The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 348 The Prince Leaving in the Midst of the Noisy Scene

The whistle at the port bid farewell to the young men who were pursuing their dreams, and also bid farewell to His Highness Colin who was about to leave the holy city for the north.

He has been staying in the Holy City for more than a month, and during this month his vest of "Prince Colin" has gained a lot of attention.

Whether it's politics, economy, culture, military or even "scientific research", the entire Holy City is filled with his chess pieces wherever he looks... regardless of whether the chess pieces he influences are aware of it or not.

His spreading influence was like a giant tentacle, firmly grasping the base of the Holy Grail and spreading towards the body of the cup.

It is enough to achieve this step for now.

Tying it too tightly would only alert the people of the empire too early.

Especially since he has been so popular recently and the promised benefits have been fulfilled one after another, some nobles who were not so close to him have begun to feel dissatisfied, and jealousy has gradually overcome the "novelty".

It would be better to take the initiative to leave for a while at this time.

When the citizens of the holy city miss him, he will naturally come back.

According to the plan, after leaving the Holy City, Luo Yan will go to the Empire's Academy to admire the Empire's achievements in the field of magic over the past five hundred years.

If we refer to the map of Europe on Earth, the location of the Holy City is probably around Rome, while the location of the School State is on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea.

By the way, the next stop on Luo Yan’s itinerary, the Principality of Campbell, can be referenced to the location on the northern coast of the Aegean Sea in reality.

You can see how far this distance is.

Of course, the above is for reference only.

After all, the cartographic level of the Ottoman Empire is still at the "pre-circumnavigation" level, and the topography of this world is completely different from that of the Earth, and there is no practical comparability.

There is a saying in the magic circles of the Empire that the further north one is, the richer the "magic elements" are, and the more conducive it is to the practice of magicians.

Therefore, most of the Empire's wizard towers are located on the coast of the North Sea, and many of them are sponsored by the Valencia Family, the Castellón Family, and the Lambert Family.

The background of the nobles in the Holy City is not very visible in the Holy City, but outside the Holy City, it is as intertwined as the roots of a giant tree. If you count the roots upwards, you can almost count the most noble families, even if they don't interact with each other frequently.

Marshal Laco suggested to Luo Yan that he could be taken to Xuebang by the Empire's Griffin Knights, which would greatly shorten his travel time.

However, after thinking for a moment, Luo Yan finally declined politely on the grounds that he wanted to "measure the land of his homeland with his feet."

As for the real reason, of course it is inconvenient for the people of the empire to follow all the time.

On the outskirts of the holy city, on the main imperial road leading to the north, a grand and solemn farewell ceremony was taking place.

Dozens of gorgeous carriages decorated with the emblems of major families were lined up one after another, and the flags fluttered silently in the morning breeze.

In this farewell team that almost includes the pinnacle of imperial power, the most eye-catching person is undoubtedly the protagonist being seen off - Her Highness "Roxy Colin" who is stirring up the turmoil in the Holy City.

At this moment, he was wearing dark traveling clothes, standing next to the carriage prepared for the long journey, personally saying goodbye to every friend who came to see him off.

"Your Excellency Marshal, the border of the Holy City is just ahead. It's a long way to go. Please just take me here."

Marshal Laco Eberg, who was standing in front of Luo Yan, was dressed in military uniform. Even in such a social occasion, he had an iron-blooded aura.

He did not say much, but stared at Prince Colin's face with his hawk-like eyes and spoke solemnly and slowly.

“Take care along the way!”

He noticed that the sword he had given to His Highness Colin was now hanging around the gentleman's waist.

The latter did not care about the Senate's thoughts, but openly displayed their friendship, which made Marshal Laco couldn't help but smile.

In fact, he was overthinking it. Those families with deep roots would not care about this at all.

Not to mention, even he himself acquiesced in his heart - His Highness Colin had just returned to the Holy City and was unaware of the open and secret struggles between the Senate and the Marshal's Office.

