Cass and Windsor safely crossed the red carpet, signifying that their marriage had received God’s blessing.
This was somewhat akin to the still popular “trial by combat” today. Even if someone committed the gravest wrong, they could undergo trial by combat, taking the field personally or appointing a proxy for the duel. Victory meant God favoured them, and all their sins could be forgiven. The outcome decided everything.
In the wedding ceremony, Cass and Windsor manifested numerous curse visions under the Wedding Blessing Chapters. Their marriage was deemed impure by the church. Yet they still crossed the red carpet safely. God’s curse did not drag them to hell, so the curse was merely a trial from God. By completing the trial, the curses themselves became seen as God’s blessings to them!
Their union could no longer be contested by the church.
Cass and Windsor stepped onto the high platform, with Ye Dui and Debbie following closely. The brainwashing divine tune had ended, leaving the banquet hall in utter silence. Only a few guests still under its influence clumsily and comically moved their bodies, hastily pulled away by several servants. Prince Geller looked somewhat surprised, but when he glanced at Ye Dui and Debbie, his aged face was already filled with relief.
His sister Debbie was indeed the same as in his youth. Unpredictable things always happened around her, and even her little companions put one so at ease.
In Prince Geller’s original plan, he had not been optimistic about Cass and Windsor crossing the red carpet. That was regrettable, of course, but if they died on the red carpet, it would also be a fine outcome. It would make Lord Kevin thoroughly resent the church. True, it might also make Lord Kevin resent Ye Dui, but that was inconsequential.
He had already instructed his black-armoured guards. If Ye Dui and Debbie’s lives were threatened, they were to act immediately. This would also reinforce the rumour that “Ye Dui is the illegitimate son”. Prince Geller would even attack church personnel to protect Ye Dui and Debbie, proving the importance of Ye Dui’s identity. One stone, two birds.
As an old fox at the empire’s pinnacle, this was his scheme.
Yet the result exceeded his expectations. With Ye Dui’s miraculous methods, Cass and Windsor actually crossed the red carpet and even made Father Moin spit blood in fury. This outcome was not bad either.
He chuckled as he stood up and said to Cass and Windsor, “It seems God truly blesses you. I hope you can live happily ever after.”
Cass and Windsor hurriedly bowed to Prince Geller, their faces full of gratitude.
Ye Dui then sauntered over to Father Moin, who was slumped in his chair with a deathly pallor, a sly smile on his face. “Father, thank you for blessing Cass and Windsor. Without your cooperation, the wedding could not have been so lively. Liveliness is the most important thing in such settings, do you not agree?”
Father Moin looked at Ye Dui. A gentle, benevolent smile, his usual one, appeared on his ashen face. “Guildmaster Ye Dui, you truly have fine methods. But why can your grimoire release these melodies? I sense it holds the power of faith. Guildmaster Ye Dui, may I ask what you believe in?”
Only the gods enshrined by the church could wield the power of faith. If others used faith power, it proved they believed in other gods. This act was heretical cultism!
Though Father Moin appeared benevolent, his words concealed deadly intent.
However, Ye Dui had long prepared an explanation for his BGM power’s origin. He smiled and replied, “I believe only in myself.”
On the Castro Continent, faith was in the gods enshrined by the church. They forbade belief in other gods but did not require everyone to have faith. Believing in oneself was not problematic.
But could treating oneself as a god and believing in that generate faith power?
Some present showed expressions of having learned something new: To what degree of narcissism must one reach to view oneself as a god?
“I believe that if one has faith in oneself in their heart, then one is one’s own god.” Ye Dui smiled. He glanced at his grimoire. “As for the melodies just played, please do not misunderstand. That is not faith power. It is a mysterious power I obtained from the East, a lost art. It is called ‘battle hymn power’. It is no heresy. I can guarantee that.”
Another mysterious power from the East? The chief steward among the guests twitched his face. He knew that when Ye Dui had joined the chef competition earlier, he had also claimed his dish was a lost Eastern delicacy. He was quite curious about this mysterious East.
Father Moin’s eyes scrutinised Ye Dui, as if trying to discern something. In the end, he averted his gaze and let out successive coughs, appearing like a gravely ill elder.
“It seems Father Moin’s body is unwell. Come, help him down. He has witnessed Windsor and Cass’s wedding. Windsor and Cass have received his blessing.” Lord Kevin called out accordingly.
Thus, two maids shakily approached, supported Father Moin, and helped him out of the hall. The other believers and priestesses naturally felt too awkward to stay and slunk away after them.
In the history of the Castro Continent, moments when the church suffered such a setback were exceedingly rare. The crowd had truly broadened their horizons.
