Chapter 4005: Ernas Parade (Part 2)

After returning to the Starry Lagoon village, Friya made a quick call to the Royal Palace to announce her arrival before setting the Warp Gate’s coordinates to the city of Valeron.

Once the dimensional tunnel opened, Friya shoved Drenya on the other side and handed the prisoner to the Royal Guards waiting for them.

"The Solivar case is old, but there’s no statute of limitations for high treason." Captain Tharn handed Friya a receipt and gave her the salute. "The Kingdom praises you, Great Mage Ernas. Bringing your own mother to justice mustn’t have been easy for you."

"It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done." Friya did her best to appear heartbroken. "Please, Captain, bring my regards to the King and Queen and let them know that I consider no sacrifice too big for our beloved country."

"I will!" Tharn snapped to attention and saluted her until she returned the gesture and walked back through the Gate.

"With a bit of luck, Captain Tharn bought my act." Friya said after going to her parents’ room and sharing the events following her departure from the Starry Lagoon village with them.

"I’m proud of you, pumpkin, but I don’t see it either." Orion poured her daughter a cup of honeyed tea.

"You don’t see what?" Friya accepted it with both hands.

"The point in saving Drenya just to hand her to the Royals." Orion replied. "If you wanted vengeance, you could have killed her yourself. If you wanted to rescue her, your actions make no sense."

Jirni turned to look at him, frowning, but she said nothing. She was too proud of her daughter to ruin Friya’s moment with nagging.

"Of course, my actions make sense, Dad." Friya blinked several times in confusion. "By personally bringing back a runaway deserter to the Griffon Kingdom, I’ve earned lots of merits for the Ernas family.

"By arresting Drenya in the name of the Royals, I made them look good because it shows that time and borders are no shield for traitors. Giving up my own birth mother sends a powerful signal to all those plotting against the Crown.

"They can’t trust anyone, even their own blood, because loyalty to the Kingdom may trump all. My act may even inspire other heirs of corrupt nobles to expose their parents and save the Royals countless headaches.

"I captured Drenya because I wanted to relieve Gunyin of part of his burden and buy you and Mom a bit more time, Dad. Now all your enemies in the Royal Court will have to shut up for a while since the Ernas have once again proven their valor."

"Good gods, you’re all your mother, pumpkin." Orion nodded in approval. "I’m proud of you."

"Speaking of which, yeah, she is." Nalrond said, drawing many gazes on himself. "Friya resembled Jirni so much after shapeshifting that I’m still creeped out."

"That’s not a nice thing to say to your soon-to-be mother-in-law." Jirni furrowed her brow.

"I was not creepy!" Friya said.

"Let them judge." Nalrond shrugged. "I dare you."

"Challenge accepted." Friya’s hair turned wheat blonde and her eyes sky-blue. "See? I’m not-"

The sound of many cups and teaspoons clinking against the ground cut her short.

"Whoa, that’s creepy." Orion said. "You look like a taller, younger Jirni."

"I don’t look like-" Friya conjured an ice mirror that shattered on the ground as well. "Gods, I do!"

"Mama!" Dripha confirmed, making Jirni’s blood pressure rise.

***

"Be honest, guys. Do I resemble my mother that much?" Friya asked after leaving her parents and assembling her friends in her room.

"No, you’re much hotter." Nalrond hugged her from behind, making her giggle.

"Actually..." Morok was about to comment when Quylla stomped his foot. "Yes."

"Does Auntie Friya have a fever?" Aran asked in confusion. "Why isn’t anyone healing her?"

"Not that kind of hot, Aran. You’ll understand it when you grow up." Lith cleared his throat. "Just say what you think."

"Blonde hair looks good on you, Auntie Friya." The young boy said. "Yet I prefer your natural color."

"Seconded." Leria nodded. "We already have too many blonde beauties in the family. There is me, my mother, Auntie Solus, Grandma Ripha, and Auntie Jirni. We need a bit more color."

"Thanks, sweetie." Friya chuckled, reverting to her original appearance.

"Speaking of beauties, where is Auntie Tista?" Leria asked, noticing her absence.

***

Ernas Region, Ernas Household, at the same time.

’Isn’t this a bad moment to work on your defensive array system?’ Tista asked via a mind link as Orion gave her an extensive tour of the park surrounding the mansion.

’Quite the contrary.’ He replied. ’With the sun nearing its zenith, we have all the cover we need. Even if the Gernoff are still surveilling the Household, they won’t see anything for a few minutes.’

The Ernas Mansion was surrounded by a long, uninterrupted, tall wall entirely comprised of white magic crystals. It was Valeron the First’s present to one of the four founding pillars of the Kingdom, and it had kept the Ernas safe for generations.

The few openings in the walls formed wide arches that ensured a connection between the two sides of the access gates, and were patrolled by armed elite guards at all hours.

Both sunlight and moonlight reflecting on the crystal wall generated flashes of elemental colors that blinded regular and mystical sight alike. At noon, when the sun hit the crystal wall evenly from above, a phenomenon known as the Ernas Parade took place.

The six elemental colors erupted from every one of the countless facets on the white crystals, generating a prismatic dome that surrounded the entire mansion. It lasted only for a few minutes and had no permanent effect, so most people considered it a colorful token of the First King’s appreciation.

A way to celebrate the Ernas family every day and remind the other noble families of the Griffon Kingdom that the descendants of Juria would always be first among equals.

Most people were wrong.

During the Ernas Parade, there was no way to spy on the mansion, and the amount of elemental energy emitted by the crystal wall jammed even the most sensitive energy-detecting device.

’By the way, thank you for your cooperation, Tista.’ Orion said. ’Without your help, this would take much longer, and the risk of being exposed would be much higher.’

’Don’t mention it.’ Tista replied as she exploited a flash of light from the walls to drop one of her feathers unnoticed.

The plume retained its size and mass, soon disappearing below the soft ground of the park.

’I must say, the defensive system of your family is truly ingenious.’

’It’s one of the perks of being part of a household as old as the Kingdom itself and established by the First King.’ Orion replied, bringing the tour to an end and his guest back to the main building.

To anyone observing them, Tista and Orion had made small talk the whole time. The real conversation took place via a tendril of Spirit Magic that connected their feet.

It was invisible to the naked eye, and the powerful magical formations running across every centimeter of the estate eclipsed the tendril like a sun does a candle.

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