The street was playing host to a scene of “a violent young woman taking down a group of police,” and it seemed this fierce female was far from done. Her eyes gleamed as she turned her gaze toward the arriving guards and the curious onlookers.
Ye Chui quickly stepped in to stop her. From what Lenny had said earlier, he sensed this man might be trying to help them. Shaking, he stood up and walked to Jilga’s side, looking at Lenny.
Lenny’s face was still slick with sweat, not from rushing over, but from shock at Ye Chui and his group’s actions. Still, he gave Ye Chui a subtle nod before continuing to address Godo. “The incident at the Coldstone Magic Guild two days ago was a misunderstanding. The guild master and Parnell can attest that the Random Name Magic Guild did not intentionally destroy the Coldstone Magic Guild or steal and damage the wedding invitation.”
As he spoke, he glanced at the guild master and Parnell.
“Yes, yes, I can confirm,” the guild master said, trembling. “The fight was a legitimate challenge, and the wedding invitation was accidentally destroyed.” He thought to himself that Ye Chui’s group was terrifying, taking down a group of guards in the street. It showcased not only their immense strength but also their fearless courage, like thugs daring to brawl with police.
Parnell nodded hurriedly. “We tried to explain to Captain Godo, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“But their resisting arrest is a fact,” Godo said, his face pale, as he shakily stood, clutching his backside where Jilga had kicked him.
“And whose fault is that for trying to arrest them without cause?” Lenny retorted. “They’re a three-star guild. Though they’re from out of town, they’re registered in Windrock City. You tried to arrest them without reason, so of course they were upset. Godo, I suggest you let this go.” He patted Godo’s shoulder, lowering his voice. “Do you really want to offend a three-star guild that’s already shown its strength?”
The members of the sixth and eighth squads, who had acted with Godo, though battered, showed worried expressions at Lenny’s words.
“Godo, you didn’t make this clear when you dragged us into this,” the eighth squad captain said with a hint of reproach, his eyes warily sizing up Ye Chui’s group. “We’re not getting involved in this.”
The sixth squad captain nodded in agreement.
Godo’s face wavered with indecision.
Ye Chui, Debbie, and Green, meanwhile, felt something odd. They realised they had misunderstood one thing: their status. A three-star guild carried weight. While not rare in Windrock City, it was still a mid-tier powerhouse, and guards had little authority over them.
Especially after they had already beaten a two-star guild and a mercenary group into submission, their strength was undeniable.
Only a hot-headed fool like Godo would try to arrest them without cause. If another captain had shown up at the Coldstone Magic Guild’s mansion, Ye Chui and his group might not have needed to flee. They might even have been greeted warmly.
“Fine, I’ll let it go,” Godo said. Though overly zealous, he wasn’t a complete idiot and knew his limits, especially after being thrashed by Jilga. He glanced at her fearfully as he spoke.
With Godo dropping the matter, Ye Chui, Debbie, and Green were officially cleared of their fugitive status.
Lenny patted Godo’s shoulder and explained the situation to Ye Chui’s group.
“We don’t have to hide in the slums anymore?” Debbie’s eyes lit up.
Lenny gave a wry smile. “Of course not. You’re a three-star guild. Even if Godo dared arrest you, I guarantee the guard commander would release you promptly. Don’t you have any sense of being big shots?”
Ye Chui, Debbie, and Green exchanged wry smiles. Their guild had only been established for two months, after all.
At this point, Ye Chui noticed the head chef, Lloyd, and the others standing nearby, clearly here to watch the drama unfold. Unfortunately for them, there was no comedy, only shock. Ye Chui grinned and waved at them. “Hey, see you in three days.”
Lloyd’s body instinctively trembled, nearly collapsing.
Ye Chui glanced at Jacob, who was looking over with awe and disbelief. Three days ago, when he met Ye Chui and his group being chased by guards, he had brought them to his home out of kindness. As a slum resident, he had no love for the iron-clad guards who often oppressed them. But who could have guessed these were such big figures, a three-star guild, and such an impressive chef?
“President Ye Chui,” Lenny suddenly leaned in, lowering his voice. “Come with me. I’ll take you to meet Cass.”
After Ye Chui, Debbie, Green, and Jilga left with Lenny, the crowd on the street gradually dispersed. The battered guards, with nowhere to vent their frustration, turned their ire on Godo. He quickly promised to treat them to drinks that evening, which finally pacified them.
Once everyone had mostly cleared out, Godo clutched his sore backside, his face showing a mix of grievance and resignation.
At that moment, the plump maid approached him. “Godo, I have some questions for you.”
“You?” Godo recognised her instantly, straightening up. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the plump maid, having met her a few times. Truth be told, he harboured a soft spot for her. One chubby person to another, he found her quite the beauty. He patted his chest. “What do you need from the captain of the third guard squad?”
The maid rolled her eyes at him, then looked toward where Ye Chui’s group had gone. “Tell me about them. Are they really that formidable?”
Miss Windsor’s elopement plan might just need their help.
…
In a secluded corner, Ye Chui met Cass, his face entirely concealed by a hood.
“You lot… are too reckless,” Cass said to Ye Chui, his tone laced with exasperation. “Are you here to help or to cause trouble? In just a few days, you’ve become fugitives, and I had to step in to bail you out.”
