Imperial Crown.

Chapter 534 No poison, no husband

Sigh, I'll just post this first and add more details later. It just won't pass. I've been struggling with this all day.

……

"What do you mean?"

"This barbarian from the border... he actually wants to die with me?" "Absolutely not!" "Absolutely not!"

Jeffrey was horrified to see Veston motionless and expressionless under his combat skills, and his heart was screaming!
If neither of them dodged, it would simply be that the third-tier Vesdon would have to withstand his wooden spear, while he, at the fourth tier, would have to endure the torrent of needles Vesdon unleashed from his alchemical prosthetic limb! But… in the end, he was afraid. An uncontrollable fear surged within him, a deep dread of death, and a sense of inadequacy at the disparity in their "worth"!
What is Viston? He's a cripple missing an arm, his body incomplete! A piece of trash who grew up in the frontier! A pale-faced man with no title who barely obtained a court count status through women! A beast raised by a scoundrel! A bastard born of a filthy woman who coveted a title! A scumbag abandoned by everyone, who ultimately sided with the Emperor!

Does such a person deserve to perish together with his noble Jeffrey?!

It's one thing to be ugly, but to think so highly of yourself!
"So this isn't fear! It's feeling utterly worthless!!" Jeffrey, also covered in aura armor, roared inwardly. With a thought, the wooden spear he had been aiming at Vesdon suddenly reversed course, spinning and striking the steel needles like a windmill. Jeffrey, however, nimbly dodged to the side.

"Alas"

A collective gasp of surprise erupted from the onlookers. No matter how much Jeffrey tried to reassure himself, what everyone saw was utterly unbelievable. The two had only just begun their fight, exchanging a single blow! Viston stood frozen in place like a valiant warrior, fearless and unyielding, while Jeffrey, looking utterly disheveled, rolled away to the side!

It's crystal clear who's superior, who's brave, who's a coward, who's a warrior, who's a wimp, who's a man, who's a woman...

"Idiot! You're so stupid you could eat shit!!!"

Hamilton, standing to the side, cursed inwardly with exasperation! Jeffrey was clearly a fourth-tier warrior; how could the hardness of his battle armor compare to that of the third-tier Vesdon? If Jeffrey chose to stand still and fight head-on, at worst Vesdon would die, while he would be riddled with needles! With his fourth-tier battle armor, those fine steel needles wouldn't kill him! With the Gustav family's strength, what level of healing potions didn't they have? Even if he were just covered in needles, broken arms and legs could be instantly regenerated! Jeffrey was truly a rookie who had never been on the battlefield; compared to Vesdon, he was far inferior!
"bang"

This was the moment Veston had been waiting for. Without hesitation, he activated the mechanism again, and a metal hand flew out swiftly, its four fingers clenched tightly, its middle finger taut, aiming straight for Jeffrey's eye as he rolled to the ground! This attack was both ruthless and vicious. Even Jeffrey was terrified during their previous exchange of blows, let alone this one.

"Starry Sky Scattered - Soldiers!" Jeffrey roared in terror. The ivory chess piece "Soldier" on the chessboard martial spirit instantly burst into emerald light, flew off the chessboard, and exploded with another bang, transforming into a soldier wearing heavy armor and an iron helmet. With a roar, he raised his spear and struck hard at Viston's palm!

A loud "clang" was heard as the metal clashed with metal!

Before his hand could return, Vesdon finally moved. His left foot, clad in leather shoes, twisted sharply, and he leaped out like a tiger or leopard, his speed so great it made the air whistle. The hall was large, but with so many people surrounding it, how large could the open circular space possibly be? In a single leap, the third-tier Vesdon was in front of Jeffrey, his right foot delivering a powerful whip kick towards Jeffrey's head! Throughout, Vesdon hadn't used any combat techniques.

It exploded with a loud bang.

Jeffrey's head took the full force of Vesdon's kick, letting out a miserable "Ah—" as it tumbled and flew away. He felt as if his head had been stomped on by a monster and spun around a hundred times, his entire head turning into a mess! In an instant, sour, sweet, spicy, bitter, salty… all rushed to his head, making him wish he were dead. "Ugh!" The next moment, Jeffrey coughed up a mouthful of blood. "It hurts!" "It really hurts!"

"That's right, Jeffrey, I have to admit, your talent for cultivation is very high, and your breakthrough to the fourth rank surprised me." "But do you know, Jeffrey, whether you break through to the fourth rank or not, you are destined to lose." "From beginning to end, you are no match for me!" "Because you have never been on the battlefield, let alone faced the intense fear that comes with death!" "I think since you decided to come today, and dared to challenge me in front of everyone and risk offending His Majesty, you must have struggled with your mind beforehand and mustered up your determination and courage."

