Yoshika was nervous about meeting with Void. The enigmatic elemental was perhaps the least well understood of her potential allies and adversaries. Unlike Do Hye, who danced merrily on the line between them, Yoshika had a hard time placing Void on either side.

By mutual agreement, the meeting was to take place in the main hall of the palace. The queen wasn’t comfortable with her two most powerful foreign dignitaries meeting each other behind her back, so she would be present as a mediator. Affable as she was, Queen Eunhee wasn’t about to forget the attempted coup that Void orchestrated so quickly.

As she prepared for the meeting, Yoshika gently tapped the hilt of her sword.

“Jianmo, you’ve been awfully quiet since we arrived in Goryeo, but I’d appreciate some advice on how to deal with Void.”

The sword spirit manifested their human form next to her, yawning and stretching in midair.

“Hm, I should have started taking naps a million years ago. That little cat of yours is on to something.”

“Yeah, Heian definitely invented naps all by herself. Such is the incredible genius of our daughter.”

Jianmo chuckled at her sarcasm.

“Testy today, are we? Okay, I’ll try to be serious for a moment. Void is...pretty incomprehensible. I know that’s not really the sort of answer you’re looking for, but it’s probably the oldest being in existence—possibly as old as the universe itself.”

Yoshika sighed. She knew that much already.

“Do Hye said that I should remember that even if I don’t know what it wants, it definitely wants something.”

“That’s true, but I wouldn’t recommend dwelling on it. Not every desire is a grand scheme, despite what that old snake might have you think. I want to go back to napping, for example. Most of what Void wanted from you, in the short term at least, it already has. The Tear is recovered, Chou’s realm has been removed from its domain, and your world is well on its way to returning to the natural cycle.”

“But it’s still here. Still willing to meet with me.”

Jianmo laughed.

“Of course it is. An old monster like that doesn’t waste resources. It’s already here, so why not make the most of it? It got the big things, but now it has the leisure to pursue smaller goals.”

“Like what?”

“How should I know? I’m not the sentient manifestation of the entire universe’s emptiness, am I? Ask it yourself.”

Yoshika rolled her eyes.

“Thanks, Jianmo. Very helpful.”

“Any time. I’m going back to sleep, feel free to call me if you need me, but I don’t want to talk to Void. It gives me the creeps.”

Jianmo returned to their blade, leaving Yoshika to her preparations. She couldn’t really blame them—Void was pretty creepy. The last time she’d spoken to it was when she’d attempted to meditate too close to the edge of its influence, back in the Bloody Sovereign’s tomb. It had communicated to her by placing thoughts directly into her mind.

Hopefully it wouldn’t be doing that again. Yoshika was familiar with the elemental method of communicating by directly sharing thoughts—she’d even worked with Iseul to adapt it into a telepathic communication technique that she could use with her friends. But Void’s mind was far too vast and powerful. It completely overwhelmed her thoughts until there was nothing left except what Void allowed to remain.

Yoshika was certain that when she’d spoken to the Void elemental at the edge of reality, it not only could have obliterated her, but had likely required enormous restraint on its part not to do so accidentally.

Not something she was eager to experience a second time.

She made her way to the central palace, where she found that the main hall had undergone a dramatic transformation. Normally a huge empty room leading up to the throne room, it now hosted a huge table filled with an assortment of food and delicacies. Belatedly, she realized that this was probably how the hall was normally used—when it wasn’t just an imposing lead up to the throne.

There were also a lot more people than she’d been expecting.

The queen was there, along with the rest of her clan—aside from Eunae and Haeun—seated at the head of the table. Joining them were representatives from the four high noble houses. Yoshika only really knew a few of them—particularly Kim Wonshik and the unmistakable tiger-headed visage of his son, Kim Yongsun.

It had been years since she saw Kim Yongsun. Not since the attempted coup, which he had been gracious enough to warn them of—albeit a little too late.

He’d been one of her more pleasant acquaintances back at the academy, once they got past a bad first impression, and had been instrumental in helping her raise Heian. Yoshika made a mental note to herself to take the chance to catch up with him.

But most importantly, the elementals were there. Impossible to miss, standing out like a sore thumb, the Ice elemental was as beautiful and alien as Yoshika remembered. Vaguely feminine, with a frame too tall and too thin to be human, and extremities that tapered off into thin, sharp points. Its smooth, crystalline surface shimmered in the light, with shifting patterns of frost whirling beneath the surface like a winter storm. A pale blue gossamer dress floated serenely around it—a completely unnecessary impression of modesty from a creature with nothing to cover up.

Iseul’s ‘mother,’ for lack of a better word. Magma, the other contributor to Iseul’s creation, was nowhere to be seen. Yoshika and her friends had fought the xiantian elemental to a standstill within that very room, but it would surely have recovered from its injuries since. Perhaps it was just busy.

Finally, the Void. Iseul’s ‘grandfather’ and likely the most powerful being in existence. Void couldn’t be ‘seen’ in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, it was sensed as a distinct absence. To Yoshika’s domain, it felt like a gap in reality. Not an empty space, per se, but a missing space. Trying to look directly at it confused her senses as her eyes skipped past the invisible patch of non-existence and tried to bridge the gap together in her head.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Now that Yoshika had advanced to xiantian and had even felt the avatars of Longyan and Shen Yu within her soul realm, there was one thing that she could be certain of—the elemental before her was no avatar. It was only a tiny portion of the elemental’s true existence—like the eye of a giant peering through a crack—but unlike the other deities, Void was actually physically present.

At least as much as something made of pure nothingness could be physically present.

A mage standing by the door called out to herald her arrival.

