Chapter 338 The Holy Shadow in the Cup
According to the tradition of the empire, the knight's contest was conducted in the form of a melee.
Hundred knights fight each other in a wide arena until only the last ten riders are left on the horse, and the ranking order from 10th to 2nd is determined according to the number of falls.
The first contestant to complete "Ten Knockdowns" will be the champion of the Knights Conference. If someone can knock down the champion before the end of the game, he will become the new champion. On the contrary, the previous champion will lose the qualification to compete.
Luo Yan thinks that this rule is actually very interesting. It divides "championship" and "top ten" into two different tracks.
Theoretically, if you are not pursuing the championship, you can still get a ranking as long as you survive until the end.
And once the challenge is aimed at the championship, it is almost impossible for ordinary people to win.
As for the reason——
In a single battle, mortals have no chance in front of extraordinary beings.
The fierce fighting lasted for half an hour amid the cheers of the citizens. Riders armed with iron cans fell off their horses one after another. The victors were honored, and the losers also showed their bravery.
As there are fewer and fewer riders on the field, the competition of this knights' meeting is finally coming to an end.
The final result was just as Luo Yan expected. Arthur Eberg, the youngest son of Marshal Laco, became the champion without any suspense.
The young man with blond hair stood in the center of the arena, his silver armor reflecting the dazzling light.
He raised the long sword high, winning the warmest cheers and applause from the audience, as well as flowers thrown onto the field.
There is no doubt about Arthur's strength - at only sixteen years old, he already possesses silver-level power and is unstoppable in this competition.
Looking at the shining guy, Frey, who was sitting in the corner of the auditorium, curled his lips in disdain and muttered.
h "Who dares to defeat him? The loser may have to leave the Holy City tonight."
h "That's right."
h "That's the marshal's son. It's too easy for him to win."
The friends sitting around him echoed incessantly, but in their hearts they disagreed with what Young Master Devore said.
Marshal Laco is not your father, and he will definitely not be so shameless.
It's just...
Who can beat his son?
Even if the second son generally cannot inherit all the strength of his father, the child who can be born into the Eberg family is by no means an ordinary soul.
General adventurers can't get to the silver level after a lifetime, but that person just practiced swordsmanship and the "aura" in his body, and easily got to the silver level.
It is no exaggeration to say that even if the remaining nine knights come together, Arthur can still beat them down if he gives them another hand.
Unless the number is added to zero, there may be a slight chance of winning.
This knight's meeting itself was a coming-of-age ceremony for Marshal Laco to his young son, and it may also have the political purpose of winning over Prince Colin.
As for the other contestants, they have been sparring partners from the beginning, and the second to tenth places are the rewards given to them by the Eberg family.
Except for Arthur himself who may not know it, most of the people participating in the competition know it. Only a handful of fools who want to show off in front of Marshal Laco will rush to Arthur with their lances and kill him at the beginning, and then be beaten away like a scarecrow...
There are many jealous people like Frey in the crowd, but the vast majority of citizens don't think anything of it, and the cheers are shaking.
The reputation of the Eberg family has always been good in the minds of the citizens of the Holy City, and giving powerful power to noble souls is their desire.
On the playing field, the other nine knights also walked up to Arthur one after another, dismounted and stood still.
Eight of them are the second sons of barons with steel-level strength. Although their strength is good, they are still far behind Arthur. At this moment, they are standing humbly behind Arthur with a respectful attitude.
In addition, there is another knight who seems to be the child of an ordinary citizen.
The young man was sweating profusely, his hands and feet were shaking, and his breathing was as rapid as a cow panting.
That’s not because of exhaustion, but because of excitement!
He couldn't believe that he was actually standing here and was about to be awarded the title of knight!
Everything in front of me was like a dream...
At the special banquet, Prince Colin stood up slowly, and the whole place suddenly became quiet, and all eyes were fixed on the most distinguished guest of the empire.
Seeing the pairs of eyes focused on him, Luo Yan smiled slightly, glanced at His Highness the Marshal, then looked at the audience, and spoke in a loud and clear voice.