Vesdon walked step by step toward Jeffrey, who couldn't even crawl, speaking casually as he went. "But it's useless!" he said. "Because fear can't be eliminated! Only by repeatedly teetering on the edge of life and death can you gradually increase your fighting confidence and courage to face death!" "It's a determination to succeed or die trying!" "It's the immense pressure of military orders, the 'advance or be executed' mentality!" "It's the will to protect loved ones to the death!" "It's the glory of charging into battle even knowing death is inevitable!" "No amount of self-suggestion will help! Because when faced with death, fear will take over your body." "Only on the battlefield can this steely will be forged!"

After Vesdon finished speaking, he happened to walk up to Jeffrey and slowly extended his steel right hand.

"Stop! Stop right now!" Hamilton's face changed drastically. "Jeffrey has already lost! This was just a friendly sparring match, you can't go all out!" Although it was a bit embarrassing, Hamilton, as the Prime Minister of the Empire, couldn't care less. What did a little face matter for his grandson?
However, the next moment, something even more embarrassing happened to him.

Then, Vesdon's metal hands, with their distinct knuckles, slowly parted, forming a handshake gesture, clearly intending to pull Jeffrey up from the ground.

clap clap-

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd, all captivated by Vesdon's charisma. In fact, some had tried to applaud immediately after Vesdon's speech, but Hamilton's voice had interrupted them. Only now did the long-suppressed applause burst forth, as powerful as a volcanic eruption.

Even Habsburg joined in, clapping leisurely.

Of those present, only a few had faces flushed a deep purplish-red. They were all members of the Gustav family.

Melissa's grandfather, father, mother, and many relatives and friends applauded the most enthusiastically, and the more they looked at their son-in-law, Veston, the more they liked him.

As the applause gradually subsided and became sparse, Jeffrey finally managed to recover, his mind returning to some semblance of normalcy, though he was still dizzy and seeing flashes of light. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, Jeffrey reached out and grasped Veston's hand as he struggled to his feet.

However, before he could even regain his footing, his features contorted into a ghastly grimace as he let out a bloodcurdling scream. He collapsed to his knees before Vesdon with a thud.

"Although it was a friendly sparring match, as a classmate, you not only failed to bring my blessings, but also disrupted my wedding." A change finally appeared on Vistor's face. His metal hand, like an iron clamp, gripped Jeffrey's fleshy hand tightly, increasing the pressure. A ferocious look flashed across his face, and he suddenly shouted, "You may be spared death, but you will not escape punishment!"

"I...I was wrong, Vesdon! Let go! Let go!"

Jeffrey broke down in tears, sobbing and begging for mercy. At that moment, all notions of face, dignity, and being a fourth-tier rank... were rendered utterly worthless by the pain!
Before long, yellow liquid began to seep from beneath Jeffrey. A foul, fishy stench filled the hall.

"tsk"

Viston frowned and released his grip, taking a few steps back timidly.

Jeffrey, however, ignored everything, clutching his injured hand with his other hand, writhing and thrashing on the ground like a maggot, constantly groaning in pain. A trickle of blood was seeping from his right hand. It was clear that Vesdon had used tremendous force, aiming entirely to cripple Jeffrey's right hand.

"Alright!" "This farce is over. Everyone, please proceed to the Mirror Pool for your meal." Habs stood up and said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," everyone bowed in unison.

Firefly Mirror Pool was the opera house within the Royal Court, also known as the Silver Wing Opera House. However, the name "Opera House" sounded somewhat vulgar, so it was renamed Firefly Mirror Pool. After Habsburg left, Vesdon and Melissa followed closely behind. Only then did the group slowly make their way outside.

"Unfair! Absolutely unfair!" Egihard Berenheim shouted. "Jeffrey didn't use a weapon at all, while that kid, though he didn't seem to use a weapon at first glance, had an alchemical arm that was sharper and more powerful than any weapon! That's why he defeated Jeffrey! That's just unfair!"

Fernandi Van Doria, who was also a soldier, remained silent.

As for the other old-school family, no one would agree with them, because they are the Hainholz family, to which Melissa, one of the parties involved, belongs.

"Why didn't you say anything when His Majesty was here?" Hamilton glanced at Egihard and asked quietly.

"Uh... this..." Egihard was momentarily speechless, unsure how to answer. He thought to himself, "Dare I say it? Unless I don't want my head."

