Chapter 10 — Back to Practical Matters

The young, hot-blooded hero Gao Yang Cecil, after one triumphant return, had drunk celebratory wine with Charles I, founding king of the Kingdom of Ansou. The two bosom friends, flushed with drink, had boasted to each other. They spoke of how their great enterprise was now all but accomplished—how the band who had once fled in misery with their clansmen to the north were now each and every one founders and trailblazers. It was plain that in the near future there would be a great wave of first-generation nobles, and so long as they lived and bred, from these rootless first-generation nobles would spring ancient houses of long lineage and pure pedigree…

So the two well-lubricated founding sovereign and minister put their heads together and wondered whether they ought to standardize things in advance—draw up some clan rules and family precepts, to keep the coming generations from forgetting the spirit of the Xuan Mai Sect. And as the trailblazer of trailblazers, the founder of founders, Gao Yang Cecil and Charles I should undoubtedly set an example themselves.

And so, seven hundred years ago, Gao Yang Cecil downed more than half a cup of strong liquor in one go, glanced at the knight's sword at his waist, and with a flourish of his hand left a line of writing on the table:

Knights are more badass than mages.

Charles I, seeing this, was deeply gratified, and so with a flourish of his hand also wrote a line:

Lord Gao Yang speaks the truth.

The former became the ancestral precept of the Cecil family; the latter… the latter was argued back into oblivion by Charles I's attendants and remonstrating officials, who resisted to the death.

The far-sighted ministers, thinking of the greater good, and His Majesty the King, now sober, naturally would not enshrine such drunken drivel among the fundamental policies of the realm. But Gao Yang Cecil, in all seriousness, had entered the sentiments of that moment into the family rules.

Emerging from his memory, Gao Yang looked at Heidi and Rebecca with a face full of embarrassment.

He sighed. "I was drunk back then. Just pretend that rule never existed…"

Heidi & Rebecca: "…?"

And just then, a rumble from Amber's stomach came to Gao Yang's rescue.

"I know it's a bit inappropriate to bring this up while you three are enjoying your family reunion," the half-elf girl said, rubbing her belly awkwardly, "but I'm a little hungry."

And Amber's hunger seemed to be a starting signal: no sooner had she spoken than several more gurgles rose from the bellies of everyone present.

Even Gao Yang was no exception.

Only at this moment did Gao Yang realize that since leaving that gloomy tomb, no one present had eaten for a very long time.

And the time since he had last eaten was longer than anyone's—the last time he had enjoyed the satisfaction of chewing food, the monkeys of the Loren Continent had still been far from walking upright.