Chapter 4: A Royal Welcome and a Glimpse of Power

Having spent a wild afternoon with Lance, it was only at dusk that the trio leisurely arrived at the hotel where Lance was temporarily staying.

Standing an impressive thirty stories tall, the hotel was the undisputed highest structure in Fiel Town. It had been financed by Aldoran and meticulously constructed under the supervision of the dwarven race. The entire building, forged from refined magic crystal essence, boasted an unblemished white exterior that was incredibly robust, able to repel even intermediate-tier, first-grade magic attacks without sustaining damage. Within its walls, the climate was perfectly regulated—warm in winter, cool in summer—and its spacious interior housed a wealth of recreational facilities, including lounges, spas, swimming pools, and entertainment rooms, solidifying its reputation as Fiel Town’s most opulent hotel.

“Hmm…” As Qing Yu gazed upon the towering edifice, an ineffable sensation welled within him; on Earth, a hotel of this caliber would have been something he wouldn’t even dare to dream of.

“Aside from Mother, nearly all the queens from other nations have already arrived here,” Lance announced, her hand firmly grasping Aldoran’s as she led her into the hotel. “Everyone is eagerly anticipating your wedding in just a few days.”

“Is Aldoran truly that formidable? Queens from countless nations are journeying here for your wedding,” Qing Yu marveled, utterly astonished. He had always imagined Aldoran to be merely a minor lord, never conceiving she possessed such a vast network of influence.

“But of course! As the esteemed holder of the Odin Crest, Aldoran is destined to become the future Divine Master, so her standing is naturally incredibly exalted!” Lance exclaimed, beaming with delight as she showered Aldoran with effusive praise.

“That’s enough, Lance.”

“What’s there to be shy about? Aldoran is so incredibly powerful, what harm is there in a little praise?” Lance retorted playfully, coiling her arms around Aldoran’s neck from behind and rubbing her cheek affectionately against Aldoran’s face.

“Excuse me, Lance, but you are a princess, after all,” Qing Yu murmured, glancing at the stream of elegantly attired guests traversing the lobby, hoping to subtly prompt Lance to maintain a more dignified demeanor.

“Oh, is our Lord Frigga perhaps feeling a touch of jealousy?”

Releasing her hold, Lance then pivoted, bringing her face close to Qing Yu’s, and with a wicked grin, playfully poked his cheek.

“Stop, please don’t,” Qing Yu hastily retreated several steps, eluding Lance. “Aldoran is still present.”

“Are you implying that if I were absent, such actions would be permissible?” Aldoran’s voice, though as chillingly detached as ever, still conveyed a distinct note of displeasure to Qing Yu.

“N-no, absolutely not! Considering my current status as your wife, I assure you, I still possess a sense of propriety!”

“Qing Yu is utterly adorable! I truly envy Aldoran; if only I, too, had such a charming wife!”

“Then simply choose one from your harem,” Aldoran suggested, taking hold of Qing Yu’s hand and drawing him to walk alongside her.

“My harem? Those were merely chosen by Mother, all in an effort to hasten my marriage! I harbor no interest in a single one of them, much less the notion of ‘favoring’ them!”

“Is that truly the case? I distinctly remember your fondness for teasing men; has your illustrious record of ‘entertaining’ twenty-three individuals in a single night finally been surpassed?”

“Honestly, Aldoran, you’re teasing me yet again! At best, I merely toy with them; what if someone were to lose their virtue and then find themselves unable to marry?” Lance’s face flushed a vivid red.

“Yet I’ve heard tales of them crying out through entire nights, only for you to have them carried out the following morning.”

“N-n-n-no, absolutely not! Aldoran, don’t spread such wild rumors!”

Unbeknownst to either of them, Qing Yu’s face, standing nearby, had flushed so deeply it seemed on the verge of steaming.

And so, the trio continued their desultory chat, until, rounding a corner, Lance halted before a wooden door that emanated a faint, fresh scent.

“Kindly state your names,” commanded one of the two guards positioned on either side of the wooden door. Upon spotting Lance, they first bowed with deference, then extended their arms to bar the group’s path.

“Lance, and these two are my companions, Aldoran and Qing Yu,” Lance announced, waving a dismissive hand, signaling for the guards to lower their arms.

“Understood, Princess Lance.” With that, the guard on the left turned and tapped lightly on the door.

“What is it?” Almost immediately, a frigid female voice echoed from within the room.

“Your Majesty, Princess Lance and her esteemed companions seek an audience.”

“Names.”

