Chapter 158: Prelude to the Storm
Walking in the empty palace, the sound of footsteps echoed clearly in this maze-like palace. After listening to Sayven’s story, Chen Ran somewhat understood the Crown Prince’s mood.
The few of them stopped in front of a palace gate. Sayven took out a delicate set of keys, opened the gate, and pushed it open.
What met the eye was a sparkling of jewels. All kinds of treasures filled the entire room.
This might be the largest treasury Chen Ran had ever seen. The items were dazzling, but not at all ostentatious. The placement of the various treasures was very particular, giving one the enjoyment of an art gallery.
Along the way, the walls were covered with all kinds of oil paintings, mostly of women, with graceful figures, lithe and alluring, showing the most beautiful side of women.
However, most of the women in these paintings were not wearing clothes, or were only wearing a light gauze. Some private parts were faintly visible, which was very suggestive. Some women even looked as if they were about to walk out of the paintings.
This made Nicole, who had followed along, blush. Although these were all works of art, she was still a little uncomfortable, as if she were also wearing nothing.
If nothing unexpected happened, these paintings should all have been painted by Sayven himself.
Gradually walking to the inner palace, there were also some portraits of foreign women, including elves, female orcs, and even mermaids. Their forms were varied and lifelike.
Sayven turned around and said to Nicole with a smile, “Today’s winner, I wonder what your request is. I will definitely keep my word. You can go to my collection room and take any one thing.” At this, he spread the few fingers that had been worn out before and said with frustration, “I didn’t expect your steps to be able to keep up with the rhythm of my fingertips. It’s a good thing I held back and didn’t cry out in front of everyone, which would have affected my majestic image. But my fingers really hurt after playing.”
Chen Ran said with a laugh, “With me here, can you possibly win?”
“By the way, you’re also here. I almost forgot,” Sayven smiled. “Now that you mention it, I feel much better.
Nicole looked at the collection room, ignoring the various precious jewelry, all kinds of jewels, antiques, and some interesting treasures she had never seen before. She said to Sayven, “I want to know where the Divine Spirit Jade is.”
“Uh, you want this thing…” a charming smile was always on Sayven’s face. He led the two to a platform in the center of the room, in front of what seemed to be a magic energy lamp post, and said with some reluctance, “It wasn’t easy to find a suitable light bulb. I’ve only had it for a few days, and you’re already taking it away. Well, this thing can only be used as a better-looking light bulb in my hands.”
The lamp post emitted a soft, natural light, illuminating more than half of the collection room.
Sayven walked over, opened the gauze cover on it, and it was indeed the Divine Spirit Jade that Sayven had bought at a high price a few days ago. He had never thought that he would actually use it as a light bulb.
The sin of being rich.
A thing worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins, he gave it away just like that, without even blinking.
Nicole unceremoniously accepted the Divine Spirit Jade she had gotten and nodded in thanks. Seeing Nicole’s so-attentive expression toward the Divine Spirit Jade, Sayven couldn’t help but ask, “By the way, you’re so interested in this thing. Are you going to deal with the people of the Dark Holy Court in the city?”
“You know?” Chen Ran said in surprise.
“The tricks of those clowns. How could we, who control the trend of Diya City, not know? We just didn’t bother to interfere,” looking at Chen Ran’s face, Sayven couldn’t help but smile. “At least those guys haven’t done anything that crosses the line, and everything is done according to the rules here. Our people have no reason to cause trouble. From your reaction, they have seriously violated your interests, or you holy mages are their natural enemies. It’s hard to stop without a fight.”
Chen Ran did not deny it and said, “Isn’t that right? I, a mortal, have come here to curry favor with you, Your Highness the Crown Prince, haven’t I?”
“That might disappoint you,” Sayven shrugged and said with a laugh, “I hardly ever interfere in the affairs of this city. Everything is handled by my father and a few of my teachers. I can’t get involved. My identity here is just a bullying, rogue, and dandy Crown Prince, staying here to eat and wait for death. Don’t look at my glamorous identity. I’m actually very free.”
Sayven pointed to the wall of paintings and said, “Now, I spend all day chatting with the group of pitiful foreign girls I’ve adopted in the inner palace, listening to the stories of their races, and increasing my own imagination. When I’m bored, I play the zither, draw a picture, play chess, read a book, and write poetry. Sometimes it’s not good to be too much of a genius. There’s nothing that can keep me focused for a few months. When my tutors have no one to teach, and I can’t break through anymore, that feeling is extremely depressing. Because I’m constantly pursuing new experiences, and then, you see the omnipotent and great His Highness the Crown Prince in front of you!”
“Then that’s a disaster…” Chen Ran said with a bitter look on his face. “The forces of the Dark Holy Court don’t seem to be weak. I estimate that it will be really difficult for me to win in a direct confrontation. Do I have to be ready to run away at any time?”
