Chapter 109 - 99: A Small Sense of Sin (Part 2)

Chapter 109: Chapter 99: A Small Sense of Sin (Part 2)

Most of the commoners had already accepted Lian’s fiancée. Having heard how she rushed to the front lines, heedless of the danger, to share in his hardships, they were happy to spread this beautiful story.

They believed that while Lord Lian’s fiancée wasn’t beautiful, she was virtuous and kind, which was a stroke of luck for the entire Green Shade Territory.

Sophie rode a fine horse beside the carriage, her face expressionless, but her mood was anything but cheerful.

Ever since leaving the Bone Forest, her Kingfisher had grown listless, and she had no idea why.

The Guards rode their warhorses, their capes embroidered with a green shade and shield design, showcasing their glory and courage.

As the procession moved deeper into the city, the bell tower began to ring, its solemn peals announcing their victory and deepening the respect in the hearts of the people with every strike.

On both sides of the street, merchants opened their shops and placed their best wine and food in the windows, offering it for free to the Warriors who had defended their homes.

As the last wisps of morning mist were burned away by the sun, golden light fell upon every face, illuminating every corner of the Green Shade Territory.

This was the second time Catherine had entered the Green Shade Territory under the escort of Guards, but it was the first time she had ever felt its warmth.

It was also the first time she had ever felt what it was like to be welcomed.

Because of the man by her side, she was no longer the pitiful wretch everyone scorned and avoided, the one who bore the mark of Misfortune.

She squeezed Lian’s hand tighter, afraid that the man before her might disappear in the next instant.

"Thank you,"

Catherine said.

"You’re my fiancée. Why thank me? This is what I’m supposed to do."

Lian replied with a smile.

"I must have saved up all my luck to have met you,"

Catherine said, her voice filled with emotion.

Lian even noticed that beneath her black veil, her eyes were red-rimmed and glistening with tears.

’Catherine is so sensitive, crying over a scene like this.’

But that was exactly what stirred Lian’s protective instincts.

’Who wouldn’t want a sweet, delicate fiancée who’s so easily moved?’

Lian reached out, his hand passing through her veil to wipe away her tears.

This scene was witnessed by an unknown painter in the territory. He later recreated it from memory, producing a masterpiece that would be passed down for generations. It was titled, *Lian Moria Wipes the Tears of Catherine Rochelle Hernandez Mehelban Jackson*. After changing hands several times, the title was eventually shortened to *Lian Moria and His First Wife*. It sold at an auction house in the Empire Capital for the high price of 8 million gold coins, and the once-unknown painter became famous as a result.

"I must have used up all my good fortune to have met a fiancée as adorable as you."

Lian’s sweet nothings made Catherine’s face flush a delicate pink.

Although they had already shared a night of passion, they were still like a brand-new couple.

This was likely because they had so little time for romance; they hadn’t even had more than a few proper dates.

After he finished speaking, Lian glanced at Sophie on her horse out of the corner of his eye.

Fortunately, Sophie wasn’t paying any attention to him and Catherine. Her focus was entirely on her dying Kingfisher.

’My decision was the right one,’ Lian thought. He had used a little trick on the Kingfisher, and just as he’d expected, it had captured all of Sophie’s attention.

’The only downside is this small feeling of guilt toward Sophie. I’ll just have to make it up to her in the future.’

’Yes, I must make it clear to the Empire: the law forbidding Witches from marrying must be abolished! It’s a violation of a Guardian Witch’s rights! The Witches within the Green Shade Territory must enjoy the same rights as ordinary women. They should be able to marry and have children!’

As Lian’s thoughts ran wild, the procession soon passed from the outer city into the inner city.

The Southern Army’s Garrison Corps and the Investigation Team remained in the outer city. Only a few high-ranking officers followed him into the inner city and back to the Lord’s Mansion.

Anna and Annie were as beautiful and charming as ever—in fact, they seemed to have gotten a little chubbier since he’d left.

The corner of Lian’s mouth twitched. ’This is a little different than I imagined.’

’Shouldn’t they have missed me so much they lost their appetites and wasted away? How did they get plumper?’

