CHAPTER 522: CHAPTER 500: HOW LONG DO YOU WANT TO HOLD IT?

Skillfully allowing Patrick and Grandmother to chat, Horn turned and walked toward Grampwen, who was waving at him.

"You sneaky kid, you ran off to Black Snake Bay without a word." As Horn walked up to the grinning Grampwen, he gave him a playful punch, "Cheka even said you defected and was ready to detain the entire troupe.

If it weren’t for Fuchev’s delaying tactics, your small crew would have almost ended up in jail."

"It was an emergency, after all. Diya was ready to give birth after ten months of pregnancy. How could I not be anxious?" Grampwen finally took a baby from the purple-laden nurse beside him.

"Your Eminence, look at my son, healthy and beautiful."

Delightedly receiving the tightly swaddled infant from Grampwen, Horn reached out to tease the baby’s wrinkled little face.

I have to say, for Grampwen and his wife, beauty was secondary; health was the main concern.

After all, considering Diya’s health and the witch symptoms, who knows if they would pass on to the child.

"What’s his name?"

"We’ve named him after each of our fathers. He’s called Julio Lemondo Massarino, or you can call him Jules Massarino," Grampwen said, quite sentimentally, as he caressed the child’s soft hair.

"Jules, a good name."

As Horn finished speaking, he saw Diya, wrapped in a thick wool cloak, sitting in a wheelchair being pushed forward by a bald tattooed monk.

"Haven’t seen you for a year, Diya."

Compared to the still gaunt Grampwen, Diya was slightly plumper, but it was more a case of bloating.

From her thin wrists and pale face, it was evident that giving birth to this child had taken a toll on her.

"Yes, it’s been a year."

Diya, with hollow eyes, though blind, could accurately take the baby from Horn’s hands: "Who would have thought that in a year, you would first seize Joan of Arc Castle, then break Black Mountain Castle, rush to aid Xiaochi City, and sweep Rapids City, winning four battles. The name Horn is being talked about all over Black Snake Bay."

After chatting a bit more with Diya and the others, Grandmother came over with the awkward-looking Patrick.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Horn, Grandmother began introducing the few Secret Faction elders who had arrived.

"This is Schreiman, the representative of the Bald Head Society."

Horn’s lips twitched as he forcefully suppressed a V-shaped smirk.

The middle-aged man in front of him wore a clean white ruffled shirt and an elegant waistcoat.

However, from the cuffs and collar, seven to eight inches of sweaty hair protruded crazily, covering his neck, face, hands, and ankles.

The thick black hair drowned his face, making it almost invisible to Horn, but the shiny reflection of his scalp was clearly visible.

Yes, his entire body was covered in hair except for his head.

"Hello, hello," Horn tightened his lips and shook hands with the elegant wizard in front of him.

"I’ve heard great things about you, Mr. Horn." Elegantly bowing, Schreiman’s furry hand covered Horn’s hand, "I never expected you to be so young; it’s truly surprising."

"You... you are also very, um... handsome!"

Patrick had briefed Horn in advance, so he was naturally aware of the situation with the Bald Head Society.

The Bald Head Society initially consisted of alchemists hired by balding nobles, originally researching alchemical hair growth potions.

Thus, in essence, it was not a secret faction of baldness but rather a faction researching hair growth for baldness.

Later, with help from a witch, they broke away from noble sponsorship and started creating alchemical potions and spells for magical creature domestication.

Interestingly, they only researched how to tame furry beast-type magical creatures and completely ignored the Black Snake Bay’s common serpent-type magical creatures.

But Horn never expected that this Bald Head Society wizard would have hair everywhere but on his head.

Afraid of laughing and causing a diplomatic incident, Horn embraced Schreiman and then excused himself to meet the next Secret Faction leader.

"This is Weng Ken, an elder of the Flame Rose Association."

Upon seeing Weng Ken, Horn sighed in relief.

Compared to Patrick or Qianqian, who were atypical wizards, this elderly wizard from the Flame Rose Association matched the image Horn had of wizards.

He wore a soft pointed wizard hat, had deep-set eyes beneath an aquiline nose, and a white beard that reached his chest. He wore a seamless black robe and held a magic staff encrusted with a ruby.

"Very pleased to meet you," Weng Ken’s eyes flickered with a hint of skepticism, or maybe he was just ineloquent as he immediately asked, "Where is my apprentice?"

Having met Qianqian and Patrick beforehand, Horn was already mentally prepared for the peculiarities of Black Snake Bay people, knowing that he meant no harm.

"Mormon and the others are on Autumn Dusk Island in Daze Village. More accurately, the wizards saved from Red Copper Fortress and gathered from Xiaochi City and those who surrendered from Rapids City are all on Autumn Dusk Island."

