Arcane splendor begins with the throne

Chapter 124 The Paladin's Detecting Evil
"Everyone, I'm really sorry."

The old king showed a gentle smile, and glanced casually at Brian who was whispering to Duke Sweet.

"Your proposal is very sensible, and I also think it's time for my child to come here. Even if it takes time to dress up to welcome distinguished guests, I think she should be almost ready."

After finishing speaking, the old king waved to the guard at the door.

The guard bowed without saying a word, then turned and left, disappearing into the dark corridor.

In the quiet banquet hall, as the guards left, whispers gradually spread.

At this moment, a slightly loud voice deliberately attracted everyone's attention, making the hall that was about to fall into the hustle and bustle quiet down again.

"Your Excellency Brian!" Prince Vikkiman of Andair looked at Brian opposite him with a smile on his face, and said:
"I'm really sorry, your list of titles is so long and long, please forgive me that I can't remember all of them, so I will use this, in my opinion, the most impressive adventurer identity for the time being, I hope you don't mind."

Following Prince Wikiman's shouts and words deliberately raising the volume, most people cast their interested eyes on the space between the two.

Obviously, compared to other interesting topics, the confrontation between the two princes, Andel and Tigrila, is more interesting.

"Understandable, I don't mind."

Brian met the eyes of the red-haired prince, and said calmly: "After all, each of us has flaws. Therefore, I also admire those who dare to face their own flaws."

"Yes, the gods are fair to each of us."

Prince Wikiman smiled and said: "My life experience tells me that people who have no defects often have few advantages. In fact, I have heard about your name as an adventurer in our Kingdom of Andair for a long time. , see today, really well-deserved reputation.

I've also heard that you adventurers are willing to do anything if you can afford it.

For example: sending lost children home, digging dry toilets, acting as a clown in acrobatics, performing chest breaking boulders on the street, repairing leaks in the roof... It can be described as versatile.

I don't know how many exquisite folk skills Prince Tigrila, who is an adventurer, has mastered. Can you let us appreciate it? "

"I don't think it's necessary to appreciate it. This is the foundation of my foothold. After all, people always have to be busy and work hard for their own survival, and no one can avoid it, let alone us adventurers."

Brian deliberately laughed at himself, and then said in a gentle tone: "It's just that you're wrong about one thing. In fact, I rarely set foot on the territory of your Andair Kingdom..."

"Oh? What's the reason." Prince Wikiman put down his glass and interrupted: "Go on, please tell me, curiosity almost makes me tremble all over."

"Of course I will continue, and I will satisfy your curiosity. This is a sad story, and it may be very long. Please listen to it patiently." Brian shook his head slightly, looked around, and told everyone: " Because in your Andair Kingdom, you can't get any work at all.

Back then, when I rode through your kingdom on horseback, I saw a pet manticore kept by the youngest daughter of an earl. This damned beast would eat a living human heart every day. I also thought about serving the people. Eliminate harm, but I know that in addition to not getting any bounties, you will also be chased by the earl's guards.

So in order to find work and fill my stomach, I could only keep walking.

Then I met a mayor who asked me to catch a harpy on a cliff or a water sprite in a lake.

In my opinion, he's a lunatic at all. There are so many beautiful girls in the town, and the mayor wants a humanoid to warm his bed. It's unreasonable.

Just when I arrived at the border mountains of Thrane Kingdom, another viscount asked me to help him kill a hippogryph, and specifically asked me to bring back its antlers to him, because the thing was ground Yes, putting it in the soup can treat impotence.

As it turned out, nothing worked, and also produced a smelly sock smell in the soup, and because of that, my well-deserved bounty was once again forfeited.

The most exaggerated thing is that in the Kingdom of Andair, there is a nobleman who also has red hair, dear Prince Wikiman, please don't get me wrong, I am not talking about you.Ladies and gentlemen, I swear by the gods of the heavens that my next words are true:

The aristocrat had gone so far as to ask me if I would weave a tapestry of all the positions that the King of Aundair and his queen tried on their wedding night.

Gods, you should know that although I am also very curious about this, I have never seen it with my own eyes, so how can I know what kind of positions they have tried? This is really embarrassing for me, so I can only Tearfully rejecting an income that would make him a decent human being. "

"Of course, Prince Wikiman, please don't worry, even if I have witnessed some interesting positions with my own eyes, for the sake of the dignity of your Andair royal family, even if I am so poor that I can't even afford black bread, I will still ask you The gods swear that this eye-catching painting carpet will never become a commodity that is popular across the continent." Brian assured the prince with a serious expression.

"Pfft..."

