Chapter: 48. Let’s Depart
The magnificent lights suddenly went out, and this abrupt change naturally caused a stir among the guests present, eliciting cries of surprise.
The entire hall was plunged into darkness.
One could only barely see the shadows of others through the few reflections of moonlight coming in through the glass.
“What’s going on?!”
“I don’t know! What’s happening?”
But the so-called panic was just a moment of fright.
Soon, these guests calmed down in the dark and began a rather interesting discussion.
Phew~ What is there to panic about?
Thinking carefully, it’s quite normal for a banquet of this grandeur to have such unique arrangements. For instance, is it not for the Hero to illuminate and say a few words in the darkness? Or perhaps for His Majesty the King to personally step up and address everyone?
No matter the case, there was no need for worry.
Today, the Komir Royal Hall had gathered the strongest guards of the kingdom; if it wasn’t safe here, then there was no place in the whole kingdom that was safe.
Thus, the nobles, disregarding the surrounding darkness, resumed their banter, the sound of their goblets clinking and drinking echoing again.
However…
Until the doors of the hall were suddenly flung open, a soldier rushed in, pushing the door with urgency, his face filled with terror as he shouted, shattering the delicate atmosphere of equilibrium!
“Enemies… enemy attack! Protect His Majesty the King! Protect the Majesty!!”
Boom!!
Before the echo faded, the sharp sound of glass cups shattering on the ground followed, the earth shaking wildly, and the severe tremors completely shattered the nobles’ calm demeanor.
“Run!!”
“What the hell…! What’s going on!”
“Help… Help!”
Screams and the sounds of pushing and shoving rang out, an unexpected wave of unknown fear sweeping through the room, the noble and elegant atmosphere entirely obliterated.
It was precisely because they were powerful and influential nobles that they valued their lives.
The crowd surged toward the exit like a tide, the whistling wind rushing in, already a scene of chaos in the main hall.
Not everyone was fleeing.
Xialet and Princess Xue Fei leaned against the wall amidst the noise, unperturbed.
Xue Fei still stared intently at the opaque ceiling, while Xialet knew she was activating her vision penetration to project her line of sight towards the vast dome above.
Xialet slightly rose and peered out the window, trying to observe the situation of the nobles who had evacuated to the open space.
The nobles over there all looked panicked, turning in circles, while the members of the Light Family all drew their swords, surrounding them with the Kingdom Knight Corps, all of them looking solemn.
While observing, Xialet was also analyzing the situation.
“Going out rashly now could be even more dangerous… Judging by the tremor earlier, it seems there was a massive magical force attacking the area around the hall, and we don’t know if there will be a second wave. Xue Fei, have you confirmed the situation?”
“It’s hardly peaceful for me to celebrate a birthday…” Xue Fei first murmured quietly, before turning to respond to Xialet’s question.
In the dark, the brilliance of Xue Fei’s eyes became even more apparent.
“There’s no doubt about the magical attack, but it’s a bit different than what you said. The attack just now struck the hall directly and was blocked by the protective barrier covering the hall.”
“I see… Is that the source of the tremor earlier… If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be dangerous for them to stay outside? At least inside the hall we have the magical protective barrier, right?”
“It’s the same anywhere.” Xue Fei crossed her arms over her flat chest, squinting her eyes as she clicked her tongue and shook her head. “That last hit shattered the protective barrier; all the magical power of the Light Magic Stones was used to urgently maintain it. The fact that the light went out is proof that the barrier has been breached.”
“Ugh… Is that true… If that’s the case, then the intruders are not friendly…”
Xialet knew that the protective barrier surrounding the hall was constructed using the magical power of her father.
A Tenth Stage magical protective spell had been shattered by a single strike… it was simply unthinkable.
From the window, she could see Ecklight, the head of the Light Family, holding a broadsword, protecting the king and the rest of the royal family as they retreated to a space different from the nobles. Meanwhile, the members of the Light Family were also gathering toward them, leaving only the elite of the Kingdom Knight Corps to protect the nobles.
Everyone was pacing back and forth, looking up at the sky, searching for the source of the recent magical attack, the uproar echoing together.
“They won’t find it.” Xue Fei stated firmly as she sat steadily against the wall.
“Xue Fei, do you mean… the enemy has used some invisible magic to conceal themselves?”
“You certainly won’t find it by looking up. That magical attack earlier was more like a greeting.”
Xue Fei said leisurely, but her next words completely dumbfounded Xialet.
“I just saw the source of the magical release; it hasn’t reached the capital yet, and I’m not exactly sure where it is.”
“Xue Fei, are you saying… that the magic attack came from outside the capital, reaching such a distance? And has such power?”
