Looking around, Torin was impressed with the details of the interior however the next set of words threw him off. "Please follow me, Prince Torin." It was from their guide to which Leopold gave a slight nod.
As Leopold made his way in, Torin was taken elsewhere. He managed to take in the landscape of the palace. "It's very interesting with this scene." The guide took in the praise.
"Well it is expected for Sablestone. The androids are up to code, fit for Queen Sevyn." Torin was baffled with the word he used. "Android?" The guide opened another door to which led outside and in front of him, other people could be seen.
But he knew that their identities weren't simple. "Androids. They portray somewhat human like attributes and appearances but can operate without sustenance, only requiring mana."
"Please feel welcome." The guide finished off before taking his leave. In the room he was in, some of the faces that he saw expressed amazement, others passivity and some interest.
It was an indoor garden that was well attended and to the far, he could see human like beings move about but couldn't sense anything off them. 'So those must be the androids.' He concluded as he took in the scenery.
"Prince Torin, to think that we would have the chance to meet you." A voice rang and looking at the source, it was a fellow human. He could however not tell his background.
"It most certainly is a pleasure but I don't think that we have met." He returned as he gauged his acquaintance. He was the same height as him, a tame and docile air around him however that didn't make him drop his guard around him.
Deep blue eyes which clashed well with his his grey ash hair. As for his tier, he felt a wall preventing him from probing any further. Given he too had a similar artifact on him.
"My apologies. My name is Deyair, Prince of Briarvale." Torin was aware of Briarvale and their proficiency in trade.
They lacked a strong military as a standpoint but that could be easily covered up with mercenaries not to mention thanks to the trade, acquiring information from other kingdoms made the other kingdoms hesitant of advancing.
Torin gave a light smile as his head tried to understand why Deyair would take the initiative. 'Does he seek to become an ally of my kingdom?' The relationship between his kingdom and theirs was lukewarm at best if not neutral.
The other princes and princesses chatted away as some of them admired the place. "To think that there would be a time where we would all meet." Deyair added further which elicited a small chuckle from Torin.
"And the grounds are unbelievable. To think that Queen Sevyn had ties with the demonic queen." Deyair gave a simple smile as the two made their way to a seat. An android came up to them and gave them drinks before scurrying off.
"Such silent and loyal beings. They would make a great trade asset given Sablestone would be willing to put them on the table." He spoke with a hint of amusement and intrigue.
"It's quite obvious that that bitch had some help from those two." Another voice was thrown into the fray which attracted their attention. The source was a contrast to the message delivered. A lady, beautiful no doubt with her charm able to encapsulate any man.
Her white and snowy dress draping elegantly complimenting her fairy and delicate skin. Her ashen eyes which was well presented with her short grey pallet hair that reached just below her scapula.
Her name was Jevona from Galespire. A Kingdom which was located on the high mountains to the north however that region was barely explored. Given that there was to go, they hadn't gone that far out due to a number of reasons.
Galespire didn't have the resources to carry out an expedition to the snowy alps nor the hands for it. Not to mention given the harsh climate of the snow, it made it almost impossible to recover any resources in both fauna and flora.
"I'm so sorry for my sister's rude outburst." Another voice followed and the source, a man who had ashen white hair and pale eyes, similar to Jenova intervened. "You must be the prodigy twins of Galespire , Jenova and Kaleb."
Torin could only marvel at Deyair's intelligence. 'Having such an alliance would no doubt be beneficial but given that he took the initiative, it's clear that he wants something from me, maybe resources for manpower.'
The premise of the heirs interacting with each other was a common occurrence with their parents actually pushing them to interact and rake in as much help and support that they could.
It was a skill they would exhibit and further solidify their skills not only when it came to recruitment and alliances but also status quo with their neighbors.
Torin knew that he needed the resources and intel Briarvale had. He knew that such a relationship with such an outcome would need to take time and he was ready for that as along the way, both sides could profit from knew another.
"It's completely understandable that she got help from those two. But why your hostility towards the pair?" Torin posed as the room had now slumped in terms of conversation, their interest at Jenova.