“Lady Yoshika, High Arbiter of Jiaguo.”

With that announcement, all eyes were on her, and she bowed awkwardly, resisting the urge to hurry over to Seong Misun and demand an explanation. Kaede’s social training took over, and instead she made her way over to the nearest group of nobles to introduce herself.

It was cruel of the queen to spring a party like this on her. Obviously another test of her fitness as a ruler, and if not for Kaede she might have fumbled it. Instead she exchanged a few pleasantries with people who could barely hide their disdain for her behind a veneer of politeness, before excusing herself to speak with someone more familiar.

Navigating her way to either the Seong or the elementals was going to be a chore. Among the gathered guests, the three parties demanding the most attention were the royal clan, the elementals, and herself. That meant that she had to contend with both the clamoring for her attention and compete with those who were trying to gain favor with those she was trying to meet.

Instead, she made her way to the Kims. She didn’t know Lord Kim Wonshik, but his son was the only ally in the room that she could access without any trouble.

“High Magus Kim, it’s good to see you again. I’m sorry I never got the chance to visit after that mess a few years ago.”

She couldn’t mention the incident or its perpetrators directly. Talking about the attempted coup would be an attack on the royal family’s reputation, and mentioning the elementals would be an attack on theirs. The elementals wouldn’t be offended, but any of the nobles who favored them would.

Kim Wonshik bowed.

“Lady Yoshika. You’ve grown significantly since last I saw you.”

Not in the literal sense, unfortunately. Eui was still as short as ever, but she knew that’s not what he meant.

“In no small part thanks to the support of your clan. May I borrow the young master for a moment?”

“Of course. I’m sure he’s eager to catch up with you. Good luck with your debut, my lady.”

Yoshika pursed her lips. She’d suspected that’s what was going on, but having it spelled out just confirmed it. Normally a social debut was something that someone was given a lot of time to prepare for, but Yoshika had no clan. She had to create one, here and now, to be accepted as a real member of Goryeon politics.

The message was twofold. First, the queen was only willing to support her if she could support herself. This was a trial, and she’d be left to sink or swim on her own merits. Second was that as Minhee had implied in their conversation, Jiaguo was being treated as a protectorate, or a vassal of Goryeo. Perhaps that was just a necessary bit of legal fiction to get the nobility onboard, but it was not something that Yoshika was comfortable with acknowledging publicly.

Do Hye’s reminder that the foundations of what she built needed to outlive her echoed in Yoshika’s mind. Goryeo’s protection could be a key pillar of support for Jiaguo’s future, but it also meant that the moment Yoshika wasn’t around to protect it, it would be absorbed.

That was not the future she wanted for her people.

Kim Yongsun bowed low as she approached.

“Lady Yoshika. I’m pleased to see you well. How are you enjoying the party so far?”

Yongsun had been a bit of an enigma to Yoshika, until she got to know him better. He was stiff and formal, yet also loathed the confusing web of rules and etiquette that ruled noble society. His powerful bloodline meant that he was more susceptible to the instinctive influences of his inner spirit than most, and his rigid adherence to etiquette was a shield against his own lack of social grace.

Yoshika flicked her fingers, silently forming a talismanless privacy spell. It was a faux pas, but so were the eavesdropping spells that she contemptuously swatted aside with her domain as the tiny bubble of silence formed around them.

Her progress, both in cultivation and in the burgeoning new form of magic coming together in Jiaguo, meant that nobody who mattered would even notice that she’d cast the spell.

“You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with, Yongsun. We’re friends, especially after you risked yourself to help my family.”

He inclined his head gratefully.

“Much obliged, Miss An. I must admit, I do not enjoy events like this.”

“Me neither. How long has this been planned?”

“My family received the invitations last year.”

Yoshika cursed under her breath. Jiaguo hadn’t even been founded yet!

“Looks like the queen planned to have me found my own noble clan, and adjusted those plans after I created Jiaguo.”

“Most likely. I take it you were not given as much notice?”

“I found out about this party when I walked through those doors. I thought I was here for a meeting with Void.”

Kim Yongsun furrowed his brow.

“That’s most unusual. Shall I assist you in navigating the party so that you might have your meeting?”

“Please. I’m getting by on a combination of experience in Yamato’s social world and Yue’s lessons on Qin etiquette, but I don’t actually know much about Goryeon high society, and I’m worried that I’ve already messed up.”

He nodded solemnly.

“You have, in a number of small ways. Nothing you can’t recover from, but it’s rather ironic that you are better versed in foreign politics than those of your own homeland.”

She huffed.

“Well it’s not like we ever got the chance to mingle with nobility before, and last time we were here, it was as foreign representatives.”

“You are still here as foreign representatives.”

“Shut up! You know what I mean. Ancestors, I wish Eunae were here to—oh wait! I’m so stupid!”

Kim Yongsun raised an eyebrow at her, casting surreptitious glances around to make sure that her excitement wasn’t drawing too much attention.

“Miss An, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Kim. Better than fine! With your help, I think we can blow these nobles away and make a strong impression in favor of Jiaguo.”

“I appreciate your confidence, but I’m not sure I share it.”

She shook her head.

“That’s because you don’t realize that we have a secret weapon. An unstoppable social force of nature that can flip this trap around and turn it to our advantage!”

“Most impressive. To what are you referring?”

“Not what, Kim, who. I’m going to call in a favor from your cousin.”

He blinked.

“I have several cousins, you will need to be more specific.”

“Wh—I—”

Yoshika sighed. She forgot that Kim Yongsun could be a bit...like that.

“I mean Eunae, Kim. I’m going to bring Eunae here to help.”

“Ah. Yes, I see. That would do it.”