[Vol. 7] Chapter 156: The Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus
The moment this voice rang out, most people remained relatively composed. However, the Austre Empire’s delegation collectively stiffened, their expressions shifting slightly. Even Prince Xiluo furrowed his brows, pushing his half-drawn sword back into its sheath before turning toward the newcomer.
"It’s you?"
As the crowd instinctively parted to make way, gasps of surprise spread among them. A graceful figure slowly walked toward the center.
She had the same fiery red hair as Prince Xiluo, a sign of her pure imperial lineage. Her features were strikingly refined. Noble yet commanding, exuding an air of natural authority.
Despite appearing to be only seventeen or eighteen, her well-developed curves and slender waist were accentuated by a light-blue cheongsam similar to the one Lenka wore, highlighting her elegance as if she were a flawless masterpiece sculpted to perfection. She radiated an aura of unparalleled refinement, like the rarest of treasures in the world.
Although she was in the prime of youth, there was something about her presence that felt beyond her years, an air of wisdom and composure that elevated her charisma even further.
She carried a delicate folding fan in her pale, slender hand, moving with an effortless grace. The only person accompanying her was a knightly young woman with a sword at her waist. But the most striking feature of the girl was her eyes, one a light brown, similar to Xiluo’s, while the other shimmered in a soft silver hue.
Heterochromia.
A phenomenon so rare that it was seen even less frequently than [God-Chosen] or those gifted with unique magic. Across different regions, it carried various interpretations. Some saw it as a curse, others as a sign of divine favor, destiny’s hand marking a future ruler, or even an omen of a world-changing figure.
Yet, no matter the belief, they all pointed to one undeniable truth. She was someone extraordinary.
At the mere sight of her, a middle-aged man with sharp features, one of Xiluo’s aides named Shutak, began trembling uncontrollably, like a lamb in the presence of a tiger. His voice faltered as he stammered out a greeting.
"C-Carinvega... Frederick… Your Highness, why are you—"
The name alone was like a massive boulder crashing into a calm sea, sending shockwaves through the crowd.
The reaction was far more intense than when the angels appeared or when the Human United Kingdom’s envoy publicly took a stance.
"Carinvega?! Wait, wait, are you serious? That Carinvega?!"
"The [Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus]… there's no doubt about it. Look at her heterochromatic eyes, they match exactly with the legendary description of the imperial princess said to be blessed by the gods."
"My god… The royal family is taking this tournament so seriously that they even sent Princess Carinvega to compete in Sainz? Does this mean they're determined to win the competition?"
"Who knows? But if it’s her, then they might actually have a real shot. The [Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus], she’s considered the most outstanding royal in Austre's history. The number of miracles she’s performed is practically uncountable…"
As the excited murmurs spread through the crowd, a certain priestess, who had done practically nothing yet somehow found herself in the eye of the storm, blinked in curiosity. She turned her gaze toward the striking, heterochromatic-eyed girl who had just made such a commanding entrance.
Carinvega Frederick.
The priestess had heard of that name before.
The imperial princess. The younger sister of Xiluo Frederick. Renowned across the world for her intelligence and foresight, she had single-handedly prevented multiple looming catastrophes and played a key role in advancing the empire’s progress. Her achievements were so great that within Austre Empire, she had far surpassed all her siblings, outshining them completely.
But now that she saw Carinvega in person… something felt different.
For some reason, despite her stunning beauty, there was something strange about this imperial princess.
Moreover, if one looked closely, there was a faint, indescribable flow around her, almost like an invisible force field. But it was clearly not any known form of energy. Even with Violet's abilities, she could only barely perceive its presence.
How strange… What is that?
Of course, no one around her knew what was going through Violet’s mind, nor could they offer any answers.
But the moment Princess Carinvega arrived, the previously tense and volatile atmosphere shifted almost instantly. Xiluo’s guards, who had been on the verge of drawing blood moments ago, suddenly looked as if they had seen a lion stalking into their den. In a near-panic, they hastily sheathed their weapons, their posture growing so obedient that one might think they were facing the Emperor himself rather than an imperial princess.
With graceful ease, the [Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus] lifted the hem of her dress slightly in a poised curtsy toward Xiluo. Then, as if only just noticing him, she turned her gaze toward the sharp-featured man standing at Xiluo’s side, a look of mild surprise crossing her face.
"Oh my, isn’t this Lord Shutak? No wonder we couldn’t find you earlier during the headcount. You ran off to my royal brother’s side ahead of time. You two must be quite close, how enviable."
"I-I… Th-this is because… because His Highness Xiluo…"
Even though the heterochromatic-eyed girl still wore a warm and gentle smile, as if she had no intention of blaming anyone, the previously arrogant Shutak, who clearly held a high position within the imperial delegation, immediately turned pale with fear. His voice stuttered and broke apart, a stark contrast to how loudly he had been scolding the two girls earlier.
Clearly, fear doesn’t always require a loud voice.
Carinvega tilted her head slightly, as if genuinely puzzled, then gently covered her mouth in thought.
"Because of my royal brother? Hmm… But as I recall, Lord Shutak, you’re supposed to be a teacher for the Imperial Royal Academy’s delegation, correct? You and my brother Xiluo, who represents Sainz Academy, aren’t even on the same team, are you?”
“Hehe, no need to be so nervous, Lord Shutak, I don’t mind personal friendships outside of official matters. But next time, could you at least give me a heads-up before doing something like this? After all, this isn’t the imperial capital. If rumors start spreading, it could be quite troublesome, don’t you think?"
"I… I-I-I…"
Although the princess was merely speaking in a calm and cheerful manner, the middle-aged man only grew more terrified. He stammered incoherently for a long time, unable to come up with a single word in his defense.
Then, in front of the entire crowd, he suddenly collapsed to his knees with a loud thud, repeatedly begging for mercy!
"Please forgive me, Your Highness! I swear I’ll never overstep my bounds again!!"
"Tsk…"
With that kneeling, whatever was left of Prince Xiluo’s dignity was utterly shattered. Faced with such a humiliating sight, he could no longer bring himself to pursue the so-called thief. He let out an angry snort, then stormed off with his terrified guards trailing behind him.
He didn’t even have the heart to spit out a parting threat like last time.
"Huh? Wait, your ring! You forgot to take it back!"
The ever-simple-minded Lenka still wanted to return the lost item she had somehow ended up holding. But the prince didn’t even acknowledge her, his figure quickly disappearing into the far corner of the banquet hall. Who knew if he planned to show his face again tonight?
Princess Carinvega, on the other hand, glanced at the ring in Lenka’s hand with mild surprise. She took it for a closer look, then sighed and shook her head.
"My royal brother still loves collecting fake [Lion’s Rings], huh? There was never any tracking function on this thing in the first place. It's such a hassle…"