Chapter 587 - 371: The Mermaid’s Song
Chapter 587: Chapter 371: The Mermaid’s Song
Zat was startled. He had indeed entertained that thought for a split second, and suddenly felt his boss was like one of those mysterious Shamans, as if he could see right into a person’s heart.
Inside the carriage, Tiffany’s pout was so extreme it could have touched the sky.
It was a bittersweet feeling, especially when she saw the young maidens frantically blowing kisses. On one hand, her husband’s popularity proved her judgment was sound. On the other, she didn’t want to share Levi with anyone.
Just as she was wrestling with these conflicting emotions, a figure bent down, pulled her from the carriage, and swept her into his arms. Her golden hair billowed out behind her.
The two dreamlike figures stood tall on the carriage’s high platform, visible to everyone on the Champs-élysées. The brilliant sunlight cast them in a glorious, dazzling glow, making them look like a Prince and Princess from a fairy tale brought to life.
The crowd fell silent for a moment before erupting into an even more thunderous roar.
Blushing, Tiffany took it all in. In her own country, she was often cheered and adored by her people, the Sea Race, but she had never experienced anything quite like this.
This continued until a burly, bearded man threw a sachet and a loaf of bread at the Lord. Levi’s face instantly darkened, and he ducked back into the carriage. His disappearance was a great disappointment to the people of Gonda, who were now furious with the man responsible.
Later, when the Long Halberd Guards went to teach that damned fellow a lesson, all they found was a pile of flesh and blood that had been trampled into the mud.
...
The Delegation departed from Gonda, traveling through the Western Territory on their way west to the Holy Sith Kingdom.
Along the way, whenever they passed a castle in the Western Territory, the local nobility would immediately welcome them in with great enthusiasm.
Because of this, Tiffany spent her days pinching her cheeks worriedly, certain that she was gaining weight.
"Who knew the nobles of the Western Territory were so enthusiastic," Levi said with a chuckle, picking his teeth. He had clearly just left yet another grand feast.
"Enthusiastic, my ass. They’re all just after your fame," Mandela scoffed, but he couldn’t hide the envy in his eyes.
’Damn it,’ he thought. ’Just coasting on his reputation for free food and drinks. Why don’t I get that kind of treatment?’
This Red Knight general had been appointed by His Majesty Harland to lead the escort for the entire Delegation, which was why he was here.
"At least, thanks to Lord Levi, our journey so far hasn’t been too arduous," a kind voice said. "However, once we cross Bell Leaf Lake and enter the territory of the Holy Sith Kingdom, I’m afraid our reception won’t be nearly as warm."
Levi turned his head and saw the speaker: the deputy envoy of the Delegation, a Prince of Debei and His Majesty Harland’s maternal uncle—Luo Fu.
Debei didn’t have many Princes—only five. Filo ranked last among them, but the man before him, Luo Fu, was undoubtedly number one.
This Prince’s life could be called Legendary. Back when His Majesty Harland was an unknown, illegitimate son living in exile, this very same Prince was just a simple butcher.
Then, by a stroke of luck, he came into contact with Magic. Despite being nearly thirty, his Magic Cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds. He quickly surpassed his peers, catching up to the other Palace Mages of his generation, and was personally recruited by the former King of Debei.
Later, after the previous king’s sudden death, none of the official princes distinguished themselves. It was Luo Fu who pushed Harland, an illegitimate child, to defeat his many siblings—all of them also illegitimate—and secure the throne.
Once Harland took the throne, Luo Fu was made a Prince and appointed as the court’s Red-robed Mage, in charge of a Casting Corps. This thoroughly cemented his position as the foremost Prince of the realm.
Even King Harland himself had to consider his opinions carefully.
To be fair, Prince Luo Fu had none of the typical aristocratic air about him. A long, comfortable life had left him slightly plump, a fact hidden beneath his voluminous noble robes. His fair, round face always wore a kindly smile. And though he was well into his twilight years with long-grayed hair, his eyes remained clear and bright, as if they could see right into a person’s soul.
