The Banquet

Fenlai City, the royal palace.

Clayde I sat on his throne, his long golden hair spilling over his shoulders and a gentle smile in his blue eyes. He was known as the "Golden Lion," not only for his dazzling golden hair, but also because he was a warrior at the peak of the ninth level, a powerhouse the Fenlai Kingdom rarely saw even once in a century. Under his rule, the Fenlai Kingdom had flourished, becoming the foremost of the Holy Union's six great kingdoms.

Hundreds of nobles had gathered in the palace. Today was a momentous day for the Fenlai Kingdom-the king would personally confer noble titles on two young prodigies.

"Summon Linley Baruch and An Baruch into the hall!" The court attendant's voice echoed through the great hall.

An and Linley entered the hall side by side. Both wore tailored dark blue formal attire, with the Baruch Clan's dragon insignia pinned to their chests.

The nobles lining both sides of the hall whispered among themselves.

"Those are the Baruch Clan's twins? I heard they're only seventeen, and they're already level seven mages."

"A seventeen-year-old dual-element mage and a single-element mage, both at the seventh level-the second youngest in the history of the Yulan Continent. Incredible."

"His Majesty has really struck gold this time."

An remained composed, ignoring their chatter. His gaze swept across the hall, lingering briefly on several prominent officials in the front row. One of them caught his attention-a powerfully built man of around fifty, dressed in a duke's formal attire. He wore a gentle smile, but his eyes held a sinister gleam.

Duke Paterson, King Clayde's younger brother.

An sneered inwardly. He would remember that face.

Clayde rose from his throne with a smile. "Linley Baruch, An Baruch, you are the pride of the Fenlai Kingdom. Reaching the rank of level seven mage at seventeen is exceedingly rare in the entire history of the Yulan Continent. I hereby grant Linley Baruch the title of Earl Baruch and An Baruch the title of Earl Baruch, along with a residence in eastern Fenlai City and an annual stipend of ten thousand gold coins."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." An and Linley bowed together.

Thunderous applause filled the hall. The title of earl was an exceptionally high honor for two seventeen-year-old boys.

After the investiture ceremony, Clayde hosted a lavish banquet in the palace.

Crystal chandeliers lit the great hall as brightly as day. Long tables were laden with exquisite delicacies, and attendants carrying silver wine pitchers moved among the guests. The nobles exchanged toasts, chatting and laughing. An and Linley stood surrounded by a crowd, with a constant stream of people approaching to toast them and strike up conversations.

"Earl Baruch, I am the Fenlai Kingdom's minister of finance. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Earl Baruch, I command the Seventh Legion. You must visit my camp when you have the chance."

An answered each of them, neither servile nor arrogant.

Halfway through the banquet, Clayde summoned An and Linley to a side chamber.

Clayde was alone in the chamber. He sat on a sofa with a glass of red wine in hand and gestured for them to sit.

"Linley, An, how is your father, Hogg?" Clayde asked.

Linley nodded. "Father is in good health. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Clayde nodded without pursuing the subject. "Good. Now that you have joined the Fenlai Kingdom, you are my men. If you need anything, come to me. Also..." He took two golden badges from inside his clothing and handed them to the brothers. "These are the badges of court mages. From today onward, you are court mages of the Fenlai Kingdom."

An and Linley accepted the badges and thanked him again.

It was late at night by the time they left the palace.

Their carriage carried them toward their newly granted residence. An lifted the curtain and gazed out at Fenlai City's nighttime scenery. Lights shone brightly along both sides of the streets, and patrolling soldiers marched past in formation. In the distance, the Radiant Temple towered into the clouds, the magical lamps on its spires glittering like stars in the night sky.

The carriage stopped in front of a residence.

The estate covered an extensive area, with red walls, green roof tiles, and two lifelike stone lions flanking the entrance. Beyond the main gates lay a spacious courtyard planted with flowers and trees, complete with a small fountain. It had everything: a main hall, side halls, a study, bedrooms, and a training ground. There was also a small garden at the back, with a pavilion overlooking all of Fenlai City.

"It's much bigger than our old home in Wushan Town," Linley marveled.

An smiled. "Father will be delighted when he sees it. In a little while, we'll bring him here to stay."

The brothers walked around the estate while Bebe darted excitedly through the flower beds. An chose a south-facing bedroom, where opening the window gave him a view of the distant Radiant Temple. He stood by the window with a calm gaze, but his mind raced.

Over the following days, An and Linley familiarized themselves with Fenlai City's noble circles while secretly investigating Duke Paterson's movements.

Duke Paterson was one of the most powerful men in the Fenlai Kingdom. His estate in western Fenlai City covered three times as much ground as An's residence. He kept numerous guards in his household, and reportedly even had an eighth-level warrior stationed there. Paterson himself was a seventh-level warrior. A cautious man, he never traveled without guards.

A month later, their opportunity came.

Duke Paterson was going to spend a few days at a country estate. It lay about twenty li southeast of Fenlai City, surrounded by dense woods and farmland, with few people nearby. Paterson brought only ten guards, all fifth- or sixth-level warriors, along with a steward and several servants.

An found Linley in his room and closed the door.

"Linley, Paterson has left the city. We strike tonight."

Linley's eyes suddenly lit up. "Have you confirmed everything?"

An nodded. "He'll be staying at his country estate for three days. There's a stretch of dense forest along the road. It's the best place to strike. We finish this quickly. Kill everyone. Leave no one alive."

Linley drew a deep breath and nodded.

Night fell.

An and Linley changed into black stealth clothing, spread their wings, and took off from the residence's rear garden. Their golden and blue-gold wings were nearly invisible in the moonlight as they glided silently through the night sky, heading southeast of Fenlai City.

An led, with Linley following. In less time than it took to drink a cup of tea, they spotted Paterson's convoy.

There were six carriages, with five mounted guards at the front and another five at the rear. Paterson's carriage traveled in the middle, flying a duke's banner-a lion embroidered on a red field with a golden border.

An landed in the dense forest, and Linley touched down beside him. They folded their wings and hid behind a clump of bushes, watching the convoy.

"Ten guards, fifth to sixth level," An said softly. "The steward is a fourth-level warrior. The servants can't fight. Paterson himself is a seventh-level warrior."

Linley tightened his grip on his war blade, Slaughter.

An patted Linley's shoulder. "Stick to the plan. I'll use Wind Blade to take out the guards at the rear first. You block the ones in front with Earth Spike Array. Bebe will handle Paterson. Don't let him escape."

Bebe poked his head out from inside Linley's clothing and squeaked twice, then became a black blur and vanished into the night.