Francis's Lover, and Those Who Love Francis!

“Old Charlatan, what in the blazes has gotten into you?” Du Chen stared in astonishment at Old Bovin’s wildly abnormal behavior. If it were the Old Gambler acting so erratically, it might be understandable, but how could the usually sanctimonious Old Charlatan be like this? The inherently lecherous old man, rarely solemn, now wore a stern, scowling expression. It was as if a sickly kitten had suddenly transformed into a ferocious tiger, unleashing its might. Of course, even as a tiger, he was still a lecherous tiger through and through!

Jamis, seated comfortably in a soft chair, studying the cards in his hand, slightly raised his head and grumbled, “My dear Old Charlatan, you’ve utterly derailed my train of thought. Perhaps you owe me a few copper coins to cover my betting capital? Alas, how was I supposed to arrange this hand again?”

Annie asked worriedly, “Mister Bovin, are you feeling unwell? Hmm, flying for too long can easily cause dizziness. We’re almost there anyway, Francis. Why don’t you have the Wyvern Carriage land, and we can walk to Saint John City?”

The other students also looked at Old Bovin with puzzled expressions.

Bovin glanced around at everyone, realizing his reaction might have been a bit excessive. He gave a sheepish grin, exposing his yellowed teeth. “Heh heh, I, this old man, have predicted that if I enter Saint John City, I will encounter a Blood Calamity. Therefore, I absolutely cannot enter Saint John City! Francis, descend immediately. Don't you have a few orchards outside the city? I, this old man, shall go there and enjoy some fruit! Heh heh, it’s been a long time since I’ve indulged like this!”

“A shoddy excuse,” Du Chen muttered, curling his lip. Yet, he didn’t refute this reason, which he wasn't sure how much to believe. After all, this old man adamantly believed his astrology was an undeniable truth. If you dared to show even a sliver of doubt, you’d be subjected to a prolixity that would make even the legendary Monk Tang bow in defeat. It would guarantee you a splitting headache!

Bovin was an Eminence; there had to be a reason for him to act this way. Du Chen’s mind raced as he chuckled, “Old Charlatan, don’t hog all the self-preservation. Since you say you’ll encounter a Blood Calamity in Saint John City, what about us? If your astrology is the truth, then give us some hints!”

Bovin scratched his head. “You all, heh heh, the Goddess of Fate has already arranged your destinies! Follow the Goddess of Fate’s arrangements, and you will be very safe! Especially you, lovely Francis, the Goddess of Fate is with you!”

The students chuckled amongst themselves. Wasn’t Old Bovin just spouting nonsense? Du Chen’s nose nearly twisted out of joint in frustration. Nonsense! The Goddess of Fate is with me!? The Goddess of Fate is with everyone! You toy with me, old man? Just you wait. I’ll have my revenge, mark my words…

Jamis tossed down his cards, shaking his head and pouting. “Fine, so be it. Francis, land us in the orchard. Let the Old Charlatan gorge himself on fruit until he bursts! Hmph, may he choke on them!”

With lingering questions, Du Chen landed the Wyvern Carriage in an orchard thirty li outside the city. This expansive orchard, spanning three hills, had been lost by Rogliff to Du Chen in The Grand Wager. From afar, the scenery was delightful: verdant hills nestled by water, with flowers blooming and fruits ripening. Moreover, a luxurious and elegant hilltop villa stood majestically atop the central hill. Old Bovin’s eyes gleamed with delight at the prospect of enjoying this environment for a while, his grin uncontainable.

Du Chen took possession of the orchard with a Deed of Ownership, inventoried the forty-odd slaves, and specifically chose a quick-witted one to appoint as Steward. He privately gave him some ‘very important’ instructions, then, after a brief rest, prepared to continue their journey. He couldn't wait to see Old Foye. By his estimation, it had been over half a year since he last met his closest kin, and he missed him terribly.

The students were all busy transferring their luggage to the carriages, while Annie quietly approached the Old Charlatan, who was drinking fruit juice under a tree and coaxing the servants.

“Mister Bovin, may I interrupt you for a moment? Servants, please step back!” Annie turned to glance at the departing students, then shyly whispered, “Can…can you use your astrology, which represents truth, to predict something for me?”

“Oh?” Bovin squinted at Annie, then suddenly grinned. “Is it about you and Francis?”

Annie blushed and nodded. In truth, she didn’t fully believe Old Bovin’s astrology, but as a young girl experiencing first love, she couldn't help but be drawn to horoscope readings and fortune-telling to gain insight into her beloved. Even if she knew it might not be accurate, she still longed to hear good news – a perfectly natural human sentiment!

“Hmm! Excellent! Those little rascals may speak prettily, but not one of them truly believes in this old man’s truth! You, my girl, are an exception. I, this old man, shall make an exception just this once! Only this once, mind you! Come, let me see what your future with Francis holds…” The Old Charlatan rubbed the crystal ball, his eyes half-closed, indeed exuding the transcendent aura of a reclusive master. However, this illusion held only if one ignored his notoriously yellow teeth.

Annie involuntarily tensed, praying silently that Mister Bovin would predict a wonderful outcome. Would it be about her romantic wedding with Francis, or how many children they would have in the future… Hee!

Unexpectedly, Old Bovin’s eyes suddenly widened, and he sighed repeatedly. “This is bad, this is bad!”

