Book 13: Prologue
Before Liu Yue was born, she never imagined that what ran across the plains outside wouldn’t be horse carriages but tin trains. The mana-powered trains were ubiquitous in the North. The railway network that was packed closely together was the same as a massive spider web that covered the entire North. Not long ago, trains could officially go to and fro Hilles City.
Ling Yue and Liu Yue had to squeeze around at the bustling train stop. Liu Yue was a bit lost when she first stepped onto the platform, but then a young girl dressed in a white uniform immediately walked over to salute the two of them. She respectfully said, “Princess Ling Yue, Miss Liu Yue, welcome to the Imperial City. His Majesty could not make it today due to a meeting, so he had me come to welcome you and take you to the palace. Please come with me.”
The young girl nimbly bowed and made an invitational hand gesture. Liu Yue looked at the suave young girl enviously. When she went to go with her, her mom looked at the young girl with a displeased look and complained, “What business does he have? His daughter hardly ever visits, and he won’t even come to welcome her himself.”
“Sorry, Consort Ling Yue. His Majesty does indeed have business.”
“We told him we were coming ages ago, and he didn’t even make time today? He must be checking out another woman and forgotten about us! I’m going to teach him a lesson! I bet his attention is with those two women or those sisters!”
“Princess Ling Yue, His Majesty planned to come today, but something sudden came up, and it is very important, so he is holding a meeting with Princess Freya. I hope you can be considerate.”
Liu Yue tugged on her mom’s sleeve. Ling Yue grouchily shut her eyes. Liu Yue was a bit disappointed, but she felt that since her dad didn’t come, then he truly had very urgent business. As his daughter, she had to be understanding of her dad’s work.
The two of them entered the horse carriage. There were trains, but horse carriages were still used within the city as transport, nonetheless. The escort slowly entered the city district. Liu Yue adjusted the position of her tail. She checked out the bustling crowds outside and neat houses: “I never thought there were so many people in the Imperial City. I remember there weren’t this many people when I was young.”
Ling Yue looked at the extremely slow moving escort and sighed: “Indeed, it’s not a good thing, either…”