The 'Classical' Noble

All eyes fixed upon Du Chen. Of course, apart from Dud himself, no one truly grasped the profound implications of Du Chen’s answer.

But at this very moment, Du Chen hesitated, muttering, “Three hundred thousand, three hundred thousand…” in a comically rambling fashion that made everyone want to chuckle.

Dud observed Du Chen quietly. As a military General, while he wasn't adept at the machinations of politicians, he understood that such a decision couldn't be made lightly.

After a long pause, Du Chen finally seemed to have figured things out. He slapped the table with a decisive *thwack*.

“Three hundred thousand is absolutely out of the question!”

Deboning breathed a sigh of relief, and Harry nodded secretly, thinking, *This is more like it. Who would hand over command of a 300,000-strong army to someone else?*

As for Liana, she merely widened her eyes, a faint smile playing on the corners of Du Chen’s lips.

Dud sighed internally. *Alas, alas. If there are no visionary leaders under heaven, then renowned generals throughout history are oft doomed to tragedy…* He slowly stood up, preparing to leave.

Du Chen suddenly spoke with utmost seriousness. “Three hundred thousand truly won’t do. We need at least four hundred thousand!”

*Thump, thump, thump!* Dud whirled around, striding decisively to Du Chen. He demanded in a stern voice, “You truly dare to grant me command of a four hundred thousand strong army, and allow me full authority, without meddling in any of my military decisions!?”

Du Chen nodded, a hint of confusion on his face. He thought, *What’s gotten into Dud today!?* “Of course! Isn't this always how we’ve done things in Du City?”

Du Chen ticked off his fingers, explaining his rationale to everyone. “Think about it, everyone. Today, we gladly carved up our spoils, but what if the Fiendkind truly invade tomorrow? We Grand Marshals and Great Generals, whatever we claim today, we must repay humanity with tomorrow! I am the Commander of the Strategic Reserve. To put it bluntly, my duty is to rush to the aid of any warzone that faces a formidable foe and can no longer hold out, to fight tooth and nail against powerful enemies!”

Du Chen swept his gaze across everyone, then slammed his hand on the table. “But now, the Fiendkind not only possess Bonis’s old guard and Philip’s Undead Army, but also Undead Aberrant Beasts that are immune to my Holy Light! Can our paltry few tens of thousands shoulder the heavy responsibility of the strategic reserve? No! Therefore, expanding our army is imperative, and we cannot expand by any less! Four hundred thousand! Dud, if you dare to recruit even one soldier less, I’ll have you court-martialed!”

Dud stared at Du Chen suspiciously, unable to believe his ears. “Are you not afraid I’ll seize power, hoard troops, and rebel against you!?”

Du Chen suddenly curled his lip. He thought, *Dud is bound by Beibei’s Spiritual Contract. Although he has a record of breaking through the Deed of Ownership, the contract didn’t actually fail that time. It was Dud’s extreme desire for war that momentarily overwhelmed its limitations – a unique circumstance! So, as long as I don’t clash with Dud’s dream of waging war, he will absolutely never betray me!* With that reassurance, Du Chen stated boldly, “Trust those you employ; do not employ those you distrust!”

Dud suddenly knelt on one knee, his right fist thumping his left chest in a solemn military salute. “Dud pledges to serve his foster father, to command a four hundred thousand strong iron cavalry! Any foe of my foster father shall perish beneath Dud’s military formations!”

Dud still referred to Du Chen as “foster father.” This was not surprising. In fact, if one were to review Dud’s experiences since his seal was broken: after being rescued by Du Chen, he lost most of his memories, retaining only his deeply ingrained military strategy skills. Subsequently, Beibei used hypnosis and the Spiritual Contract on him, leading Dud, without his knowledge, to believe he was Beibei’s younger brother, and by extension, Du Chen’s adopted son! Even now, Dud remained oblivious to the fact that he bore a Spiritual Contract.

Later, Dud underwent various other experiences, finally discovering his true identity today. But upon closer reflection, his true identity was deduced through logical analysis, not recalled through memory. It was akin to a farmer suddenly being given a few clues that led him to realize, *Oh, I was once a King!* Would that farmer then continue to eat bread with his hands as before, or would he sit formally with a knife and fork like a monarch? Evidently, the farmer would still eat bread with his hands, devoid of noble etiquette, because he had only *analyzed* himself to be a King, rather than fully *recovering* his memories and reclaiming the habits, temperament, and even dignity of a King.