’Don’t women in this era understand the importance of dieting?’

’Although... they do look even better this way.’

Lian grumbled inwardly.

Anna immediately sensed her master’s mood. With a gentle smile playing at the corners of her eyes, she said softly,

"Lord Lian, welcome home."

"Lord Lian, I’m surprised you’re still alive."

Annie added her own sincere greeting.

Lian knew Annie meant no harm—she just had low emotional intelligence—so he decided not to dwell on it.

"Lord Lian, how did you manage to reclaim the Bone Forest in such a short time?"

The powdered and rouged Karel Dennis asked excitedly.

Minister of Finance Omari Hani jiggled his belly, which had grown another size, and chimed in, "Yes, Lord Lian! You’re always working miracles, leaving us in a constant state of amazement."

The Southern Army’s captain, Kob, was also beaming with pride, so Lian decided to let him answer the question.

’I can’t very well say the war ended because I took on a new Maid, can I?’

’Even though it’s the truth, it wouldn’t be good for my reputation if it got out. It’s much better to have Kob describe how the Southern Army fought valiantly in the Bone Forest, how the blood of our warriors bought the peace we now have beyond the High Wall.’

’Yes, that sounds much more respectable than ’I hired a Maid’.’

Kob did not disappoint. He recounted the dangers of the Bone Forest for the two ministers and described how Lian had masterminded their strategy from behind the scenes.

Once Kob had talked himself hoarse and successfully burnished Lian’s image, Lian cleared his throat twice, took back the floor, and questioned the Minister of Finance.

"Omari, how are things progressing with the task I gave you?"

"Lord Lian, rest assured. The tasks you assigned are well in hand."

Omari Hani began to earnestly report on the construction progress of the Empire State Building. At present, the foundation was being laid.

The truth was, Lian had simply won the war too quickly. If he had dragged it on for just a few more months, Minister of Finance Omari Hani would have had more substantial results to show.

Lian didn’t blame Minister of Finance Omari Hani. With a grand wave of his hand, he assigned another new task to this pillar of the Green Shade Territory’s workforce.

"I planted a grove of Golden Trees in the Bone Forest. From now on, you’ll be in charge of managing them. The bark of the Golden Tree..."

"Okay, okay, okay."

Minister of Finance Omari Hani wiped the sweat from his brow. His string of affirmations was his promise to do his best to handle the additional workload.

’In any case,’ he thought, ’as long as it enriches the treasury, it doesn’t matter if I lose a little weight.’

"Karel, did anything major happen in the territory while I was away?"

Although Lian was clearly asking Karel Dennis, his gaze was fixed on Anna.

Karel Dennis, quite displeased by this, stepped in front of Anna to block Lian’s view and answered,

"Lord Lian, Miss Anna and I worked together to capture a group of nobles who were attempting to revolt. We are merely waiting for your return to pass judgment."

Anna covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a small laugh.

Catherine’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

’Through the black veil, she could see Anna’s beautiful face and perfect figure.’

’Two Maids like that, always by my fiancé’s side... It’s hard not to worry.’

Sophie, preoccupied with her Kingfisher, was completely zoned out and hadn’t heard a thing that was going on around her.

It wasn’t until Lian singled out the Ice Witch for praise, lauding her outstanding contributions to the war effort, that she finally nodded in acknowledgment.

"Keep the nobles locked up for now. I don’t have time to deal with them at the moment,"

Lian said to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

"Have you heard anything back from the Empire Capital?"

Lian looked toward the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alex Pool.

While he was away on his campaign, he had given Alex Pool an important task: to take Catherine’s Inheritance Document to the Empire Capital to be witnessed by the officials of His Majesty the King.

Although Alex Pool hadn’t gone to the Royal Capital himself, he had dispatched his most capable men and a retinue of Knights to travel there day and night.

"The emissary has not yet returned, but we expect them back in the next day or two,"

Alex Pool said.

Lian nodded slightly. "Hold a victory celebration. Hmm... let’s have it run for two days."

"Yes, Lord,"

the ministers replied in unison.