The Extra's Rise-Chapter 496: Lumiaren City (2)

Dawn came too quickly, painting Mount Hua’s peaks in hues of gold and amber. I found Seraphina already gone from my chambers when I woke, the only evidence of her presence a faint scent of jasmine lingering on the pillow beside mine.

The courtyard buzzed with activity by the time I arrived. Twenty disciples stood in perfect formation, each wearing the distinctive pale blue robes of Mount Hua with silver cloud patterns at the hems.

Three elders stood at the head of the formation: Elder Lin with her trademark silver hairpins that doubled as throwing weapons; Elder Zhao, whose seemingly frail appearance belied his mastery of the Mount Hua Sword Technique; and Elder Wei, a taciturn man with a perpetual frown who specialized in barrier formations.

Li stood with them, issuing final instructions. His eyes flicked to me briefly, the smallest nod acknowledging my presence.

Seraphina appeared last, and the entire courtyard seemed to still. She had transformed overnight from the vulnerable woman in my chambers to the Princess of Mount Hua in full regalia.

Her armor gleamed silver and blue, the Mount Hua crest emblazoned across her breastplate. Her hair was intricately braided with silver threads and small sapphires that matched her eyes. A half-elven circlet—her mother’s, I knew—rested on her brow.

’She cleans up nicely,’ Luna admitted. ’Even I’m impressed.’

It was the first time in a long time that Luna spoke, and it was an ordinary comment.

Evolvis hung at my side, the ancient-grade artifact sword I got from Eva Lopez. Seraphina’s own sword, Moonfall, was equally legendary—an heirloom passed down through her mother’s line for generations.

"Disciples of Mount Hua," Li announced, his voice carrying across the courtyard without effort. "Today you embark on a mission of great significance. Lumiaren awaits its rightful guardians. You will serve under Princess Seraphina and Arthur, and you will bring honor to Mount Hua through your conduct."

The disciples bowed as one. "We serve Mount Hua with our lives," they intoned.

"The transport awaits," Li concluded, gesturing toward the landing platform where three sleek airships bearing the Mount Hua insignia hovered, their engines emitting the soft hum of advanced mana technology.

As we boarded the lead airship, I positioned myself at Seraphina’s side—not too close to raise eyebrows, but close enough that she would know I was there.

"Ready?" I asked quietly as the engines increased their pitch, preparing for departure.

Seraphina’s eyes met mine briefly. "As I’ll ever be."

’How romantic,’ Luna commented dryly. ’You two really should write poetry.’

The journey to Lumiaren would take most of the day. The airships cut through the sky at impressive speeds, but the Eastern Province was vast, and Lumiaren lay near its heart, nestled in the embrace of the Azure Mountains.

Elder Lin approached us midway through the journey, her movements graceful despite the occasional turbulence.

"Princess," she said, bowing slightly to Seraphina. "I helped govern this city. It will be a profound honor to see it restored to its former glory under your command."

Seraphina inclined her head. "Your experience will be invaluable, Elder Lin. I would appreciate any insights you might have about the city’s defensive needs."

"Of course." Elder Lin’s eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, studied Seraphina for a moment.

As Elder Lin moved away to confer with the other elders, Seraphina turned to the viewing window, watching the landscape unfold beneath us.

It was mid-afternoon when one of the disciples called out, "Lumiaren, approaching from the east!"

We moved to the forward viewing port, and there it was—rising from the mountainside like a dream carved in stone.

Seraphina had described it, but words hadn’t done it justice. Lumiaren was built on seven massive terraces cut into the mountain itself, each terrace flowing into the next in a cascading display of architectural harmony.

The buildings were constructed from a rare pale stone that seemed to capture and hold the light, giving the entire city a soft luminescence even in broad daylight. Hanging gardens draped from every level, creating vertical waterfalls of greenery and colorful blooms.

At the base of the mountain, a crescent-shaped lake reflected the city above, its surface dotted with floating platforms that I assumed were the floating gardens Seraphina had mentioned.

"It’s as beautiful as you described," I murmured.

"More," Seraphina whispered. "They’ve already begun restoration."

She was right. Even from a distance, I could see scaffolding on some buildings, and workers moved about like tiny ants across the terraces. The vampire occupation had clearly left its mark—some structures showed signs of damage, and one entire section of the third terrace appeared to be under major reconstruction.