Those bigwigs who are in the same ecological position as him are of course aware of this, so how could they be petty about such a matter?
The empire's military officer faction gathered politically immature people. After all, if they were mature, they would not have such a rigid relationship with the Senate and the Church.

"Well, see you later!"

Luo Yan said goodbye to Marshal Laco solemnly. At this time, Regent Granville and the Duke of Valencia also walked in this direction.

Laco turned around and left tactfully. The only thing that bothered Luo Yan a little was the look of "brother understands you" in his eyes when he left.

Not to mention whether their relationship is that close...what do you know?

However, as a prince with good popularity, he certainly would not show his troubles on his face. Instead, he gave Laco a look that said "I understand", and then turned his gaze to the other two equally distinguished friends.

"Your Highness Colin!"

Granville had an impeccable smile on his face and solemnly held Luo Yan's hand.

"On behalf of the Empire and myself, I wish you a smooth trip! We will properly carry out the affairs of the Knights Templar in accordance with the charter, and we look forward to you bringing us new wisdom and vision when you return from the Academy."

"The glory of the Colin family has been perfectly continued in you." The Duke of Valencia added in his kind and majestic voice, "Please don't overwork yourself. The future of the empire still needs the contribution of young people like you."

Luo Yan smiled slightly, returned a standard courtesy, and spoke calmly.

"You two gentlemen are too kind. I am just doing my duty as a minister of the empire. The successful establishment of the Knights Templar is inseparable from the strong support of the Senate and His Excellency the Regent... The Colin family will always remember this kindness!"

Both Granville and the Duke of Valencia had pleasant smiles on their faces, and at the same time glanced at the burly figure who was swaggering away from here with a fool's look.

In their eyes, this guy was no different from those young people who pursued their dreams by boarding the ship to the continent of Jana.

The young officers of the empire have indeed formed a political force that cannot be underestimated, but the empire's army is not entirely in the hands of these young officers... They always mistakenly overestimate their own weight.

For example, the coastal defense fleet that escorts the trade routes on the east coast of the vast ocean is firmly in the hands of Duke Andre Castellón.

Not only the coastal defense fleet, there are also many loyal and reliable young men among the private soldiers in their respective territories... Some of them are the children of vassals, and some are the children of their servants.

With a huge foundation as their backing, they can also place their own people in the Knights Templar. Even the clerks who are registering young men from the empire at the port are full of followers of the Senate nobles.

The most important thing is that Colin is also a noble.

And unlike the rebellious Aberg family, the traditional Colin family was not ostracized by the imperial upper class.

After some greetings, the Regent and the Duke of Valencia left side by side with smiles on their faces, leaving time for others.

After the two left, Luo Yan finally waited for Duke Andre Castellón, with whom he had previously had a private conversation in the lounge of the Marshal's Palace.

The man with a thick beard like a lion came up with his petite and lovely little daughter, Miss Ophelia, who had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Your Highness, I wish you a safe journey! I'm sure your ears are tired of hearing these polite words, so I won't say any more!"

Andre smiled warmly, took Prince Colin's hand and shook it vigorously.

"The Castellion family will always be an ally of the Colin family! My fleet has made full preparations for the development of new shipping routes on the Janna continent and the supply of materials to the future Knights' bases such as Deadwood Harbor. I look forward to discussing the next cooperation plan in detail after you return from the north!"

The fleet he was referring to was naturally not the coastal defense fleet, but the imperial fleet.

In addition to controlling the empire's fleet, their family's private fleet is large enough to influence and even change the empire's trade map in the vast ocean!
The Castellón family is the coachman of the Empire's seas, and even their family emblem is a bronze seahorse, which shows their influence in the Empire's shipping industry.

This is also the most direct reason why General Hamelton is unwilling to cooperate with imperial merchants to solve the supply problem.

As for saying that the merchants of the empire cannot be trusted, that is just polite talk.

A few white gloves were not enough to make the imperial generals feel intimidated. What he was really worried about was that the Castellón family would continue to extend its influence on trade to the empire's ocean-going fleet and even Castelo de San Il.

