Chapter 230: Day of Inauguration II

"Ugh... Is this really needed?"

Regis had an awkward expression on his face as he stared at the mirror.

"Yes, Brother."

Behind him, answered Pandora, who was currently tying the back side of his hair into a bun.

Twirling the few strands of snow white hair that fell to the side of his face, Regis muttered to himself,

"Maybe I should cut my hair soon..."

"All done, Brother. You look as dazzling as always." Pandora said with a slight smile on her face, seemingly satisfied with her work.

"Hehe..." Regis awkwardly laughed as he stood up and stared at his reflection for a few seconds.

"Are Killian and Aurelia ready to go?"

"Yes, Brother. They’ve been waiting for us."

"Alright, let’s go as well." Regis fixed the cuffs of his sleeves as he walked outside the room with Pandora behind him.

***

In the living room, Aurelia and Killian sat on the couch...

The former was staring at her reflection with the mirror in her hand, while the latter was leaning on the couch with his eyes closed.

Tap— Tap— Tap—

Upon hearing the familiar footsteps approaching, they turned toward the direction of the sound.

"Damn, you’re even prettier than the girls, Regis." Killian smirked teasingly.

Regis did not speak and only raised his middle finger towards him.

It was a universal insult they had learned in the years they had lived in Harmonia.

Funnily enough, they had found that living with the other races would also inevitably birth a way to a universal insult that can be used on anyone regardless of race.

Meanwhile, Aurelia rushed towards Pandora and held her hand, "You’re so beautiful!"

"You’re beautiful too." Pandora smiled, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

At this moment, they had just finished getting ready for the official inauguration of Harmonia, which would solidify its status as Ligera’s first satellite city in the Acheron Kingdom.

The four of them sported formal attire that was suitable for such a memorable event.

Regis glimpsed out the window and froze slightly, "Um, why are there so many carriages outside?"

"Well, you see... Dad also made sure to make arrangements for your friends. So they’ll be going with us today!" Aurelia answered with a giggle.

The four of them did not waste any more time as they went outside.

"Is this really okay? Won’t Uncle Aurum get in trouble for this?" Regis whispered to Aurelia as he saw the carriages that littered the street.

"It’s fine. Dad made sure to treat us all like VIPs, so you won’t have to worry about it. Besides, the other important figures of the city would also be going by carriage."

"Well, if you say so..."

"Took you long enough."

Vanessa was the first to speak as she saw the group coming outside of their house.

Beside her were Perto, Brutt, Lea, and Greg, with some of the children forming their own groups throughout the street.

Regis smiled as he greeted them, "I’m sorry for the wait... I’m happy to see all of you."

They chatted as they got inside the special carriage that seemed to be double the size and was more luxurious than the others.

The past three years were enough to deepen their relationship.

As such, there was no awkwardness at all as they chatted in the carriage.

It was wide enough to fit Regis, Pandora, Killian, Aurelia, Vanessa, Greg, Lea, Perto, and Brutt comfortably, with cup holders and a shelf on the sides which held various kinds of beverages.

"So, Greg and Lea, how was it like working at the bakery these days?" Regis asked, his eyes shining with curiosity.

Lea was the first to reply, "It’s fine. My parents back then also baked pastries and used to beat me up with the rolling pin, so I was able to pick up things easily and be assigned to baking some stuff recently."

"Is adding that part necessary?" Greg whispered as he nudged her, seeing the others who almost choked on their drinks.

He then continued, trying to make the conversation more normal, "Although I didn’t have any prior experience, I did some other jobs at first, like doing the dishes. But I was able to learn in about a month or so, thanks to Lea, Jaimie, and the other children who worked in the bakery."

"Some elves have also been frequenting our bakery lately, and you know how picky those guys are. There have also been times they were quite rude, but the situation’s always quickly resolved by the patrolling guards before it escalates."

Lea then added with a shrug, "But hey, at least we don’t have someone forcing us to kill innocent villagers and burn down villages anymore."

Unfortunately for Greg, his two friends were already too far gone down that dark rabbit hole.

Lea and he had decided to leave their peaceful lives and were assigned to different businesses under the Midas Merchant Organization, along with the other fifty children.

Aurelia had a wry smile on her face as she heard their conversation, "I think I’m never getting used their your humor..."

"Oh, trust me. It’s their thing. The others and I are quite relatively normal... compared to them, at least."

Vanessa leaned towards her slightly as she replied.

The group laughed together as they shared stories of their own living in Harmonia for the past three years.

Unfortunately... or fortunately, their conversations were not that long as the street they were living on was located around the Central District itself.

Therefore, it did not take long for them to witness the various activities that were not unlike those of a festival.

Harmonia’s Day of Inauguration.

The entire city shimmered beneath a sky lit with enchanted lanterns and streaks of multicolored light magic that danced like falling stars.

Banners bearing emblems of the four great races fluttered from trams, homes, and the buildings of the major forces of the city.

The air buzzed with excitement, laughter, and the rhythmic beat of drums and flutes echoing from every district.

Cultural dances unfolded in radiant displays from Harmonia’s four districts toward the Central District:

The elves moved with tranquil grace, as if their limbs flowed like rivers guided by the wind.

Their gowns trailed silken light, and petals drifted in their wake, conjured by their magic in gentle spirals.

The beastkin performed with untamed joy as they leaped, stomped, and roared in a primal celebration of life.

Their movements were fierce and infectious, turning every spectator into a participant in their wild rhythm.

The dwarves, with mugs in hand and bellies shaking with laughter, danced in hearty stomps and shoulder-bumps, forming wide circles.

Their chants harmonized like old battle songs turned festive, fueled by generous helpings of mead.

The humans presented a fusion of the old and the new, structured formations from their kingdoms’ history, woven together with modern flair.

Robes embroidered with gold caught the light as they twirled, clapped, and stepped in harmony, like telling a story passed from generation to generation; one of triumph, resilience, and hope.

And through it all, Harmonia itself felt alive— its heart beating alongside its people, each light and footstep a testament to unity forged through difference.

***

A few minutes later...

They were now sitting in their assigned seats near the front of the plaza, located at the very center of Harmonia’s Central District.

Around them, crowds continued to pour in from every direction, filling the open space until barely a gap could be seen between people.

It had reached a point where even squeezing through the crowd looked nearly impossible.

Some spectators had even taken spots on the second floors and balconies of nearby buildings just to get a better view.

Banners representing each race were strung across the streets, while floating lanterns hovered gently above the plaza, glowing softly under the daylight with the help of magic.

The mixture of architecture around them made it clear this was no ordinary city: polished stonework from dwarves, elegant curves from elven design, natural touches typical of beastkin communities, and the sturdy practicality of human craftsmanship all blended into one cohesive space.

At the center of it all was a raised wooden platform.

While clearly well-made, it was not as grand as one might expect for the inauguration of a city as important as Harmonia.

Its design was clean and simple, decorated only with subtle carvings and a large banner behind it featuring Harmonia’s emblem.

Regis looked around for a moment before leaning toward Aurelia, seated beside him. "Isn’t this a little... plain for a city like Harmonia?"

Aurelia nodded, "I knew you’d notice. Dad told me the City Lord doesn’t like things that are too flashy. He prefers things to stay simple and focused."

"If the other officials hadn’t stepped in, he probably wouldn’t have even agreed to decorate the platform this much." She added as she glanced at the stage.

Regis began to ponder her words, ’I wonder what the City Lord is like...’