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Chapter 184
By the time the morning had properly stretched into late morning, Lanza had worked through considerably more of the strong alcohol than the early hour reasonably justified, his composure loosening with each successive cup."My son," he said, gesturing broadly toward Lock Fan with a cup that sloshed dangerously close to spilling, "refuses to stay home. Won't inherit the business I built with my own two hands, decades of work, and instead runs off chasing whatever glory he thinks academy life and imperial connections offer him.""I'm sitting right here," Lock Fan said, without looking up from his own plate."I know exactly where you're sitting," Lanza replied. "That's precisely why I'm complaining loud enough for you to hear it."Marco watched the exchange with the particular amusement of someone witnessing a well-worn family argument that had clearly repeated itself countless times before."Why does it bother you so much?" Marco asked. "That he wants his own path."Lanza's expression s
CHAPTER 183
The Watchtower in Lingbing City offered a view that stretched across the entire surrounding province, the evening sky painting everything in soft amber light as Marco and Nono sat together on the highest platform."This is nice," Nono said, leaning against his shoulder. "Quiet, for once. No ministers, no ceremony, no—""Captain Lily," Marco finished, watching the woman in question climb the last flight of stairs with grim determination."I'm simply fulfilling my duty," Lily said, positioning herself at a respectful distance that nonetheless kept both of them clearly within her line of sight. "Guarding the queen's propriety requires vigilance, particularly with certain individuals present.""We're just talking," Nono said, exasperation coloring her voice."Talking has a way of becoming considerably more than talking," Lily replied, "particularly on private towers at sunset."Nono sighed, though the sound carried more affection than genuine frustration."She's been like this since I rec
Chapter 182
Nono restored order to the banquet hall with the practiced ease of someone who'd absorbed considerable political training over the past year, addressing the assembled candidates with formal clarity that left no room for further confusion about the evening's abrupt disruption."The selection process for the Roland Knight Order begins in three days," she announced, her voice carrying across the entire hall. "Three trials will determine your standing. First, a team hunting trial within the Endless Forest, where danger and cooperation will separate the capable from the merely ambitious. Second, military achievement measured against our ongoing border conflicts. Third, a final melee among the surviving candidates, culminating in the selection of a knight leader who will guard my person for the remainder of their service."Murmurs rippled through the assembled candidates, excitement and apprehension mixing in equal measure as the reality of the coming trials settled over the crowded hall.D
CHAPTER 181
The young man with the shattered sword, having recovered from his initial shock, drew a second blade from a concealed sheath, his expression carrying genuine fury now that spectacle had joined embarrassment."Enough," he snarled, advancing on the dog with clear intent to finish what his first strike had failed to accomplish. "Whatever you are, you die now."Silver Wind moved before the strike could land, his spear leaving his hand in a fluid, practiced arc. It didn't strike the young man directly, instead crashing into the ground between him and the dog, erupting into a protective layer of holy light that pushed the attacker backward."That's enough," Silver Wind said, retrieving his spear with unhurried calm.The young man, breathing hard, turned his fury toward the two men standing at the food table. "You. Your beast attacked this woman and destroyed my weapon. Explain yourselves."Marco looked up from the plate he'd been methodically working through, his expression carrying no part
Chapter 180
The imperial court chamber carried its usual weight of ceremony, though the topic under discussion today made several of the assembled ministers visibly uncomfortable delivering it directly to their queen."Your Majesty," the eldest minister said, "the tradition must be honored. The Roland Knight Order has stood dormant for nearly a decade, its ranks depleted by the previous war. Rebuilding it, at full strength, three thousand elite members, is not merely ceremonial. It's the established benchmark by which any man qualifies to become the queen's consort."Nono's expression carried visible hesitation. "The tradition feels somewhat archaic given current circumstances.""Archaic or not," another minister pressed, "the empire's stability depends on maintaining established institutions, particularly ones tied directly to succession legitimacy. Without a properly rebuilt Order, questions about the throne's future will only multiply."Nono's eyes drifted toward the corner of the chamber, whe
Chapter 179
The boundary line was fifty meters ahead when Julius arrived on the horizon, his presence announced not by his form but by the pressure that suddenly saturated the air around them."He found us," Yan Xinghe said, his voice tight. "Move. Now."The mysterious figure staggered forward with the last of her strength, the border markers visible just beyond a treeline that suddenly felt considerably further than fifty meters.Julius's voice carried across the distance, flat and utterly without mercy."Death Finger."A single point of concentrated force erupted from somewhere behind them, invisible until the moment it arrived, moving faster than sound could properly announce its approach.Yan Xinghe threw himself into its path on reflex, his sword raised in a desperate block.The blade shattered instantly, fragments scattering in every direction, the residual force punching through his shoulder and sending him spinning to the ground with a scream torn from somewhere deep in his chest.The mys
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