One of the villages surrounding Luo Yang was Wei Jia Po. It was an ordinary village, though more prosperous compared to those farther from the city due to its proximity to Luo Yang.
The residents lived contentedly, rarely facing any threats—aside from the annual Nian Rampage. However, with Terrathorn and Xiao Jie having slain all the Nians, even that danger had been eliminated, leaving the village in relative peace.
In one of the bustling taverns, a dark-skinned girl could be seen cheerfully serving the customers. Her vibrant energy and friendly demeanor made her a favorite among the patrons. Although she had only been employed by the tavern’s owner recently, she had already become their unofficial "signboard waitress." Many of the regulars now frequented the establishment just for a chance to see her.
“Ya Si~ when will you go out on a date with me?~” one patron teased with a grin.
“Aiya, dear customer, I’m just a humble girl. I wouldn’t dare think of such things,” Ya Si, the tavern’s beloved waitress, replied with a playful yet modest tone.
“Dream on, you big oaf! Lil’ Ya Si is mine!” another patron butted in, glaring at the first.
“Ya Si is mine!” a third chimed in, joining the growing commotion.
“Dear customers, please don’t quarrel here. You’ll make poor Ya Si feel troubled~” Ya Si said sweetly, her warm voice quickly soothing the tense atmosphere.
“I honestly can’t stand her. Acting all cutesy again,” one waitress muttered under her breath. “I know, right?” another whispered in agreement, her tone laced with irritation. “I bet she sleeps around with men, like the skank she is,” a third chimed in.
Though Ya Si was adored by the patrons, her colleagues couldn’t stand her.
After a long, busy day, Ya Si returned to the dormitory where she lived with other staff members from the tavern.
“Mail’s here!” a cheerful voice called out from the door. The waitresses rushed to open it, eagerly greeting the dark-skinned mailman.
They giggled and blushed, charmed by his good looks and confident demeanor. The mailman, as it happened, was supposed to be Ya Si’s brother.
After checking if there was any mail for them—and exchanging a few playful flirtations—the other staff members eventually drifted back to their rooms. Ya Si lingered, the last to check for her mail.
“My dear sister, this is for you,” the mailman said, handing her a sealed letter. “It’s from Master Hassan.”
Ya Si took the letter and opened it immediately. After reading its contents, her expression shifted into something serious. Without hesitation, she burned the letter, leaving no trace of its existence behind.
“So, what does it say?” the mailman asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.
“Reinforcements are coming. Wait for the invasion, then bring the corpse back,” Ya Si replied, her tone cool and detached. She didn’t even glance at him as she spoke. “Not like you didn’t already read it.”
The mailman smirked. “So, more pretend games, huh?” he said, folding his arms. “All this acting is getting boring, Yasmin.”
Ya Si’s gaze flicked toward him, sharp and unwavering. “Won’t have to play pretend much longer, Harun,” she replied. A faint, almost predatory smile tugged at her lips.
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“Woahhh~ This is as big as Acacia!” Regina exclaimed, her eyes widening at the sight of the city. The houses, built with wood and mud bricks, had a distinct reddish hue that contrasted sharply with Acacia’s greyish tone.
The streets buzzed with activity, vendors shouting and displaying their wares to attract customers. However, one noticeable difference was the fewer number of beastmen roaming the streets compared to Acacia.
Regina’s mouth watered as the tantalizing aroma of roasted meats and spiced delicacies wafted from the taverns and street vendors. Her eyes darted from one food stall to another, unable to tear her gaze away.
“We’re not stopping here,” Richard said firmly, noticing her growing distraction. “We’re heading straight to the palace.”
Seeing her slightly dejected expression, Richard sighed and relented, saying, “We’ll check these out later, after the meeting with the Queen.”
Once they arrived at the palace, they were escorted to the meeting hall and told to wait. Meanwhile, Xiao Jie went to fetch Peng Xian.
“Brother, I need you to meet some people immediately,” Xiao Jie said as he approached Peng Xian.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Have you discovered the summoners of the colossal beast?” Peng Xian asked, his expression serious.
“I might have,” Xiao Jie replied. “And I also saw someone who will surprise you.”
Peng Xian narrowed his eyes. “Who is it?”
“Just come with me,” Xiao Jie insisted, grabbing Peng Xian’s arm. “I need you to see them for yourself.”
Back in the meeting hall, Regina marveled at the sheer size of the room. “This place is even bigger than the Adventurer’s Guild!” she exclaimed.
“Well, it is meant for the rulers of this country,” Milli replied with a smirk.
Richard, noticing Regina’s growing curiosity, warned, “Look all you want, but don’t touch anything.”
The moment he said that, Regina took off, dashing around the room as she eagerly examined the intricate antiques and stunning artwork on display.
As the doors creaked open, Regina instinctively darted behind Richard, seeking cover. Xiao Jie entered first, followed closely by Peng Xian.
Peng Xian's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the four individuals before him. His gaze lingered on Regina—her resemblance to the queen was undeniable, though she appeared thinner and more delicate.
Narrowing his eyes, he observed how the elementals reacted to them. The wind elementals danced playfully around Regina, drawn to her presence. When he shifted his focus to Richard, he noticed an unusual phenomenon—elementals of various types were gathering around the pouch at his waist.
Turning to Milli, he sensed the presence of mighty spirits emanating from her pouch. He deduced that she must be a summoner and that her pouch contained items essential for calling upon her spirits.