"No wonder everyone calls you a white-haired lapdog." Hamilton snorted coldly, had his servants help his grandson up, and then turned and left.

“Tch.” “So I’ve become a punching bag?” Egihard couldn’t help but mutter.

He then followed Pei Nandi out of the main hall.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the wedding officially ended, and it was already dark.

Vesdon and Melissa arrived at the Palace of Emerald Light, thanked Habs, and took their leave. They then rode in their magical chariot towards Elegy Alley. As the name suggests, Elegy Alley was clearly not a bustling street; it was more like a "slum" within the capital. However, those who lived here were generally much wealthier than the viscounts of other provinces. But it was obviously incomparable to the Avenue of the Holy Moon. For Vesdon to marry within the Royal Court was already breaking precedent. Habs naturally wouldn't allow him and Melissa to consummate their marriage within the Royal Court.

"I'm sorry, I can only stay here temporarily." After the monster carriage arrived at Elegy Alley, Vesdon said somewhat embarrassedly, "I even borrowed money from the Emperor to rent this place. Don't worry, I will definitely work harder in the future to earn money to buy a good house."

Melissa gazed at the tranquil scene outside the car window, a slight hint of emotion flickering across her usually icy face. "Actually, I quite like it here." So much had happened today, so many bizarre events! Especially when Vesdon defeated Jeffrey right before her eyes. Melissa had to admit, she was a woman, with a "strong-willed" streak. At that moment, she had indeed felt a slight attraction to Vesdon. She knew Vesdon was strong, had been on the battlefield, and had killed many, but in Melissa's heart, she also believed Jeffrey had a good chance of defeating Vesdon. After all, Jeffrey was previously a third-tier, nine-star powerhouse, and today he had even broken through to the fourth tier. Yet even so, he had been utterly defeated by Vesdon in a flash. This had left Melissa's emotions churning and unable to calm down.

“I like quiet,” Melissa said softly, then slowly moved closer to Veston and lay down on his shoulder.

Both of their bodies involuntarily trembled.

A lone man and woman are alone in a room, their eyes meeting and their breaths mingling, creating an atmosphere of romance and ambiguity, with hormones exploding like a nuclear bomb.

Gazing at the stunning Melissa, Veston couldn't resist and kissed her passionately. The two then began to kiss intensely inside the carriage, their heavy breathing gradually filling the air.

“No, not here, Veston,” Melissa frantically tried to stop Veston’s impulse.

Viston calmed down, retaining some of his rationality. After all, he was no longer a virgin; going to brothels was his forte. He had been scolded by Denise many times for this hobby.

Soon, the magical vehicle stopped. The two got out and walked towards the courtyard. Vesdon had specifically rented a detached villa with a yard, similar to those in academies. After all, he was now a court count, and Melissa came from a ducal family. A detached villa was barely befitting their status. Even so, it was already quite expensive. Habs was willing to give him even a Flaming Potion, but not a house, which showed just how outrageously high the housing prices in the capital were.

For a full 12 minutes and 58 seconds; Melissa, naked, lay in Viston's arms. Her delicate hands roamed over Viston's thick, long chest hair as she softly asked, "Viston, have you really broken up with Raven? I'm just curious."

"Why bring up that old geezer?" Veston shook his head. "On such a joyous day, let's not mention anything unlucky."

Melissa: ...

"And what about your mother?" Melissa asked again.

"I've been an orphan since I was a child," Vesdon said, gulping down his iced water and smacking his lips.

Melissa slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't talk nonsense."

“I’m not making this up.” Viston’s expression turned serious. “I really was picked up from a coal pile. Denise has been telling me this story since I was little. I always thought it was fake, but later I found out that it was the only truth she ever told.”

"Hahaha"

Melissa burst into laughter, then jumped out of bed and waddled naked into the bathroom.

Before long, the sound of rushing water could be heard continuously.

Meanwhile, Vesdon stared blankly into the void before him, motionless and lost in thought.

No one knows what he is thinking at this moment.

Then, Veston suddenly activated a mechanism on his right hand and took out a syringe. It was empty; the green potion that had been inside was gone. The blood on Jeffrey's palm wasn't from his squeezing; rather, Veston had used the pain he created while squeezing his hand to inject the entire contents of the syringe into Jeffrey's body.

Before long, Jeffrey will discover that he, this unique young genius, will slowly turn into a useless piece of trash with no fighting spirit!

"No poison, no manliness." This was a saying his elder brother had taught him, Vesdon murmured to himself, his gaze deep. He then put the syringe away again.

……

(End of this chapter)