Hearing Po Kong’s explanation, Starlight also came to a sudden realization. He had wondered about this before, but hadn’t felt comfortable pressing for details.
During the group’s conversation, the registrar finished Xi Xi’s temporary registration and handed over a golden card. “This is the young lady’s identity credential. With this, she can move freely within the Royal Capital.”
Xi Xi happily accepted the card and tucked it into her own storage space.
“Alright, everyone, now that the paperwork is done...” Quick wiped away some sweat. “Young Master Po Kong, are you heading to the guesthouse, or going home?”
Po Kong glanced at the Gold-Clad Guards standing as straight as pines in the distance and instinctively shrunk his neck. “As for going home... let me think about that a bit longer...”
Just then, Maela suddenly frowned. She looked down at the ground before turning her gaze toward the distance.
“Hmm? That’s strange. It feels like something is coming.”
“You’re not mistaken. Someone is indeed coming, and in quite large numbers... Wait, this scent... why is it so strange?”
Xia Duo twitched her nose and looked toward where Maela was pointing with a face full of confusion.
Under the golden glow of the setting sun, a massive procession appeared at the end of the main road, kicking up clouds of dust.
Hundreds of knights in silver-blue uniforms rode on pure white warhorses, their formation orderly. The eagle crests on their chests shimmered brilliantly in the fading light.
“Is that the delegation from the Azure City-State? Is that why my sister and the others are here—to welcome them?” Po Kong squinted to see the banners held high within the ranks. “Wait, that’s not right. Even if Duke Rovena himself arrived, it wouldn’t warrant the Gold-Clad Guards coming out to meet them, would it?”
Xia Duo didn’t answer. Instead, she unslung her longbow from her back and rested her slender fingers on the string. She lowered her stance slightly, looking like a leopard ready to pounce.
“Little Shadow, what are you doing?”
Seeing Xia Duo like this, Po Kong’s heart, which had just begun to settle, tensed up again.
It wasn’t until dozens of seconds later that the group finally saw the true nature of the procession.
The primary members of the group were indeed knights from the Azure City-State, but in the very center of the formation, they were escorting several tall, hairy figures.
Xi Xi suddenly grabbed Starlight’s sleeve, her silver pupils constricting slightly. “Those big guys... they feel so strange!”
Those tall figures were all clad in battle armor. They weren’t riding warhorses, but rather massive worgs that were even larger than horses.
“Beastkin! Why would they show up at a time like this, and alongside the people from the Azure City-State!?” Upon seeing those figures clearly, Po Kong’s face immediately turned solemn.
One had to understand that humans and beastkin were practically mortal enemies.
Thousands of years ago, the human kingdom had gathered the strength of all its city-states to drive the vast majority of beastkin across the ocean to the South Continent. Since then, the beastkin had never stopped dreaming of a comeback to reclaim the fertile lands of the Leon Continent.
A massive war would break out between the two races almost every few decades.
Though the beastkin had been relatively quiet for the last dozen years, Po Kong could never forget that his eldest brother, Sui Yun-Mars, had his arm crippled in a war against them.
Not to mention the Crimson City-State, which was extremely xenophobic; their deepest hatred originated from the beastkin. This was a blood-deep grudge that couldn’t be resolved easily.
And yet, right now, these arch-enemies were appearing openly on the outskirts of the Royal Capital, marching side-by-side with a human delegation.
There was no tense standoff or life-and-death struggle. Instead, they looked like... invited guests. This abnormal peace was more unsettling than the sound of war drums.
This strange procession soon drew everyone’s attention, even the people waiting to enter the city turned to look.
The beastkin contingent wasn’t large, numbering fewer than fifty, but they were exceptionally eye-catching.
Leading them were several burly members of the Tiger-kin. Their golden fur shimmered in the sunset, and the large blades at their waists emitted a chilling glint.
Behind them was a mixed unit of various beastkin tribes. One could see incredibly strong Bull-kin, Dog-kin keeping a wary eye on their surroundings, Lizardmen guarding the supply wagons, and even a few Rat-kin and Rabbit-kin serving as maids.
