Chapter 1063: Funeral and Wedding

Chapter 1063: Funeral and Wedding

Outside Boulder City, the Melvin family held a simple funeral for their youngest son, Kish.

He did not invite many people, nor did he make a grand show of it, for his youngest son was indeed no good, and that might have stirred some memories.

Though no one cared about their family affairs anymore, past experience still made him cautious and kept a low profile.

Standing in the snow, Lala lowered her head with a complicated expression, her nose buried in her scarf.

Elisa stood beside her, eyes closed, silently communicating with the tombstone.

Her parents, her eldest brother, and his wife as well… all stood before the grave.

It was not only those chosen by psychic energy who could commune with the departed.

As long as the longing came from the heart, the words one wished to say could still reach the other… even if they could not see each other.

The few present could all “see” him, except for one complete outsider.

His name was Meng Jie, formerly Monty, once a researcher at the Union Academy of Sciences and president of Mammoth University, now teaching at Camp 101, and also a friend of Melvin.

He had not planned to attend the funeral, but happened to be visiting Boulder City when it occurred, so he came out of courtesy.

After praying for a long time before his youngest son’s tombstone, Melvin lowered his clasped hands, looked at Meng Jie standing nearby, nodded, and said sincerely,

“Thank you.”

Meng Jie smiled politely.

“You’re welcome… I don’t recall doing anything worthy of your thanks. I really don’t deserve it.”

“You’re too modest.”

Melvin turned his gaze to Elisa, the silhouette of his most beloved youngest daughter, paused for a moment, and then said,

“There are some things I’ve always wanted to say to my little girl, but as a failed father, I truly don’t know how to begin. About that subject… thank you. Some things really need to be said by an outsider. I hope that hero’s story can give her some inspiration.”

He didn’t want to pour cold water on her enthusiasm, but the world was not simply black and white after all.

She still had much to learn, including calmness, caution, and so on.

Meng Jie smiled modestly and said in a gentle tone,

“You misunderstand. I did it purely for academic research.”

“Is that so?” Melvin smiled noncommittally. “Then let’s say it’s so.”

He could feel the professor’s goodwill, and it slightly changed his impression of the Brahmin.

The latter was finding it harder and harder to gain sympathy in the Union.

Of course, the same was true elsewhere.

In this era when even Valiants and Bugrans could find redemption, it was quite an effort to cover oneself in mud while looking aggrieved and indignant.

But strangely, when they appeared alone, they became normal again.

Even remarkably excellent.

Perhaps that was another unusual aspect of that land.

“Please don’t overthink it. I truly did it only for academic purposes… Of course, it is also true that I saw his shadow in your daughter.”

Meng Jie nodded slightly, looked at the tombstone not far away, pondered for a long time, and then said in a conversational tone,

“Perhaps this occasion isn’t suitable for such talk… I’ve studied your history and the genealogy you provided me, and I noticed a peculiar phenomenon.”

Melvin raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Oh? What did you find?”

Meng Jie held up two fingers.

“The nobles of Boulder City can be roughly divided into two categories based on the source of power and the way they obtained black cards: one is the new nobles dependent on ‘chips,’ and the other is the old nobles dependent on ‘black cards.’ Your family and Hyde’s family are two typical examples, each standing at the top of their respective pyramids.”

Melvin smiled faintly, as if hearing an amusing joke.

“Boulder City has always had only one pyramid, and only one king—and that man is Hyde. As for my forefathers, they were merely the technical bureaucrats they selected, or rather their professional stewards.”

Though this stewardship was hereditary, it was not immune to elimination.

For instance, the obscure fellow replaced by Lister had reverted to commoner status.

Even though he had cashed in many chips with his black card.

“I know, Boulder City indeed has only one king as you say, but what I’m comparing here is not the weight of chips versus black cards, but the weight of ‘people.’”

A glint of interest appeared in Melvin’s eyes.

“Oh?”

Meng Jie nodded slightly and continued in a casual tone,

“From a purely academic perspective, your family and Hyde’s family are two very distinct control groups. I mean no offense by what follows… According to the historical documents and materials I’ve consulted, your family has never truly had a fool; they simply made different choices when facing various problems. Hyde’s family is another matter—they had their moments of glory, but later generations were each cowardly in their own way, and foolish in different ways.”

