"Our sincerest apologies. Our young master has never had the best temper. And when facing Miss Liliana, his mood becomes even worse."
At the entrance of the merchant guild, one of the guards lowered his head and apologized to Shendu and the others, his tone full of regret.
Another guard glanced at the disheveled Natsuki Subaru, inwardly thinking that this guy's talent for causing trouble was truly extraordinary.
If Natsuki Subaru had not been there, the negotiation would most likely have succeeded. There had been virtually no chance of failure.
"It's fine. We were partly at fault this time as well. Please forgive us."
Emilia looked at the shattered room and could not help revealing a helpless expression.
The explosion just now had indeed been intense. The power generated by a magic stone was comparable to a large bomb. The entire building where they had been negotiating had been completely destroyed.
If Shendu had not reacted quickly and used her magic to shield everyone, things would have been troublesome. There might even have been casualties.
"It's alright. We will do our best to calm the young master and create another opportunity for your next negotiation."
The other guard, a bearded man, spoke politely as well.
Their attitude was acceptable, which made Shendu nod slightly. The failure of this negotiation did not cause her the slightest dissatisfaction. If it failed, they would simply try again.
"Let's go. Since this negotiation has failed, we'll return to the inn for now."
Shendu looked at Emilia and smiled faintly.
"Alright. That's all we can do."
After hearing Shendu's reassurance, Emilia regained her usual expression and did not even glance at Natsuki Subaru.
The negotiation had been on the verge of success. She had been about to achieve something meaningful, but Natsuki Subaru's sudden appearance had disrupted her arrangements, leaving her just one step away from success and extremely frustrated.
However, as a kind-hearted half-elf, she naturally would not blame him outright. Ignoring him, however, was her way of punishment.
Of course, Natsuki Subaru had truly acted unnecessarily this time. Without understanding Liliana at all, he had let that woman—who lacked both intelligence and emotional awareness—interfere.
"I'm sorry, everyone. This was truly my fault. Next time, I definitely won't do anything unnecessary."
Natsuki Subaru spoke in a low voice. Reflecting on his mistaken decision, he felt a trace of regret and directly apologized to Shendu and Emilia.
"It's fine. Just don't do it again next time."
Emilia sighed.
"Act more and talk less, Natsuki Subaru. Your strengths are obvious. But you also have flaws—make sure to correct them properly."
Shendu glanced at him and said no more. That was enough.
After that, Emilia's mood gradually returned to normal. She strolled through the streets with Shendu and Akane, the earlier worries gone from her face.
They admired the waterways and the city's beautiful architecture, passing the time leisurely. Seeing the various sights, even Shendu had to admit that the environment here was indeed pleasant.
Emilia clung closely to her side, the two of them as intimate as a couple. Occasionally, Beatrice and Akane would also draw near, chatting and laughing together.
Before long, they arrived at a bridge. Shendu and Emilia leaned over the railing, admiring the rare waterscape below.
Even Natsuki Subaru gradually recovered from his earlier dejection, looking around curiously.
After observing for a while, just as Shendu was about to lead Emilia away, a passing figure happened to bump into them at precisely the wrong moment.
Sensing someone colliding toward them, Shendu gently pulled Emilia aside. The white-clad figure crashed directly into the railing instead.
"I'm sorry!"
When the white figure struck the railing, the man's hood shifted slightly. Though he wore a cloak, his general appearance could still be made out.
He wore white clothing, had white hair, and a long white robe. His build was similar to Natsuki Subaru's, but the portion of his face visible beneath the hood appeared utterly unremarkable.
"Why did you bump into us?"
Feeling that the man seemed deliberate, Shendu's expression turned cold as she questioned him.
"Please don't mind it. I simply wasn't paying attention. When I saw two beautiful ladies, I was momentarily captivated."
The white-haired man beneath the hood smiled faintly, yet his words left both Shendu and Emilia puzzled.
"Your beautiful silver hair is exactly like my former wife's. I was so entranced that I couldn't help but walk straight into you."
The somewhat forced and teasing tone carried a clear hint of provocation.
A breeze swept past. The man's hood lifted slightly, revealing his face. Akane and Emilia, who had been watching him carefully, instantly showed shock in their eyes.
Almost without hesitation, they blurted out his name, their bodies immediately tensing in vigilance.
"You're—Regulus, the Archbishop of Greed!"
The revelation of his identity caused even Shendu to display a brief look of surprise,.
Her crimson eyes fixed on Regulus, wondering what purpose lay behind his sudden appearance.
"A member of the Witch Cult. What are you doing here?"
At that moment, Natsuki Subaru stepped forward and demanded steadily.