Dud was in precisely this situation. If he had completely regained all memories of “that Grand Marshal,” he would never have been able to call someone “foster father.” But until then… he was still Dud, and all his actions still mirrored the former Commander-in-Chief of the Du City Army.

Furthermore, Du Chen dared to utter the phrase, “Trust those you employ; do not employ those you distrust,” largely due to Beibei’s Spiritual Contract. But in reality? Just moments ago, Dud had felt killing intent towards Du Chen multiple times. This indicated that not only were Dud’s memories showing signs of resurgence, but the power that had been sealed away all those years ago was also beginning to recover! Beibei’s Tenth-rank Spiritual Power… could no longer hold him back!

…

Seeing Dud once again in his black-armored, iron-masked God-General guise, exuding iron-blooded dominance, Du Chen smiled. “Expanding the army is no problem! But Dud, I must clarify something beforehand. All our military expenses in Du City are paid for by the Pontiff, our ever-generous benefactor. When you expand the army, do leave the Pontiff some face. Let him plant some informants – otherwise, what if esteemed Elder Sama becomes displeased and cuts off our military funding!?”

Dud nodded. “Understood. I will handle those informants.”

Du Chen added, “But don’t go too far with your compromises. Your absolute control over the army is the priority. If the Pontiff goes too far… then to hell with their funding! This Old Master has accumulated enough wealth over the years to support a four hundred thousand strong army on my own!”

Dud clasped his fists. “As you command, foster father. If you have no further instructions, Dud shall depart tonight for the King of the Great Triangle Sea Palace to seek assistance from Gode, the Sea King, in establishing a navy. Furthermore, I request the temporary use of Andy, who is by your side – the newly formed navy will primarily consist of Deep Sea Aberrant Beasts, and Andy’s transformed state is incredibly useful for oceanic warfare. Andy can also vouch for my sincerity to Gode, the Sea King!”

“Alright, go quickly and return swiftly!” Having issued his highest directives to Dud, Du Chen then washed his hands of the remaining matters. “Very well, Dud, go and busy yourself with expanding the army. Everyone else, go prepare for the inauguration ceremony seven days from now…” As he spoke, Du Chen’s face suddenly flushed red – a sight not seen in a thousand years. “That… Liana, stay behind!”

As the others departed, Liana curled up like a kitten on the sofa, curiously eyeing the blushing Du Chen. She thought, *How strange. Francis used to regularly keep me behind for private discussions after meetings, but he never once blushed!* Seeing Du Chen standing before her, hesitating to speak, even Liana, who understood Du Chen’s thoughts better than anyone, was perplexed. “Hey, speak up! Why did you keep me here?”

*Why did I keep you here?* Du Chen thought. *I want to confirm something with you.* A few days prior, Steve had abruptly prompted Du Chen to consider what he might have overlooked. Du Chen had instantly realized what he'd been missing. However, one, he’d been swamped these past few days, and two, he hadn’t been bold enough to ask. This was why he had delayed until today to speak with Liana alone.

Avoiding Liana’s gaze, Du Chen sat beside her, feeling oddly flustered. “Well… my Eldest Brother said some things to me a few days ago. He said…”

“What did that mobster Steve say? Look at you, stammering… *Hmph*, it certainly can’t have been anything good!”

Du Chen gritted his teeth, thinking, *Asking directly about this is simply too embarrassing!* He took a roundabout approach. “Let’s not dwell on my Eldest Brother. I just wanted to ask, you’ve abandoned a mountain of affairs back home, yet you’re lingering in my Du City, refusing to leave… what is the reason for this?”

*Why? Isn’t it because this Queen…* Liana’s heart suddenly clenched. With her keen intellect, she instantly grasped the deeper meaning hidden beneath the question. Her face flushed slightly, but Liana feigned magnanimity, patting Du Chen’s shoulder. “Of course, it’s to help my brother out! Don’t mention it.”

*Did this impudent girl genuinely not understand, or are you merely feigning ignorance!?* Du Chen glanced at Liana’s small hand resting on his shoulder, and made his question even more explicit. “Are you not concerned that such open familiarity with a man might hinder your future prospects of marriage?”

