Chapter 506: Chapter 303: All Familiar Faces

Two days later, at night, the full moon hung high.

“Your Majesty the Queen, the envoys from the Elven Kingdoms have already arrived with the other three Mystlocks, and the podium has been fully arranged. We are just awaiting your presence,” a respectful elf servant reported by her side.

“I understand. You may leave now,” Arasya waved her hand, dismissing the servant.

She took a deep breath, rose from her platinum throne, and once again glanced at her sister Aria, whose eyes were still somewhat red from recent frustrations over a mere emotional issue. Arasya then said, “Aria, remember who you are. You are the chosen of the Moon Goddess, the Star Singer who commands the attention of all. For High Elves in our position, emotions are always, and must always be, nothing more than luxurious spices to flavor our lives.”

“I heed your teachings, Elder Sister,” Aria replied, her head bowed like a child who had done something wrong.

“Dry your tears and go touch up your makeup. Your current haggard appearance will be the subject of ridicule among the guests from the various planes.”

Aria, mustering her spirits, forced a smile and said, “Mm… I understand, Elder Sister Arasya. I will take care.”

“Aria, having not seen you for several years, you truly have changed. Time is upon us; I must go,” Arasya continued, sighing with what seemed like disappointment, as if having made some important decision. As she passed her sister, her palm rested on Aria’s bare shoulder, and she said, “How about this: after tonight’s pre-battle conference, you return to Eternal Gathering Island and undergo the Godchosen Trial once more. The way you are now, even the Moon Goddess would be disappointed. Do not let the grace of the gods wither with our generation.”

This light touch felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

At the mention of this so-called “Godchosen Trial,” Aria shuddered as if recalling some horrifying ordeal. Then, almost pleadingly, she grabbed the sleeve of Arasya’s moonweaver attire. “Elder Sister Arasya, Aria will strive to adjust…”

However, Queen Arasya had already withdrawn all tenderness. Pulling her sleeve free, she said, “That is settled.”

As Aria watched with a pale and terrified expression, Arasya moved briskly towards the Royal Court’s exterior, in the Golden Oak Plaza, escorted by four court Sword Dancers.

Aria collapsed to the ground, sobbing and covering her face in anguish.

This so-called Godchosen Trial was a process involving countless severe, almost ruthless trials. It demanded assimilation by any means necessary, using Sahani Moonbow—the Moon Goddess aspect of Angreis, Queen of the Afando Kingdom, who embodied the triune goddess—as the template. This would gradually extinguish the trial-taker’s incompatible mortal desires and passions, compelling them to discard their past vulgar personality, all to become a vessel for Her divinity.

Its name was: The Godchosen Trial.

For her, the site of the Godchosen Trial on Eternal Gathering Island was hell itself.

Yet, when she sought a shred of comfort from her elder sister after being betrayed and abandoned by Saphiros, what she received was another push towards hell by her sister, the Queen.

In her despair, Aria could only hug her arms as if embracing herself, yet she once again thought uncontrollably of a certain figure:

Saphiros, what should I do…

Aria’s crying grew even more heartbroken as she rose to her feet like a walking corpse.

Elder Sister Arasya had said that she needed to hold back her tears and touch up her makeup.

Even though her elder sister had allowed her not to attend the conference, she still had to participate in the dinner that would follow.

As the spokesperson for the Moon Goddess Sahani in the Prime Material Plane.

A mere vessel.

An ornamental vase.

To soothe the hearts of the Elves.

That was all.

But just as Aria was leaving the Audience Hall, preparing to return to her own chamber, she saw a familiar face looking rather infuriated. She asked with immediate concern, “Leopold? What’s wrong? Do you need my help?”

As High Elves, they had followed the will of the gods of Afando, accompanying Queen Arasya from Eternal Gathering Island in the world of Toriel to Elariya. They were legends, among the highest-ranking warriors of the High Elves. She, along with Leopold, Vileili, and Bradimir—fellow beings who were divinely favored or Chosen of God—were not close friends, yet they had always maintained a superficial level of respect and concern for each other.

However, since she was captured due to underestimating her enemy, it was rumored that to save her during the battle at Montero Coast two years ago, Leopold, as the Chosen of The Wandering God, had fallen. He was struck by a lightning ’trap’ set by the Second Red Disaster, David Uthos, and was crushed to smithereens in battle.

Vileili and Bradimir had their very souls extinguished by a divine strike from the mighty god Pafila; even their deities could not resurrect them.

Even Leopold, though resurrected by the divine power of The Wandering God Feimar, seemed deeply affected by the incident. He had been in the wilds, honing the combat skills that had been washed away by the Styx River due to ’death’.

