But they didn’t know that these people would very soon cause earth-shaking disturbances within the O’Brien Empire.
“Haha, this really does live up to its reputation as the imperial capital of the O’Brien Empire. These streets are so wide.” Barker laughed loudly, and Linley laughed as well.
Linley’s team was walking in the center of one of the major thoroughfares of the imperial capital.
Barker and his brothers had already dismounted, as they put their weapons on their backs; those astonishing long-handled greataxes. On the way over, they had stored their long-handled greataxes within Linley’s interspatial ring. After all, the greataxes were simply too heavy; the horses couldn’t carry them.
“What muscular men.”
Many people in the imperial capital parted in front of this team. Barker and his brothers were simply too physically awe-inspiring. All of them were around 2.2 meters tall, had massive bear-like waists, and were so muscular they seemed inhuman. What’s more, on their backs they carried those enormous long-handled greataxes, which gleamed with a cold metal light.
Even if those long-handled greataxes were made solely from steel, they would weigh at least a thousand pounds. But from the coloration of those greataxes, clearly they were not ordinary weapons. Would someone who was weak dare wield such heavy weapons?
And that sleek, glossy black panther, who didn’t have any hint of discoloration whatsoever?
Nobody in the imperial capital had ever seen such a panther. This was because after the Blackcloud Panther had reached the Saint-level, it had the ability to easily change the colors of its fur.
“Boulder Street.” Linley knew where Wharton was staying, and everyone present hastened towards the East Channe’s Boulder Street.
“I wager that Lord Blumer will definitely be able to marry Princess Nina.”
Linley suddenly came to a halt, turning his head to stare at a nearby restaurant. Linley was frowning. “Nina? That Nina which Wharton likes? Wasn’t it someone called Caylan who was competing with Wharton? What does Blumer have to do with this?”
Linley knew who Blumer was.
When Wharton had taken part in the competition to become an honorary disciple, in the end, Blumer had been victorious.
“Nonsense. I’m willing to bet that Lord Wharton will be the one to marry Princess Nina. Princess Nina and Lord Wharton have been together for a long time now.”
“Hard to say. Look at Lord Blumer’s current status; he’s the War God’s personal disciple.”
“Lord?” Barker said in a quiet voice.
Linley stood there silently for a while.
Blumer was the younger brother of Olivier. He had actually become the personal disciple of the War God? And it seemed that he had asked the Emperor for Nina’s hand in marriage.
Barker and the others looked at Linley.
“Let’s go.” Linley said.
Linley’s group arrived at Boulder Street. Every single manor lining Boulder Street belonged to a noble clan, and thus Boulder Street was not very crowded.
Walking in the empty Boulder Street, Linley carefully inspected the signs on every single manor.
“Up ahead.” Linley’s eyes lit up.
The two guards who were engaged in idle conversation suddenly noticed Linley and the others walking over. They immediately became alert, especially after seeing the enormous bodies of Barker and his brothers.
“These guys are definitely as tall and as muscular as the Lord Count.” The two guards were somewhat shocked.
“Who are you?” One of the guards summoned all his courage, calling out bravely.
Gates was the first to reply loudly, “Is this Count Wharton’s residence?”
“Yes.” The guard nodded.
Hearing these words, Linley felt his heart tremble in excitement as it sped up. How many years had it been? Wharton had left when he was six years old. In a few days, exactly seventeen years would have gone by.
Seventeen years!
Smiling, Linley said, “Go deliver the message that his big brother, Linley, has arrived.” Hearing these words, those two guards were very surprised. Count Wharton’s older brother? They had never heard of such a person.
But these two guards had good judgment. They could immediately tell how formidable this group was. Without daring to say much else, one guard bowed. “Please wait here a moment. I’ll go make the report.”
Linley took a deep breath, letting himself calm down.
“Linley, this is your little brother’s residence?” Zassler walked over, laughing. “Looks like your little brother has done quite well for himself in the imperial capital.”
Linley couldn’t help but feel extremely proud as well.