Liana’s face deepened in color, and her entire body curled further into the sofa. But she held firm, puffing out her rosy cheeks with a huff. “*Hmph*, I have plenty of suitors, thank you very much! Forget marriage; keeping a hundred or so male consorts would be but a snap of my fingers!”

Du Chen: “…”

Liana suddenly lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers, her voice barely a whisper. “Hey, do you think any man would be willing to marry a woman who is older than him, and even smarter? Honestly, it seems many men are afraid of a wife smarter than they are.”

Du Chen thought for a moment, then said very seriously, “Any man who says such things is deeply insecure. A confident man never speaks like that.”

A sweet smile touched Liana’s lips. Then, both of them suddenly found themselves at a loss for words, and a long silence fell upon the vast room.

Suddenly, Du Chen stared at the tip of Liana’s nose in surprise. “You’re older than me!?”

Liana nodded up and down. “Of course! Didn’t I tell you? Your big sis here is the same age as Helen!”

“Oh!”

After that simple exchange, they once again fell silent.

This time, Liana broke the silence first. “Hey, I’m older than you, and smarter than you. So, do you dare to…”

“Dare to do what?”

Liana tilted her head, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “Dare you call me Queen Sis from now on!?”

Du Chen scoffed. “*Tch*. You scared me! I thought you were going to ask if I dared to marry you!”

Liana raised an eyebrow. “*Hmph*, who do you think you are? I have an entire Regiment of suitors lining up behind this Queen’s backside! Marry you? You’re flattering yourself!”

Du Chen also scoffed. “You can boast all you want. With that man-hating shrew demeanor of yours, who’d dare marry you!?”

Liana abruptly puffed out her chest. “Man-hating shrew!? Have you ever seen a man-hating shrew with breasts this large?”

Du Chen: “…”

The two fell silent for a third time!

It was Liana who broke the silence again. “Your fiancé left. Don’t you want to find another? You are Du Chen, the Divine Envoy, part of the Divine Scion lineage…”

“Divine Scions can indeed take three wives, and my Eldest Brother Steve has countless lovers. But for me…” Du Chen pointed to his chest. “Quarrels and arguments aside, Xue Ji is, after all, the woman I formally pledged to marry. Any woman Francis claims as his own, unless she herself chooses to annul the engagement, shall remain the sole woman of his life!”

Liana didn’t fall silent this time, but giggled. “I didn’t realize you were quite the faithful one!”

Du Chen smiled. “A long, long time ago, when I was still a child, an old man pulled me out of a gang and told me three maxims: ‘He who betrays his country and allies with the enemy is unworthy of being human! He who deceives his master and destroys his ancestors is nothing but scum! And he who is fickle-minded with women is no true man!’ These three maxims have stayed with me my entire life. Now, I have no country, no master, so I can only remember the last one…”

Liana nodded in enlightenment. “I see – so you were an unfortunate soul brainwashed by an eccentric old man since childhood! *Heehee*, but as a child… weren’t you the idiotic Third Young Master of Saint John City?”

Du Chen glanced at Liana. “What I was like in the past, with your intellect, you’ve probably long since figured it out, haven’t you? Why ask pointless questions?” He walked to the window, gazing at the scenery of Battle God Isle, and suddenly sighed. *I wonder how Xue Ji is doing now, if she’s suffering!*

…

In truth, while Xue Ji wasn’t exactly suffering at this moment, her life was certainly not easy!

One hundred and fifty nautical miles south of Battle God Isle, near Tiger Shark Reef, waves surged. Upon closer inspection in the night, the ocean waves swirled in a peculiar, whirlpool-like fashion. At the core of the vortex was a reef, five or six meters square. Xue Ji, Roland, and Charlemagne were trapped upon this reef, encased within a sphere of seawater suspended in mid-air.

That day, Xue Ji had bid farewell to the Requiem Death Knights to visit Du Chen, who had been involved in an 'incident.' However, that woman, the Goddess of Fate, seemed to be playing a small joke on her – when Xue Ji arrived at Thornwood Valley, Du Chen had returned to the city. When Xue Ji pursued him to Du City, Du Chen had already departed for Battle God Isle… Finally, Xue Ji reached Battle God Isle and learned that Du Chen was safe and sound. So, Xue Ji didn’t go to see Du Chen but instead rendezvoused with the Requiem Death Knights here, seeking a way to save Battle God Isle.

