Chapter 82: “Cause”? “Effect”?

“Encyclopedia of Necromantic Magic: Level 1 Necromantic Magic”

[Bone Shielding]: Level 1 magic, defensive type. Instantly transforms carried bones into a Magic Shield to block small amounts of damage. Upgrading increases the casting speed and defensive effect.

…

The courtyard gate opened just in time, and as expected, Carven Strom walked in with a grin. This guy seemed to make a lot of noise wherever he went, and his presence was frighteningly loud. Luo Yan truly wondered how someone with such an impulsive personality later became the youngest field army commander of the Empire, and how he was seen as the successor by Marshal Karim Abdul Jabbar, the “God of War” of the Holy Lem Empire, one of the seven great super empires.

No wonder he messed up at the critical moment later on, causing his father and brother to die and his clan to be wiped out…

Irresponsibly treating a natural disaster as a man-made tragedy and blaming it all on some unlucky future “quasi” God of War, Luo Yan clapped his hands and walked out of the house. In any case, Carven’s purpose for coming to the Luo Family was definitely not to find him; his target would only be Isaiah Thomas for a sparring match.

Ever since he saw Isaiah Thomas’s Moonlight Battle Aura, Carven Strom acted like a bee that had seen a beautiful flower. He came every day to fight Isaiah, and he would not be satisfied until he was drenched in smelly sweat. However, Luo Yan did not oppose this. Because of a “fortuitous encounter,” Isaiah had not even formally studied any techniques, yet his Battle Aura had already broken through the “Hard as Steel” realm and entered the “Heavy as a Mountain” realm, which was equivalent to the level of a Level 2 Apprentice Swordsman. Such progress was indeed enviable, but it also created the weakness of an unstable foundation and shallow experience. Now that there was a Level 3 Official Swordsman like Carven willing to help with training, it was a wonderful opportunity that money could not buy.

It would just be more perfect if their voices weren’t so loud…

Luo Yan walked to the living room with a great deal of resentment. It was hard to say whether his resentment came from being unable to perform Meditation or being unable to sleep—it seemed that one could not hear outside noises during deep Meditation—but in short, Luo Yan had always resented Carven’s “rudeness.” However, after arriving in the living room, Luo Yan was suddenly stunned.

Why was Desai here too?

Several black lines appeared on his forehead, simply because the legendary Desai Strom was supposed to have departed for Hall City three days ago. Based on the time, he should have already arrived in Hall City by now. Yet, he unexpectedly found a guy who had “already arrived in Hall City” standing before him with a smile and a gentlemanly manner, which really made Luo Yan want to complain.

Before Luo Yan could turn that desire into action, Desai Strom spoke first: “Junior Brother, you came out too. I was just about to go inside and look for you. Are you going out?”

Look for me? Hearing this, Luo Yan despised him deeply in his heart. To be honest, he had seen it over the past few days. Carven looked for Isaiah purely because of the “physical” urge for power , but as for the reason Desai ran to his house every day… just looking at the way the boy often drifted off into a daze, it was obvious that he was experiencing the stirrings of youth!

Speaking of which, Luo Yan found it a bit strange. He didn’t remember this happening before his rebirth—that Desai Strom would actually have feelings for his eldest sister. This guy was way too precocious!

However, regarding this matter, Luo Yan didn’t feel there was any place for him to interfere. If both parties were truly interested, he would be happy to see it happen, but he would not actively push them together. After all, both were just children in their teens, and so-called “feelings” were mostly just adolescent impulses. The future path was too long; who could truly be sure?

[Or perhaps even a being like Luo Yan, who had been reborn once, still found it hard to truly be sure…]

Shrugging his shoulders and giving Desai a big smile, Luo Yan tilted his head to glance at Carven and Isaiah and said, “Senior Brother Carven started a world-shaking fight with Isaiah as soon as he arrived. Since I can’t read in peace anyway, I might as well go for a walk. Everyone has been busy transplanting rice seedlings these few days, and my father should be over there, so I’ll go see if there’s anything I can help with!”

Desai felt a bit disappointed upon hearing this, but since Luo Yan was going out, he couldn’t exactly ask to wander around the inner house. He could only smile and say, “Then I’ll go with you. There’s nothing to do here anyway.”

It was clear that Desai was also quite speechless regarding Carven’s “passion.” He was not a man of violence by nature, and since he had no detected magic talent, he studied administration and economics. If no accidents occurred, his life would follow a steady path: graduate from school, become a minor official, work hard to gain some small power in middle age, and then wait for retirement to spend the rest of his life in peace… However, Luo Yan knew that before long, his life would undergo earth-shaking changes, and in just a few short years, he would reach a high position that others might never achieve in a lifetime, becoming a true high-ranking provincial official.

