Soul of Searing Steel
chapter-654

Being able to hear every sound within a hundred miles without paying attention and sense everything without opening his eyes, Joshua who had mastered organic vision could monitor every move of every person in a city easily if he was willing. He did not do so, however, because it was simply unnecessary.

But now, the warrior's gaze was piercing the wooden walls and they layered circles protecting Redwood Castle as he stared toward a corner of the city. He looked on silently, until he exhaled and smiled genuinely.

"What a coincidence."

Rising and opening the doors, the whimsical Legendary champion led the two bewildered divine armament siblings and left the luxurious guest suite. Before any of the servants—and the two elven Legends—could react, he had already left the citadel built upon the colossal redwood tree, flying silently and landing at the corner of the city he had been staring at.

The place was a famous tavern in Redwood City. White wreaths and colorful flags were hoisted by the doors, showing that there was a wedding here. Joyous voices were echoing from the other side of the street, while soft and melodious merrymaking could be heard from inside the tavern.

"Eh? Someone's holding another wedding today as well?"

Ying appeared unperturbed by her master's prompt actions, having long gotten used to Joshua's whims. "What a coincidence," she said nonchalantly, looking at the wreaths outside the tavern. "It seems everyone thinks that today is a blessed day."

"Yes, indeed."

Joshua narrowed his eyes outside the doors to the tavern, muttering for a brief moment before striding inside. The guards by the door appeared unmoved, as if they could not see the warrior at all—their sensory organs had been affected by some unusual power, unable to focus their attention and gazes at the spot where Joshua was.

Joshua hence strode into the tavern, and the music instantly became clearer, just as the merrymaking cascaded by the waves. There were loud blessings from dwarves, as well as the elegant singing voices of elves. Compared to this ordinary wedding ceremony held at a random corner in town, the historical matrimony in Redwood Castle appeared cheerless.

"Boss, a toast from me!" One drunk dwarf exclaimed, the precise articulation of a clergy background distinct in his voice. Typically, it was usually difficult to imagine the sight of a clergy being drunk and crying 'boss', but it was a lot less given that it was a dwarf in a wedding.

"Alright, alright, how much have I drink already… Hic. Stop it, you lot! Downing alcohol on me like that, I'm going to trim a few salaries!"

The drunken voice of a human sounded. One could easily tell that the fellow who was toasted to dizziness was one of the main characters of the wedding. There was also another rather mild feminine human voice beside him, refusing more toasts for his husband. "That's enough. Chris still has to work tomorrow, and do you guys plan to have me sleep with a drunk tonight? I'm going get angry if this keeps on."

"Ah. We'll have to listen to the missus since she's spoken."

The raucous crowd settled down after the bride spoke—she clearly held authority over them. Then, amidst thudding footsteps, the bride carried the groom who was almost unable to walk straight, retreating behind the stands and leaving the guest to enjoy the scrumptious wedding banquet.

'Master, what are you going to do here?'

The divine armament siblings were confused. They were not curious that Joshua left Hill's wedding halfway through, since he had no reason to stay, and the internal council of the elves was not a concern for him as a Legendary champion of the Northern Empire. Even so, there was no reason he would run to a certain corner of Redwood City and crash a peasant's wedding.

But before the two could ask, Joshua strode off again, now heading directly to the bridal prep room behind the stage.

Inside, the blonde bride who was dressed in white had made a cup of tea for curing a hangover, and tried to give it to the groom who almost could not open his eyes. Being an alchemist and almost never touching substances such as alcohol that trouble the nerves, the groom appeared prone to being intoxicated, hence almost unconscious after a few toasts with his companions, his speech unintelligible.

Be that as it may, the bride did not appear impatient. She gently held the groom's flailing right hand and tenderly poured the tea into his mouth, and the groom slept like a log right after. Just as the bride was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she noticed that Joshua and the others had suddenly appeared by the door.

"Ah! You, who are you? Why are you here?"

While panicking at first, the bride's reactions soon calmed. She quietly put herself in front of the groom, speaking with a tone as a mild as she could muster. "Could you perhaps be lost? It's alright. The exit is over there—the banquet is continuing, and there would also be a performance by an elven band later."

There was only a single corridor leading to the prep room and it was impossible for one to get lost there, which the bride should know. She was also clearly aware that it was not the time to scream or be flustered, which was why she intend to discern their intentions first and do her best to delay them.

"Are you Chris's wife? Relax, I mean nothing untoward."