Annie’s heart tightened, and she quickly asked for the results.

Bovin shook his head and mumbled, “Annie, you must work hard, for in Saint John City, you will encounter a rival, a very powerful rival!”

Annie was startled and exclaimed, “Is it Francis’s lover? But I had someone inquire with Steve, and Francis doesn’t have a lover!”

“Heh heh, indeed it is someone who loves Francis. You will know once we enter the city, Annie. You are about to face a bitter and arduous struggle, again and again. You must persevere…”

Old Bovin spoke cryptically, especially that phrase, “indeed it is someone who loves Francis,” which filled Annie with even more apprehension. But then she reconsidered: it was good that Francis didn't have a lover. She herself also loved Francis. Given Francis’s character and abilities, countless people would surely adore him, which only proved her excellent judgment, didn't it?

Besides, Mister Bovin seemed like a Charlatan anyway, so she didn’t need to take his words too seriously. With that thought, Annie turned and returned to Du Chen’s side, continuing to gaze at him with her usual adoring, almost worshipful gaze. Truly, a classic portrayal of ‘loving someone means being completely enchanted by everything about them’!

The party embarked in carriages. The slaves working in the orchard watched their new master depart, then began to whisper amongst themselves.

“Hey, have you heard the rumors in Saint John City? It seems to concern our new master!”

“What rumors? Damn it, we’re just servants and slaves; we can’t leave this orchard. Where did you hear these rumors?”

“The workers who delivered fertilizer last time told me. They said…”

“Heavens, why didn’t you tell the master about this? You might have received a reward!”

“I’m not insane! The Holy Church’s Code states that if slaves casually discuss matters concerning important figures, they will be sent to the execution pyre! I don’t even know our new master’s temper yet. Do you think I’d dare to speak carelessly!?”

“That’s true. Forget it! We are just slaves, why should we meddle? Besides, the owners of this orchard change several times a year. We just need to work diligently, no matter who the master is or what trouble they encounter!”

The newly appointed Steward loudly commanded everyone: “Master Francis is the Virtue of Saint John City! It is our good fortune to be his slaves. Let us quickly begin the task he specifically instructed!”

All the slaves immediately chorused “Yes!” and began the task!

…

The luxurious carriage, pulled by eight swift horses, quickly reached Saint John City’s East Gate. The students temporarily separated; Jamis took the others to the Lanning Registry Office to Register their arrival in Saint John City. Du Chen, however, tossed all these trivial matters to Jamis, naturally at the cost of another 50 Silver Coins. He then found a secluded spot and released the two Grand Matriarchs.

“Alas, a thousand years have passed! Saint John City has changed so drastically! We barely recognize it as Saint John City anymore!”

Lucy and Lily could now move freely in the sunlight, showing no trace of The Undead. Even Deboning could not sense a single wisp of Ectoplasmic Aura from them. On the contrary, the two Grand Matriarchs now looked more like a pair of valiant, youthful, and beautiful twin Battle Gods!

Strolling through the Aristocratic Quarter of the East City, Du Chen looked at the unchanging architecture on both sides of the street and chuckled, “Young ladies, I believe you need a new identity. What kind of identity do you think would suit you?”

Lucy sighed with emotion. “I don’t know. The changes are too profound; my sister and I feel utterly alien to this era, as if we’ve arrived in another world! Francis, you decide what identity is convenient and won’t go awry, and help us arrange it!”

Du Chen smiled. “Very well. Mister Pied and the York Gang both have some influence in Saint John City. Through them, I can easily procure a complete set of identity documents for you. As for the specific identity…” Du Chen rubbed his nose. “How about Mercenaries? That way, when other predecessors complete their transformation, they can legitimately join your Mercenary Corps, and I can claim that you, young ladies, are Mercenaries I have long employed!”

The twin Grand Matriarchs exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement. Although this suggestion concealed Du Chen’s significant ulterior motives, the Grand Matriarchs were currently dependent on Du Chen and unfamiliar with the current era, so they had little choice but to accept. Most importantly, they no longer resisted collaborating with Du Chen—because Du Chen was ‘a benevolent and upright soul’! Though they would soon discover that this ‘assessment’ was not entirely accurate for Du Chen…

Du Chen chuckled inwardly. From this moment on, at least in name, the Grand Matriarchs were his employees… Heh heh!

As he was secretly snickering, Du Chen suddenly noticed that the surrounding atmosphere felt off. This was the Aristocratic Quarter of the East City, and it was evening. Many nobles and wealthy merchants, having just finished dinner, were strolling about, preparing to attend their various Noble Nightlife events. Normally, this scene was commonplace every evening in Saint John City, but today, as soon as the nobles and merchants on the street spotted Du Chen, recognizing him as Lord Francis, the third son of the Saint Sigurd Cain family, their expressions instantly became peculiarly reserved.

Initially, Du Chen paid it no mind, as his elder brother Steve had mentioned that the news of his transformation from an idiot to a Heaven-Bestowed Hydro-Body had already reached the Imperial Capital. So, it was understandable for those who knew him in the Imperial Capital to react strangely upon seeing him again. However, before long, after Du Chen greeted a few nobles he used to know, he found that none of them seemed eager to engage with him.

Strange, what was going on? Even if he had been cast out of his family, he was still a noble Lord. Other nobles, unless under extraordinary circumstances, should not act with such discourtesy!