"Tch. Trash like you aren't qualified to ask my name."
Hearing Natsuki Subaru's question, Regulus shot him a disdainful glare and exhaled a stream of white air. Accelerated by his Authority, it shot toward Natsuki Subaru at terrifying speed.
The white airflow carried immense destructive force and crushing wind pressure, descending directly upon him.
"Not good!"
Glug!
Feeling the oppressive pressure, Natsuki Subaru did not hesitate. He immediately drank a magic potion and launched himself into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Crack!
The bridge beneath them shattered instantly. Countless white stone fragments fell into the water as dust billowed outward.
When the smoke cleared, the small bridge where they had been standing had been sliced apart by the Authority's power. Regulus regarded Shendu and Emilia with evident interest.
A gentle breeze lifted their silver hair, which shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight. Gazing at their stunning beauty, Regulus felt a trace of longing.
"You two—become my wives. You perfectly match my aesthetic. Only women like you are worthy of me."
Regulus bowed slightly, brimming with confidence and arrogance.
"Damn you! How dare you insult Lady Shendu!"
Hearing such words, Natsuki Subaru was filled with rage. He pulled out two bottles of potion and drank them again, while slipping another into his pocket.
After consuming the potions, his speed and strength increased dramatically. He threw punch after punch.
Yet the Archbishop of Greed did not move at all. It was as though an invisible transparent barrier blocked every attack, leaving not the slightest trace of damage.
After more than a dozen consecutive blows, Regulus remained completely unaffected, not even stepping back. He appeared utterly confident and powerful.
"It's useless. Trash like you can't harm me with such pitiful tricks."
Regulus taunted wildly.
Enraged, Natsuki Subaru poured another potion over his hands and swung his right arm forcefully.
A green beam of magical energy shot forward and slammed into the Archbishop's defensive Authority—only to vanish instantly, as though swallowed by an unseen barrier. Regulus remained unharmed.
"So this is the power of an Authority?"
Shendu narrowed her eyes, quietly marveling at its strength.
With her True Sight, she could tell that this man likely possessed two Authorities—one primary and one secondary for support.
His strength was formidable. No wonder Geuse had been able to fuse with a Witch Factor so easily and become the strongest Sin Archbishop. Regulus truly had some ability.
"Master, shall I deal with him?"
Witnessing the scene, Akane prepared to step forward.
"Be careful. This Authority is not simple. It's a special power that exists between concepts."
Shendu stared at Regulus. Though his character left much to be desired, his strength was undeniably formidable.
"Understood."
After receiving the information, Akane stepped forward without hesitation. With a single wave of her hand, multiple high-tier spells were unleashed in rapid succession, joining forces with Natsuki Subaru to attack.
The last time Akane had encountered the Archbishop of Greed, she had not fought him directly. Instead, she had retreated with Crusch. This time, she had the perfect opportunity. She did not mind engaging Regulus for a while to test the limits of his power.
Yet despite releasing numerous advanced spells, every single one was blocked by the Authority. The continuous barrage, however, seemed to ignite genuine irritation within the Archbishop of Greed.
"Honestly, I truly have no desire to involve myself in your little scuffle. The moment I saw you last time, I already felt you were troublesome. And now you're trying to obstruct my right to pursue happiness again?"
Regulus prattled endlessly, fully displaying his talent for rambling. He remained standing motionless, allowing all forms of attack to crash into him.
"Who would bother listening to your nonsense? Just die already!"
Natsuki Subaru roared angrily. Using various magic potions in quick succession, he grew increasingly adept at wielding their power.
"Flame Lion!"
Seeing that ordinary attacks were ineffective, Akane's anger flared. Drawing upon a portion of her magic, blazing fire instantly condensed into a three-meter-tall lion made entirely of flames.
"Roar!"
The Flame Lion let out a thunderous roar, opening its massive, fang-filled jaws and lunging fiercely toward Regulus.
Unfortunately, against an Authority that bordered on a bug-level ability, it was still useless. The fiery beast collided with the invisible barrier, accomplishing nothing except causing the nearby river to boil and release clouds of steam.
This near-invincible power did not overly concern Shendu. Through her True Sight, she gradually began to discern Regulus' weakness.
"Sigh... how troublesome. I merely wished to propose to two beautiful ladies, yet you treat me with such hostility. How very unreasonable."
Regulus stepped forward, fixing his gaze upon them as if preparing to strike in earnest.
The moment he finished speaking, both Natsuki Subaru and Akane sensed something wrong. Just as vigilance appeared in their eyes, two streams of compressed air shot toward them with overwhelming force.
