My Salvation Game Became true?!.
Chapter 360 - 303: Arrival of His Majesty [2/3]

Chapter 360: Chapter 303: Arrival of His Majesty [2/3]

Starfall Fortress,

Slim rays of sunlight bathed the majestic city walls, casting a splendid brilliance within each prism-shaped crystal.

This was the largest trading city of the Falling Star Pit, as well as the gateway to the City of Fallen Stars.

Many caravans arrived here, pilgrim-like, marvelling at the prosperity before them and filled with curiosity about the other oasis landscapes beyond the Starfall Fortress.

Regrettably, the majority could only witness what the City of Fallen Stars chose to reveal—an exquisite fraction.

At this moment,

Behind Starfall Fortress, within a land beyond conventional directions of east, west, north, and south, stood a city even more massive and magnificent than Starfall Fortress itself.

Its walls were not as tall as those of Starfall Fortress, yet the city’s expanse was evidently several times larger upon just a single glance.

Within it, towering spires topped with treasures emitting a faint blue glow, akin to stars scattered throughout the city, stood tall.

Guarding the heart of this grand metropolis, a slightly tilted, gargantuan hexagonal crystal soared thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of meters into the sky.

This colossal hexagonal crystal had existed since the foundation of the City of Falling Star, symbolizing the city, and remained an ever-awe-inspiring sight no matter how often it was beheld.

Departing from Starfall Fortress, the convoy of the Three Princesses took a special passageway and drove straight in.

Afterward, the Three Princesses scarcely paused before heading directly to the royal court.

...

...

A royal court meeting was underway at that moment.

Elevated upon the throne was the ruler who wielded secular power in the City of Fallen Stars, King Zel the Thirteenth.

A dignified man with hair turning slightly gray, yet his countenance bore few wrinkles.

He appeared not so aged, but in truth was over one hundred fifty years old, having occupied this position for a century, outlasting even his own scores of sons.

Yet the sons he outlived were nothing but failures.

Here, only the most exceptional royal progeny were worthy of being bestowed the honor of prince or princess, entitled to true royal treatment. The rest were merely nobles with royal blood.

Among all his children, King Zel the Thirteenth’s favorite was his youngest daughter, gentle and wise, with beauty beyond compare.

She had received the title of the Third Princess early on.

Far surpassing her dozens of older sisters.

At the thought of his young daughter finally returning from her journey, King Zel the Thirteenth revealed a smile like that of a kindly grandfather.

"Let young Eileen wait in the study."

He then shifted his gaze back to the ongoing court meeting, listening to the debates among the ministers and nobles.

They were discussing something... rather significant and extraordinary.

An audacious, newly-emerged world beyond their realm.

"To my understanding, this nascent world named ’Blue Star’ may possess some ancient relic that can slow erosion, and perhaps other assets as well," one minister reported.

"Your Majesty, I suggest we dispatch an elite force to investigate Blue Star and secure this treasure," another suggested.

"Your Majesty, I concur with this proposal. Such technological inheritance wasted in the hands of a Native World like Blue Star is a lamentable squandering. Only in our hands, in the City of Falling Star, can its true brilliance be unleashed."

"I object! Remember the fate of the ’Nocturnal Homeland’!" a minister interjected.

"The Nocturnal Homeland fell because they overestimated themselves and contended with the Evil God’s camp. We are not fighting the minions or servants of the Evil God; how could we attract the attention of the Evil God’s camp?" another refuted.

"Hmph! Ignorance!"

"Hmph! Cowardice!"

"Hmph!..."

"Hmph!..."

The two ministers seemed ready to roll up their sleeves and brawl. This was not just for show; if words did not convince, a physical altercation might. This palace had been renovated more than a dozen times in a century, partly due to ministerial fisticuffs.

If you win the fight, you have the reason, and adopting the suggestion is not out of the question.

However,

King Zel the Thirteenth had already decided on the matter at hand.

"With the deep layers of the Ghastly Realm shifting unpredictably lately, and battles erupting within the Evil God’s camp, even, it is said, with that indescribable Evil God seemingly making a move, it is a time of great trouble, so..."

"Let us not meddle with the Blue Star affair."

"This is an order!"

Some of the great nobles’ throats moved slightly, but intimidated by the king’s gaze, ultimately said nothing, bowing their heads in acquiescence.

There may be troubles ahead, but the paramount reason for non-interference...

Was fear of reprisal!

The tragic plight of the Nocturnal Homeland loomed before them—a dominion much more formidable than their City of Falling Star, obliterated in less than a day and night.

Of course, they did not support Blue Star, only intending to quietly pay a visit, and stealthily pilfer Blue Star’s inheritance.

This would likely not attract the notice of the Evil God’s camp.

But,

"How precious can one technological inheritance be? Do we not have enough inheritance in the City of Falling Star?"

Such a gain was negligible to them.

In comparison, it posed a considerable risk.

And their City of Falling Star was no small entity. Even if other oases left traces on Blue Star, too weak to draw attention, it would be different for a dominion of their stature.

Such a risk was not worth taking.

...

"We are not cowering before the Evil God’s camp. Our ability to survive for thousands of years in the City of Falling Star relies not solely on concealment but also on having the means to endure through great crises."

"Over the past millennium, our ancestors have been targeted by the Evil God’s camp and still we have endured."

"These secrets, once you grow strong enough, you will be worthy of learning them."