That is the Marshal's sphere of influence and the last soil for the survival of the Holy City Officers Faction.

Luo Yan was about to respond to Andre's farewell, but he saw Miss Ophelia, who had been shyly lowering her head beside the Duke, suddenly plucked up the courage to take a small step forward.

Her fair cheeks were flushed, even to the point of staining her swan-like neck. In her hand was a delicate little amulet, and judging by the crooked seahorse symbol on it, it must have been sewn by her own hands.

If there was a maid who knew needlework to help, it wouldn't be necessary to sew such a cute little animal like the seahorse into an Arachnodon.

"Your Highness..."

Ophelia's voice was as tiny as a mosquito's, but clear and pleasant to the ear. "I wish you... a safe journey. The sunshine of the holy city... will be here waiting for you when you come back." She read this love word from a book called "A Love Word Every Day That You Can Use to Advance and Retreat Easily". It was probably about a bard who, through his subtle yet passionate expression, won the hearts of one noble lady after another.

Although it was filled with a lot of content that made her blush and unable to sleep after reading it, she still gritted her teeth and found the useful parts.

Luo Yan lowered his head and thought for a while, then smiled and took the amulet from Ophelia, which still had a hint of warm fragrance on it.

"Thank you, beautiful Miss Ophelia. Your blessing is the most precious gift of my trip. I will keep it well."

His words made Ophia's cheeks turn even redder and her eyes sparkle with joy.

However, Luo Yan turned her gaze to Prince Andrei the next second and seamlessly changed the topic to her father.

"Thank you, Your Excellency the Duke. The Colin family will always be an ally of the Castellón family. May our friendship last as long as an unbreakable brass gate! Both the future of the empire and our future depend on the support of the ocean. And I think your daughter's blessing also brings a good omen to our common cause."

As he spoke, Luo Yan gently fiddled with the cute seahorse and gave a gentle smile to Ophelia who lowered her head shyly.

"What a lovely seahorse. Thank you again, Miss Ophelia."

Ophelia blushed and said "hmm". She didn't dare to look at him, let alone say that what she was sewing was actually his pet dragon named Tafu.

Seeing his daughter, who had always been as proud as a flower on the mountain top, become so shy, Andre felt sad and a little distressed for her.

His Highness Colin spoke very tactfully, taking his daughter's dignity into consideration, but he could still hear the meaning behind the tactfulness.

May their friendship be like the brass gate, but there is no love in the brass gate.

To be honest, he admired this young man very much.

At the same age, if he were faced with a girl from a good family and in the prime of her life, he would definitely agree first.

It's a fight between two parties. Even if he doesn't want to take responsibility in the end, can the other party still turn against the Castellón family?
As for being forced by his elders to get married, that was another matter for the future. When he was in his early twenties, he was probably too lazy to think that far ahead.

Andre calmed himself down, took over the conversation, and changed the subject before his daughter realized that she was being rejected.

"That's what I thought... Besides, I didn't expect you to leave in such a hurry. I thought you would at least treat me to a good show before leaving."

Luo Yan knew that he was referring to the land in Bailu District, and said with a smile.

"The play has already begun, but the actors will not appear on the stage until I leave here. You will understand why I say this later. Please pay attention to tomorrow's newspaper."

Andre raised his eyebrows and said with a smile.

"Haha, really? Then I'm really looking forward to it!"

After finishing his conversation with the Duke of Castellón and his daughter, Luo Yan met with the head of the Lanbell family and other equally distinguished figures.

And as the last friend said goodbye to him, this grand farewell finally came to an end.

Looking solemnly at every friend who came to see him off, Luo Yan performed impeccable aristocratic etiquette to express his highest respect and gratitude to everyone.

Without their help, I would not have been able to complete all my plans so smoothly.

Afterwards, Luo Yan no longer had any reluctance and turned around to get on the carriage he had prepared for a long journey.

The carriage started slowly, and the guards rode their horses forward. The wheels rolled over the cobblestone road of the Imperial Avenue, making a regular and steady sound.

