackstone City had taken Shimmering City almost without a fight.

According to battle reports, just as the Blackstone army arrived at the gates of Shimmering City, the gates shattered with a loud crash, and several generals were inexplicably torn to shreds before the watchful eyes of all, dying on the spot.

Thus, before the war had even begun, the defending troops of Shimmering City had already fallen into chaos.

The Blackstone army then charged in, taking control of the entire Shimmering City with little effort.

This outcome left many people dumbfounded.

Moreover, many astute nobles, upon seeing this battle report, guessed at Sunan's role in this victory.

In the aftermath of the battle, numerous nobles waited for Marquis Jinyan's response.

After all, everyone knew that Owen was backed by Marquis Jinyan.

Now that Owen had been executed, with the title of Baron of Shimmering changing hands, if Marquis Jinyan did nothing, his prestige would undoubtedly plummet.

Surprisingly, however, a significant amount of time had passed since the war, and Marquis Jinyan had shown no reaction at all.

He allowed the newly appointed Baron Kyi Anest to easily consolidate control over Shimmering Territory.

Many nobles were left scratching their heads in confusion.

Only a few nobles, such as Count Winterfrost, Viscount Blackwater, and Viscount Feathered Serpent, who were close to Marquis Jinyan, understood what the latter was cautiously considering.

**Golden Rock City, Inner Fortress.**

Under the guidance of the steward, two cloaked men made their way through the courtyard and entered a spacious, well-lit corridor.

The corridor was lined with expensive-looking oil paintings, with sunlight streaming through the windows, causing the gilded frames to gleam.

Casper lagged behind, glancing at one particular oil painting, his lips twitching slightly.

He recognized the painting of Princess Jinghua, which had recently fetched a high price of 3,800 gold coins at a major auction.

Yet, such a valuable painting was now prominently displayed in the corridor.

Looking at the dozens of other oil paintings that likely held similar value, Casper couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

It was said that Marquis Jinyan was wealthier than a nation, and it seemed the rumors were indeed true.

In this world, gold represented power, so it was no wonder that Marquis Jinyan was reluctant to remain just a regional overlord.

Lost in thought, the three finally arrived at the end of the corridor.

The steward raised his hand and gently knocked on the door, saying, "My lord, your two esteemed guests have arrived."

"Come in."

A deep, rich voice responded from inside.

The steward gently pushed the door open, stepping aside to allow the two men to enter.

Inside the study, Marquis Jinyan stood by the window, gazing into the sky, his expression contemplative.

Just two months ago, he had celebrated his sixtieth birthday, yet his hair remained as glossy and black as ever, and his skin was firm and rosy. Anyone who saw him would think he was only in his thirties.

"High Priest Jorys, it's been a while."

Marquis Jinyan turned, a smile breaking on his rugged face as he gestured for the two to sit.

"It's been a while, my lord. I'm glad to see you well."

After Marquis Jinyan took his seat, Jorys also sat down opposite him. Casper, for his part, stood to the side, fully aware that he had not yet earned the right to sit before these two.

"I'm getting older, my health is starting to decline. Old injuries from battles occasionally flare up. Time waits for no one."

"My lord, you're still much sturdier than I am."

The two exchanged pleasantries like old friends before Marquis Jinyan got to the point.

"High Priest Jorys didn't come all this way just to engage in small talk, did he?"

Jorys's smile faded, his expression turning serious. "I've come to discuss Sunan."

The mention of Sunan caused a fleeting shadow to pass over Marquis Jinyan's face, his gaze sharpening.

Casper instinctively tensed up.

At that moment, Marquis Jinyan truly revealed the edge of a seasoned legendary knight who ruled over Golden Rock Province.

"Sunan? Has he tangled with your church?" Marquis Jinyan raised an eyebrow.

From his perspective, the only connection Sunan had with the Starlight Church was the assassination attempt that had occurred in Blackstone City.

He had previously wondered about the failure of the Starlight Church assassins, but the reports from the Blackstone battle had made everything clear.

If even Hodge had fallen to Sunan, it was no surprise that the two lowly high knights had failed in their assassination attempt.

However, since that attempt had been commissioned by Owen, even if it failed, it wouldn't make sense for the Starlight Church to take their anger out on Sunan.

Yet Jorys's next words surprised Marquis Jinyan.

"To be frank, my lord, two months ago, our stronghold in Stone Chime City suffered heavy losses, with six priests and over a hundred followers killed, and the culprit was a wizard."

"The assailant also had an invisible beast."

Marquis Jinyan's eyes flashed with realization.

Invisible beasts were exceedingly rare; the odds of two appearing in Golden Rock Province were exceptionally low.

Combined with the fact that both controllers were wizards, the probability became even smaller.

No wonder the Starlight Church was convinced that the culprit was Sunan.

"But how did Sunan know about your stronghold in Stone Chime City?"

Marquis Jinyan was well aware that the followers of the Starlight Church had methods to resist interrogation; he couldn't extract any information from those fanatics.

If it were otherwise, he wouldn't have felt secure in collaborating with the Starlight Church to carry out assassinations against nobles.

"We haven't fully investigated that yet," Jorys admitted, the corners of his eyes twitching slightly. His expression turned cold.

"However, Sunan has killed many of our followers, and we will not let him go."

"I've come to discuss this with you, my lord. If you plan to send troops against Shimmering Territory, we are willing to assist you!"

Marquis Jinyan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, smiling slightly. "I would be more than happy to have your church lend a hand, but now is not the right time to strike at Shimmering Territory."

"When will it be?" Jorys frowned slightly.

He wasn't particularly anxious to kill Sunan; rather, he needed to retrieve the Blood Amber, which was crucial to their church. As long as it remained in Sunan's hands, they wouldn't be able to rest easy.

Marquis Jinyan moved to the window, gazing deeply toward the south.

"Waiting for a storm."

"A storm that will sweep across the entire principality."

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