Chapter 245 Marriage Contract

The terms of the deal Ranni proposed were actually not that complicated.

As the offspring of the Full Moon Queen, she naturally possessed the 'Name' and 'Legacy' of the Carian Royal Family.

Ranni intended to use these two things to have Chen Nuo help her with two tasks.

First, to go to the Eternal City and find the fingerslayer blade for her.

Second, to liberate the imprisoned stars.

As for how to hand over the 'Name' and 'Legacy' to Chen Nuo?

The method was actually quite simple: a political marriage.

"You want to marry me?"

Chen Nuo's expression was a little strange.

"Is this inappropriate?"

Ranni tilted her head, expressing her confusion.

She had learned this move from her mother.

Back then, Radagon had been married into the Carian Royal Family in much the same way. Although her mother hadn't described the specific details much, the Full Moon Queen had certainly been the dominant party.

"If anyone's doing the marrying, it should be me marrying you."

Chen Nuo continued.

"That works too."

Ranni nodded; she didn't mind the semantics.

"However, as you can see my current situation, there are some duties as a wife that I cannot fulfill. Even knowing this, are you still willing?"

Ranni laid her cards on the table first.

Even if this was just a transaction where each got what they needed, Ranni's attitude toward it was very solemn. Regardless of the motivation, she still viewed marriage as a sacred thing.

This was also something she learned from the Full Moon Queen.

Rennala herself was a very devoted person.

Chen Nuo looked at the young girl's hazy soul and seemed unable to find any reason to refuse.

Whether from a political or personal perspective.

It was just that this was the first time he had been so passive.

He had to admit, the feeling was quite novel.

"I accept, Lady Ranni."

Chen Nuo nodded in agreement.

Hearing this answer, Ranni couldn't help but smile faintly—a look of relaxed satisfaction that things were proceeding smoothly.

She had witnessed Chen Nuo's strength.

If she could obtain such assistance, her long-held plans might finally have a chance of success.

Ranni was a girl of great conviction and boldness.

One could tell from everything she had done; most men didn't have her decisive style of action.

She could even place herself on the scales as a bargaining chip.

But soon, a hint of shyness was added to her relaxed smile.

At the end of the day, Ranni was just a young girl. The act of giving herself away like this was somewhat bold and embarrassing when spoken of.

It was only now that Ranni had the spare mental energy to focus on Chen Nuo as a person, quietly observing his face.

She hadn't expected him to be so handsome.

"So, what do we do next?"

After a moment of silent eye contact, Chen Nuo was the first to ask.

"Just let the Carian Knights and my followers witness this marriage contract. My apologies, I cannot hold a grand wedding for you like my mother's right now."

Ranni said with a hint of apology.

"..."

Doesn't this still mean she's the one marrying me?

Chen Nuo suspected Ranni was doing it on purpose.

Soon, the few remaining Carian Knights arrived one after another, accompanied by Ranni's three followers.

Blaidd the Half-Wolf, War Counselor Iji, and Preceptor Seluvis.

They didn't yet know why Ranni had summoned them, and after hearing her brief explanation, their expressions were complicated.

Ranni was actually going to marry herself to Chen Nuo.

One had to remember, the other party was the Headmaster of the Academy of Magic.

Did this mean the 'Moon' and 'Stars' were reuniting once again?

Judging rationally, this was undoubtedly a good thing; the Academy and the Royal Family were unified once more.

But given the current disparity in strength between the two sides, the initiative would undoubtedly fall into the Academy's hands.

To some extent, Ranni was selling out the Royal Family's interests.

Yet it truly brought peace.

It wasn't that Mugram hadn't secretly informed the Manor about the Academy's name change and reforms.

With the current state of Caria Manor, if Chen Nuo really led the Academy in an attack, they would certainly be unable to resist.

From an emotional standpoint, if Ranni really married Chen Nuo, then the two sides would become one family. According to the Royal Family's succession system, a son-in-law also enjoyed certain inheritance rights.

As such, accepting Chen Nuo's unified leadership wasn't unacceptable.

It seemed like a good thing no matter how one looked at it.

"We are merely informing you."

As soon as Ranni said this, she directly defined the nature of this conversation.

True, as knights who only guarded the Carian Royal Family, what right did they have to meddle in the marriage of a royal member? Only the Full Moon Queen or Ranni's brothers could do that.

