A few days ago in the Alderian Nature Palace.
"Where is that person now?!", Empress Aelin hurriedly asked.
"Empress Aelin, we do not know where that man has gone. That person simply generated a teleportation magic circle before they vanished.", General Zukov answered.
Empress Aelin became solemn, "I see. What do you think of them, General Zukov?"
"Their intentions are unclear, Empress. I feel that they have an ulterior motive in showing themselves here on our territory. They might be in cahoots with the Otherworld and are already aware of their plans from the start. I suggest we-"
"I disagree.", Haera retorted, "Rina and Rono told me that the robed man purely wanted to hunt demon beasts in that area alongside those young children."
General Zukov snorted, "Rina and Rono are young children! That robed man can easily deceive them!"
His last words made Empress Aelin turn cold, "General Zukov, you are dismissed."
"But Empress Aelin, we cannot let such a risk go-"
"Enough. I will have the final say on this matter, and I say that we cooperate with them through friendly negotiations.", she didn't budge, "You are all dismissed."
General Zukov gasped. He was in disbelief for a moment that the Empress wasn't listening to his suggestions.
This has not happened before. The empress would be elated that he was there for important talks. But now, he was discarded like a useless subject.
'What is the Empress thinking?! She easily trusts those people more than her loyal subjects who have worked under her for so long?!'
His pride was hurt so he bowed and left without saying another word.
The others went out as well. Rina and Rono were taken to their home.
"Haera, can you come with me for a minute?", she requested.
"Yes, Empress."
Empress Aelin went on a balcony. In this place, she could oversee the entire capital city of the Alderian Terrestrial Sanctuary, the Sanctuary city.
The chirping sounds brought peace to her mind. The slight cover from the trees protected her fair skin from the intensity of the Morning Star's light.
These two elves, one dressed formally and one dressed seductively, exuded a strong charming aura to anyone who dared to take a peek.
"I have been wondering for all this time, Haera.", she calmly spoke, "How far will a ruler go to serve the people they dearly love?"
Haera remained silent. She didn't know the answer to such a question.
"Do you think that I have been a good ruler after all this time, Haera?"
"Yes, Empress. You have brought prosperity and development to the Sanctuary.", Haera replied.
"Is that so?", Empress Aelin glanced at her.
"Back when I was a woman of your age, I dreamt of a Sanctuary highly advanced in magical knowledge and research. We became so powerful that no one in Aludia could ever match up to us, even the demonic creatures from the Otherworld."
"I dreamt of the same Sanctuary that finally accepted the differences of demi-humans. The Grurad Mystic Manor and the Sandmen following in our footsteps towards greatness and everlasting prosperity."
Empress Aelin shook her head.
"Then, I became a ruler. I was supposed to have the best opportunity to achieve my young, na?ve, yet beautiful dreams of this Sanctuary."
"But now, I failed."
"I am bounded by chains inherited from my ancestors long before. The nobles remain in power and the commoners struggle for their rights. The elders have gone mad with their conservative thoughts."
"Our spite against the Grurad Mystic Manor has worsened."
"Our power as a nation dwindles compared to the newborn humans in the Morning Star Empire."
"And such a calamity loom upon us every day. And I, as the empress, is unable to do anything to stop it."
Just as Haera thought that Empress Aelin have gone mad, she noticed a smile on the empress' despondent face.
"But I guess the ancestors are not as cruel as we thought they are. They have allowed me to prove myself once again."
Haera was dumbfounded. This smile from the empress, a very bright and hopeful smile, with tears running down her face.
How could she put it? It was akin to a bird who finally learned how to fly. It was akin to a slave who finally found freedom in their life.
'Did she destroy the chains binding her for so long?', Haera wondered.
"Haera, tell me what you know of Heavenly Magic Academy."
The sudden change of topic surprised Haera. Was the empress fascinated by that fabled magic academy?
Seeing how Haera hesitated to answer, the empress let out a chuckle.
"I guess you are finding a way to phrase the ever-circulating rumors and legends, am I right, Haera?"
Haera was embarrassed. The empress saw through her.
"But you must be interested as to why I mentioned them now, aren't you?"
