Chương 96: Chapter 89: Flames of Destruction

With a flick of the driver's leather reins, the royal carriage swept gracefully forward, its wooden wheels grinding against the cobblestones as it turned away from the towering castle gates. The butler had been instructed to guide the rulers of Crimvane into the royal castle first, to stow their luggage and station their accompanying knights, before escorting only the King, Queen, and two guards to the gathering.

Since they possessed neither, the butler immediately altered the carriage's route, directing them straight to the event.

"So, where are we going now? Is there like a giant banquet or something?" Noa asked, leaning back against the plush seat. The interior of the carriage was decorated with gleaming gold trim and outfitted with materials that smelled of rich mahogany and old wealth. The cabin was so spacious that a person could comfortably pace back and forth between the two long, cushioned seats facing one another.

"Of course there will be something like that, but it won't be a diplomatic banquet, Blackie," Vionette replied, her gaze drifting lazily from the opulent ceiling toward the butler.

"It will be more of a… casual gathering of sorts. Just us feeling each other out, right?" She sat close to Noa, their shoulders brushing with every sway of the carriage. Opposite them, the butler sat, his hands resting impeccably on his knees. Meanwhile, Elina and Lina stood pressing their faces against the glass windows, watching the vibrant Gergrain streets blur past.

"I don't know how you obtained that information, Your Majesty, but it is the truth." The butler gave a strained smile.

"It won't be a formal political banquet or a boisterous festival. It is simply a garden gathering for the distinguished guests to… understand more about each other before the ceremony begins."

"I just got the intel from a 'friend' of mine," Vionette purred. Leaving Noa's side, she leaned forward and slid over to where Elina stood peering out into the night. The moon glowed crimson tonight, bathing the kingdom in a blood-red light.

'Understand more about each other,' huh? That means they want to observe us closely and see how we operate, so they can prevent any casualties during the academy's opening. She shook her head slightly, a dark smile curving her lips. I must say, this King of Gergrain and his little servants are doing their jobs perfectly.

"Hey, go find your own window!" Elina grumbled, elbowing the air as Vionette knelt to match the girl's height. Vionette turned toward the dragon with a teasing smile. Without warning, she wrapped an arm around the back of Elina's head and pulled her close, pressing their cheeks together.

"C'mon, don't be so stingy. It's not like you're going to drop your precious food just because I'm looking. Let me have some fun too, Elina-chan~" Vionette cooed, brushing her cheek against Elina's.

"Go away! I won't fall for this like I did for your head-pats! I'm a fully matured girl now!" Elina protested loudly, her amber eyes narrowing in a fierce pout. Yet, despite her loud complaints, she didn't actually push Vionette away, secretly basking in the warmth of being treated with such unabashed affection.

The gathering was held in a sprawling, open-air garden blanketed in meticulously manicured grass. Unlike Eryndor or Cirelith, which used Aether lights, Gergrain relied on traditional lamps. The garden was illuminated by the crimson moon and the amber flames of the lamps, while the kingdom's flags rippled in the night wind. The carriage ground to a halt at the edge of the cobblestone path, drawing immediate attention. Some aristocratic heads turned, their eyes narrowing, while others purposely ignored the arrival.

The butler stepped out of the carriage first. Gracefully pulling open the main cabin door with one hand, he swept his other arm in an elegant gesture toward the amber-lit garden.

"Wow… this spot looks way different from Eryndor," Elina muttered as she hopped out of the carriage, her crimson tail swaying behind her in an excited arc.

"There are so many people here," Lina added, stepping out right behind her, her blue eyes scanning the sea of guests.

"Looks like it isn't only the kingdoms that got invited to this thing." Shortly after, the rulers of Crimvane emerged. Noa stepped down first, turning and offering his hand to Vionette. With a brilliant smile, she placed her pale hand in his, allowing him to help her down. A young maid stood near their arrival point, her hands folded neatly at her waist, ready to serve the newly arrived guests. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Your Majesties, please follow me this way," the maid said, dipping into a bow. Noa and Vionette offered a subtle nod, preparing to follow the path the maid indicated, while Elina and Lina had already begun wandering a few paces ahead. But just before the maid turned to lead the way, her silver eyes flicked back, locking onto the butler's. In that moment, the butler's jaw tightened, and he gave her a subtle shake of his head.

Catching the unspoken message, she snapped her gaze forward before walking ahead of the two rulers.

"So many people here." Noa rolled his eyes toward Vionette.

"Do you know any of these guys?"

"Let's see..." Vionette's gaze swept across the garden.

"The Kingdom of Vaskrheim, the Elaris Kingdom, and Mireveil. A faction of demons, moon elves, vampires, some beast-humans... As for organizations: Lantern Gravers, The Blackwake Consortium, The Keepers, The Strayed…" Her gaze lingered just a fraction of a second longer on the members of the final faction.

"And a dozen more that I don't know."

