Chapter 308: Top-level Meeting (1)
Chapter 308: Top-level Meeting (1)
"We have been waiting for your arrival. Our Holy Grandfather has sent us to fetch and escort you to Aeddoterra Imperial Palace." The squad leader stepped forward from the line and gave a knight salute.
"Mm, that's great. Thank you very much." Ella replied with a soft response.
Then, one of the holy knights opened the carriage door. "Please."
Elysia and her friends smiled softly in response and stepped up into the golden carriage. Elena and the others also followed shortly after.
Simultaneously, a holy knight lady appeared from afar and was rushing over quickly using light step magic. Her sudden arrival made the escort squad alert by reflex. Still, it was only for a moment because they recognized the approaching figure.
"You are in a hurry, Saint Ariel." The squad leader gave a light greeting.
"Yes, I need to return to the Holy Princess's side as soon as possible. Please escort us to the Imperial Palace." Ariel responded lightly before entering the carriage.
After closing the carriage's door, Ariel knelt in front of the Goddess of Light. "O all glory, the Goddess of Blessings. I have imprisoned those offenders in level four Ecclesiastical Prison under strict secrecy."
"Um, thank you for thoroughness in your assignment. Please have a seat." Nell gave an open palm gesture to point to a seat on the opposite side.
She had mixed feelings because this holy knight lady knelt before Elena. Well, she was still in the latter's shoulder, so what could she do?
"It's my honor." Ariel gave a bow of respect and moved from her position to the seat indicated for her.
The next moment, four beautiful white horses immediately pulled the golden carriage, following the coachman's orders. Two dozens of holy knights were escorted from all sides on their horses.
The golden carriage's departure only left the pedestrians and Lavely Pizza's customers in a moment of daze. They had no idea of certainty, but it seemed that Lavely Pizza's owners had also been invited as guests of honor based on the recent warm conversation.
On the way to the Imperial Palace, the girls implicitly had a light chat about the incident that had just happened. Elysia once again conveyed her reassurance to keep them calm. After all, the Ring of Desire was already destroyed.
After that, their conversation topics were immediately closed and diverted as soon as they arrived at their destination area.
"Woah, look at the elite knight troops over there. They are wearing different colored armor." Elysia changed the subject of their light conversation while gazing out the window.
"En, ruby for Aeddoterra Kingdom's elite forces, gold for Holy Knight. Then, black for the Cuttexus Kingdom... Brown, green, and blue from the other three regions, but I can't remember the order, apologize." Ella played with the lock of her hair with a hint of embarrassment. She failed to remember that.
"Emerald is Ariatha Kingdom's elite forces, my father's elite forces. Blue is for the Nachezan Kingdom, and brown is for the Xeafinata Kingdom." Evelyn puffed out her chest a little to explain what Ella had forgotten.
After saying that, Evelyn realized something else. "Wait, the Xeafinata Kingdom is also participating in this top-level meeting? If so, then your mother and father will be there too, Ella."
"Oh my goodness, you're right, Eve. It's been over six months since I met my father and mother. I have lots of stories to tell them." Ella smiled with a bright expression as she put her hands together and rested her cheek there.
Too many things had happened in the last five weeks or so. It was started from new friends, then to honor being this close to the Goddess of Blessings and the Goddess of Light.
Meanwhile, Elysia and the others only smiled faintly to see the cute smile plastered on Ella's face. Not long after, the carriage stopped in front of the palace, and the door was opened.
The rows of imperial knights in silver armor lined up neatly as if they were going to welcome the guests of honor. The scarlet rug stretched from exactly where the carriage stopped, all the way into the palace, along the passage.
Then, a dashing knight in ruby armor walked over and gave a knightly salute with reverence. "Welcome to the Aeddoterra Imperial Palace. Please allow me to guide you to the meeting place. The Emperors and authorities are eagerly awaiting your arrival."
Elena came out of the carriage with Nell still on her shoulder. Then, followed by Elysia and the others.
For this event, the Goddesses had to be at the front, not behind. Nell suggested it for a reason.
