Chapter 641: 119. The Old Woman
“.”
In the convoy, Fisher suddenly stopped under the secret blessing of Azanros, and no one around noticed his movement, so the convoy continued to move forward, and it was about to take the vehicle carrying the “Valentina’s Gift” into the church.
Only Emhart, cradled in Alicia’s arms, seemed to have noticed Fisher’s action behind them. He quickly leaned out quietly and asked in a small voice,
“Fisher, why did you suddenly stop?”
Alicia, who was being carried by a servant, also noticed Emhart’s voice but turned back and still saw nothing.
However, Fisher in front still seemed as if he hadn’t heard anything, staring blankly at the golden carriage entering the outer area, or rather, at Elizabeth inside that carriage.
“Oh no, I almost forgot that under that damn blessing, his rank has been restored. Normally he should be able to hear me talking.”
Emhart clicked his tongue in frustration, but now that they were surrounded by people, it wasn’t convenient for him to boldly fly out from Alicia’s arms to talk to Fisher. He could only make Alicia do something small to attract Fisher’s attention.
“Is it Empress Elizabeth coming?”
After a moment of silence, she suddenly stopped and deliberately asked her surrounding servants, not suppressing her voice, causing Fisher, who was almost dazed behind them, to come back to his senses.
“Yes, Miss Alicia, you met Her Majesty earlier.”
“I don’t like that big sister.”
“Oh! You mustn’t say that carelessly, and Her Majesty is very good to the Nali people; even I, a Shivali, envy her. Now all the Nali people respect and love her, so be sure not to say anything out of line!”
These servants were all hired from Shivali by Vaili, and even back in their homeland, far from here, the Shivali had heard of Elizabeth’s name. What’s more, after coming to this remote place in Qitel, anyone who had returned from Saint Nali would sing praises of Empress Elizabeth, and some even began to hang her portrait at home.
Now this naive little thing dared to say such a thing. If anything went wrong later, it would be a mess, which is why they were so cautious.
Alicia blankly nodded, while Fisher stepped forward, and now even Emhart’s quieter questions could be heard by him.
Fisher sighed and pointed to the gift cart beside them. Emhart, who hadn’t seen it while staying in Alicia’s arms, let Alicia shift a bit towards it and then saw the aggressive words.
“Hiss!”
He gasped, barely able to suppress his voice as he questioned, “Is Valentina here?!”
“Shh, be a bit quieter; others can notice you. Although I don’t want to think this way, the current situation does seem to suggest so. Earlier Keken just told us that the slimes haven’t entered Nali’s territory for a long time, and since Keken works for them, Valentina, as their nominal leader, wouldn’t not know that I would come to attend the funeral.”
“Ah, given that girl’s feelings for you, plus Elizabeth’s grand announcement to come in person—”
Emhart pressed his lips together, then nervously squeezed closer to Alicia, pretending to be dead, muttering, “Oh, just wait for it, Fisher. I still remember when Valentina hadn’t turned into a phoenix up in the Northern Region, she and Elizabeth communicated through that Nali’s Hidden Affairs Bureau’s communication magic. Now, it’s good, a face-to-face encounter at your teacher’s funeral!”
“.”
Fisher felt somewhat helpless, but no matter what, he hoped his personal matters wouldn’t affect Heilson’s funeral process.
He didn’t want to disgrace his teacher by turning the funeral into a battlefield where his beauties confront each other; if that happened, he would probably feel guilty for the rest of his life.
Fisher looked at the gift cart in front of him, his mind forming some thoughts on how to resolve this. Taking advantage of his secret blessing, he hurried to the back of the gift cart and said to Emhart, “You stay with Alicia inside. I’ll deal with this dangerous item and come back. By the way, if you can find Valentina first, that would be even better.”
These gift carts had been prepared by the guests earlier and were just waiting for the servants to transport them today. Such items rarely came with a gift list, so it would be very easy for Valentina to just slip this into the convoy and let the servants carry it in.
But the key was that these gifts were originally intended for Heilson’s relatives. Even though Elizabeth is the Empress, she obviously had no authority to check those condolence gifts for their family, so Valentina would have to actively show this “great gift” to Elizabeth, which meant she personally, or someone accompanying her, would definitely go to where the gifts were stored.
What Fisher had to do now was to quickly take this away and then find Valentina in the gift storage position, at least to wait until the funeral was over before discussing anything else.
The plan was taking shape, and driven by his will to survive, even though Fisher’s rank had been secretly restored to a mortal, he still appeared remarkably decisive.
Before Emhart crammed his head out to say anything, Fisher had already cut the connection between the gift cart and the part in front, dragging Valentina’s gift cart away from the convoy.
Under the secret blessing, he affected everything with a considerable delay; he had already experimented with getting someone else’s hat on the train earlier.
Now he had to wait until those guys realized he had moved the gift cart; by then, all the items would most likely be inside. How many would remember by then was uncertain. Otherwise, how could such an aggressive gift from an Empress adored by Nali people have been pushed in by the servants?
