Chapter 96: Syrathen Empire Visits

The carriage passed through Great Verdant Forest. Nira was sitting beside other Darveim diplomats, observing the trees outside the window. The forest grew denser as they went deeper but the road was well-made. One of her colleagues peered out of the window.

"Is that the road to Eldoris?"

Nira turned around. A giant wall loomed ahead. The wall was made of stone, with some parts reinforced by thicker logs and metal. Numerous towers were erected along the fortification with guards stationed on them. Nira’s breath caught in her throat.

"So this is Eldoris now."

The carriage gradually pulled in. Nira could see the city’s eastern gate. A huge set of double doors stood in the middle of the walls with a spacious road leading to it.

Various monsters in uniformish attires stood on both sides of the gate. Some were armed with spears and lances, while others had crossbows slung over their backs.

A few wore metal armor that was more luxurious than anything Nira had seen in Rosen City.

The Darveim delegation slowed down as they neared the gates. One of the guards came out and raised a hand.

"Hold."

The carriages came to a halt. The guard regarded the delegation.

"Identify yourselves."

The leader of the Darveim party stepped out of the carriage.

"We are a diplomatic party of Darveim."

The guard’s face changed upon hearing the words. Several of his colleagues observed the newcomers before one of them rushed to a communicator.

"We have verified the insignia."

A signal was sent to the main gate. The diplomat turned to Nira. "Let me introduce myself. I am Nira Duskryn." Nira stepped out of the carriage. The guards all seemed surprised. One of them muttered to a colleague.

"Is that a Spirit Elf?"

"Looks like it."

Nira was unfazed. She glanced at the enormous gates. Beyond it was a busy street where monsters strolled around. Moonhares in fancy attires were chatting with customers while Goblins were pushing a cart on the street. Kobolds brought wood and metal scraps from one end of the street to the other. Ogres were busy with construction works and Orc hunters were bringing their kills to a butcher’s stall.

Nira smiled. Tanaka really did it. He pulled it all off.

"Lady Nira."

Nira turned to see the diplomat waiting for her. He gave a respectful bow. "It appears we are in Eldoris." Nira turned to the road ahead. "Yes indeed." The Darveim delegation entered the city. Despite the guards’ vigilance, there was no aggression.

Rather, there was curiosity. Nira marveled at the bustling market streets. Children gossiped about the newcomers and a young Hobgoblin even nudged his companion to hurry up, for he was getting tired of staring at the strangers.

Nira almost burst out laughing. She could almost imagine herself in Rosen City. Only this time, she was inside a monster country.

The delegation was led to the newly built diplomatic district. A building meant for receiving foreign guests loomed before them. It was a structure of dark wood and stone, with floating balls of light illuminating the front gates. A Moonhare stood at the entrance. "Welcome to Eldoris Dominion." The leader of the Darveim party took a bow. "Thank you. I am honored to be welcomed in Eldoris."

The Moonhare turned to Nira. "Lady Nira, welcome to Eldoris." Nira blinked. "You know who I am?" The receptionist smiled.

"Your name was mentioned in the diplomatic records."

"I see. So you have a lot of visitors already?"

The lady gestured for them to enter the building. The interior was spacious and calm, despite the number of people present. Merchants from Rosen City were haggling with Eldoris’ representatives while a group of adventurers was looking at some maps. A pair of Dwarfs was having a heated (though friendly) exchange regarding the price of some metal bars. Nira was impressed. No longer did this land belong to the shadows. The world was coming and Eldoris was already adapting.

The delegation was ushered into a second floor meeting hall. A conference room had been prepared for them. However, just as the discussions were about to begin, one of the guards came to the front.

"Sir, another diplomatic party has arrived."

"Where are they from?"

The guard hesitated. "Syrathen Empire."

All the diplomats fell silent. Nira’s face changed expressions. "The empire?" The guard nodded. "They are at the eastern gate." The leader of the Darveim party exchanged a look with the others. "So soon?" Nira turned to the window. She knew Tanaka would be surprised to see the Syrathen Empire delegation. After all, the empire did send some troops to the Great Verdant Forest not long ago.