“A wedding cannot lack a banquet. It is midday, and everyone must still be hungry, yes?” Prince Geller smiled as he spoke. He looked at Lord Kevin. “Very well, let the banquet begin.”
With Prince Geller’s words, the servants and maids sprang into action. The banquet hall, previously emptied of chairs and seeming vast, was swiftly furnished with elegant long dining tables and rows of seats. Prince Geller and Lord Kevin sat at one end of the table. Windsor and Cass sat to the left. Ye Dui and Debbie, as honoured guests, sat to the right. The other guests took seats accordingly beside the table.
By etiquette, those seated closest to Prince Geller, Lord Kevin, Cass, and Windsor held the most prestigious status.
Ye Dui’s little companions mostly sat at the innermost positions. They were members of the Nameless Magic Guild, after all. This status could not be more exalted now!
Even Jacob, the guild’s chef, secured a seat in the middle section. Several serving maids recognised him. They had previously discussed this unfortunate soul locked in the dungeon for nine months. Now seeing him grandly seated among Windrock City’s notables, their expressions were extraordinarily vivid.
Lord Kevin summoned the steward and said to him, “You may serve the dishes.”
The chief steward beamed with joy and said smilingly, “The wedding was prepared so hastily. I originally thought we could not find a suitable head chef. But God truly blesses Miss Windsor, letting me encounter a formidable cook. The guests attending today’s banquet are in for a treat.”
Hearing the steward’s words, those nearby widened their eyes in anticipation. Debbie rubbed her little belly while muttering to Ye Dui, “Oh, I am starving. Later, I must eat my fill without restraint.”
“Mm, mm. This steward looks very reliable. I am looking forward to this treat he mentioned.” Ye Dui nodded. As he looked up at the chief steward, he caught the man smiling and nodding at him. What was with this “you know what I mean” expression?
In that moment of hesitation, the steward waved his hand. Thus, the servants and maids began serving the food in sequence.
The food was in porcelain basins for stews, several basins in total, covered with lids, placed at intervals along the long table. The chief steward announced loudly, “This dish is a new creation by our head chef. It is being served for the first time for everyone to taste. I guarantee it is something none of you have tried before. She has named this dish…” Here, the steward paused, seemingly finding the name rather inelegant. But in the end, he steeled himself and said it. This was respect for a top chef. “Ultimate Food Grand Stew.”
The guests let out a collective “oh” of amazement. Though the name was indeed lacklustre, one could sense the rich aroma of fine cuisine from it. A truly skilled chef needed such an unconstrained style!
The maids successively uncovered the porcelain basins. Amid the white winter steam, platters of mysterious Eastern delicacies revealed themselves. They looked not much different from ordinary stews: milky-white gelatinous broth, topped with floating white, red, green, purple ingredients of unknown origin, a jumble of bits. The thick scent of ingredients wafted out. The dish’s appearance, like its name, was somewhat hard to look at directly. But the aroma was indeed appealing, whetting the appetite.
Prince Geller chuckled as he stood. With an extremely expectant expression, he watched the maids ladle the food into bowls and place them before him. He waved cheerfully to those at the table. “Very well, everyone, begin enjoying this delicacy. Heh heh heh, do not be polite. Waste not a morsel.”
Debbie had already swiftly picked up her fork, ready to devour.
Some quicker ones had already put food into their mouths.
Ye Dui also prepared to savour this evidently extraordinary dish.
However, at that moment, the chief steward drawled another sentence. This made the expectant expressions on Ye Dui, Debbie, Green, Lessa, Cass, and a few others freeze solid. Their movements stiffened completely.
The chief steward only smiled and said, “We truly must thank Miss Debbie. This dish is the masterpiece of her summoned heroic spirit, Miss Afu.”
With his words, Ye Dui, Debbie, and the others froze. Then came “pfft”, “pfft”, successive sounds of spitting food across the table. What a spectacular sight…
“A, Afu…” The fork in Prince Geller’s hand speared something like a carrot, nearly to his mouth. Seeing everyone spit out their food, he stopped. The name Afu rang a bell. It was the heroic spirit his sister Debbie contracted at thirteen: the all-purpose housekeeper Afu. She excelled at all housework, an absolute top-tier maid heroic spirit. But there was one flaw: her cooking was so inedible it instilled despair in one towards food. Moreover, she insisted her prepared meals be finished. Refusal was not an option. Back then, he was often forced by Debbie to eat all of Afu’s dishes…
In this moment, Prince Geller recalled the fear of being dominated by that demonic food…
