Parting Ways

Du Chen blinked, unable to stop himself from asking, “Isn’t the Battle God Academy run by the Holy Church?”

“It is, it’s run by the Holy Church, but the Academy Dean is on equal footing with the Pope. We can’t control them! And…” Mars suddenly smacked himself twice, hard. “This mouth of mine just can’t stay shut! Listen, kid, you haven’t earned my complete trust yet, so I can’t tell you too many secrets! Just one thing: go to the Battle God Academy, and periodically deliver whatever strange things you see and hear to our Enforcement Temple agents. Are you in or out?”

Isn’t this… espionage?

Espionage is an exceptionally high-risk profession…

Just as Du Chen’s thoughts reached this point, Mars continued, “You have no battle qi, do you? Then you certainly won’t pass the Academy’s mid-year and end-of-year exams. You’ll be expelled before long. But if you help me, I’ll help you pass every single exam!”

Du Chen considered this, then countered, “Is there any danger?”

“While the Battle God Academy and the Holy Church don’t see eye-to-eye, they’re still part of the same faction. Even if they catch you, as long as you haven’t done anything too outrageous, the worst that’ll happen is expulsion!”

Information in exchange for passing every exam. This wasn’t a bad deal at all! “Alright, I accept. What exactly do I need to do?”

Mars didn’t elaborate. He pulled a parchment scroll from his robes and tossed it onto the table. “Once you enter the Academy, Enforcement Temple agents will seek you out. Nothing more for today; I’ll contact you if anything else comes up. Here, this is your exam transcript. Just fill in whatever score you desire!”

Du Chen picked up the quill from the table, casually scribbled a perfect score, and handed it back to Mars. “Oh, right, what should I call you from now on?”

“Just call me Boss. Everyone in the Enforcement Temple does.”

After settling a few more minor details and discussing the flood relief efforts, Du Chen exited the Grand Cathedral.

Many other examinees had already emerged, but they hadn’t dispersed. The Holy Church’s efficiency was legendary, and the exam results would be posted shortly. They all waited in the cathedral square for the scores.

Steve was also waiting in the square, Aliza by his side. Seeing Du Chen emerge, Steve called out, “Hey, Francis, over here!”

“What did the examiner ask you? What took you so long?” Steve asked casually.

*Your brother just became the Battle God world’s version of a Jinyiwei!* Du Chen thought to himself. Mars had just instructed him that the Enforcement Temple was one of the Papal Curia’s clandestine temples, and its personnel were top-secret Holy Church agents whose identities could not be revealed casually. Therefore, Du Chen vaguely concocted a few questions to answer Steve’s inquiry. He then asked, “Has Second Brother not come out yet?”

“He left ages ago!” Steve chuckled. “That brat said he was guaranteed to pass and didn’t need to wait for scores, so he just went home.”

Du Chen smiled, gazing back at Saint John Cathedral bathed in the twilight glow. The series of exams, spanning over ten days, had finally concluded. He never expected to succeed in entering the Academy with the examiner’s direct assistance.

Perhaps even his Guardian Battle God was surprised now? His Guardian Battle God had gifted him a protective necklace, yet he hadn’t needed to use it once.

No matter what, he could finally leave the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate and no longer endure Duke Anjes’s icy countenance!

Soon after, a massive scroll displaying the results hovered above Saint John Cathedral. As expected, Du Chen scored perfect marks in two subjects and sixty-six in another, placing him thirty-seventh overall—a definite pass.

Steve also made it into the top hundred, while Charles, surprisingly, clinched first place in the Lanning Diocese!

Du Chen couldn’t help but marvel: his arrogant Second Brother truly had the capital to be arrogant!

…

“You passed!?”

In the square before the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate, Anjes was preparing to welcome his eldest son, who had successfully passed the examination. Instead, he received a truly astonishing piece of news.

Francis, with his unparalleled ‘luck,’ had actually passed the Battle God Academy entrance exam, and with a better score than Steve!

Du Chen offered a faint smile, then glanced at the Sigurd statue. “Yes, I haven’t disgraced our ancestor, have I? Then, dear Father, you asked me a few days ago if I wished to establish my own household. Now I give you my answer: Yes, I intend to move out!”

