Atop the Proud Moon Palace.
“…Has it already ended?!”
Eastern Moon Aotian stared at the void bristling with blades, shock frozen on his face like frost under moonlight.
“Yes. Looks like the Dark Magic Guild and the Kaichi Clan were snuffed out, like candles in a gale.”
The old man beside him nodded with a wry curve, his voice thin as winter wind.
“Tutor Lutesen, what level was that move?”
He was Eastern Moon Aotian’s magic tutor—one of the empire’s three mages of the Divine Realm—Lutesen Ofadia, a calm rock in storm.
“I can’t say for sure. But it was above the Divine Realm. From those blades, I felt Rule Power.”
Lutesen touched his chin, eyes narrowed like a falcon gauging unseen currents.
“What?! Rule Power?!”
Aotian reeled, nearly pitching off the palace, heart thudding like a drum at midnight. Rule Power belonged only to figures like the God King, the Demon King, the Elven Queen, and the Dragon God—peaks like mountains above clouds.
“Right. We of the Divine Realm can’t wield it. But I could barely sense that force, heavy with the world’s will, like a deep tide beneath stone.”
Lutesen exhaled, awe glinting like starlight. “To witness a technique carrying Rule Power tonight… I may soon break the peak of the Divine Realm and charge the Overdeity Level.”
“Then let me congratulate you first, Tutor Lutesen.”
Aotian’s voice carried warm embers.
“Thank you.” Lutesen nodded, then turned, steady as an old pine. “Aotian, their residence was destroyed. It seems they’ll stay in the Eastern Moon Empire for a while. When they return, they’ll need a new place. You know the rest.”
He gave Aotian a pointed look, quiet as falling snow.
“Yes! Tutor Lutesen, I know what to do.”
“Good.”
…
Soulrift Canyon.
“Hey, Servant, snap out of it!”
Hands shook my shoulders, rattling me like bamboo in wind. My breath snagged, then steadied.
“Ah—Xinuo, that move just now… what was it?!”
Excitement sparked in my chest like sparks jumping from flint.
“I told you, Servant. That was the pinnacle of Sword Aura. If your control over energy reaches its edge, you could fling it out like a casual breeze.”
Xinuo sighed and pinched my cheek, soft as plum petals.
“But that move was insanely cool! As expected, Master is the strongest!!”
Hill blinked back to awareness, eyes bright like dew.
“Mm. Save it for tomorrow. Let’s hurry back and sleep.”
Xinuo spoke through a yawn that rolled like a small wave.
“Yes, yes! Got it—heading back now!”
Hill nodded, then beat her giant twin wings, cutting the night like a white crane, and flew toward the Eastern Moon Empire.
Eastern Moon Empire.
“Your residence was destroyed. On behalf of the Eastern Moon Empire, I apologize.”
A man in a purple-gold imperial robe stepped from the shadows, his crown catching light like a sliver of dawn.
“And you are?”
I studied him, curiosity curling like mist.
“Forgive me. I forgot to introduce myself.”
He offered a slightly awkward smile, like rain easing after thunder. “I’m the king of the Eastern Moon Empire—Eastern Moon Aotian. If you don’t mind, stay in my Proud Moon Palace for a while. I can promise it’s the finest place in the empire.”
“Oh!”
My eyes lit, thoughts rising like kites. We’d planned to hunt for a new place, and one found us. I laughed. “Then we’ll trouble you, King Eastern Moon Aotian.”
“No trouble, no trouble.”
He waved quickly, sleeves fluttering like silk banners. “Please, come with me.”
“Alright.”
On the road to the Proud Moon Palace.
“By the way.”
Aotian remembered something and glanced at me, voice light as spring. “Heh, I still don’t know your names.”
“Oh, true.”
He was offering us a roof; keeping our names hidden would be sour grapes. I pointed to Xinuo. “She’s Xinuo.”
Then I gestured at Hill. “And she’s Hill Ya Victor.”
I tapped my chest. “I’m Yumigawa Sumeragi. Nice to meet you.”
“No problem. Uh, Yumigawa? I feel like I’ve heard that surname somewhere… ah!!!”
Aotian’s eyes widened like lanterns at dusk. “Are you from the Mizumi Clan of the Central Continent?!”
“That’s right. I’m traveling the world.”
I nodded, like a stone placed just so.
“Ah! If I was rude earlier, I’m truly sorry! Please rest easy, I’ll entertain you with my utmost.”
Strange. His respect climbed like a tide. Are kings all like this?
Three minutes later.
“Alright, here we are—my Proud Moon Palace.”
We halted before a majestic palace, its silhouette rising like a mountain under a silver moon.
“Wow! What a majestic palace!”
After changing back into a little girl, Hill’s eyes sparkled like stars caught in a bowl.
She wasn’t wrong. The palace was vast and grand, an old breath of stone pressing down like thunderclouds; austere, yet seamless as if born from heaven’s hand.
“Heh. If you enjoy your stay, that’ll be my greatest honor.”
Aotian brightened, a smile spreading like sun over frost. He turned to the gate guards. “Why are you still gaping?! Hurry and salute my honored guests!”
“Ah—Your Majesty, our apologies!”
The guards bowed, voices low as drums wrapped in cloth. “Honored sirs and ladies, welcome to the Proud Moon Palace!”
“No need for the fuss. I only want sleep. Let’s go in.”
Xinuo spoke and pushed a yawn away like a drifting cloud.
“Yes, yes! Xinuo Miss, I’ll take you to the palace’s best quarters right now.”
Led by Eastern Moon Aotian, we entered the Proud Moon Palace.
The grounds were vast, flowing like a city within walls—larger than Rat City by several measures. Within, buildings and scenery unfolded like layered paintings, calm water and carved stone.
It wasn’t the Mizumi Clan’s level, but it wasn’t far off. No wonder the Eastern Moon Empire is the foremost empire on the Eastern Moon Continent.
“Alright, Yumigawa, this will be your residence.”
Aotian stopped before a manor, elegant and lovely, its lights warm as fireflies under eaves.
