Chapter 347: Chapter 227: I Am Looking Forward to It
"Then my personal safety is in your hands, Uncle Hamad."
The young king finally composed himself, determined not to show his weakness in public. He stepped out the door, not looking back at the bedroom littered with bodies as he spoke.
No sooner had he spoken than a rustling sound came from the shadows. An old man, who had just fastened his clothes and looked somewhat pale, emerged slowly, wheezing as he complained:
"I know you’re under a lot of pressure, but next time, if you must, could you arrange for fewer girls? I’m getting on in years and really can’t handle it anymore. Besides, those Group Memory Modification scrolls are very expensive."
King Klinsmann, his face also somewhat pale, stubbornly maintained his dignity:
"Ten is the minimum. I am the new King of Luorwaden.
"And a king should have desires greater than others, laugh more wildly, flare with greater fury, and live more fiercely than anyone else. He must be both pure and sullied, intoxicating those around him. Only then can the ministers look up to him, be captivated by him, and go mad for him. Only then will every citizen secretly harbor the aspiration, ’I too wish to become king!’ This unites the ambitions of all warriors, making the king their beacon. Only then does one deserve to be called a sovereign.
"Isn’t that the very philosophy you taught me when you rescued me from the slums—the lost scion of the royal family—and instructed me to believe in it? My dear Uncle Hamad?"
As if his own teachings had boomeranged back to strike him, the legendary Hamad sighed deeply:
"Prepare yourself. Many warriors have responded to your royal command today. I hear that the legendary Martial Technique Head of the Vitali Empire’s legions will also be invited. If so, including Drow Matron Naferutali, who might accompany Count Pablo, there will be three publicly known Legends not under our control."
"But don’t I still have you by my side, Uncle Hamad?" Klinsmann said with a casual smile.
"Your grandfather, whom you never met, died suddenly right before my eyes. To this day, I still haven’t found the true culprit... With things as they are, can someone like me truly protect you in such perilous circumstances, my child?"
Hamad couldn’t help but bring up this incident, a lifelong regret that haunted him.
The former king’s sudden death had instantly made him, a Guard of the Royal Court, the target of widespread accusation, the scapegoat for Luorwaden’s decline.
This devastating event had not only crushed his confidence but also became an insurmountable barrier, halting his Legendary Destiny.
The young king’s smile vanished. He turned and looked solemnly at the old man—his mentor and father figure. Gently placing his hands on the elder’s shoulders, thinned by the passage of years, he spoke with unprecedented gravity:
"No matter how others view you, I have always believed that you would protect me with your life, no matter what. For I am the light you found after journeying through the nations of Central Earth for over a decade, the hope for Luorwaden’s revival, am I not? If the light of my life were to be extinguished before your sword, then that would be our destiny, and the destiny of Luorwaden."
With that, Klinsmann embraced his uncle—who had dedicated his life and convictions to the Luorwaden royal family—comforting the old man as one would a child:
"But rest assured, Uncle Hamad, I won’t die so easily. I will do everything in my power to reverse Luorwaden’s declining fortunes. No matter how thorny and painful the path ahead, no matter what slander and insults I endure, I will hold firm and survive. I am Luorwaden’s last hope."
After uttering such proud words, heavy with a sense of mission and responsibility, he gently patted the elder’s shoulder, adding silently in his heart:
No matter the means.
With that, he resolutely turned, lifted the crimson curtain of the castle tower’s viewing platform, and, amidst the cheers of the crowd and a shower of colorful petals, smiled and waved.
"Your Majesty!" Instantly, the nobles and lords on the viewing platform, who had been observing the warrior selection tournament for some time, all rose and bowed.
No matter how much they might have scorned the young king in private, at this moment, under the gaze of thousands, they had to feign enthusiastic loyalty and unity.
Among them were Count Pablo, whom Klinsmann was meeting for only the second time since ascending the throne, and Drow Matron Naferutali, whom he was seeing for the first time, always accompanied by her female attendants.
The young king breathed a sigh of relief only after turning to his uncle and confirming their identities.
A legendary Drow in plain sight was far more reassuring than one lurking in the shadows.
"Your Majesty King Klinsmann, I have come by order of Emperor Meierte to observe the ceremony," said a robust, tall, and handsome knight, rising and extending his hand.
"It is an honor to meet you, Martial Technique Head Kasim. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. Ever since I began my combat training as a child, I grew up hearing the legendary tales of your battles."
King Klinsmann grasped the knight’s cold, gauntleted hand with a warm smile, showing no sign of feeling slighted or insulted by any perceived condescension.
Such words, akin to those of an admirer, not only showed great respect to the Vitali Empire’s envoy but also allowed Klinsmann to maintain an image of dignity before his people, rather than appearing overly subservient.
He then turned his head, offering a nod and a smile to the War Pastoral Head beside Martial Technique Head Kasim. This individual had accompanied Kasim the entire time but remained cold-faced and silent.
The War God’s fall from great divine power was, by now, an open secret among the higher echelons of the various factions.