Chapter 80 - imperial Empress
We approached the Imperial Manor, and our carriage passed through the massive gates without stopping.
Not a single guard dared to question or delay us.
Once the carriage came to a halt, Mom stepped out first, followed by Astrid.
Amy climbed down after them.
I quietly followed behind.
Several maids of the Imperial Palace were already waiting for us.
They bowed respectfully before speaking.
"Your Majesty has been expecting your arrival."
Then they guided us deeper into the palace.
The farther we walked, the more magnificent everything became.
Elegant paintings decorated the walls, expensive carpets stretched across the floor, and countless works of art filled the hallways.
Before long, we arrived outside an enormous pair of doors.
The maids gently pushed them open.
As we entered the room, my eyes immediately fell upon two women.
Both possessed elegant silver-white hair and beautiful sapphire-blue eyes.
They looked remarkably alike.
Nearly seventy or eighty percent similar.
The only obvious difference was their age.
One appeared mature and carried herself with an overwhelming sense of dignity.
The other looked much younger.
Realizing they were important figures, I straightened my posture and quietly followed behind Mom and Amy.
Then...
An elegant voice echoed throughout the room.
"Oh, Seraphina."
"You arrived earlier than I expected."
"What a pleasant surprise."
The older woman smiled warmly at Mom.
Mom smiled back.
"It’s been a while, Aurelia."
The Empress chuckled softly.
"It certainly has."
Her gaze then shifted toward Amy.
"Oh?"
"Amy, you’ve grown since the last time I saw you."
"Elena has been talking about you quite often."
"She said she missed you after your last visit."
"I’m sure she’ll be delighted to see you again."
Amy smiled politely.
"I’ve missed her too."
"I’ll go see her later."
The Empress nodded happily before turning toward Astrid.
The two exchanged a few familiar greetings.
Finally...
Her gaze landed on me.
The moment she saw me, her sapphire-blue eyes brightened.
"Oh?"
"So this must be Gray."
"I’ve heard quite a lot about you from your mother."
"But this is the first time we’ve met."
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"It seems Seraphina wasn’t exaggerating."
"You’re quite an adorable and handsome young man."
I returned a polite smile.
"Thank you for the compliment..."
I hesitated for a brief moment.
"...Your Majesty."
The Empress laughed softly.
"Your Majesty?"
She covered her mouth with a graceful smile.
"Why so formal?"
She looked directly at me.
"Seraphina and I have known each other for many years."
"We’re practically family."
"So there’s no need to address me so formally."
She smiled warmly.
"If you don’t mind..."
"You can call me Aunt Aurelia."
I instinctively glanced toward Mom.
Mom simply smiled and gave a small nod.
Receiving her approval, I looked back at the Empress.
"Then..."
"It’s nice to meet you, Aunt Aurelia."
Her smile immediately became even brighter.
"That’s much better."
"I’m very happy to finally meet you, Gray."
I smiled genuinely.
Then she turned toward the younger silver-haired woman beside her.
"Gray."
"This is my eldest daughter, Isabella."
"She is the Crown Princess and my successor."
I looked toward her and greeted her politely.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you."
Isabella gave me a small, elegant smile.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Gray."
For a brief moment, she quietly studied me.
I didn’t mind.
She was probably just curious.
Aunt Aurelia noticed it as well, but simply smiled before changing the subject.
"So..."
"Since this is our first meeting..."
"How about we have a little chat?"
"I’ve heard quite a lot about you."
"But I think it’s much more interesting to talk to the real person than simply hear stories."
I nodded.
"Of course."
She gestured toward the seat beside her.
"Come."
"Sit down."
Amy and I sat on the sofa opposite her.
Mom and Astrid also took their seats nearby.
The atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.
Aunt Aurelia smiled warmly.
"So, Gray."
"Tell me..."
"What’s your hobby?"
"And don’t think of this as a formal conversation."
"It’s just a casual chat."
"So relax."
Hearing that, I relaxed considerably before answering.
"I like experimenting with magic..."
"And creating new spells."
Aunt Aurelia raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Even Isabella looked at me with a hint of curiosity.
"Oh?"
"That’s quite an unusual hobby for someone your age."
Aunt Aurelia smiled.
"Then tell me..."
"What’s your favorite element?"
Now that all my nervousness had disappeared, I answered without hesitation.
"Space."
"It’s fascinating."
Aunt Aurelia raised an eyebrow again.
"Oh?"
"That’s an interesting choice."
"What do you find so fascinating about it?"
I smiled.
"I like it because it’s such a mysterious element."
"Unlike most other affinities, Space has countless fascinating applications."
"Teleportation."
"Space Storage."
"And many other abilities."
"The more I learn about it, the more interesting it becomes."
Aunt Aurelia nodded thoughtfully.
"I see."
"That’s certainly an interesting perspective."
Then she smiled.
"So..."
"What rank have you reached now?"
I answered proudly.
"I’m currently E-Rank."
A hint of surprise flashed across her face.
"Oh?"
"That’s impressive."
"Your foundation is quite solid."
She turned toward Mom with an amused smile.
"It seems you’ve raised another remarkable child."
Mom simply smiled.
Then she asked,
"So, how are your other two daughters doing?"
"It’s been quite a while since I last saw them."
Aunt Aurelia nodded.
"Elena is training as hard as ever."
"She refuses to fall behind Amy."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"As for Luna..."
"She’s completely obsessed with Ice Magic."
"I was hoping Amy could give her a few pointers while you’re here."
"After all, no family understands Ice better than the Starlights."
She chuckled softly.
"She’s currently E-Rank as well."
"She’s been working very hard."
I quietly listened to the conversation while sitting beside Amy.
Then Aunt Aurelia stood up with a smile.
"How about we head to the training grounds?"
"They should be training right about now."
"I’m sure Elena will be delighted to see Amy again."
Mom nodded.
"That sounds like a good idea."
With that, we all followed Aunt Aurelia out of the room.
Isabella quietly walked a step behind her mother.
Mom, Amy, and Astrid walked together while chatting casually.
I quietly followed behind Amy.
After all...
This was still an unfamiliar place to me.
Staying close to my sister felt like the safest choice.