The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

Chapter 1158 - 347: The Prince Who Gracefully Departed Amid the Clamor

With that, Luo Yan gently fiddled with the adorable seahorse and gave a gentle smile to Ophelia, who bowed her head shyly.

"What a lovely seahorse, thank you again, Miss Ophelia."

Ophelia blushed and uttered an "Mm," not daring to look at him and certainly not brave enough to admit that the sewn creature was actually his pet dragon named Taufu.

Seeing his daughter, usually as proud as a flower atop a mountain, turn so bashful, Andre felt a mix of emotions, including a hint of heartache.

Prince Colin spoke very tactfully, considering his daughter's dignity, although Andre could still discern the meaning behind the diplomatic words.

He hoped their friendship would be like Brass Pass, which holds no romance.

To be honest, Andre quite admired the young man.

At the same age, faced with a young woman with a good family and in her prime, he surely would have agreed first and dealt with consequences later.

If one was willing and the other was agreeable, even if he later chose not to take responsibility, could the other party fall out with the Castelion family?

As for being pressured by elders to marry, well, that's a concern for later, something he likely wouldn't care about in his early twenties.

Andre composed himself and picked up the conversation, shifting the subject before his daughter realized she was being rejected.

"I agree... also, I didn't expect you to leave so hastily. I thought you'd at least show me a spectacle before you go."

Luo Yan knew he meant the land in the White Dew District and smiled slightly as he replied.

"The performance has already begun, but the actors will only take the stage after I leave here. You'll certainly understand why I said that afterward... keep an eye on tomorrow's newspaper."

Andre raised his eyebrows and laughed as he said.

"Haha, really? Then I shall look forward to it!"

After concluding the conversation with Duke Andre Castellion and his daughter, Luo Yan met other equally esteemed figures like the head of the Lambert family.

As the last farewell with his friend was completed, the grand send-off finally drew near its end.

With solemn gazes, Luo Yan surveyed every friend who came to bid him farewell, performing an impeccably noble gesture to express his highest respect and gratitude to all.

Without their help, he wouldn't have been able to complete all his plans so smoothly.

Afterward, Luo Yan held no reluctance and turned to board the carriage prepared for his long journey.

The carriage slowly started, the guards galloped ahead, and the wheels rolled steadily over the cobblestones of Imperial Avenue.

The convoy headed north, gradually merging into the distant horizon, eventually becoming a blurred dot that disappeared from the keen eyes of the onlookers.

Regent King Granville Pot and Duke Valencia still stood side by side, with a satisfied smile on their faces.

"A young man worth anticipating," Granville said gently, "his respect for honor and tradition exceeded my expectations."

"Not only that, he knows how to reciprocate favors and understands the source of strength." Duke Valencia nodded slowly, his voice low and confident, "The move with the Holy Temple Knight Order surprised me. I didn't expect him to extend such an olive branch to the Council of Elders this way, while cleverly avoiding offending the Officer Faction that's more powerful in the New Continent… I admit, I underestimated him."

This young man might become a key force in the Council of Elders, and Duke Valencia held high expectations for Prince Colin.

Granville chuckled and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think he would have been more tactful?"

Duke Valencia laughed as he replied.

"Previously, yes. As for now, I must reassess him."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the crowd, Duke Andre Castellion placed his broad hand on his young daughter's shoulder.

Ophelia Castellion's gaze remained fixed on the distance until it finally vanished, her disappointment quietly surfacing on her face.

"Let's go, my little Ophelia," Andre's voice was gentle as he patted his daughter's shoulder, "Prince Colin… after all, does not belong here. The outstanding young men of the Holy City are as numerous as the leaves in that distant forest, don't give up the whole forest for one tree."

Upon hearing such irresponsible words, Ophelia softly hummed, discreetly wiping the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.

"You don't understand… what love is. Whether there are a thousand leaves in the forest or ten thousand, it makes no difference to me… I only want the one that belongs to me."

Andre: "..."

I can't believe I'm being told I don't understand.

But he couldn't mock his daughter — after all, he had courted more women than she had seen men; what gave her the confidence to say he didn't understand?

Not that he would say such uncouth things, nor would the harsh truth be easy to hear or convenient to reveal.

Seeing her speechless father, she quietly muttered another complaint.

"Moreover, wasn't it you who told me… if it were Prince Colin, it would be good. You're to blame, otherwise… I wouldn't have developed feelings…"

People all edit their memories, Miss Ophelia clearly was no exception.

At this moment, she completely forgot her shy self hiding behind her father curious about the world and the self that was enchanted in the dance hall.

She only remembered that after that banquet, her father's implication to her — which was really just a comment that "Prince Colin is a nice young man, impeccable in both family background and conversation."

Seeing his daughter turn her back on their agreement, Andre felt both amused and helpless.

"But… isn't it only appropriate if both parties are mutually in love? I can't force him, can I?"

"Who needs you to force him, I don't need your help, it's my own business!" Ophelia stubbornly turned her face to the side, muttering after a moment, "I won't give up."

She encouraged herself in her heart.

Go, Ophelia! You're still young!

Even Baron Cosia could stand after falling, let alone you, the dignified Miss Castellion!

She still had a chance!

Oh, Prince Colin seems to like magic?

Ophelia's eyes lit up, and she inwardly vowed to ask her father to hire another magic-savvy teacher for her when they returned!

For nobles, learning Extraordinary Power is quite simple if one so desires.

It's just unfortunate, the poor Miss Castellion did not know how formidable her competition was.

Though being unaware might be best, for if she knew, her fantasy of Roxey Colin might collapse… after all, even his name was a deception.

Andre chuckled with a bitter smile, shaking his head.

He decided it was best to stay out of young people's affairs.

At least he trusted Prince Colin's character, a gentleman through and through; he would never wrong Ophelia.

Having a fondness for the gentleman was no bad thing, better than being whisked away by some rash young lad from who knows where.

Anyway, personal affairs were no more than insignificant specks of dust before family interests, and his collaboration with Prince Colin would not be affected by his daughter.

The first fleet of the Holy Temple Knight Order had already set sail.

As the helm of Aus Empire over Vast Ocean, he must also prepare to welcome a brand new era of great maritime exploration!