"Everyone, I am very honored to witness today's wonderful competition. There is no doubt that Arthur Aberg's bravery and strength prove that he is fully worthy of the glory of the championship."
After a pause, Luo Yan's eyes swept across the other nine young knights, and continued with a smile of approval:
"And these nine brave knights are also worthy of our respect. Together with Arthur, they will become the first batch of knights of the newly formed Knights Templar in the empire!"
The arena instantly erupted into waves of cheers. The citizens waved their hats and sprinkled flowers into the air again. The scene was extremely warm!
Luo Yan picked up the sword given to him by the marshal, walked slowly down the special seats, and walked along the long stairs to the center of the arena.
He first stood in front of Arthur, gently put the sword on the shoulder of the young man kneeling on one knee, and said solemnly.
"Arthur Aiberg, in the name of the Colin family, I canonize you as the chief knight of the Knights Templar! May you always be loyal and brave, protect your faith, and protect the honor of the empire!"
Holding his proud head, Arthur's excited face was filled with blush.
He took a deep breath to calm down, then looked solemn and answered solemnly.
"I, Arthur Aberg, will defend the honor of the empire to the death and live up to the trust entrusted by His Highness!"
"Very good," Luo Yan smiled gently and said softly, "Your father and Saint Sith and I will be watching you, and may the sword in your hand always be sharp. Next, he used the same ceremony to consecrate nine other young knights in turn, granting them the title of Knights of the Templar Order.
Their expressions were the same as Arthur's, their faces flushed with excitement, as if divine grace was bathing on their shoulders.
Especially the young man who was born as a citizen, even his mouth was trembling and he could hardly recite the oath completely, causing the lowest level of the stands to burst into good-natured laughter.
Luo Yan looked at him nervously, smiled and said.
"What's your name?"
"Jia, Jasper, sir!" The young man stuttered, but forgot to give him his last name. It was too late to add it, and he was so ashamed that he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl in.
"Jasper, very good, I have a hunch that this name will be famous all over the world in the future!"
Luo Yan gave the blushing boy an encouraging smile, then put away the long sword in his hand, turned to face the stands solemnly, and announced loudly:
"Today, we witnessed a new beginning——"
“May the glory and future of the Knights Templar be like the rising sun on the horizon!”
“May the names of these young men be forever recorded in the history of the empire!”
The entire arena suddenly burst into applause, cheers one after another, countless young people blew sharp whistles excitedly, and the exciting and warm atmosphere echoed for a long time.
Even Frey, who disdained the title of knight, couldn't help but have a hint of envy on his face.
He also didn’t expect that the empire’s senior officials would pay so much attention to this knightly order.
Perhaps...
Perhaps this is indeed a good way out?
If he had a younger brother, he would probably let his younger brother try it.
It's a pity that his father didn't live up to expectations in that aspect...
…...
After the canonization ceremony, the atmosphere in the arena remained enthusiastic, the stands were crowded, and the citizens of the Holy City excitedly talked about everything that had just happened.
And the nine canonized knights - especially the citizen boy named Jasper, were even more excited!
Because just tonight, they will be invited to attend the celebration banquet held by Marshal Laco for Arthur at the Marshal's Mansion!
As the winner of the knights' meeting, they might meet the other half of their lives at the banquet...
It is also a long-standing tradition in the Os Empire to give the honor of winning the knights' meeting as a gift to the girl of your choice.
Jasper's face turned red, nervous and excited at the same time. The aristocratic young men beside him were happily discussing the important people he might meet at the banquet, as well as various complicated social etiquette.
Although they have attended many banquets with their father, this is the first time for such an important banquet.
At this time, Marshal Laco walked up to Prince Colin and extended an invitation with a smile.
"Your Highness, if you have no other arrangements, why don't you come back to your house with me?"
Luo Yan smiled slightly and declined: "Your Highness, Marshal, I appreciate your kindness. However, I have just returned to the Holy City and haven't had a chance to see the city well. I would like to take advantage of the time before the banquet to stroll around and meet you at the dinner. What do you think?"
Marshal Laco suddenly showed a look of understanding, nodded with a smile and said, "That's good. His Highness has traveled across the ocean, and he must be curious about the urban customs of the Holy City."