In the study,

King Zel the Thirteenth, his face full of kindness, was imparting his insights to the Third Princess, Eileen.

"The core of our oasis powers lies in developing within discretion. Exploring ruins and excavating treasure sites are not forbidden, but we must assess the risk."

"Overnight wealth can also mean overnight vanishing. Only by proceeding steadily can our kingdom, our civilization, walk further and reach greater heights."

Eileen nodded, partially understanding.

Once her fond-of-preaching father had finished speaking, she began to recount her own "adventurous experience," starting from the departure, through the journey, to the twists and turns. What could have been summed up in a few sentences, she managed to stretch out for over half an hour.

She was extremely talkative, chattering on without a break.

But perhaps King Starleer XIII was getting old, and with age, he found pleasure in listening to stories, especially those involving his descendants’ experiences, which he listened to with relish.

At one moment, however, he paused abruptly.

Just a moment ago,

Eileen was narrating her inspection of the mining area 19 and enthusiastically describing how, through clever strategies, she exposed a few corrupt officials... All that was quite ordinary.

But, encountering a Rule-based Mysterious Evil on the way back?

If you met such a horrifying mystery, how could you still be alive, child? Even he would simply be fodder if he faced it.

King Starleer XIII slowly began to question.

"Little Eileen, even in storytelling, there has to be some basic logic," he said sternly.

He had only just begun to scold her when he heard,

"So, we met Sister Citina, the big sister is a mythical Grace, who slashed that terrifying Mysterious Evil with a single sword... You can ask Captain Zel if you don’t believe it."

King Starleer XIII was... unable to keep up his stern demeanor!

A mythical Grace?

This story was even more exaggerated than meeting a Rule-based Mysterious Evil! But Little Eileen seemed so certain, it did not appear she was joking.

Inescapable doom.

A chance encounter with a mythical Grace.

A miraculous discovery of the Mysterious Evil’s core, and the slashing of the Mysterious Evil!

Gaining the friendship of a mythical Grace.

Such a storyline... King Starleer XIII’s look towards his little daughter changed, as if she were a child of destiny!

Soon, he summoned the captain of the guard, Zel, and had others gather information from the rest of the guards.

The story was true!

Stripped of the embellishments within Little Eileen’s narrative, the entire event contained not a shred of falsehood or exaggeration.

Could it be a Grace, possibly from another Great Domain?

King Starleer XIII pondered this, his expression growing gradually more solemn, far more serious than during the earlier court meeting.

The court meeting’s topic was only about the "Native World of Blue Star."

In his view, it was no big deal. An order to restrain the major nobles from meddling with Blue Star affairs was sufficient, a matter the king could decide with a single word.

However, the appearance of a mythical Grace—that was a major affair!

He needed to be fully alert in addressing this.

"If handled incorrectly, it could spell disaster. But building a relationship with a Grace could be greatly beneficial for our City of Fallen Stars, and the fact that it started on a good note, that is Eileen’s contribution."

"What remains is, that Grace asked to purchase the Eternal Shine Stone..."

King Starleer XIII pondered.

Such a trade, he was able to decide.

But after much thought, he still sought guidance from the ancestors.

He sought counsel from one of the two guardian gods, the Protector of the City of Falling Star, the Seeker of the Hidden Star Domain, the Holder of Starlight Power, the Patron of the Stars, the great Grace Baylor Bolizemon.

...

At the heart of City of Falling Star, an exceedingly handsome being in resplendent attire stepped forward through a sky filled with stars.

He wore a crown and held a scepter, with eyes as deep as a sea of stars.

In front of him, the significantly older King Starleer XIII bowed his head in a mix of reverence and fear, the latter a fear born of his life’s instincts.

"I see, since we have a visit from a mythical figure, I myself shall go to welcome them," he declared.

He glanced over at Eileen, "So, this little one is the one who happened to encounter that mythical being. Hmm, not bad."

He observed her briefly.

Eileen’s eyes widened as she gazed upon this living... no, her ancestor whom she was seeing with her own eyes for the first time.

"Yes, Ancestor, I am Eileen~"

Even in the presence of her ancestor, the great Grace Baylor Bolizemon, she didn’t show any signs of fear as she recounted her journey in great detail.

After a while,

The ancestral Grace of the City of Fallen Star interrupted her story.

"In that case, let little... let Eileen come with me," he proposed.

"There’s no need for a carriage procession."

With a slight movement of his scepter, starlight began to dissipate, and the surroundings seemed to turn into a world of stars.

As Bolizemon said "Let’s go," the starlight transformed into a radiant carpet extending towards the horizon, lifting both him and Eileen up, and in a blink, they were gone from in front of the palace.

...

Starlight Fortress,

Besides the occasional servant bringing food, Citina had not been disturbed for days.

The nobles here didn’t know her true identity, aware only that she was a distinguished guest of the Third Princess, keeping a low profile.

Suddenly,

At the fortress’s highest point, City Lord Starlight turned his head and saw a starlight pathway emerging from the distance, racing towards them.

"It’s that Grace!"

"I saw that Grace thirty years ago!"

"I too saw him forty-seven years ago!"

The nobles were excited.

They hurried to the highest place in the fortress, where the starlight shrouded the area, ready to welcome the arrival.

They saw,

The carpet of starlight flew directly over and instantly descended within a spot inside the city walls.

There, uh, that seemed to be their Starlight Fortress’s location for receiving foreign guests?