Esmeria

In a distant land far from where Regina resided lay a city of elegant architecture. The houses, crafted from lacquered wood and stone, exuded a timeless charm. At the heart of the city stood a grand, opulent castle, home to the royalty who governed the realm. The castle’s towering spires and intricate carvings were a testament to the wealth and power of its inhabitants, serving as a symbol of the city’s prosperity and the authority of its rulers.

In the castle hall adorned with reddish lacquered wooden walls and golden symbols, a lone figure studied late into the night. She was a girl dressed in an intricately woven white robe, reading from wooden scrolls by the light of a flickering candle.

Her appearance was striking, suggesting a noble lineage. The white robe she wore was intricately woven, and she looked almost surreal. Her long, straight hair was as white as her robe, and her skin was pale, giving her the appearance of a beautiful doll devoid of color, except for her crimson-colored eyes.

"Your Royal Highness, it's already past the time of Ox. Please take a rest," spoke Jian Yi, her attendant and bodyguard, as he walked from the door towards the center of the study hall.

"I must gain more knowledge, or I will not be able to succeed my father," replied Wu Zhao, the Princess of Luo Yang, without looking up from her scroll.

“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 interrupted, shaking 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 before she could remember. He had been by her side through all her travels, trained to be her shield and to lay down his life for her if necessary. His duty, or rather his fate, was to die protecting her.

"Now, are you interested in the knowledge of this world?" Wu Zhao asked, pointing at a map on the table.

Jian Yi’s only training was in protection and combat; he had not been taught anything beyond his duty.

"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, standing before her table as instructed.

Wu Zhao pointed to 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 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 exclaimed, surprised by this revelation.

“Yes, I heard they even conquered most of the Alkebulan continent to our southeast, where many half-beasts reside.”

"And to our west, we have the Bharatavarsha Continent, home to the devas. Currently, we have non-aggression treaties with the kingdoms there, allowing us to focus most of our forces on the eastern front."

"In the northeast lies 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 had fallen asleep while standing.

“Haa…how can a person even sleep while standing up?” Wu Zhao chuckled softly and returned to studying the scrolls, determined to continue her learning throughout the night.

“Officials of Luo Yang, prostrate yourselves before your king!” The royal attendant's voice resonated through the lavishly adorned hall. Each pillar and wall was intricately engraved with golden images of dragons and birds, accompanied by special symbols.

In the majestic hall, filled with an aura of grandeur, around two hundred officials knelt, each representing a region of Luo Yang.

At the forefront stood three individuals. One of them was a frail-looking old man in a white robe decorated with intricate gold markings. His long beard reached below his chest, and he held an expensive-looking wooden staff adorned with a gold dragon carving.

This was Peng Xian, the grand court wizard and the Left Minister of Luo Yang. The staff he held, known as Mie Xie, was a mythical artifact he had created. Imbued with years of accumulated mana, it was said to amplify the user’s magic threefold and had the power to destroy evil with any element of magic.

Peng Xian primarily handled the external affairs of the state.

Next to him stood a bearded man in his fifties, towering at 2 meters tall, clad in red armor adorned with intricate gold dragon designs. On his back was a giant black sword, Zhan Lu. With a face and body marked by scars and eyes filled with the conviction of a seasoned warrior, he was someone you would not want to cross.

This formidable figure was Wang Xiao Jie, the Grand Commandant of Luo Yang, responsible for the state's military affairs. Zhan Lu, the mythical sword he wielded, was said to punish evildoers. Originally a royal family treasure, it was bestowed upon him by the aging king, 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 with intricate gold markings, was Gilles Serchilles. He was the Right Minister of Luo Yang and the only one hailing from the Azevaria Continent. Gilles handled the internal affairs of the state, making him an essential figure in the governance of Luo Yang.

Gilles had first come to Luo Yang seeking refuge and quickly rose through the ranks. He ascended from the position of a mere record keeper in a province to the esteemed role of Right Minister, a testament to his cunning and capability.

As the side door of the grand hall near the throne opened, a sickly old man, wearing an expensive-looking red robe adorned with a huge gold dragon, entered along with several 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 announced loudly, following a gesture from King Wu.

All the officials stood up after hearing the command.

“You may begin the court meeting for this month!” the royal attendant announced loudly as King Wu gestured with his hand.

“Your Majesty, if I may, you should consider abdicating the throne to the princess already,” spoke Gilles Serchilles, the Right Minister.

Almost every official in the hall was shocked by Gilles' audacious suggestion.

“Insolent! Do you know what you are talking about?!” Xiao Jie shouted, glaring fiercely at Gilles.

“Our king is currently old and frail. Luo Yang would not survive if the Azevaria Empire attacked us,” Gilles replied confidently, smirking at Xiao Jie.

Suddenly, there was a loud stomp. It was Peng Xian who had stomped his staff on the floor.

“My, my… We should delay this topic for now, as there are more important matters at hand. Furthermore, isn’t this what you would call Lèse-majesté in the Empire from which you hail?” Peng Xian spoke, stroking his beard while fixing a stern gaze on Gilles.

“I am simply stating a fact, one that shows my deep concern for the future of Luo Yang, as a proud citizen of this kingdom,” Gilles retorted, his tone carrying a hint of defiance that left the others hesitant to challenge his loyalty without seeming prejudiced.

At that moment, a soldier burst into the grand hall and hurried over to Xiao Jie, whispering urgently in his ear.

“Your Majesty, it is time for the coming of Nian. May I seek your permission to leave?” Xiao Jie genuflected before King Wu, his palm covering his fist, awaiting permission.

Silence gripped the hall as the other officials absorbed the unexpected news of Nian's early arrival.