At this point, he suddenly lowered his voice, raised his eyebrows at Prince Colin, and gave the latter an idea.
"Well, you can get on my carriage first and wait for the onlookers to disperse, then put on your casual clothes and leave so as not to be noticed."
Luo Yan nodded slightly and said happily.
"That's very good, then thank you for the cover of His Highness the Marshal."
"Hahaha, a trivial matter is nothing!"
The two looked at each other and smiled, the atmosphere was harmonious, and they left the inner field of the arena together.
After a while, the luxurious carriage of the Marshal's Mansion drove away slowly, disappearing at the end of the street with the eager gazes and endless discussions of the citizens.
Near the back door of the arena, two figures quietly walked out of the shadows and disappeared into the street corner behind the arena -
At this time, Luo Yan had changed into casual clothes. Linen fabrics replaced silk clothes, and he also wore a tricorn hat with a low brim, which covered up his illustrious aura. He looked no different from ordinary citizens.
As for the face, it doesn’t matter. People’s first impression is actually the clothes, and then the face.
Not only did he change into casual clothes, but Sarah who followed him also put on a simple gray robe, and used a lowered hood to cover her overly eye-catching cat ears.
The two walked side by side, completely blending into the crowd, and walked slowly through the market near the arena.
Luo Yan has always been paying attention to the clothes of passers-by on the street and the products on the shelves, and from them he can infer the life of ordinary people in the Holy City and the economic strength of the city.
It can only be said that the Holy City is worthy of being a city with infinite prosperity. The material richness here is far from being comparable to that of Thunder City, and even the Demon City of Hell is much inferior to it.
Humiliated stalls on both sides of the street are filled with a dazzling array of merchandise. Silver jewelry shines with an attractive sheen under the lights, and brightly colored cloth strips flutter in the breeze, making it dazzling.
In addition to various handicrafts, the small shops along the street are also filled with all kinds of steaming food. The aroma of barbecue and the sweet aroma of bread are intertwined, making people salivate.
"Hot bread, freshly baked, five coppers a piece!"
"Cheap cider! Two coppers a glass, ten coppers a bottle! Drink it to keep warm!"
Special issue of "Quds Times"! Colin The prince and the marshal's knight competition, two copper coins each! "
"Pass by and take a look! A pair of sturdy and durable leather boots, eighty copper coins, will last a year!"
"Roasted chestnuts, roasted chestnuts with sugar, three copper coins in a big bag, they're so hot!"
Not only is there a rich variety of goods, but the prices here are not too expensive, and are even slightly cheaper than Thunder City.
Just as Luo Yan was looking around, Sarah's eyes were also full of curiosity.
A pair of cat ears under the hood swayed slightly, especially when she smelled the aroma of barbecue on the street, she was so greedy that she couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.
Perhaps it was because of this spit that her vigilance showed an undue flaw, and she did not notice a thin figure squeezing next to the Demon King, and "accidentally" bumped into his behind.
Luo Yan didn't react at all, but his thin body stumbled and almost fell.
"Yes, I'm sorry! Sir!" After standing firm, he shrunk his shoulders, lowered his head in panic and apologized. After that, he hurriedly got into the crowd and quickly disappeared into the sea of people.
Sarah narrowed her eyes slightly, her sharp vision immediately caught the little figure escaping in a hurry, her hand unconsciously placed on the sword at her waist.
But at this moment, her hand on the hilt of the sword was covered by a big warm hand.
"...Your Highness, that person is a pickpocket." Sarah said anxiously, with obvious shame and apology in her eyes.
Luo Yan of course knew that the boy was a pickpocket, but he just smiled softly and said casually.
“Forget it, let him take it, it’s just some change.”
In any case, the money was "borrowed" from the people of the empire, and it would be okay to return it.
The truly valuable things are all in the storage ring given to him by Professor Lilith.
"But..." Sarah seemed a little unwilling.
As the bodyguard of His Majesty the Demon King, she also has her own dignity.
