“Hmm? What’s this?” Shuro’s brows knit together. He was in deep thought for a few seconds. “Oh! It’s actually like this!” exclaimed the patriarch with an elated voice.

“What’s the matter, father?” asked Mila.

Patriarch Shuro was all smile. “You didn’t say about his Elemental Affinity!”

“Why should I? It’s not that strange for a warrior to possesses Water Elemental Affinity attribute.”

Mila Yashura didn’t know the reason why his father suddenly said this.

It’s actually a common thing for a warrior to conjure sparks of fire from empty s.p.a.ce. Or a combat mage to control the berserk wind, and priests utilizing the cool and healing nature of holy water. They are the children of nature. Yet each person usually only able to maximize the power of one element in their life, two or more could be considered powerful and genius in the world of warriors. Orthodox schools of thought terms this as Elemental Affinity.

Is it just a coincidence for s.h.i.+ra able to master the nature of water elemental?

Patriarch Shuro naturally knew his daughter doesn’t know what’s going on. In fact, a lot of people won’t know that s.h.i.+ra’s condition was a little special.

“Yes. It’s common for a warrior to possesses an Elemental affinity,” he nodded. “But that’s only if they pa.s.sed the condition of their Cla.s.ses. In other words, for a Novice like s.h.i.+ra, it’s actually a special thing!”

Mila was dumbfounded for a moment. “Then… there’s still a chance for him to become a powerful warrior?”

At his daughter question, Patriarch Shuro could only smile wryly. “This, actually I’m not sure myself. But what I know is that someday he’ll obtain a Unique Cla.s.s for sure. Just like his father.”

Hearing his father words, naturally, Mila was pleased. Even if s.h.i.+ra didn’t grow into a powerful warrior in the future, he could still succeed patriarch position in the future with a Unique Cla.s.s.

After that, the father and daughter chat happily about s.h.i.+ra’s future and current affairs of Yashura Family. They didn’t realize the magical paper was gone.

s.h.i.+ra sits alone in a s.p.a.cious garden. He ate a jar of biscuits while crossed his legs in a relaxed manner.

“Brat!” the Good-Natured Spirit called.

“Hmm?”

“You said you didn’t work on that scroll I mentioned before!”

“I didn’t.”

Ol’ Good-Natured Spirit threw him the magical paper Mila created before. “Hah! Water Elemental Affinity! High Dodge rating chance! That’s a characteristic of my cool and awesome ‘Water Flowing Style’ pa.s.sive skill!”

s.h.i.+ra noticed his own attribute. “Oh. Maybe I did. A little,” he mumbled uncertainly.

“Whatever you say,” what the spirit really cared that this lazy brat actually had a progress. Then with a raised chin, he announced excitedly, “actually, brat, I prepared for you some awesome training plan specially designed for a talent of one in ten million people like you. It was a training plan of h.e.l.l. The path I walked before to unlock the true potential of my amazing pa.s.sive skill, this ‘Water Flowing Style’ I was talkin’ about! With chances of living only five percent for a normal person, you could achieve this feat too if you survive! For those who succeed my awesome training plan would gain an unbelievable raw power! Believe me. The only you need naturally is to work very hard and a little montage scene or some time skip would help quite a lot too! In the end, you’ll be a very, very stronk! Believe me alright! Slapping some arrogant cardboard cutout characters and creating personal harem would be a child play for you! My child, a fortunate and heavenly chance now dawned upon thee. Are you ready?”

“No.”

“You f.u.c.kin’ brat…” the then excited spirit was speechless. “Fine! One of these days you’ll know what a true regret is! I’m waiting for you to beg and kneel! Pfft!”

“Oh, leave me alone!” s.h.i.+ra was quite dissatisfied with the talkative and shameless looking spirit.

Did he believe the peace-loving youth will exchange his life for a little bit of power?

h.e.l.l no!

