Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light-Chapter 153: Mother of the animals

The Leviathans sat on their thrones, gazing around with indifferent eyes. The humid air and the crushing pressure — as if hundreds of tsunamis weighed upon our shoulders — vanished completely.

The man who had announced the arrival of the Leviathan family fell silent for a few moments. He gave them a respectful bow, cleared his throat, and walked with his head lowered to the other end of the hall.

"Welcome! The family of primordial blood, the Phoenix family!"

The great doors opened, and a wave of fire spread across the room. It wasn't as overwhelming as the Leviathan family's entrance, but it was equally impressive. The Phoenix family entered: they had humanoid appearances, their eyes entirely red with yellow pupils. They were slightly shorter in height compared to the Leviathans, and from their arms protruded fiery feathers in shades of red, orange, and yellow. There were three of them in total — a man, a woman, and a child. From the floor, three red marble thrones emerged, and they seated themselves, their gazes fixed on Professor Emilia.

The herald did the same for the Phoenix family, clearing his throat before becoming solemn again.

"Welcome her majesty, protector of the beastly clearings and mother of all animals."

The air around them grew solemn as the main doors slowly opened. The castle itself seemed to tremble slightly, as if delighted to welcome its master once again. The flowers and plants nearby shimmered as if they were alive. Everything changed. From the darkness behind the door, a slender figure emerged.

******

Emilia watched the beautiful woman entering with graceful steps. She wore a gentle smile on her light red lips, her light green eyes shining beneath jet-black hair. Her dress was of soft, light colors adorned with exquisite flowers, each uniquely beautiful. The young woman didn't appear to be older than twenty, her youthful presence radiating life all around her. With each step she took, grass and small flowers grew where her feet touched, only to fade away within seconds as if nothing had happened.

The young woman walked slowly to the center between the two sets of thrones, and both primordial blood families stepped down and knelt silently. All the families present bowed their heads in quiet reverence.

The young woman lifted one hand, and before her, a simple wooden throne emerged. She nodded softly and sat comfortably upon it.

Emilia looked at her intently and offered a polite bow. "Thank you very much for accepting the invitation and allowing us to enter your domain."

"Emilia, you're so formal! Come on, no need for that — we know each other well enough, don't we?" the young queen said, waving her hands playfully, her eyes shining brightly. She stood up and extended her hands.

A colorless energy spread throughout the room. None of the students could see it, but Emilia's gray-white eyes watched the thousands of lines, filled with various hues, weaving through the palace. The kneeling families rose as they felt their majesty's energy.

"My dear children, it's always a pleasure to see you all in good health. I hope the audience wasn't too bothersome for you, but it's of utmost importance for us to maintain friendly relations with our neighbor, the Empire of Light. As representatives, we have Professor Emilia, the emperor's daughter Lady Elizabeth, and lastly, the princess of the Lunar Empire."

Emilia frowned slightly but said nothing, remaining silent.

The young queen let out a light laugh and clapped her hands. "The contract ceremony will be in five days. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves."

The families respectfully bowed their heads, their bodies disappearing in bursts of starlight. The only ones who remained were the primordial blood families. They rose again, quietly approaching the young queen while keeping their eyes on the students.

The young queen sighed softly and walked forward with a sweet smile.

Emilia snapped her fingers, and blue mana completely surrounded the students — all except for Azrael, who remained standing with a serious look in his red eyes. It was incredible how his presence was almost nonexistent.

Elizabeth, for her part, wore a pleasant smile, as did Brynthia. Emilia sighed, and the mana around the students grew denser — its purpose was clear: to keep them from overhearing.

"Hmph! You're still as young as ever!" Elizabeth said with a grin, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'll take that as a compliment. But before anything else," Brynthia smiled, glancing at the group of confused students, "they've traveled for many days. It's best we send them to rest while we talk. What do you say, Emilia?"

Emilia nodded. "I agree. I'll leave it to you."

Brynthia extended a bit of mana, and beside her, a young woman appeared. "Did you call, Your Majesty?" the young woman asked, bowing her head. Her hair was hazel-colored, but what stood out most were the two pairs of horns extending proudly from either side of her head. They resembled deer antlers — delicate-looking at first glance.

"A highblood who has reached the peak of her evolution," Emilia thought to herself, watching the young attendant who silently awaited instructions.

Brynthia nodded. "I'm entrusting the young humans to you. Please treat them well."

"At your service, Your Majesty," the young woman said, lifting her head and offering a small bow to Emilia and Elizabeth before approaching the students. Emilia snapped her fingers, and the mana dome vanished completely.

"Follow the young attendant and behave yourselves," Emilia said coldly to the students. They nodded, their eyes drawn to the hazel-eyed beauty — and especially to the horns on her head.

The young attendant smiled gently. "Please follow me. I'll guide you to your rooms so you can rest."

Brynthia curiously watched the two seraphim, who were speaking comfortably with a certain young man. She smiled slightly. "They haven't awakened yet, huh…" she thought to herself, her gaze shifting to the young princess who stared back at her with a frown.

"Hmmm…" Brynthia pondered for a moment before her eyes moved to Arthur's sword. "You're going to give it to me, aren't you, Elizabeth?" she said with a cold smile as the atmosphere around them turned chaotic.