Storm of Gods

Chapter 127 Glory and the Prince Consort

No sooner had Simmons left than Daenerys Targaryen arrived, beaming with a completely different attitude. "Simmons, I never imagined you were friends with the eagle-like Simmons. That's wonderful!"

“Mother Dragon, I’m not that close to Simmons, we’re just acquaintances,” Li Xin said.

"Meeting you is fate, an incredible fate! Listen to me, you only get a few chances to get rich in your life. This is a godsend. As long as you have the St. George family protecting you in St. George District, you'll be successful. I think young master Simmons really admires you. If you seize this opportunity, just ask for anything you need. The first time I saw you, I knew you were destined for greatness, just like our carp dragon, who will transform into a dragon when the wind blows!" The Dragon Mother spoke eloquently, looking at Li Xin as if he were her long-lost younger brother.

"Mother Dragon, I'll try my best." Li Xin was both amused and exasperated, but he knew that what Mother Dragon said was true.

“Call me Sister Long. I have a younger brother who has been separated from me for many years. He’s about your age. You know, the first time I saw you, I thought of my poor brother. My unfortunate brother…” Mother Long’s eyes were red and she was about to pounce on Li Xin. Li Xin was so frightened that he quickly backed away.

“Mother Dragon, cough cough, Sister Dragon… let’s talk properly,” even Li Xin’s thick skin faltered for a moment, and his integrity dropped a bit. “I don’t know much about the George family, so I need Sister Dragon to gather more information so that I can make friends with Simmons properly.”

"Ah, that's right!" Daenerys slapped her ample thigh, which trembled slightly, making Li Xin want to close his eyes. "Xin, from now on, you'll stay in Carp Dragon and spend more time with Master Simmons. Let him come over to play more often. Leave everything else to me!"

"Sister Long, you wouldn't happen to have taken a liking to Simmons, would you?" Li Xin couldn't help but tease.

Daenerys was taken aback, then her mouth almost twisted into a grin. "As expected of my dear brother, Simmons has both good looks and a good family background. I've been waiting for someone like him all along."

"As expected of Sister Long, you have a keen eye. I'll help you learn more about him."

In the blink of an eye, Li Xin betrayed his newly made friends and relatives, while Daenerys was overjoyed. Why did young master Simmons come? Why did he stand up for her? There must be some tiny bit of goodwill between them!

On the way back to the Church, Simmons kept sneezing, as if some evil spirit was following him, and he couldn't help but quicken his pace.

Li Xin's goal was Hellsong, which made sense, and he didn't want to delve into it further. As for the Sacred Land, he really couldn't decide on his own; he had to inquire about it. Normally, it was common for multiple people to use the Sacred Land. Large families preferred to use this method to guide juniors who needed special training. However, this process was very cautious, as it involved "variables" and "cause and effect."

Back at the Order House, Lancer was chatting and laughing with his teammates, which made Simmons feel complicated. Damn it, he had just been on the verge of death and had even made a point of keeping this kid out of it, afraid of implicating innocent people. But now, looking at him, he didn't seem innocent at all. Next time, he would definitely take him along, at least he would have someone to keep him company on the road.

"Boss, you're finally back! We thought you'd fallen for that landlady," Lancer said with a smile, and his companions chuckled as well.

"You're so happy? I've decided to order team meals from them every day from now on, and you can pick them up." Simmons said casually.

"Boss, it's just something to try. You can't stand eating it every day. If you like it, just have them send some over." Lancer was still unaware of the danger.

"That proprietress told me she's taken a liking to you. Your problem is that you're too immature and need a mature and magnanimous woman to discipline you. I think she'd be a good fit for you," Simmons said. The team members were all trying to suppress their laughter. When Lancer returned, he kept talking about the proprietress's characteristics and that damn deceptive portrait. He wondered how many people had been fooled by it.

The thought of Daenerys's majesty and charm sent a chill down Lancer's spine, and he was even a little excited. "Boss, I was wrong. I will definitely follow in the eagle's footsteps from now on. Hehe, by the way, I remember that cook. I think he was some kind of substitute in the Heavenly Capital Order Academy. How did he end up in Heldan and become a cook? That's so tragic."

The trip to Tianjing was somewhat of a compromise, but it genuinely replenished the Holy Zeal Academy with a batch of brand-new Hextech Demon-Sealing Guns. Sacrificing the individual for the greater good—that's the eagle-like Captain Simmons.

"Brother, what's going on? You've been acting strange ever since you came back from Tianjing. They're saying you've fallen for Luo Xue from Black Rose, but she doesn't like you. She has such good taste." The speaker was a pretty girl of sixteen or seventeen, with neat short hair. In Montcareta, the hair of noble girls is very precious. Even the Knight Academy or the Order Academy wouldn't cut it short. Anyone who dares to cut it short has a bit of courage and is trendy.

The girl is very beautiful. Girls from Montaleta mature much earlier, with curvaceous figures and a youthful maturity. Long legs are their defining feature, and the confidence in their eyes is the finishing touch that adds extra charm. They are the kind of girls who can attract both men and women. Celia is Simmons' cousin.

Simmons's arrival at the Papal Court was a gamble for the family. No family can escape the fate of rise and fall, and the George family is no exception. As time goes by, their influence in Heldan is waning, and their territory is reduced to mostly immigrant areas, which are unattainable for ordinary people and rather useless in the eyes of nobles. The only reason they maintain their dignity is because of the port, but this is not sustainable in the long run, as an unpredictable event could cause the family's collapse.

