The Herb King



In the high-end hotel, Aethelwolf was giving pointers to Alec and the others when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Aethelwolf furrowed his eyebrows as he said. "Come in." 

A Shadow Guard entered the training room and whispered something to Aethelwolf. "King Aethelwolf, the people from the Mystic Island are coming. One of them seems to be the Island Master, Estes." 

Hearing this, Aethelwolf smiled as he nodded his head. "Alright. Thanks for letting me know. You may return to your post." 

The Shadow Guard saluted and left. 

"You guys can stay here and train by yourselves. I have something to take care of." Aethelwolf said to the young elites. 

"Yes, King Aethelwolf!" They responded respectfully.

Olivia who was eating cookies at the side immediately stood up and ran towards him. "Papa, can I go with you?" She stared at him with big shining eyes.

Aethelwolf chuckled and grabbed her hand as he nodded his head. "Of course." 

"Yayy!" Olivia excitedly left with Aethelwolf.

Meanwhile, three individuals walked calmly on the street. They were wearing hooded robes that covered their bodies and because of this, they looked mysterious and dangerous at the same time. No one dared to cause them trouble and the pedestrian evaded their path. 

"Father, there are experts observing us. It looks like they are Sir Aethelwolf's subordinates." It was the gentle voice of a young woman. 

"Island Master, do you want me to warn them?" This time, it came from an old man. His voice was cold. 

"Just let them be. They don't have ill intentions anyway." The person in the middle said in a calm voice. 

Soon, the three robed individuals saw a young man wearing modern clothing. He looked refined and handsome. He was holding the hand of a red-haired little girl. 

"He's fast. Is that his adopted daughter?" 

Aethelwolf smiled as he greeted them. "It's a pleasure to see you, Island Master Estes. You two as well, Sir Victor and Young Miss Nocturna." 

The three mysterious individuals removed their hoods as they warmly greeted him. 

"Good day, Sir Aethelwolf! We've finally met! I've been looking forward to seeing you in person!" Estes extended his hand and shook hands with Aethelwolf. 

Aethelwolf sized up the man. He was someone who looked to be in his early thirties and he has a long silver hair. His eyes were like two bright gems that radiated with profound wisdom. This person was the Island Master of Mystic Island and the supreme expert who was ranked second in the Heavenly Might Rankings, Estes. 

"Let's not talk here. There are a lot of people watching. Follow me. There is a coffee shop nearby." Aethelwolf said as he looked around. There were a few people who were mesmerized by Nocturna's beauty. There were even some young ladies who were pointing excitedly at Aethelwolf and Estes. 

"You're right. Please lead the way." Estes nodded his head in agreement. It would be troublesome if the crowd learns about their identities.

Aethelwolf immediately brought them across the street and they headed to an area with lesser pedestrians. There was a two-story coffee shop that was relatively inconspicuous, making it a perfect place for a quiet discussion. 

"A friend recommended this shop to me. I hope you don't dislike coffee." Aethelwolf said after they found a spot on the second floor. The friend he was talking about was General Trevor. The old man was the General of West Ocean City and he knows a lot of good places in his territory. This coffee shop was one of the few good restaurants that was recommended to Aethelwolf. 

"It's not bad and it's peaceful here." Estes muttered with a smile.

He wasn't overbearing like Aethelwolf had thought. In fact, the man was amiable and easy to talk with. He never thought the Island Master of the Mystic Island was actually a friendly person. 

Suddenly, Olivia poked Aethelwolf and stood on top of her seat as she leaned towards his ear. "Papa, that Uncle is handsome, but he is still not as handsome as you." 

Hearing her cute innocent voice, Estes couldn't help but laugh lightly. "Sir Aethelwolf, your daughter is funny." 

"She is, but don't take her words seriously." Aethelwolf chuckled as he gently rubbed Olivia's head. He then muttered to her. "Sit down and don't talk nonsense. Papa will discuss something important with Uncle Estes." 

"Okay." Olivia nodded her head and sat down obediently. She then grabbed a jar of cookies from her storage ring and started eating. When she noticed the beautiful woman beside Uncle Estes was looking at her, she hid the jar of cookies behind her. 

Seeing this, Nocturna covered her mouth as she laughed softly. This little girl was too adorable and funny. 

"Sir Estes, I thought that you would only meet me after the competition." Aethelwolf said as he gently stirred his coffee. 

Everyone became silent when they heard his words. Only the sound of Olivia eating cookies could be heard. 

A few seconds later, Estes placed both his hands on the table as he replied in a solemn voice. "That was my plan, but I heard that an army of Underworlders has emerged in the Northern Region. There are millions of them this time and they are mostly comprised of elite warriors. This information was sent by Argus, so it's reliable. I've decided to discuss our alliance ahead of time." 

Hearing this, Aethelwolf frowned and fell into deep thought. Argus was recognized as the strongest expert in the Regalis Continent. The information he sent could be trusted, but Aethelwolf was surprised that he was actually maintaining contact with Estes. He thought that the two were rivals, but it seems like he was wrong. 

"The Northern Region is infested with ferocious magical beasts. There is also a savage race of Barbarians living in that place. It would take them some time to reach the civilized regions." Aethelwolf muttered. 

Estes nodded his head. "That's right. However, this army is only the vanguard force of the Underworlders! They have billions of warriors who are ready to bring chaos to our lands! I plan to hold a conference after the competition. All the experts in the Heavenly Might Ranking will be invited. You must be there, Sir Aethelwolf!" He said in a serious voice.