Thinking this way, the knights immediately felt at ease.

"I recall there is a Dark Moon Ring in the Academy's library; that can serve as the contract between us."

Ranni said, searching her memory.

Rings held important symbolic meaning in The Lands Between and were the most crucial step in a substantive marriage.

Ranni couldn't hold a wedding, but there still had to be a ceremony.

"A ring? I have one here."

Chen Nuo said as he stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and reached out.

Ranni was a bit confused but cooperated by raising two hands.

The doll she inhabited was a product of the Academy's technology, so it had four hands in total. This caused her soul and the doll to not match perfectly, and her movements were slightly disjointed.

However, Chen Nuo did not pick up any of the doll's hands; instead, he lifted Ranni's soul form.

Feeling that long-lost sense of warmth, Ranni was momentarily dazed.

But now was not the time for questions.

A cluster of orange-red flame rose between Chen Nuo's index finger and thumb. In an instant, the flame solidified into a ring, possessing a metallic texture.

This was the materialization of Solar Spirituality.

Sunfire was divided into two sides: half matter and half spirituality.

Chen Nuo had also made breakthroughs in his research on soul materialization, though he hadn't expected it to be applied here.

Chen Nuo slowly placed the ring on Ranni's ring finger.

This allowed Ranni to feel a long-lost weight of life.

In the past, she could only entrust her ethereal soul to a doll; now, she had a new anchor.

Looking at the Solar Ring worn on her soul body, an indescribable, hazy emotion sprouted in Ranni's heart.

From now on, she had a new identity. The feeling was truly quite strange.

"I like it very much."

Ranni rarely expressed her inner emotions so frankly, then added,

"But I haven't put a ring on you yet."

"I will go and retrieve the Dark Moon Ring."

Chen Nuo promised.

Only then did Ranni nod in satisfaction.

The wedding ceremony was thus completed, and the knights and followers withdrew one after another.

However, Ranni kept Blaidd behind.

This Half-Wolf was her shadow beast; the two were like siblings, with deep affection between them.

Even when Ranni chose to rebel against the Two Fingers, he still chose to stand by her side.

shadow beasts were followers and monitors assigned by the Two Fingers to all Empyreans.

From the prefix 'Shadow,' it seemed to be determined that there was a special connection between a shadow beast and an Empyrean.

Just like Maliketh was to Marika.

Each had a strong bond of kinship, even to the point of resisting the control of the Two Fingers for it.

This made Chen Nuo inevitably think of the relationship between Radagon and Marika.

It seemed the Two Fingers possessed some means of 'splitting,' capable of creating 'unified opposites' within a person.

If that were true, then shadow beasts should be the imperfect works in the Two Fingers' design.

Their autonomy and sensitivity were too strong, to the point they could escape control.

By comparison, Radagon was undoubtedly much more perfect.

Of course, whether Radagon's birth was a seed planted by the Two Fingers, or if Marika created an alter ego to maintain the golden order and prevent her own will from being affected, was still unknown.

In short, no matter what the truth was, for both the Two Fingers and Marika, the final result was a loss of control and collapse.

Back to Blaidd the Half-Wolf.

"Pspspsps."

Chen Nuo let out an ancient call toward the wolf brother.

It was a bit impolite, but he really couldn't help himself.

Ranni and Blaidd were both bewildered by this strange noise, and what surprised them even more was that Blaidd's dog tail actually began to wag gently and uncontrollably.

What was happening?

Blaidd secretly held down his tail, kept a straight face, and spoke of serious matters.

"I have found a lead on Nokron. When do you plan to go there with me?"

The Half-Wolf warrior's voice sounded a bit urgent.

"Tell me in detail."

Chen Nuo didn't know Blaidd's specific progress yet.

"I saw Nokron in the underground world of the Siofra River, but I haven't found a way in yet. Perhaps that fellow Seluvis knows something."

Blaidd said, taking a deep breath.

"That old guy doesn't look like a good sort. Why don't you go bite him a couple of times? Maybe he'll spill everything."

Chen Nuo continued.

He knew, of course, that this magic professor harbored ill intentions toward Ranni; even the sorceress Sellen detested the guy.

