"Presenting to all, our new ruler, Her Majesty!" The sonorous voice of the announcer echoed through the vast throne hall, which was bathed in an anticipatory silence. Lining up on both sides of the grand hall, the nobles of the Deep Sea Palace stood, their faces a mixture of intrigue, curiosity, and apprehension.
As the grand golden doors at the end of the hall slowly swung open, all eyes were drawn to the figure making her entrance. There she was, Laura, resplendent in her royal attire. A golden crown, a symbol of her new status, sat atop her head, catching the light and gleaming brightly. She held a golden staff, a symbol of her authority, standing tall and proud as the Empress of the Deep Sea Palace.
Walking through the parted crowd, she held herself with an air of grace, confidence, and serenity, her gaze never waning. Each step she took towards the throne was met with an increasing silence, the room filled with a sense of awe. As she ascended the steps to the throne, she turned, sitting majestically, and cast a look over everyone present in the hall.
Standing to her right were Aditya and Kate. Aditya was looking at Laura with pride twinkling in his eyes and a warm, content smile gracing his lips. In the span of their journey together, he had come to see Laura not just as an ally, but as a dear friend. His heart swelled with genuine happiness witnessing her ascend the throne. Beside him, Kate, usually maintaining a stoic demeanor, had a rare, small smile dancing on her lips.
Only six months ago, the idea of Laura becoming the next ruler of the Deep Sea Palace would have been met with disbelief and skepticism. Her ideals and progressive views were far from what the nobles cherished. Her strength at the time seemed insufficient to win such a grueling tournament. But within the span of six months, so much had changed.
Laura had managed to enhance her strength, now standing at the mid 5th-order rank. She became the first person who had survived an encounter with the goddess of Lust. Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against her, she had persevered, competing with the very best and emerging victorious. She had truly earned her place on the throne and was now the reigning Empress of the Deep Sea Palace.
'Now comes the real test,' Laura mused to herself as she absorbed the weight of her new position. Sitting on the throne, she understood that her responsibilities were far from over. On the contrary, they were just beginning. The empire was riddled with corruption that she had to root out. The deeply ingrained issues of racism and discrimination that plagued her subjects had to be eradicated. The overbearing nobles, flaunting their power and authority without restriction, had to be reined in. There were numerous issues, big and small, spread across the empire, all of which required her attention and needed rectification.
Her gaze gently drifted towards Aditya, her eyes softening. They were filled with warmth and gratitude as she thought, 'None of this would have been possible without your help. How can I ever express my gratitude for everything you have done for me?'
A few observant nobles noticed the way the Empress looked at Aditya. Intriguing thoughts and bold hypotheses began to form in their minds, only to be quickly dismissed as they shook their heads, convincing themselves that such scenarios were highly unlikely.
Aditya felt her gaze on him and, with a genuinely joyful smile, he acknowledged her with a nod. He was truly delighted to see everything working out for her. As he watched her taking her place on the throne, a sense of accomplishment filled his heart. 'With this, my mission in the empire is fulfilled. It's time to make my way back,' he contemplated quietly.
Scene change_____
"Why don't you stick around a bit longer?" Laura couldn't hide the reluctance in her voice. She had grown accustomed to Aditya's reassuring presence. He had been her pillar of support in these turbulent times and she was hesitant to let him go. If it wasn't for his commitment as the Emperor of the Iatarin Empire, she would have loved to appoint him as the new Prime Minister of the Deep Sea Palace.
"I truly wish I could," Aditya responded, a tinge of regret in his voice. "I've enjoyed my time here immensely. However, there are pressing matters back home that need my attention." The Istarin Empire had only recently emerged victorious from a war. He had left his troops and his generals back home to subdue any remaining rebels in the newly conquered territories. Besides, there were countless other administrative and governance matters to attend to. His dependable Prime Minister Spencer, despite his competence, couldn't possibly handle all the issues on his own. Certain decisions required his personal approval, and any delay in these matters could hamper the development and growth of his empire.
"I'm going to miss you," Laura admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
Kate, standing quietly behind Laura, looked surprised to hear such candid sentiment from her lady.
"I'll miss you too, Laura. Until our next meeting," Aditya responded, extending his hand towards Laura.
With a soft smile, Laura accepted his hand. Their hands met in a firm, friendly handshake, marking their parting. Aditya was escorted by two aquatic elves towards the surface. Laura stood at the entrance of the capital, watching his retreating figure. A sense of loneliness washed over her as she saw him leave. Her radiant smile slowly faded, replaced by a look of melancholy.
"My lady, are you in love with him?" Kate, her loyal maid, couldn't resist asking.
Laura's cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. She remained silent, her gaze still fixed on the spot where Aditya had disappeared. Finally, she turned around to head back to the city. The Empress herself had accompanied him to the city entrance, a show of her deep respect and affection.
Kate trailed behind Laura, her question left unanswered. Yet, in her heart, she felt she already knew what her lady's response would have been.
After Laura and Kate left, a human figure wearing black cloak also walked out of the citya and went in Aditya's direction.
"Hehe!"
Scene change_____
Utilising the magic of the teleportation array, Aditya found himself in Atlantisia, the gateway city to the Deep Sea Palace. Once there, he sought out Nerida. Nerida was one of the select few that he had planted as spies within the Deep Sea Palace.
"Nerida, I cannot express enough gratitude for the service you've rendered," Aditya said earnestly. "You've lived the dangerous and often lonely life of a spy, but that time is now over. You're free to choose where you wish to go from here. You can continue your life here in Atlantisia, or you could return to High Harbor City and join the others. It's completely up to you."
Nerida looked taken aback by the sudden turn of events but her surprise quickly melted into joy. "Thank you, your Majesty," she replied, her voice choked with emotion.
Aditya shook his head gently, rejecting the gratitude. "No, Nerida, it is I who should be thanking you. I'm well aware that integrating into this deeply prejudiced society wasn't an easy task. You've faced numerous challenges and overcome various obstacles. Your strength and resilience have been invaluable. If you wish, you could leave this place and return to the surface with me." His offer hung in the air, a beacon of hope for a new chapter in Nerida's life.
Nerida, however, gently shook her head, her face lighting up with a warm smile. "Your Majesty, during my time here, I've found someone special," she confessed, her cheeks flushing slightly. "We're planning our future together. I hope you won't mind if we decide to reside in the Empire?"
Aditya's response was immediate and reassuring. "Of course not, Nerida. You're a citizen of the Istarin Empire, and so it will be for your future husband and your family. Your lives, your choices."
Before taking his leave, Aditya handed her a bag containing a hefty sum of 10,000 gold coins. It was a significant amount, enough to ensure a comfortable, prosperous life in the High Harbor City for many years to come. It was not just a reward, but a measure of his gratitude for her dedication. If she were wise and used this money to venture into business, she could soon become a woman of considerable wealth.
After exchanging heartfelt farewells with Nerida, Aditya set his course away from the Deep Sea Palace. However, he didn't return directly to Azure City in the Istarin Empire. Instead, he steered his direction towards another location, a place he had been contemplating visiting for quite some time.
Really Thank you very much to all those who sends support with valuable golden tickets. I hope we can keep it up!!!
So this arc is over, almost kid of over. I hoped you guys enjoyed this arc. This volume will end with some very exciting chapters. We will see the Goddess of Lust in action.