Faced with the attack, Natsuki Subaru decisively drank a Shadow Potion and sank into the darkness beneath him.
Akane, however, chose to withstand it head-on. With one hand, she caught Regulus' Authority-infused strike.
After a brief clash, the two sides were evenly matched. Relying on the power of his Authority, Regulus held a slight advantage.
This nearly invincible ability filled him with immense confidence. Regulus believed that very few people in the world could stand against him.
At the critical moment, just as Regulus prepared to attack again, a streak of blue sword energy tore through the air from afar, descending directly upon his head.
Boom!
Another overwhelming slash struck the ground, splitting the earth itself. Yet Regulus remained unmoved. When the smoke cleared, he stood there without the slightest sign of injury.
"Oh? Another nuisance? The so-called strongest Sword Saint? Your reputation may sound impressive, but in my eyes you're nothing more than a fraud living off empty praise."
Regulus sneered upon recognizing his attacker, clearly unimpressed.
"Heh... this just became interesting. The kingdom's strongest Sword Saint—Reinhard, is it?"
Sensing a familiar aura of magic, Shendu turned to look into the distance. Emilia and Akane followed her gaze.
There stood a nearly flawless man with fiery red hair, clad in a long knight's coat—none other than the renowned Reinhard.
"A member of the Witch Cult. Why are you here?"
Reinhard drew the Dragon Sword. Feeling the weapon tremble in his grasp, a trace of surprise appeared in his eyes.
Watergate City was known as one of the most heavily guarded cities. For a Witch Cult member to infiltrate it was anything but a good sign.
When he had first been invited to Watergate City, Reinhard had wanted to refuse. He sensed that something unusual would occur, and he had no desire to face his grandfather.
However, upon hearing that Shendu and the others would also be present, his master Felt had ignored his refusal and finalized the trip.
Since Felt was currently shopping elsewhere, Reinhard had been strolling nearby when he happened upon this scene.
"Hahaha! What's strange about my presence? As a Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, I am among the strongest beings in existence. I can go wherever I please. What can you possibly do about it?"
Regulus taunted wildly.
Reinhard's face remained expressionless as he charged forward, launching a fierce assault.
Seeing Reinhard step in, Shendu gestured for Akane and Natsuki Subaru to return. After regrouping at her side, they merely observed the battle without interfering.
As the strongest Sword Saint, Reinhard had his own pride. Accepting assistance would be an insult to him.
After several exchanges, Regulus grabbed a handful of broken bridge fragments and accelerated them using his Authority, giving the stones terrifying initial velocity.
"What an annoying opponent."
After more than a dozen clashes, Regulus had not budged even once. The Dragon Sword's power left only faint cracks in the invisible barrier, far from enough to inflict real damage.
When the stones came hurtling toward him, Reinhard sliced them apart with a single stroke.
Though he made it look effortless, even Akane would have had to defend seriously against such attacks.
Regulus possessed one of the most powerful Authorities imaginable. Once he launched an attack, only beings at the level of Akane or Reinhard could withstand it.
For anyone else, resisting the Authority's power was impossible.
After fighting for some time, Regulus seemed to grow irritated. He shot Reinhard an annoyed look and began complaining.
"You wretched man! Interfering with my pursuit of beautiful ladies and wasting my precious time. Just you wait—I won't let you off next time."
Having grown tired of the battle, Regulus turned around, threw out a final threat, and prepared to leave.
"Witch Cultist, I advise you to leave this place. Otherwise, it will become your grave."
Seeing Regulus intending to depart, Reinhard did not pursue. Instead, Shendu spoke slowly, each word clear and deliberate—a warning.
"Ah, beautiful young lady, there's no need to worry. I will return."
Regulus cast a lingering glance at Shendu, then at Emilia beside her, his expression filled with determination before he disappeared.
Only after he was gone did Natsuki Subaru finally breathe a sigh of relief. With his current strength, defeating Regulus was nearly impossible.
Once everything ended, Shendu surveyed the surrounding ruins. Suddenly, an alarm rang out—clearly, they had violated the city's regulations.
"Very well. I'll handle the aftermath."
With a graceful wave of her slender hand, the scattered rubble across the ground seemed to reverse in time, rapidly restoring itself to its original state.
When the city personnel arrived and found no trace of damage, they quietly withdrew.
After resolving the minor issue, Shendu turned her attention to Reinhard. Lifting her skirt slightly, she performed a refined curtsy.
"It has been a while, Reinhard. You look as spirited as ever."
She smiled warmly at the radiant Sword Saint.
"This time, thank you for your assistance, Reinhard."
Emilia also bowed, expressing her gratitude.