Chapter 259: A Banquet Not for Good Intentions

Although Grand Duke Ivan worked in the royal palace, he could not live in this residence that theoretically belonged only to the Empress. His luxurious mansion was on the other side of the mountain top, slightly lower than the Palace of Spring.

Both were on the mountain top, so naturally, it wasn't far, but Murphy delayed for a full hour before arriving.

The so-called banquet was not for good intentions. Although he didn't know what Ivan wanted to do, it certainly wouldn't just be to invite him to eat and drink.

However, Murphy did not refuse.

After all, the Empress said the action was tonight, and he had originally planned to go to Ivan's mansion tonight anyway, so now it just saved some trouble.

It's just that the time was a bit too early. He was afraid that Granny Yaga wouldn't get the news in time to respond, so he dragged his feet.

First, he said he needed to change clothes, then after changing, he needed to wash up, then after washing up, he said his clothes got wet and he needed to change again. When he was finally ready and went out, the waiter waiting outside to lead him over looked—isn't this exactly the same as when you entered the room?

The waiter was full of confusion. After leaving the house, Murphy was also dragging his feet. At one moment he said the scenery here was good and he wanted to recite a poem, but after reciting for a long time, he got one line: "Ah, look at this moon, it's so big and round..."

At another moment, he came to the cliff and said he wanted to pee ten feet against the wind, but was stopped by the waiter. After all, the ancestral mausoleum was below, and if he peed down there, the ancestors' coffin lids wouldn't be able to be held down.

Being really annoyed by Murphy, the waiter wanted to go back to report first, but Murphy wouldn't allow it. "Who will lead the way for me if you leave?"

The waiter pointed to the main road under his feet: "This road goes straight forward..."

"My Soviet language is not good, you said backward?"

"It's forward, Mr. Murphy. Forward. The direction my finger is pointing."

"You said the moon is round? Oh, understand." Murphy gave a thumbs up. "What you said is not bad."

"I mean walk forward, forward... that way..."

"Downward?"

"Forward, forward... that way..."

"Westward?"

"... I'd better lead you over, this way, Mr. Murphy."

"What time is it?"

"It's ten o'clock in the evening, Mr. Murphy..."

"So late! What are you dragging your feet for, hurry up, people are waiting anxiously!"

"..."

Leading the waiter who had been tortured to mental exhaustion to the Grand Duke's mansion, Murphy immediately attracted everyone's attention.

A waiter stopped him. "Please hand over your wand."

Murphy glanced at him, shrugged indifferently, pulled out a wand from his waist, and handed it to the other party.

The wand was no longer a necessity for him now, but he still had seventy or eighty in his storage ring, so handing over one was fine.

"British envoy Murphy Darkholm arrives..." The announcing waiter had just finished speaking when Murphy slapped him on the head. "Daring to call my name directly, do you know who I am?"

"You, who are you?"

"I, Darkholm III, am the Emperor of the Eldians, Undead, Yato, Kurta, and Uchiha clans, Guardian of Hyrule, Conqueror of Swadia, Lord of Terraria, Savior of the Lands Between, Yharnam, and Arad, Super King, Ghost... cough, Godfather in Black, Savior—Avatar, Murphy Darkholm."

Hiss...

The familiar sound of gasping echoed in the mansion again.

However, the dozen or so envoys from other countries felt something was not quite right.

How come it feels... like it's different from what was said before?

But Murphy had already arrived at the banquet table and, without waiting for an invitation, found a seat and sat down.

They were in an open-air courtyard, countless lamps floating in the sky, and outside the railing on the side was a cliff, with a very wide view.

Sitting in the main seat was a rather handsome middle-aged man, wearing a red robe with gold trim. This was Grand Duke Ivan. Murphy had already seen his portrait before coming.

And standing beside him was a slightly shorter man, wearing a military uniform, with very sharp eyes. This was the former Royal Guard Captain Sophie Christian.

Sitting on Ivan's left was a young man, about the same age as Murphy, looking sixty or seventy percent similar to Ivan. This was Ivan's eldest son, Ras Frederick.

And on his right sat an old man with gray hair, thin and shriveled, with a rune Murphy couldn't understand drawn on his dark forehead with some kind of crimson pigment.

This was the Great Shaman of the same level as Alexei, known as the Song of the Earth, Felipe Carlos.

Murphy frowned. Why was this guy still here after he had dragged his feet for so long? Hadn't Granny Yaga acted yet?

At this moment, Murphy felt the eyes of the three, Ivan, falling on him. In the old eyes of the Great Shaman, something like flames flickered faintly. Even looking at each other from a distance, Murphy felt the surging magic power of the other party, hard as stone, heavy as a mountain, making him feel a chill down his spine involuntarily.

This guy is very powerful, probably no worse than Alexei.

Suddenly, Felipe stood up, his eyes still staring straight at Murphy.

This guy... isn't he planning to make a move first?

But at this moment, a maid trotted over, whispered something in Grand Duke Ivan's ear, and then said a few words to the Great Shaman. The latter frowned, finally glanced at Murphy, and actually left directly with the maid.

"Sorry, everyone, there's a small situation at the ancestral mausoleum, the Great Shaman needs to go over and take a look, so he can't accompany us. But it doesn't matter, since everyone is here, let's start the banquet," Grand Duke Ivan said.

Murphy breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Granny Yaga had made it in time.

The banquet was very boring at first, nothing more than drinking, eating, singing and dancing, and bragging. Murphy didn't touch the food and drink at all. He was estimating the time and waiting to see what medicine Ivan was selling in his gourd.

After the wine had passed three rounds, the servants cleared away the mess on the table and poured a new glass of wine for everyone.

Ivan picked up his glass, stood up, and the music stopped abruptly.

Murphy also raised his eyes, the main event was finally here.

"Everyone has come from afar to propose to our Empress, which makes us feel very honored," Ivan said, with a smile on his face, speaking eloquently, and even raising his glass to toast several guests.

"Everyone should know that Her Majesty the Empress Sophia is my sister's daughter, and I watched her grow up. Sophia is gentle and virtuous, and because she lost her parents early, she has always been by my side, like a daughter to me."

The people below nodded one after another, curiously waiting for Ivan's next words.

Murphy rolled his eyes.

Gentle and virtuous?

That Empress?

And like father and daughter?

Then you guys are truly a father who loves and a daughter who is filial.

"My son," he said, pulling up Ras beside him, "Ras Frederick, has accompanied Sophia since childhood and is a childhood sweetheart with Sophia."

"The two have long since fallen in love and made a lifelong commitment. It's just that because of court etiquette, I had to send invitations to everyone."

As soon as this was said, everyone who had just been in a "very good, very good" mood seemed like chickens whose necks had been pinched, one by one stunned.

Good fellow, what does it mean?

You want to marry within the clan?

We are all just accompanying runners?

Although I heard that you Soviets like to do this, you shouldn't play with people like this, right?

"For the happiness of my son, for the continuation of my king, I, Ivan Frederick, apologize to everyone here. If you can voluntarily withdraw from tomorrow's fiancé selection, drink this glass of wine, and I will have generous compensation, and send you all out of the city."

Silence spread in the hall, everyone was in shock, and for a moment didn't know how to react.

"Clap clap clap..." But at this moment, a burst of applause sounded.

Murphy clapped his hands, nodding. "Sincere! Genuine! Grand Duke Ivan's words are truly heartfelt, touching, and tear-jerking. If I were you, I would have drunk that glass of wine by now."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 260 =====