Chapter 113: Chapter 113: The Saintess Running Away from Marriage!
Chapter 113: Chapter 113: The Saintess Running Away from Marriage!
The Saintess Running Away from Marriage!
Time flew by, and when the sun rose again, Dean Bruce and Nicholas William found themselves back at the gates of Saint Laurent City.
Dismounting from their horses and passing the inspection, Dean Bruce and Nicholas William headed straight towards the Magic Guild.
Before they reached the guild, a sudden clamor of hurried footsteps broke the silence. Looking up, they saw a well-equipped cavalry unit trotting towards them, their impressive horses pushing pedestrians aside.
Nicholas·William exclaimed, "That looks like the Saint Laurent city's elite guard! They rarely mobilize—what's going on today?"
Upon hearing this, Dean·Bruce cast a curious glance at Nicholas·William.
Just moments ago, Nicholas had shown a lack of knowledge about Saint Laurent; how could he now identify the cavalry?
Noticing Dean·Bruce's surprise, Nicholas·William grinned sheepishly. "I've read about the various cities in books and recognized the insignia on their armor!"
On the battlefield, with thousands of soldiers engaged, it could become chaotic, and the armor and insignia would naturally differ among various cities and nations.
Dean·Bruce nodded slightly, deciding not to dwell on it; whatever was happening in Saint Laurent was of no concern to him.
After the cavalry passed, another group approached, causing Dean·Bruce's eyes to widen in surprise.
Leading them was none other than Cyb·Louis!
[Isn't Cyb·Louis responsible for education? What could possibly have him leading a group out?]
Recognizing Cyb·Louis filled Dean·Bruce with confusion.
At the same time, Cyb·Louis sensed Dean·Bruce's gaze and quickly turned to look at him.
Just as Dean·Bruce was pondering, he saw Cyb·Louis signal to the others to follow the cavalry and then approach him directly.
As he got closer, Cyb·Louis spoke up, "I didn't expect to run into you at a time like this."
"What's going on? Why are you leading a group?" Dean·Bruce asked bluntly.
Since they were making such a bold move, it indicated that the matter was public knowledge, and being straightforward was better than beating around the bush.
Cyb·Louis let out a wry smile. "The saintess of the Church of Light has run away! To be precise, she's escaped from her wedding!"
"Ah?"
Dean·Bruce furrowed his brow, not understanding how the flight of the Church of Light's saintess related to the Nine Provinces Alliance or Saint Laurent.
Noticing Dean·Bruce's surprise, Cyb·Louis explained quietly, "The saintess is the daughter of the city lord of Saint Laurent and the fiancée of the crown prince of the Dragon Flame Empire! Her disappearance could lead to... significant upheaval among various factions!"
Hearing that three major powers were involved, and noticing that the Nine Provinces Alliance was also mobilizing, Dean·Bruce quickly realized that the so-called saintess likely held other identities as well.
"Enough of the small talk. I came to inform you about this situation. If you encounter the saintess, even if you can't bring her back, you must relay the news."
Cyb·Louis said, pulling out a scroll. As he unfurled it, the image of a beautiful young woman appeared before Dean·Bruce's eyes.
Cyb·Louis continued, "Her name is Hannah Fields. She knows some tricks for hiding and altering her appearance, so if you encounter her, make sure to inform me!"
Dean·Bruce nodded, and seeing this, Cyb·Louis said no more and turned to leave.
Nicholas·William remarked, "These powerful figures can stir up such turmoil with just one action. I really envy that! When will I be that important?"
Glancing at Nicholas·William, Dean·Bruce didn't pay much attention to this minor aside. The two continued on their way to buy food and drinks in preparation for their trade with the Dwarves.
After all, Saint Laurent was a major city, making shopping much more convenient than in smaller towns.
After purchasing over a thousand pounds of wine and food, Dean·Bruce and Nicholas·William finally headed for the Magic Guild.
It seemed that Hannah Fields' prestigious identity had even affected the Magic Guild; the usually open doors were now being meticulously scrutinized.
Fortunately, Dean·Bruce had his magic faith emblem, and with the earlier incident where he had decisively defeated Prolo Hawthorne in front of many staff members, they didn't dare to check him.
Moreover, Prolo Hawthorne himself approached them, his attitude now respectful, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance.
Especially since he hadn't mentioned anything about wanting to be taught, making it difficult for Dean·Bruce to refuse.
