The Lord Of Blood Hill

Although everyone verbally insists on following proper protocol when addressing Henwell, deep down they all appreciate his easygoing leadership style. It’s a relief to have a leader like him.

McComb and Sosie start calling Henwell by his first name right away, while the others stick to formal titles out of respect.

After hosting the Paladin squad for a while, Henwell rises and mingles with other scattered guests. These aren’t major power players, but Henwell still maintains proper courtesy.

The banquet stretches on until midnight before Henwell finally returns to his bedroom.

Melissa is already there, curiously exploring every corner of the room and its furnishings.

Henwell enters, takes Melissa’s hand, and kisses it gently. “Mistress, is there anything about the room’s facilities that you find unsatisfactory?”

Melissa pulls him over, lifting her skirt slightly as she runs toward the bookshelf. “What kind of books are these? Why don’t I recognize any of the writing?”

Henwell pulls out a volume, tracing the English characters on its cover. “The Pros and Cons of the Feudal Empire’s Military and Political System.”

Then he points to another. “This one’s called A Brief History of Mechanical Development.”

“This one covers energy and its role in the progress of civilization.”

“And here’s a detailed study on cavalry tactics in the art of war.”

Melissa asks, “Why haven’t I ever heard of these books? Did you write them all?”

Henwell chuckles. “Haha, of course not. I have some skills, but I’m not at the level of writing such works. I just copied and compiled them. They’re documents I’ve collected and organized.”

“What language is this?”

Henwell catches the curious sparkle in Melissa’s big eyes. For a moment, he almost wants to reveal his secret.

But he holds back. “No, this is a coded script, a cipher created to record extremely important or sensitive knowledge. Of all the books here, I’m probably the only one who can read them. Each one is incredibly valuable. Any single volume could shape a formidable leader or a wealthy magnate.”

Melissa wisely chooses not to press further. She’s a smart woman who understands Henwell keeps many secrets. As his wife, she knows she shouldn’t pry too much.

Still, now that she’s married to Henwell, she feels a twinge of disappointment that she’s not yet allowed to uncover his mysteries.

Sensing Melissa’s shift in mood, Henwell gently pulls her down to sit beside him on the bed.

“We’re married now, but I have many secrets, some I can’t share, and others I’m not sure if I should.”

Melissa shakes her head. “You don’t have to explain. I understand. When you feel it’s time to tell me, you will.”

Henwell hesitates briefly, then grits his teeth and says, “You can ask me three questions. I promise to answer them truthfully.”

Seeing Henwell’s sincerity, Melissa hesitates for a moment before finally asking the question she’s longed to know.

“Henwell, where do you come from? If you can’t say, it’s okay.”

Henwell dodges the question. “Do you remember the guests from the Ika Kingdom at the wedding today?”

Melissa nods. Henwell continues, “Do you recall the captain of the guards beside the Ika crown princess?”

Melissa thinks for a moment. “Yes. Viscount Obian, a senior commander of the Golden Guard Knights! His wife was very kind and gave me a small gift, a beautiful crystal bracelet.”

Then Melissa digs through a pile of presents and finds the relatively simple jewelry box.

Henwell takes out the necklace and studies it for a moment, then smiles at Melissa. “Keep this safe. It’s a gift from my mother.”

Melissa freezes, stunned. She stammers, “You… you mean Lady Vanessa is your mother, and Viscount Obian is your biological father?”

Henwell sighs. “Ah, surprised? Now you understand why I can’t reveal my origins.”

Seeing Melissa still dazed, Henwell jokes, “Are you thinking I’m a spy sent by the Ika Kingdom?”

Melissa snaps back to herself and lifts her chin proudly. “What could the Ika Kingdom possibly do to produce a hero like my husband?”

Henwell bursts into a triumphant laugh, then suddenly grabs a piece of fruit from the table and hurls it toward the window.

He’s spotted Newwood lurking there!

Just moments ago, Newwood had been force-fed a mouthful of “couple’s affection”, a mood fluctuation that Henwell immediately sensed.

Melissa looks at Henwell in surprise. Only moments ago, her husband was laughing wildly, full of pride and swagger. Now he suddenly throws a fruit?

Henwell shrugs and explains, “I just saw a silly bird fly by.”

Then Henwell begins to recount his story, from being captured during the chaos of war to the various events that followed.

Melissa occasionally interrupts with questions, and after more than half an hour, Henwell roughly finishes his tale.

By this point, tears stream down Melissa’s face. She can hardly imagine the bloody path Henwell has walked to reach where he is now.

Gently wiping her tears away, Henwell says, “Those hardships are behind me now. They were like a forge, shaping me into the Lord of Blood Hill! Don’t be sad for me. The toughest times are over. From here on, my path will only shine brighter.”

Melissa stops sobbing under his comforting words.

Henwell encourages her, “Keep asking.”

After a moment’s thought, Melissa asks, “Do you want to be a king someday?”

Henwell nods softly. “I want to become an emperor and build a vast empire.”

Melissa falls silent, then smiles brightly. “I understand now. From this moment on, you’ll strive to be emperor, and I’ll work hard to be your queen.”

Meanwhile, Newwood, having climbed to another window, gets fed another dose of “couple’s affection.”

This time, he’s prepared, he conceals his spirit and presence to avoid Henwell’s detection.

But the good times don’t last.

Henwell turns to Melissa. “One more question. Ask away.”

Melissa thinks long and hard, clearly about to ask something important.

Henwell’s heart races nervously, afraid she might ask a forbidden question he can’t answer.

Finally, Melissa speaks, her face serious as she stares at the tense Henwell. “Am I the woman you love most?”

Henwell freezes for a moment, then smiles and lowers his head to kiss her gently. “Of course.”

After the kiss, Melissa laughs. “Henwell, that question was the most important one to me, the one I most wanted to know.”

Newwood can’t take any more of this “couple’s affection” and accidentally reveals his presence again.

Henwell’s expression darkens as he stands. “You damn fool!”