“I’m telling you seriously, based on my comparison of your Leif forces, if you fight head-on, you will definitely lose, even with those so-called allies. The power of the secret base of the Dark Holy Court is definitely beyond your imagination,” Sayven said with a smile. “But I can give you some private help within my ability. I’m sure that important things like intelligence should be the most important thing for you right now, right?”
“If you can, I would be extremely grateful. What I need most now is the so-called intelligence. After all, I haven’t been in Diya City for long, and I can’t compare to these local snakes who have been entrenched here for a long time,” Chen Ran did not refuse. But seeing the special look in Sayven’s smile, he couldn’t help but ask, “Um, to accept your help for free, I feel a little bad. Is there anything you need my help with?”
“You’re very smart,” Sayven nodded. “I do have a favor to ask of you, a private favor. I need a capable person to help me, not just with strength, but more with brains. If, with the help I provide, you can drive out those guys from the Dark Holy Court, it will at least prove that you have the ability to help me.”
“What is it?”
“Do what you have to do now, and we’ll talk about it then,” Sayven said with a mysterious smile. He turned around and saw Nicole standing in front of a huge portrait, staring at the beautiful woman on it.
This painting was the largest and was placed in the very center of the room, which showed its status.
The woman in the painting had a head of beautiful, long black hair, her eyes were like stars, and her skin was like snow. She was full of vitality. She was looking ahead, giving people a clear and bright youthful beauty, but also a deep sense of mystery.
At the very least, a rare and great beauty.
“Who is she?” feeling Sayven’s approach, Nicole couldn’t help but ask. The woman in the painting was too beautiful, and even she couldn’t help but be fascinated.
“My mother.”
“Is she really as beautiful as in the painting?” Nicole said in amazement.
“I don’t know. I have no impression of her. This painting is a copy of the one in my father’s room,” Sayven’s tone was a little emotional. “A woman who has hurt many people.”
“What did she do?” Nicole couldn’t help but ask curiously.
When Nicole asked this question, Chen Ran couldn’t help but sigh at this woman’s brainlessness. Her curiosity was too strong. Seeing Sayven’s reaction, it seemed that he didn’t want to talk about this matter. And it was someone else’s private business, so he shouldn’t ask, right?
“It’s not a big deal,” Sayven was very easygoing and answered, “If it weren’t for her influence, my grandfather, the emperor at that time, wouldn’t have been so angry with my father. And my father wouldn’t have left the imperial city in a huff to guard Diya forever. And the one standing in front of you would not be His Highness the Crown Prince, but His Highness the Prince.”
“Then she should be as beautiful as in the painting,” Nicole said, nodding thoughtfully. She instinctively made a connection. If it weren’t for a woman of peerless beauty or unparalleled talent, it would be impossible to cause so many things.
Sayven turned his head and couldn’t help but ask Chen Ran, “Have you heard of my father’s deeds, the public version?”
“I have,” Chen Ran said truthfully. “Prince Sayna was defeated in the palace struggle and was exiled to Diya.”
“That version is actually bullshit. My father was the only candidate for the throne back then, just to hide a secret,” Sayven said. “It was during the peak era of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Sakay, and the national situation was volatile. My mother was a student from an Ikadan academy exchange group, and she met and fell in love with my father by accident. But my grandfather, the emperor at that time, strongly opposed this matter…”
“This matter caused a big stir in the Dawn Palace at that time. A group of princes fanned the flames. The current emperor, Ivan the Great, was originally unremarkable and had a weak personality, but he was the only one who could calm my father down and win his favor. My father, who no longer had any interest in the throne, had his best friend, the Duke of Tulip at that time, help him, and had Emperor Ivan pursue the prime minister’s daughter. A series of brilliant moves, he began to stand out and finally won the recognition of his grandfather, the emperor, and ascended the throne. But after that, something happened between my parents. My mother left without saying goodbye, taking my twin sister, who was still in swaddling clothes, with her, and there was no news of her after that.”
At this, Sayven’s expression was a little lonely. Chen Ran seemed to have guessed that this matter should have some connection with the matter Sayven would entrust to him later. But seeing that he didn’t want to talk about it now, Chen Ran didn’t ask much.
“Alright, it’s time to go back. The people at the ball are still waiting for us. We shouldn’t keep them waiting. As for the intelligence, I’ll have someone send it over. I’m looking forward to your performance. Good luck,” Sayven said, patting Chen Ran’s shoulder with a smile on his face. He then walked toward the ballroom.
When they returned from the ball, Nicole was in a good mood.
Tonight, she had shone brightly. Her elf-like figure was mesmerizing, and she became the most beautiful pearl in the hall, enjoying the applause of the crowd. And she had even won a perfect victory against the never-defeated Crown Prince, creating a beautiful story.
However, the next mission was unprecedentedly tense. Chen Ran tightly squeezed the first piece of classified intelligence in his hand and looked out the window.
A storm was coming…