"If there’s none, there’s none. I was just worried about how we were going to eat all those carts of bread anyway," Levi said with a dismissive wave of his hand, completely unconcerned.
He wasn’t some pampered, noble Prince. As a proper Military Noble, he knew wartime conditions were countless times more arduous than this.
The men continued their idle chat. Just as their convoy crested a long, upward slope and the road flattened out, a vast, boundless, emerald lake came into view.
In the early morning, Bell Leaf Lake was like a Sapphire set among the mountains. The water was so clear and translucent that the pebbles and swaying weeds on the lakebed were perfectly visible. As the first rays of sunlight touched the surface, the water rippled with fine golden waves, weaving through the reflection of the distant, snow-capped peaks. The scene created a layered gradient of blue and white, making one feel as if they had stepped into a paradise.
Beautiful sights always stir the soul.
The Lord gazed upon the beautiful scenery, feeling an irrepressible urge to compose a poem. But after straining for a good while, he couldn’t squeeze out a single word.
Only Tiffany, standing beside him with a hand to her heart, let a beautiful melody spill from her lips. Her voice was like the song of a lark—at times fresh and sweet, at others soaring and powerful.
Her captivating voice shifted from serene to gentle to enchanting, as if all the world’s beauty had been distilled into her song. It seized the hearts of all who listened, and no one dared to break the spell of her beautiful voice.
It was not a song with lyrics, merely a soft hum, yet it was enough to put to shame any ballad sung by the Minstrels of Debei.
White swans passing through the sky couldn’t help but descend to listen. Herds of horses and goats from the distant meadows were also drawn in, gathering into a massive throng of animals that stopped just beyond a safe distance.
When Tiffany’s soft humming ceased and she opened her eyes, this was the scene that greeted her.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
The Lord led the thunderous applause, giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"Legend says a Mermaid’s song can draw the gaze of the gods themselves. I never thought I would be fortunate enough to hear it." Prince Luo Fu was deeply moved, his eyes full of admiration. "Compared to Miss Tiffany, those Minstrels I hired sound like squawking ducks. Every last one of them should go hang himself!"
"Indeed. I can now die with no regrets," Mandela added, shaking his head in appreciation. At the same time, he worried for Fulina. ’This Mermaid Princess is just as beautiful, and she can sing like that... I really don’t know how Fulina is supposed to compete for Levi’s attention.’
"Thank you~" Tiffany murmured, then shyly burrowed into Levi’s broad chest like a timid little animal.
This earned them a wave of envious looks from the others present.
Levi proudly puffed out his chest. ’The song may not have been mine, but Tiffany is my wife!’
Tiffany’s song was but a brief interlude. To reach the Holy Sith Kingdom, they had to cross Bell Leaf Lake. Fortunately, the masters of the Western Territory, the Roganres family, had already been notified and had prepared several wide White Gemstone Ships on the water.
These vessels were typically used for transporting cargo, so their decks were flat and spacious enough to ferry the entire Delegation, carriages and all, to the other side in a single trip.
After crossing Bell Leaf Lake, their eyes were met with a landscape of rolling hills and mountain ridges. This signified that the Debei Delegation had entered the White Mountain Ridge, a border region of the Holy Sith Kingdom.
This region of hills was nearly the size of the Western Territory. While not a plain, it had a vast amount of arable land. The main road was flanked by fields cultivated on the hillsides, where long, raised mounds of earth indicated that crops—most likely potatoes—had already been planted.
The Holy Sith Kingdom had clearly received word of the Debei Delegation’s arrival, as they had sent an envoy to meet them at the border. This was to prevent the large party from being waylaid by ferocious Sith men and women posing as bandits before they could reach Feilengcui.
Although any such attackers would most likely be slaughtered to the last man by Debei’s Dragon Knight, it was a situation best avoided, as it could tarnish the Sith Kingdom’s image among the common folk of Debei.