It was a custom for families in Badril Village to convoying if they wanted to visit another family for a formal reason. Naturally, this was meant to draw attention and reputation across the village. Malikh Family did this today.

The musicians playing their roaring and spirited drums and flutes at the front of the convoy. One elder of Malikh Family led them in an imposing manner. Following behind were servant girls in white carrying a lot of plates of food or some silks as gifts. Locals were awed by how extravagant the convoy was.

But… what made people more dumbfounded was this: the golden embroidered carriage which was pulled by four white fine horses.

“That’s a little imposing, isn’t? Did Malikh Family own that carriage?” some people were confused.

“No. I know people from Malikh Family. They wouldn’t empty their family’s coin pocket just to flaunt with those expensive carriages. But what I heard is… right now an aristocracy family from a second-tier village was quite friendly with them.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Some people who heard the heated rumor naturally would be excited if they could see some drama today.

On the other hand, Yashura Family grew anxious.

“There’s something wrong with that convoy,” Patriarch Shuro Yashura narrowed his sharp eyes from Yashura Family’s front gate.

“Yes. Indeed,” an old grand elder nodded beside him.

“I can’t see Ghalim and his wife on the convoy,” the middle-aged patriarch whispered. “Old Ghugu, did you see them?”

The old grand elder shook his head. Strange indeed.

If they want to discuss something with Yashura Family about the engagement, naturally the one who sets the marriage should be the one who comes.

“He’s rumored to be poisoned,” said the grand elder softly. “But the elders from Malikh side always denied all that kind of talks.”

Now it’s Shuro’s turn to shook his head. “If he’s really poisoned, all he needs is to requests Jhuro’s help. My brother was a master of poisons in the first place.”

Ghalim Malikh, the current patriarch of Malikh Family, and s.h.i.+ra’s father were brothers in arms when they were younger. They adventure together, face dangerous situations together and so on. Their brotherhood bounding wouldn’t so thin that Ghalim would feel reluctant to asks his old buddy for help.

And yet, he didn’t. That was the only reason Shuro and other elders in Yashura Family didn’t believe about the poison rumor too.

“Maybe we should wait and see,” whispered back the grand elder with a reluctant yet wise tone. Shuro nodded.

The younger generation of Yashura Family were more carefree than their elders. The only one amongst them who has a hint of suspicious was s.h.i.+ra Yashura.

He was a sharp young fellow.

Naturally, he knew something will go wrong the moment he saw the luxurious four steeds carriage.

“For a family of a third-ranked village, that kind of transport was total vanity and waste of money,” he muttered in a whisper. “This is a bother,” he muttered helplessly. The Good-Natured Spirit was laughing beside him as he knew what will happen next.

As the convoy approaches Yashura Family’s tall and wide front gate, the luxurious carriage stopped.

The musicians and servant girls from the convoy dispersed, which was quite different from the practice of old custom where the families would exchange gifts and held some flash poet reading compet.i.tions among the younger generations. In fact, from the looks of it, Malikh Family was quite bold in front of Yashura. They didn’t intend to humor the latter. Some older locals who knew village customs were muttered dissatisfied of how disrespectful they were.

Shuro Yashura’s face turned black with anger. He looked around. Other elders beside him were furious too. This was the first time in years their family was disrespected and humiliated. Now he knew what this Malikh Family’s visit was about.

Many people were watching the convoy. By now the older generations in the villager already shook their own head or left the place silently. But the younger generations, especially young males, still quite excited to be able to see their cold princess of their dreams. They knew Bhela Malikh was inside the expensive carriage.

A figure steps down from the carriage. But he wasn’t their antic.i.p.ated princess. A young refined man in a black fancy suit, blue eyes and handsome looking oily black hair, turned around to opens the door from another side.

Then a milky white-gloved hand held the young man hand in an intimate manner as she steps down the carriage.

Everyone was dumbfounded. The cold princess of Badril Village actually dares to act intimate with a stranger. Did all of this farce was a collaboration to attack Yashura Family’s pride?

