In a castle hall decorated with reddish lacquered wooden walls and golden symbols, a lone figure was still studying late into the night, it was a girl dressed in a white robe, reading from wooden scrolls, with a candle lit on the table.
She appeared to be of nobility lineage, as her casual white robe seemed to be woven intricately. She looked surreal, as not only her robe was white, but her long hair was white and straight, and her skin was pale white too, she looked like a beautiful doll devoid of colors, except for her crimson-colored eyes.
“Your Royal Highness, It’s already past the time of Ox, please take a rest.”
The person who stood near the door of the study hall, walked towards the middle of the room, and spoke his mind, was Jian Yi, an attendant of the Princess of Luo Yang, as well as her bodyguard.
“I have to attain more knowledge, or I will not be able to succeed mine father.”
The person who replied was the princess of Luo Yang, Wu Zhao.
“You can go ahead and rest before me, I don’t mind.”
“Your Royal Highness, I simply can’t do that! What if you got into some trouble while I’m gone?!”
“You know… I already said you could call me by mine name when nobody is around. Aren’t we friends?”
“I-I-I can’t do that!”
“Then I will ask mine father to assign me a different servant.”
“T-t-that’s unfair…”
“Then call me by mine name right now.”
Wu Zhao smirked while teasing Jian Yi.
“Y-your ro-”
“Nuh uh”
Wu Zhao shook her finger.
“Wu Zhao, please take a rest now.”
“It’s not that hard, isn’t it?”
Wu Zhao had a triumphant look and grinned at the flustered Jian Yi.
Jian Yi had been assigned as Wu Zhao’s bodyguard since the time before she could remember anything. He had been by her side whenever she traveled around. He was trained to be her meat shield should anything happen to her. His job, or rather his fate, was to die before her.
“Now, are you interested in the knowledge of this world?”
Wu Zhao pointed her finger at the map on the table.
Jian Yi’s only job was to sacrifice his life for Wu Zhao, hence they did not teach him anything unrelated.
“Come closer, let me show you how big this world is.”
Wu Zhao beckoned and Jian Yi walked up the steps in the study hall and then stood in front of her table after being told.
Wu Zhao pointed her finger at the middle part of the map.
“Look, this is Luo Yang, our kingdom. We are located here on the Assuwa Continent.”
“And on the far eastern side, you have the Azevaria Continent, where the Azevaria Empire is located.”
“I heard they are a powerful empire and can easily defeat us should they wage a war against us. It might happen sooner or later, as I also heard their emperor is a bloodthirsty warmonger.”
“There’s an empire this strong?!”
Jian Yi was surprised to learn about it.
“Yes, I heard they even conquered most of the Alkebulan continent on our southeastern side, where most half-beasts reside.”
“And on our western side, we have the Bharatavarsha Continent, where the devas reside. Currently, we have non-aggression treaties with the kingdoms there. We can focus most of our forces on the eastern side.”
“And on the north-eastern side, we have the Almany Kingdom, under Azevaria’s banner, ruled by a cold-blooded king, they might start a war on the Bharatavarsha Continent sooner or later too."
Wu Zhao looked up and noticed Jian Yi fell asleep while standing.
“Haa…how can a person even sleep while standing up?”
Wu Zhao chuckled and continued studying the scrolls throughout the night.
“Officials of Luo Yang, prostrate yourselves before your king!”
The royal attendant declared in a loud voice, in a lavished giant red hall, each pillar and wall was engraved with golden pictures of dragons and birds with special symbols.
In the giant hall filled with a majestic aura, as many as two hundred people were genuflecting, each an official in a region of Luo Yang.
At the forefront of the officials were three individuals, one of them was a frail-looking old man, wearing a white robe decorated with intricate gold markings, with a long beard reaching below his chest. He was holding an expensive-looking wooden staff, with a gold dragon carving.
He was the grand court wizard and the Left Minister of Luo Yang, named Peng Xian. The staff he was holding was [Mie Xie], a mythical staff created by him, imbued with years of mana, it was said to amplify the user’s magic threefold, as well as being able to destroy evil with any elements of magic.
He mainly handles the external affairs of the state.
