Warhammer Divine Throne

”Not interested~” Angerong replied casually, then took out a bag of corn kernels and put it into the cow trough. Several dairy cows rushed over to snatch the food, and Angerong handed a full one-liter glass bottle of milk to Laine: ”I just milked it this morning. Take it back when you leave. It’s all-natural, non-toxic, much better than Reka coffee.”

”Alright.” Laine thought that Angerong had really immersed himself into the role of a simple old farmer, and he laughed: ”Really not going?”

”Why should I go?” Angerong shook his head indifferently: ”You go ahead. I’m not fond of diplomacy like Fugen or Kiliman, nor am I a drunkard like Ruth or Motarian, keen on bustle. I’m not interested in this kind of thing. Look for me if there’s a fight.”

Laine nodded, and said to Surya: ”It seems only us will be going.”

Surya looked a bit disappointed. The lady knight knew that someone as powerful as Angerong couldn’t be forced, and she could only feel a bit regretful.

Once a Professional reaches a Legendary level, it’s very hard for them to be structured into units and commanded like common soldiers (which is why the group charge of Holy Grail Knights is so formidable). For someone as strong as Angerong, it’s even more so. He’s always been self-willed in Laine’s territory.

But this time, Laine had to attend Boldro’s banquet because, apart from the sincere invitation from Duke Bodric, there was another reason he had to go.

And that was Surya’s brother, Julius’s marriage.

Surya’s brother Julius is the legitimate son of Duke of Winford, Francois, and the first heir. After Francois married off his daughter, he turned his attention to Julius, looking at the Red Dragon Family, and Duke Bohemond of Bastogne’s granddaughter, Countess Eva.

Then came the awkward situation. Just after both parties made tentative contacts, Duke Bodric, who had welcomed back his legitimate son Fidmund, had also formally proposed a marriage alliance with Duke Bohemond’s granddaughter Eva.

This made things complicated. Neither the Duke of Winford’s Family nor Duke of Boldro’s Family intended to back down, while Julius naturally found himself at a disadvantage in the competition because Duke Bohemond preferred a Holy Grail Knight to be his granddaughter’s husband.

Bohemond’s suggestion was: how about... your two knights have a fight?

This was obviously biased. How could Julius, only in his early thirties and merely a Kingdom Knight, possibly be a match for Fidmund, who was nearly fifty and already a Holy Grail Knight? The somewhat angry Francois, busy with spring farming in his territory, couldn’t go himself, so he decided to send Surya and Laine to represent him at the Boldro banquet, intending to discuss this matter with Duke Bodric. There was also a bit of intent to support Julius.

”Then it has to be us. Emilia should go with us.” Laine thought for a moment and said to Surya: ”Should we invite Her Highness Mogiana?”

”Better not.” Surya shook her head, her noble face a bit distressed, as the lady knight believed Mogiana would surely favor Fidmund as well.

As Laine and others were discussing their next steps, on the cobblestone road near Red Fish Village, an imperial caravan was passing by, delivering parts of the Light Magic Riding assembly. With a pass personally signed by Laine, they moved unobstructed within Laine’s territory.

In the shadow of the carriage, Rick Guard Wagner and the Great Wizard Elspeth of Holy Sanctuary’s Death Element were observing every move of the outside world. Emilia, playing with two border collies in the sight’s distant end, was under their surveillance.

”Do you think that’s Emmanuelle?” Theodore Bruckner, holding his rune magic sword ”False Star of Calamity”, had cold and fierce eyes watching Laine’s little maid.

”I only saw Emmanuelle’s appearance as a child. But I think that’s Emmanuelle.” Rick Guard Wagner was somewhat glad instead. He carefully watched the little maid for a while, taking a deep breath: ”Great, Emmanuelle is still alive.”

”It’s still too early to confirm whether this little maid is Emmanuelle. The patrols in this territory are incredibly scary; on our way here, we encountered four patrolling Holy Grail Knights.” Elspeth intoned in a ghostly voice: ”Did you hear them? They’re attending the Boldro’s banquet.”

”In that case, we should also find a way to get Duke Bodric’s invitation.”