Watching Fisher fight desperately for his life, Emhart sighed helplessly and muttered, “When did that little girl Valentina become so… uh, annoying? Could it be that after sleeping in a phoenix egg for four and a half years, her bloodline awakened and gained an aggression fitting her rank? It’s really strange.”
“Sir, what’s wrong with big brother?”
“Oh, it’s nothing, he just has a little thing to do. Just get used to it; this kind of thing happens occasionally.”
“Eh?”
Alicia didn’t know what Emhart referred to as a “little thing,” but upon hearing Fisher getting further away, she suddenly felt uneasy about everything she was going to face in the church.
Perhaps this anxiety had always existed, whether it was reconfirming her grandfather’s passing or facing her sister Vaili’s dislike.
But now that she was here and hadn’t been eaten, she could only brace herself and continue.
She hugged tight the one pretending to be a book, Emhart, and soon entered the venue of the church, led to the front.
After confirming this as the site for Heilson’s funeral, the construction staff from Golden Palace completely renovated the church within half a month, transforming an inconspicuous countryside church into a venue that met the specifications of Saint Nali’s cathedral. At least now, the prayer hall could comfortably accommodate over a hundred people.
At this moment, the large prayer hall of the church was already packed. Several neatly arranged rows of chairs were filled with nobles, scholars, and officials from all over the country. On the other side were foreign friends arriving, colleagues from the Magic Society, the president of the World Magic Society, and various section heads.
Several archbishops of the Nali Church and their families, the Pope’s envoy from Cardu, the royal envoy from Shivali, and even the nations in the Northern Region embroiled in the Parasol Tree incident sent envoys amidst their busy schedules.
But even these prominent figures known throughout their respective fields appeared humble before the crystal coffin of the elder resting peacefully under the loving gaze of the Mother God statue. They entered the church silently, arranged by the Golden Palace’s guards to sit in unassigned seats, occasionally exchanging a few words, while most were lost in silent mourning.
However, the very front row had every seat assigned a name, the positions nearest to Heilson for the most distinguished individuals.
One by one, first was the current director of the Royal Academy, Mr. Damien, Heilson’s granddaughter Vaili and her husband, Heilson’s granddaughter Alicia, Empress Elizabeth Godlin of the Empire and—
Heilson’s only disciple, Fisher Benavides.
“Miss Alicia, we have arrived, please take a seat.”
“.Okay.”
Alicia pressed her lips together, nervously looking at the notable figures seated in front of her, full of tension. After the servants led the petite girl into the venue, they fell into a brief silence, seemingly curious about what this girl, adopted by Heilson five years before his death, was like.
At the front, before Elizabeth the Empress had arrived, the silver-haired Damien, wearing glasses, scrutinized the little girl before him and finally squeezed out a smile,
“Little Alicia, do you remember Grandfather Damien? We met when you were little.”
“I remember, thank you for visiting Grandfather to see him for the last time.”
Alicia could hardly remember the childhood events, but she recalled her grandfather frequently exchanged letters with this gentleman, knowing he was a dear friend of his, and thus replied as such.
“Yes, the last time. Please sit, your seat is next to your sister. Were you still studying Heilson’s magic earlier? You’re holding a book here.”
“Eh,” Alicia was afraid of Emhart being discovered, so she hugged him tighter, hesitating slightly as she replied, “Um, because… because I missed Grandfather… so.”
Her lying skills weren’t very polished yet, but evidently, Damien didn’t distinguish whether it was a lie since Alicia’s longing for Heilson was genuine.
And beyond Damien, there was the sight of her sister, Vaili, nestled in her husband’s arms, with a pregnancy showing.
Her eyes, reddened from crying, turned to Alicia with open resentment and hatred, for she knew that this child, picked up by their grandfather, was responsible for his death. Although over a hundred years might be considered a peaceful passing for humans, she clearly remembered how this girl in human skin committed all sorts of evils at night.
Like a madwoman, she would attack animals and people with a knife, savoring and analyzing the blood she swallowed with an expression that Vaili would never forget. To stop her, their grandfather, reluctant to use magic, had reached out to intervene, only to be injured by her knife.
From that moment on, Grandfather’s health began to decline, all because of this monster in front of her!
But this was a funeral after all. Even with thousands of grievances, Vaili didn’t express them, having let them out sufficiently in her daily life.
After glaring at Alicia with resentment, she leaned into her husband’s embrace and closed her eyes, even switching her original seat beside Alicia’s so that her husband could separate them.
Alicia pressed her lips together, sensing her sister’s pure malice; at just five years old, she felt particularly helpless.
But she said nothing, merely moving silently to her designated seat. After sitting upright, she glanced at the two seats beside her: one for Empress Elizabeth and one for big brother.
However, didn’t Grandfather say that big brother probably wouldn’t come back openly anymore? Why would there still be his seat here?
Not only was young Alicia confused, but Damian, who was sitting beside her, also noticed this as they came in and frowned as he asked Vaili’s husband, “Why is Fisher’s seat here too? Has he returned?”