Next to him was a bearded person in his fifties towering 2 meters tall, clad in red armor, decorated with intricate gold drawings of a dragon. On his back was a giant black sword, [Zhan Lu]. He had the eyes of a seasoned warrior. With scars over his face and body, and eyes filled with conviction, he seemed like somebody you would not want to mess with.
He was the Grand Commandant of Luo Yang, Wang Xiao Jie.
He handled the military affairs of the state.
Zhan Lu was said to be a mythical sword that punishes evildoers, and was originally a treasure of the royal family, the king, being in old age and unable to head to battle anymore, bestowed it to him, as the heir to the throne, Wu Zhao was still young.
Lastly, the only blonde man in the entire hall, clad in a purple robe decorated with intricate gold markings, was the odd one out, as he was the only one hailing from the Azevaria Continent.
He was the Right Minister of Luo Yang, Gilles Serchilles.
He mainly handles the internal affairs of the state.
He first came to Luo Yang seeking refuge, and quickly rose through the ranks to the grand position of Right Minister, from the position of a mere record keeper of a province.
As the side door of the grand hall near the throne opened, a sickly old man wearing an expensive-looking red robe decorated with a huge gold dragon walked in, along with several of his attendants.
“Enter King Wu, the 3rd king of Luo Yang!”
The royal attendant declared in a loud voice.
King Wu walked towards the throne and sat down.
“You may rise!”
The royal attendant declared loudly, after confirming King Wu gestured with his hands.
All the officials stood up after hearing the command.
“You may begin the court meeting for this month!”
The royal attendant began to shout as King Wu gestured with his hand.
“Your Majesty, if I may, you should consider abdicating the throne to the princess already.”
The first person who spoke was Gilles Serchilles, the Right Minister.
Every official in the hall was shocked by what Gilles said.
“Insolent! Do you know what you are talking about?!”
Xiao Jie shouted and glared at Gilles.
“Our king is currently old and frail. Luo Yang would not survive if the Azevaria Empire attacked us.”
Gilles replied confidently while smirking at Xiao Jie.
Suddenly, there was a loud stomp,
it was Peng Xian who stomped his staff on the floor.
“My my…we should delay this topic for now, as there are more important matters currently. Furthermore, isn’t this what you called Lèse-majesté in the Empire in which you were born and raised?”
Peng Xian spoke, stroking his beard, while also glaring at Gilles.
“I am simply stating a fact, that I deeply care for the future of Luo Yang, as I AM a proud citizen of Luo Yang.”
Gilles smirked and replied in a way that made the others unable to counter his objective, as they would seem racist if they denied his loyalty to the kingdom.
At this moment, a soldier opened the door of the grand hall and silently ran to Xiao Jie, whispering something to him.
“Your Majesty, it is time for the coming of Nian, I seek your permission to leave.”
Xiao Jie genuflected to King Wu with his palm covering his fist, awaiting his permission.
All the other officials gasped in silence at this news because Nian wasn’t supposed to come this early.
King Wu gestured, and the royal attendant shouted
“Court shall be adjourned, you are dismissed!”
King Wu then prepared to leave the hall.
“Your Majesty, I shall bring you news of victory.”
Xiao Jie stood up and then continued to glare at Gilles.
“Your insolent attitude towards our King will not be forgotten.”
Xiao Jie then walked away with Peng Xian, leaving the meeting hall after the king had left.
“Tsk, what lucky timing you ancient relics have.”
“You won’t be escaping in the next monthly court meeting.”
Gilles thought to himself, then walked out of the meeting hall, and the rest of the officials followed soon after.
“Peng Xian, I do NOT like that guy one bit.”
Xiao Jie complained to Peng Xian while heading toward the eastern gate.
“The feeling is mutual, Xiao Jie.”
Peng Xian spoke in a calming manner while stroking his beard, although the hatred toward Gilles can be felt from the tone of his voice.
“We must find a way to strip Gilles of his position as the Right Minister. He is a poison to Luo Yang.”
Xiao Jie spoke with a strong hatred toward Gilles.
“My…my…I would have done it ages ago if there was a way. I could not find any misdeeds about him. He does not accept bribery nor does he embezzle the treasury funds, in fact, he even used part of his assets to help the citizens. He just seemed...too clean..."
“I shall dirty these hands of mine if it’s for the future of Luo Yang.”
Xiao Jie promised Peng Xian that he would do anything to get rid of Gilles, whatever the methods.