Toward the end, Horn intentionally raised his voice. Among the convoys, he noticed many who seemed to have brought their families along, likely having come to join relatives.

In the Salvation Army’s territory, except for Daze Village, the rest were old Miseria Church areas with a more closed mindset and resistance to wizards.

In contrast, Daze Village was more open and being a new town, it showed little resistance to outsiders and wizards.

"When can I meet them?"

"You need to register at Autumn Dusk Island first; we’ll provide you with the identity of a Free Miracle Priest, and then you can move freely within the territory."

Having received the desired answer, Weng Ken bowed to Horn and stepped aside.

Grandmother Vivian then introduced the next visiting Secret Faction leader to Horn.

"This is Bachelor Kerben of the Dragon Language Scholar Association."

Bachelor Kerben, in his early forties, had a mouth full of crooked black teeth and wore a satin scholar’s robe patched with burlap.

The founders of the Dragon Language Scholar Association were, in fact, a group of magic-researching El Scholars and physicians.

Among the five arriving Secret Factions, the Dragon Language Scholar Association was the only one entirely devoted to magical studies.

They were known for their enthusiasm in dissecting magical creatures and exploring the origins of magic, as well as their considerable research into law and practical work, which led many Black Snake Bay cities to employ Dragon Language Scholars as consultants.

Horn extended his hand towards him: "Hello, hello."

"Pleasure to meet you." Kerben shook Horn’s hand, "I heard you are a once-in-a-millennium Witch Man?"

"Ah, you could say that..." Watching as Kerben continued to stroke his hand, Horn had to exert a lot of effort to pull his hand away.

"Do you know any spells? Can you demonstrate one for me on the spot? Could you demonstrate infecting a Blessed in person?

Or could you give me a vial of your blood? Or perhaps a lock of your hair, oh no, maybe a piece of your finger? Or a section of your small intestine?

You are a Witch Man, which means you have both ꩜Ω and [❍{}] right? Have you made love with a normal witch? Lady Catherine, have you two ever made love..."

Before Kerben could finish, a few tattooed Bald Head Monks covered his mouth and dragged him to the side.

Though his mouth was covered, he kept struggling, making muffled sounds.

Standing aside, Catherine and Jeanne, both blushing furiously, glared vehemently at Bachelor Kerben.

"Ha ha, Bachelor Kerben can be a bit direct with his words, please don’t mind him." Grandmother waved, and the tattooed monks promptly dragged him off the scene.

"Ha ha ha, of course not." Horn found it sadly ironic that normally, he should feel awkward or angry at this moment.

But he felt incredibly calm instead, even somewhat familiar; he even recognized some old familiar shadows among these people.

"Alright." Grandmother cleared her throat, "Everyone has limited time for meetings, Bachelor Kerben is done, allow me to introduce the Suffering Monks group leader, Saphie.

As for Lady Louise, she was injured in a previous siege battle and came along in the same carriage as the Suffering Monks group leader..."

Before Grandmother could finish, the door of a carriage parked by the roadside opened, revealing a white-haired woman.

She was over six foot two, with masculine features, wearing a loose black nun’s robe, yet her muscular build was still apparent.

A resolute and stern face bore numerous scars of varying sizes and even a fresh wound tinged with wet blood.

Horn recalled some intelligence: single-handedly storming the city, tall and strong...

There was no mistake; this was surely the leader of the Ruo’an Faction, Louise.

Without waiting for Grandmother’s introduction, Horn stepped forward and extended his hand towards the tall and strong woman.

"You must be Lady Louise."

The woman looked at him for a second or two but remained silent, simply gave a firm handshake, then turned back to the carriage to carry out a little girl.

Just as she was about to set her down, Horn rushed ahead and scooped the little girl into his arms, affectionately pinching her chubby cheeks: "Is this your daughter?"

The white-haired nun still said nothing, only staring blankly at Horn.

"Lady Louise?"

Horn finally sensed something was off; he approached closer, carefully observing the white-haired nun’s mouth, only to discover it was stitched shut.

She couldn’t speak, so did the handshake just now mean consent?

Horn glanced at the empty carriage, suddenly breaking out in a cold sweat.

Grandmother’s peculiar voice came from behind: "The person in front of you is Saphie, the leader of the Suffering Monks group."

This was Saphie, so where was Louise? There was no one else in the carriage.

Horn suddenly felt everyone around him fall silent, especially those natives who were staring straight at him.

"The one in your arms is the leader of the Ruo’an Faction, Lady Louise."

"Oh ...eh."

A hoarse voice resonated from his embrace, and as the little girl with pigtails spoke, there came a strong scent of blood and tobacco.

"How long do you plan to hold me?"