Chapter 303 Chapter 97 Shiel
The Lord’s Mansion Office of the Mess Marquisate, despite not having many luxurious decorations, conveyed a powerful and grand impression with its massive foundation built of black rock and the cross kite pattern drawn with deeply flavored paint.
However, amidst the solemn atmosphere brought by the knights in full armor, gripping spearguns, a touch of slender, pure white color broke through.
Shiel’s silver-blue hair was meticulously styled, flowing like melting snow on the clear sky down to her naturally slender waist, which required no exquisite belt to accentuate. The young girl gently lifted her face, her ice-blue, lustrous pupils seemingly tinged with frost and snow, yet clearly unable to conceal the happiness and joy in her eyes.
“Miss Shiel, you don’t need to wait here… If he returns, he will naturally come to find you.”
The maid, not much older than her, held a fan to shield the young girl from the sun and couldn’t help but persuade her again.
“No. It’s just for a little while… I haven’t seen Brother for such a long time. If it weren’t for Father, I would have already run out to find Brother directly.”
The girl’s clear voice, tinged with a hint of cuteness, replied. Knowing that Ig was returning, the girl was indeed very happy.
The young maid, looking at the girl whose exquisite beauty resembled an artwork filled with childish innocence, yet possessing an unyielding resolve that no one could stop, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
The Marquis’s two children were, in everyone’s eyes, two completely different individuals. Even among the hunters and farmers in the remote villages, they would praise Miss Shiel’s beauty and wisdom while despising the Marquis’s son for his stupidity and cowardice.
Unfortunately, this most dazzling pearl of the entire Southern territory was always preoccupied with her brother, who was even more insignificant than useless.
Shiel noticed the expression of the maid beside her, but regarding her brother’s matters, she felt from the bottom of her heart that there was no need to argue with these people.
Shiel couldn’t help but recall many of the times her brother took care of her when they were young… until the scenes shifted to a snowy night over half a year ago, when she handed the magic scroll she had made into the young man’s hands, was affectionately patted on the head by his relieved smile, and then watched his retreating figure.
“Brother…”
Shiel murmured. Thinking of the past scenes, she couldn’t help but feel the same painful emotion of secretly shedding tears on that snowy night. She had thought she wouldn’t see Ig for a long time and had planned to join an adventuring party after graduating from the academy to see if she could meet him.
However, thinking that she would soon meet her brother again, the young girl couldn’t help but slightly lift her lips, revealing a happy expression.
The sound of metal wheels turning was transmitted through the air. Shiel looked up, and a carriage decorated with the family crest slowly approached, surrounded by many knights.
“…Young Master Ig, although the ‘Church of the Dead Word’ is indeed strange, ultimately, Lord Marquis is present, so you shouldn’t concern yourself too much with it.”
As the young man descended the steps together, the middle-aged steward finally comforted him, “However, Sir Zel, Blade, and the others likely do not have good intentions. Especially towards you, Young Master, perhaps they are thinking about how to make a move.”
Ig loosened his furrowed brow and nodded. Just as he was about to say something, a clear and pleasant girl’s voice, filled with obvious joy, suddenly rang out.
“Brother!”
Her slightly elongated footsteps on the floor made “thud” “thud” sounds, as crisp and pleasant as a maiden’s slender fingers playing piano keys.
Shiel wanted to rush into the young man’s arms like before, but her slender body suddenly stopped in front of Ig. Behind Ig, she saw several girls following him down.
As the daughter of the Marquis’s family, Shiel was known for her exquisite appearance. While studying at Lichen’s Aris Academy, she had seen many girls with beautiful appearances, even figures like senior Elishia and Princess Misella, who were praised as the “Golden Flower and White Iris.”
However, seeing the girls following Ig, the expression in Shiel’s clear pupils couldn’t help but pause slightly.
“These girls, and Brother…”
Shiel’s fingertips unconsciously tightened in front of her. She thought of many common scenarios, and an ominous premonition began to form in her heart.
“Shiel.”
The familiar young man’s voice reached her as she was lost in thought. Shiel quickly looked up, and the deep blue lake-like pupils of the black-haired young man were filled with a gentle smile.
Ig looked at the somewhat bewildered girl before him, and the longing that had accumulated in his heart overflowed like a full lake. Ig smiled and reached out to affectionately tousle the girl’s silver-blue hair on her little head.
“I didn’t expect that after such a short time apart, Shiel would grow even taller.”
“Mmm! Because… even if Brother isn’t around, Shiel still grows. On the contrary, Brother, you feel completely different from before.”
“After all… I’ve experienced quite a bit outside, and it’s only natural to grow.”
Ig sighed, recalling his experiences after leaving Lorinc, especially after encountering the Little Phoenix.
If it were in the past, and someone told him that he would get involved with a Grand Duke of the Blood Race who was the commander of the human front line a hundred years ago but was destroyed by the divine light of the Sacred Sword, inherit from him, meet Vicena, the top mage, have an encounter with a traitor from Flarn, and even get involved with one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Race, Ig wouldn’t have believed it even if he were beaten to death.
Seeing the young man’s expression, Shiel couldn’t help but think more. She then tugged at his sleeve with her slender fingers, tilted her head, and asked, “Brother, who are these sisters and this younger sister…?”
“Ah, Miss Vera, Little Fei, and Flarn are all friends I met during my travels. Actually, to be honest with you, Shiel, if it weren’t for them, I would probably be nothing but bones by now.”
Ig introduced them to Shiel, then turned to Verafia, who looked very bored and was playing with Flarn’s hair, “Veer, this is my sister, Shiel, whom I told you about before.”
Verafia then stomped her little boots on the ground. Her golden eyes happened to see Shiel, dressed in an exquisite and magnificent gown, and noticed her pupils slightly tremble when she heard Ig’s title for her, her facial expression becoming unnatural in that instant.
Seeing the girl’s appearance, Verafia’s lips curved slightly, but she casually placed her hands on her chest, raised her delicate face, and her scorching gold eyes swept around, assessing:
“So you’re the Shiel brat that Ig guy was talking about! Well, you look pretty good!”