A group of carriages pulled up outside the building. Syrathen Empire’s banners fluttered in the wind. Unlike the Darveim, these people did not come quietly. Soldiers in polished armor surrounded the carriages.

At the center of it all was a middle-aged man named Marcus Veldran, an experienced diplomat from Syrathen Empire. He was accompanied by two military officers and a group of elite guards.

Marcus stared at the walls of Eldoris. "So this is Eldoris." One of his officers frowned.

"It is larger than expected."

"It has been growing steadily,"

"Are we outnumbered?"

Marcus glanced at the gates. "We should be prepared," The carriages came to a halt.

The same group of guards stood at the ready. "Identify yourselves." Marcus stepped out of the carriage. "Veldran Marcus of Syrathen Empire. We come under the authority of His Majesty to establish diplomatic relations with the Eldoris Dominion," The guard studied him before turning to his soldiers. "Lower your weapons in the city," Marcus nodded. "Understood,"

The officer beside him frowned. "Are you ordering the empire’s soldiers?" Marcus shot him a glare. "Yes, I am."

The goblin guard said without flinching. The officer reluctantly complied. The guards opened the gates. The Syrathen delegation entered the city. As soon as they passed through the gates, the mood changed. Some of the monsters present recognized the Syrathen banners and paused to observe them. An Orc hunter watched the soldiers with a mix of awe and apprehension. Two Goblins whispered to each other in astonishment, while an Ogre paused to get a better look at the military formation before returning to his work.

No one attacked them. No one screamed.

But the ghosts of the past war still lingered on. Marcus could feel it. "They remember,"

The military officer looked around. "They should. We fought them," Marcus said nothing. They rode further into the city.

Unlike the Darveim, the Syrathen delegation did not receive warm smiles from the locals.

In fact, several monsters kept their distance. A young Orc even blocked the path of an imperial soldier and a group of children. The soldier looked uncomfortable. Marcus noticed the Orc’s display. He knew the message. They were guests in this city.

That does not mean they were welcome.

The delegation arrived at the diplomatic building.

Before entering the hall, Marcus turned around one last time. "Eldoris is not a camp." One of the diplomats stated.

Marcus stared at the busy streets outside.

"No, it is a real country." Inside the building, Eldoris’ representatives were already waiting for them. Sora bounced to the front of the party. He regarded the imperial soldiers with a neutral expression. One of the military officers looked down on him.

"Is this the slime?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"I am one of them," The officer chuckled. "A slime is receiving an imperial delegation?"

Sora’s expression hardened. "You are in Eldoris," The officer’s grin slowly disappeared. Sora stepped aside. "Watch your tongue,"

Marcus came to the rescue. "Enough,"

He turned to Sora. "Please forgive my colleague. He seems to have forgotten his manners," Sora studied Marcus for a few seconds. Then, he nodded. "Good. Now let us get this over with," Marcus led the way into the meeting hall. The room was already occupied by the Darveim diplomats. Marcus stopped as soon as he entered. "Darveim?"

The leader of the Darveim party stood up.

"Envoy Veldran," Marcus gave a respectful bow. "An unexpected meeting," Nira stood a little behind the others. Marcus turned to her. His eyes widened. "You are..." Nira smiled politely. "Nira Duskryn," Marcus recognized the name.

"A Spirit Elf?" The room fell silent. Nira nodded. "That is correct," Marcus stared at her for a few seconds before turning to the others. "Then Darveim has sent us a wonderful surprise," The leader of the Darveim party smiled. "We thought it wise to do so," Sora approached the front of the room. "Lord Tanaka will be here shortly,"

Marcus turned to him. "Tanaka?" Sora nodded. "He is the ruler of Eldoris," The military officers shifted uneasily. Marcus adjusted his clothes. "Then I suppose it is time I meet the monster who shook the world," Nira turned to the door. Her heartbeat quickened. She had traveled through the forests to reach this moment. Soon, she would finally see Tanaka again after so long.

Outside the building, the streets of Eldoris bustled with activity. Merchants bartered, workers built and guards patrolled the city.

Inside the building, three nations gathered under one roof. Darveim and Syrathen had arrived after Valeria. Eldoris stood at the center. The meeting room door opened. Footsteps echoed from the corridor. Nira’s lips curled into a smile.

"Tanaka..."