Finally, his gaze landed on Zafir. Compared to the others, the beastman appeared entirely ordinary, with no notable elemental reactions surrounding him.
“Oh my! What is this?!” Peng Xian exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.
“How do you feel about them?” Xiao Jie asked, observing his sworn brother’s reaction.
“I don’t even know where to start!” Peng Xian said, still reeling. “Just from this girl’s pouch, I can sense the presence of that colossal beast! And this man—why are elementals of so many different types gathering around him?!”
Richard, unfazed, cut straight to the point. “Where’s the queen?”
Xiao Jie sighed. “I apologize. This is the Grand Court Wizard, Peng Xian.”
“The queen is currently resting. She just completed the royal trial and won’t be able to meet with you today,” Xiao Jie continued. “But in the meantime, can you tell him what you told me?”
Peng Xian’s sharp gaze flickered between them, his expression still wary. “Just who are you people…?”
Milli shot an awkward smile at Richard, who remained indifferent to the two elder men, before stepping forward to explain. She recounted their journey, the impending dragon invasion, their origins as adventurers from Acacia, and finally, introduced each of them by name.
“I assume there’s a reason why this girl bears such a striking resemblance to our queen,” Peng Xian said, his gaze lingering on Regina. “I have seen another who looked exactly like her as well.”
“You saw another one?!” Milli’s eyes widened in shock. “Where is she now?!”
Peng Xian crossed his arms. “As expected, there is something strange about this phenomenon. But if you want to know where the other girl is, shouldn’t you first tell us the reason behind all this?”
Milli hesitated for a moment before sighing. “You might not believe this, but their souls are fragments of a queen from a kingdom long lost in history—Esmeria.”
Peng Xian’s eyes narrowed.
“She has been reborn into different vessels throughout time, but only when all of her soul fragments are reunited will she truly be revived,” Milli continued.
“The Azevarian Empire has been hunting down anyone born with a fragment of her soul, trying to prevent her resurrection by any means necessary. Their emperor is determined to erase her existence completely.”
A heavy silence followed her words.
“The other girl has already passed away,” Peng Xian finally said, his voice quieter this time. “I saw her elementals merge with the queen.”
“I would have doubted you… if I hadn’t witnessed it myself,” Peng Xian admitted, exhaling deeply.
“It doesn’t matter who she was in the past,” Xiao Jie said firmly. “She is our queen now—and that’s all that matters.”
Peng Xian glanced at him before nodding. “Brother, you’re right.” The tension in his expression eased slightly, though a hint of unease still
lingered in his eyes.
Peng Xian’s brows furrowed. “I must ask—what exactly do you plan to do with our queen when you meet her?”
“We would hide her… and protect her,” Milli said without hesitation.
Peng Xian’s gaze sharpened. “Do you doubt Luo Yang’s forces are capable of protecting her?”
“Uuh…” Milli scratched her head, giving an awkward smile, unsure of how to respond.
Richard, unfazed, answered for her. “Yes.”
Xiao Jie’s expression darkened. “Are you truly confident, or just arrogant?”
“You haven’t seen the Dragon King’s might,” Richard stated plainly. “You wouldn’t even survive his Dragon Guards.”
Peng Xian narrowed his eyes. “You claim to know this Dragon King personally. If that were true, and he is as powerful as you say, how could you—a mere mortal—have survived such an encounter?”
Richard exhaled, clearly disinterested in arguing. “Believe what you want. I’m too tired to explain.”
Milli hesitated before turning to Richard. “Uh… should I tell them?”
“Whatever.”
With that, Milli faced them and dropped the truth. “This man here is a god. He was once known as one of the gods of smithing.”
Peng Xian and Xiao Jie both stiffened at the claim.
“He lived in Esmeria,” Milli continued, “just like the current Dragon King. But Esmeria fell… partly due to his betrayal. They do know each other. In fact, he hates the Dragon King more than anyone.”
Silence filled the room as the weight of her words sank in.
“That’s impossible.” Peng Xian frowned. “If such a kingdom truly existed, how is there no record of it?”
Richard’s expression remained unreadable as he simply said, “History is written by the winner.”
Peng Xian and Xiao Jie had no rebuttal. Deep down, they knew Richard’s words rang true. The reality of history being shaped by its victors was something they could not deny.
Moreover, Peng Xian could sense it—both Richard and Milli were stronger than him. Far stronger.
He took a deep breath before speaking. “Could you stay a while longer? Once the queen has recovered enough strength, I will arrange a meeting with her.”
Milli nodded. “I’ll wait here.”
Peng Xian gave a small bow. “Thank you for understanding our position.”
"With that, he and Xiao Jie turned and left the hall, but not before handing each of them a palace token—an emblem of trust that granted them the freedom to enter and leave the palace at will."
Regina tugged at Richard’s sleeve, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes.
“Fine, fine, let’s head out to the streets then,” he sighed.
“Yay!” Regina cheered, practically bouncing with excitement.
Zafir suddenly bowed deeply to Milli. “Please train me! I want to get stronger!”
“Eh? Well… I suppose I could get Baltimore to train you,” Milli said, tilting her head.
“Thank you!” Zafir said, his tail flicking with excitement.
“I take it you guys aren’t coming. See you later,” Richard said before heading out with Regina.
“See you later,” Milli and Zafir replied.
With that, Milli and Zafir asked the servants for directions to the training grounds and made their way there, while Richard and Regina exited the palace, eager to explore the bustling streets.