So strictly speaking, they hadn’t seen each other in three years.

If it weren’t for the significance of this pre-war conference, Aria doubted she would have seen Leopold, this Chosen of God, at all.

For the same reason, Aria was puzzled. What could have upset the usually stoic Leopold so much that he chose this critical moment to deal with it?

Leopold, feeling wretched, had intended to brush past her with a mere formality.

But considering Aria’s position as a fellow Godchosen and the potential support she might offer, he suppressed his displeasure and answered, “I’m going to meet a lucky yet despicable opportunist. According to internal information from our Wanderers’ Church, because of my recent battle failure, another faction prayed to my god and nominated a backup candidate for Godchosen.”

“That in itself is not a problem!” Leopold said through gritted teeth, his anger smoldering. “But this fortunate junior, after my return to Dewensen, not only failed to personally pay his respects to me, his senior! He has reportedly insulted and smeared my military achievements in taverns time and again. He has even now dared to challenge me! Today, I must confront this ill-mannered, disrespectful upstart and make him understand who truly is the most relied-upon Godchosen of my god!”

At this point, his anger extended even to the architect. “Damn it, how do I get to the outer wall terrace? The design of this Royal Court in Elariya is really quite poor!”

“To think there could be such… such an inconceivable thing. Let me take you there directly,” Aria said, a realization dawning on her.

“Then I shall trouble Your Highness.”

It must be said that sometimes, one person’s joy is indeed built upon another’s unhappiness.

Hearing Leopold’s angry words, Aria, for some reason, found herself suddenly reminded of Saphiros.

This was because during their dinners at the tavern before getting a room, she had often heard Saphiros brazenly belittling Leopold, the wandering Chosen of God, more than once.

He had said that, looking at Leopold’s entire track record, he was little different from a rat with its brainstem severed. He was only capable of bullying the weak; once faced with a truly strong opponent, his true colors would be revealed.

If she hadn’t promptly used her wine-moistened lips to silence him several times, he might have done more than just insult a Chosen of God.

He might have even dared to blaspheme against the gods themselves!

At this thought, Aria could hardly contain her amusement.

However, with Leopold nearby, Aria had to forcefully suppress the smile that threatened to freeze her cheeks, quickening her pace instead.

But as she pondered, Aria suddenly sensed something amiss.

A newly minted Elven legend? A nomination for the wandering Godchosen?

“…It couldn’t be… such a coincidence, could it?”

Aria felt her heart suddenly start racing fiercely, and by reflex, her legs began to tremble slightly.

It was at this moment they arrived at the largest viewing terrace on the Royal Court’s outer wall.

With the pre-battle speech about to commence in the Golden Oak Plaza just across the street, a large number of Elf nobles had already gathered on the outer wall to watch.

Only on the outermost parapet, in the night breeze, sat an exceptionally tall Elf figure.

His notorious reputation and an aura that kept others at bay, along with the presence of an Elf Sword Dancer maid, ensured that not a single Elf dared to come within a hundred meters of him.

Saphiros! It really is him! But how could he be here?

Aria was both surprised and inexplicably nervous.

The intense yearning made her instinctively cast aside the unpleasant scene from two days ago.

What if… it wasn’t as she had imagined? What if… she had misunderstood him? Would he come to look for her later?

While Aria was wrestling with these thoughts, Leopold spoke.

“Thank you for leading the way, Princess Aria.”

Under the gaze of the Elves, Leopold had already lightly hopped onto the parapet. He strode toward the ’One-Winged Angel’ and began to speak with a sneer, “I’m here, Saphi…”

But just as the Elf, perched precariously on the parapet and overlooking the densely crowded venue across the street, turned and gave him an inscrutable smile, Leopold came to a sudden halt.

He stared at the other’s eyes, his face pale and incredulous.

In that moment, the figure known as Saphiros merged abruptly with a nightmarish, scarlet silhouette from the flames!

That arrogant and indifferent gaze—he could never forget it as long as he lived!

“Two years. It seems you’ve recovered quite well, Leopold.”

It was then that Leopold snapped out of his reverie, his pupils constricting.

There was no mistake… It really was him!

In that instant, he seemed to comprehend the other’s terrifying intent.

He glanced with alarm at the venue, only a street away. His gaze, now inexplicably pained, returned to the figure before him. Almost choking, he gritted his teeth and uttered that nightmarish name, “David… Euthyphro!”

The Second Red Calamity.

Red Lotus Nova.

After two years…

He had actually appeared in… the Royal Capital of Dewensen in the Elven Kingdom!

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