If the smell of grilled skewers on the roadside hadn't attracted your attention, if there weren't too many pedestrians here and a mere child looked unintimidating, there would have been no one-in-a-ten thousand chance that the kid would succeed.
Sarah became angrier as she thought about it.
She already hated the humans on the surface so much that the expression on her face was distorted.
Looking at Sarah who had a strong desire to win, Luo Yan smiled and shook his head.
"Don't worry so much, I actually did it on purpose, otherwise do you think he would have a chance to succeed?"
Yuyou has been chattering next to him. He has long known that a pickpocket is targeting him.
As for why it was not stopped, the reason is very simple.
After spending these days in the Holy City, all he has seen is the most prosperous and glorious side of the city. It would be a bit boring to see it for a long time.
He wanted to see what the other side of the coin was like, and maybe he could make unexpected discoveries.
Sarah's expression moved, and she immediately understood what Luo Yan meant, and then relaxed her hand holding the sword.
The two of them wandered around the street for a while. Luo Yan saw that Sarah kept staring at the surroundings warily, as if everyone around her was a thief and could no longer enjoy the fun of shopping. He couldn't help but smile and shook his head.
It seems that if she doesn't get her wallet back, she won't be able to sleep tonight.
"Let's go and see where our bait has drifted."
With the cat still in his heart, Luo Yan leisurely left the busy street, passed through the bustling crowd, and followed the thin child in the direction where he disappeared.
…
For a platinum-level magician, tracking an unsuspecting child is really effortless.
Luo Yan took Sarah through several winding and deep alleys, and not long after, they came to a place called Kasen Street.
It is completely different from the bustling scene of the Holy City that I saw before. Carson Street looks dilapidated and desolate.
The streets here are full of cracks and sewage, and are surrounded by low and dilapidated houses.
There are holes in the dilapidated roof, and the walls are peeling off and mottled. From a distance, they look like dust clinging to the base of the Holy Grail. They are humble and inconspicuous, just like the underground streets of Thunder City.
Luo Yan and Sarah walked among them, observing everything around them calmly. There were a few ragged pedestrians walking numbly by the roadside. Occasionally they would raise their heads, glance at them with doubts and vigilance, and then leave in a hurry.
Their clothes are already very simple, but they are still a little special to the people here.
"...I didn't expect there to be such a place in the Holy City." Sarah whispered in surprise, with an expression on her face that was a little unbelievable.
Luo Yan thought for a while and said casually.
"Hell and the Empire are two sides of the same coin. Of course there are things in the Demonic Capital here."
After crossing half the street, they stopped in front of an even more dilapidated house.
The walls of this house are in tatters, covered with vines and moss, and the door is ajar, as if it might collapse at any time.
A wooden plaque is crookedly nailed to the courtyard wall, and it can barely be read in rough handwriting——
【Dinge Kayona's Repair Workshop】
Luo Yan narrowed his eyes slightly and curiously looked at the plaque and the yard behind it like a garbage dump.
Nominally this seems to be a place for repairing machinery, but judging from the patched clothes hanging in the yard, it looks more like a temporary welfare home.
As for why he knows it so well, it’s because the backyard of Priest Jeffrey’s temple in Nightmare on Elm Street has a similar feeling—he grew up in a welfare institution in hell.
There are similar places in the Holy City.
It's just that this one is probably private.
While he was looking at it with interest, two children in ragged clothes suddenly rushed out from the courtyard.
They were holding two rough wooden sticks. The wooden sticks were obviously larger and seemed unusually heavy in their hands. The sticks trembled slightly.
Among them, the older child had the courage to shout: "Private property, don't come in!"
The other echoed: "Go back quickly! Otherwise we... we won't be polite!"
The two children looked nervous, their immature faces were full of fear and vigilance, but the threats they issued were unconvincing and even a little funny.
If they could watch their words, they should know that the two people in front of them were not easy to mess with.
Luo Yan raised a gentle smile on his lips and looked at them with interest.
Just when he was about to tease the two nervous little guys, there was a burst of laborious footsteps in the courtyard.
Immediately afterwards, a young man about fifteen or sixteen years old walked slowly out of the courtyard on crutches.
