CHAPTER 1285: CHAPTER 313 WEDDING GUESTS

Annan and Kafney’s wedding was finally held as scheduled in Frost Speech Province.

Due to adequate publicity beforehand, distinguished guests from around the world began arriving gradually a week before the wedding. However, both Annan and Kafney disliked overly chaotic gatherings, so the guest list for the wedding was actually quite modest—in terms of scale, it could even be considered small.

Even including the staff, attendants, and immediate family members from both sides, there were fewer than a hundred attendees.

From Noah’s side, apart from Kafney’s father, they sent Eugene Geraint, someone Annan was familiar with, as a representative.

Eugene was the second son of the Crow family, elder brother to Tan Juan. He had an average appearance, upright posture, and an almost unsettling "ordinary bearing"—the future heir of the Crow family.

"Your Majesty Annan."

He walked over and greeted Annan with a respectful bow.

Annan smiled warmly and nodded to him. "It’s been a while, Eugene."

"The first time I saw you, I knew you would do something extraordinary. When I learned that you had a close relationship with Her Majesty, Kafney, who was then a princess, I had actually thought about the possibility of such an event."

Eugene’s expression was complicated. "But I didn’t expect...that I would actually be right.

"I heard...that you plan to hand Winter Duchy to our Majesty?"

"Only the management rights,"

Annan chuckled lightly. "You don’t know, I’m actually very busy."

Upon hearing this, Eugene nodded thoughtfully.

He then asked, "Are you busy saving the world?"

As soon as Eugene said this, he immediately chuckled and explained, "I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just thinking...if there’s something more important than ruling a nation, I can only think of things like ’being a hero’ or ’saving a world.’"

Having said this, he bowed to Annan once more and then stepped aside.

Annan realized.

Eugene had already pieced something together in the subtlest of ways.

Through this joking but probing manner, observing Annan’s reaction, Eugene could sense that his guess was likely accurate.

This demonstrated the fine inheritance of the Crow family—Eugene immediately realized that the enemy Annan and Kafney deemed so significant was likely an opponent beyond his reach.

Thus, he laughed it off without asking further and quickly exited the conversation.

The so-called wisdom of self-preservation...

—So be it.

With such a clever figure assisting, Annan had one less concern regarding Kafney’s affairs.

As for the side of the United Kingdom—delivering gifts on behalf of Ofelia was none other than Arthur Burnfang.

Having endured one of the nine hells of Ofelia, the once naïve idealist poet had been forged into a competent king.

Additionally, as Ofelia matured and became more reliable, Arthur was able to let go of certain things...which made him calmer than ever.

The eternal fury, anxiety, and arrogance in his eyes had finally subsided. Now, his gaze held no more of that searing liquid gold but faint embers glowing gently like charred coal.

Yet, the aura around him had grown more focused.

"I have resolved to devote my life to following the Absolution Master, repenting for all the sins I’ve committed throughout my past."

He said to Annan, "Therefore, I have changed my mind—I do not intend to become the Tower Master. While I will continue to support Ofelia behind the scenes, I will no longer act as the focal point of aristocratic politics.

"He has grown so much. Even without my assistance, he can manage Dennisiowa perfectly well...making my help redundant. Let me simply watch him from afar, watch over Dennisiowa."

Arthur had relinquished much, appearing akin to a monk who had just received sudden enlightenment.

He looked noticeably healthier than the last time they had met.

It was as if someone always consumed by rage, anxiety, and thought, burdened with unresolved troubles, had finally been freed from those haunting nightmares. In just a few short months, he seemed almost like an entirely different person.

His prior anguish, his hostility toward his own family, his obsession with reshaping Dennisiowa’s politics, and even his ambiguous feelings toward Selicia—all had faded into insignificance since Ofelia had abruptly grown stronger, far surpassing him.

He suddenly understood how the relentless fire in his heart had obscured countless things and destroyed much that was undeserving of his wrath.

When the fierce flames of desire gradually subsided...it made his soul shine brighter and more resplendent.

Just like a gem refined by fire.

When Arthur truly grasped the purpose of his existence, perhaps then a new, purer flame of desire could ignite in his heart. Perhaps that flame would guide him to even greater heights.

"It’s all good news."

Annan nodded in satisfaction.

In Winter, attending the wedding, apart from Annan’s elder siblings and grandmother, were also the two great dragons of Winter.

Besides Razor Ridge’s "Hairdresser," the other dragon was one Annan had never met before.

Her name was "Fine Snow," and her human form appeared as a youthful girl about twenty years old, with tranquil pink-blue eyes and white twin ponytails. She always seemed so sleepy that she couldn’t fully open her eyes, speaking in a soft and gentle tone...as if she had been woken halfway through a nap.

The representatives sent by the Underground City included Niusel, Naifertali, and Jacob, all familiar faces to Annan. Since they didn’t know Kafney, they refrained from monopolizing Annan’s attention. Instead, they greeted him respectfully from afar and seated themselves in a corner.

But what surprised Annan was that even the Holy Nation had sent representatives.

The representative was none other than the Pope of this generation’s Hall of Purity—the true ruler of the Holy Nation, the Pope of Mr. Radiance...the bearer of the Holy Relic [Skull of Honesty], the "Silent Unspeakable" Saint Peter.

Despite his reputation, he appeared as an ordinary and understated short man.

He looked about twenty years old, barely a head taller than Annan, with fluffy, slightly curly black hair that nearly covered his eyes. A slender man of medium height, aside from being shorter than 170 cm, he seemed as if he were dressed like a simplistic version of artist Kenshi Yonezu.

As a Pope, he didn’t wear the most ornate and ceremonious papal robes, nor did he carry the papal staff or don the iconic seven-tiered crown of acting Popes. Instead, he wore the gold-trimmed white robes symbolizing Mr. Radiance’s clergy, not even bothering with badges denoting his rank as bishop or cardinal.

Among those present, nearly no one recognized him.

Not Annan, not Kafney, not even Dmitry, Arthur, or even Eugene, who came from an intelligence background.

It was only when Grandmother personally stepped forward to greet him, that the guests were slightly shocked to discover that he was actually the Pope—the longest-serving and oldest Saint Peter, the "Honest Saint," also jokingly known as the "Silent Saint."

He was said to be nearly 180 years old.

Yet, he looked like a twenty-something youth...just somewhat introverted.

Upon meeting Annan, this Saint, who had been silent for 120 years, suddenly spoke:

"Your Majesty need not worry. Victory will certainly be ours in this endeavor."