Dark King

The girl lined the horse ropes and jumped from her seat. She turned over and opened the door: “We are here.”

The cold mountain breeze hit him when Dudian got off the carriage. He tightened his specially built warm master’s gown: “You come over with me. Leave the carriage in here.”

Gwyneth nodded. She inserted a stick to the ground and tied the horse rope so that the horse couldn’t move. She followed behind Dudian.

“Today will be a lively day … ” Dudian whispered after taking a few steps. He couldn’t see over the hill but he could sense the sound of smell coming from the Mount Church.

Most of the castles that they passed by were empty.

Dudian came to the square outside the St Peter’s cathedral. The vast square was filled with architects. He looked at the stone corrider on the side.

“Get away, Edward! Do you think a pleb will be chosen?”

“Roll away! Master Dean won’t choose you as a student even if stood in front of him!”

“Don’t delve into foolish dreams!”

Dudian heard the sounds from the other side of the corridor. He saw four or five architects with golden hair and refined temperament squeezing two people. Both of them had brown hairs. One of them had handsome appearance while the other had mediocre looks. Both of them timidly looked at others but didn’t dare to reply.

Dudian simply glanced and was retracting his eyes when he saw the tightly clenched hands of the handsome youth. His arms were gently shaking.

“Get out! We can’t allow plebs to learn. It’s like robbing the gift from us!”

“Aren’t you convinced?”

Blond architects looked with disgust at the both of them as they humiliated them.

Whoosh!

Gwyneth suddenly appeared in front of them.

The others were scared because of Gwyneth’s appearance. However their eyes were attracted by Dudian who was standing behind Gwyneth.

“Master?”

“Master Dean?”

Dudian didn’t care for other as he looked at the handsome teenager with brown hair. He made a hand gesture: “Come.”

The teenager was stunned. He suspected that he heard it wrong. He raised his finger and pointed at his nose: “Me, ME?”

“Yes.” Dudian smiled: “Are you willing to be my student?”

Everyone was surprised to hear Dudian’s words. They looked at Dudian then at the teenager.

The youth felt like his brain exploded. He uttered: “Can I-I-I?”

“Don’t you want to be my student?” Dudian smiled.

The teenager replied in haste: “I am willing, I am willing! I’m wiling master Dean!”

“Come on.” Dudian waved over.

The teenager ran in hurry but was block by the stone barrier.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Edward.”

Dudian nodded slightly and left.

Gwyneth raised Edward from his shoulder and jumped over the fence.

“Follow me.” Dudian said but no longer looked at Edward as he walked along the corridor.

Edward felt like he was in a dream. He bit his lips to make sure that it wasn’t one.

The blonde architects looked at each other in loss.

Dudian passed the fence and appeared on the promenade. Crowd noticed his figure. Suddenly loud cheers echoed.

Edward felt nervous as he heard the cheers and saw the gazes. He didn’t want to stay too close to Dudian but couldn’t stay far away from him too.

Dudian was aware that the new received student was embarrassed: “You are my student. Don’t be nervous as you will reach the status that most of them won’t have in the future.”

Edward replied in haste: “Yes, master. Oh no, teacher.”

“Do you know the reason why I took you as a student?” Dudian asked as he walked.

Edward shook his head as he was still in daze. He was just a primary architect. Although his family situation was much better than general civilian population but financially he was at the bottom in the Temple. He was a bit nervous: “Teacher, I don’t know…”

“Do you remember all the humiliation that you’ve suffered? ” Dudian whispered.

Edward’s face slightly changed. He bowed: “I-I won’t hate anyone.”

“You won’t or you wouldn’t dare to.”

“I can’t… ” Edward hesitated to answer.

“Why?”

Edward replied: “We are all part of the Temple. We should be united. Moreover they are noble. They have noble blood in them. I can’t disrespect them.”

Dudian turned to look at him: “So is it that you won’t or you dare not?”

Edward looked at Dudian’s eyes. He saw that his eyes were very deep with a touch of green: “I dare not!”

Dudian slowly said: “As my student you can’t have such an attitude. Do you understand me?”

Dudian narrowed his eyes as he turned his face. He knew that he couldn’t change the teenager in a day. But he wasn’t anxious. Hate was a rebellious seed. The teenager would turn into a big towering tree if he was nurtured well.

He looked beyond the corridor. He was vaguely able to see the vast giant walls of the Silvia.

…

Skagen smiled when he saw Dudian: “You are on time.”

The old man next to Skagen saw two people behind Dudian: “Who are these two?”

“She is my attendant and he is my new student that I accepted.” Dudian introduced both of them.

Eivissa was surprised as he looked at Edward: “He is just a primary architect. There are lots of senior architects who want to be your student. Why did you accept a primary architect?”

Dudian laughed: “It would be hard to change the mentality of senior architects. But he is like a empty glass.”

Skagen nodded: “It makes sense.”

Arsen who was next to them snorted: “Master Dean is worried that he wouldn’t be able to teach senior architects. Although he is a talented youth but he would have to rely on mass of knowledge to teach them. Master Dean has enough knowledge to teach these primary architects.”

The atmosphere turned stiff after his words.

Dudian whispered as he looked at him: “Do you mean that they are talentless?”

Arsen’s face slightly changed: “You are insulting all of the masters. Don’t think that you can act self-righteously just because you produced a legendary invention.”

Dudian whispered: “You are forcing me to pull the strings of hatred! I advise you not to provoke me or I wouldn’t mind to kick you down in front of all the people in here. I assure you that no one would be able to stop me!”

Arsen looked at Dudian: “Do-do you dare?”

Skagen looked at Dudian: “Today you are here for public lecture. Focus on that.”

Dudian didn’t care about Skagen and Eivissa as he looked at Arsen: “I will naturally give you a reply since you asked me.” He made a hand gesture.

There was a trace of hesitation in Gwyneth’s eyes for a moment. However the next second she moved. Gwyneth appeared at Arsen’s back as if she had teleported. She raised her leg and kicked him in the ass. Bang! Arsen’s body flied out and fell over the platform onto the crowd. The crowd gathered over to catch him.

Skagen and Eivissa’s face changed as they hurried over to support Arsen.

“The man was senseless.” Dudian looked at the others: “It’s time, I will go now.” He set foot on the high platform. Gwyneth followed behind him.

“This man has a temper!” The old master touched his beard as he looked at Dudian’s back.

Skagen glanced at him: “You are the one to gloat.”

The old man laughed: “The wicked are ruled by wicked.”

Edward was stuck on spot. In his mind there was no one above the masters. But his teacher’s servant kicked the master towards the audience because of just a word conflict. The man had a violent temper.

Edward suddenly remember the words Dudian said earlier on. There was an excitement and awe in his heart.