For an entire hour, Elric was at the rcy of six attendants while they dressed him in what seed to be forty individual components to make up for so kind of ceremonial outfit.
It was a first for Elric. Though he was often dressed in different attire, it was usually in sothing that wasnt even a third as complicated as this. Elric didnt even want to leave the fitting room after the attendants left. Not with Flania ordering him to stay put.
The only ti he rose from his chair was when the princess entered the room. He had to admit that the princess looked beautiful in her celebratory attire. As beautiful as it was, though, Elric wasnt really sure how to describe the situation. After going through his own hell of being dressed, Elric could only imagine how unbearable it was for the princess to be dressed. Even that simple-looking style of curled hairthat had to take at least two hours to do. Was it really worth going through all that effort for this?
He followed the princess outside to where the other envoys were already waiting. Many of the envoys looked to Elric with envious eyes. His regal aura made even his friends jealous, especially Jerry, the one who wanted to beco an aristocrat most.
Elric could only shake his head with a bitter smile. The price behind such beauty was not sothing others could easily understand without experiencing the inconvenience themselves.
The only one that understood and could relate to Elric stepped up to give him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder: the prince. Dressed up just as much as Elric was, the prince looked almost like a dumpling.
Such an action destroyed the air of nobility, thus earning him a withering glare from the princess.
Seemingly afraid of his sister, the prince imdiately ducked behind Elric. Elric had actually thought about doing the sa thing to hide, for the princess was equally as scary to him as she was to the prince. Hiding essentially beca a reflexive action to Elriceven a single stare from her was enough to send shivers down Elrics spine.
Our first visit will be to the Temple of Triumph. His Grace, the emperor, will et us there.
Ah, so that was the plan.
Preceded by the paladins, the group began their route over to the temple.
Located at the heart of Waldsk, the Temple of Triumph was once the palace ruins of the ancient Magic Empire. During the Triumphant War, the Twelve Heroes led a coalition against the emperor and laid waste to the palace here. After the war, the ruins were turned into a temple to commorate that war and the heroes were entombed in afterward. But peace didnt last for long. The unity between the nations beca more and more disharmonious, leading to the Temple of Triumph removing the tombs of every foreign hero. This in turn led to the other nations downplaying the roles of the other heroes while emphasizing their own.
With history being told with different perspectives, every nation had their own retelling of the Triumphant War. Elric, for example, knew that there were twelve heroes, but he only really had an understanding of the two that originated from Sovereign (One of which being Charles ancestor).
Now that the temple was in sight, Elric noted with so excitent the twelve triumphant arches that preceded the temple. These twelve arches were all that was left to symbolize the twelve heroes on the Day of Triumph.
He appreciated each of the twelve arches. Eagerly, he studied the beautiful reliefs engraved on them. They were so magnificent that Elric swore to himself that hed co back here in the future so he could properly study them.
At last, the group was finally in the temple. All they had to do was ascend the marble-white steps and they would be inside. Gathered at the very top of the stairs were the many civil and martial officials of the Karthian governnt.
Elric recognized so of these n, but not everyone.
The officials split apart to allow for a gold-robed man to walk through. Elric imdiately recognized him as the current emperor of Karth: Hecaris III.
The emperor slowly approached the Sovereignian dignitaries before coming to a stop by Flania. Salutations, Princess Flania, and welco to my nation. Should there be anything you find lacking, let my ministers know and we shall the preparations to make your stay here as though it is your own ho.
The kindness of Your Imperial Majesty is greatly appreciated and welco. I have loved everything your nation has to offer so far, and thus I extend to you my heartfelt thanks. May Your Imperial Majestys health be long and your nations prosperity even longer.
Elric lost interest in the conversation between Flania and Hecaris III the mont it began. Eyeing the prince next to him, he noted that the prince was also extrely disinterested in the conversation.
The formalities finished soon enough. Turning his attention to the other dignitaries, Hecaris III began to warmly greet each of the dignitary before moving to the next. Elric was the only exception.
When Hecaris III stepped in front of Elric, he took two steps back from him as if to size him up. This is the youngster that t your forbidden magic head-to-head? He asked Kebrilio.
Yes, Your Highness. Kebrilio stepped forward.
Ohohow extraordinary. Extraordinary indeed. Hecaris III chuckled.
Scanning him from head to toe again, the emperor walked back to Flania. I extend to you my congratulations. Your court bridal training for this youngster is most excellent.
Court bridal training? What kind of joke was that? Elric found himself at a loss for words.
There it was. On Hecaris IIIs face. It was that sa unsmiling smile Kebrilio often had. Everyone had that look, even the officials. So of them had looks as though they were trying their hardest not to laugh, though a small number of them were pointing fingers and laughing with one another.
There definitely had to be sothing off with him. Only two people amongst the Karthian and Sovereignian groups werent laughing. Flania and Madoshi.
His fear of the princess made him unwilling to go even near the princess, let alone ask her why everyone was laughing. Going near Madoshi wasnt even a possibility. The magus was highly venerated and also very serious-looking, how could Elric possibly bother him for his own personal matters?
Just as Elric was about to resign himself to being forever ignorant of the situation, the prince quickly began to whisper into his ear.
Elric, my sister was afraid of you causing another embarrassnt for her. Thus she had you undergo a very particular training taught by our family. Its the type of training all princesses must undergo if they must learn the customs of another nation in a short amount of ti. Its what we call the Court Bridal Training.
Elric, He continued to whisper, Youre fortunate enough to be the first male in history to complete the court bridal training. Ah, Im jealous that your na will be recorded in history for this.
If Elric had to describe his mood, itd definitely be despondent. The previous embarrassnt he thought he had finally escaped was nothing more than a prelude to an even greater humiliation. One thatd forever stain his na.
Still under the jeering eyes and pointed smiles of everyone else, Elric followed the princess inside the temple. Perhaps it was the serene nature of the temple, but Elric began to feel less stressed once in.
He studied the interior design of the temple as they walked through the halls. Karthian and Sovereignian architecture seed to oppose one another in philosophy. Karthian architecture had multilayered designs that were complicated, but individually beautiful. Sovereignian architecture emphasized beauty of the parts to contribute to the beauty of the whole.
The main part of the temple was do-shaped in design and occupied an area larger than even Crazys laboratory. But unlike Crazys laboratory, the decorations in this part of the temple were magnificent and the reliefs wholly stunning.
Gold and silver lines ran through one another in multiple intersecting lines to form beautiful patterns across the lapis lazuli-roof. Around the do, twelve different reliefs were engraved, each telling the story of each individual hero.
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