Haha, let’s go Harold [Ha’luo’de]!”
“Damnit, Harold, try harder!”
“Second Bro, don’t lose in front of me!”
All the warriors who were drinking around them were howling loudly in support. Slowly, that large man with massive arms named Harold gained a slight advantage, causing the red-haired warrior to immediately try desperately to resist.
“Haaaaah!”
With a loud roar, Harold smashed his opponent’s arm against the table, causing a impression to be left upon the steel table.
“Haha, I win!” Harold laughed loudly.
“Fuck. Second Bro, beat it. Let me come. This big dumb idiot wants to win ten thousand gold? Hmph.” A one-eyed red-haired warrior walked over.
The restaurant was very rowdy, and those energetic warriors screamed and shouted, while up above, the travelling bard was also singing loudly so as to get that bit of gold the restaurant had promised him.
Noisy.
But in this rowdy environment, three or four people remained silent. The warriors around them quite conscientiously didn’t disturb those people. All of these warriors had significant outside experience, and they had good judgment. They knew who they could afford to offend, and who they could not.
The next morning, soon after Linley sat down.
“Hrm?”
Linley suddenly saw a familiar face. Lord Fallen Leaf.
As skinny as a beggar, Lord Fallen Leaf casually walked out of Clayde’s manor and departed, with two barefooted Ascetics dressed in sackcloth by his side.
“He left? But only Fallen Leaf and two Ascetics have left.” Linley considered for a moment. He knew that many Ascetics had come on this journey, and many experts were amongst their ranks. Right now, only three had left.
“Continue to wait.” Linley took a sip of liquor. He would keep waiting.
Clayde, Shaq, and the others sent off Lord Fallen Leaf, watching him leave from the gate.
“Royal father, there is something that I forgot to tell you.” Shaq slapped himself on the head. “Royal father, Lord Linley travelled with us for a time, but two days ago he left. He was heading north.”
“Linley.”
Hearing this name, Clayde almost shouted aloud in surprise.
This Linley had nearly taken his life on two separate occasions.
“What’s wrong, royal father?” Shaq questioned. As far as Shaq could tell, this wasn’t a major issue. After all, the Kingdom of Fenlai had already been annihilated. Their royal clan was royal only in name now, and not in truth. It would be surprising if Linley had actually continued to be loyal to them.
“He travelled with you. Did he know that you are living here?” Clayde immediately asked.
“Yes. He even stayed here a night.” Shaq said, confused.
Clayde’s heart began to shudder. “This Linley is definitely still in Hess City.” Clayde knew that Linley wanted to kill him, and wouldn’t leave just like that.
“No worries. There’s still a large group of Ascetics living here.” Clayde comforted himself.
“But when the Ascetics leave, I will leave with them.” Clayde made his decision. Only by travelling together with the Ascetics would he feel safe.
Clayde carefully looked in every direction.
He even had this strange feeling that Linley was looking at him from somewhere nearby.
A day passed. A second day passed. Aside from going back at night to sleep, Linley spent all his time at the restaurant. Once, a foolish person tried to cause Linley some trouble, but Linley booted him from the back of the restaurant to the front of the restaurant with one kick. Thereafter, no one else disturbed Linley.
In the blink of an eye, six days passed.
During these past six days, aside from Fallen Leaf and those two Ascetics, none of the other Ascetics had left.
Within Clayde’s manor.
“Everyone, why are you in such a rush to leave?” Clayde looked at the three representatives of the Ascetics in front of him, trying to persuade them.
An old, golden-haired man said calmly, “Clayde, we must head towards the new Holy Capital now. Sorry for inconveniencing you these past days. We’ll leave now.”
These three Ascetics totally ignored Clayde’s entreaties as they prepared to leave immediately.
“Milords, you are heading to the new Holy Capital? I wish to go as well. How about I travel alongside you?” Clayde said immediately, while at the same time, he instructed his son Shaq, “Shaq, prepare some things. We leave immediately.”
At this point in time, Clayde didn’t feel any sense of security at all.
If only Kaiser was left with him, Clayde didn’t feel confident that Kaiser would be able to protect him against both Linley and that freakish magical beast of his.
“Travel along with us?” The golden-haired old man frowned.
In truth, they were not making a trip towards the new Holy Capital at all. They had a secret mission.
“Impossible. We are under strict orders from the Church.” The golden-haired man said coldly.
The other two looked coldly at Clayde as well. “If you follow us secretly, you should know what the end result will be.” After they spoke, the three turned and left, leaving behind a pole-axed Clayde.
Clayde hadn’t expected that these Ascetics would forbid him from travelling with them.
“Milords!” Clayde chased out from the main hall, but the fifty or so Ascetics had already left the manor via the gate. Not a single one of them turned to look back at him.
Clayde considered what to do. He didn’t dare to follow them. Although the Radiant Church taught that men should be benevolent, when they decided to act against someone, they were definitely without mercy. Right now, Clayde was no longer of particular use to the Radiant Church. Those Ascetics definitely would not fear to kill him.
“Royal father.” Shaq walked over, looking at Clayde.
Clayde frowned. He was quiet for a moment. Then, he gave his orders. “Let’s leave from the back gate. We will leave immediately. Yes, immediately. The danger grows with each passing minute.