Chapter 269: Emperor Yanyu Du Shi Wang
The throne room of the Yanyu Dominion was a monument to the kingdom’s mastery over water and rain.
Streams flowed down carved channels in the walls, creating a constant symphony of flowing water.
Lianna was escorted into the vast space by guards. Her clothes were still damp from days in a cell where the constant humidity made everything perpetually wet, and her fire magic remained almost completely suppressed by the kingdom’s natural environment.
Morris and Willem followed her, the only two guards who had survived both the bandit attack and their subsequent imprisonment. Both men looked haggard from their captivity.
At the far end of the throne room, Emperor Yanyu Du Shi Wang sat upon a throne that appeared to be carved from a single massive piece of blue-green stone. Water cascaded down its surface that somehow never touched the emperor himself, creating an effect that made him seem to exist in a pocket of dry space within the eternal rain.
"Lady Lianna Levenhart," the emperor said, his voice carrying clearly across the vast chamber despite the sound of flowing water. "Daughter of Chancellor Levenhart of the Celestis Empire."
"Your Imperial Majesty," Lianna replied with as much dignity as she could muster, offering a deep bow.
"You stand accused of entering our kingdom under false pretenses, employing illegal fire magic within our borders, and conducting unauthorized intelligence operations," the emperor continued with formal precision. "How do you answer these charges?"
"Your Majesty, I came to investigate bandit activities that were affecting trade between our kingdoms," Lianna said, choosing her words carefully. "My use of fire magic was purely defensive, employed only when my life was threatened."
"And the false identity? The merchant disguise?"
"A precaution to avoid the kind of diplomatic complications that formal channels might have created," Lianna admitted. "I hoped to resolve the bandit problem quietly without involving either government."
Emperor Yanyu Du Shi Wang studied her for several long moments, his expression unreadable. The sound of falling water filled the silence as he considered her words.