In the center of the group was a magnificently decorated carriage pulled by two particularly powerful worgs. The curtains were drawn low, but an elegant silhouette could be seen sitting inside, clearly an important figure.
Before the city gates, the Gold-Clad Guards led by Howling Moon also urged their horses forward to formally greet them.
Seeing this, Quick knew he had to get his guests away immediately. If left to their own devices, there was no telling what Po Kong might do.
Urged on by Quick and several guards, Starlight’s group slowly moved along with the flow of people entering the city.
Just as they crossed the arched bridge outside the city gate, a breeze carrying the chill of early spring blew past, lifting a corner of the carriage’s gauze curtain.
Starlight felt a strange fragrance suddenly hit him—it was like cedar mixed with some sort of cold floral scent, yet it carried a faint, almost imperceptible trace of blood. He couldn't help but look back, but he saw nothing.
“What’s wrong?” Moen asked with concern.
“It’s nothing. Maybe just my imagination.” Starlight shook his head, but the fragrance seemed to cling to his nostrils, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
...
Once inside the city, Maela and Xi Xi, who had never been to the Royal Capital before, were stunned by the sight.
The bustling scene that greeted them was entirely different from the quiet of Dragon Valley or the rugged style of Cinder City. The two newcomers were completely dazzled.
Even Starlight, Moen, and Xia Duo looked around with interest, taking in the unique sights of Lionheart City.
Unlike the two large city-states they had visited before, Lionheart City didn’t have the air of freedom and lawlessness found in the Violet City-State, nor did it have the same mundane, everyday bustle of the prosperous Crimson City-State.
The streets here displayed a breathtaking aesthetic of order—the wide main roads were paved with black-and-white obsidian, and magic lamp posts on either side emitted a soft silver glow. Every few hundred paces stood an elegant fountain, with shifting magic runes dancing upon the watery veils.
But soon, their attention was drawn to a peculiar phenomenon in the streetscape.
Almost every building’s exterior wall was hung with the same poster. These posters had an elegant light blue background dotted with pearl-white starlight patterns, emitting a soft fluorescence in the twilight.
In the center of the poster was a girl so beautiful she seemed almost illusory. Her long blue hair, the same color as the background, fell like a waterfall, with the ends adorned with tiny specks of starlight. Her emerald eyes seemed capable of seeing through one’s heart, and a shimmering tear-diamond was placed at the corner of her eye.
The girl held a uniquely shaped magic microphone, and a seven-colored crystal ball floated above her head.
“What’s... the deal with this?” Starlight turned to Po Kong and asked curiously.
Po Kong also shook his head in confusion, indicating he wasn’t sure what was going on.
“Young Master Po Kong, I forgot to tell you,” Quick hurriedly explained. “You’ve arrived just in time for Miss Xue Ying’s concert in Lionheart City. That’s why the city defense force is under so much pressure!”
“Xue Ying? Is she famous? Wait, I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before...” Xia Duo walked to the front of a shop and studied the poster closely.
With her reminder, Starlight also felt the name was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.
It was Moen who suddenly widened her eyes and let out a soft cry. “We have heard that name! Remember? The auction in the Crimson City-State!”
At those words, the group instantly remembered. At the auction in the Crimson City-State last year, Miss Xue Ying’s recording stone had been the very first item on the block, and it had sold for a staggering price.
“So it’s her! No wonder it sounded familiar! Hey, Quick, you aren’t going to tell me that all these extravagant decorations and this atmosphere are just because this Xue Ying is holding a concert, are you? What about the Magic Grand Arena??” Po Kong looked at the surrounding decorations, clearly finding it hard to believe.
“Of course!” Quick said excitedly. “Besides the ‘Heavenly Songstress’ Miss Xue Ying, who else on the entire continent could make Lionheart City go this crazy? Every inn in the Royal Capital was booked solid three months ago just for this concert! Even the Mages Guild specifically adjusted the schedule for the Magic Grand Arena!”
Rate on N.U.