As soon as the words were finished, Prince Tien of Karnas accidentally sprayed out half of the wine he drank, successfully attracting most people's attention.

Ignoring the crazy eyes of the paladin teacher, the prince coughed redly, organized his words, met many attracted eyes, and sincerely apologized to Prince Wikiman:

"Please don't get me wrong, I definitely didn't mean to laugh out loud, praising His Majesty the King of West, I really just choked on the delicious wine, because it tastes so mellow, it makes me linger in my throat and can't bear it So much so that when I heard laughing... I accidentally sprayed it out.

Prince Wikiman, you have to understand that I am a professionally trained paladin, and I can strictly control my own emotional changes. Even if the words of His Excellency Brian are sworn by the gods, I still think it is not credible at all. , you must not take it to heart.Of course, it's also not funny at all, is it?Hahaha……"

The hall burst into laughter all of a sudden, and even the old king, who had maintained a calm attitude from the beginning to the end, couldn't help but evoked a smile because of Tien's apology.

Prince Wikiman's smiling face froze for an instant until it turned red, which was very eye-catching under the light.

For everyone knows that when one speaks one dares to swear by the gods.

Then, the credibility of this sentence is very high.

no doubt.

Bryan's swear by the gods made most people believe in the authenticity of the incident.

Even Prince Casper, who was sitting next to him, was suppressing a smile, not daring to speak too much.

Facing the prince who looked at him with murderous eyes, Brian blinked provocatively, then shrugged helplessly, as if to say: It's what you want to hear, and it's none of my business.

"So, sometimes I am also confused. What are we adventurers who hunt monsters for a living? Is it just to serve the selfish desires of some nobles in the kingdom?"

Before the angry prince could speak, Brian turned his gaze to Strickland, the paladin, and asked curiously:

"Brave and fearless Lord Strickland, I am confused. As a paladin who is the vanguard of evil creatures, a noble and flawless knight. I think you should have the most right to express your feelings. After all, every time I see you appear , I seem to see the incarnation of justice descending into the world."

Brian knew this upright and rigid paladin very well, and he also knew that the other party was best at being a "topic stopper".

He just wanted to use the paladin's character to stop all these boring and annoying topics, so as not to upset him.

The paladin Strickland looked at the prince who was still giggling with helpless eyes. He straightened his expression, and said sonorously to everyone in a serious, serious and rigid tone:

"Salute to Your Excellency Brian, who puts equal emphasis on swordsmanship and magic!
In my opinion, Mr. Brian's behavior is worthy of our admiration.He traveled across the continent, sacrificing his luxurious aristocratic life, just to protect the world from monsters and nightmares that breed in the night and are ordered by evil forces to harm human beings.

I have also seen Lord Brian single-handedly slay hideous monsters that inhabit forests and ravines, as well as vicious humanoids who dare to trespass in human settlements.We should respect such brave and self-sacrificing adventurers, the world needs such people.

After all, this is a world that despises the gods.Crime and iniquity, lust and avarice, squabbles and rivalries, are everywhere.Traditions are dying, and respectable values ​​are being lost.

So, while we have time now, we must wake up!For the wrath and vengeance of the gods is coming!The temple of the Lord of Dawn has issued an oracle, and Archbishop Rickard the 'Judger' has also predicted the punishment that the gods are about to impose on the sinners, contemptuous..."

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Strickland, please allow me to interrupt your words."

The old king promptly interrupted the paladin's pious and holy speech, which made many people sound very uncomfortable:
"Everyone, relax. This is just a lively banquet. We don't need to make it so formal and tense. After all, this is not the temple of Karnas, and the old magician Rickard is not here."

The paladin nodded slightly to the king with interest, pursed his lips tightly, and said nothing more.

"Yes, yes, this is just a banquet." Prince Wikiman, whose expression finally returned to normal, spoke again. From Brian's point of view, this little prince had absolutely no good intentions.

I saw him greet everyone: "Thanks to the grace of the gods, let's eat something and drink some wine."

After finishing speaking, the red-haired prince went directly to a roast suckling pig in front of him, removed a pig leg, and ate it with relish.

Just when everyone was chatting on their own again, Prince Wikiman's words broke the noisy atmosphere again:
"Prince Casper, I'm curious why this roast suckling pig tastes so delicious. It has the tenderness of the Dukland pig in Florence and the chewiness of the rock pig in Thrane at the same time. I dare not Imagine that the two flavors can be combined at the same time.”

"That's what you don't know." Prince Casper smiled slightly and explained to the curious prince:
"This is a cub that is mated with a dukeland pig and a subterranean rock pig. Naturally, it combines all the advantages of the two, and it tastes more delicious."