This young man is thin and pale. Although his clothes are old, they are very clean, and his expression shows a maturity that is not commensurate with his age.
He looked at Luo Yan and Sarah calmly, then as if he understood something, he sighed, lowered his head slightly, and shouted helplessly into the courtyard.
"Sister, you stole someone else's things again. The owner has come to the door. Come out and return them to me quickly... Don't cause trouble to Mr. Cayona."
There was no movement behind him for a long time.
The boy sighed, suddenly threw away his crutch, and crawled on the ground under Luo Yan's surprised gaze.
The two children with sticks were also confused by this scene and looked at him in surprise.
The boy did not explain, he just lowered his head and said.
"Sir, for the sake of Saint Sith, please let this poor misguided person go. She just wants to heal my leg for me, not for her own selfish desires."
"We will throw you away. If this is not enough to make up for your loss, let me make you a cow or a horse. I only ask you to forgive my sister. If the guards know that she has offended a noble person like you, they will throw her into the depths of the dungeon and forget about it."
His voice was full of compassion and sincerity, but there was actually not much sadness in his heart.
With his eyesight, although the man in front of him was plainly dressed, his status was definitely not low.
Although the lady wearing a cloak standing next to him is standing side by side with him, she should be his bodyguard, and the bulging thing under the cloak should be a sword.
In the Holy City, there are only two types of people who can wander the streets with swords. Either a soldier with a sword given by the emperor, or a bodyguard of a noble.
It would not be a loss for him to be a cow or a horse for this big shot, but it is a pity that although he thinks so in his heart, the real big shot probably looks down on his own leg.
Congenital disabilities cannot be cured with magic. There is also a view that this is due to a defect in the soul... Some people are born with a soul missing a leg, and the nobles of the Holy City care more about this.
Luo Yan looked at the child with interest and thought his conversation was quite interesting, so he waved the wand in his sleeve lightly, and a breeze supported him, lifted him up from the ground, and let the crutch float back into his hand.
Looking at the surprised boy, Luo Yan continued.
"What's your name."
"White Kayona." The boy answered honestly.
"Are you Mr. Kayona's son?" Luo Yan asked after looking at the plaque at the door.
The boy shook his head.
"No, we are orphans, but Mr. Kayona said that having a surname will be good for us in the future, if we are lucky enough to go to college like him... In short, we appreciate his kindness."
After finishing speaking, White continued.
"Sir, even though I am lame in one leg, I am still very confident in my mind, and my appetite is very small, so I can't eat much from you. But my sister is different, she has a huge appetite, and it will not do any good even if you take her away——"
"Let him go!" Before he could finish his words, a sharp roar came from not far away.
Luo Yan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a thin figure rushing out of the house, opening his arms in front of his younger brother, like a lioness protecting her calf.
Her eyes were ferocious, but her thin shoulders were trembling slightly, and fear was written behind her bluff eyes, but she did not retreat because of fear.
Because her small body was so thin and her eyebrows were so thick, Luo Yan didn't even notice she was a girl at first glance and thought she was a boy.
Seeing that the noble master was not looking at her, the girl bit her white lips and took out a money bag from her arms, her fingers trembling slightly.
"I, I'll give you the money back... I'm sorry, my brother is still a child, something is coming to me."
White looked at his sister in surprise.
"Diona, you..."
Luo Yan smiled and said.
"In my eyes, you are all children, and I have no interest in children, but - it is a wise decision for you to take the initiative to return it to me. I am afraid this money will be a big trouble for you."
Speaking, Luo Yan waved his magic wand lightly, and the rope of the money bag was untied, and a bunch of gold coins flew out of the money bag. When it landed on his hand, it was collected into the storage ring.
All the children were surprised when they saw it, especially the girl named Diona, whose face became even paler and her eyes became more frightened.
She only felt that the money bag was very heavy and ran away before she had time to take a look at it. However, she did not expect that the money bag contained all gold coins!
One gold coin is enough to buy a house on this street, and it is even enough to buy her life, which is as light as a feather!
No doubt——
She has no chance to spend the money. Anyone who sees the gold coin will think of her as a thief and snatch the gold coin away without worrying about the guards coming to the door.
