Edwina deliberately used her usual hearty tone, patting the shoulders of the two sisters, and said with a smile, “No need to wait. In the royal etiquette of the Winged people, opening the hall doors signifies permission for an audience. Just go straight in. Follow me, I’ll lead the way.”
With that, she turned around and headed straight into the main hall with large strides.
“......?”
Watching the Holy knight’s figure moving forward, hearing the clattering sound of her armor as she walked, for some reason, the two sisters suddenly felt much more at ease.
Although it still couldn’t compare to the sense of security they felt around Miss Violet, the foolish Holy knight, who was usually slow to react and stubborn in certain aspects, and had caused quite a few jokes, suddenly seemed reliable in their hearts.
The two sisters exchanged a glance, nodded in unison, as if they had already made up their minds.
The main hall of the Feathered Emperor’s palace was vast and long, with pillars carved from white jade standing like guards, lined up from the hall door into the deep.
In front of each white jade pillar stood a beautiful White Feather warrior in well-crafted battle attire. They held long spears, wore feathered helmets, and behind them, their slender wings naturally spread to both sides, with expressions indifferent yet dignified.
The three knew that these were the “Royal Feather Guards,” entities parallel to the “Wings of Freedom” under the command of the Feathered Emperor.
The “Royal Feather Guards” are the personal guards of the Feathered Emperor. Their presence signifies that the emperor has undoubtedly arrived, representing true power and the epitome of strength within the entire White Feathered Winged Tribe.
The identical splendid armor, long spears, and unseen components on their bodies are all magical equipment. Although it is of an average lower tier, a hundred sets of these finished magical armaments, encompassing the entire body, would be considered extremely luxurious equipment for any country in the world.
Only a vast nation like the Azure Sky Kingdom, which has fully developed magical applications and seamlessly integrated them into daily life, has the capability to mass-produce magical weapon-level equipment.
The corresponding “Royal Feather Guards” to this luxurious equipment are naturally not positions that just anyone can assume.
There are a total of one hundred “Royal Feather Guards,” and this number will forever remain one hundred. As the most elite within the White Feathered Winged Tribe, every one of them has reached the formidable Sky-level or above.
Although not legendary masters, these feather guards are skilled in cooperation and possess excellent equipment. It is said that with just a team of ten, they can easily confront or even suppress a normal legend, forming a battle formation that even the Feathered Emperor himself cannot take advantage of. They are truly an unyielding barrier standing by the side of that monarch.
The current Feathered Emperor has been in power for over a hundred years. During this time, there have been more than a few legends who, due to their arrogance or reckless actions against the imperial carriage, were defeated and even killed on the spot by the Royal Feather Guards.
In the expressionless gaze of the feather guards, three individuals slowly ascended along the crimson carpet, reaching the deepest part in front of a towering jade throne.
A woman with a crown on her head, dressed in an elegant light golden robe, with exceptionally pure and beautiful white feathers behind her, was leaning on the side armrest, supporting her chin with her hand, curiously watching the visitors.
She looked to be in her early twenties, with her luxurious white hair intricately arranged in a complex and elegant style. Her sky-blue eyes, like a clear sky, seemed to reflect the various facets of the world. Despite being in a position of authority, her features and demeanor did not impose too heavily, but rather, she seemed like an approachable elder sister next door.
She was beautiful in a way different from Leila, Rene, Edwina, Violet, or even the newly crowned queen in the Courage City – a mixture of majestic and gentle natural beauty.
A leader who had been on the high platform for a long time, integrating the dignity of the upper class, mature and adept at handling leadership.
Feathered Emperor – Estini Kulk.
“Leila/Rene of the White Feather Wing Clan, presenting to Your Majesty.”
“In the Holy Empire, of the Cecilia family, Edwina Cecilia greets Feathered Emperor Your Majesty.”
The two sisters lifted the hem of their skirts, respectfully and naturally kneeling on one knee, while the golden-haired Holy Knight standing beside them only bowed in greeting.
The three major divine-descendant families of the Holy Empire, in a sense, were equivalent to the Melchior family in the Human United Kingdom. The Pope and the three saintesses almost always emerged from these three families through competition. Therefore, as the legitimate successor, Edwina is essentially equivalent to the princess or queen of the Holy Empire.
When her title was announced, she no longer needed to perform the customary bow to the Feathered Emperor.
Beside the Feathered Emperor Estini, two individuals stand.
One of them is a silver-winged elderly man in mage robes, with hands concealed in his sleeves. Leaning on a long wooden staff, his face adorned with folded wrinkles, he appears to be in the twilight years, with slightly narrowed eyes, seemingly uninterested in the events unfolding before him.
The other person is a young maiden of the Feathered Emperor’s same lineage, with a white feather. She wears a pure white maid’s dress, with a smile on her face, displaying a sense of shrewdness and competence. The color and design of her attire differ significantly from those of the Human United Kingdom.
If Violet were present, she would undoubtedly recognize this white-clad maid as the girl, Ink, who was responsible for the auction duties at the Fragrant Auction.
Even though she wore a mask at that time, covering part of her appearance, and her voice underwent special processing, certain qualities like temperament, physique, and more fundamental aspects remained unchanged.
Of course, in such a setting, neither the maid Ink nor the silver-winged elderly man would speak out of turn. Only the Feathered Emperor has the privilege to speak.
Feathered Emperor Estini does not hastily engage in conversation with her two fellow clanswomen. Instead, she gestures for them to stand first and, with a somewhat ambiguous smile, directs her attention towards the holy knight miss.
“Edwina Cecilia, right? The Cecilia family’s golden child, the only sister of the current Judgment Saintess. I never expected that even the youngest among you has witnessed a legend. Now the Cecilia family boasts three legends and above, congratulations on your achievements.”
“Your Majesty is too kind. I’m just fortunate to receive divine favor. In terms of true skills, both my sister and mother surpass me.”
The golden-haired maiden responds confidently. Her earlier ostentatious behavior was a deliberate attempt to attract the Feathered Emperor’s attention and ease the pressure on her two companions, and it seems to have been relatively successful.
Therefore, Edwina intentionally mentions the phrase “divine favor.”
As expected, the Feathered Emperor was momentarily puzzled at her words. She naturally understood that when Edwina, as a descendant of the Holy Empire and a devotee of the Goddess, referred to “divine favor,” it could only mean the widely worshipped Goddess Aurora, not the Sky and Freedom deity revered by the winged people.
“Divine favor, hmm...”
As if sinking into some past memories, a moment of melancholy flashed through the dignified and beautiful eyes of Estini.
“Well, that’s truly... fortunate. The great deities always make unexpected moves for us mortals. Hehe, who has the qualification to judge right from wrong?”
“...? I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I don’t quite understand.”
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Edwina clearly didn’t expect the Feathered Emperor to suddenly utter these inexplicable words. Even her maid Ink and the silver-winged old man standing beside her looked at the supreme ruler with astonishment.
After all, openly discussing the deities, even for someone as esteemed as Feathered Emperor Estini, seemed a bit presumptuous.