[…They say that among the three sons of the “Golden Yuan Caesar” Strom, only the eldest was the most mediocre, but when thought about carefully, such a life was also a kind of legend…]

…

While Luo Yan was conflicted because of his “Senior Brother’s” passion, something was also happening in the Mayor’s residence of Wooden Bucket Town…

“Mayor, I have investigated clearly. The ones buying animal skins in Talim Village seem to be leather merchants from Lons Pompey City. It is said that Director Luo Pei personally went to Lons Pompey City to establish this connection.” Huddling close to Mayor Lloyd, Laclan Sass, the leather shop owner who had been shouted at by Mayor Lloyd and left in embarrassment previously due to poor performance, spoke cautiously. Taking the opportunity of the “Winter Festival,” he visited again. This time, he was fully prepared, bringing not only a large number of gifts but also the information he had gathered.

“People from Lons Pompey?” Lloyd’s eyes showed a thoughtful expression upon hearing this. If it was Lons Pompey City, this matter was understandable.

Seeing that Lloyd’s anger had truly subsided a bit, the chubby leather shop owner took the opportunity to cry out his innocence loudly: “Mayor, this really wasn’t my fault! Who knew that blind bastard could actually build a relationship with leather merchants from the main county? I really couldn’t do anything about it!”

The chubby leather shop owner’s words were correct. He was just a leather merchant in a small town; it was already a great achievement for his influence to reach Hall City. Lons Pompey City in the main county was truly beyond his reach.

Ultimately, Mayor Lloyd was not an idiot. Although he was still very angry, he did not continue to vent his rage on Laclan Sass. He simply rubbed his chin slowly and muttered to himself with some reluctance, “To actually build a connection with people from Lons Pompey, that lucky fellow…”

As he spoke, Lloyd turned his head and saw Laclan Sass’s current image, with snot and tears flowing together, and immediately felt a surge of disgust. Waving his hand, he said irritably, “Forget it, stop rambling. I know this has nothing to do with you, but can’t you be more hardworking? What future can you have if you always stay huddled in Wooden Bucket Town! Can’t you expand your business?! If you had been more ambitious, would I have suffered such an insult this time?” As he spoke, he became angrier, and finally, Lloyd slammed the table and roared.

Insult? The fact that his subordinate achieved such results was actually seen as an “insult” by Mayor Lloyd? This line of thinking was truly bizarre.

The chubby leather shop owner was scolded so badly by Lloyd that he couldn’t even lift his head. He could only sit there obediently, nodding repeatedly, saying a series of “yes, yes, yes,” not daring to say a single “no”… When he came this time, he hadn’t expected to leave unscathed. If a scolding could solve the problem, he would be grateful to heaven and earth.

Seeing him like this, Lloyd lost interest in continuing to scold him. He took a deep breath to completely vent his anger, and finally clapped his hands and said irritably, “Forget it, there’s no use talking about this now. Go back and prepare. I will increase your investment a bit. Find a way to grow your business, expand to Lons Pompey City in the main county, and even to the Imperial Capital, Saia City! Do you hear me? You useless lazybones!”

Laclan Sass was stunned. He cursed in his heart: Damn it, you make it sound so easy, as if it could be done with a puff of air. Is business that easy to do? I’m a big shot here in Wooden Bucket Town, but in the Imperial Capital, I’m nothing!

But despite the inner cursing, facing Lloyd’s rage, Laclan Sass truly didn’t dare say a single “no.” He knew Lloyd’s ruthless methods well, so he could only say obediently, “Yes, Mayor, I will go back and prepare immediately. I will definitely expand my business as quickly as possible.”

Seeing Laclan Sass’s respectful attitude, Lloyd said no more and simply waved his hand to signal him to leave. However, the “desolate” figure of the chubby leather shop owner as he departed made the Mayor’s Secretary, Aberine, who was watching from behind, show a sliver of sympathy in his eyes.

The wind howls and the Yi River is cold~~ the brave man departs~~

That was Lons Pompey City in the main county, after all…

[However, if Luo Yan knew that because of his interference, the time for the “Sass Leather Shop” to expand its business and enter the Imperial Capital was actually moved forward by nearly ten years, one wonders what expression he would have.]

—Cause and effect~~ cause and effect~~ was it the “cause” that pushed the “effect,” or did the “effect” influence the “cause”…