PS. Two updates today! Asking for all kinds of votes!
PS2. Many people say the protagonist is weak, that even a rookie space marine could beat him, but that's overthinking it. While it's true that the Middle Ages can't compare to the power of 40K, it's not that much weaker. In terms of magic and various other powers, the Middle Ages is not inferior to 40K. Powerful heroes of the Middle Ages can still combat great demons of Chaos, and there aren't many in 40K who can fight a great demon of Chaos, right?
The Cult of Aesthetics' headquarters was sealed.
Countless artists wept for this, a wave of complaints and pleas came one after another, but Schultz was unmoved, especially after it was proven that the Cult of Aesthetics was a Chaos cult. The Grand Duke could not possibly relent on this matter.
The Senate urgently deliberated, and no one was willing to take the blame or stand up for the Cult of Aesthetics.
This organization, which thrived in Marlinburg for decades, thus became history. Edmund Huron of the Senate became the only sacrifice. When the empire's envoy came to accuse, the response was that this Count colluded with the Cult of Aesthetics, harbored a Fallen Hunter, and murdered the vice-chairman of the Demon Hunters Guild. Many pieces of evidence confirmed this fact. As punishment, Huron's senatorial position was revoked. Merchants and nobles of the lower house fought over the vacant position, but this matter had nothing to do with Ryan anymore.
The Church of the Sea God officially announced the details of the extermination of the Cult of Aesthetics. The story of Ryan and Veronica jointly eliminating the Tyrant Champion spread across the continent, making Ryan's name resonate across the land once again.
Then, another grand banquet ensued.
Amidst the clinking of glasses and the gathering of distinguished guests, Marlinburg's city hall was bustling as always.
Naturally, Ryan was the focus of the banquet. Nobles, merchants, and celebrities from all walks of society congratulated Ryan, who responded to each in kind. He was filled with wine by the end of the banquet, and the Grand Duke of Marlinburg quietly handed him a small pouch: "This is what you deserve."
"Thank you~" Ryan, unable to stop smiling, peeked into the pouch filled with divine gold coins, at least a hundred.
This amount of money was comparable to the annual income of some minor electors, a true windfall.
In comparison, the Righteous Church's offer of three hundred gold coins seemed negligible.
"If you weren't so set on that painting, you could have gotten even more." Schultz joked with Ryan, the Duke and the Primordial standing on a small balcony in a corner of the banquet.
"The painting was for the lady; it was only right I did something for her." Ryan spread his hands, indicating it was his employer's request.
"The Lady of the Lake? Hmm, even though the Emperor personally revealed it to me, I still don't agree she's a so-called god. She might be powerful, but that's it." Schultz sipped his wine. Having been revealed by the Emperor himself, the Duke's strength was evident.
The Grand Duke of Marlinburg's arrival and Ryan's ascension were almost simultaneous, clearly a part of the Emperor's plan.
Ryan shrugged, indifferent to this issue. He was the chosen of the Lady of the Lake, taking her benefits and working for her was a transaction. The Lady of the Lake offered the highest rewards and treated him the best, so he was willing to serve her loyally.
Ryan and other Primordials were fundamentally different.
The Emperor, the great lord of humanity, had twenty sons, and with Ryan, twenty-one.
However, all his sons were not born through normal means; the creation of Primordials has been lost in history, but they were all created from embryos made by the Emperor using his own genes, combined with subspace technology and high-tech, undergoing numerous genetic modifications and enhancements from birth.
But Ryan was different. His body was already in tatters when he crossed over, and the Emperor used his supreme power to help him reshape his flesh. In this process, Ryan almost became an infant again. He did not undergo genetic modification or subspace enhancement. In this sense, his growth was slower, and his brothers had better innate conditions.
Yet, the Emperor clearly favored Ryan more, referring to all other Primordials with a cold remark: "A bunch of spoiled children."
Because Ryan was the purest; he was human, unadulterated.
"Father is just father, not some god. He is my father," Ryan said, looking at the cold night sky.
