A blaze of orange light shot upward like a flame yearning to soar, piercing through the clouds and vanishing into the distant horizon before exploding across the sky.
Its radiance shone brilliantly, piercing the heavens above, beyond countless secrets and miracles that twisted like a distorted painting.
The scenery carried the breath of the atmosphere, drifting along the pollen of the flower fields surrounding the castle, rising into the air and forming a spirit from blood.
The torchlights on the castle walls went out.
The dawn of the Blood Empire had begun in full.
A neat suit layered with a jet-black coat was tailored perfectly, every proportion precise, leaving nothing lacking for this grandeur.
Hair parted to the side in a meticulous manner, a flawless face exuding dignity in every detail of thought.
Heavy footsteps pounded across the carpet, parting from Brian toward the main hall filled with white-armored knights.
The butler bowed in a gesture of respect.
"The princess has departed ahead. She commanded a carriage escorted by the army waiting outside, arranged with knights at the front and rear under the watch of King' s Knight, Robart Settles."
A knight stepped into the hall, sunlight reflecting sharply in his eyes before softening as the massive wooden doors closed behind him.
"The hierarchy of the knights will be explained further. Please, ambassador, join us; your protection will follow army protocol."
The doors opened again.
Victor descended the staircase to the street before the castle, sunlight striking his face, forcing him to raise an arm in shield.
He gazed at the massive carriage procession, led by an army of knights stretching hundreds of meters, while fleets in the sky watched from every angle across the horizon.
"How are you, Victor!"
A short-haired blond man in a pristine white suit from head to toe strode forward, arms open in familiarity.
'Daniel Frether?'
Victor hurried to the carriage without looking back. He stepped up and opened the door to sit on the dark seat edged with brass patterns, as if everything had been arranged perfectly for him.
"Hey! You' re not going to show any manners?"
Daniel sat opposite, legs crossed boldly, ignoring Victor' s dark gaze.
"Aren' t you going to say something, Victor?"
Victor lifted his chin, staring out the window.
As the procession began to move, the full panorama of the Blood Empire unfolded before his eyes. The beautiful high-class city filled with nobles and laborers alike gathered to watch the knights' procession, white flags waving through the air, lifted above heads in solemn reverence.
"Have you heard about Diego' s actions?"
Daniel' s face showed guilt as he slightly altered his tone.
"My younger brother is violent and reckless. I' m truly sorry. No matter what, he just can' t think straight."
"I almost died because of him," Daniel said.
"You, almost die? Victor, I know exactly who you are!"
He smiled, secretly amused.
"What nonsense. Now tell me the details of today and the hierarchy of the knights."
"That' s not my duty."
"What do you mean?"
Daniel grinned mischievously.
"Actually, this seat belongs to King' s Knight Robart, but I snuck in and ordered the procession to move without anyone noticing. Ha ha."
"Have you lost your mind?"
The atmosphere froze, Daniel' s fingertip touching his lips in a silent gesture as if communicating. For a moment, the surrounding sounds were blocked.
Light and vibrations ceased for a fraction of a second.
Blood droplets formed in the stillness, assembling from nothing, without the stench of decay one might expect. Daniel' s manifestation of a smile became visible, even applauding with amusement.
Victor' s eyes, however, remained calm and reserved. Not from ordinary composure, but from an awareness of the unnatural distance in the display before him.
The stronger the enemy, the more one must recognize
the true horror ahead.
Diego' s physical power, Oliver' s raven, the shadow-like form of Selith—everything was evidence and measure to stop someone like Victor.
The proportions of thick armor appeared skillfully, an aged face veiled in miracles, a crimson cloak stained with the blood of many.
The repeated traces of blood testified to cruelty and unyielding strength.
Thin white beard accented the deep-set red eyes, with a prominent nose matching the bald head.
Robart bowed, his voice firm.
"Pleased to meet you, I am King' s Knight Robart Settles."
A cold metallic hand extended in a polite greeting, compelling Victor to respond.
"I am Victor Weber."
The old man glanced at Daniel.
"Move aside for me. You sly but worthless man obstructing the army' s operation, endangering the ambassador' s life and property. Your thoughtless gaze is no different from your ancestors, the poor traveling merchants two centuries ago."
"Your words are still hard to understand. But who cares about two centuries ago? Since my birth, my family has been the bloodline of trade across lands, negotiating with all nations until the Blood Empire earned the nickname 'The Agricultural Banquet Kitchen' or 'The World' s Provisions.' "
"My father' s deeds cannot raise a son to equal himself; a man must strive to realize it. Stop your chatter and be quiet like your father, lest you be executed."
Daniel, shaken, turned to the window immediately.
Robart composed himself, expressionless, speaking calmly as the surrounding sounds returned to normal.
"Apologies for the rudeness. I shall be direct. Today is a most important day for the Blood Empire. In many cities, the population is managed according to standards and security measures."
He clasped his hands tightly, staring deeply into the other' s eyes. Victor, unsurprisingly, showed no shock or question at the perilous explanation.
'Conflicting with the above? It' s just a ceremonial genocide policy.'
"You are well aware, no doubt. Men, women, the weak are considered risks to security. Selecting them to the wastelands is considered the highest honor."
"You shall witness the culture of the Blood Empire up close: food, attire, music, women. All will be revealed to foster good relations, as the emperor intended."
"Nobles from the Empire of Infineus, the Kingdom of Rolrien, the Kingdom of Wingrose, the Kingdom of Azernite, the Kingdom of Auroris have come to observe this selection in the capital at the ancient site when dragons spread human cadaver stench across the sky."
"The Arena: The Awakening of Blood."
As he spoke, sunlight streamed through the carriage windows, drums thundered in the ears, and citizens poured into the area.
Outside, the congested streets blocked the carriages' path until knights blew horns to clear the way.
The old man continued.
"I shall begin with the lowest knight rank in order."
"Training Knights are apprentices with no honor. They start as peasants or lower-class civilians meeting the minimum requirements, tasked mainly with paperwork and practice."
"Main Knights are general operatives, highly sought after to elevate lower or middle-class individuals to a stable life. Duties include patrolling, maintaining order, guarding armories, repairing walls, controlling stables, managing paperwork, defending battlefronts, inspecting foreign objects in the empire, and serving the people."
"Honor Knights are high-ranking civil knights desired by the middle class, difficult to attain, requiring battlefield achievements. From this rank, one must possess exceptional skill in strategy, economics, or other useful areas."
"Glorious Knights are high-ranking knights under the main command of King' s Knights and Untitled Knights. They lead the carriage escort currently, perform critical duties requiring maximum protection, large-scale operations, and duties outside the empire including the emperor' s travels."
"Noble Knights are of noble blood, exempt from prior ranks, privileged to govern lower-ranking knights. Those with sufficient achievements may ascend, elevating their social standing. Duties are limited to festivals or major government events as symbols of power and grandeur."
"Untitled Knights are special knights answering only to the emperor, lacking shining armor, honorable cloaks, spirit, or empathy. They perform secret operations or assassinations, mostly guarding borders or blending in with crowds."
"King' s Knights are the highest rank, reserved for those who have stood beside the emperor in battles since the empire' s founding or have lived over two centuries in numerous wars. Their main duty is to obey the emperor, to live and die for the Blood Empire."
Victor remained silent for a long while.
'Two hundred years!?'
Heavy armor joints creaked as the old man stood gracefully, bowing.
"We' ve arrived."