After Noah's third gunshot, the people in the hall originally present frantically fled outward without regard for anything else. In just twenty seconds, no outsiders remained in the hall.
Sebastian smiled bitterly as he looked at Noah:
"Esteemed Laureate, acting like this in public—they might very well report it to the Order."
"Let them report. Whatever."
Noah holstered his gun and pointed at the man he had shot earlier:
"He's not dead. The opal crystal covering the surface will automatically unlock in two minutes. Throw him out."
"Understood." Sebastian smiled bitterly again: "After causing such a scene, the family head will probably never be able to hold the sword-drawing marriage contest again."
"No need to hold it anymore."
Noah shook his head:
"Let's go. Take me to see Cantarella."
...
Soon, under Sebastian's guidance, Noah passed through the hall and entered the rear garden of Porto-Veno Castle.
Looking at the neatly trimmed bushes and flower beds in the manor's rear garden, Noah inwardly clicked his tongue.
These bushes... were taller than Carlotta.
"Sorry for keeping our honored guest waiting so long. It was truly discourteous."
A soft, melting voice sounded from behind. Noah turned around, and the first thing that met his eyes was a pair of deep, soul-sucking eyes.
Snow-white skin, a high-bridged nose, exquisite makeup, and long pale purple hair that fell like dreamy mist complemented each other perfectly. Every frown and smile was enchantingly seductive, like a ripe peach.
As Cantarella approached with a smiling expression, a faint fragrance entered Noah's nostrils, clearing his mind.
[Limited Banner "Dream of the Reflecting Sea," "Whispers of the Sea" has been opened.]
"The 36th head of the Fisalia Family—Cantarella, greets you, esteemed Laureate claimant, the new King of Carnevale... and Jinzhou's hero, Hero."
As she spoke, the Tacet Mark hidden beneath her soft lips faintly appeared and disappeared.
"It seems Counselor Changli has already told you about me. Just call me by my name."
Noah was somewhat overwhelmed by Cantarella's excessive closeness. He instinctively stepped back and pointed to the nearby luxurious table and chairs:
"Let's sit and talk."
Cantarella sat down gracefully, elegantly poured a cup of hot tea, and slowly began:
"Our honored guest has just arrived at Fisalia and driven away many guests I invited with great effort. Isn't that a bit too overbearing?"
"They were going to leave sooner or later. I just saved them some time."
The reason he drove away those outsiders was mainly because hearing their slander against Cantarella made Noah displeased.
Moreover, even if Noah hadn't driven them away, they wouldn't have been able to pull out Tyrvine.
And most importantly—if he really let these hundreds of people line up one by one to draw the sword, how could he speedrun?
"Fine. In the previous Echo runaway incident, Fisalia noble Gilberto also caused trouble for our honored guest. Consider this us even."
Cantarella gently pushed forward the poured tea:
"Let this cup of tea represent us burying the hatchet and looking forward to the future."
Noah blew on the hot tea and drank it in one gulp. He didn't taste much—it was definitely tea from the Jinzhou side.
"Alright, no more probing. You know why I'm here."
Hearing this, Cantarella's heart skipped a beat. Of course she knew why Noah had come.
A few days ago, when she visited Huanglong's Jinzhou, her old friend Changli had invited her as a guest. It was then that Changli told her about Noah.
Changli: "Though this Hero often flirts around, he truly possesses some unique abilities."
Changli: "After learning of your sword-drawing marriage contest, he immediately wrote a letter asking me to tell you to return to Rinascita upon your arrival—as if he had long anticipated your whereabouts."
Changli: "Perhaps he really can pull out the sword you carry, but he probably doesn't know what this sword represents. So his purpose in drawing the sword must be you. Are you really going to marry him?"
...If he really can pull out the sword, so what if he likes to flirt...
In Cantarella's view, Noah had come for her. However, her first impression of Noah upon meeting was—this man was really too young.
If Noah really pulled out the sword, she truly wouldn't know who was taking advantage of whom.
Thinking this, Cantarella's lips inexplicably curved upward. She picked up the teapot and poured Noah another cup:
"Why is our honored guest in such a hurry? Why not first listen to me tell some secrets of Ragunna."
"No thanks."
Directly skipping this useless plot segment, Noah glanced down at the tea without drinking:
"I'm in a rush!"
Hiss~ Cantarella drew in a cold breath.
This person had not only driven away all the other participants in the sword-drawing marriage contest for her but was also so eager to draw the sword.
Did he fancy her that much, unable to wait even a moment?
Cantarella grew serious and pondered briefly:
"Do you know... I might be ten years older than you?"
"Hm?"
Noah was stunned. What did that have to do with him drawing the sword?
That's what he thought, and that's what he said:
"Is there a problem?"
"No."
It seemed he didn't care about the age gap—though that might be because, as a Resonator, she could maintain eternal youth.
Cantarella thought to herself, her expression unchanged as she asked again:
"Fisalia would not be so frivolous as to use an ordinary sword as the threshold for marriage. Do you know... after pulling out this sword, I might need you to do something very dangerous, possibly life-threatening?"
"I don't care."