Being too overly enthusiastic was also a bit of a nuisance.
Once the teleportation magic circle was fully activated, Dean·Bruce finally managed to shake off Prolo Hawthorne.
After leaving Saint Laurent, Dean·Bruce didn't sense any significant changes, likely because the news hadn't spread yet.
In this situation, their journey was much easier. With the magic faith emblem, they could restock resources for free in any town, and their supplies hardly diminished!
Once they entered the Kingdom of Hibiscus, the landscape was dominated by desert. Whipping winds stirred up clouds of sand that obscured their vision.
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Even with Dean·Bruce activating his magic to create a shield, he was still covered in dust when they finally stopped.
The towns along the way were equally lacking in supplies, making the food and resources they had brought invaluable.
Fortunately, they had purchased ample provisions for trade in advance; otherwise, finding so many items in this desolate area would have been nearly impossible!
As they traversed the Gale Sands, the landscape was filled with yellow sand and rugged hills. Quicksand appeared underfoot, and the gusts of wind unveiled bleached bones amidst the swirling dust. It was then that Dean·Bruce pulled out the earlier scroll map to navigate carefully.
Even with the map, it took a tremendous amount of effort for the two to finally reach a canyon.
The peaks rose steeply on either side, and as the winds calmed within the canyon, they rode forward a little further. The rocks began to steepen, becoming jagged and sharp.
Their steeds could go no further, so Dean·Bruce and Nicholas·William had no choice but to climb upward.
Soon, a massive bronze door, towering over ten feet high, came into view.
Nicholas·William was already breathless; after all, he was still a boy. Despite growing up running in the military and consuming the flesh of various beasts, his physique was not exceptionally strong.
Dean·Bruce quickly approached the door, noticing a hammer insignia. He took the bronze hammer given to him by Billis·William and placed it into the slot.
Click—
The clear sound echoed, but the bronze door remained still, only opening a small access door wide enough for a person to pass through.
Once Nicholas·William caught up, Dean·Bruce stepped inside.
The William family had a long-standing partnership with the dwarves, and bringing Nicholas·William along would facilitate their negotiations.
As they entered through the bronze door, the space immediately plunged into darkness.
Only a distant glow provided any light.
At that moment, the black-and-white armor on Dean·Bruce began to activate.
Nicholas·William followed closely, gasping, "Teacher, slow down! While there may not be any traps, it's really dark in here, and the terrain is tricky. You might fall!"
With the black-and-white armor protecting him, Dean·Bruce didn't need to worry about dangers. He waved his right hand, conjuring a fireball that instantly illuminated the surroundings.
Inside the cave, the terrain was indeed complex; even without traps, anyone lacking sufficient strength could easily get hurt.
To accommodate Nicholas·William, Dean·Bruce slowed his pace and gradually made his way toward the source of the glow.
As they got closer, it became clear that the source of the light was a shimmering curtain.
Moreover, the space around them began to narrow, with the echoes of Dean·Bruce and Nicholas·William's footsteps reverberating in the confined area.
"Hm? Finally, more people have arrived!"
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence, causing Dean·Bruce to raise an eyebrow.
Beyond the light curtain, a shadow appeared—though it was so small it barely reached Dean·Bruce's waist. The voice sounded ancient and tinged with urgency: "Human, are you from the William family?"
"Yes!"
Dean·Bruce quickly responded.
"Wonderful!"
With that, several more shadows emerged behind the light curtain, their voices rising in excitement: "After waiting so long, we finally have visitors!"
"Ah, ever since I tasted the fine wine they brought, I can't bear to drink our own brew anymore! It's simply not fit for consumption!"
"Human, how much have you brought this time?"
"…"
Hearing these voices, Dean·Bruce couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and confusion.
In his mind, he had imagined the trading between the Dwarves and the William family to be grander, like something out of a movie.
Who could have expected such a scene?
It made sense, though; the Dwarves were trapped behind the light curtain and unable to venture outside, so their need for supplies was quite pressing.
Thinking quickly, Dean·Bruce didn't respond directly. Instead, he asked, "Has the person in charge arrived yet?"
"…"
The other side fell silent for a moment, then an impatient voice replied, "Hurry up and give us the goods. We've already sent for the clan leader; once he arrives, you won't be shortchanged!"
"Exactly! The weapons you bring are just scrap metal to us!"