Engagement and Marriage

Engagement and Marriage

"I want to help him, Lincoln," Aier said after a moment's thought. "Even though we didn't need help back then, he truly did help us."

Lincoln nodded, then suddenly looked toward the depths of the palace. A Deity-level powerhouse was flying toward them at great speed. He couldn't help thinking that Aofen Lido seemed to be taking this wedding a little too seriously.

When everyone saw the young man in such a sorry state, their attention was immediately drawn to him, and they began whispering among themselves. Deep in the crowd, the princess looked stricken. Being so openly rejected in front of the nation's most distinguished nobles had left her utterly humiliated. The queen sensed her daughter's pain and clasped her hand, looking at her with sorrow and comfort, but she didn't dare voice an opinion.

After all, this was a decision made by Aofen Lido, the founding monarch of the Putuoluo Empire and the Lido Family's true pillar of support. Neither she nor the king could oppose him.

The king finally appeared at just the right moment. He gestured for the Saint-level elder to escort the young man to the princess's side, then greeted the guests. "Honored guests, please be quiet. In a moment, the head of the Lido Family, the founder of the Aofen Empire, God of the Sky Aofen Lido, will preside over the wedding ceremony for the young Robin and Teluzake!"

"What? A wedding? I thought they were only getting engaged," a noble exclaimed in surprise.

"Your Majesty, this is far too frivolous," a noble minister advised. "How can a princess's marriage be arranged so carelessly? People will laugh at us!"

"Lord Aofen Lido? Does that mean we'll get to see the legendary God of the Sky today?" a young man asked excitedly. After all, the God of the Sky hadn't shown himself for a thousand years, but everyone knew that as long as he remained in the empire, it would be safe.

"Everyone," the king said, his voice strong despite his age, "this is the God of the Sky's decision, and we must obey. Besides, having the God of the Sky officiate is the greatest honor and makes this the most formal ceremony possible. I'm sure everyone agrees!"

All the voices fell silent. The murmuring and objections ceased, and even the great nobles who governed entire regions craned their necks, eagerly awaiting the God of the Sky's arrival.

This piqued Lincoln's interest. "Aier, there's always something fishy when things are this unusual. What do you think Aofen is planning?"

Aier smiled, watching Teluzake continue to struggle. "Yes, I'm curious too. But we won't have to wonder for long."

Just then, Earl Hoken came over with his daughter, Themis, and struck up a conversation. "President Aier, Sir Lincoln, you're truly lucky. Even we have never had the chance to see the God of the Sky. You've come to the royal capital for the first time and already get to meet him. When you see the deity, remember to kneel and pay your respects, or he might take it as an insult. It could cost you your lives."

It was a well-meant warning. Aier thanked him and continued chatting about business.

A moment later, a violent gale suddenly swept through the hall, knocking everyone off their feet. Even the Saint-level elder could barely stay upright. The wind gathered, and a tall, slender elder with a long beard appeared. Dressed in a mage's robes, he stroked his beard and laughed. "Ha ha ha! What a lively gathering. I wonder if you'll welcome an old fellow like me!"

The bearded elder spoke, but no one dared answer. The king, the queen, and the Saint-level elder all hurriedly knelt and shouted, "We pay our respects to the God of the Sky!"

Of course, Lincoln and Aier remained at ease in a corner, sipping their wine.

"Outrageous! Why aren't you kneeling before the God of the Sky?" A noble saw Lincoln and Aier still standing and immediately scolded them.

Earl Hoken came to his senses and hurriedly whispered a reminder. "President Aier, Sir Lincoln, hurry and kneel. Don't show disrespect to the deity!"

Lincoln sneered and glanced at the noble. The man's eyes immediately dimmed, and he collapsed. Lincoln then turned to Aofen. "What, do you want me to kneel too?"

When the noble's wife saw her husband fall, she panicked. In her terror, she screamed, "Murder! They're killing people right in front of the God of the Sky!" She had barely shouted twice when her body went limp and she fainted.

The nobles were thrown into disarray. How could this happen? They had finally gotten the chance to see the God of the Sky, and now someone had dared to kill in front of him. Some quick-witted nobles thought they had figured out Lincoln's strength. One of them immediately stood and pointed at Lincoln, denouncing him. "How dare you kill someone in front of the God of the Sky! So what if you're a Saint-level powerhouse? You clearly have no regard for the deity!"

He turned to Aofen and kowtowed again. "Please unleash your wrath, my lord, and punish them!"

In their minds, the sudden appearance of a new god was utterly impossible, and no god would lower himself to run a merchant association. Lincoln could be nothing more than a powerful Saint-level powerhouse!

Lincoln smiled. The quick-witted noble fell too, though Lincoln hadn't laid a hand on him. Aier was watching him with a sharp gaze.

After two nobles had been "killed" in a row, the others were so frightened that they collapsed to the floor. They couldn't help asking, "Is President Aier a Saint-level powerhouse too?"

Themis supported Earl Hoken, but she was so terrified she couldn't even straighten up. They were right beside these two fiends.

Is this woman a Saint-level powerhouse? she thought blankly.

Unlike ordinary people, Aofen had swept the room with his Divine Sense before arriving. Lincoln and Aier had seemed no different from ordinary people, yet he hadn't sensed them at all before they knocked the two nobles unconscious. That made it clear they were both Deity-level powerhouses. Aofen's expression grew solemn. "I didn't know two honored guests were visiting the Putuoluo Empire. Aofen has been a poor host."

"But honored guests, today is the day of the Putuoluo princess's wedding. I'm afraid this is no way to offer congratulations!"

Lincoln sneered. "Who are you to tell me what's proper? Aofen Lido, is it? The fact I didn't make you fall like those two good-for-nothings was already more than enough respect. A marriage forced on someone isn't a joyous occasion. It's a disaster!"

Aofen stopped stroking his beard. His face shifted between pale and ashen as he held back his anger. "You and I have never met, and I've treated you with courtesy. But you've come here today to gang up on me and take advantage of your status as guests. You're hardly in the right. I don't know when you became gods, but I, Aofen Lido, am no pushover. If you refuse to back down, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

Aofen had never considered that they might be powerhouses from the Divine Plane. According to the experience gathered by the continent's Deity-level powerhouses over the years, it was already unheard-of for one deity to occasionally arrive from the Divine Plane. How could several come one after another? He knew every Deity-level powerhouse on the continent, and the Wata Continent wasn't very large. No laws of nature had descended in a thousand years, so he assumed they were simply two lucky newcomers who had refined Divine Sparks. Gods who refined Divine Sparks had no room to advance, and this little Material Plane couldn't possibly have any Mid-God Divine Sparks left for them to refine. Still, to be safe, he had already used his Divine Sense to contact an old friend and ask him to come lend his support.