The specific turning point seemed to be after the status of the “black card” was established.

Melvin glanced at him and smiled self-deprecatingly.

“…For a moment, I can’t tell whether you’re praising me or insulting me.”

Meng Jie shook his head, turned his gaze to the hastily made tombstone, and said with an apologetic voice,

“Neither. This is purely academic discussion… Of course, perhaps I shouldn’t be discussing this with the subject himself.”

Melvin didn’t mind much; he just lowered his head in prayer and replied casually,

“It’s fine. If my materials can bring you some comfort, then at least I’ve done something meaningful at the end of my life.”

“More than comfort,” Meng Jie said, smiling at the old man. “At least, this research material of yours gives us hope of emerging from the long night—”

“Isn’t that comfort?” Melvin replied offhandedly. “If you place your hope for the dawn on the irreversible mistakes of the devil’s descendants, then you will either wait in the long night forever, or welcome a new demon after the old one dies.”

He had now realized why these clever people, when gathered together, became so foolish.

Meng Jie stared at him, silent for a long time.

Suddenly, as if aged many years, he slumped his shoulders in defeat.

“Perhaps… but who can say about the future? What if there’s a turning point?”

Melvin looked at him, thought for a long time, and finally ended the topic kindly with a noncommittal answer.

In this sorrowful moment, there was no need to add meaningless grief.

“Perhaps.”

Only future generations would see what happens many years from now.

…

On the third day after the Birthday Festival in the first year of the New Era, a grand wedding was held in Triumph City.

The groom was the battlefield atmosphere group member, and the bride was Panney, daughter of Captain Bannott.

Contrary to the battlefield guy’s expectations, upon learning that his daughter had been taken away, Bannott did not angrily challenge him to a duel but instead blessed them.

Not just Bannott.

Including his close friend Corway, including Reze, the Praetorian legion commander who once worked with him, and many whose names he could not recall, all sent him their blessings.

At the end of the wedding, Benoit grasped his hand and spoke with a seriousness and solemnity never before seen.

“…You are a true warrior. Your loyalty, bravery, mercy, kindness, and generosity are impeccable, even earning the recognition of Marshal Julius.”

“As Penny’s father, I have no further demands of you, only that you share all those fine qualities with my daughter, just as you have selflessly shared them with so many others.”

“Dad…” Penny’s eyes glistened with emotion.

The battlefield veteran tightened his grip on his hand.

“I promise you, I will treat her well.”

Relaxing his stern expression, Benoit’s face broke into a smile as he gave a slight nod.

“She’s in your hands.”

Although those words held no trace of regret or reluctance, the battlefield veteran realized the old man wasn’t letting him off so easily.

On the night of the wedding, he was dragged into drinking several barrels of wine, nearly being carried off on the spot.

According to Benoit, how could a son-in-law of a Vellant not know how to drink?

But that said, Benoit himself was a drunkard; after just a few cups, he slumped over the table and dozed off.

These civil officials really weren’t up to the task.

What truly brought the battlefield veteran down was his good brother Corway and the other brothers who had faced life and death with him.

The battlefield veteran had thought they would blame him for deceiving them, but the opposite was true.

Especially Corway, who had been deceived the most.

Far from holding a grudge about his concealed identity, this fellow instead grasped his shoulder with a reluctant expression.

“Safe travels, buddy… We’ll miss you.”

A young Praetorian soldier also placed his hand on the battlefield veteran’s shoulder.

“Come back and visit often.”

A chiliarch, probably drunk, muttered.

“I might as well go to the Alliance and become an officer, then resign once I become consul—that would be fair.”

Another chiliarch sitting nearby laughed.

“Impossible, the Alliance isn’t like us—where would they get a consul?”

“They don’t have one? I heard they’re planning to set one up… something about learning from our experience.”

“Whatever, starting as a common soldier should work, right?”

Watching these noisy fellows, the battlefield veteran was moved, but still placed his hand on their shoulders.

“Stop talking nonsense. Live well—there won’t be so many battles in the days ahead.”

They all had their own families and their own lives in Triumph City.

If he really brought them all to Dawn City, he couldn’t imagine how to settle them.