“Eh, you mean, well, we are unaware. It was Her Majesty who directed us to do so and didn’t interfere with the funeral process, so—”
“Her Majesty?”
Damien froze slightly upon hearing it was arranged by Elizabeth, which added a sense of unease in his heart.
He felt a twinge of guilt for Fisher. Back then, they had assisted Elizabeth in seizing power but didn’t expect to force Heilson’s only beloved disciple to be pinned into a corner and flee Nali. For the past five years, he had not returned, missing even Heilson’s passing.
Then, was Her Majesty’s action now… to…
Damien could not help but swallow hard; he could only silently pray to the Mother God, hoping that Elizabeth wouldn’t do anything out of line at Heilson’s funeral; otherwise…
“Your Majesty!!”
“The Empress is here!”
At that moment, a wave of surprised or admiring voices surged from behind, and as the people in the front row turned back, they saw the influential figures standing in succession.
“Your Majesty!”
So, even without seeing the principal subject, everyone reflexively stood up. The noble presence poured into the church like sunlight, quickly causing a breathless feeling.
At just five years old, Alicia was quite small, and her perception was even more acute. She could only see the backs of adults in the second row standing up with dazed expressions, that one sister who she could glimpse after a long time.
Until it seemed that the person entering from the front raised a hand, the calls began to recede, and in the silence, only the soft sound of footsteps could be clearly heard.
As those footsteps drew closer, a lady in a pure black long dress, with neatly styled golden hair and a subtle smile, moved slowly to the front. To express solemnity, she wore a black veil resting atop her collected hair.
Behind her were priests holding the Genesis and prayer personnel. Once she gradually sat down next to Alicia, a rich fragrance wafted into Alicia’s nose. The dignitaries behind sat down in succession, while the priests and prayer personnel following her went up solemnly, preparing for the upcoming funeral service for Heilson.
“Your Majesty.”
“Honorable Majesty.”
“Empress.”
“Please accept my condolences; please take a seat.”
The Vaili couple beside her and Damien greeted her, and Alicia imitated this by greeting her as well, yet Elizabeth seemingly ignored her, directing her condolences to all of Heilson’s relatives and friends, before taking her seat to quietly watch ahead.
It seemed this big sister had forgotten about her, even though she had clearly met her before.
Alicia thought to herself that Elizabeth must have forgotten her, and so she climbed up to the seat next to Elizabeth, quietly waiting for the funeral to start.
Little did she know that in the next moment, Elizabeth suddenly spoke softly beside her,
“Little Alicia, we meet again.”
“Ah, Your Majesty, I—”
“I have a small question to ask you.”
“Uh, what question?”
“Isn’t the book you’re holding from a man named Fisher Benavides?”
“Eh?”
Alicia blinked slightly, and the Emhart pretending to be dead in her arms trembled at that instant, as if he had fallen into the coldest ice pit in the world.
Alicia, feeling scared, turned to look at Elizabeth beside her, but saw her maintaining her smile, facing forward. Yet her eyes, flashing with a peculiar golden hue, were already subtly oscillating towards Alicia, seeming vibrant yet carrying a profound emptiness, seeking an answer that perhaps was already known.
“.”
In the silence where Alicia felt her brain turn blank, the priest slowly opened the Genesis, preparing to host the funeral service for Heilson.
At the back of the church, having just hidden the dangerous item in an undisclosed location, Fisher had quietly returned to the back of the church under the secret blessing, to the position where gifts were stored, about ten meters behind the Mother God statue.
From here, he could almost hear the faint sounds coming from the front, the conversations of those dignitaries. However, due to structural reasons, he couldn’t see the scene in front directly, but it appeared that the church had been hastily built, suggesting there must be some place where he could find such a position.
And Valentina—
“Hey, I left that thing behind the family convoy last night. Why is it gone now? Did they find out? Tsk, I was planning to let that silly ex get properly defensive after the funeral.”
“.”
“I’m not stupid, okay? How could they possibly find out? I checked beforehand; those delivering these things are all servants of the Golden Palace, coming in this morning. They wouldn’t have the time to check any prayers on these gifts. And as for the noblemen sending gifts, they probably just rushed over themselves.”
“.”
“If it really doesn’t work, I can handwrite another one right now; anyway, I have to let that guy see it. How dare she threaten me in the letter while claiming she and Fisher kissed all night while I was playing with toy cars at the Turan family home! Acting as if Fisher is her husband now! That old woman… That’s right, I’ll write it like this. How did I not think of this earlier? She’s already in her thirties this year.”
Fisher stood frozen in place, clearly recognizing that voice he was all too familiar with; for a moment, he didn’t dare to speak.
He was just perplexed as to why Valentina was here muttering to herself strangely.
He cautiously started to feel his way towards the source of that subtle sound, swallowing a mouthful of saliva, and soon saw a figure in a black gauze dress and a black wide-brimmed hat squatting among a pile of gifts, sneaking and searching for something, whispering as she checked.
And this figure before him was clearly not a phoenix, but rather… a human?
Fisher blinked, thinking to himself.
