Chapter 99: ‘Miss Kate, I Have Some Serious Good Methods’

Chapter 99: ‘Miss Kate, I Have Some Serious Good Methods’

At the long table, Louis and Earl Crowley talked quite a bit about the Sacred Tree Theological College.

Upon hearing that Louis’s mentor was Your Highness Ocris, Earl Crowley was greatly surprised and also deeply moved—what a coincidence. At the same time, he grew even more suspicious that this Sacred Tree Theological College was a place for studying the mystical.

Additionally, as an old politician and a former ‘king’ who had once overseen an overseas power, Governor Crowley noticed something different.

He thought for a moment and spoke these words:

“Your Highness Ocris, I’ve watched her grow up since she was little. I was Knight Ign’s squire from a young age. In the year Ign married Queen Frankischko, I had just ‘taken up the sword’ overseas in the Three States Province.”

“When Kate’s mother was pregnant with her, Ign and I even arranged a marriage alliance. It turned out both our firstborns were daughters, and Kate was three years older than Ocris…” Earl Crowley said a lot.

Louis also gleaned some insights from this—this Earl Crowley not only came from a family with a long, storied history, but he also commanded his own faction. He was also the king’s childhood friend and good brother. Their relationship was so close that he unconsciously called the king ‘Ign’ instead of Your Majesty.

But it seemed that after Queen Frankischko passed away, Earl Crowley had stayed overseas for many years. By the time he returned to the country, his wife had fallen ill, and he hardly ever went to the royal palace anymore.

Otherwise, an earl as trusted by the emperor as Crowley would definitely have risen higher. Becoming prime minister was very possible, after all, this guy was skilled in both civil and military affairs, had been a governor, and had rich experience in governing a region. The saying ‘outstanding generals must rise from the ranks, prime ministers must start from the provinces’ perfectly described Crowley’s resume.

Regarding Crowley’s recent years spent recuperating at home, the king seemed quite troubled. On one hand, he thought it was good for the earl to stay home for a while longer because the current situation was a bit special. The earl was somewhat at odds with the queen, and his political views differed somewhat from the king’s own. So if the earl came back to get involved now, the king might get a headache.

On the other hand, the king hoped the earl would rebuild that somewhat special Seventh Fleet. To act as his cash cow.

Therefore, if the earl returned to the royal court, the king’s feelings would likely be a bit mixed.

“This morning, His Majesty said that after the queen returns to the country tomorrow, he and the queen would come together to see my wife’s condition. It’s said the queen specially found some Mages from ‘abroad,’ all relatives of the queen’s family… They are going to so much trouble.”

Louis’s eyes moved slightly. “Does His Majesty know the wife’s ‘condition’ is this serious?”

“I’ve always found it hard to speak of—this matter greatly affects my wife’s and the family’s reputation, and also affects Kate’s future.” Crowley shook his head and said, “But yesterday, Sir Bach seemed to have called the king, so His Majesty specially summoned me this morning to ask about it. It worried him…”

Crowley shook his head.

Louis took a sip of wine and fell into thought.

Judging from the surprised expressions of Bach and others today, it seemed nobody had known before that Lady Crowley’s ‘condition’ was this severe. And Crowley understood nothing about it, so before hearing Louis describe the ‘Fallen Angel’ today, he had never realized how terrifying his wife was—she was the kind who could crush him with a finger anyway.

He also didn’t know what consequences there would be once she awakened.

So the king might also have been unaware of Lady Crowley’s situation—or didn’t know it was this serious.

But the Witch Queen probably knew…

And she was unwilling to come—it looked like she had specifically gone abroad on vacation recently and was then called back by the king.

Was this whole thing actually the Witch Queen’s doing?

Or did she hate Earl Crowley and wished for his early demise?

This matter likely wouldn’t be known until he met the Witch Queen in the future.

Crowley also mentioned meeting the king—in his words, he expressed a hope that Louis would give up his identity as a Priest and be granted nobility in Solerndor.

At the same time, Crowley brought up another matter—he hoped Louis could go to the Royal Palace with Ocris.

“Your Highness Ocris hasn’t been home for a long time either. In a few days, it will be His Majesty’s fiftieth birthday—Queen Frankischko and the king had a significant age gap, but they were born on the same month and day. This is the king’s birthday, and also the late queen’s birthday. It holds very important meaning for Ocris.”

“And the Barriff Family, His Excellency Bishop John, and many of my good friends will attend. I think it would be best if you could attend with Her Highness—after so many years, the Royal Court has changed a lot. Her Highness needs some support.”

In Crowley’s words, there was inevitably a bit of ‘if you are the princess’s person, you’d better back her up and show your face with her. I will maneuver things and offer support.’

“I will stay in Englen City for a while, Your Lordship.” Louis nodded and said.

The earl was overjoyed.

Some things he didn’t say directly today—the princess hadn’t returned for six or seven years, almost with no news. It was unclear if she knew about the changes in the Royal Court.

The earl felt they had talked enough for today. Any further talk would touch upon the matter of the crown prince. That would make him seem like he had an agenda. So it was best to wait for the princess to return, learn the situation, and then actively seek him out to discuss it.

