CHAPTER 214: ENVOY OF VALERION

Authority, aura, and grace...there was no denying it. Lucas had seen many figures of power in his lifetime, monarchs wrapped in jewels, generals plated in steel, and even cultivators who carried themselves with a haughty pride that bordered on arrogance. Yet none of them, not one, could compare to the Empress of Lechia. Sitting high upon her throne, veiled and untouchable, she was the very embodiment of control. Her presence alone was enough to silence an entire hall filled with envoys, nobles, and warriors, and it was done without a single word. Lucas had to admit, with a grudging respect he rarely gave, that she was the most graceful human he had ever seen.

When she finally sat, her posture did not shift. Her back remained perfectly straight, her hands rested lightly upon the armrests, and her chin lifted just enough to make her look like one who gazed down on all without needing to try. A simple flick of her wrist, so small that many would have missed it, summoned her counselor forward.

The old man rose from his place at her side. His robes were plain compared to the vibrant silks of the emissaries, but the air that rolled off him carried unmistakable weight. His cultivation had long reached the Ascendant Realm, a fact that needed no declaration. It was carved into the way he moved, deliberate and unshaken. He stepped forward, bowed respectfully to the Empress, and then turned to address the hall.

"By the grace of Her Imperial Majesty," the counselor began, his voice strong despite his age, "we shall hear the petitions of those gathered."

The first matter concerned a trade dispute between two minor provinces of Lechia. A pair of nervous officials stepped forward, their words tumbling over each other as they accused and defended. The counselor raised his hand once, and silence fell instantly. He listened to both sides with patience, asked a handful of sharp questions, and then delivered judgment in a manner so clear and fair that the quarreling men could not argue.

Lucas leaned slightly to Selene, his eyes still fixed upon the dais. "Do you notice it?" he murmured.

Selene followed his gaze, puzzled. "Notice what?"

"She has not spoken," Lucas replied quietly. "Not once. Every word comes from the counselor."

Nyx, listening in, nodded thoughtfully. "And yet it feels as though it is she who has ruled, not him. The power is hers, even if the voice is not."

It was true. The Empress remained silent throughout, watching with calm, steady eyes. When the counselor finished delivering a ruling, he would glance back toward her, and only then would she give the faintest motion of her hand or a subtle nod. That was all it took. Authority flowed through her gestures as though the counselor was merely an extension of her will.

Another case was brought forth, this time involving border security. Once again, the counselor did the speaking. Lucas’s gaze, however, shifted when the Empress turned her hand ever so slightly, signaling to the young prince beside her. Prince Khan rose to his feet, his expression composed and regal, and he delivered judgment with a voice that carried both clarity and confidence. His words were not rushed; they were measured, his reasoning sharp.

Lucas sat back in his chair, eyes narrowing in consideration. He had expected Khan to fumble, perhaps to prove himself a child playing at court. Instead, he was confronted with something different. The Prince judged wisely, weighing each matter as though he had rehearsed such rulings a thousand times in his head.

Lira leaned close, whispering to Lucas, "He is good. More than I expected."

Lucas did not disagree. "He is very good," he admitted quietly, a small smirk touching his lips though it lacked mockery this time. "The boy knows the weight of his position. I’ll give him that."

Selene arched a brow at him. "So even you can praise a rival when it is deserved?"

Lucas chuckled lowly, keeping his voice quiet enough so only the girls could hear. "Praise costs me nothing. And if he is this good now, it only means he will be worth the trouble later. That is something to look forward to."

The counselor continued, moving from one case to another with effortless rhythm. The Empress remained composed, still as stone, silent as the moon. The only time her hand lifted differently was when she turned her finger slightly toward Khan again. The prince rose once more, judged with the same calm wisdom, and returned to his seat.

Lucas leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes narrowing with a hint of intrigue. For all his disdain toward Khan, he had to acknowledge what he was seeing. This was not a spoiled prince living off the shadow of his mother. This was a youth being deliberately molded into a ruler, step by step, under the most subtle yet iron guidance of a woman who never needed to raise her voice.

He sat back, crossing his arms with a faint sigh. "Impressive. Very impressive."

And as the matters of the court rolled on, Lucas realized the truth: the Empress did not need to speak to command her empire. Her silence was louder than the words of any king.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the slow tide of disputes, petitions, and declarations of loyalty drew to a pause. The counselor, his voice carrying across the grand hall, announced the next petitioner. "Envoy of Valerion."

A ripple went through the chamber as murmurs rose. Some of the gathered envoys turned their heads with keen interest, while others whispered softly, their eyes narrowing. Valerion was not a name taken lightly within the courts of other kingdoms, and many were curious to see what business one of its representatives would have in the very heart of Lechia.

Lucas rose from his seat, his movements unhurried, his face calm, though his mind was sharp and calculating. Nyx, Selene, and Lira all watched with different shades of expression. Nyx wore a look of quiet pride, her golden eyes gleaming as though she already expected him to dominate the court the way he did a battlefield. Selene tilted her chin slightly, smirking as if she enjoyed the anticipation of watching him upset the order of the room. Lira’s hands folded neatly in her lap, but her gaze followed him intently, carrying a silent faith in his ability.

He began the long walk down the length of the throne room.

Prince Khan’s face already twisted into a sneer. His dark eyes locked on Lucas with naked disdain, and though his lips barely moved, the smirk that spread across them carried the weight of ridicule. It was clear to all who cared to look that he had no desire to hide his contempt.

Lucas, however, did not so much as flinch. His expression remained composed, almost indifferent, as though the prince’s sneer was nothing more than the buzzing of an insect. He had faced assassins, rival cultivators, and kings. The scorn of a boy still learning to wield power was beneath him.

Reaching the center of the hall, directly before the throne, Lucas halted. The Empress of Lechia sat there in unshakable silence, her veiled face tilted ever so slightly, her presence pressing down on him like the weight of a mountain. The counselor stood to her side, hands folded within the long sleeves of his robe, his eyes sharp and watchful.

With deliberate care, Lucas lowered himself into a deep bow, his head inclined respectfully, his arms at his sides in the traditional gesture of fealty. His voice was clear and steady as he spoke, carrying through the hush of the throne room.

"Your Imperial Majesty," he said, "I am Xavier Alden, loyal subject of King Highmoor of the Kingdom of Valerion. I stand before you today not for myself, but as a trusted subordinate of His Majesty, bearing his words and his will with the utmost sincerity."

The room fell into silence once more. Every envoy, every noble, and every soldier in the hall turned their attention toward him, their curiosity sharpened. The mention of Valerion’s king was enough to make the air feel heavier, for everyone knew of the kingdom’s growing influence and strength.

The Empress did not respond. She merely regarded him in silence, her jade-like fingers shifting ever so slightly against the armrest of her throne.

It was the counselor who finally stepped forward, his old but steady voice filling the chamber. "Xavier Alden of Valerion, the court acknowledges your presence. You have declared the capacity in which you stand before us. Now, speak. Commence with the business that has brought you here."

The eyes of the court turned on him with renewed weight, some sharp, others skeptical, and a few faintly hostile. Even Prince Khan leaned slightly forward in his seat, eager to hear what boldness this envoy of Valerion would dare to bring before his mother.

Lucas stood tall once more, his calm unwavering. It was his turn.