Chapter 1216: I Experienced Strange Condition...
Aldrian dismissed the meeting and instantly walked toward one of his private guest rooms to wait. He had asked the Xin family’s elder to bring Randolf there.
After waiting for a few minutes, finally the handsome figure of Randolf entered the room. He came alone this time.
Randolf instantly smiled upon entering the room, while Aldrian also smiled when he saw him.
"I greet the great emperor, Aldrian the Great." Randolf greeted him with a slight bow.
Aldrian nodded.
"Young Master Randolf, it’s unexpected that you would visit me, but I’m glad that you came. Please, have a seat." He said with an amicable expression which made Randolf feel strange.
’Did something good happen to him? Why is he being so amicable to me? From the way I see it, it seems he was already waiting for me.’
But Randolf quickly put aside those thoughts as he kept his smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." he said before sitting on one of the sofas. Aldrian sat across from him.
Two imperial maids then served them tea before leaving the room. Once they left, Aldrian spoke.
"I heard that the Valroy family has not been doing well lately. Your family seems to be receiving a lot of pushback from other families that could suppress your family in various matters. Is there anything that I could do to help you, Young Master?"
Randolf was inwardly stunned. To think that Aldrian knew about the state of his family.
Did Aldrian know many things about other worlds, or had he specifically placed the Valroy family under his attention?
His offer to help the Valroy family itself already felt strange to him, and it gave him a bad feeling!
Unbeknownst to him, his suspicion was correct, as Aldrian had already placed some of his attention on them since he returned from the Central Region of Heavens. He had already planned to deal with them after taking care of Tarius’ followers.
Aldrian knew the state of the Valroy family from his own observations, as well as the information he gathered through various channels.
Randolf put aside his suspicions and answered Aldrian.
"Your Majesty seems quite knowledgeable about the news of other worlds. Well, yes, indeed my family has its own problems, but my visit this time is not to ask for Your Majesty’s support or anything like that. If I do that, it would raise dissatisfaction among many people, even within my own family."
Aldrian nodded.
"I see. Then I wonder what Young Master is visiting me for? I suppose for you to visit me at this moment, even though it is not to ask for support while your family is not in a good position, means that this visit is something you have to do. This matter must be important."
Randolf did not show any change in expression, but inwardly he grew wary of Aldrian’s sharp mind. He could not help but feel that if he said something wrong, all of his secrets would be laid bare before him.
He maintained his calm as he spoke.
"Well, to be honest, although I did not come to ask for Your Majesty’s support regarding my family’s problems, my visit this time is connected to it. And I want to know if Your Majesty knows the solution and could help us."
Aldrian raised his eyebrows.
"Tell me." He said.
Randolf took a deep breath.
"Your Majesty, to be honest, my family’s current condition was caused by a strange condition that has only been experienced by the Valroy family since two years ago." Randolf’s gaze focused on Aldrian’s expression.
"We do not know why, but two years ago, we suddenly experienced a change in the heaven and earth energy. The heaven and earth energy suddenly seemed different. It felt heavy and difficult to control." He released a sigh.
"Because of that, the cultivators of my family experienced weakened powers and difficulties in their cultivation. Many of our cultivators also failed to make breakthroughs, and many of them even died because of it."
Aldrian could not help but inwardly smile upon hearing that.
’Of course your family would experience that. The powers that originated from Avergis would naturally be suppressed inside my domain, especially after your connection to your god was cut off.’
But then he wondered why Randolf was telling him this matter.
By explaining his family’s problems in such detail, Randolf was exposing his family’s weakness.
It was truly a surprising move considering that Randolf had most likely already suspected his identity as an apostle of some unknown god. With uncertainty surrounding his identity and secrets, this move was both stupid and dangerous.
By doing this, Randolf was practically asking him to take advantage of his family’s situation.
However, if someone as clever and cunning as Randolf dared to make such a move, then he must already have something in mind that gave him the confidence to do so.
Randolf revealing this dangerous information to him must have a purpose.
"Until this day, we still do not know why this strange condition happened." Randolf continued as his expression showed how difficult the situation was. He looked tired, as though a heavy burden weighed on his mind.
He subtly glanced at Aldrian to see if there was any change in his expression, but Aldrian still showed a calm face. This made Randolf unable to read what Aldrian had in mind.
But he still continued, wanting to see if he could gain something later.
"Because of that, my family’s position has been shaken, and even our rival families have begun overtaking us." He then looked directly into Aldrian’s eyes.
"Your Majesty, do you know what happened to my family? I wonder if Your Majesty knows something about it. If Your Majesty knows about this condition, could you help us or at least tell us how to solve this issue?"
Aldrian, who had been focusing his senses on Randolf since earlier, could not detect any specific thoughts inside his mind.
However, Aldrian could sense how Randolf’s feeling that seemed to be expecting something from his answer to that question.
Why did Randolf want to hear his answer regarding this matter so badly?
Aldrian grew curious about it, and he wanted to test him. His expression turned thoughtful.
"Young Master’s family’s condition is indeed strange." He then looked at Randolf.
"Well, to be honest, I have never encountered such a strange condition before, Young Master."
At that moment, Aldrian sensed disappointment from Randolf, but also other negative emotions such as irritation, anxiety, and doubt. Those mixed emotions confused him for a split moment, but then he continued speaking.
"But I experienced a strange condition that started appearing during the last few weeks." He simply blurted out nonsense, but at that moment, he sensed Randolf’s emotions flip once again. Randolf became tense yet hopeful. It was like someone finally hearing the words they had desperately wanted to hear.
"What kind of strange condition, Your Majesty?" Randolf asked.
"Well, I suddenly started craving roasted purple shell lobster from the Northern Sea, smeared with special spices from the northern territory. It is a rare delicacy from the northern part of the empire and quite difficult to make. Only an experienced chef at least at Grand Duke stage could properly serve this delicacy. I never tasted it, but recently I just could not stop wanting to eat it."
Aldrian almost burst out laughing the moment he sensed the sudden fury rising inside Randolf’s heart. He could see Randolf’s eyes twitching, and his expression almost lost composure.
He then heard Randolf’s thoughts.
’To hell with your craving for your fucking lobster! I thought it would be something useful!’
Aldrian truly almost lost control and laughed, but he still maintained his expression. He looked as though he was seriously talking about craving roasted lobster.
Randolf truly wanted to pull his own hair before punching Aldrian in the face for giving such a ridiculous answer.
With twitching lips, he forced out a slight smile before replying to Aldrian.
"Your Majesty, to think that you enjoy joking like this. I truly did not expect to see this humorous side of Your Majesty."
Aldrian finally showed a smile.
"Of course. Life without humour is like a flat land without anything growing on it. It would just be flat, boring, and depressing. Do you think that as an emperor, my life is only filled with stern and rigid expressions and interactions? No, of course not." He said.
Randolf almost gritted his teeth in frustration. He truly did not know whether Aldrian had been teasing him because he genuinely wanted roasted lobster, or because he wanted to hide the truth.
He wanted to know if Aldrian was experiencing the same thing as him and his family, but he truly did not see any signs that Aldrian was suffering from the same condition.
He had even heard that Aldrian could open two portals toward the Outer Realm, which was a truly mind-blowing feat.
That did not look like someone experiencing weakened power like him and his family, but he still wanted to confirm it himself.
That was why he came here to confirm it.
If Aldrian was experiencing the same thing as them, then that would be the best outcome for him.
"Alright, I will be serious. Although I have never experienced your family’s strange condition, I know about that condition and the way to fix it." Aldrian said.
Randolf narrowed his eyes upon hearing that.
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