"The Strayed? Who are they?" Noa asked, a spark of curiosity piercing through his lazy demeanor."'Cowards who ran from their past. People too broken to return home, and too afraid to stop walking.' That's how most of the world would describe them." She tilted her chin up slightly, a soft huff of breath escaping her lips while Noa remained silent, his expression unreadable.

"Ironic, isn't it? That we are essentially the—" She glanced around, but as her eyes caught something, her words died in her throat.

"Oh my, I never in a million years imagined I would see the banner of Crimvane in a place like this. But it seems their little ruler somehow managed to sneak her way in." An arrogant voice cut through the air. The chatter in the area died instantly, and dozens of eyes snapped toward the source of the insult. A man walked toward them, his hands clapping together in a slow, patronizing rhythm. He looked to be in his fifties, with black hair slicked back and eyes that mirrored a cloudless sky.

"The King of Rellion, Lockwane?" someone in the crowd muttered.

"Why is he acting so hostile right out of the gate?"

"I heard he had some issues with Crimvane in the past," another hushed reply floated through the air. This fucker just had to ruin the moment. Noa clicked his tongue. He turned his head toward Vionette, only to freeze. She wasn't even looking at Lockwane. Her crimson eyes were locked onto a shadow far away. Standing half-concealed behind a stone pillar was a massive, pitch-black wolf. Both stood frozen, staring directly into one another's eyes.

Within the wolf's eyes lay a swirling galaxy of vivid violet nebulae and celestial dust, anchored by a star-shaped white pupil at the center. How strange… I cannot read the threads of her fate at all. It's as if… as if she's trying to read my fate in return, the wolf thought. Just what have you merged into, Vionette Crimvane?

"…Vionette?" Noa reached out, his hand tapping her shoulder. Vionette blinked, pulling her gaze away from the wolf and turning her attention back to the man in front of her.

"Sorry, I was focused on something else." She finally turned her gaze toward Lockwane, her pupils shrinking intensely.

"King of Rellion, what was it you were yapping about again? My apologies, you were not important enough to give my attention to."

"Heh! You can't even afford the basic courtesy to listen to your betters now? How did a pathetic woman like you even manage to conquer Aurelyth?" Lockwane sneered, his eyes widening in a display of mockery.

"Let's see… did you sell your own people in exchange, just like your deranged father…" Lockwane's gaze shifted toward Noa with a sickening grin, "or did you just sell your body?" The maid standing beside them felt the breath freeze in her lungs. She quickly looked at Noa and Vionette. Their expressions had gone entirely blank. The maid instantly remembered the look the butler had given her. It wasn't just her—Elina and Lina had both stopped in their tracks, their faces twisting into expressions of worry.

"King Lockwane, please refrain from instigating conflict with the other esteemed guests," the maid interjected, extending her hand between the two parties.

"Why is a lowly servant trying to interfere in the affairs of monarchs?" A feminine voice chimed in.

"Besides, we are not instigating conflict here; we are merely stating historical facts." Lockwane's wife, Queen Itheira, stepped up to her husband's side, her chin raised in haughty defiance.

"Let me ask you a question as well, then. If the proud dragon race rejected the academy's invitation—" She looked at Elina.

"—why is a dragon here right now?"

"That's because—""That's because she is an honored guest who arrived under the banner of Crimvane, Queen Itheira." The deep voice rolled over the garden, instantly shattering the escalating tension. The crowd parted like water, shifting their gaze toward the new figure striding into the fray. It was a man in his early fifties, with a sharply sculpted jawline framed by a cleanly cut beard.

His dark hair fell over his face, catching the light to reveal deep purple edges, and his black eyes were like polished obsidian.

"I, the King of Gergrain, Kaimon Rimuald, declare that she has every right to stand on these grounds," Kaimon stated, his footsteps coming to a halt just a few paces before the group.

"So please, would you kindly mind taking this childish grievance elsewhere?" Lockwane clicked his tongue, his brows furrowing. This guy just had to show up. I was about to play with this little cursed princess a bit longer, but it seems I'll have to cut the entertainment short. Lockwane and Itheira exchanged a brief glance before offering an unconvincing nod.

"Alright then… I suppose I will see you later. I have much more important matters to attend to anyway," Lockwane sneered, turning on his heel. Itheira followed suit, her silk gown swishing. But just before they vanished entirely into the parting crowd, Lockwane threw one final look back at Vionette, flashing a vicious smile. Far away, concealed in the shadows, the black wolf's cosmic eyes reflected the entire exchange. It watched just long enough, completely unnoticed by the attendees.

The beast slowly blinked once. It turned away from the petty scene, raising its head to gaze up at the glowing crimson moon above. Alas… the flames that yearned for destruction have been ignited once again… and the color of bloodshed shall soon accompany its lonely whiteness. The wolf stepped behind the stone pillar and melted into the night air, leaving no trace behind, as if it had never existed at all.