Chapter 334

Chapter 334: The Stories of the Past, the Whole World Is a Fan of the Emperor

Karembu Empire.

Yves Saint Laurent Academy, Chalkiness Tower.

Esther looked at the Pure White Witch sitting across from her. In her crimson eyes sparkled data like flowing light. She calmly extended her fingertip, and her magic rippled out like water, creating a Starry Sky Map with floating clouds.

"This is the distribution map of 3,481 trainees."

Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment; this was Esther’s privilege.

It seemed that not only in the eyes of the officials but also in the eyes of the planetary consciousness, the other party had been given the authority of an examiner/teacher.

"In the capital Yves Saint Laurent, there are only 267 people, less than two thousand within the empire, and the rest are scattered in other places? This is a bit too chaotic."

Esther shook her head and explained briefly:

"The Ideal State is a gift from planetary consciousness to the magical girls. The Historical Echoes here have been specially changed and are very different from the Slit World that normally leads to destruction."

"I didn’t mention it before to make this training feel more intense, but in reality, training is just training. Without the difficulties we create, it should be as easy as a playground."

Chu Yuanqing felt a bit confused because she thought that planetary consciousness should not have the power to interfere with Historical Echoes.

To be honest, the ability to let everyone log out at any time had already surprised her, not to mention directly changing the path that Disaster would take.

Esther glanced at the part of the Starry Sky Map that was slowly being covered in darkness and continued:

"Under normal circumstances, all the children would be in the heart of the Empire, scattered among various magic academies. Depending on their talent, situation, or luck, some could go directly to Yves Saint Laurent Academy."

"But now, the gift from planetary consciousness has mixed in some cockroaches and mice, which have disrupted the normal development of these Historical Echoes."

Chu Yuanqing understood in her heart.

If the Church of the Gods entered the Ideal State, then many things could be clearly explained, the most obvious being the current Disaster Wave.

Even in the illusion of time, the status of the Calamity God cannot be underestimated; He only needs a trace of reality’s cause and clues to know that this is a dream constructed by the obsession of civilization.

So…

Now, the world sheltered by the Golden Sea is, in His eyes, worthless waste, with no need for observation or repeated experiments.

Simply put, the actions of the Church of the Gods successfully changed the game’s difficulty from easy to a nightmare; now, even if both sides have the same flow of time, staying inside for fifteen days is not an easy task.

The Pure White Witch’s emotions remained calm; her eyes were like a deep sea, not stirring even the slightest ripple.

How did the Church of the Gods enter the Ideal State? Do they want to snuff out the opportunities for the new generation to grow? Or is there a deeper motive?

These things are important, yet they are not important at all.

The Slit World has a limit; it comes from the civilizations destroyed by the Disaster, a miracle echo drawn from recorded history, a local time rewind.

If things cannot be done, she can extinguish the last light of this obsession with her own hands.

But for now, it is not necessary; a true trial should have risks and dangers.

Chu Yuanqing looked at the Starry Sky Map and softly said:

"First, bring back those from outside the Empire who are not yet able to use magic, those who haven’t ‘lit the lamp’, players no different from ordinary people, and those closest to the dark tide in the harshest environments."

"You organize the information and use Alchemy Crysta to send the data to me and Charlotte. Tiffany and the Adjudicating Authority are very efficient in this area."

Doing this is not because she is unwilling to see those children get hurt; she just does not want them to leave without any gain and "die" for no reason, ending their training without purpose—that would be a true waste of their time.

Esther was just about to say she didn’t have Charlotte as a friend when she saw a friend request message pop up in Alchemy Crysta.

Hmm, the ID is "Lucy Tiffany Super Invincible Cute," and the profile picture is a selected side photo of Lucy Tiffany’s fan club; it must be Miss Saintess.

However… considering the current situation of the Empire, the Adjudicator is a passionate fan of the Crown Prince-in-Reserve, and is probably thought to be scarier in the eyes of the public than the dark tide that is about to drown the world.

Chu Yuanqing continued to ask,

"By the way, can you tell me where Liuli and Little Xuan are now?"

Esther looked away from the crystal and gazed at the Starry Sky Map; her pupils reflected the first perspective, and her pretty face showed a cold expression as she answered with a hint of worry,

"Xie Qingxuan is in Border City Raysha. She is riding a giant wolf in the City Master’s mansion, fighting alongside a team led by a Superfine Magician."

Before Chu Yuanqing could ask if it was dangerous,

Esther showed a subtle expression and exclaimed,

"Incredible, they were all defeated."

"Is this child really fighting for the first time? She acted without hesitation, and before her Patronus Magic even hatched, she was as dominating as an emperor, unable to be analyzed."

Chu Yuanqing felt relieved and murmured,

"Border City Raysha is not safe; the dark tide could sweep over at any moment. I still need to inform Little Xuan and find a way to stay in touch."