"No wonder that's the case." Prince Wikiman showed a look of surprise, looked at Brian provocatively, and said with a smile:

"Facts have proved that this cross-bred pig is indeed the most delicious. It has all the advantages in one. When I go back, I must try it."

Hearing the other party's insinuations and insults, Brian's expression didn't show any change.

Because when he first appeared in Tigrila's palace as the bastard son of a half-elf, he was used to it.

Once, an ugly human dwarf gave him a sentence, which he still remembers so far:

Never forget who you are, because the world won't.You have to turn resistance into help so that there is no weakness.Arm yourself with it and no one can use it to hurt you.

"That's right. I think Prince Wikiman is right. Mixed blood does have an advantage. I don't deny that."

Under the surprised eyes of everyone, Brian agreed with the other party's point of view, and then said in a doubtful tone:
"So I'm very curious about one thing. I'm curious about a pair of twin siblings in a certain kingdom. These two people with the same blood, don't they know the advantages of mixed blood? Why do they still love each other so much, even regardless of everyone's opposition? , and gave birth to his own stupid second generation, which led to being soaked to death in the cesspit.

I really don't understand what fun the twins have in bed other than enjoying their own reflection.

The most difficult thing for me to understand is that there are still people who secretly call the woman a whore, which makes me even more incomprehensible, because when his younger brother plays with her, he never pays for whoring.Goddess of love, this is a matter of your love and my wish, and the two love each other, can it be considered prostitution? ..."

"hiss……"

The seemingly funny words did not usher in laughter. Instead, there were bursts of gasping sounds, which echoed frequently in the banquet hall.

Everyone knows that the current king of Andair had an affair with his twin sister when he was young, and even gave birth to a baby.

Now, to be directly mentioned by Brian in front of everyone in a vivid and critical way, this is a naked humiliation to Prince Wikiman of Andair.

However, most people looked at the little prince as if they were watching a play.

After all, it was Prince Wikiman who was the first to talk about Brian's half-elf blood, and now he deserves to be exposed to the deepest scars.

"What? Why did Prince Wikiman's face become so embarrassing? Did I say something wrong?" Brian met the other's gaze, pretending to be surprised.

He didn't believe that the other party really dared to fight him here without thinking about it. If he really dared to attack him, it was exactly what he wished for.

Tistan, who was standing behind Brian, seemed to have noticed something, and immediately pressed the hilt of his sword, took a step forward, and made a gesture of readying to go.

The two mercenaries next to him also looked at the several black armored knights on the opposite side with vigilance.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the entire hall became eerily quiet, only the soft music from the musicians in the corner.

Prince Wikiman looked at Brian coldly, his chest heaved violently, as if trying to suppress something, and the silver fork in his hand was pinched into a twisted twist due to anger.

"Humph!"

At this moment, a cold snort broke the silence, Niluskan's Mambaton looked at Brian, and said in a mocking tone:
"Not necessarily every hybrid has an innate advantage. I heard that the blood of a dragon flows in the body of the kobold. So what if you have the blood of a real dragon, these lizards and beasts can only bark like dogs, even goblins Why not, what kind of waves can be stirred up?"

"It's true that there is no wave, which shows the importance of the bloodlines of the two." Brian met Barton's mocking eyes without fear, and said in a meaningful tone:

"It's like the fact that the wolf-running blood of the Niluskan royal family never intercourse with their self-proclaimed 'low blood', even if they meet their true love. Whenever I hear a sweet and sad song about first love Song, tsk tsk tsk... can't help but think of a poor girl who was..."

"you wanna die!"

Meng Button's expression changed, he jumped up from the chair, let out a deafening roar, and the chair behind him was also knocked to the ground by his burly physique.

This roar was like a thunderbolt, which stunned everyone, and even the soft and comfortable music was frightened to stop.

The old king hurriedly gestured towards Snake Eye who was hiding in the dark, lest there would be any unexpected disturbance.

"What? Did you talk about your pain?"

Brian leaned back on the chair unmoved, looked at the fierce Barton who looked like an angry bull, and smiled slightly: "Yes, it really hurts to think about that scene."

It is said that Mambaton also had his first love, who was still a commoner.

Unfortunately, after being discovered by his father, he sent fifty soldiers to ruin and kill his first love, while the other party was forced to witness the whole process.

This is how the royal family of Niluskan trains their heirs. In this way, they will not be bound by feelings and become a true ruthless emperor.

In fact, he didn't know these secrets at first.

This is what he undoubtedly learned when he listened to his two mercenary subordinates Thirteen and Fourteen explain their past to him.