But since the other party hadn't done anything out of line yet, Chen Nuo naturally couldn't make a direct move against him—after all, he was one of Ranni's few subordinates.

Besides, would Ranni not know these things?

She simply needed Seluvis's knowledge for help at the moment.

"Sounds like a good suggestion."

Blaidd was somewhat tempted, showing he didn't like this colleague either.

"Since it's an agreed-upon matter, I will do it. There should be relevant records in the Academy's library; I'll have someone find them for study later. By the way, has the problem with your body been solved?"

Chen Nuo directly pointed out the curse on Blaidd.

This was the price for betraying the Two Fingers.

If this continued, Blaidd's consciousness would eventually collapse, falling into endless madness and pain.

"...That has nothing to do with you. You need not concern yourself."

Blaidd shook his head, refusing Chen Nuo's kindness.

"How can it be unrelated? According to seniority, you should call me 'Brother-in-law,' shouldn't you?"

Chen Nuo said with a smile.

This immediately left Blaidd speechless.

"Do you have a way to lift the curse of the Two Fingers?"

Ranni asked softly.

She knew Blaidd's situation, of course, but had never found a way to deal with it.

"Of course. It's just a curse; just burn it away."

Chen Nuo raised his hand, and flames ignited accordingly.

Looking at the orange-red fire, Blaidd subconsciously took a step back, a hint of fear appearing in his eyes.

Lots of fur means weakness to fire!

Not to mention he was just a helpless, pitiful doggo.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

Blaidd panicked, but the flames had already ignited him. The doggo subconsciously rolled all over the ground, swatting at the flames on his body.

"Is this really going to be alright?"

Ranni asked, a bit worried.

"It's fine, I'll control the heat."

Chen Nuo said reassuringly.

Solar Baptism was just such a thing. If there were many people, he wouldn't be able to control it well, but with just one, it was time to show off his superb culinary skills.

The control of heat determined a cook's upper limit.

You could say Chen Nuo was bad with a sword and shield, and he could take it, but you couldn't say his cooking was bad.

"..."

Hearing this, Ranni became even more worried.

The result was good.

Almost all the fur on Blaidd's body was scorched, revealing the fair skin that had been hidden all along.

The suppressed pain in his eyes had also vanished, replaced by a sense of grievance and resentment.

Do you know how important fur is to a doggo?

"It'll grow back."

Chen Nuo patted Blaidd's shoulder comfortingly.

"...Thank you."

Blaidd squeezed out those two words through gritted teeth.

Regardless, Chen Nuo had indeed rescued him from the curse and pain.

Compared to that, the price of losing a coat of fur was truly not worth mentioning.

"Blaidd, do not go out and wander around for a while."

Ranni said, suppressing a smile.

The feelings of her followers also needed to be considered.

If Blaidd were to stroll around 'naked' outside, she worried that even if the curse was gone, he would develop psychological issues.

As her shadow beast, Blaidd also inherited Ranni's tsundere personality to some extent.

Blaidd lowered his head and agreed to this arrangement; he indeed needed some time to isolate himself.

"By the way, Nuo, there is one more thing."

Ranni seemed to suddenly remember something and looked out the window.

Adula the Glintstone Dragon had already awakened from her coma and was looking at Ranni through the window.

A look of grievance flowed in her eyes, like a silent scream.

(You have to stand up for me!)

"This dragon is yours?"

Chen Nuo realized.

"Yes, she is my Dark Moon Knight, Adula."

Ranni had previously defeated this Glintstone Dragon that fed on sorcerers and had won her over.

Don't let Ranni's small size fool you; she was actually very capable of fighting, she just usually didn't want to.

Adula the Glintstone Dragon nodded in cooperation upon hearing this.

She had been patrolling and guarding the surroundings of the mage tower as usual, but then she suddenly took a hit; she didn't even see the person before she passed out.

The physical pain was secondary; the main thing was that her self-esteem had taken a heavy blow. She would need at least a month of isolation to recover.

"My apologies."

Chen Nuo bowed his head in apology, his attitude sincere.

"Hmph."

Adula the Glintstone Dragon turned her head away, looking like a tsundere who didn't want to pay him any attention.

Despite her fierce appearance, she was actually a female dragon.

She was essentially Ranni's only close female friend.

She now seriously suspected Chen Nuo had violent tendencies and was not a suitable marriage partner.