"Representing the Sky Kingdom, Zephyria,
The Sky Serpent General, Lady Aurelia Stormborn."
The herald introduced, and a beautiful woman walked in.
Just like Cedric, she came in wearing silver armor. Her armor, however, seemed lighter than Cedric's, as if it was made for swift and fluid battles.
'These people are a little too comfortable in their armors, aren't they?
It is almost as if a war might break out here.'
The moment he thought of those words, Kael shook his head.
It was a fucking magic world. Anything he said might come true.
There was no need to raise foolish flags. He wasn't one of those protagonists.
'Anyways, the Sky Kingdom.'
Kael quickly changed his line of thought and focused on the kingdom that attracted his attention the most.
Yes, he was in a fantasy world. Tamers, warriors, and mages, all of this was something he had heard of before.
Of course, all of those had their own charm, but…
The Kingdom that floated in the air definitely charmed him the most.
Yes, Zephyria was that kingdom, a mysterious Kingdom based on floating islands and sky cities that dominated the landscape. Zephyria relied on wind magic, flying beasts, and aerial combat. They remained neutral in most conflicts, but they weren't a force to be messed with. Their airborne units were a nightmare to deal with.
Thinking about that, Kael turned towards Elira, wanting some information. He could still deal with Dorian without much information, but the Sky Serpent General seemed to hold an important title. He felt like he couldn't ignore this woman.
[She is one of the strongest Generals in Nerathis, and it goes without saying that she is a Ninth Stage Warrior. She is better than Lord Cedric, who is known for his sternness. She is free-spirited.
Of course, don't offend her. Together with free-spiritedness, she is also deadly. She can push someone like you to death with a flick of her finger.]
Kael's mouth twitched at those words.
He, however, wasn't given enough time to react.
Aurelia called out, and then, she grinned.
"I heard you flew on top of a Luminark in Estwyn and killed quite a few flying beasts."
Kael replied courteously, but—
Aurelia laughed as she grabbed the boy like he was her longtime buddy and pulled him close to her chest, something Kael would have enjoyed a lot more if she wasn't wearing metal armor.
"That's no luck! For a Bond that wasn't even your own to allow you to sit on it, it must have liked you quite a lot!
You know, flying beasts' instincts are much sharper than normal beasts. It is said that if one is liked by the flying beasts, he can be trusted.
I'll look forward to your growth and the day we fly together, Hero Kael.
It was a form of approval.
The Sky Serpent General approved of Kael, something that even Elira found surprising.
How could a Ninth Stage Warrior place her trust in someone based on stories she had only heard? The Court Mage had no clue.
"I-I will try and stand up to your expectations."
Kael answered with a stutter. Courtesy was the least of his problems right now. He could barely breathe because of how strongly the woman was grabbing him from the other side of the table.
The scene was almost comical.
As if noticing that he was uncomfortable, the General finally let him go. Kael rubbed his neck in pain. The General, however, wasn't done yet.
"Also, these children of mine would like to challenge you to a duel."
Kael blinked in surprise as he stared at the woman in front of him.
She had a clean face and long sky-blue hair. Yes, she had the charm of an older woman, but she still looked in her early thirties. The so-called 'children' she pointed at looked the same age as her.
"Oh, come now, don't be foolish.
They are part of my squadron."
Knowing what he was thinking, Aurelia quickly clarified.
"Do I look old enough to have children?"
She raised her eyebrow, and Kael's face twitched.
How is everyone he meets so fucking shameless?
"Of course not. This is why I was so surprised. You looked younger than me. I thought I missed a major part of my life."
Of course, Kael was even more shameless.
And at his words, Aurelia grinned.
"I like you, Hero Kael."
Kael bowed courteously.
"I will tell my children to go easy on you."
"Please don't say it like that. It makes it difficult for me to process your words."
With a hearty laugh, the Sky Serpent General turned and strode toward the Zephyrian seats after nodding at the Crown Prince.
Kael sighed inwardly, but then suddenly,
He heard Elira's solemn voice.
Then, the herald announced,
"Representing the Magic Empire, Xenthalor,
Tower Head of the Fire Tower, Selene Valcroft."
The instant those words echoed throughout the hall, silence fell over.
Kael could see the tension building up as a beautiful woman, clad in dark violet robes embroidered with golden runes, walked in with grace and pride. She had long black hair and violet eyes that seemed to shimmer with energy.
The moment the Tower Head's eyes fell on Kael, he felt Elira grabbing his hand firmly.
And he wasn't surprised by that action.
The relationship between Xenthalor and Drakthar wasn't the best.
Xenthalor was a kingdom ruled by mages, a kingdom where magic was everything. They were the complete opposite of Eryndor and thought of warriors as inferior brutes who only knew how to swing their weapons.
Their hate for warriors was much stronger than Eryndor's hate for mages, so much so that Xenthalor had a complicated relationship with both Drakthar and Eryndor because the two kingdoms had warriors in their ranks.
[Selene Valcroft, Ninth Circle Mage, arrogant and prideful. She i-]
Before Elira could finish, Selene raised a hand and, with a snap of her fingers, the Court Mage's voice was abruptly cut off.
"Hero Kael, it is rude to talk to your Lady Companion while you greet people."
Selene spoke with a light smile on her face.