Clash Before the Banquet

It was called a banquet, but the occasion was neither legitimate nor justifiable. While everyone in Dragon Cry City knew of the Dark Elf outside and that their master was currently in the palace, simply displaying a sign that read "A Warm Welcome to the Dark Elf Lord's Visit and Guidance" might have the opposite effect. Furthermore, only the king's trusted ministers knew of the prince's return during the day, making it impossible to hold a banquet under that pretext. But a king is a king, and there's always a way...

"Lord Li Lin, this, I..."

The fat merchant, dressed in formal attire, stood there like a wooden statue, his face ashen. In fact, he had been looking like this ever since he received the invitation from the palace attendant.

"I, I..."

"Just accept it."

Li Lin looked at the fat merchant with a mocking smile. The king's pretext was "a banquet for representatives of merchants from the City of a City of a Thousand Towers." This was a rather clever tactic. After all, regardless of Li Lin's background, Old Pikachu's caravan did indeed bear the official insignia of the City of a Thousand Towers, so it wasn't an exaggeration to call them representatives. Moreover, northern specialties were always rare items in southern cities, so while it might be an exaggeration for the king to personally entertain them, it wasn't impossible. However, Li Lin also knew that the king's real intention was probably not what it seemed. He really wanted to have a proper talk with him. After all, banquets for representatives of foreign merchants were always somewhat complicated and more suitable for discussing important matters in hushed tones. Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that the king intended to openly tie the Dark Elf and the City of a Thousand Towers together, so that if things went wrong, at least he could take someone down with him.

The portly merchant hadn't considered all this, but with his businessman's instincts, he naturally knew that getting into this banquet would be easy, but getting out would be incredibly difficult. But how could he so easily refuse His Majesty's invitation? Moreover, he currently represented the City of a Thousand Towers; if something went wrong, although the City of a Thousand Towers and the Kingdom of Kudel wouldn't actually go to war, any manipulation of trade would cause significant losses. Therefore, the portly merchant had no choice but to bite the bullet, put on his favorite clothes, and enter the palace.

Right now, he stood beside Li Lin, his face full of bitterness, as if he owed someone a lot of money.

"Oh dear, sir, what am I to do? What if something happens..."

Don't worry.

Li Lin chuckled inwardly while reassuring the portly businessman before him.

"You're just a figurehead for the king; you only need to put on a show. He won't discuss any substantial deals with you."

"That's good..."

Hearing Li Lin's words, the fat merchant finally breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did he have the leisure to observe the young and powerful mage beside him. He was still wearing his usual black robes, but now, these robes seemed somewhat eerie. At first glance, the jet-black robes seemed to absorb even light, but with Li Lin's movements, strange golden patterns and symbols would occasionally flash, giving off an unusual sense of mystery. There was even a faint feeling of being threatened. Combined with Li Lin's abundant black hair and deep black eyes, he exuded a unique sense of unapproachability. Seeing this, the fat merchant was momentarily dazed and quickly lowered his head. It seemed that what stood before him was not a powerful mage, but a terrifying Dominator. Even in the City of a Thousand Towers, he had never sensed such a terrifying and eerie aura from the old mage.

"Um... Your Excellency, are you attending this banquet alone?"

Even the portly merchant had to try to change the subject to ignore the aura emanating from Li Lin, as standing beside him was becoming increasingly exhausting. Such a powerful mage, yet he couldn't exchange a single word with him; if this continued all night, someone might die. He was, of course, unaware that Li Lin was admiring the murals and reliefs praising the royal family's bravery in the corridor, while simultaneously suppressing his murderous intent—they recorded their "glorious history" of slaughtering the citizens of the Magic Empire. Although Li Lin had tried his best to control his anger and maintain outward composure, the unfortunate portly merchant still became a pitiful victim.

"No."

Hearing the portly businessman's question, Li Lin shook his head, forcing himself to temporarily put these things out of his mind; it wasn't time to settle accounts yet. There's a saying on Earth: "What goes around comes around..."

"Nia and Angela will be coming too."

"Oh... Miss Nia and..."