These two strong men are also Niluskans and soldiers of Niluskans.

The main reason why they became mercenaries was because these two were also participants among the fifty soldiers, but they escaped alive by luck.

"Very good, Brian of Tigrila, I remember you, you wait for me." Mengbatton took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart forcibly, stared at him coldly, and threatened directly:
"It's best not to let me meet you in tomorrow's competition. Otherwise, you will definitely become my ghost."

He really couldn't understand, except for his father, he had already killed all fifty soldiers who knew about it, so why did this matter spread.

"It's you who should pray." Brian replied calmly. To his surprise, the other party was able to endure it, which made him a little disappointed.

After all, he had prepared in advance the spell package that the opponent prepared for him when he attacked him.

"Then let's see!"

Meng Button, who finally calmed down, said a harsh word, and sat back on the chair that had been set up.

When he saw that the other party just shrugged and smiled, it made him even more annoyed, and he secretly engraved this hatred in his heart, never ending.

Most people were puzzled by the inexplicable conversation between the two.

However, when one thinks about the enmity between these two kingdoms, one can probably understand the reason.

After such a commotion, the entire banquet hall became deserted, and no one dared to mock the calm and composed Brian anymore, only a few whispered whispers reverberated from time to time.

"Dear guests!"

At this moment, the long-awaited herald shouted: "His Royal Highness Princess Koerni has arrived!"

Everyone fell silent and turned their eyes to the door.

Accompanied by the cheerful and melodious music played by the musicians, surrounded by four maids, Princess Kearney lowered her head and slowly walked into the room.

She was wearing a light blue long dress with long golden hair hanging over her shoulders. The only accessories on her body were delicate silver rings on her wrists and a silver belt that bound the long dress.

Affected by the "Enlightenment Aura", the moment Princess Kearney stepped into the room.

A faintly discernible divine light radiated from her body, making her loose long hair as dazzling as the hot sun shining on it.

At this moment, for everyone.

Her beauty was indescribable, and all the guests were overwhelmed by it. They all stared at Princess Corney silently, and even forgot the wine glasses in their hands.

Brian also watched her quietly, fascinated by her extraordinary beauty.

For a moment, it seemed that his love of magic was overshadowed.

This made him realize that Princess Kearney's celestial blood hadn't been fully fused until now, otherwise, he wouldn't have been surprised.

Just when he lost his mind for a moment, the princess, accompanied by a maid, had already slowly approached him.

Brian got up from his chair amid murderous gazes, and greeted him.

"Prince Brian." Princess Kearney first bowed to Brian, then looked up at him, smiling, and said softly:

"Today, I come before you with gratitude. You not only cured my illness with your superb spells, but also warmed my heart. To express my gratitude, let me offer a glass of wine to His Royal Highness."

After Korni finished speaking, the maid on the side brought over a tray with two glasses filled with fine wine.

Brian readily agreed, because he knew the two appearances of the princess in front of outsiders and himself, which gave him a contrasting and cute feeling.

"Teacher, I can feel that the divine energy emanating from Princess Kearney is very pure." On the other side, Prince Tien of Karnas whispered to the paladin Strickland next to him.

"I feel it too." Strickland withdrew his surprised gaze and said to the students beside him:
"She is the princess with celestial blood that Archbishop Rickard mentioned. The purpose of my coming here is to check how pure her blood is."

"Isn't Archbishop Rickard planning to let this princess join the temple of the Lord of Dawn?" Prince Tien expressed his guess.

Strickland, the paladin, shook his head slightly, obviously thinking that this matter was impossible.

"Teacher... If possible, can I marry this princess?" Prince Tien hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly.

For some reason, the first time he saw Princess Corney, he was already deeply infatuated by her appearance and divine aura.

"you?"

Paladin Strickland was taken aback, a rare smile appeared on his rigid face.

"Who made the oath of dedication at the beginning, dedicating everything to kindness and justice, and changed his mind in just a few days?"

Prince Tien lowered his head, forcibly dispelled the distracting thoughts in his mind, and tried his best to suppress the unwillingness in his heart.

Because in his opinion, apart from paladins who dedicate themselves to justice and kindness, no one can be worthy of this noble princess with celestial blood.

Paladin Strickland obviously didn't notice the strange thoughts in his student's mind.

Brian finished his glass of wine and stared at the princess in front of him. He found that the other party was also staring at him, because he was still a little drunk after drinking a little wine.

Her eyes were watery and slightly smoky, her cheeks were slightly red, her lips were moist and red, and there was still a smile on her lips. In his opinion, it was more like an innocent, almost childish smile.

