Abyssal Chronicles

Chapter 876 - 877: The Betrothed

In a luxurious mansion located in Virdora, the eastern economic capital of the Holy Lomari Empire, a group of servants waited anxiously outside the reception room for their young master’s orders. They stood there in silence for several dozen minutes.

As time passed, a senior maid could no longer bear the deathly silence and couldn’t help but complain, "What’s going on? That woman actually kicked us out like this?! This is the territory of the Marquis family, a great noble house of Holy Lomari! What right does she have to be so arrogant?"

Recalling the haughty demeanor of the woman from earlier, the short-haired blonde maid frowned in anger. "The young master is really too lenient, letting that woman boss him around like that."

The muscular elderly maid standing across from her glared and scolded, "Kaidrin, you can’t casually criticize guests."

"But, but, that person was too rude!" Kaidrin protested in a dissatisfied tone. "She’s clearly a guest, yet she acts like the master, looking down on us and the young master! Isn’t that going too far?"

Following Kaidrin’s lead, the other servants began whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with displeasure. Clearly, they were all unhappy with the red-haired woman’s behavior.

"Who does she think she is, being so arrogant?"

The elderly maid sighed helplessly, "That person is the Captain of the Flame Mercenary. You all better watch what you say."

Kaidrin scoffed, "So what if she is? She’s still just a lowly mercenary! Just because they’ve developed a bit, they think they’re all that haughty and mighty? Compared to our Marquis family, they’re just a bunch of barbarians. How dare she use that attitude and order our young master around like a servant? It’s infuriating."

"Kaidrin! Mind your words!" The elderly maid glanced nervously at the closed meeting room door not far away and reprimanded angrily, "You can’t speak of guests that way. Barbarians or not, Captain Kalina now leads the strongest mercenary on the continent. Our Marquis family has been in decline ever since the new Emperor took the throne. We can’t compare to them at all! If they hear your foolish remarks, it could bring disaster to the entire family!"

"Hmph, what’s there to be afraid of?" Kaidrin turned her head disdainfully. "We don’t need to fear them at all! The young master is about to get engaged to the young lady of Night Wish City. By then, our Marquis family will be clinging to the thigh of Night Wish City! They are currently the top power on the Ancita continent! With their backing, what do we have to fear from Flame Mercenary?"

"That’s right!"

"That woman should be the one afraid of us!" The group of disgruntled young maids chimed in agreement. Hearing this, the elderly maid rubbed her temples in exasperation, her eyes filled with worry.

She wanted to correct the naive maids’ words, but due to her master’s orders, she couldn’t reveal the truth despite knowing the inside story. "In any case, you brats better restrain yourselves. Don’t let Lady Kalina see your dissatisfaction. Otherwise, you’ll bear the consequences."

After all, this engagement isn’t as simple as you imagine.

…

At the same time, while the servants were whispering outside, inside the VIP room, an extremely awkward and heavy atmosphere permeated.

Despite being the guest, Kalina sat calmly in the main seat, indifferently sipping her tea. Across from her, a young noble man dressed in luxurious black attire with a silver sword at his waist sat rigidly without saying a word.

By all appearances, he was quite a handsome man. With a robust and tall stature estimated to be over 180cm, his flaxen hair flowed so smoothly it made people gasp, soft enough to make many women envious. His chiseled yet slightly delicate features made many men pale in comparison beside him. Without a doubt, he was an exceptionally good-looking man.

He was Jiyan Malin, the eldest son of the Marquis Malin family.

As the host, he sat nervously as if being interrogated. In the eyes of outsiders, this was undoubtedly a very strange situation, but Jiyan didn’t dare raise any objections. He just sat there silently, waiting for Kalina to speak.

Feeling the heavy atmosphere and the suffocating pressure assaulting him, Jiyan had the urge to faint at one point. If not for enduring it for the sake of his family’s reputation, he likely would have foamed and collapsed on the spot.

Fortunately, this asphyxiating atmosphere didn’t last too long. Just as Jiyan was about to break down, Kalina retracted her oppressive aura.

Clearly, she did this merely to warn Jiyan to recognize his place and cooperate obediently. Additionally, as Yuan’er’s sister, Kalina naturally needed to understand the "fiancé" she had chosen.

After finishing her observation, Kalina set down her teacup and coldly glanced at Jiyan with her legs crossed. "Young Master Jiyan, you’re getting engaged to Miss Yuan’er next week. Have you finished the necessary preparations?"

"Yes Ma’am. Everything is ready, from the gifts to the attire," Jiyan replied.

"And?"

"I, I have also memorized the lines you gave me. There, there won’t be any mistakes. I definitely won’t embarrass Miss Yuan’er."

"Good." Kalina nodded with some satisfaction. "Do you know why you were chosen to be Miss Yuan’er’s fiancé?"

Hearing this, Jiyan was stunned for a moment. Then he lowered his head and stammered, "Because during our time at the academy, Miss Yuan’er and I had a good relationship. Our engagement won’t seem too sudden. Also, our Marquis Malin family is a declining noble house in Holy Lomari. Our status is suitable, and choosing us won’t affect the existing political balance within Night Wish City. And... I, I’m quite handsome? My image is passable."

"Mm, that’s more or less correct." Kalina slowly stood up and walked over to Jiyan’s side. She patted the young nobleman’s shoulder and whispered beside him, "Since you’re so smart, I assume you also know the true meaning behind this engagement, right?"

"I, I’m just a shield to help Miss Yuan’er reasonably reject marriage proposals from other noble sons. A few years later, when the agreed wedding date arrives, we’ll dissolve the engagement under the pretext of incompatibility. After that, our Marquis family will receive a generous compensation, enough for us to rise again in Holy Lomari. This engagement is a transaction."

"Mm, not bad. It seems you’re quite smart. Then you must also know what you should and shouldn’t do, right?"

Suddenly, Kalina’s tone turned somewhat sinister, brimming with a threatening undertone.

Jiyan trembled involuntarily, a chill running down his spine. He could only nod instinctively. "Yes, I know. I will play the role of fiancé well, but I won’t overstep my bounds... and definitely won’t harbor any improper thoughts towards Miss Yuan’er."

"Very good. Let me emphasize it one more time. If you cooperate properly, once this matter concludes, your Marquis family will once again become a top noble house in the Holy Lomari Empire. But if you have any ulterior motives, your family... will no longer have any reason to continue existing. Do you understand?"

"Yes Ma’am."