But old Bovin had only divined that Battle God Isle would soon face a Great Catastrophe. Who would bring this calamity, what specific disaster it would be, and when it would occur… none of these were known to the Requiem Death Knights. So, at Jamis’s command, everyone had covertly searched, seeking out any suspicious signs! Tonight, Xue Ji, along with her two brothers-in-law, Charlemagne and Roland, had come to investigate Tiger Shark Reef… But no one had anticipated that the moment they appeared at Tiger Shark Reef, a sphere of seawater would instantly descend, trapping them completely and severing all contact with the outside world!

Roland looked at the water dome above his head in alarm. He roared, “Who!? Show yourself!”

Charlemagne, having lived longer than Roland, possessed more experience. He let out a hearty laugh. “Sir, to be able to trap the three of us without alerting the Battle God Academy experts nearly a hundred and fifty nautical miles away, you must truly have mastered the art of ‘water’ to its divine peak, to the pinnacle of perfection! With your power, do you not even possess the courage to show your face!?”

“*Hmph hmph*! You, young one, certainly have a way with words!” The waves parted, and two figures emerged, walking on the water. They were Madam Xerxes and Merlinta! But then, it made sense; who else could wield water to such an extent, apart from Merlinta, one of the Imperial Divine Beasts of the Sea?

Upon seeing their opponents, Charlemagne’s laughter grew louder. “By what names should we address you, ladies?”

Merlinta gave a cold laugh. “You are not worthy of knowing my name! Young one, judging by your attire… have the Requiem Death Knights not all perished yet?”

Charlemagne smiled. “You recognize my attire, so you must be someone of consequence! Then why have you trapped us three siblings here? We are strangers, with no past grievances or enmities…”

Merlinta haughtily interrupted Charlemagne, pointing at his military helmet. “You sneaking around Tiger Shark Reef in the dead of night means you deserve to die!”

*Damn it! What kind of reason is that!? Is there some treasure hidden in this Tiger Shark Reef, and you’re its guardians!?* Roland felt a surge of madness, cursing endlessly in his heart.

Xue Ji frowned, pondering for a moment, then smiled serenely. “Esteemed Elder! If this junior understands correctly, your intention must be… that during this Battle God Isle Alliance, anyone who threatens the safety of Battle God Isle or appears suspicious will be your enemy, correct?”

Merlinta glanced at Xue Ji. “Oh? You, young girl, are quite sharp!”

Xue Ji gave a slight smile. “Then we are not enemies! Your goal is to protect Battle God Isle, and we too received a warning through astrology, knowing that Battle God Isle will face a Great Catastrophe. We are currently searching everywhere, secretly investigating the source of this disaster! Esteemed Elder, we share the same mission, so why must we fight amongst ourselves?”

Merlinta narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the three. This was an unspoken acknowledgment: she and Phil had suddenly returned to the mortal world with the explicit purpose of protecting Battle God Isle – or rather, to thwart the Scarlet Army’s plans and stab them in the back.

After much deliberation, Merlinta was undecided. If these three truly were here to protect Battle God Isle, then imprisoning them would indeed be a grave mistake on her part! But who could guarantee they were truly there to protect the Isle, and not merely speaking glibly? Merlinta frowned and asked Phil, “Do you think this girl’s words… are credible?”

Phil did not answer Merlinta’s question, but instead eyed Xue Ji up and down with an ambiguous gaze, then suddenly asked, “Girl, why aren’t you with your fiancé? Did the young couple have a quarrel?”

Xue Ji was startled. “Madam, you clearly didn’t recognize me just now. How do you know I have a fiancé, and that we had a quarrel!?”

Phil’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “There is only one Water’s Embrace Sword in the world, and only two descendants of Margaret remain. Since you are not Sherine, you must naturally be Francis’s fiancé, Xue Ji… Auntie, Xue Ji’s words are indeed credible – they genuinely came to protect Battle God Isle. They share our aspirations, so release them!”

Xue Ji gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. Phil’s deduction was simple, but her reasoning relied on one premise: that she had seen the Water’s Embrace Sword Xue Ji wore beneath her clothes!

