Published: March 12, 2025
Chapter 333: Farewell
When Zhao Hai heard Fernand's words, he couldn't help but feel warmth in his heart. Although Fernand was impulsive and cared about his reputation, once they became friends, he genuinely thought of Zhao Hai. He noticed the tension between Zhao Hai and Ryan and was afraid that the Versailles Family would revoke his title because of Ryan. If that happened, it would make it inconvenient for him to roam the continent, so he specifically gave his family’s emblem to Zhao Hai.
It was worth noting that a noble’s emblem was not something that just anyone could use. Typically, only direct relatives of the noble family were allowed to use it. All individuals who could use this emblem had to be reported to the empire and registered.
Zhao Hai knew that Fernand couldn’t possibly understand his relationship with Ivan. He did this entirely for Zhao Hai’s benefit. The use of a noble emblem was not to be taken lightly, as it involved many implications.
For instance, if Zhao Hai used the Iksa Family's emblem to commit any wrongdoing, all those actions would ultimately reflect back on the Iksa Family. If the empire were to settle accounts later, those actions would be counted against them.
This situation was different from Ivan granting Zhao Hai a title. When Ivan granted Zhao Hai a title, although Zhao Hai was accountable to Ivan, he nonetheless had his own title, making him an independent entity. If Zhao Hai made any mistakes, Ivan had the authority to handle them, and the empire would not hold Ivan accountable. This was a completely different matter from directly using the family emblem.
Zhao Hai received the emblem carefully and then patted Fernand on the shoulder, saying, “Brother Fernand, take care. If there’s anything important, you can write a letter and give it to my Blood Eagle. He will find me and deliver the letter.”
Fernand nodded and hugged Zhao Hai tightly. Zhao Hai returned the embrace, and then they both let go. Zhao Hai turned to Ibel and bowed, then got into the carriage and waved goodbye to the two as they left.
Watching Zhao Hai's carriage slowly disappear down the road, Ivan sighed, “He is a mighty eagle with a heart that holds the entire sky.”
Fernand smiled slightly and said, “Indeed, he is a mighty eagle. Having such a friend is truly wonderful. Uncle Ibel, let’s go to my house. Wells left me quite a bit of wine; let’s go have a couple of drinks.”
Ibel laughed heartily, “Forget it, I’m too old to drink with you. You go back and enjoy it slowly; I need to take care of some accounts.”
Fernand chuckled, “You’re just like my father, always with endless matters to deal with. So dull. I’m off then; I’ll go back and drink some of the wine Wells left.” After saying that, he got into the carriage and drove off towards the city.
Ibel watched Fernand leave and smiled wryly, “You live so freely; I wonder how long you can keep it up.” After saying that, he also got into his carriage and left.
At this moment, Zhao Hai sat in the carriage, holding the emblem Fernand had given him, lost in thought. After a while, he sighed. To be honest, his first meeting with Fernand was far from pleasant, but looking back now, this friend was indeed worth having.
Laura and the others had also heard the exchange between Zhao Hai and Fernand. They were surprised at how loyal Fernand was. Laura glanced at the emblem and said, “I didn’t expect it; Fernand is really a person of character.”
Zhao Hai smiled faintly, put away the emblem, and took out a map, placing it on the small table in the carriage. He looked at a marked spot on the map and said to Laura, “This mark is Ibel’s outpost. I think we should arrange a time to deliver the milk wine to him as soon as possible.”
Laura nodded, and the others also looked at the map. It was quite detailed, showing exactly how far the tribe was from the Iksa Family's cavalry fortress, and the route was clearly marked. It even had the tribe’s name, battle flag, and the contact person’s name written clearly, ensuring they wouldn’t get lost.