Upon hearing the first name, the portly merchant's face lit up. But the second name immediately turned his face pale again, and the mood he had managed to regain through asking questions plummeted once more—perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't answered. But now, Pandora's box had been opened, and closing it wouldn't be so easy.

"But I didn't see those two people..."

They're still changing clothes.

At this point, Li Lin also showed his dissatisfaction and helplessness. They had originally planned to go out, but Angela's question, "Do you want to change your clothes?" seemed to have hit Nia's sore spot. So the two of them abandoned Li Lin and went back into the bedroom to find suitable clothes for themselves. Li Lin patiently waited outside for a while, but finally felt that this was too foolish and decisively gave up. After leaving a message for Kalin, he went to the banquet hall first. There, he formed a temporary team with the fat merchant who had arrived early due to excessive nervousness.

"Aren't you planning to come with them?"

"God knows how long they'll be changing clothes."

Li Lin shook his head.

"I can't stand it."

"That's true..."

Upon hearing Li Lin's words, the fat merchant's face revealed a subtle sense of camaraderie, suggesting he might have encountered similar situations before. While taking the opportunity to speak ill of women for their lack of time management might bring him closer to Li Lin, Nia was the Golden Leaf Mage whom the fat merchant held in high esteem; even with immense courage, he wouldn't dare comment on her. Angela, on the other hand, was far more dangerous and terrifying. At the very least, the fat merchant didn't want to wake up one day to find a severed head sharing his bed—and if it were his own, things would be even worse...

As they passed the time chatting idly, the two entered the banquet hall under the guidance of guards. Several nobles had already entered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves. Some were worried about recent events in the country, while others saw them as opportunities to make money. Still others were keen to exchange and share the latest gossip circulating in the city.

As soon as Li Lin and the fat businessman entered, they were noticed by everyone. In such an environment where a small circle had already formed, any unfamiliar face would attract attention.

"Who are they?"

"That fat man is the representative of the City of a Thousand Towers, right? Is he the one His Majesty invited today?"

"Looks like nothing special. These Northlands brutes are really good for nothing except muscles. Look at this fat guy, he doesn't even have muscles, so what else does he have?"

"Don't look down on him. This merchant was invited by His Majesty, after all. If he speaks recklessly, he might cause trouble."

"Who is that man next to him? He seems even more imposing than the businessman."

"That's the one, right? Have you heard? The Dark Elf from the City of a Thousand Towers caravan..."

"Huh? He's the employer of those Dark Elf?"

"I heard he's now the master of the Dark Elf."

"How could that be? Those guys are much harder to deal with than elves. You're just bragging..."

These are the speculations of those who were completely unaware of the previous events and were merely brought in by the king as a foil. However, those who were more qualified to get closer to the truth had a completely different view.

What do you think?

"This man is troublesome. Don't forget, he crippled General Marco with a single blow in the main hall, yet he escaped punishment from His Majesty the King."

"I also heard that afterwards, His Majesty the King apparently sought the help of the court's high priest..."

"Under these circumstances, why would His Majesty still hold a banquet and invite this man? What is he thinking?"

"If this man is truly the lord of the Dark Elf, as he claims, then it makes sense..."

"But he's so young, how could he possibly have such strength?"

"Don't forget how old our Emperor was when he first ascended the throne. Back then, who had any faith in him?"

The portly merchant and Li Lin immediately felt the gazes around them as they entered the hall. Facing these eyes, which were a mixture of malice, curiosity, and doubt, Li Lin raised an eyebrow but said nothing. The portly merchant, on the other hand, was extremely nervous. At this moment, he had almost forgotten everything around him. He was only silently reciting the polite words he should say when he met the king. Thanks to this, he didn't notice those gazes at all—which was a good thing, as it prevented him from suffocating from nervousness before the banquet even began.

The nobles had their own circles, and Li Lin didn't want to associate with them. He wanted to delve deeper; there were bound to be many ancient families among them whose downfall was directly or indirectly related to the Magic Empire. After all, that's how war is. The victors gain everything, and the losers lose everything. And those who contributed the most would naturally receive rewards commensurate with their efforts.

Loser?