Louis also felt they had talked enough with Crowley for today. More matters weren’t suitable for today.

However, while talking with the earl, Louis unexpectedly discovered that Kate was actually Ocris’s childhood playmate and classmate, though Kate genuinely studied theology.

According to Kate, ‘when Ocris was little, I often played with her.’

Louis raised an eyebrow and smiled.

He liked older sisters the most—twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, perfect.

Wine glasses clinked on the long table, people kept standing up to toast Louis proactively, their words full of warmth. Today, the entire Crowley Family domain could be considered saved.

Especially after the three ‘Solerndor Archmages’ began holding forth at the long table, everyone felt a deep sense of lingering fear.

What’s more, in those ancient texts, the three actually knew about something called the ‘Source of Calamity’ and what a Fallen Angel seed was.

Many people then learned what this thing was—a thing that, once awakened, would turn the entire earl’s domain into a demonic land. At that time, thick fog would spread for a hundred miles around, and the dead would slowly crawl out from underground.

And His Excellency John and the others, after witnessing that demonic shadow today and hearing the speculations of the three Archmages, couldn’t help but agree greatly. They felt it was all very surreal and also felt some lingering fear.

They also felt a bit excited—reporting this back would definitely be a great merit.

After several rounds of conversation, the several Divine Officials couldn’t help but drink a bit too much.

His Excellency John, drunkenly stroking his beard, said to Louis and the others, “Overseas, I once had the honor of cooperating with several executive Bishops from the ‘Holy Icon Tree Cathedral.’ It left a deep impression—the conservatives of the Holy Icon Tree are all extraordinary.”

At this point, John shook his head, somewhat unable to remember the details clearly. He said with some emotion, “The Priests from several ‘conservative’ Sanctuaries, though we don’t have much contact, truly produce talented individuals in large numbers—but to be honest, Sir Louis, you are the most powerful Paladin I have ever met!”

Louis, who had been smiling just moments before, immediately pulled a long face and went to talk with Kate.

Earl Crowley didn’t drink today, and many toasts of respect were handled by his daughter on his behalf.

For this young man who had saved her mother’s soul today, Miss Kate’s warmth was largely sincere. At the dining table, this twenty-seven-year-old woman treated Louis with great care, like looking after a younger brother.

And Kate was surprised to find that this young man in his twenties was not only exceptionally courageous and martial, but also very knowledgeable. And he knew the languages of many countries.

This greatly surprised and also excited this artistic young woman.

The two of them hit it off very well. After drinking a bit too much, the normally very reserved Miss Kate talked more and more. She even teased Louis a couple of times, meaning that since Ocris was his mentor, then she was also his elder.

Occasionally during their conversation, she would also, with a smile, boldly meet the young man’s gaze.

Unconsciously, the topic couldn’t help but return to the matter of Kate’s mother. This charming lady couldn’t hold back her tears. These tears were partly out of gratitude and emotion towards Louis for her mother’s return to heaven, and partly out of sorrow and longing.

After expressing the emotions in her heart, a slightly tipsy Miss Kate started talking about her husband who died at sea—this matter was also her father’s fault. Right after the wedding ceremony, her father dragged him onto a ship from the Church that very day to go fight overseas—the Mother had wasted her effort showing her so many picture books for nothing, and the palace matron had wasted her time giving her so many days of lessons for nothing.

The colony was conquered, her husband received a medal, and even got a fief. Kate happily went to that Three States Province, thinking all the things she had learned would finally be useful, and from then on she wouldn’t have to sleep hugging a pillow.

But as soon as she arrived, she heard that her husband and a group of foreign native women went out to sea on serious business, encountered a storm, and her husband sacrificed himself to the Sea God to save those foreign young ladies.

As soon as Kate arrived, she directly attended the funeral in mourning clothes and saw that dead guy in the coffin—he didn’t look drowned at all. Looking at how much thinner he was, he seemed more like he died from exhaustion—they said he was saving people, but he probably swam a lot in the sea, was not a good swimmer, but still tried to show off.

And the rescued foreign young ladies? After being saved, each one was glowing with health, obviously very good swimmers, and accidentally drowned Kate’s husband.

Who knows what the scene was like when those foreign young ladies were being rescued.

But there definitely was a lot of water.

So tragic.

When she attended the funeral back then, the young widow Kate was utterly distressed. So in total, she only met her husband a few times, touched hands a bit, and then became a widow. How could she not be distressed?

By this point, the lovely Miss Kate was already a bit tipsy. She couldn’t help wiping her tears, feeling downcast and heartbroken again.

Seeing Miss Kate’s delicate, lovely, yet haggard appearance, Louis was overjoyed. He wiped her tears, then held Kate’s hand, rubbing and kneading it while softly comforting her for a long time.

Until Miss Kate reminded Louis, ‘Stop touching, maybe you should eat something.’ Only then did he let go of her soft little hand.

“Ahem, Miss Kate, you misunderstand. You see, I have a slight interest in Magic. I have some serious good methods that can let you see the person you miss in your heart—today happens to be a full moon. As long as before midnight at twelve… Oops, I’m forgetting a bit, the method is a bit complicated. I’ll explain it to you in detail after dinner.”

…