King Wu began to cough heavily and then gestured, and the royal attendant shouted, “Court shall be adjourned! You are dismissed!”

With that, King Wu prepared to depart from the hall.

“Your Majesty, I shall bring you news of victory,” Xiao Jie declared as he rose from his genuflection, casting a final glare at Gilles.

“Your insolent attitude towards our King will not be forgotten,” he added, before turning to leave with Peng Xian, following King Wu's departure from the meeting hall.

“Tsk, what lucky timing you ancient relics have,” Gilles muttered to himself, watching them go.

“You won’t be escaping in the next monthly court meeting.”

With determined steps, Gilles exited the hall, and the other officials dispersed soon after, their discussions echoing the tensions left behind by the day's contentious debate.

“Peng Xian, I have an immense dislike for that man.” Xiao Jie's voice carried a bitter edge as they strode towards the eastern gate.

“The feeling is mutual, Xiao Jie,” Peng Xian replied calmly, though his disdain for Gilles was evident in his tone and expression.

“We must find a way to strip Gilles of his position as the Right Minister. He is a poison to Luo Yang,” Xiao Jie insisted vehemently.

“My, my… I would have taken action long ago if there were grounds. But I’ve found no wrongdoing. He refuses bribes and doesn’t misuse treasury funds. In fact, he uses his wealth to aid the people. He’s almost… too clean,” Peng Xian pondered, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

“I’ll dirty my hands if needed, for the sake of Luo Yang’s future,” Xiao Jie vowed to Peng Xian, ready to take drastic measures to remove Gilles.

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 hurried up to Xiao Jie upon spotting him. “General, the defenses for Nian have been fully set up!”

“Good. And what about the production of the Fire Spears?”

“General, it’s going smoothly. The spears will be completed in three days.”

“When is Nian expected to reach the targeted destination?”

“In a week, General.”

"My, my… Doesn’t Nian’s behavior seem strange this year? It’s arrived much earlier than usual. Could there be something suspicious about it?" Peng Xian remarked, noticing the anomaly in Nian's timing, which typically occurred a month later.

“It matters not! Men, prepare to ride to Zhou Village. Bring me my horse!”

“Peng Xian, I leave the capital in your hands!” Xiao Jie declared firmly.

“I will do my utmost to safeguard the capital in your absence, Xiao Jie,” Peng Xian assured him.

With that, Xiao Jie departed for Zhou Village, located just 10 kilometers from the capital, to prepare their defenses against Nian.

Meanwhile, Peng Xian made his way back to his tower to oversee matters from there.

“What seems to be the uproar?” Wu Zhao inquired of a frantic servant passing by her room, whispering urgently.

“Your Royal Highness, it’s Nian! Nian is coming early this year!”

“Nian? This early?” Wu Zhao exclaimed, surprised by the news.

“Yes, Your Royal Highness!”

“Hmm…you may be dismissed.”

“Yes, Your Royal Highness!” The servant hurried off after receiving permission, returning to her duties.

The man stationed by the door spoke up to the princess.

“It’s no wonder the servants were in an uproar. Nian has devastated many villages and even parts of the capital whenever it arrives, and this year it's earlier than usual…”

Wu Zhao shook her head, sighing deeply.

“The most troublesome ability of Nian is its [Panic Aura]. Anyone within its area of effect falls into a state of panic and confusion. It’s a monstrous nuisance to deal with. I just hope our Fire Spears will be ready in time…”

“We need to accelerate our plan, double the dosage.” Gilles instructed a servant near the hallway leading to the Royal Kitchen, his tone urgent yet hushed.

“Sir, won’t this hasten His Ma-” The servant began to question but was swiftly cut off by Gilles.

“Enough! The walls have ears. With most of the palace guards able to be legitimately posted at the castle gate due to Nian, we strike while the iron is hot. You are dismissed.”

“Y-yes sir!” The servant hurriedly departed, returning to her duties in the royal kitchen.

As Gilles walked back to his room and opened the door, he found a young girl in a black robe seated at his table.

“Father, you are back!” The girl who spoke had pale white skin, white hair tied in a bun, and crimson-colored eyes. Her appearance resembled a beautiful doll, with stark contrasts between her white hair, red eyes, and black robe. She bore a striking resemblance to the princess, almost like her twin or clone.

"Didn't I tell you to cover your face whenever you're in the palace?" Gilles scolded gently.

"There's no one else around here. I'll simply eliminate anyone who sees my face, Father, so don't worry," Annie Gilles replied nonchalantly.

Annie had returned a week ago from Arzawa, a region in the Alkebulan continent.

Gilles had adopted her when she was orphaned, having first encountered her while she was stealing food from others. Struck by her striking resemblance to the princess, Gilles saw an opportunity: he could potentially replace the princess with Annie without anyone noticing.

"You haven't learned much from Hassan; complacency is fatal," he chided gently.

"My master would tell you I'm the strongest in Luo Yang right now," she retorted smugly, boasting of her skills.

Gilles frowned at her remark.

"Sigh... What I meant is, you've only trained under Hassan for two years. You haven't fully grasped the power of those ancient relics yet. But it's fortunate you've returned in time for this."

"You haven't seen the full extent of my skills either, Father," she countered confidently.

"Anyway, I need you to make that palace cook disappear tonight," he instructed.

"And who might you be referring to, Father?" she replied with 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," Gilles stated matter-of-factly.

"As you wish, Father..." she smiled cryptically before vanishing into the shadows of his room.

Gilles frowned deeply and sighed.

"What a troublesome girl. Her arrogance has grown so much in just two years. I'll have to correct her attitude before it becomes her downfall..."