Roland and Charlemagne exchanged bewildered glances. *Heavens! Xue Ji never once revealed her Water’s Embrace Sword! Could this Madam see through clothing to discern the true form of a primordial sacred artifact? How… how did she do it!?*

However, the misunderstanding was resolved. They shared a common goal, and the stronger this Madam was, the better for Battle God Isle…

Just as Xue Ji and the others breathed a sigh of relief, Merlinta suddenly let out three cold laughs. “Ah, so you are Xue Ji! You are indeed quite pretty…” With that, she suddenly waved her hand. The seawater encircling the three of them abruptly began to shrink, and from within it, a stream of water split off, striking horizontally towards Xue Ji’s face, like a massive palm aiming to viciously slap Xue Ji!

No one had expected the old matron to attack so suddenly, especially when their conversation had been progressing smoothly! Charlemagne, closest to Xue Ji, lunged forward. With a slight flick of his right wrist, a speck of starlight met the incoming water stream. “Team up!”

In truth, Charlemagne didn’t even need to give the command. Roland had already swung his sword at the water stream, and Xue Ji dared not delay either. Her eyes abruptly turned azure, and her right hand unleashed a thousand threads of sword light. Her Thirteenth-rank Water’s Embrace Sword flew out, cooperating with Roland to slash at the water stream!

The three combined their efforts. All three were Tenth-rank Battle Gods or above, but their movements were slow compared to Merlinta’s water stream, and even slower compared to Phil!

Phil simply bent her left pinky finger in an orchid gesture and gently flicked it. Without a sound, the entire space around Tiger Shark Reef seemed to tremble three times. It not only dispelled the combined light of the three, but also neutralized the water stream Merlinta had used to attack Xue Ji…

“Auntie! What are you doing!? Our objectives align with the Requiem Death Knights, and the Requiem Death Knights are renowned for their unwavering loyalty and have achieved glorious military feats for humanity! Why did you strike them!?” Phil’s tone carried a hint of anger.

Merlinta, however, sneered, pointing at Xue Ji and cursing, “That harlot, colluding with her own nephew, am I not permitted to teach her a lesson!?”

Steve had been absolutely right. This old matron indeed… She hadn’t even dealt with Du Chen yet, and she was already targeting Xue Ji!

Xue Ji’s expression immediately changed, her face turning frigid. “Esteemed Elder, I respect your age and have been deferential, but you must not slander me with such vile accusations!” *Hmph*, *collusion? You dare to accuse me of such a crime!? Though Francis and I quarrel frequently, Francis is the only man I have ever known in this life! Collusion… You can call me anything else, but you absolutely cannot pin this crime on Xue Ji! I have never done anything to betray my man!* At this moment, Xue Ji did not realize that what Merlinta was referring to was, in fact, the relationship between Du Chen and herself as Young Aunt and nephew, counting from Xue Ni’s side.

Charlemagne and Roland’s faces also darkened. They were both unfortunate men who had lost their wives. With their wives gone, their wives’ younger sisters became the figures most cherished by these brothers-in-law. Roland gave a cold laugh. “You are very strong, are you not? But we, who bear the name Requiem, have never had Death Knights who feared death!”

Merlinta burst into laughter. How many years had it been? How many years since anyone dared to speak to her like that? The old matron was furious. She glared fiercely at Phil, then slowly walked towards Xue Ji. Behind her, the seawater suddenly surged with monstrous waves. At this moment, Merlinta seemed to merge with the boundless ocean, becoming one with it, her vast and overwhelming pressure blanketing everything!

Charlemagne, being more seasoned, stepped in front of Xue Ji and cried, “If you wish to fight to the death, we Requiem Death Knights will gladly accompany you! But at your age, do you still not understand the principle of killing cleanly and honorably? First, explain clearly why you attacked our little sister!”

Merlinta’s words practically spat through gritted teeth. “First, Francis defied and betrayed his father, and Xue Ji, as his wife, cannot escape blame! Second, Xue Ji and Francis are of different generations, yet they secretly formed an engagement without parental consent! Third, Xue Ji disrespects her elders, daring to curse at me! With these three points, by which one of them am I not justified in teaching her a clear and righteous lesson!?”

