My Celestial Ascension-Chapter 722: Arrival Of The Heroes

"This city is bustling with life! Look at all those stalls—they're so crowded!"

The Heroes were amazed by the lively atmosphere of the Imperial City in the Lionheart Empire. At the same time, they were excited by the thought of exploring it.

Since they wouldn't get another chance to wander the streets after angering the Imperial Prison, the Heroes decided to take a look around first—to enjoy and experience things they'd never tried before.

After all, this was a rare opportunity to explore the outside world, one brimming with magic and wonder. A world filled with unimaginable possibilities that could forever change their lives.

There was no way they would miss the chance to enjoy this vibrant, beautiful city before it slipped away. After rescuing the Holy Son, they'd need to retreat immediately, so now was the only time to explore freely.

"Looking at this city and its people, it doesn't seem like it's ruled by an evil Emperor at all. Everyone looks genuinely happy. And the streets are well-maintained—honestly, they're in better condition than those in the Holy Light Empire's capital," one Hero commented after observing the surroundings with his unique ability, Hawk Eyes.

"Indeed. It looks more like a peaceful kingdom to me…" another Hero murmured, nodding with a smile.

"I agree. I wonder why the Emperor would choose to imprison the Holy Son…" Kael added with a thoughtful expression, watching the cheerful citizens go about their day.

"That's because they hate us—the Holy Church."

The voice came suddenly from behind them. Archbishop Gregor had appeared, wearing a sour expression and sneering as he glared at the citizens.

To him, these people were nothing more than filth beneath his feet. He felt disgusted just being among them. Sadly, the Heroes had yet to realize this darker side of him.

"Let's move. We don't want to draw more attention than we already have," Archbishop Gregor snapped, cutting off any reply from the Heroes.

Left with no choice, the Heroes followed him toward the Imperial Palace. Their goal: to demand the release of the Holy Son.

But even as they walked, the Heroes couldn't shake their hesitation. They hadn't had the chance to explore the city like they'd planned, nor to enjoy the things that had excited them moments ago.

Instead, they were being dragged along—following orders from the Archbishop, who saw the mission not with curiosity or empathy, but with disdain.

"I can't believe this is happening right now…" Ayumi mumbled under her breath, feeling more like a slave than a Hero.

The other Heroes shared the same sentiment. Despite their titles, they were being treated like servants. The Imperial Family had ordered them to train daily without rest, and now this man from the Church was bossing them around as if they were beneath him.

—

Meanwhile, Minister Vesta hurried toward the Imperial Palace with urgency in his steps, having just received news of the Heroes and Archbishop Gregor's arrival in the Imperial City.

"That old goat has finally arrived… Just as His Highness predicted. Things are about to get chaotic," he muttered grimly, marching through the grand palace gates.

Without delay, he headed straight for the throne hall, where the Imperial Family was gathered to address ongoing issues within the Empire.

As he reached the large golden doors of the throne hall, Minister Vesta looked at the guards with a firm expression and spoke authoritatively, "Open the doors. I have an urgent matter to report."

The guards, sensing the gravity of the situation, immediately complied and opened the massive doors, allowing him to step inside.

The moment Minister Vesta entered, Emperor Philip raised an eyebrow at the urgency on the minister's face. He immediately sensed that something serious had occurred.

"Minister Vesta, what happened? Why do you look so tense?" Empress Selena asked, concern evident in her beautiful features.

"Your Highness, I bring urgent news. The Heroes and Archbishop Gregor have just entered the city in their extravagant carriages," Minister Vesta reported quickly, dabbing the sweat off his forehead with a cloth.

He continued without pause, "And even as we speak, they're making their way here. They'll arrive at the palace at any moment."

"What?! They're already in the city?! That's… quite a surprise!" Empress Selena gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Emperor Philip's expression also tightened in response to the news. Their arrival was too sudden. They weren't expected to arrive so quickly—it threw off all their calculations.

"They shouldn't have been able to arrive this quickly. How did they manage something so impossible? Very suspicious," Emperor Philip muttered, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Perhaps I know the reason, Your Highness," Minister Vesta spoke up, his expression solemn as he looked between Emperor Philip and Empress Selena.