If anyone else had said that, Xialet would never have believed it, but if it were Xue Fei, it could only be the absolute truth.
You have to understand that the Komir Royal Hall is at the center of the capital… as long as it’s outside the capital, no matter the direction, it’s an unbelievably long distance!
“Well, it’s just the facts.” Xue Fei closed one eye and wiggled her finger. “But the enemy should be revealing themselves soon; Xialet, can you feel it? Something is approaching.”
Indeed.
Xialet closed her eyes to sense the flow of magical energy. The abnormality was quite apparent.
——There was a massive and chaotic magical current sweeping over the sky near the outskirts of the capital, unable to confirm its true form, but it was clear that the opponent was dangerous.
And to possess such magical power, along with being a strong enemy that was likely to appear at this time…
Xialet rose.
Instead of confusion, what she directed toward Xue Fei was more about resilience and determination.
“To achieve such a level… it can only be the Six Wings.”
“It resembles the nature of magic, but it’s hard to say. We’ll have to wait until they arrive and have a look. The only thing I can confirm is that it isn’t my father, nor is it my mother, and the other two Six Wings… Tsk, that doesn’t make sense either.”
“Are they here to take you back, Xue Fei…?”
“That’s hard to say.”
“It’s hard to say, but that’s okay.”
Xue Fei raised her head high in the darkness.
That ray of golden light reflected the colorful window without revealing its colors.
That decisive light smile, amidst the outside worries, had become like a noiseless night to Xue Fei.
Sometimes, what your ears can hear is not really determined by your ears.
——But rather, when you only wish to hear her voice… it seems that all things in the world cooperate, unwilling to disturb.
“As long as Xue Fei doesn’t want to go back, no matter who comes… sister will help you chase them away, okay?”
“……”
Thud.
Xue Fei suddenly tilted her head to the side!
Hmm?
Xialet was puzzled; did Xue Fei sense something again?!
Indeed, she sensed something!
Xue Fei raised her little hand to cover her cheek, incredulously discovering that it was slightly hot.
Ew… it didn’t seem to just be slightly hot anymore.
Back then, drinking a bowl of freshly made fish soup wasn’t this hot!
Xialet, you silly girl…! Clearly, your own birthday banquet is likely to be ruined because of me, and you’re saying these kinds of things!
Moments later…
Xue Fei suddenly looked up, revealing her small tiger teeth, cutely pointing at Xialet.
“Little Xialet…! I don’t need you to protect me! Don’t forget I am after all a princess of the Demon Race; if some Six Wings come to catch me, whether I go back or not, that’ll depend on my mood! Hmph… Follow me!”
“Oh… okay?”
Xue Fei finally got up from the ground.
Although her movements appeared a bit awkward for some reason, and she walked with a limp, occasionally sneaking glances back at her own direction?
Xialet, with her simple mind, didn’t understand much.
But seeing Xue Fei like this… she was going to take her to prepare for confrontation, right?
Xialet didn’t know why Xue Fei was still walking back toward the hall.
But she believed in her, just doting on her as she followed behind.
Xue Fei looked around, occasionally tiptoeing to smell the air.
Finally, she stopped in front of a row of cabinets that had been smashed to bits.
Xialet focused her gaze…
——It turned out to be the birthday cake supply section!
Looking at those cakes that had been smashed into cake batter, a hint of sorrow appeared on Xue Fei’s small face.
Finally, she found a piece that was complete and intact.
She grabbed half of the cake and shoved it into her mouth.
The other half was handed to Xialet.
“Happy Birthday…” the first part was said quietly, while the second part regained her nonsensical urgency. “Hurry, hurry! Once we finish eating, we’ll go deal with the trouble! Who has time to eat cake now…! Slurp… Huh? Can’t say it, your house makes pretty good cake! Both fragrant and sweet!”
“Clearly it was you, Xue Fei… um, never mind, thank you for the blessing, Xue Fei… let me have a taste too.”
Taking a small bite of the very first birthday cake, even though she wasn’t as quick to eat it as Xue Fei and it didn’t taste as fragrant.
But the sweetness Xue Fei mentioned… Xialet had completely experienced it.
Let the noise outside continue.
No matter the chaos inside.
The two seemed to be in a flower field, smiling at each other, bursting into vibrant laughter.
——Just as they had agreed earlier, to find a secluded corner, to celebrate their own birthday together.
Swallowing that half piece of cake, Xialet took Xue Fei’s hand, gazing at the completely empty hall, and the door being blown by the wind, Xialet finally stepped forward.
“Xue Fei… let’s go, let’s see what’s going on.”
“Okay! Let’s see who’s here to take revenge for the lost cake!”
