Ninth Prince

Everyone understood what Alex meant. So it was only unrequited love.

Raul thought for a moment and said, "If you could marry Marquis Daniel's daughter, it would certainly benefit you greatly in the future. But with Aniya's family background and looks, there must be no shortage of noble young men pursuing her. Alex, I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to compete with them."

"Haha, Father, what are you saying? It's not like I don't know my own worth. I never planned to pursue Aniya. I'm just an ordinary soldier in the Kingdom Knights—I'm not worthy of reaching that high." Alex laughed freely, but no matter how one looked at it, it was forced.

Raul and Helen exchanged glances, both feeling somewhat helpless. Helen comforted him, "Alex, it's all right. There will be other good girls."

Andres glanced at Alex and thought that Alex and his predecessor truly were blood brothers. Their ways of doing things were very alike.

His predecessor had liked Inori but had not dared to act because of the gap in their status.

Alex liked Aniya, yet he too could only watch from afar because he felt she was beyond his reach.

Andres wanted to give him a push. "Second Brother, why not try getting to know her? Are you really willing to leave things as they are?"

"I..."

Alex opened his mouth, his gaze complicated. "Of course I'm not willing. But what can I do? If I became a Level Seven Warrior and a captain, perhaps I could barely be worthy of her."

"What do you mean, worthy or unworthy? You're my brother. Any woman in the Oga Kingdom is worthy of you!" Andres rebuked softly. "Besides, by the time you become a Level Seven Warrior, she might already be the mother of two children. Would it still be of any use then?"

Raul spoke up as well. "Actually, Andres is now a Level Eight Warrior, just like Marquis Daniel. Our family may not have as strong a foundation as theirs, but you brothers are still young. You may not be inferior to them in the future."

Alex smiled bitterly. "Father, Brother, you don't know this. Among Aniya's pursuers is Marquis Gallo."

"Marquis Gallo!" Raul and Helen were both startled.

"Marquis Gallo?" Andres raised his brows as well, somewhat surprised.

Marquis Gallo was very famous in the Oga Kingdom because his father was the Ninth Prince, Patur.

King Oga was already advanced in years and could pass away at any time. The most highly regarded contender for the throne was the Ninth Prince, Patur.

Previously, Andres had only known that Patur was on the Sacred Tree Continent.

This time, on the way back to Oga City, he had spoken with Trevor several times. Most of their conversations had been about the Holy Alliance and the Sacred Tree Continent, and he had learned many things he had not known before.

Among them was information about Patur.

Patur was not yet sixty and was also a Holy Alliance Trainee. He had been cultivating on the Sacred Tree Continent all this time.

In the past, Andres had thought that the Oga Kingdom had only one Level Nine Expert, the commander of the Kingdom Knights. But that was not quite accurate. More precisely, only one remained within the borders of the Oga Kingdom at present.

Patur was also a Level Nine Expert of the Oga Kingdom. He had already reached Ninth Rank twenty years ago, and now he had reached Peak Level Nine, with hopes of entering the Saint Domain.

His formidable strength made the other princes utterly incapable of competing with him for the throne.

And Gallo was Patur's only son. His status in the Oga Kingdom was self-evident.

Raul and the others did not know about the Holy Alliance, but they knew Patur was the person most likely to inherit the throne of the Oga Kingdom. Gallo was the future crown prince. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the most noble person in Oga City at present.

"Tell me, how could I possibly compete with him?" Alex's eyes were filled with helplessness.

Raul and Helen sighed as well.

Gallo's status was even higher than Marquis Daniel's. Compared with the royal family, the Mitchell Family truly amounted to nothing.

"Don't look down on yourself. Patur is a Holy Alliance Trainee, and so am I. Our family is no worse than the Oga royal family," Andres said.

"The Holy Alliance?" Alex and the other two were all stunned.

Andres explained what the Holy Alliance was to them.

After hearing him out, the three of them stared blankly at Andres.

Alex said in shock, "Brother, are you saying that, like the Ninth Prince, you're also a Holy Alliance Trainee and may become a Saint Realm expert in the future?"

"Yes," Andres answered firmly.

"This..."

The three of them still found it hard to believe.

"The Saint Domain... that's the stuff of legends. My son could become someone like the Wind Sage or the Blazing Sword Saint!" Helen felt as though she were dreaming.

Ever since she had been a child, she had heard all kinds of legendary tales about the Wind Sage and the Blazing Sword Saint. The bards of the Oga Kingdom had adapted the lives of the two Saint Realm experts into stories and songs, passing them down generation after generation.

And now, her eldest son might become a figure like them.

"The Mitchell Family is truly going to prosper! Hahaha!" Raul laughed happily.

"Brother, I..." Alex's face reddened with excitement, and a confident light gradually gathered in his eyes.

If Andres became a Saint Realm expert, then he truly would be worthy of any woman in the Oga Kingdom.

Seeing Alex's change, Andres smiled in satisfaction. "Second Brother, go after Aniya boldly. Whether you succeed is another matter, but you must have the courage to begin."

Alex said resolutely, "Brother, I understand."

Andres suddenly thought of something. "Tell me, did you recommend that we come to the Starlight Restaurant because you already knew Aniya would show up?"

Alex gave an embarrassed dry laugh, somewhat sheepish. "I was only guessing. The Starlight Restaurant belongs to Marquis Daniel, and Aniya comes here often. Since we were going to eat on Tulip Avenue anyway, I thought we might as well come to the Starlight Restaurant and try our luck. Maybe we'd see her."

Andres shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Esteemed guests, here are the dishes you ordered. Everything is here. Please enjoy."

Just then, the waiter brought the dishes over, and the family began their meal.

Meanwhile, in a private room at the Starlight Restaurant.

Aniya was having a meal with a group of friends.

Everyone in the private room was a noble young lady from Oga City.

However, Aniya had the most distinguished status among them.

"Come, let's raise our glasses together and celebrate Mara's upcoming marriage." Aniya lifted the clear crystal wineglass in her hand, filled with rich and fragrant red wine.

"Cheers!"

Amid a series of clinking glasses, the noble young ladies each drained their wine.

Today's gathering had been arranged for one of their sisters who was about to get married.

"Sigh, I wonder when I'll find my Prince Charming." A round-faced noble young lady set down her glass, cupped her face in both hands, and sighed worriedly.

"Why do you have to get married? I don't want to get married at all!" Another noble young lady curled her lips.

"That's only because you haven't met the right person yet. I envy Aniya. If Marquis Gallo pursued me like that, I would've married him long ago!" the round-faced noble young lady said.

They all knew that Marquis Gallo had been pursuing Aniya for a long time, but Aniya had never agreed.