Chu Yuanqing took out a big bunch of colorful beautiful balls from the storage ring.

Lucy Tiffany mainly relied on alchemical creations for battle, and she developed items similar to Poke Balls to carry with her.

These spheres contained various types of alchemical creations.

Among them, there were many biomimetic types like the Heavenly Puppet; this gem-studded alchemical ball held the Divine Messenger Barbet used by the Adjudicating Authority, while another ball made of pure gold was meant for a mining and battle machine dragon.

As for the one with the pink bow, it held a household maid who could clean, cook, massage, and even fight…

Chu Yuanqing threw out the Divine Messenger Barbet, which had been named by Lucy Tiffany. Its top speed was 100 Mach, and its average speed was 27 Mach, making it a specialized, enhanced version.

The Pure White Witch patiently patted its head, and after giving her instructions, she placed a video and voice message inside and sent the little one to Border City. After finishing this, she continued to curiously ask,

"Liuli isn’t fighting too, right?"

The super AI said softly,

"Just take a look at the Empire Times and you’ll understand."

Filled with curiosity, Chu Yuanqing bought a copy of the Empire Times using virtual currency and saw bold red letters on the front page.

—"SHOCKING! The new Duke Aisha Fez made a stunning appearance during the oath ceremony!"

Below this line was an embarrassing photo of the shy cat, likely captured by a reporter using water mirror magic, clear and sharp, with additional commentary and analysis from the newspaper reporter at the bottom.

It’s worth mentioning that due to the strict laws set by Holy Sophon, those in power were not likely to overstep, but the atmosphere in the empire was quite open, so the reporters were surprisingly bold, writing things that would make Liuli very angry.

Chu Yuanqing couldn’t help but smile, her pink lips curling up as she poked the shy cat’s head in the picture and gently said,

"It seems Liuli doesn’t need to worry; she will come to the capital herself and should arrive very soon."

Esther looked at her and said,

"Chu Yuanqing, I have a favor to ask you about the Dragon Witch."

…

At the edge of the empire, Flower Ridge.

The sacred giant dragon soared in the sky, its feathers dreamy and soft, the color like clear emerald, shining with a wonderful crystal texture. Its huge wings spread out like an island flying in the air.

The shy little cat, with teary eyes, buried its head in the feathers, trying to hold on to feel safe and not be thrown out, turning into Liuli-chan.

Although after "lighting up," it could create Magic Armor and fly freely, this Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon, raised by Olga Fez since childhood, had a terrifying flying speed that could match the Divine Messenger Barbet despite its huge size.

If it weren’t for the wind-protecting magic around, no matter how hard one tried to hold onto the feathers, they would likely have been thrown out.

Aurora Fez quietly made the wind on her back a little more stable, using her gently soothing big sister voice to comfort the girl who looked as pitiful as a little kitten:

"Aisha, don’t be afraid. Just like when you were a child, if you can overcome the fear inside you, you will see the beautiful sights that can only be found in the sky."

"This is a reward for the brave. One day, you will also soar through the skies with your own Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon, exploring every corner of the Fanol Continent and leaving behind traces of your adventures."

"That is the mark of your life and proof of your growth. By that time, both Olga and I will be proud of you."

Tang Liuli felt that life was truly magical; just a little while ago, she had been playing ‘Dragon Quest,’ and now she was riding on a legendary dragon, listening to it share inspiring words with her.

But for some reason, she really wasn’t afraid anymore.

The girl gathered her courage and lifted her head. While holding onto a feather, she carefully changed to a duck sitting position and quietly asked:

"Sister Aurora, shouldn’t you have felt sad back then?"

Tang Liuli looked down at her palm, where she wore a flower ring symbolizing great authority. It meant that her family had once sworn loyalty to the emperor and would forever keep the promise made that day.

The imperial council wanted to use the power of the Holy Sophon, requiring the Three Tower Masters, who held similar tokens, to recite the oath together and unlock the corresponding shackles.

This flower ring was a gift from the Divine Emperor, and so was the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon.

Legend said that the Emperor killed countless giant dragons in the battle that ended the divine era, leaving only one giant dragon named the Emerald Dragon.

In the teachings of the Fez family, this hidden history was recorded:

"The Emperor is always right and never wavers; he walks a path that no one else can understand, leaving his followers with a distant view of his back."

"He is great, so gentle that he does not want the world to suffer, and so noble that he does not even wish for us to remember his face in the future."

"At that time, I couldn’t help but wonder what the Emperor had gone through. Does he still have love in his heart? Does he still have hate? How did he forge this will that fears nothing, wavers not, and hesitates not?"

"And now that I think of it, the only emotions the Emperor revealed to me and others were when he looked at the Emerald Dragon with a stunned and sad gaze, like a child seeing the body of a dead animal, his soft eyes slowly dimming, filled with exhaustion."