"According to the Imperial Magic Knights, the carriage they were riding in was quite unusual. It hovered a few inches above the ground and had a complicated design—unlike anything we've seen before."

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"I see… I never expected the Holy Church to possess such advanced magical engineering, especially before us," Emperor Philip murmured, already analyzing the implications of this development.

Such technology could be used in warfare to deploy large numbers of troops swiftly—so quickly that an army might arrive before anyone even realized what had happened. A single surprise deployment could turn the tide of battle.

The Holy Church was becoming more powerful and dangerous by the day, and that was deeply troubling for the rest of the continent.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Philip turned to Minister Vesta. "Have you informed my Big Sister about this?"

"No, Your Highness. I haven't yet," Minister Vesta replied.

"I see…" Emperor Philip sighed. "Send someone to inform her immediately. She should be here by the time the Heroes and Archbishop Gregor arrive."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

Without delay, Minister Vesta penned a letter and dispatched an Imperial Knight to deliver it to Valeria's mansion as quickly as possible.

—

"Your Highness, Minister Vesta sent me to deliver this letter to you."

An Imperial Magic Knight handed the sealed letter to Valeria upon arrival, then quickly departed after completing his task.

Once the knight had left, Valeria returned to the living room and sat beside Yuan before opening the letter and reading its contents.

"I see… The Heroes and Archbishop Gregor have arrived in the city and are currently heading to the Imperial Palace. Things are about to get interesting," Valeria said with a wide grin on her face.

"Should we head to the palace now?" Lily asked with a curious look on her face as she turned to Valeria.

"I say we head to the Imperial Palace immediately. I want to see those so-called Heroes myself—and maybe ask a few questions about their world," Yuan said with a smile, unable to hide his excitement.

'I also want to meet the otherworlders. I wonder what they look like, since they were summoned by the Holy Church and the Holy Light Empire,' Valeria thought, a curious smile spreading across her face as she looked at Yuan.

"Then it's settled. We'll head out at once and try to reach there before the Heroes and Archbishop Gregor," Emma said with a cheerful smile as she stood up.

Yuan nodded, then turned to Miss Zara and Little Zoe. "Are you two coming with us to the palace?"

"We won't be tagging along this time. We're going to cultivate while you're gone," Miss Zara replied gently.

"That's right! Mom and I want to become stronger so we can help you in the future," Little Zoe said with a determined look. Her words made Miss Zara blush slightly.

"I see… If that's what you want to do, that's fine," Yuan said with a smile before he left the mansion with his wives, flying toward the Imperial Palace.

—

Meanwhile, Archbishop Gregor and the Heroes had arrived at the Imperial Palace and were stepping out of their carriages.

The Heroes were visibly awestruck as they took in the grandeur of the palace before them. Its stunning beauty and intricate architecture immediately caught their attention—it far outshone the palace of the Holy Light Empire.

"It's massive! This palace is incredible!"

"Indeed. It's much bigger than the Imperial Palace of the Holy Light Empire—and even more beautiful."

Their whispers quickly filled the outer area of the palace, drawing surprised looks and hushed admiration among themselves.

However, Archbishop Gregor grew visibly irritated by their remarks, his expression souring as he overheard their praises for the palace of the Lionheart Empire. Their awe and comparisons to their homeland did not sit well with him.

'These fools… What have I gotten myself into? Are they on my side or the enemy's?' Archbishop Gregor muttered inwardly, fuming with anger as he marched forward.

"Follow me. We're about to have an audience with the Emperor now," he said coldly before heading into the palace with a stormy expression on his face.

They were then escorted by two Imperial Magic Knights through the grand halls of the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense and awkward for both the Heroes and Archbishop Gregor.

When they finally arrived before the throne hall, the two Imperial Magic Knights stepped forward and pushed open the massive doors, revealing the magnificent Throne Hall where the Imperial Family awaited them.

The Heroes looked at one another in confusion, unsure whether to step forward or wait. None of them had ever faced royalty from another empire before—especially not an enemy one.

"Let's enter."

Suddenly, Archbishop Gregor moved ahead, stepping boldly into the Throne Hall with a look of annoyance on his face, as though he were about to confront his greatest adversary.