Simmons could have chosen the more secure option of the original embryo, but his family opted to send him to the Secret Castle. When faced with the choice between the Royal Knights Academy and the Church Academy, he took a risk and chose the Church Academy. It wasn't that he didn't value the connections at the Knights Academy, but rather that he would be marginalized there. By taking a different approach and trying for the Church Academy, he at least came into the king's sights. When faced with adversity, one must adapt; adaptation leads to success.

Following the principle of not putting all your eggs in one basket, Celia didn't actually need to come. She was purely rebellious. Of course, Celia had her own thoughts. Compared to the strict rules and backstabbing of the Royal Knight Academy, she preferred the free Cavalry Academy. Women's world is more ruthless than men's.

As the capital, Heldan boasts multiple academies, all of which are quite excellent. They are among the top academies in Daoyuan, a divine favor that other countries envy. However, this is nothing compared to the four knight academies that truly represent Heldan's level.

The Academy of the Orders was a product of its time, established with the strong support of the Grand Scholars of the School of Heavenly Principles. It was geared towards ordinary people and had a low entry threshold. It is unknown how the Grand Scholars managed to persuade King Aura to give them his strong support. However, the Knight Academy was actually the true legacy of Montaleta, a place for cultivating noble elites. Its examinations were rigorous, it did not accept commoners, and its level was astonishingly high.

Essentially, all countries on the Dao Yuan Continent in this era were strictly hierarchical, only to varying degrees.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Simmons George was indeed a legitimate candidate for a good knightly academy, so his entry into the Holy Zeal Academy was publicly praised by the king. This also forced some nobles to send their less important children to the academy as a token gesture, after all, it was to give the king face.

The Order of the Cavalry in Montaleta has been in place for some time, but it hasn't produced any remarkable results. Above it is the Knight Academy, and the existence of the Knight Academy's elite members has become more prominent because of the Order of the Cavalry. As for improving national power... Montaleta is too large to show any significant improvement. However, it has indeed cultivated a group of Hextech talents, improved the lives of commoners, and enriched the experience of nobles. This is still far from the earth-shattering changes in Lilong.

Gradually, the king's interest waned, and the Papal Council was now in a limbo, leaving Simmons and the others who had initially planned to make an appearance in an awkward position.

Celia's rebellious behavior infuriated Earl George, but there was nothing he could do. Celia had been chosen as the princess's companion, a position that carried considerable power, and this action was seen as support for the royal decision, so he couldn't openly oppose it.

Celia never questioned her brilliant decision and actually enjoyed it immensely. It wasn't as disciplined; the Order Academy was more enthusiastic and free. Compared to the infighting and cutthroat competition at the Knight Academy, the Order Academy was full of hope and passion, and life there was truly enjoyable.

Simmons completely ignored Salitia's gossip, asking, "Are you planning to keep going against your family like this?"

“Captain Simmons, I think the Council of the Church is the trend of history, and it cannot be defied. Don’t you think so?” Celia smiled slightly, revealing her white teeth, her youthful beauty dazzling. “I’ve been reading a lot of Luther’s works lately. They are insightful and have a forward-thinking mindset. They have many ideas that coincide with those of the Grand Secretaries. Grand Secretary Vladimir is about to become a demigod, and we must keep up with the times.”

"Boss, what are you doing? Miss Celia is the spiritual leader of our Order of the Holy Land. If she leaves, the Order of the Holy Land will lose its color. You're making us lose our fighting spirit!" Lancer said. The team members also objected. Since Celia's arrival, she has really brought great motivation to the Order of the Holy Land. In the Holy Land, most of the members are from wealthy families or are rich merchants. Nobles are forced to come and are not valued at home. Simmons and Celia's status is really a signboard.

In Montcarette, the background and strength of noble children are truly far superior to those of commoners. The accumulation of generations is no joke. If it weren't for Simmons, Celia, Lancer, and others, the Order of the Church would have been utterly crushed by the Knight Academy.

Simmons is the nominal captain, but Celia is the captain in everyone's hearts. "Simmons, you're not a good captain! I heard the King has ordered preparations for the Glory War. How can we just coast along like this? We need to find other teams to schedule practice matches. We've been working hard for this opportunity to prove ourselves. If you win, you'll truly be the hero who leads the George family and the Order of the Cavalry to new heights, a true eagle!"

“Yes, boss, the Academy has reached a turning point. If we can perform at the same level as the Knight Academy, that would be a huge achievement, and we would be pioneers of the times!” Lancer said. He was also influenced by the Hextech ideology and joined the Academy without hesitation. I heard that he was beaten half to death by his family back then.

“The Knight Academy has always looked down on us. This mentality of our opponents is an opportunity for us!” Celia laughed.

Every five years, the Kingdom of Montaleta holds the "War of the Earth Mother Goddess," the most anticipated battle in the entire kingdom. Glory is offered to the gods; it is a celebration and a festival with a long history. Even after the establishment of the Order of the Church, it has always been the stage for the Knight Academy.

As the novelty of Hextech wears off and public rationality returns, everyone feels that we are back to valuing hard power.

This is a battle to test the level of all the knightly academies and ecclesiastical colleges in Montaletta. The victor of each battle will undoubtedly become the cornerstone and pillar of the kingdom, affecting policy direction in all aspects, as well as the honor and rise and fall of the family.

Knight academies and monastic colleges from all over the country will mobilize in droves.

This year's Glory Battle also holds extraordinary significance, as Princess Estella has reached marriageable age, and the choice of a consort is self-evident.

(End of this chapter)