Li Lin gently swirled the wine glass in his hand.

It hasn't completely failed yet.

A slight, cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

We have not failed yet, invaders. This time, you must go back to your own territory.

"Hello."

Just then, a young man walked up to him, holding a wine glass. He was young and handsome, but his appearance carried a hint of arrogance.

I never expected to see you in a place like this.

"It seems like we've never met before."

Li Lin responded indifferently to the other party's veiled hostility.

"Of course, I thought I'd see you covered in wounds, begging for mercy amidst sewage and garbage in an underground prison... you barbaric northerner."

The young man clearly harbored hatred for Li Lin; although his face was smiling, his eyes held no hint of a smile.

"Whoever you are, listen up. This is Kudel, not the land of you northern barbarians. Before you hurt someone, you should know your place, you country bumpkin. Don't think that just because you have the Dark Elf backing you up, you can do whatever you want. This isn't the Underdark. Or have you sold your ass to them and forgotten who you are?"

"If you want to die, I won't refuse."

Li Lin ignored the other man's words and began to savor the wine in his glass. The young man, seeing that his words had no effect, was clearly annoyed and reached out to grab Li Lin's wrist.

"Stop!"

Just then, a deep voice rang out, stopping the young man's actions. Then, an elderly man dressed in a white robe walked slowly forward. Seeing him approach, the young man had no choice but to stop what he was doing, angrily withdrawing his right hand and bowing respectfully to the old monk.

"You'd better not touch this man, or I guarantee you won't even know how you died."

Gazing solemnly at the magical robe on Li Lin's body, which occasionally flashed with golden patterns and symbols, the old man warned him. With his strength, he had already discerned that the patterns on the robe were not a matter of the fabric's texture, but rather the effect of magic. The powerful energy contained within was enough to cause serious trouble for any hostile individual. If this young man rashly stepped forward and grasped Li Lin's hand, the activated defensive spell would instantly and mercilessly claim his life.

"But..."

The young man was about to say something to save face, but the old monk only glared at him, so he could only swallow his bitterness and take his leave.

"As a mage, you shouldn't be so conspicuous."

Then, the old man turned to Li Lin and spoke to him earnestly. It seemed like an elder lecturing a younger person.

"If you're foolish enough to die, you can't blame anyone else."

Li Lin naturally didn't buy into that. In terms of age, even if you removed a thousand years, he was still older than this old mage, and it wasn't time for him to "tirelessly" "teach" him.

"That's just how the world is. Those who make choices must take responsibility for the consequences, whether it's an impulsive decision or a well-thought-out one. Do you really think there's a pill for regret in this world?"

That's just sophistry.

Li Lin's words caused the old mage's expression to change slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

"However, that is not why I came here. As a fellow mage, I hope you can listen to a few words of advice."

Li Lin did not respond to the old monk's words, but instead raised his wine glass to indicate that he was listening.

"While I am quite surprised by the immense power you possess, I must advise you not to be too conspicuous in front of others."

"Why?"

Li Lin merely frowned at the old mage's warning.

"Just because of jealousy?"

"Because of the mage."

The old monk clearly did not shy away from discussing this topic.

"We mages once posed a great threat to this world, which was detrimental to our existence, and it remains so even now. I understand young people's desire to display their power and express themselves; I myself went through that phase. However, this is not good for the entire mage world. If possible, I hope you can restrain yourself a bit."

"Crack."

The glass broke.

Li Lin casually waved his hand, turning the fragment in his hand into powder, and then stared at the old mage.

"Only those who want to eke out a living would choose to kneel. I will only do what I want to do, and no one can stop me, nor will anyone be allowed to stop me."

"..."

Facing Li Lin at this moment, the old mage's expression changed slightly. Li Lin was now exuding a terrifying, sinister arrogance. It wasn't an expression a young man should possess, nor was it something a young man could have. At this moment, the old mage completely changed his opinion of Li Lin. Before meeting him, Li Lin had only impressed him as a talented and powerful new mage. But now he had to reconsider his perspective and examine this man from a different angle.

At that moment, the entire banquet hall fell silent. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared blankly at the entrance.