"What memories did that man recall through the Emerald Dragon? No one knows the answer to this day."

"Later, the Emperor used the blood of the Emerald Dragon and the genes of other dragons to create a new dragon species, called the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon. Before leaving, he entrusted that young dragon to me."

"I admire the Emperor, respect the Emperor, fear the Emperor, and wish to repay the Emperor."

"So, I set a family motto, hoping that future generations, whether in a hundred years, a thousand years, or even ten thousand years, would carry on the original and perfect form of the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon into the future."

"I don’t know what good this will do, but the Emperor has clearly left so many gifts for the world; he doesn’t care about power or money, and he doesn’t even want us to call him Emperor."

"So… even if it is something fleeting and uncertain, as long as the Emperor can pick up some warmth from the unchanging Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon in the distant future, the existence of the Fez family has meaning."

In Aisha Fez’s memory, the words about her ancestors speaking of the Emperor have been forced to read countless times and practiced by heart so many times that every member of the Fez family could recite them perfectly.

It could be said that the Fez family changed from a magical family to the greatest dragon-taming family in the empire to ensure the pure bloodline of the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon is passed down forever.

This is how the theoretically man-made species, unable to pass down a bloodline, the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon, has continued to exist through generations until today.

But because the dragons bred were not pure enough, they could only be called Emerald Holy Light Dragons. To add the prefix Liuli, the previous generation of Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragons had to sacrifice half of their lifespan to nourish the bloodline of the still-unhatched Emerald Holy Light Dragons.

Generally speaking, the transfer of bloodlines had to begin in the middle age of the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon; otherwise, there was a risk of losing the lineage.

In the beginning, the power struggle in the Imperial Capital was so fierce that even if they had killed the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon of that time, they had used very expensive alchemical artifacts to turn its bloodline into Dragon Crystals and returned it to the Fez family, fearing that they would be ruined together.

Aurora answered calmly:

"The Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon exists for the Emperor."

"So there is no need to feel sad; everything is for the Emperor."

Tang Liuli fell silent upon hearing this; she thought it was foolish for a dragon to die for someone it had never met.

The end of this world was already determined.

Tang Liuli knew that in the original Historical Echoes, the Fez family’s long-cherished wishes were unlikely to come true.

Because if the Emperor who developed the Demon God Machinery, Philosopher’s Stone, and the principles of Hyperion within a few years really returned, with the current resources and foundation of the empire, how could they lose to Disaster?

Therefore, whether it was Aurora, the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon that had died for her in the past, or the Fez family’s over a thousand years of perseverance, it had all been nothing but wishful thinking.

The ruler who once reigned over all would not return.

Life was like this; there were too few things that made them happy and too many things that disappointed them.

To Aurora, the Fez family felt like little kittens abandoned in a rented room.

Your master had abandoned you and did not tell you to wait for them.

But the little kitten could not understand human words; even if it was chased away by the landlord or later tenants, it would still try to sneak in through the window every day, trying hard to get back to this once warm place, sitting where it could see itself as if it had never left.

Tang Liuli was suddenly shocked, so… in the eyes of the Fez family, had the Emperor never really left?

The girl thought of this and suddenly wanted to meet that Emperor; what kind of person would change the entire world, alter everyone’s fate, and then leave quietly without even a name?

This might be a riddle that the Karembu Empire still could not solve, and because no one could understand him, he felt even more alone.

Aurora soared through the sky, and Flower Ridge gradually faded away. She sensed the silence from the other person, and in their emerald dragon eyes, there was a hint of nostalgia. She softly said:

"Aisha, since that event happened, the clan has known that inheriting the title of Duke means going to the Imperial Capital to play the role of a puppet, losing the freedom that one once had."

"You inherited the greatest magical talent, and your grandfather had always loved you the most. Do you know why, even so, he would choose you to inherit the title of Duke?"

Tang Liuli should not have known the answer, but she suddenly looked down, strangely noticing the feather she was holding, and hazily guessed something.

Aurora did not keep it a secret; she revealed the answer:

"Because the eyes of the Fez family are usually brown and blue, but yours are beautiful like emeralds, the closest in color to the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon."

"On the day you were born, your grandfather and many others believed it was a sign that the Emperor was about to return. The clan members were joyful, and the whole Flower Ridge had held a festive celebration."

"Since then, every year on your birthday, you have seen a similarly lively celebration, just like today when you are inheriting the title of Duke."

"So, Aisha, your title of Duke does not mean that Olga and the others are dissatisfied with you; on the contrary, they believed in you more than anyone, believing that you would become the best Duke of the Fez family."

Tang Liuli was completely overwhelmed by this reason; it felt as abstract as a golden retriever saying it wanted to be the third wheel for Honey Qing, carrying a sense of necessity.

So… the other members of the Oath Family were also fans of the Emperor, right?!