“Aldoran, Qing Yu.”

“Let them in.”

With a soft “click,” the guard unlatched the door, revealing a spacious and opulent chamber to the assembled group. A delicate chandelier gleamed high above, casting its light upon an exquisitely crafted golden silk sofa, where a beauty in a pale blue gown reclined gracefully.

Upon seeing the trio, the woman gracefully descended from the sofa. With bare feet, she glided directly toward Aldoran, and before Qing Yu could even fully comprehend the scene, she knelt on one knee, took Aldoran’s hand, and pressed a reverent kiss upon its back.

“Lord Odin, I humbly beg your forgiveness for my presumption.”

“There is truly no need for such deference, Your Majesty Arell,” Aldoran quickly interjected, helping Arell rise. “I am merely a humble lord; you, as the sovereign ruler of a nation, should not feel compelled to act in such a manner.”

“You are far too humble, Lord Odin. Compared to your exalted position, our own status is utterly insignificant,” Arell replied, her gaze lowered and her voice imbued with profound respect.

“Come, come, Mother, you’re being far too reserved! Aldoran is quite approachable, isn’t she, isn’t she?” Lance interjected hastily.

Arell then raised her head, her gaze stern as she admonished Lance: “You are truly too impertinent, Lance. As a princess, you ought to possess at least a modicum of proper etiquette.”

“It’s quite alright, really; just act as you normally would, there’s no need for such excessive formality. Allow me to introduce you: this is my wife, Qing Yu,” Aldoran interjected, swiftly changing the subject, fearing the exchange would otherwise become interminable.

Arell, gathering her composure, then took Qing Yu’s hand and, in a similar gesture, pressed a kiss to its back.

“Are you indeed Lord Frigga? You are, as expected, a true beauty.”

“No, there’s truly no need for such a gesture, Your Majesty,” Qing Yu stammered, his face flushing crimson.

It appeared that simply by associating with Aldoran, he too would bask in boundless glory. Qing Yu found himself involuntarily fantasizing about the splendid life awaiting him after their marriage.

Perhaps being a kept man (TL Note: ‘吃软饭’ (chī ruǎnfàn) is a Chinese idiom describing a man who lives off a woman’s wealth or status.) isn’t so bad after all~

“Perhaps we should proceed with dinner now.”

“Dinner?” Arell queried, lifting her head to cast a bewildered glance at Qing Yu.

“Mother, I specifically invited Aldoran here for dinner tonight!” Lance clarified.

“Ah, I understand. In that case, kindly await a moment.”

Without uttering another word, Arell immediately clapped her hands, and the guards at the door promptly opened it and stepped inside.

“Your Majesty, how may we be of service?”

“Prepare a banquet, observing the proper etiquette for receiving distinguished guests.”

As she spoke, Arell gestured gracefully, inviting everyone to be seated at the table.

“Kindly take your seats, Lord Odin. The meal should be served in approximately half an hour.”

True to her word, shortly after everyone had settled into their seats, the room’s door opened. One after another, steaming, exquisitely fragrant, and delicately prepared dishes were carried in by beast-eared maids and laid upon the dining table.

“I apologize for any inadequacy in our hospitality; I humbly ask for your understanding.”

“In that case, I shall dispense with formalities, Your Majesty,” Aldoran declared, reaching for her chopsticks and placing a tender piece of fish onto Qing Yu’s plate.

“This is Snowfish, harvested from the northern oceans,” Aldoran explained, “named for its skin, which is as pristine white as snow, and its maturation with the first snowfall of winter.” As she spoke, she meticulously removed the fishbones for Qing Yu.

“Judging by the magical circuits within Lord Frigga, it would appear he is not a native of this world, am I correct?” Arell inquired.

“Indeed, he was summoned from another world by the gem.”

“It’s no wonder, then, that I was entirely unable to perceive his magical circuits within Lord Frigga’s being.”

“Precisely, because he hails from another world! Therefore, the magical circuits within Qing Yu must be supplied by the Frigga Crest, wouldn’t you agree?”

“That is correct, though Qing Yu has yet to fully master the Crest’s power,” Aldoran affirmed with a nod. “Therefore, once we are wed, I shall personally instruct him on how to wield its capabilities.”

“Here, try this,” Aldoran offered, placing another piece of meat into Qing Yu’s bowl. “This is Demon Ox, sourced from the Kugas Mountains; its exceptionally tender meat makes it the most commonly reared livestock among the residents.”

