A sudden piece of news disturbed the peace of the Royal Capital: the Seventh Princess, Elvia Rolan, was marrying an obscure mage.
Princess Elvia held considerable prestige among the common people and adventurers.
This sudden wedding announcement instantly ignited the gossip-hungry souls of the entire Royal Capital.
Outside the Pariah Messenger post office in the Seventh Ring, refugees queuing to collect their letters rubbed their hands, which were frozen bright red, as they spoke in low voices.
"Did you hear? Her Highness the Seventh Princess is getting married!"
"For real? Which high noble is it?"
"Apparently it's not a noble; it's some mage from outside..."
"A mage? That's not bad! It's better than marrying one of those knight lords who keep their noses in the air!"
Inside the post office, the well-dressed clerks sent to "assist" with the work huddled together to whisper during gaps in their tasks.
Their tones carried more scrutiny and calculation.
"The Seventh Princess's move is truly incomprehensible."
"I thought she would marry the Eldest Young Master of the Wales family; hasn't he been pursuing her?"
"It's not just him. From the Knights, the pillar candidates Knight Valk and Knight Black have both declared that if the Seventh Princess would only accept their affection, they would swear eternal loyalty to her."
"The Seventh Princess clearly had those choices, so why would she pick a mage? I heard he's only a Mid-tier High Rank mage..."
"...Why do I get the feeling that this mage seems familiar?"
"Me too."
Hiding on the second floor of the post office, Theia couldn't help but daze as she heard the vague discussions from below.
Confusion filled her emerald eyes.
Elvia... is marrying Lin Gui?
When did this happen? How did she know nothing about it?
However, as the central figures of this storm of public opinion, Elvia and Lin Gui appeared entirely indifferent toward the banquet being held specifically for their marriage.
At the very least, Elvia showed sufficient regard for the event through her attire.
She had changed into a tailored evening gown that preserved her princely dignity.
Her blonde hair was meticulously styled, and she wore simple yet glittering jewelry.
As for Lin Gui...
When he appeared before Elvia as agreed before the start of the banquet, she almost couldn't stop herself from pushing him right back out.
Lin Gui was still wearing that same old, faded mage robe.
His hair was a mess, his eye bags were deep, and his face was full of the haggardness that comes from lack of sleep.
Furthermore, his entire body faintly emitted a complex scent... a mixture of soil, grime, and a long-lingering musty odor.
Elvia covered her nose in disgust and took two steps back.
"I say... what is that smell on you?! Why are you so stinky!"
Lin Gui lifted his bloodshot eyes and gave her a lethargic glance.
His voice carried the hoarseness of extreme exhaustion.
"I've been crawling through sewers, abandoned secret passages, and underground caverns that haven't been entered in god knows how many years... how could I not be stinky?"
For a full day and night, he had gone without sleep or rest, practically turning the surface and known underground spaces of the entire Carter Royal Capital upside down.
He had crawled from the sewage trenches of the Seventh Ring to the ancient secret passages suspected to exist beneath the Royal Palace in the First Ring.
He had explored everything from the drainage systems under the bustling streets of the commercial district to the abandoned underground wine cellars in the noble district.
He had even been bold enough to slip into the burial grounds of the Carter royal family.
He had pried open several stone coffins...
However, the system remained silent, and no prompts rang out.
Exhausted in body and mind, Lin Gui could only give up for the time being.
He desperately needed rest.
He was ten thousand times unwilling to attend this banquet.
But before the banquet began, there was the auction held specifically for the inner noble circle.
Lin Gui had originally wanted to sneak in with his "authentic" look, but Elvia held him back firmly.
Elvia's mouth twitched as she looked at his appearance.
"You intend to go in like that? The guards at the palace gates will mistake you for a vagrant and kick you out!"
Lin Gui yawned and spoke nonchalantly.
"If they dare to do that, then I'll dare to personally deliver a report to the Saintess stating that a Holy Saint has suffered discrimination from the Carter royal family due to simple clothing."
Elvia was left speechless.
Ultimately, she resorted to dragging and pulling him, urging several temporary maids along with her.
They practically forced Lin Gui into the nearest high-end hotel.
A while later, at the hotel entrance, Lin Gui had changed into a decent dark outfit similar to a priest's robe.
With a simple cross insignia pinned to his chest, he finally looked presentable.
Although he still appeared withered and his heavy dark circles made it look like he could fall asleep at any moment, the clean outlines of his groomed appearance revealed a cold severity with an exotic flair.
Elvia looked him up and down, her eyes brightening slightly.
"Tsk, I didn't expect a guy like you to look so much like the real deal once you're dressed up."
Taking Lin Gui's arm, they walked into the auction preview hall.
As the protagonists, Elvia and Lin Gui immediately attracted many gazes.
Elvia demonstrated perfect royal etiquette, greeting various sincere or feigned well-wishers with a proper smile.
Meanwhile, Lin Gui, standing beside her, remained in a half-dreaming state.
He mostly brushed off the nobles who tried to strike up a conversation or express an interest in cooperation with nods, headshakes, or simple responses like "mm" or "oh."
Elvia skillfully navigated between them.
She did not make promises easily, nor did she offend anyone, neutralizing all probing attempts into nothingness.
They entered the main venue of the auction.
It was an extremely spacious and magnificent hall.
The dome hung high above, and the walls were embedded with massive magic crystals.
The soft light illuminated every exhibit, making them shine brilliantly.
However, in stark contrast to the grandiosity of the space, the number of people inside was small.
This auction was specifically prepared for members of the royal family and high nobles with the title of Count or above.
Today, it included nearly all the top power-holders in the Carter Royal Capital.
This was not because the auction itself possessed any world-shaking treasures.
Rather, it was because tomorrow was the day of the official visit from the mission of the Holy Church of Light.
King Carter had ordered that all upper-class nobles and royal members must be present for the welcoming ceremony.
Elvia took advantage of the gap to introduce several core figures in the room to Lin Gui in low tones.
Lin Gui was mostly uninterested until Elvia mentioned her eldest sister, Princess Diana.
Only then did Lin Gui manage to lift his eyelids to look at the middle-aged woman with an elegant and noble temperament sitting in the front row.
She was extremely well-maintained, but the fine lines at the corners of her eyes still showed the marks of time.
Her expression carried a composure from long-held authority and a touch of faint melancholy.
Sitting beside her was an extremely handsome man who could be called perfect: her husband, Dominic, the most handsome man in Carter.
However, as the famous "Lioness" Princess of the Royal Capital, Elvia did not sit in the front row with the Third Prince, the Eldest Princess, and the Second Prince, who was making his first public appearance in this auction where seating was strictly determined by power and status.
Instead, she sat far away in the very last row.
Facing the slightly puzzled look Lin Gui threw her way, Elvia gave a self-deprecating smile and whispered.
"True power is nothing more than martial force, gold coins, connections, and political power. Right now, I possess none of those four."
"If I didn't still hold an intelligence network that frightens some of the people present, I probably wouldn't even have the qualification to step into this venue."
Just as she finished speaking, an old Count beside them, who possessed an extraordinary bearing and a meticulously groomed beard, turned his gaze over.
Elvia immediately adopted an impeccable, elegant smile and took the initiative to nod in greeting.
That old Count returned a polite smile and spoke casually.
"Happy marriage, Princess Elvia."
Then, he naturally turned back to converse with the person beside him.
He did not spare Elvia another glance.
His attitude was courteous, yet marked by a clear and distinct distance.
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