Xyrin Empire-Chapter 661: Festival!

"Gaia?"

I watched, surprised, at the pale blue figure in front of me, who gave me a gentle smile. "We meet again, my Emperor."

"Can you leave the Mother Star now?"

Gaia’s sudden appearance here took me by surprise, but even more so, it was a delight. For some reason, Gaia was conceptually bound within the deep crust of the Mother Star, usually only able to appear in the outside world as a semi-transparent phantom, and unable to leave the Mother Star’s atmosphere by more than fifteen kilometers—this wasn’t something that technology could solve. Therefore, Gaia’s absence from the festival celebration was a major regret, but now it seemed: had Gaia found a solution?

I reached out my hand, wanting to touch this Xyrin girl I’d first met, to confirm her substance. Instead, my fingertips easily passed through her cheek: I didn’t feel a thing; she was merely a shadow.

"Regrettably, my Emperor," Gaia said with an apologetic smile, "I died in an accident millions of years ago, and I am now merely a wandering soul of a planet. This kind of conceptual death cannot be remedied by technology. To preserve a shadow of a soul is already a miracle."

"What stands before you now is just an image created by the holographic projection system in the square. I have also built a vast virtual scene on the Mother Star. What I see now is exactly the same as what you see. Although I can’t be touched, this is also my way of participating in the festival celebration."

Gaia smiled indifferently, obviously quite content with the outcome.

I was taken aback and eventually could only helplessly shake my head. On the distant Mother Star, the lonely young girl had nothing but an illusory image for comfort—this kind of festival was too bleak.

"It’s the same for me; after all, I’m just a shadow," Gaia said with a nonchalant smile, turning her gaze to the massive monuments floating in the air, continuously playing documentaries. "More importantly, this celebration is significant. My Emperor, the long night is about to pass, you have brought dawn to the Empire. This festival is perhaps the first light of dawn."

My face turned beet red. "Ahem, the Empire has indeed regained some vitality, but to call it dawn is an exaggeration—stop praising me, I can get arrogant very easily."

"It’s the truth," Gaia contended. "Gaia considers this celebration to be a milestone in the rebirth of the Empire. We have finally re-established our authority in the Void, resumed formal communication with the Divine Race, and even destroyed one of the biggest schemes of the Fallen—all under your leadership."

I was left stunned by Gaia’s words, then scratched my head and thought: Seems that’s really the case, huh!

But why do I feel like it’s got nothing to do with me? Could it be because I’ve gotten too comfortable just coasting through, to the point where I’ve ignored my own presence?

As I wore a range of expressions, Gaia, whose mind was not yet affected by any No Morals halo, watched the "monument" on the plaza pensively, then spoke softly, "Perhaps, we should erect something here for you and Sandora..."

"No way!" I snapped back to reality, "Do you really think it’s appropriate to have a Glutton and an idle young man in such a solemn place?"

Gaia: "..."

I stared blankly at the Mother Star consciousness, utterly bewildered, and muttered, "I haven’t had a normal conversation with a normal person for a long time. It feels... unfamiliar."

Suddenly, "Now Loading" appeared above Gaia’s head: Hey! So the projection system has this aggressive feature too?

One of the few sisters in the Empire yet untouched by the No Morals halo, Gaia, you have no idea how terrifying it is to be with the current Imperial Leaders, do you?

After parting ways with Gaia, who had planned to wander around Shadow City, I continued to walk around the meeting area, which was still being readied, before heading home: Seems like everyone is preparing for tomorrow’s opening ceremony. Even though there’s nothing for me to do, pretending to go home to memorize a speech should at least offer a bit of consolation to my conscience, right?

The next day.

After nearly a month of super-efficient preparation by the people of the Empire, mobilizing an unprecedented alliance of races, the eagerly awaited Carnival Festival was finally about to start today.

...Even as late as last night, a certain Leader, who had been heartily playing with Little Baobao, became insomnia-stricken at three-thirty in the morning today.

"Hey hey, silly human, you’re not getting nervous, are you?"

In the dressing room, a certain gothic-style doll glanced at me and said with a giggle while being held by Big Sister as she combed my hair.

It was now seven twenty in the morning, and in ten minutes, the Carnival Festival would officially begin, and as the starting signal, Sandora and I were to give speeches.

As for why it’s starting at seven-thirty in the morning... Well, that was Qianqian’s idea. She set it up according to the time of morning self-study back in junior high school. Leaders of City Second Middle School, you win.

"Tch, I’ve been through bigger scenes."

I flicked the Mercury Lamp doll’s head, only to have Big Sister, who was carefully combing the little one’s hair, raise her comb and give me a whack on the head as well.

"But it feels like you haven’t said anything normal on a normal occasion for a long time," Mercury Lamp said, shaking her head like an adult, "I’m really worried about you..."

"Uh-uhh~~~" Although I couldn’t understand, it seemed like Little Baobao next to me also thought Mercury Lamp made a powerful point.

Damn it, is it really so bad that I’m usually without morals! Why are you, Little Baobao, also making a fuss about it?!