Housekeeper Hiri and Hillman were currently chatting over some wine, but suddenly, the guard ran in at high speed. “Lord Hillman, a group of people have just arrived. Their leader claims he is Wharton’s older brother, and that his name is Linley.”
“Smash!” The winecup in Housekeeper Hiri’s hands fell to the floor, smashing into pieces.
“Linley!”
Housekeeper Hiri and Hillman simultaneously rose to their feet. They stared at each other, wide-eyed and filled with shock and joy.
“Go, go, fast! Go inform the Lord Count!” Hiri immediately instructed.
And then, Hiri and Hillman both charged towards the outside of the manor at high speed. Seeing how Housekeeper Hiri had totally lost his usual bearing, the guard realized what a momentous affair this was, and he immediately ran to the training fields.
Soon, Hiri and Hillman arrived at the front courtyard. Arriving before the main gate, they actually slowed down as they looked forward carefully.
They saw five terrifyingly muscular men. Those long-handled greataxes on their backs alone made the two of them tremble. By the side of those five men, there was a skinny, skeletal old man whose shadowy green eyes were filled with a terrifying aura.
Besides the old man were three beautiful girls, pleasing to behold.
And at the very front…
“Linley!” Hillman was the first to speak. Housekeeper Hiri was still carefully inspecting Linley. After a while, he suddenly recognized who Linley was. He cried out in surprise and joy, “Young master Linley.”
Linley, who was in the middle of a conversation with Zassler, turned his head.
Grandpa Hiri looked just as he had in Linley’s memories, with that wine-reddened nose of his. And Uncle Hillman was there as well. Looking at them, Linley found that he was totally unable to suppress the excitement in his heart.
“Grandpa Hiri, Uncle Hillman.” Linley rushed into the courtyard, his eyes beginning to turn moist.
Housekeeper Hiri walked to Linley’s side, eyes red. “You grew up. You grew up. Young master Linley, you are taller than you were.” It had been seventeen full years since Housekeeper Hiri had seen Linley.
When he had left with Wharton, Linley had only been ten years old.
“Grandpa Hiri, you look exactly the same.” The joy in Linley’s heart couldn’t be expressed with mere words.
Looking at Linley, Hillman said in an extremely gratified voice, “Young master Linley, you’ve grown up. But you still look very similar to how you looked ten years ago.”
Ten years ago, Linley was already 1.7 meters tall. His appearance hadn’t changed much since then.
Suddenly, frantic footsteps could be heard.
Turning his head, Linley saw a tall, strong figure appear in the doorway, as though appearing from a dream. This person looked very similar to Linley himself. Linley had the feeling that this person was most likely his younger brother, Wharton.
Only, Wharton had left when he was just six years old. He had changed tremendously.
But Wharton only needed a moment before recognizing Linley. Linley still looked very much like he did in the past. Wharton’s mouth hung open. His tears were already beginning to flow down his face. “Big bro…”
Linley slowly walked towards Wharton, his gaze totally locked on him.
“Big bro…” Wharton staggered forward two steps as well.
“Little Wharton. Is it really you?” Linley stared at Wharton. That chubby-faced kid of the past had turned into a 2.2 meter tall youngster.
“Big bro, it’s me. It’s me.” At this moment, Wharton had totally forgotten about the issue with Nina. His heart was filled with boundless excitement. He was totally incapable of suppressing this excitement.
Linley reached out with trembling hands, resting them against Wharton’s shoulders. He carefully looked at Wharton. His face blossomed into smiles, even as tears were shining in his eyes. In a quivering voice, Linley said, “Little Wharton, you’ve grown up.”
That chubby face kid of his memories, who had always called out ‘big brother’, ‘big brother’ at him in a child-like voice, had already grown up.
“Big bro!” Wharton tightly embraced Linley in a massive hug. Having seen Wharton, Linley felt more excited than he had in a long time. Finally, he was no longer able to prevent his own tears from coming out, and they cascaded down his face.