The convoy headed north, gradually merging into the distant horizon, and finally turned into a blurry black dot, disappearing from the eyes of the eager crowd.

Regent Granville Porta and the Duke of Valencia still stood side by side with a satisfied smile on their faces.

“A young man to look forward to,” Granville said softly, “his respect for honor and tradition exceeded my expectations.”

"Not only that, he also knows how to return a favor and understands the source of power." The Duke of Valencia nodded slowly, his voice low and confident. "The move of the Knights Templar was beyond my expectations. I didn't expect that he would use this method to extend an olive branch to the Senate, while cleverly avoiding offending the officers who have greater power in the New World... I admit that I underestimated him."

This young man might become the backbone of the Senate, and he had high expectations for Prince Colin.

Granville smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think he would be more tactful?"

The Duke of Valencia said with a smile.

"Yes, but now I have to re-evaluate him."

On the other side of the crowd, Duke André Castellón placed his broad hand on the shoulder of his little daughter.

Ophelia Castellón's eyes were still staring into the distance, until it completely disappeared, and then a feeling of loss quietly crept onto her face.

"Let's go, my little Ophelia," Andre said gently, patting his daughter's shoulder. "Your Highness Colin... after all, you don't belong here. There are as many outstanding young men in the Holy City as leaves in the forest in the distance. Don't give up the whole forest for a tree."

Hearing this irresponsible remark, Ophelia snorted softly and secretly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

"You don't understand... what love is. Whether there are a thousand leaves in the woods or ten thousand leaves, it has nothing to do with me... I only want the one that belongs to me."

Andre: "..."

It’s okay if I don’t understand.

But he can't laugh at his own daughter. I have dated more girls than you have met men. Who gives you the confidence to say that you don't understand?
It's just that it doesn't sound very polite, and the truth doesn't sound good, so it's not convenient to tell you.

Looking at her speechless father, she complained again in a low voice.

"Besides, didn't you tell me... it would have been better if it was His Highness Colin? It's all your fault, otherwise... I wouldn't have fallen in love with him..."

Everyone edits their memories, and Miss Ophelia is apparently no exception.

At this moment, she had completely forgotten the shy self hiding behind her father and looking around curiously, and she had even forgotten the self who was immersed in the dance floor.

She only remembered the hint her father gave her after the banquet that day - and that so-called hint was actually nothing more than "His Highness Colin is a good young man, with impeccable family background and conversation."

Looking at his daughter who had turned against her, Andre was at a loss whether to laugh or cry for a moment.

"But... doesn't this require mutual consent? I can't force him."

"Who asked you to force him? I don't need your help. This is my own business!" Ophelia turned her face away stubbornly, and after a moment she muttered, "I won't give up."

She encouraged herself mentally.

Come on, Ophia! You are still young!

Even Baron Cosia can stand up from where he fell, let alone you, the dignified Miss Castellón!

She may have a chance of winning!
By the way, His Highness Colin seems to like magic?
Ophelia's eyes lit up, and she secretly made up her mind that when she returned, she would ask her father to hire her another teacher who was proficient in magic!

For the nobles, it is very easy to learn supernatural powers as long as they want to.

Unfortunately, poor Miss Castellón had no idea how powerful her competitors were.

But it’s better not to know. If she knew, her fantasy about Roxie Colin would probably be shattered... After all, that gentleman’s name is even fake.

Andre smiled bitterly and shook his head.

He still doesn't interfere in the affairs of young people.

At least, His Highness Colin's character is trustworthy. He behaves with courtesy and would never do anything to let Ophelia down.

It's not a bad thing to have a crush on that gentleman. It's better than being seduced by those young boys who come out of nowhere.

No matter what, love between young men and women is just an insignificant speck of dust in front of family interests, and his cooperation with His Highness Colin will not be affected by his daughter.

The first flights of the Knights Templar have departed.

And as the helmsman of the Ossian Empire on the vast ocean, he must also be prepared to welcome a new era of navigation!

(End of this chapter)