And do I really have to wear this damn military dress uniform, which requires special training for half an hour just to fasten a button, contains twenty-seven symbolic meanings in the sash alone, and has at least forty-five decorations in total, including the sword? This stuff, worth more than thirty bucks in market price, absolutely doesn’t suit my style, damn it!

Awkwardly fidgeting with the rigid metallic crest near my neck, I turned to Sandora beside me with a pleading look. Everything else I could tolerate, but not this thing: please consider the physiological structure of carbon-based life! Not every human is used to having a sharp piece of titanium alloy constantly pressing against their carotid artery!

Sandora stood by my side, the Queen dressed formally today as well in a solemn sea blue military dress with a large lapel that looked like a mix of a coat and a dress, seemingly more cumbersome than my gear. Her golden spiraling long hair draped casually down her back without adornment, yet it radiated an innate commanding presence. Coupled with the golden sash and royal emblem on her chest, my Queen seemed more dignified and elegant than ever before.

There was no trace of Glutton about her.

"Ah Jun, just bear with it," the golden-haired girl said with a gentle smile as she came over and deftly adjusted the... blade at my collar, "This military dress uniform has a profound significance in the Empire’s military ceremonies, especially these two blades pressing against the Leader’s throat. They are among the few items strictly required by the Xyrin Empire’s lawbook. Today’s opening ceremony is too important, so try to get used to it. You can take it off after the speech."

...Why on earth does the Xyrin Apostle, who seems indifferent to everything, have so many elaborate requirements when it comes to military ceremonies?

"Hehe, we’re the lucky ones," Lin Xue, who had also changed into a military dress uniform but with much simpler requirements than Sandora and me, winked slyly and nudged Qianqian beside her, "I look handsome in this, don’t I?"

I suddenly felt that letting this guy attend the opening ceremony as a Xyrin Queen might be a bit too risky. I always had this feeling that she’d kick the national Leader off the stage at the critical moment of my speech.

While my mind was filled with such unspeakable thoughts, an image of Sivis suddenly appeared in the dressing room.

"Your Majesties, Mistress Angels, it’s time."

According to the ceremony’s requirements, those who were about to attend included me and Sandora as the two Emperors, along with the "Main Mother Level" Angel Envoys including Qianqian and Big Sister, followed by the top ten Imperial Commanders by authority, such as Great General Level Pandora and Visca, and Major General Level Sivis and others.

Unfortunately, that old bastard Sicaro also counted: he was still a Major General! I used to think he was just some bootleg boss!

The lifting platform began to rise amidst the "zzz" of energy sounds, slowly lifting the leaders of the Empire’s highest authority through a vertical passage. The circular patch of light that served as the tunnel’s exit quickly grew larger in our field of vision. Soon, we passed through the sound isolation zone, and the thunderous roar outside suddenly filled everyone’s ears.

The "stage" was set up before the totem area in the assembly field, on a high tower nearly a hundred meters tall that leaned forward nearly thirty degrees so as to display the Imperial Leaders on the platform to as many people as possible. As the ground before our eyes gradually descended and the Imperial Leaders appeared on the platform, the cheers coming from below almost knocked me off.

In any case, Dingdang was literally knocked off: after an almost inaudible exclamation by my ear, the Lady Goddess who had been full of momentum just minutes before, ready to shine at the opening ceremony, was nowhere to be seen.

A sea of people.

Standing at the front of the platform, I glanced around and immediately felt a little overwhelmed. It wasn’t that I hadn’t seen crowds before, but it was the first time I’d seen so many people gathered solely to watch me. Just this square alone must have gathered at least a hundred thousand people, right? Those salutes from down below, swap out someone with a weaker constitution and they’d be scared to tears on the spot, wouldn’t they?

And this was just one of many squares. How many people were gathered in the other squares of the assembly field, or even in the squares of other worlds’ assembly fields? To be able to summon so many people for a playdate, compared to the original initiator Qianqian, the Yamaguchi Group pales in comparison!

Countless giant projection screens filled the sky the moment the Leaders appeared on the platform. Everywhere you looked in the sky of Shadow City, there was a floating screen every kilometer, broadcasting everything here in real-time, even every advertising board on the streets of Shadow City, every glass curtain wall, every billboard in the Mars Sanctuary, every Crystal Ball, and every Moon Well in the world of Azeroth were simultaneously broadcasting this scene.

I am one hundred percent certain that at least half of the billions of eyes staring at these screens are asking this question, "Who’s that guy leading a bunch of girls onto the stage at the podium?"

... Damn it, I got teased too much about this by Lilina this morning, and now my thoughts are running away with me.

But I can say for sure that among those who recently joined the Macro World and have never seen the true face of the Imperial Leader, there must be some who think this way!

Though initially, the crowd beneath gave me a slight jolt, luckily, I’m also someone who has seen and been through quite a bit, having trudged through blood and thunder, what scene could faze us? After calming down, Sandora and I simultaneously waved to the dense sea of people below, and after a brief period of cheers, the venue fell silent.

"Welcome, friends from all Realms," Sandora forcibly pushed the role of speaker onto me, so I had no choice but to step up, using a cliché opening to lead into my speech, "Welcome to Shadow City, welcome to Azeroth, welcome to the home on Mars.