Joshua simply waved her off, gesturing that he was no rogue, and nodding in admiration of the unnamed but rather brave blonde woman. Then, he turned toward Chris who appeared to have dozed off, and watched him silently.

'Chris's former acquaintance? The kind who can't show up normally…?'

The bride was unsettled, but calmed after having seen that Joshua made no false moves. After all, she was not aware of Chris's true identity though she was his wife, only knowing that he had fled from the Northern Empire to the Far South after being involved in the tribal struggle of certain nobility.

She was a merchant lady whom Chris met when he was peddling potions, living at her father's sister's house with her parents having passed on early. Though she was not told of his true identity, she was willing to travel over half the world by his side to this place, the domain of the Far Southern elves. It was also the truth that her choice was right: Chris may not be some millionaire at the moment, he was reputable as an alchemist and capable of giving them a happy life.

"You're with child."

Joshua suddenly said, surprising the bride who quickly looked toward her own underbelly and stroke it unwittingly. Then, as she turned toward the dazed Chris, she could not hold back an expression of delight—even if she did not know how the man whom she instinctively did not dare to level her gaze at would so confidently tell her that she was pregnant, she was willing to believe him.

"So, he's really out. Hmph. Such weak alcohol tolerance, a disgrace to the family. That cheap uncle of mine could at least empty a few buckets alongside my cheap dad—really, this fellow can't even how a candle to a maidservant."

Joshua strode toward Chris with a sneer, paying no attention to the bride who was alert at once again, his gaze fixed all along on his cousin, with the occasional glance at the bride's belly. After a long silence, the warrior laughed shortly. "But it is fine. It may be the perfect choice for you."

The bride had wanted to stop Joshua from getting closer, but a mild force stopped him approaching the warrior. After a brief moment of emotion, Joshua turned to the blonde lady with faint freckles on her face. While no stunning beauty, she held grace, and now able to tell that she could not stop Joshua by any means, she gave up on interfering.

"You… who are you?" She asked forthrightly. "Is there any reason you're looking for my husband?"

Even if she did not have any supernatural powers, everyone on Mycroft was aware of the wonders of magic, aura, and holy light. Despite being unable to determine Joshua's strength, the bride knew that the man before her was someone important who could not be defeated even if his entire adventurer escort was called upon: there was no chance of getting out of this through direct confrontation.

And yet, she daringly stood her ground and faced him, instead of shrinking to a corner and tremble like an ostrich.

"It's nothing… Just a little unhappy with him that he actually intends to conceal his own heritage… It's a little too much."

No longer staring at the fainted Chris, Joshua studied the bride, who was frowning and thinking. "What is your name, milady?" He asked.

"Me? I'm Sophie… though I guess I'm Sophie Chris now."

Starting a little nervously, Sophie's voice became gentler and more loving the more she spoke. She could tell that even if Joshua was behaving unusually and wield indeterminable power, his actions and words assuredly showed no malicious intent, and he appeared to be… a cousin from Chris's old family.

"Sir," she therefore asked in curiosity once more. "Is there a reason you sought out my husband? Could it be a trouble from his former family?"

"There's no trouble. As for reason… there wasn't, now there is."

Lowering his gaze to Sophie's belly, Joshua sighed softly and smiled faintly. "Just think of me as a mysterious, uninvited guest. I don't believe I would appear before you two anymore… As for reason, I'm just here to offer my blessing."

"Listen, you weakling who abandoned family, burying your very name without saying a thing and ignoring the duty of your blood. Your sins aren't much less than your father's, but at least he dared to stand out and fight me for power, while you only know about running away."

Reaching out with a palm where silver radiance flashed, Joshua did not mind the tensing Sophie, aiming his palm at her belly across thin air.

"Even so… Little unborn fellow," he added with a voice no one could hear save for himself, "the duty of the Radcliffes have ended by my hand. You do not need to be a destined fighter, or shoulder the innate duty to purge Chaos. You only have to be healthy, a person who could choose your own future."

"Bless you, child of a new generation."

Silver light flashed and streamed into Sophie's belly amidst as she looked on, stunned. Though she herself felt nothing, her body that had been fatigued was suddenly energetic.

Withdrawing his hand, Joshua arched his back and patted the dazed Chris's shoulders, and promptly vanished with Ying and Ling from the room even as Sophie gaped at them, as if he had never appeared.

Those who lived to fight actually do not understand so-called happiness.

But in the very least, he could grant those who wish to live in peace a peaceful life.

And that was perhaps the greatest blessing there was.That's totally not creepy