Indeed, her interest was piqued. Was this something that has to do with those mysterious group of people from Leeveria Forest?
"Everyone is talking about that academy and all but no one is talking about the person in charge of that academy. An academy isn't much without its academy master, right, Haera?"
The girl nodded in response.
An academy relied its foundation on the academy master because they were the ones in charge of everything. From lessons to logistics to events and other things, the scope of an academy master was wide.
Even with personnel lessening their work, the academy master still is the one to decide the final way of things.
Moreover, the image of the academy master would reflect the academy they served. But due to how people clung to the fame of the academy than the person themselves, students and instructors sometimes interpret the two different things as one.
Just because an academy was famous and high quality doesn't mean that the academy master was as well. However, a competent academy master will always result in a competent academy despite how run-down it looked.
Empress Aelin sighed and told Haera what she knew.
"The academy master of the Heavenly Magic Academy is a mysterious figure whom no one in history was able to identify. Their names are unknown, their race remains hidden, nobody except themselves knew who they truly were."
"Despite the secrecy of their identities, one thing remains the same about them. Their eyes are the eyes of truth. No lies or deceits can pass through their judgment. Everything that they plan is a grand plan whom everyone would only notice once the deed was done."
"All of this, contained within a garb of a robe and a mask. Legends from our ancestors say that this pair of clothing was an inheritance to the successors of the Heavenly Magic Academy, and no one but them has the right to wear it."
There was nothing but admiration in Empress Aelin's words. The compliments she threw almost swayed Haera as she listened in.
"If I may guess, that mysterious man who led them was garbed in a robe and a mask as well, Haera?"
Haera couldn't properly process the words that Empress Aelin was spouting just now.
She thought that the empress was saying these things to comfort herself or for other reasons unknown, but the seriousness in the empress' eyes persuaded Haera that she wasn't messing around.
Also, there was anticipation in her tone the way she asked her last question. Was there something else Empress Aelin wasn't telling her about? And why was she expecting something from Haera's answer?
"Empress, I am unsure if that person fits in your description. All I could say is that their realm is immeasurable and…"
"And they can see through everything about you.", Empress Aelin finished. Haera gulped in silence. The empress's words were on point.
Empress Aelin walked past her, tapping Haera's shoulder on her way out.
"You will understand, my child when you return to a town near Leeveria Forest a few days from now. If I am not wrong, they will be selling their harvests soon enough."
"And be careful of General Zukov. His vanity has long consumed him, making him more ambitious than ever, Haera. He will go to lengths just to prove his arguments, and in the process, he will try to implicate you if he can. He is one of your suitors, after all."
The empress left. Haera stood there alone, contemplating the deep words that Empress Aelin told her.
Flashing to the present, she hurried to her home and asked her father's help.
The sly old man was in the training yard, sitting in a lotus position; eyes half-closed.
"Father, where is Uncle Veron?", she asked.
Norton acted surprised, "Ah, my Haera. Your uncle is…"
Bam!
A figure arrived in a flash. It was a man in his forties in terms of elven age. His black hair was short and straight like a blade.
Haera could feel the rage in his deep blue eyes.
"U-uncle… calm down! It's not Vulture, I need your help with something else.", Haera corrected.
The pressure of his aura faded. He was ready to listen to his niece.
"There's this group of people I know of who are in trouble somewhere in the Dark Forest. Can you come with me?", she requested.
"Sure, I can teleport the two of us there now. Will brother come with us?", Veron eyed the carefree Norton.
"No, father won't. You are more than enough.", Haera assured.
"Then let us go."
He held Haera's right hand and casted a spell. Haera gritted her teeth and prepared for what was to come.
"Hey, what are you doing? Why are you using that in this sacred place?!", Norton complained. This was Veron's teleportation spell.
The ground started quaking. Haera and Veron's figures vibrated like a ringing cellphone before they slowly blurred in place.
Norton lost his patience as the quake intensified.
"I'm warning you. Get out of here while I'm not angry!"
At the wave of his hand, Haera and Veron vanished. Peace returned but at the cost of cracked ground and completely obliterated structures.
"Ai, that Veron!"
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