"Yes, to you, he is your father, but to us, he is a god, or perhaps even greater than gods," Schultz was not bothered by this topic. It was clear that after being revealed by the Emperor, he was not troubled by many issues: "If you need anything, just come to me. That's why I'm here."
"Alright!"
As usual, halfway through the banquet, Ryan left with Veronica.
Just after boarding the carriage, Veronica snuggled into his arms, holding him tightly.
"What's wrong?" Ryan felt Veronica's mood was unusual.
"The council sent a recall order." Veronica leaned on his chest, her voice anxious and hurried: "I've been recalled! An urgent recall order."
"Recalled?! At this time?" Ryan was surprised, his voice filled with confusion: "Why?"
Having dealt with the Garen Council for years, Ryan knew their rules well. Usually, after completing a mission, the Female Spellcasters' Council would give its members some time to rest before assigning a new task.
Winter's Crest was about two weeks away, so why would the Garen Council urgently recall Veronica now?
"How should I know! Normally, unless it's something special, they wouldn't urgently recall anyone, but I received the council's notice. Catherine has gone to collect the recall order!" Veronica pouted, feeling wronged: "I had planned to spend Winter's Crest with you."
"Me too." Ryan found it strange: "Let's take a closer look when we get home."
Late at night, at 53 Amber Road, Marlinburg.
The carriage stopped in front of the small building, Ryan carried Veronica down from the carriage, and they entered their home together.
Two maids quickly greeted them, with Catherine presenting a scroll: "Councillor, this is your recall order."
Veronica snatched the scroll from Catherine's hands, then opened it and quickly understood the situation. She sighed deeply, signaling Ryan to talk upstairs.
Thirty minutes later, upstairs in the master bedroom.
Veronica had changed into a long nightgown with lace edges, sitting on a long couch with her silk-stockinged legs crossed. Her previous adornments were removed, letting her dark brown hair drape over her delicate shoulders, her sweet face showing frustration and anger.
"What's going on? Veronica, did you figure out the reason?" Ryan, also in pajamas, saw her upset and comforted: "It's okay, just postpone it. Wait until after Winter's Crest to go."
"Ah~" The Garen Witch patted the space beside her, and Ryan sat down next to her: "Ryan, you don't understand. This is Garen's urgent recall order. All Garen witches who see this recall order must immediately return to the council to report. According to the timing, this urgent recall order was issued immediately after our mission was completed."
"Issued immediately?" Ryan embraced Veronica, examining the urgent recall order.
"Clearly, someone inside the council doesn't want me to stay outside, or rather... stay by your side." Veronica chuckled coldly, kissing Ryan lightly on the face: "My presence doesn't fit some people's plans, so I must leave. Look, who signed this urgent recall order."
Ryan carefully checked the recall order and indeed saw the signer: Aurora Trovick.
"Aurora Elder? She's recalling you? Wait... you mean?" Ryan was no fool and quickly grasped Veronica's meaning.
In the bedroom, the bright floor lamp illuminated the two figures on the couch.
"Obviously, she doesn't want to see me by your side. To her, Ryan Makado is a friend of the Garen Council, a potential unlimited Griffin Duke's foster son, a legendary mid-tier powerhouse under twenty-five, a powerful ally. And Theresa Trovick is her daughter." Veronica intertwined her fingers with his: "And I, Veronica Bernadotte, have this and that relationship with Ryan, most importantly, I'm Magistrate Margarita's apprentice."
Ryan understood, completely.
On the surface, it was a competition between Veronica and Theresa for Ryan, a quality partner. But behind it was the intense factional struggle within the Garen Council, between Magistrate Margarita and Elder Aurora.
This struggle affected Theresa, reached him, and now involved Veronica.
After a long silence, Ryan's expression slightly changed. He held the woman in his arms tighter, his tone becoming somewhat cold: "So, it has come to this, huh?"
"Yes, it has come to this. I will leave for the Garen Council tomorrow morning. As long as I wish to continue being a Garen councilor, I must accept the council's urgent recall order, even if it's unreasonable... rules are rules." Veronica brushed her hand across his handsome face: "Our brief time together, and now we must part again."