“It was an accident,” Ye Chui explained. “We were trying to get the wedding invitation, but it got ruined by mistake.” He glanced at Lenny, recalling something. “By the way, is damaging the invitation a big deal?” He already knew Lenny was Cass’s old friend and had confirmed through his iPad magic book that Lenny bore no hostility.
“For a two-star guild, a mercenary group, or an ordinary person, damaging an invitation would be a crime. But you’re a three-star guild. By the rules, you’re entitled to an invitation anyway, so destroying one isn’t a big issue. Getting the lord to issue a replacement, though, won’t be easy,” Lenny explained.
“Then it looks like we’ll have to go through the kitchen to get into the wedding,” Ye Chui nodded, assuring Cass. “In three days, at the head cook competition, I promise there won’t be any problems.”
“So that’s the plan,” Cass mused, his gaze drifting toward the lord’s mansion, thinking of the girl he longed for. “If only I could see Windsor before the wedding. But Lord Kevin has made thorough arrangements, restricting her movements. Meeting her won’t be easy.”
“What’s your plan?” Debbie asked.
Lenny looked at Cass with concern.
Cass, sensing Lenny’s worry, smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t storm the lord’s mansion. I’ve found a way.”
“What way?” Ye Chui asked curiously.
“The fourth prince recently obtained coordinates to a divine ruin. He’s recruiting a team to venture there before the wedding, planning to offer the most precious find as a wedding gift to Windsor. I’ve joined his adventure team under the name ‘Tempest,’” Cass replied.
Ye Chui’s face showed surprise. Another divine ruin? Divine ruins weren’t a single place but a collective term for the fragmented remnants of the divine realm after the gods’ fall. Countless adventurers saw exploring such ruins as an honour, and these places often held great treasures, having once been home to ancient gods.
“You’re not planning to assassinate the fourth prince, are you?” Debbie asked, shocked.
“Not for now, but I aim to secure a place by his side through this adventure. That might make it easier to get close to Windsor,” Cass explained, a cold glint in his eyes. Of course, if an opportunity arose…
“The fourth prince is quite ambitious now. Who would’ve thought,” Debbie muttered.
In her memory, the fourth prince was just a cowardly chubby boy, a year older than her but constantly bullied by her in their youth. Back then, in the capital, she was affectionately called the Little Demoness, feared by all the royal princes and princesses.
A nostalgic smile crossed Debbie’s face. She recalled nearly being betrothed to the fourth prince. Her father had wanted to align with the royal family, planning to wed her to the age-appropriate prince. But when Debbie found out, she chased him through half the capital’s streets, beating him black and blue. The prince, crying to the king, even threatened to take his own life, which finally called off the engagement.
After that, the fourth prince volunteered to govern a fief, staying away from the capital for four years. He was thirteen then, and Debbie was twelve. Now, four years later, here they were again, in this peculiar, opposing situation. Tsk tsk.
“What did you say, Debbie?” Ye Chui looked at her curiously.
“Nothing, nothing,” Debbie said, shaking her head. She didn’t take this bride-snatching mission too seriously. If things got out of hand, she believed her Little Demoness reputation would still hold sway over the fourth prince. But that was her trump card, not to be played lightly. That was the thrill of adventure.
The meeting with Cass ended quickly. As they parted, Ye Chui wished him luck, secretly intrigued by the divine ruin adventure but knowing he likely wouldn’t get a chance to join. He’d focus on being a great chef instead.
The trio returned to the Dustsand Inn.
After a refreshing bath in their rooms, they ordered a feast in the dining hall.
“Since we’re a three-star guild, shouldn’t we start thinking about establishing a base?” Ye Chui, as guild president, pondered seriously.
Most guilds and mercenary groups above two stars had their own mansions, but the Random Name Magic Guild was still lodging in an inn. It hadn’t bothered them before, but now, with a better grasp of their “big shot” status, it felt a bit shabby.
Debbie and Green nodded in agreement, finding Ye Chui’s idea sensible.
“But if we’re building a base, we should pick a bigger city, like the capital. My dad could help, ensuring we get a grand mansion,” Debbie offered confidently.
“Let’s handle guild matters ourselves. How much would a big mansion in the capital cost?” Ye Chui declined her offer, wary of her father’s intentions. Even if Debbie was easygoing, her father might not be so naive. Building their own mansion would ensure their independence.
Green nodded in agreement, guessing, “In a place like the capital, it’d probably cost tens of thousands of gold coins.”
“Then we’d better start saving,” Ye Chui nodded thoughtfully.
He thought of the head cook competition in three days. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall required complex, specific ingredients, likely hard to find in Windrock City. He’d have to make do. He handed Green a pen and paper, listing a long string of ingredients. “Over the next few days, try to gather these. If you can’t find them, get the closest substitutes. In three days, we’ll give them a dish to remember.”
Green studied the list and nodded firmly. “Got it.”
…
Three days passed quickly. The head cook competition was set for the afternoon. Green managed to gather most of Ye Chui’s ingredient list just in time. But that noon, before the competition, the trio visited a restaurant in the south district.
They had been in Windrock City for seven days, and per their agreement, today was the day to meet with Lesha and Cass.
Having already met Cass, Ye Chui and the others were curious about Lesha’s situation.
Around noon, they ordered a table of delicacies at the agreed restaurant. Before long, Lesha, dressed in casual clothes, entered. To their surprise, she was followed by a persistent tagalong, eagerly fawning over her despite her clear annoyance.