Patriarch Shuro Yashura steps forward with a dark expression. “Can we humbly ask a question to Malikh Family… who’s the young man who was standing with Young Lady Bhela?”

Elders from Malikh Family didn’t answer. Instead, it was the young man who opens his mouth.

“This humble young master was from Blackwood Family of Evers.h.i.+ne Candy City,” he said. “And I am Young Sis Bhela’s boyfriend!”

The crowd explodes in an instant.

“d.a.m.n that burn!” someone yelled.

“Yashura Family was roasted till the ground,” the other continued.

“Finally justice! That little piece of s.h.i.+t of untalented young master finally got p.a.w.ned!”

“But isn’t it quite the same? Before was engagement and now was another boyfriend. Are we have a chance at all?”

There’s naturally a lot of discussions were thrown around. The young master of Blackwood Family’s expression was full of a smug grin.

“What is meaning of this?” asked Patriarch Shuro with a sharp and hostile tone. “We, Yashura Family, need an answer right now!”

Blackwood Family Young Master raised his chin. “You need an answer? Fine then. Young Sis Bhela and I were a pair blessed by the heaven. As our love is pure and strong! Yet my girl can’t marry me because she was promised to another man without her consent! This naturally us loving couple should be the one who demand an answer!”

The Yashura Family couldn’t take anymore. Insults were thrown, folks inside Yashura Household were roared in a unison till their throat hurt.

Yet, the one whom his girl stolen looked coldly from a distance. His eyes were indifferent. Like he was watching a dry play on an unimpressive stage. s.h.i.+ra Yashura wasn’t convinced.

Bhela Malikh didn’t refute or reject the loving couple speech, leading people slowly believe in the rich young master’s words.

Then the Young Master continued.

“Actually, the reason I come here was to see my rival who shamelessly claims as my Young Sis Bhela’s future husband. I want to ask him, face to face: s.h.i.+ra Yashura. As a man, do you dare to battle me in a fair duel?”

Duel?

Is this a farce?

s.h.i.+ra Yashura was well-known in Badril Village as a waste young master who didn’t have an inch of talent to become a warrior.

And now look at Blackwood Young Master again. From the looks of it, he was in his early twenty. That’s mean, even if his talent was mediocre, at least he already a Cla.s.s obtained warrior by now.

There is no dueling. But a one-sided crus.h.i.+ng.

Everyone looks at the crowd in Yashura Family’s courtyard. Yet they don’t see anyone who resembles s.h.i.+ra’s feature. Even his uncle himself doesn’t know where was the youth right now.

In an unsightly corner, s.h.i.+ra was standing alone with his back resting on the wall.

“So all of this is a stage for them to weaken my family’s reputation?” s.h.i.+ra sneered without an intention to show himself in public.

The youth was trying very hard to keep his calm. Yet, a roguish and irritating voice still rang aloud beside his ear. Made him felt dizzy from the shame.

s.h.i.+ra looked at the cold beauty by the carriage. “She’s very pretty alright,” maybe it’s the first time he saw his fiancée in years. But he felt reluctant to throw himself into trouble in order to chase her.

s.h.i.+ra himself was quite bothered by his father’s decision back then. To engage him, without his consent, was bothersome enough to thought about.

So now, all he do was calmly let the storm pa.s.s. Then let his always-absent father deal with the mess.

Even if Yashura Family would lose quite a bit of their face, s.h.i.+ra believed in a few years things would be peaceful again.

By the luxurious carriage.

Seeing no figure to accept his duel, naturally Young Master from Blackwood Family was elated. Calmly, he spouted some short yet insulting words to Yashura Family once again, angered them even more.

“If he’s not man enough to step forward, then naturally this visit was a waste,” the Young Master Blackwood shook his head intentionally at the crowd. Then starts to prepare to go home.

Suddenly, a raged, sharp, yet feminine roar was heard inside Yashura Family’s crowd:

“Wait a minute, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”