Today, for many, may be an unforgettable day. You come from the far-flung thousands of worlds, from vastly different Races, yet today you gather together under the glory of the Empire, united as brothers and sisters, celebrating to your heart’s content.

Perhaps many in attendance do not yet understand the Empire, nor the strangers beside them, let alone the meaning of the totems on this square. But I believe that after this festival, everyone will have a new understanding of the Empire, a profound understanding of this big family you’ve joined, and deeper feelings for your brothers and sisters...

... The Empire advocates efficiency, and I can see in your eyes the anticipation for the festival’s celebration. Perhaps there are also a few friends tired of the Emperor prattling on the high tower. So, let our friends experience everything I have just mentioned during the festival - I declare, the festival begins now!!"

This truly was an unprecedentedly brief speech, especially given that it was delivered by such a high-ranking leader. Everyone knows the habit of those who make speeches at opening ceremonies, those who seem to wish they could talk from the opening to the closing, where else would you find such a quick wrap-up in a couple of minutes? Just as the suspicious elements below had started to circulate selling peanuts and sunflower seeds, my speech came to an abrupt end! Furthermore, the Leaders who were supposed to follow-up with a few words each didn’t say a thing!

Thus, the people were stunned, the seed sellers were stunned, and even those selling soda were outraged.

After being stunned for a couple of seconds, the venue burst into joyous, earth-shattering cheers. Clearly, they preferred such a straightforward opening speech.

I maintained the stiff smile on my face and calmly turned around, sharing a secret laugh with the girls behind me where no one else could see.

Miss Lin immediately bristled, "You only remembered two paragraphs and even messed up three lines!"

... That was the real reason for my brief speech just now, dammit—the original transcript was a full thirteen pages long!

"This miss stayed up all night writing that for you, you blockhead! It was all to help you salvage a bit of your image in front of the masses," Miss Lin, seemingly unfazed by my apologetic grin, showed no signs of backing down, "and yet you..."

"Sister Lin Xue, please look this way!" A live-broadcast reporter, Mercury Lamp, carrying a camera as big as himself, suddenly rushed over and called out to Lin Xue in a gentle voice.

Miss immediately turned her head, her face blooming with a smile, "Cheese~~"

The live-broadcast reporter, Mercury Lamp, scampered off, and when Miss Lin turned her head back, her expression had switched to one of pure wrath in a split second, "You big idiot! That was the result of a whole night’s labor!"

Who could tell me how on earth she managed that divine switch just now?! Is this a skill that every young lady must possess?

To be honest, the moment I forgot my lines, I knew Lin Xue would blow a gasket; I just didn’t expect her to hold such a grudge. But then again, I suppose it makes sense—what girl doesn’t want her boyfriend to look impressive in public? Though applying this theory to Lin Xue and me would result in a jarring dissonance, the basic principle still holds. Lin Xue wanted her speech to bolster my reputation in front of the masses, and regrettably, I forgot my lines after two paragraphs.

But come on, that blockhead—which you keep mentioning—is already the Imperial Leader, how much more impressive do you want me to be?

"I actually think Ah Jun did well," Sandora said as she tugged on my arm, "A speech by a Xyrin Apostle should be just like this—we advocate for simplicity and efficiency. Any speech longer than six paragraphs is sinful!"

If only my second-year high school homeroom teacher had had your enlightenment, Qianqian and I wouldn’t have been punished every class meeting for falling asleep!

Anyway, while we were enjoying our happy family moment, a golden brilliance suddenly split the sky, and then, as we expected, the entire square erupted, "The horizon! Look at the sky! The Sun! A golden sun!!"

Countless people gasped in awe, looking up in unison. They had been told the festival’s opening ceremony would include a surprise official performance, but only a few knew the details. Now, they were witnessing the first act of the surprise:

A massive golden sun was slowly rising from the other end of the square!

Dazzling yet not blinding, powerful but not scorching, the grandiose golden light swept over the whole assembly in an instance. The sacred energy filled every being present. Among the crowd were Holy Professionals from the Magic Plane, who, after a few seconds of stunned silence, suddenly realized: this sun was pure Holy Light!

The splendid structure of Holy Light was so massive that when it stood at the center of the sky, it almost covered one-fifth of the dome. Everyone could feel the warmth of this holy sun and its uplifting power—except for the Dark City formation, that is, where the Dead Souls wearing large sunglasses, masks, caps, and capes were now utterly miserable...

And those with sharper eyes might discern a figure within the brilliant light, a figure tied up, a figure dangling from the tail of a double-headed Giant Dragon like a rice dumpling, a figure... in suffering.

"For the sake of our opening ceremony, Monina really went to the lengths of tying up her own brother and hanging him in the sky—what a noble act of putting duty before family."

We, a bunch of unscrupulous Imperial Leaders, stood on the viewing platform gazing up at the sun of Holy Light in the sky, passing comments as the Dark Goddess nibbled on chips next to us, her expression moved, "Yes, my deeply principled brother spreading light and warmth for everyone is so touching... Uncle Kenser, can I trade my chips for your shrimp crackers?"

"Very well, very well..." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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