NOVPUB
Chapter 222: What Kind of Person is He?
After hearing the story from Commander Ikhsan, they felt as though they had encountered something both absurd and amazing at the same time. Destroying the Orb of Origin? Golden light and energy suppressing other forms of energy? They really didn’t know how to make sense of it, but one thing caught their attention: the golden light or energy.
Grand Duke Rivas had already discussed with Hector the person who unleashed the technique that left a giant mark on the battlefield. They had also finally learned that this person was the same one who saved Irene. At that moment, the grand duke didn’t know what to do after reaching this conclusion. He had sworn to search for that individual, but if he truly was the one who unleashed such a technique, there would be no way to find him if he chose to hide. More than that, with that kind of strength, forget about using force to bring him here.
However, although he wanted to meet the man who seemed to have captivated his daughter, he was even more curious about Aldrian’s identity or origin. How could someone like that not already be famous across the continent? Was he someone living a reclusive life, indifferent to the outside world? No, if that were the case, he wouldn’t have joined this war or potentially been the reason for the devils’ retreat.
From Commander Ikhsan’s story, he finally had a clue. It seemed that this person came from the Forgeheart Kingdom, based on the teleportation schedule at that time. With this information, perhaps he could trace where the individual came from and uncover something about him.
Hector was also thinking the same as Grand Duke Rivas. He now had a clue about this person’s past and could begin searching for his traces.
"Alright, I understand. Thank you for the report. You have been a great help, General. I will reward you later," said the grand duke.
Hearing Grand Duke Rivas, Commander Ikhsan immediately bowed his head.
"Thank you, my lord!"
Grand Duke Rivas nodded and finally walked toward his mansion, followed by Hector and their group. When the people saw the grand duke’s return, they began shouting victory chants. Their excitement grew even louder when they noticed the first prince among the group. Knowing that the first prince of the Doria Empire had also been on the frontlines—and given his fame—the crowd erupted with even greater cheers of triumph.
After walking for a while, they finally arrived at the Rivas family mansion, where Grand Duke Rivas was immediately greeted by his wife, Elene Rivas.
"Welcome to our humble residence, Your Highness. I congratulate you on your safe return," Elene said, bowing respectfully to Hector after greeting her husband.
"No, Madam Elene, I feel bad for coming so suddenly. I apologize," Hector said.
"No, no, Your Highness, it’s alright. On the contrary, it’s an honor to have you visit our home. Now, please, let’s go inside. You all must be tired after such a long battle. We can discuss other matters later."
They entered the mansion as Hector was directed to the guest room. A few hours later, after everyone had freshened up, Hector and Grand Duke Rivas arrived at the dining room, where an array of dishes had already been prepared for them to enjoy.
"Excuse me, Madam Elene, I haven’t seen Miss Irene since earlier. Is she in the mansion right now?" Hector suddenly asked before they began their meal.
"I’m sorry, Your Highness. She will be here shortly. She’s been like this ever since she came back from the frontline—seems like she prefers to keep to herself in her room," Madam Elene said.
After a few moments, footsteps could be heard approaching the entrance of the room, and at that moment, Hector’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at the beautiful woman now standing in the doorway.
"My apologies for being late. I had to prepare myself," Irene said, looking in Hector’s direction and slightly bowing her head. "Welcome to our humble home, Your Highness. Once again, I apologize for the delay." Her face was serene, showing no emotion. It was a stark contrast to how she interacted with her family, or even more so when she met Aldrey or Aldrian.
"No, it’s okay, Miss Irene. Please, don’t act too formal in front of me," Hector said.
To be honest, if Hector were looking for a wife, the woman in front of him would be the most worthy candidate. Given her status, there was no doubt that she was more than worthy. She was the daughter of Grand Duke Rivas, the most powerful grand duke of the neutral faction. If he could marry her, he would gain the support of the Rivas Grand Duchy.
But regardless of her status or political stance, her talent alone is rare on the continent. A strong cultivator with genius talent, there are few like Irene in the Doria Empire. Even her merits on the battlefield are tremendous. She was not some spoiled young miss of a noble family, but a thorny flower that grew in a harsh environment.
However, he knew that Grand Duke Rivas himself would reject his proposal because of his status. Unless something significant happened, there was no way Grand Duke Rivas would change his opinion. Once his daughter married one of the princes, their family would be dragged into the succession race, and that was exactly what Grand Duke Rivas wanted to avoid the most.
Irene then sat in the seat opposite Hector and began eating her portion of food. Hector looked at Irene once again and sighed. Although it was a pity, he had something more important to focus on than matters of marriage. Grand Duke Rivas also glanced at Hector, as if he knew what was on his mind. If Hector were not a prince, he would have liked to have him as his son-in-law.
But suddenly, he thought of Aldrian, the one who made his daughter show such different expressions. He felt a surge of irritation. Even though Aldrian was much stronger than any cultivator he had met, he still didn’t know what kind of person he is.
After they finished lunch, Hector looked at Irene and stated his intentions.
"Miss Irene, the purpose of my visit is to gather information about a person named Aldrian. I would like to learn more about him from someone who could be said to have been saved by him. We have already gathered information from the people he saved from the devils in Sazim, and now you are the last person I would like to ask about him."
Irene raised her eyebrows but then suddenly smiled. It was the first time Hector had seen Irene smile like this, as he had always seen her with an expressionless face. Grand Duke Rivas facepalmed, thinking again that his daughter had lost.
As for Elene, she was puzzled as she looked at Irene and her husband. Who is this Aldrian? She only knew that Irene seemed happier when she returned from the battlefield. Elene had asked her daughter about it, but Irene’s response had been dodgy, and she only showed a happy face. Did her change in expression and mood have anything to do with this Aldrian?
Hector, who noticed the change in Irene’s mood, could only sigh.
"Miss Irene, I want to know your opinion on what kind of man this Aldrian is. It seems you have interacted with him, and from what I understand, this man returned after rescuing you. This is based on eyewitness accounts that saw him appear after you were brought to Ilyon," Hector said.
"We are trying to assess and ensure that this man is not a future threat. If possible, we want to build a relationship with him. His strength is what we need in these uncertain times, especially with the prophecy of the Heavenly Direction Church seeming ever closer. Given the current war, we are certain the devils will not stop here." He added.
Irene nodded at Hector’s explanation. It was true that Aldrian’s potential was terrifying; he would be the most powerful spear for anyone who could grab hold of him. Irene felt that this assessment of Aldrian was only one reason. In her opinion, the imperial family wasn’t much different in this regard. She believed the main reason they were interested was that they saw this as an opportunity to make Aldrian their hidden card. 𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
She saw Hector waiting for her answer, but her thoughts drifted to the first prince.
"Or does His Highness want to bring Aldrian to his side as a helper for the succession race?"
After considering this, she took a moment to organize her thoughts before answering Hector.
"He is a man with strength unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life. For me, it’s not an exaggeration to say that he is the strongest cultivator at present. His methods and techniques are extraordinary, and from my interactions with him, I can tell he is not someone who can be manipulated. He holds firm to his principles. In my opinion, he is someone who will treat others the way they treat him," she said, her voice full of confidence.
After hearing Irene’s answer, the others looked at her with varying expressions. Hector was deep in thought, pondering her words seriously. Madam Elene widened her eyes in surprise, while Grand Duke Rivas... well, he was in tears, feeling the weight of how much his daughter had changed.