"It's okay for you to keep the remaining silver and copper coins, but don't do things like stealing things next time. After all, people's good luck will always run out, and not everyone is as easy to talk to as me."
Looking at the children with alert eyes, Luo Yan smiled and continued in a gentle tone.
"There is still a little time before my banquet starts. In exchange, can you tell me your story? And what exactly is this place? Why do you live in the machine workshop? Are you child laborers? Are you working for Mr. Dinge Cayona?"
The boy named White was the first to come to his senses. He lightly patted the dust on his clothes, nodded respectfully and said.
“No, sir, Mr. Dinge Kayona is a good man, without him we would have starved to death.”
Luo Yan looked at him and motioned for him to continue.
White paused, glanced at the house behind him, and continued.
"Here is his mechanical workshop. He used to tinker with machines at the Imperial Royal Naval Academy, but he was kicked out by the people there because of his disagreement with his ideas. Later, a baron took him in... I think his name was Medea?"
Mitya?
Hearing this familiar surname, Luo Yan's expression was slightly surprised. He didn't expect that the painter who was obsessed with art actually had a hobby of sponsoring charities. He didn't notice it at all.
But it’s normal to think about it. In hell, there are actually more acolytes taking in homeless children.
What he was more curious about was actually another thing.
"Don't the churches in the Holy City have welfare institutions? I heard that the Sylfen family has taken in many... people like you."
White gave a wry smile and sighed.
"Yes, there is indeed such a place, but it requires holy books."
"That is?"
Before White could speak, his sister Diona lowered her head and said in a hoarse voice.
"To put it simply, we are locals. Our parents live in the province of Pierce, which is further away than the Bailu District of the Holy City. We have to go all the way north along the peninsula, and it takes about a week to get there by bullock cart."
She paused and continued resentfully.
"And it's useless even if we get there. Our father died on the front line, and our mother left us and disappeared. We can't prove where we belong at all, or even prove that we are homeless. Those people just want us troublemakers to die on the road, and it's best not to bother Saint Sith..."
She didn't understand.
Their father obviously died for the empire, why did this city bathed in holy light turn away her and her younger brother who were born here just because her parents were not born in this city!
Is it because of poverty?
They are obviously so rich!
Besides, this bloody wealth contains a drop of her father's.
She doesn’t want much, she just wants her only family member to live a normal life, just like the busy and fulfilling ordinary people in this city.
"Don't say that, sister, I think this is not Saint Sith's original intention." White secretly glanced at the noble man and said in fear.
He didn't feel much about his sister's complaints. His words to ease the atmosphere were just out of practical considerations - rather than futile complaints, he was more worried that these words would anger the Holy Light nobles and make their already bad situation worse.
After all, Luo Yan was not a Holy Light noble. Even if he was, he would not be angry. Instead, he looked at the little girl with interest.
Her resentment is not just self-pity, but has a special flavor.
If extraordinary power were in the hands of someone like Arthur Aberg, Luo Yan had no doubt that he would implement his beliefs and do his best to make the Holy City better than yesterday... because this is his home.
But if she had extraordinary power, she would probably use this power to burn the entire city to the ground without asking for anything in return.
If Chaos sets its sights on her, she will be a natural vessel.
It’s a pity that Chaos is too busy. There are too many souls worth investing in this world waiting for them to sow, so that they didn’t notice this young and inconspicuous seed at all.
Perhaps she smelled the scent of the same kind, even the expressionless Sarah looked at the child twice unexpectedly, with a hint of surprise in her eyes.
She seemed to see the person she was before she met the Demon King—full of hatred for everything in Thunder City.
It's just that I am a demon, not a human being, so it is understandable to hate me. It is quite unusual for a human being to hate other human beings so much.
Luo Yan was about to say something when a cough suddenly came from not far behind him.
"Sir, please wait a moment, can you let these children go for my sake? Their fathers are good people who sacrificed their lives for the empire. It was really not their intention to end up like this. If they have offended you, I would like to apologize to you on their behalf——"
His voice suddenly paused, full of surprise for a moment.