*Hmph, so what if he passed? Without battle qi, he’ll be expelled sooner or later. He’ll still be a disgrace to the Saint Sigurd Cain family!* Anjes thought coldly. “Fine, you may move out, but I will not provide you with any assistance!”

“Thank you, I don’t need your assistance either!” Du Chen retorted with a cold sneer.

*Ancestors above, how are my brother and father ever going to mend their relationship!?* Steve sighed dejectedly, trying to intercede. “Father, Third Brother has already…”

“Eldest Brother, there’s no need to say anything!” Du Chen shrugged indifferently and strode into the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate.

He was Du Chen, not Francis. The orphan from his past life had yearned for the feeling of family, but alas, after two months, the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate remained utterly alien.

An indifferent father, an arrogant second brother, servants with strange looks in their eyes… let them go to hell!

Ah, but his Eldest Brother, Old Foye, and Aliza—*they* were still his true kin!

Half a month later, the overall rankings for the Battle God Academy’s five examination zones were finalized. Du Chen placed one hundred and twentieth, which, for an exam admitting a total of three thousand people, was an astonishingly high score.

Compared to him, Steve’s score was lower, but it was sufficient. In his words, “It’s not about how high you score, just passing is enough!”

Charles ranked second overall, which displeased him greatly for a long time. Rumor had it that the top spot across all five examination zones went to a young girl, only fifteen years old, who achieved a perfect score in every subject! This left Charles indignant, and he vowed to challenge the girl once they entered the Academy!

Meanwhile, Du Chen had ‘borrowed’ a significant sum from the nobles on the street and used it to establish a modest villa in the Southern District slums. Aliza and Old Foye had both moved out with him. His Eldest Brother, Steve, finding himself with time on his hands, also took up residence in Du Chen’s small villa. Though he claimed it was “to explore the feminine resources of the Southern District,” Du Chen understood that his Eldest Brother was truly concerned for his safety, especially since the Widener family, led by the Minister of Imperial Rites, had already formed a grudge against him.

Unlike the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate, the Southern District now saw people casting fervent glances at Lord Francis every day, praising his virtue and glorifying his honor. The feeling was utterly exhilarating!

Of course, most importantly, Du Chen now had daily opportunities to perform good deeds!

At present, the lotus on his backside was on the verge of its third bloom. In terms of hexagrams, the Bagua Lotus was about to unfurl its first trigram. Du Chen was incredibly eager to discover what benefits the full activation of the Precious Lotus Scripture’s first trigram would bring!

Amidst this eager anticipation, the day for Du Chen to report to the Battle God Academy arrived.

Early that morning, Du Chen was pulled by Steve to the statue in front of the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate.

Anjes was already waiting there, prepared for their send-off. Upon seeing his two sons approach, he said indifferently, “Steve, are you and Francis setting off early together, without waiting for Charles?”

“Yes, Father. The Holy Church has allocated a massive sum from the Charitable Foundation to Third Brother. I will first accompany Third Brother to aid the disaster victims, so I won’t wait for Second Brother.”

“Hmm, I’ve heard. Godfather Ferdinand’s glory is with us. Steve, take extra guards to avoid bandits on the road!” Anjes instructed Steve, but from start to finish, he completely ignored Du Chen.

Du Chen, equally cold-faced, paid Anjes no mind.

The family then symbolically drank some farewell wine, and Anjes returned inside.

Staring at his retreating back, Du Chen pursed his lips. “Let’s go, Eldest Brother. We should pack our carriage and prepare to depart.”

Steve didn’t move. Instead, he looked at Du Chen with an ambiguous expression.

“Oh, my Eldest Brother, why aren’t you moving? Are you reluctant to part with the ladies of Saint John City?!”

Steve smirked, shaking his head. “My dear brother, it’s not that I’m reluctant to leave others, but rather that someone is reluctant to leave *you*. Look, who’s here to see you off?”

Du Chen turned his head, and immediately, his vision swam.

Good heavens, why was Avril here!? And Princess Yuna was by her side!?