What danger could there be? Noah inwardly grumbled: It's just fighting the Threnodian Leviathan.
But to Cantarella, it carried a different meaning.
He didn't even care about life-threatening matters for her? That meant he only cared about her?
Cantarella raised a hand to touch her faintly warming cheeks, feeling her long-sealed heart involuntarily quicken.
Just what reason made him so persistent toward her?
"Honored guest, we have never met before. Are you aware of my reputation outside?"
"I know. 'The Oldest Darkness,' 'Lady Poison,' 'The Illusory Dream Jellyfish Who Manipulates Hearts'..."
Noah shook his head slightly, his gaze steady:
"I knew you before these rumors, Cantarella."
"I know you're a good woman."
As his words fell, Cantarella felt her heart skip a beat. She said nothing more, only staring at Noah with her originally enchanting eyes, growing wider and wider.
Across from her, Noah spoke:
"If there are no other questions, let's go draw the sword. After drawing it, for the time afterward, you'll follow my arrangements. That okay?"
Knowing that drawing the sword would lead to possibly life-threatening matters, he was still so resolute, even somewhat impatient!
And the latter half—was he asking for her attitude? As long as he drew the sword, her future life would follow his arrangements. This... was too domineering?
Noah, you guy...
For a moment, it was Cantarella who became hesitant, unable to answer for a long time.
"If you don't speak, I'll take it as agreement."
Noah drained the tea in front of him, stood up, and urged:
"Let's go. I have many things about you I want to ask."
"O-Okay..."
Though immune to all poisons, she felt her entire body stiffen as if poisoned.
Cantarella's mind was a mess. She didn't know how she stood up or how she led the way. In a daze, she suddenly heard Noah speak again:
"Give me your hand for a moment."
He wanted to hold her hand? So direct?!
Cantarella's cheeks flushed pink.
At this point, since this person was willing to risk life and death to rush toward her, what reason did she have to refuse?
Thinking this, Cantarella shyly extended her hand, immediately grasped by Noah.
Switch character—Verina.
Warm, healing resonance power immediately flowed from Noah's hand into Cantarella's body.
Soon after, Noah released her hand and shook his head inwardly.
He knew Cantarella had been selected by the family since childhood, constantly ingesting various toxins. Over time, though it tempered her will and made her immune to poisons, those toxins had actually left severe damage to her body.
The reason he held Cantarella's hand was to see if Verina's ability could detoxify her.
But after truly examining with Verina's ability, he discovered the situation in her body was far more than just severe poison—there was an even greater injury.
Noah guessed this was backlash from when Cantarella, during the Maiden's trial, resonated with Imperator and fed all the resonance power back to Imperator.
He didn't know how painful such backlash was, only that its side effects were enough to prevent Cantarella's resonance ability from advancing further for life.
Originally... as a Sentinel Resonator, she should have had status and strength like Jinhsi.
"There are too many hidden injuries and toxins in your body. I can't help for now, but I'll find a way later."
"This..."
Cantarella looked at Noah with complex emotions, only now realizing he had just been concerned for her health. For a moment, an indescribable feeling surged in her heart.
He's so warm.
Suppressing the turmoil inside, she led Noah around a few turns and pointed at Tyrvine standing on the heavy stone base, her gaze fervent:
"The stone base and sword cannot be destroyed by external force. If you cannot pull out this sword, please do not force it. You will still be Fisalia's honored guest."
"Understood."
Switch character—Rover.
Noah reached out, gripped the hilt of Tyrvine, and exerted force continuously.
The sword did not budge.
In the original plot, Rover relied on authority higher than Imperator's to pull out this sword.
But Noah only had Rover's frequency without the authority, so naturally he could not pull it out.
Seeing Tyrvine remain motionless for so long, unprecedented inexplicable disappointment surged in Cantarella's heart:
"Still... not successful?"
Cantarella sighed inwardly.
If only he really could pull out the sword. As expected, things couldn't go so smoothly.
In the end, only a Sentinel Resonator could pull out the sword. He wasn't the person she was looking for.
"No rush."
Noah was not panicked at all. He opened the panel and accessed [Summon].
Can't pull out the sword if not Imperator's Resonator? Then he'd just become a Sentinel Resonator on the spot.
Cantarella had indeed fed back the power from her second resonance to Imperator, leaving her unable to pull out Tyrvine—but what did that have to do with him, Noah?
Characters summoned through [Summon] were complete, fully enhanced versions.
No need for words—ten-pull summon!
Fifty Radiant Tides smashed down, and brilliant golden light shone on the panel.
Cantarella, obtained!
Switch character—Cantarella.
Noah forcibly overclocked his resonance power, gripping the hilt again and exerting force.
Under Cantarella's shocked gaze, Tyrvine was slowly pulled out of the stone base bit by bit.
"Honored guest... you actually... really did it!"
Noah raised Tyrvine high and slightly raised a brow:
"Hm? Still calling me honored guest? Time to change the title, right?"
Hearing this, Cantarella thought of something unknown. Her lowered cheeks flushed shyly. She somewhat coyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and softly called:
"Husband!"
"Huh?!!!"