If Xiao Jie clashed with Gilles, civil war might erupt, as Xiao Jie was in charge of the soldiers, Gilles was effectively in charge of the guards in the city and palace.
A soldier ran up to Xiao Jie after spotting him.
“General, the defense for Nian has been fully set up!”
“Good, what about the production of [Fire Spears]?”
“General, It is going smoothly, the spears will be completed in three days!”
“When will Nian reach the targeted destination?”
“In a week, General!”
“My…my…doesn’t Nian’s behavior seem strange this year, it came a little too soon, don’t you think it’s suspicious?”
Peng Xian noted how every year, Nian would usually come a month later and not this early.
“It matters not!”
“Men, let us make haste to Zhou Village, bring me my horse!”
“Peng Xian, I shall leave the capital to you!”
“I will do my best to protect the capital in your absence, Xiao Jie.”
And so, Xiao Jie traveled to Zhou Village located 10 kilometers away from the capital, where they set up their defense against Nian.
Peng Xian heads back to his tower as well.
“What seems to be the uproar?”
Wu Zhao asked one of the servants who was walking frantically and whispering in the hallway outside her room.
“Your Royal Highness, it’s Nian! Nian is coming early this year!”
“Nian? This early?”
Wu Zhao was surprised at this piece of news
“Yes, Your Royal Highness!”
“Hmm…you may be dismissed.”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness!”
The servant left after being given permission and went back to her station.
The man standing by the door spoke out to the princess.
“It’s no wonder the servants were in an uproar, Nian devastated many villages and even parts of the capital whenever it came, and it even came earlier than usual this year…”
Wu Zhao shook her head while sighing.
“The most troublesome ability of Nian is its [Panic Aura], anybody within its AOE would go into a state of panic and confusion. It is a monster of utter annoyance to be dealt with. I sure hope our [Fire Spears] will be ready in time…”
---------------------------------
“We have to advance our plan, increase the dosage two-fold.”
Gilles spoke to a servant near the hallway leading toward the Royal Kitchen.
“Sir, wouldn’t this quicken His Ma-”
The servant spoke out but was quickly interrupted by Gilles.
“Enough! The walls have ears.”
“There’s enough reason for most of the palace guards to be legitimately posted at the castle gate because of Nian, we will strike while the iron is hot, you are dismissed.”
“Y-yes sir!”
The servant quickly left and went back to her station in the royal kitchen.
As Gilles headed back to his room and opened the door, a young girl wearing a black robe covering her whole body was inside, sitting on his table.
“Father, you are back!”
The girl who spoke had pale white skin, white hair tied in a bun, and crimson-colored eyes. She looked like a beautiful doll with contrasting colors because of her white hair, red eyes, and black robe.
She looked like a twin of the princess, or her clone even.
“Haven’t I told you to cover your face whenever you are in the palace?”
“There’s nobody around here. I will simply kill anybody else who sees my face, Father, so worry not.”
The girl who replied was Gilles's adopted daughter, Annie Gilles, who came back a week ago from Arzawa, in the Alkebulan continent.
He adopted her since she was an orphan. He first met her while she was stealing food from other people, and noticed how similar she resembled the princess.
To other people, he would look like a saint, adopting a kid who was led astray because of her life and environment, to him, he could dispose of the princess and switch her in as the replacement, nobody would find out.
“You have not learned much from Hassan, complacency is fatal.”
“My Master would have told you I am the strongest in Luo Yang right now.”
Annie gave a smug look to her father while boasting about her skills.
Gilles had a frown when he heard what Annie said.
“Sigh…What I just said. You were merely under the tutelage of Hassan for two years, and you have not seen the extent of those two ancient relics' strength. Well, it is good that you returned in time for this.”
“You have not seen the full extent of my skills either, Father.”
“Anyway, I need you to make that palace cook disappear tonight.”
“Who might you be referring to, Father?”
Annie replied while giving a sly smile.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know who I’m talking about, Annie. I knew you were watching. That palace cook can’t be used anymore.”
“As you wish, Father...”
Annie smiled and disappeared into the darkness of his room after.
Gilles frowned and sighed.
“What a troublesome girl, her arrogance grew so much in just two years.”
“I will have to fix her attitude before it becomes her downfall…”
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