The Grand Square and Imperial Encounters

In front of the imperial palace lay a vast square. Normally, it was open to all residents of the Imperial Capital. Today, however, was different.

To ensure the safety of the Imperial Family, only those bearing invitations were permitted to enter the grand square.

Of course, there was another reason: compared to the immense Imperial Capital, the square was simply too small. It could not possibly accommodate such a massive influx of people.

If it were open to all residents, it would undoubtedly be overflowing, perhaps even bursting at the seams.

Who wouldn’t desire a close encounter with the Emperor? His Majesty was renowned as a wise and benevolent ruler; without his guidance, how could Roland have achieved its current prestigious standing?

Invitations were distributed entirely by random selection. With enough luck, even a beggar could find themselves here today, granted a rare glimpse into Roland’s Imperial Family.

Nevertheless, every influential power base within the Imperial Capital received a set of internal invitations. This ensured that their members would not be left without access to the prestigious event.

For instance, the Imperial Magic Academy had been allocated ten invitations.

“Oh my goodness, this is my first time seeing His Majesty!” a tall boy with short red hair exclaimed excitedly.

“Quiet down. We are representatives of the academy, and we must maintain our composure,” Mi Yin admonished, her brow furrowed. She had no desire for the Imperial Magic Academy to lose face because of such trivialities.

The long blue-haired girl was the leader of their delegation. Naturally, she hoped to complete this task flawlessly.

Truth be told, her position at school was merely Vice President of the Student Council. This leadership role should never have fallen to her. However, their esteemed President was the heir to a prominent noble family, and she had to attend the event with her elders. Thus, the leadership position was passed down to Mi Yin, a girl who had only recently become Vice President.

When the President had smiled, patting Mi Yin’s shoulder and relaying this ‘good news,’ Mi Yin had truly wished to scratch that smug face of hers to ribbons.

She had only been Vice President for two months! Such a heavy responsibility was far beyond her capabilities.

“Couldn’t the Prefect be the leader? She has far more experience than I do,” Mi Yin suggested, her face etched with a bitter expression. Her relationship with that stern woman was not particularly amicable. Recommending her now was a desperate measure.

“Ah, you mean Nana? She‘s also attending the celebration with her elders,” the President said, pulling out a form. “You see, almost all Student Council members qualified to lead a team are accompanying their elders. So…”

So sorry for not being a noble! Mi Yin thought, exasperated. What more could she say? She could only reluctantly accept the task.

“Look, is that Princess Elena’s carriage?”

A classmate’s voice pulled Mi Yin back to reality. She looked up, following the direction her classmates were pointing, to where two exquisitely decorated carriages were slowly approaching.

Any carriage arriving here today, one could deduce with a moment’s thought, must belong to someone of immense importance.

“Princess Elena, and also, Princess Aiya.”

Princess Elena was a remarkably active princess. Residents of the Imperial Capital would frequently spot the vibrant princess strolling through the streets.

Should one greet her, Her Highness would respond with kindness and warmth, completely devoid of any royal airs. It was said that the First Prince was much the same. To encounter such an Imperial Family was truly a blessing for the people of Roland.

As for Princess Aiya, Mi Yin knew little about her.

Rumor had it that Her Highness was in delicate health, rarely venturing beyond the confines of her private courtyard.

The carriages soon vanished from Mi Yin’s sight. She sighed, turning her head. The Imperial Family… she mused.

****

As the carriage settled into a smooth halt, Ziyao knew they had reached their destination.

Opening the carriage door, Ziyao lightly leaped out, landing gracefully on the ground.

The female knight, who had been standing by the carriage ready to assist the girls, paused in surprise. She had not expected a passenger to disembark unassisted.

“It’s fine, I’m used to doing it myself,” Ziyao said, smiling at the bewildered knight.

“Yes, Your Highness,” the knight instantly composed herself. Daydreaming at such a moment was a grave misstep.

“Heave-ho!” Just as the two were conversing, Elena also hopped out of the carriage.

No, why do you all insist on jumping out yourselves? The knight thought. This makes my presence utterly meaningless. Observing Ailin assisting the younger princess from the other carriage, the knight felt on the verge of tears.

“Then, I shall take my leave,” she announced. Since there was no task for her here, she would go and park the carriage.

Watching the carriage depart, Ziyao scratched her head, a hint of confusion in her expression. Why did that knight girl seem so aggrieved?

“Ziyao, Elena, over here!” Raphael’s voice called from nearby.

Never mind, it’s nothing important, Ziyao thought.

Ziyao shook her head, clearing the jumbled thoughts from her mind.

What beautiful hair… The silver strands swayed left and right with Ziyao’s movements, and a wisp of fragrant air wafted into Elena’s small nose. Emulating Ziyao, she too shook her head.

The result was a thick clump of golden hair that slapped directly into Ziyao’s face.

“My apologies,” Elena’s face flushed crimson. She had not anticipated such an occurrence.

However, Ziyao didn’t dwell on it; she was not a narrow-minded person.

“Come on, let’s not keep Aiya and the others waiting,” she urged.

Yet, due to her elaborate gown, Elena’s pace was considerably hindered. By the time they leisurely reached Aiya, the latter had already been nestled in Ailin’s embrace for quite a while.

“Let’s go,” Raphael clapped her hands. They still needed to ascend to the speaker’s platform.

No incidents occurred along this path, and soon, the group of five reached their final destination.

There, Roland’s supreme ruler, the Emperor of Roland, awaited them with his wife.

“I’ve heard Allie speak of you, young Sage,” the Emperor said, as gentle and refined as the legends claimed. It was no wonder the Empress had been drawn to him despite his lack of formidable power.

“Your Majesty of Roland, I have also heard tales of your deeds from my friends,” Ziyao replied with a slight nod. “You are a truly great Emperor.”

As a Sage, she was not required to bow to the Emperor as others did.

“Hahaha, I am far from great,” the Emperor chuckled, a gentle smile gracing his lips. “Compared to my predecessors, I still have many shortcomings.”

No, no, no, you are truly being humble. Who doesn’t know what Roland used to be like? Ziyao thought. But such words… can only be uttered in private.

“Alright, Reno, it’s time to prepare to go on stage,” the Empress said, clapping her hands, interrupting their conversation. The time was nearly at hand; it was their moment to make an appearance.