Charlemagne was momentarily stunned. In all fairness, if one used aristocratic etiquette as a moral standard, Merlinta’s words were not wrong. In the eyes of many 'classical' nobles, Du Chen and Xue Ji had indeed committed these three grave offenses! And Merlinta was clearly one such 'classical' noble. Thus, in the 'classical' mindset of this old matron, punishing someone based on these three accusations was a matter of course – at least, that’s what she believed!

But… Charlemagne keenly observed the old matron’s thought patterns and values, and couldn’t help but inwardly groan. *Damn it, Stubborn Old Coots like this are the most impossible to reason with!* He could only argue forcefully, “Alright, even if what you say has merit, such disciplinary matters can only be handled by Francis and Xue Ji’s elders. Who are you to interfere? What right do you have!?”

“When Francis sees me…” Merlinta roared, lunging forward! “…he must also address me as Great-aunt!”

Everyone suddenly understood. *Oh, so she’s Francis’s relative!* Phil, in particular, gave a wry smile. Her aunt’s power was indeed unprecedented, but she… she was truly not material for handling important matters!

Sighing inwardly, Phil positioned herself between the two groups, saying solemnly, “Auntie, disciplining Xue Ji and Francis is, after all, a private matter. Can we discuss it later? We have a serious mission upon our return this time. Please don’t…”

“Are you saying I shouldn’t cause you trouble!?”

“That… This niece would not dare to say that! But Auntie, you yourself said that on this trip, public matters take precedence!”

Merlinta glared. “*Hmph*, I did say that, but now… this old matron has changed her mind!” With that, she bypassed Phil and strode towards Xue Ji!

Phil cursed inwardly. *Bullshit! This Old Mother knew that bringing such a Stubborn Old Coot would only lead to endless trouble and prevent us from accomplishing anything significant! I was already displeased when you beat up my eldest son last time. What, are you going to hit my daughter-in-law today too!? You think this Old Mother is easy to bully, don’t you!? If you weren’t my Old Man’s sworn elder sister, this Old Mother… this Old Mother would immediately pull out ‘that thing’ and refine you into dust!* Such thoughts, however, remained unspoken. Phil, being middle-aged, was no longer the Demoness-tier sister Yetha of yesteryear.

“Auntie, please listen to me one more time…” Phil continued to entangle Merlinta.

Thus, a rather interesting scene unfolded at Tiger Shark Reef: Charlemagne and his companions braced themselves for a deadly fight, Merlinta adopted a posture of “If you seek death, I shall grant it,” and Phil intervened, ensuring her daughter-in-law remained unharmed.

The situation on the sea was thus, but in the sky, a Snow Wolf with giant dragon wings slowly flew, gnawing on a bone in its paw as it glided. Another figure, black-armored and iron-masked, stood proudly on the Snow Wolf’s back – it was Dud and Andy, on their way to the King of the Great Triangle Sea Palace to establish a navy!

Flying over Tiger Shark Reef, the Snow Wolf looked down and let out a surprised cry. “Dud, look quickly, isn’t that the Mistress!?”

Dud looked down from his vantage point and let out a chilling growl. “*Hmph*, someone dares to attack my foster mother!? Andy, fly at full speed in a semi-circular trajectory, first notify foster father via Battle Soul, then descend and protect foster mother!”

“Alrighty!” At this point, they were over a hundred nautical miles from Battle God Isle, outside the range of Battle Soul. Thus, Andy needed to trace a semi-circular trajectory curving towards Battle God Isle to get close enough for Du Chen to receive the message. Andy fully spread his dragon wings, instantly entering Battle Soul range, and roared, “Master, the Mistress is being hunted at Tiger Shark Reef! The opponents are very strong, come quickly! Andy and Dud are going to protect the Mistress first!”

No sooner had his voice faded than Andy flew out of Battle Soul range. His Composite Aberrant Beast form, a six-faced complete transformation, was now ready, and he lunged through the air towards Merlinta!

Meanwhile, Du Chen was still in his bedroom, silently with Liana. Upon hearing Andy’s truncated message, he immediately exploded in fury. *Damn it, who dares to touch my woman!?*

Andy’s message was unclear, and Du Chen, anxious for Xue Ji, had no time to ponder. He roared, “Eldest Brother, Deboning, Beibei, Anya… Grab your Weapons, and let’s go hack some heads!”