"Korni, come and sit down, and toast the princes of all countries." The old king greeted him with his hand outstretched.

"Father, I don't think it's necessary." Kearney nodded slightly to Brian, turned to look at the old king, and said in a firm tone:

"Because I have already chosen my future husband in my heart, I don't think I need to go through this meaningless process."

"Who is it?" The old king asked subconsciously, his expression startled.

"It's Brian from Tigrila." Princess Corney said softly.

Her voice is very soft, but it seems to have a magical power that everyone can hear clearly.

Immediately, whispering voices filled the hall.

Mengbaton, the heir to the kingdom of Niluskan, raised his eyelids, then lowered them again.

Although his main purpose of coming here was to prevent the two kingdoms, Tigrila and West, from forming an alliance, he had already made plans in his heart.

He believed that as long as he killed the half-elf prince of Tigrila at the competition tomorrow, the marriage would be broken, so he didn't care about the princess' decision.

Prince Wikiman of Andair's expression changed, and he immediately frantically gestured to Prince Casper beside him.

"Princess Kearney, I think you should think carefully and don't jump to conclusions so early. After all, it is just a folk fairy tale, so don't be blinded by it." Prince Casper looked at Princess Kearney, reminded.

Only then did he understand that the so-called letting the gods decide was actually letting the princess make her own choice.

This made him feel very depressed, because his brother had willfully made his child choose twice, and each time it was the half-elven prince from Tigrila.

"I've thought it through." Princess Kearney said slowly.

"I am against this marriage!"

At this moment, the silent Karnas prince Tien suddenly broke out and stood up from his chair.

Everyone, including Brian, looked over in surprise.

When Strickland, the paladin who felt something was wrong, wanted to stop him, it was too late.

The first thought that came to his mind was to take his students away forcibly.

But he suddenly considered that Tien had just become a paladin, and if he couldn't even express what was in his heart, it would easily hit his self-esteem.

The prince who had just become a paladin didn't have as strong a self-esteem as he imagined. Doing so might make him depressed and lose the favor of divine energy.

"Your Highness Tien, this is our Princess West's own choice. When will it be your turn, a paladin who has taken the oath of dedication, to object."

Duke Swift looked at the stunned blue paladin, and reminded with an emphatic tone: "The paladin from Karnas, for the sake of the gods, please explain clearly."

In the Kingdom of Karnas, the paladins of the Temple of the Lord of Dawn do not marry wives and do not entrust land, and only dedicate themselves to the goodness and justice of the world. Duke Swift is still very clear about this.

"Princess Kearney has the most noble lineage in the heavenly realm. Those who are worthy of the princess must have the purest heart and conscience."

Prince Tien of Karnas calmed down, looked at everyone one by one with scrutiny, and then said in an exaggerated tone.

"But, what do we see here? Vickiman of Aundair - a dark guard who was born in darkness and worships the power of darkness! Mambarton of Niluskan - a bloodthirsty, brutal and ruthless wolf! Tiger Brian of Rilla - a blasphemous wizard who thinks he has divine powers and privileges!

None of them are worthy of Princess Kearney who has the blood of the heavens!
No wonder the great Lord of Dawn sent divine punishment, stop testing the tolerance of the gods!
I advise you, respectable kings and noble princesses, get rid of the pests among us as soon as possible, let me show you the true faces of these people! "

As soon as the words fell, Prince Tien waved his hand, and a wave of energy exuding a sacred aura spread throughout the hall.

— "Supernatural Ability: Detect Evil!"

In an instant, almost everyone burst out with different camp auras.

The bright torches and candles throughout the hall were overshadowed.

Prince Tien saw that the red light representing the evil camp filled almost every corner of the hall, including the very kind old king with a faint light in his eyes.

The blue aura that really represented kindness, apart from Princess Kearney, his paladin teacher, and Brian, who jumped back and forth between red and blue, he couldn't find a fourth person.

The paladin Strickland's expression changed, he stood up instantly, raised the knife in his hand, and slashed neatly on the back of Prince Tien's head.

Then he exchanged winks with the guards beside him, and the group picked up the unconscious prince without saying hello, and disappeared outside the door at an extremely fast speed.

A strange silence enveloped the entire room, and even the musicians hiding in the corner involuntarily stopped their playing, looking at the strange scene in the hall.

I do not know how long it has been.

The old king broke the silence with a dry cough, and then greeted everyone with a smile on his face:

"Everyone continue to eat and drink, just pretend nothing happened. Don't be spoiled by this accident. The music is playing! Keep playing!"

…………

(End of this chapter)