What caught Cassian off guard was what Hannah said next-sounded like she was testing him?
He didn’t hesitate.
To be honest, he was curious about what she looked like.
So, he just lifted the black veil in one motion.
“Holy hell-!”
The moment the veil came off, an urge to bolt hit him like thunder.
His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
Behind the veil wasn’t some delicate beauty-nah, what he saw was a complete disaster.
Round face, cross-eyed, a collapsed nose, and teeth so buck they stuck clean out past her lips.
That face…
good gods.
She wasn’t just a plain girl-this was next-level ugly.
The reigning queen of all eyesores.
“Transcendent beauty indeed…” he muttered, snapping the veil back down instantly.
A cold shiver ran along his back.
Even he didn’t know why he blurted that out.
“Hey!
Young Master Cassian!
Why’d you cover it back?
We didn’t even get a look!”
“Transcendent?
Damn it, show us too, won’t you?”
The crowd erupted below the platform, all of them craning to see what Cassian saw under that veil.
He frowned, thoughts swirling like a storm.
Now it made sense why the Elwood Clan was doing this marriage stunt…
why Hannah kept her face hidden.
It was a damn trap.
All that effort on the dueling stage…
and this was the reward?
A woman who redefined “ugly”?
“Are you…
disgusted by my appearance?” Hannah’s voice trembled as she looked at him, pain in her eyes.
“No, no…
Just feeling a little dizzy.
Maybe overdid it.”
Cassian rubbed his forehead, panic creeping in.
He didn’t dare say too much-didn’t want to hurt her.
She wasn’t at fault for her looks, and anyway, she was still the Elwood heiress.
He wasn’t dumb enough to insult her outright.
All he wanted now was to get the hell out.
“Cassian.” Hannah’s maid stepped in with a sugary smile.
“You’re the first man our lady let lift her veil.
And you did it yourself-that means you’ve accepted her.
Don’t forget your promise, alright?
You said you’d treat her well for a lifetime.”
“Brother!
I’m here!”
Suddenly, Noah came running up beaming with excitement.
“Look at you, finally making a name for yourself!”
“Haha!
That’s our young master!”
And from all around the square, members of the Faraday Clan began arriving, even Colin of the Four Elders showed up.
Cassian could only give a bitter smile.
This was a nightmare.
He clutched his stomach and groaned, face twisted in pain.
“Aaah-no good, my stomach!
Goddess, I’m about to lose it!
Where’s the privy?!”
Without waiting for anyone, he leapt off the dueling platform and bolted without looking back.
“Ma’am!
Look!
He pretended to have a stomachache and just ran off!” Hannah’s maid let out a gasp as Cassian dashed off the plaza.
Hannah didn’t even blink.
She stared toward the plaza’s edge and gritted her teeth.
“He won’t get far.
The man I’ve set my eyes on…
even if he runs to the ends of the world, he’s not leaving my grasp.”
*****
Northreach Dominion, imperial palace rear garden.
A cold-faced woman clad in black knelt in front of a graceful lady in sheer cyan robes.
The one with the icy gaze was Daisy.
As for the elegant woman, she was none other than the Northreach princess herself-Sophia Hales.
“Princess, I’ve got his background,” said Daisy.
“His name’s Cassian Faraday.
Sixteen years old.
Lives in Lunaris, and he’s also the current young master of the Faraday Clan.”
“That useless brat’s a young master?” Sophia raised a brow, then asked, “Did you find out whether his clan has some kind of secret cultivation art?”
What stuck in Sophia’s mind was the last time Cassian pulled some strange trick that drained all her spiritforce clean.
“No clues there,” Daisy replied truthfully.
“Faraday Clan’s a merchant family.
They’ve got a few scattered cultivators, but no solid foundation.
Not even a decent high-tier method, let alone a clan-guarding technique.”
“That…
only makes it weirder.” Sophia frowned.
“Could he have stumbled upon some lucky chance?”
“What’s he been up to recently?” she asked.
“Just a few days ago, he joined the marriage tournament held by the Elwood Clan in Lunaris.
Won the whole thing,” Daisy answered.
“What?” Sophia’s expression darkened.
“That deadbeat actually joined a matchmaking event?
Why the hell would he do that?”
Daisy continued calmly, “The Elwood family governs Lunaris and is among Northreach’s honored warrior clans.
As I heard it, the Faradays saw the event as an opportunity to strengthen ties with them.
That’s why he went.”
“But don’t worry, Princess.
Even though he won, he bolted right after.”
“Worry?
Why would I be worried about that bastard?” Sophia sneered, but there was a strange fire building up in her chest.
Then she asked, “Why’d he run?”
“Because the Elwood girl doesn’t exactly have an appealing face…” Daisy shook her head.
“The whole tourney’s just a way for the Elwoods to marry her off.
Naturally, he couldn’t accept it.
So he pulled the stomachache excuse and fled on the spot.”
“Didn’t even dare to go home afterward.
Guess he’s scared she might come knocking,” Daisy added.
“Hahaha!
That fool deserves it!
Serves him right for trying his luck with a marriage tournament!” Sophia laughed uncontrollably, nearly bending over with mirth.
“So?
Where’s he hiding now?”
“Arcanum of the Divine Flame is holding recruitment right now,” said Daisy.
“He caught wind of it and went straight to the Heavensway Range at the border of the Eastern and Western Continents.
I didn’t dig further after that.”