The airships descended toward a large landing platform on the highest terrace. As we drew closer, I could make out a welcoming party assembled there—soldiers in their distinctive red and gold uniforms, local officials in traditional attire, and at the front, a tall figure whose posture virtually radiated self-importance.

"Sun," Seraphina said, her voice so low I barely caught it.

The airships docked with practiced precision, and the ramps extended. Protocol dictated that the elders would disembark first, followed by Seraphina as the ranking Mount Hua representative, then myself, and finally the disciples.

Elder Wei turned to us. "Princess, it would be appropriate for you to lead the procession."

Seraphina nodded, squaring her shoulders almost imperceptibly. "Thank you, Elder Wei."

She stepped onto the ramp, sunlight catching the sapphires in her hair and the silver embellishments of her armor. I followed a respectful two paces behind, Evolvis at my side. The elders flanked us, with the disciples forming a perfect formation behind.

Sun Zenith stood at the center of the welcoming committee, and I had to admire his sense of presentation.

He wore armor that combined aesthetics with imperial military design—all gleaming white and gold, with an azure cape that billowed dramatically in the mountain breeze. His black hair was pulled back in a warrior’s tail, emphasizing the sharp angles of his features.

A golden circlet rested on his brow, similar enough to Seraphina’s to remind everyone of their connection, yet distinctly different to emphasize his separate lineage.

His smile was perfect, practiced, and didn’t reach his eyes.

"Sister," he called. "Lumiaren welcomes its princess home at last."

Seraphina inclined her head with precise formality. "Brother," she responded in kind. "Mount Hua thanks you for your service in reclaiming this sacred city."

They maintained a careful distance—close enough for courtesy, far enough to avoid any actual warmth.

’The temperature just dropped ten degrees,’ Luna observed. "Ah, family.’

"And Arthur," Sun said, his eyes sliding to me with the barest hint of calculation. "The prized disciple of Magnus Draykar. I hear your master continues to perform admirably on the frontlines. Your reputation grows alongside his."

I bowed just slightly—enough to be polite, not enough to suggest deference. "Sun Zenith. Your work here has been admirable."

His smile tightened at the corners. He hadn’t missed the lack of honorific or formal title.

"A tour of the city awaits," Sun announced, turning to include the entire Mount Hua delegation. "I’ve prepared detailed reports on the restoration efforts, security concerns, and administrative matters. After all, I would not want to leave my dear sister unprepared when I depart tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Seraphina’s voice betrayed nothing, but I knew her well enough to catch the faint note of surprise.

"Indeed," Sun replied, his smile widening. "Father has called me to fight in the frontlines and gain back more land we lost."

He gestured expansively at the city below. "But fear not, sister. I’ve left Lumiaren in excellent condition for you to... maintain."

’Did he just...? Oh, that’s rich,’ Luna said, disbelief painting her voice.

The emphasis on the final word was subtle but unmistakable—he was taking credit for the reclamation and restoration, positioning Seraphina as merely the caretaker of his accomplishment.

I felt a flicker of anger on her behalf, but Seraphina’s expression remained serene, unruffled.

"How thoughtful," she replied, her tone so perfectly balanced between gratitude and dismissal that I had to suppress a smile. "I look forward to building upon the foundation you’ve established, brother."

Something flashed in Sun’s eyes—irritation, perhaps, at her implication that his work was merely preliminary. But his diplomatic training held, and he simply inclined his head in acknowledgment.

"We’ll settle in and then begin the formal inspection," Seraphina stated, clearly drawing the initial encounter to a close.

Sun bowed, a touch too deeply to be entirely sincere. "Of course. My staff awaits your commands. I must attend to preparations for my own departure, but I’ll join you for the evening banquet."

His eyes flickered between Seraphina and me. "There’s so much to discuss about Lumiaren’s future."

As he turned away, his azure cape swirling dramatically, I caught the calculating glance he cast over his shoulder—measuring our reactions, assessing the dynamics between Seraphina and myself.

Seraphina stood perfectly still, watching her adoptive brother’s retreat. Only I noticed the subtle tightening of her fingers around Moonfall’s hilt, a gesture so slight it might have been unconscious.