“Haha, these guys are just drunk and joking. If you really asked them to give up their benefits and ranks here to start as greenhorns, they wouldn’t want to either.”

Corway laughed heartily and slapped the battlefield veteran’s shoulder hard.

The battlefield veteran returned a helpless smile, yet he felt that look wasn’t entirely a joke.

If he really wanted to take him back, he would probably follow without a second thought.

Not just him, either.

Many here would do the same.

“Good brother, take care…”

He raised his glass, clinked it with Corway’s, then tilted his head and drained it.

Just as he was about to start the next round, a heavy cough came from behind the crowd.

“How long do you plan to keep the bride waiting? Or are you planning to hold another party?”

Penny, in her wedding dress, stood with arms crossed, smiling as she stared at the back of the battlefield veteran’s head.

Realizing they were intruding on the couple’s intimacy, the group of men sitting at the table felt embarrassed and quickly made excuses to slip away.

The crowd at the table scattered, moving to other tables, leaving only the battlefield veteran and Penny.

Realizing he had drunk too much, the battlefield veteran scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“Sorry…”

Hearing that apology, Penny raised an eyebrow with a smile.

“Sorry?”

The battlefield veteran instantly read that look and understood that what she wanted to hear was not such a reserved expression.

Though a bit embarrassed, faced with that expectant gaze, he had no choice but to steel himself.

Before the wedding began, he had heard Penny explain the Vellant customs—

After receiving everyone’s blessings, he had to carry her all the way from the banquet hall to the bridal chamber.

A true warrior would not let his wife’s feet touch the ground, or else he would be mocked for a whole year.

Something like that.

Downing the remaining half-glass of wine, the battlefield veteran, his face red as a city wall, lifted her by the waist amid her startled little cry and giggles, then vanished from the wedding scene like a whirlwind, amidst a chorus of jeering whistles and applause.

It was like a real whirlwind—coming in haste, leaving in haste.

Without any delay.

“That guy… is indeed a true warrior,” said a drunken civil official, gesturing. “I thought he had some unspoken difficulty, which is why he stayed here drinking nonstop.”

Another civil official beside him nodded with difficulty, speaking in an appreciative tone.

“Yes, unlike the old man from her family. I remember that time he slept until dawn.”

The customs here were indeed different from elsewhere; these muscle-brained fellows joked without any regard for the dignity of the former consul or the current minister.

Perhaps hearing these bastards’ whispers in his dreams, Benoit, who had been sleeping on the table, suddenly grew angry, slammed his fist on the table, and straightened his old bones.

“Who the hell are you talking about? Step forward… duel!”

Several civil officials quickly shut their mouths, coughed to change the subject, and pretended nothing had happened.

Benoit only shouted for a while, then was soon pulled back by Penny’s mother, who grabbed him by the ear.

“You old fool, you dare to duel? Aren’t you embarrassed enough!”

“What do you know…” Benoit muttered, perhaps feeling guilty, and finally fell silent.

“Too fast, I didn’t even see it,” said a bearded officer, rubbing his drunken eyes. “Did that guy drive a truck into the hall?”

Wasn’t that cheating?

That stupid remark quickly earned him a glare, and the chiliarch sitting beside him laughed mockingly.

"Are you drunk out of your mind? How could a truck be driven into the hall? I clearly saw a motorcycle."

"Pfft—!"

"Damn!"

"How could a motorcycle even get in here? I think you're the one who's drunk!"

The symphony playing in the hall gradually shifted from warm to stirring.

The young couple had already gone off to their private world with everyone's blessings; the rest of the time belonged to the guests present.

They would feast on meat and drink deeply of fine wine here until late into the night and even until dawn.

They had long ago received their own rewards and lived happily with their families, and now the one remaining imperfection had finally been filled.

"A toast to our Pangolin!"

No one knew who started the first shout, but soon the same words echoed throughout the banquet hall.

It was a heartfelt blessing for the comrade who had once fought side by side with them—

"To the Pangolin!"

"Cheers!!!"

That boiling passion was like the blazing fire in the hearth, even stealing the spotlight from the setting sun hanging at the edge of the sky.

The story of the night might be more blissful and enduring than anyone could imagine...