“Aldoran truly dotes on Qing Yu!” Lance exclaimed, rising to her feet and leaning her face close to Aldoran’s. “Feed me a bite too, Aldoran~”

“Lance, do not be disrespectful in Lord Odin’s presence,” Arell commanded sternly.

“Hmph~ Mother, honestly, I merely wish for Aldoran to feed me a single bite~”

“Honestly, Lance.”

Realizing she could not refuse Lance, Aldoran reluctantly picked up a piece of meat and offered it to Lance’s mouth. Only then, satiated, did Lance return to her seat.

“My apologies for causing you amusement, Lord Odin.”

“It is nothing at all, Your Majesty; pray, do not feel so constrained.”

“Lance, you are certainly overdue for another etiquette lesson.”

“Alright, alright, Mother—”

“Incidentally, Lance, how far have you progressed in your magical cultivation lately?” With the atmosphere now considerably lighter, Aldoran, uncharacteristically, found her interest piqued.

“Me? I’ve already begun cultivating low-tier advanced magic, and I’ve now reached the third stage.”

“That is indeed quite impressive,” Aldoran affirmed with a nod.

“Hold on—” Qing Yu interjected, “Didn’t you mention cultivating ‘low-tier advanced magic’? How did that suddenly become ‘third stage’?”

“It appears Qing Yu is still unaware!” Upon this topic, Lance’s enthusiasm immediately flared. “In this world, magical cultivation is structured into three distinct phases: Low-tier, Mid-tier, and High-tier. Each of these phases is further subdivided into four ranks: Novice, Lesser, Intermediate, and Greater. And within each of those ranks, there are five discrete stages: First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth!”

“Oh, wow! Is magical cultivation in this world really that intricate?!” Qing Yu exclaimed, astonished by the sheer complexity of the ranking system.

“That’s why very few individuals in this world manage to cultivate High-tier magic, and those who reach the Fifth Stage of Greater High-tier magic are exceedingly rare! Mother, as a powerhouse of the continent, currently wields magic at the Second Stage of Novice High-tier!”

“Oh, I see! What about Aldoran?” Qing Yu’s curiosity about Aldoran’s magical rank was now fully aroused.

“First Stage, Lesser Mid-tier magic,” Aldoran replied.

“And that’s not all! As the holder of the Divine Master’s Crest, once Aldoran completely breaks its seal, her magic will reach a state that the combined might of everyone in the world couldn’t hope to rival!”

“Aldoran is that powerful?!” Qing Yu gasped again.

“The chasm between gods and mortals is utterly insurmountable; even the combined strength of the mightiest warriors of Midgard could never stand against a god,” Arell added by way of explanation.

“Oh, in that case—”

“Ah, I’m terribly sorry, Qing Yu,” Lance interjected, immediately discerning Qing Yu’s thoughts and scratching her head apologetically. “The ‘gods’ we’re referring to are those who possess offensive-type Crests…”

“Currently, the only offensive-type Crest we know of is Odin’s; the other ten Crests have yet to be discovered. As for Frigga’s Crest…”

Qing Yu’s head drooped in disappointment.

‘Damn it, I had hoped to make a grand showing or something.’

“What about the other gods, then?”

“That remains unclear. Of the twelve deities in the Creation Myth, only Odin and Frigga are known to us by name, their identities confirmed through their Crest holders. The names of all other gods have been completely obscured,” Arell responded with a sigh of resignation.

“I see…”

“Never mind, then. I’ll just give up on trying to show off; from now on, I’ll rely on Aldoran to protect me!” Qing Yu clapped his hands, dispelling his disappointment, and began to bury himself in the feast, eating heartily.

“Then, allow me to offer my congratulations in advance to Aldoran and Qing Yu for a successful marriage!” Lance declared, raising her wine glass to toast Aldoran.

The others likewise raised their glasses…

****

It was late into the night when Aldoran finally bid farewell, cradling a drunken Qing Yu.

After a brief farewell, Lance locked the door with a soft “click.” Only after confirming Aldoran had departed did she approach Arell.

“Mother, what are your thoughts?”

“It appears Lord Frigga is quite a lively individual, and Lord Odin is not as arrogant as I had imagined. However—” Arell’s tone shifted as she looked at Lance, “—you must keep an eye on them for now, if your Crest demands it…”

“I understand, but why does my Crest demand this of me?” Lance asked, removing her clothes. On her chest, a red gem, intricately carved with flames and a jester, was strikingly embedded.

“I do not know, but since it is the will of fate, it must be accomplished,” Arell stated, stepping closer to Lance. “This is the choice of the world’s will.”