"Very well, show us the way." Nell flew a little and hovered right beside Elena before replying in a lofty tone.
The knight general was a little dumbfounded to see the little human fairy with his eyes. Even though he had been told beforehand about the Goddess of Blessings, it was still quite a sight to see the divine presence in person.
Not to mention, he finally got the chance to see the Goddess of Light. She was known as a heavenly, ethereal, extraordinary beauty! He ran out of words to describe it and could only be bewitched for a few seconds.
Fortunately, the knight general immediately put everything aside and returned to focus on his duties. He gave a welcome gesture. "Please follow me."
Seeing the ruby-armored knight walking to guide the way, Elena stepped along with Nell, who flew forward. Their group only followed closely behind.
They were not guided to the throne hall but a grand entrance in the palace's northern part. It was a special place where certain events were held.
"Please come in." The knight general opened the grand door after giving a gesture of politeness. He stood there as if he was waiting for the two Goddesses to enter first with their group.
Elena and Nell didn't respond to that. They just entered the hall without waiting for anything else.
When they entered the grand hall, the impression they got was spacious, like a hall for a royal party.
In the hall's center, the tables were arranged to form a circle with a middle hole, very much like a donut. The Five Emperors and several high-ranking authorities sat around the round table with several people standing behind them.
There were two majestic golden seats placed right next to each other. The seats looked more luxurious than the others. Even the Emperors' seats were not that grand.
"Welcome to Aeddoterra Imperial Palace, the Goddess of Light, the Goddess of Blessings. Based on your request, we have prepared a top-level meeting with all the highest authorities in the Human Continent. I am Alexander Celestine to welcome you once again. Please have a seat." Alexander stood up and gave the opening greeting with reverence.
Even as the host, Arthur just kept quiet and let it be. It was prearranged, after all.
"It's been five years since we last met, Little Alex. Thank you for everyone's quick response to holding this sudden top-level meeting." Nell smiled with a gentle expression as she gazed at the audience around the round table.
"It's an honor for us, o the Goddess of Blessings. It's such an incomparable pleasure to be able to see your divine presence in person." Alexander put his hand on his chest with a bright smile. He didn't take offense at all when he was referred to as 'little'.
Shortly afterward, Alexander once again invited the two Goddesses with great respect to take their seats. He also didn't forget to give a brief greeting to everyone who came with the Goddesses.
Evelyn, Ella, and Rosie hesitated for a few seconds in choosing their positions, but Elysia came to the rescue. "Eve, you'd better be around your parents. Ella to Grandpa, while Rosie and Fran around your grandfather. I'll follow my master."
"Umm, all right." Evelyn nodded and was followed by the others. They parted ways with the Elysia group towards their respective positions. Although, there was a hint of reluctance in their hearts.
Ariel followed Ella, and Maximilian was with Evelyn. Then, Elysia immediately followed Elena to the majestic seat.
Elena sat on the seat that had been specially prepared for her, and so did for Nell. When Elena looked at everyone present, Nell just saw everyone through under the table. What could she do? She was small in stature, and the seat for her was that big!
"..." Everyone was at a loss of words at sight.
"Fufu, allow me to help you, little one." Elena chuckled softly and extended her hand to Nell as if she asked the latter to get into her hands.
Nell stared at Elena's innocent expression for a moment, then accepted the offer. However, she didn't know what the latter would do. She stood on Elena's palm in an instant.
In front of everyone, Elena lifted Nell to the table. She made a small circle on the table with her index finger and used her magic.
Bundles of golden light gathered together to form a majestic golden seat that was precisely the same as the one that had been prepared. It was a real object made with magic. But, in the eyes of the other, it appeared out of the blue.
Elena was aware that she received attention from everyone, but she didn't care about that. She only invited Nell to sit there with a subtle cue.
After Nell sat like a good girl, Elena gave a hand gesture to the girl behind her. "My disciple Ely, you can sit there. It seems the preparation for this top-level meeting lacks consideration for us, and also for the Goddess of Blessings."