"Yes, we must part again. Oh, this is for you, this money is enough for you to build a wizard's tower." Ryan took out a pouch with fifty divine gold coins: "Remember our agreement? I promised you'd have your own wizard's tower."
"Indeed, though I don't know why you so easily gained Lord Schultz's trust, nor why he would give you so much money, but I know this is my partner, an incredible man... and my man." Veronica gently pushed away the money pouch in Ryan's hand: "Keep it for now."
"You don't want the money? That's not like you." A smile flickered in Ryan's eyes.
"Some things are more important than money, some things are more important than strength. You taught me that, Ryan. I often think, if you weren't there, maybe I would have fallen." Veronica sighed softly, then said: "I'm not saying I don't want this money. What I mean is, keep this money with you for now. When you become a lord, I'll build my wizard's tower directly on your land!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you'll have your own territory soon, right?" Veronica's eyes twinkled with cunning: "My great knight?"
"If nothing goes wrong, there should be news after the Spring Festival." Ryan didn't reveal everything, but he still indirectly answered Veronica's question.
His current fame was so great that without a doubt, whether it was Britannia, the Empire, or the Nord Kingdom, all would invite him to become a lord because the world needs strong individuals, and his strength was now comparable to many knightly order commanders.
As the chosen champion of the Lady of the Lake, his choice was self-evident.
"Ryan~"
"Hm?"
"We don't have much time, let's start now. I want to take the feelings you've given me back to Garen."
"Alright, let's begin!"
... (details omitted) ...
The next morning, Ryan carried an unable-to-walk Veronica out of the room. Apprentice Catherine had packed her belongings into a large trunk, looking reluctantly at the luxurious three-story house they lived in.
"Really don't want me to send you off?" After putting Veronica on the carriage, Ryan spoke with a half-smile.
"No need." Veronica sat in the carriage, her beautiful almond eyes looking straight at him, full of reluctance: "Every parting makes me sadder, it shouldn't have turned out this way."
"Separation is for a better reunion. Go back to Garen, that's where you can truly shine." Ryan held Veronica's hand, speaking softly.
"It used to be, but now I'm not so sure... Goodbye, my dear." Veronica kissed Ryan lightly on the lips, then turned her head away, no longer looking at him.
"Don't be sad, Veronica. This is a gift for you. Wear it, and it will protect you from corruption." Ryan placed a silver pendant in Veronica's hand: "Goodbye."
The witch accepted the pendant, her gaze fixed outside the window, not looking back at Ryan again, as she didn't want to lose her composure in front of her apprentice.
After finishing speaking, Ryan stepped down from the carriage, stood at his home's entrance, and watched the carriage disappear at the end of the road before sighing and turning back into his home.
His heart was filled with unstoppable rage.
This anger was not directed at Veronica's departure, for Ryan knew that his relationship with Veronica was not that of true lovers. Their bond was more like that of deeply connected partners and bedfellows, taking what they needed from each other. This woman could not and would not stay by his side for long; like a proud bird, she had her own affairs to attend to.
Moreover, Ryan and Veronica both understood one thing: Veronica had no chance of becoming Ryan's wife, determined by her witch status, which she was very aware of.
Ryan was truly angered by the unreliability of the Garen Council. He hadn't expected one of the three major spellcaster associations on the continent to have such severe internal conflicts that he couldn't secure a stable teammate.
Veronica was his partner, but then Garen sent Theresa to partner with him.
Just as he was starting to coordinate with Theresa, Garen recalled her and replaced her with Veronica.
The mission had just ended, and Garen immediately recalled Veronica.
Were these urgent recalls really urgent? No, they were all due to the struggle between the chairwoman and the elder.
He felt it was time to collaborate with a different spellcaster organization.
Just as he opened the door, Ryan didn't look up, only noticing a figure approaching him from the corner of his eye. He muttered to himself while contemplating: "Just a few days, and now there are only two of us left in this house."
The response came in a mature and elegant voice.
"What does my champion wish to do?"
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