"Sevyn didn't even try to get the throne but rather it was handed to her in a silver platter. Not to mention the advantage she got along with it. Nothing about it was earned not to mention she has relations with demons."
"The very scourge of these lands and she has contacts with their leader. I don't even understand why they would all come here and talk to the very same person they are going to launch a war with a couple of months from now."
Her frustration was evident in her tone and her points valid. Torin glanced at her before shifting to Kaleb. "What do you think?" Kaleb replied calmly. "Despite what my sister brought up, I do think that most of them are purely acting out of fear to say the least with some having motives of their own."
Most of them fell silent before a shadow covered the glass dome of the garden house and looking up, a strange piece of metal could be seen hover above them and landing not that far away from where they were.
'What is that?' Deyair posed in his mind, similar to those around him as he glanced at the airship. It wasn't that huge but given the standards of this world, it was a completely new concept to witness it. And out of it, they could see two humane bodies walk out.
Despite the distance, they were able to close it with enhancing their vision with mana and get a good look at the pair before retracting their gazes. "So that's the two?! They're about the same age as us if not a little older." Jenova pointed out as she made her way out of the dome.
To which Kaleb followed after her making the rest wonder whether they should follow. Most of them decided to stay. There was no reason to make trouble given how big the day was. "It would seem that Jenova is a little short on temper and composure."
A light chuckle escaped Deyair's lips. "It would seem so." Torin responded as the two continued to wait in the garden dome.
...
'I can't believe that Sevyn isn't here?! Isn't she supposed to be the host. Also where is the demonic queen?' Such thoughts ran through Leopold's mind. 'As for this seating arrangement, does she hold me to such little regard?'
He was sour with where he was positioned. One of the farthest from the main seat which he noted that there were two. It meant that the farther away one was, the less regard in terms of power one was considered by the one hosting them.
And he, Leopold, the only tier seven king was positioned the furthest away meant that Sevyn treated his presence like air. Looking around, he noticed three empty seats meaning that there were three rulers absent but he couldn't point out who they were.
*Boom*
"Please, Queen Sevyn." Looking at the door, the host of the event made her appearance. Her figure truly a sight to behold as a majestic and charming air floating around her. Her royal purple hair and eyes moving in her darkly purple dress however much to the surprise of many, she sat on the right side of the main seat.
'Wouldn't that mean...' Along with a few other kings, Leopold concluded that the rumored pair would be their host. "Please welcome your hosts of this meeting. Their majesties Andrew and Ashley." All eyes were fixated on the door.
And just like clockwork, two figures could be seen walk into the room and take their respective seats onto the two main seats. 'These are the two pair that I've heard so much about?'
At first Leopold was skeptical of the two. Given that they seemed to be slightly above his son's age. Andrew rose to his seat, his clothing matching the aesthetic of the time period despite Ashley bothering him to fit into something more modern.
His golden dark robes were no doubt eye catching which was well accentuated with Ashley's taste of red. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. The kings and queens of these lands." A small smile on his face as he took in the shock of those around him.
'There's nothing weird or off about him. Is he a regular human or is there something more than meets the eye?' A quick probe and he could sense almost nothing strange about them. They came off as mortals which both surprised and shocked him.
When a person had an artifact to mask ones tier, it would feel like crashing into a wall that refused to let them proceed but for these two, it felt like scanning regular humans.
"It would seem that we still have two guests that have yet to arrive." He mused as he sunk back to his seat. To his left was an empty seat which was reserved for the demonic queen, opposite to Sevyn and the other was the queen of Quillara and the last adjacent to Sevyn.
'Hedon...' Andrew mused as he looked at the empty seat the farthest away from him. Knowing where she was, he decided to let it slide given that she was 'occupied' with her guest.
"Queen Sevyn, may I ask what your affiliations are with the demonic queen?" A question flew threw the air aimed at Sevyn. It was from the king of Briarvale. "I measly act on the accords of my lords." Was his response.
"Excuse me and I apologize for being incorrect but isn't the demonic queen supposed to be here?" A voice reigned through the air from one of the kings and as if on cue, the door opened once more.
Unlike before, there wasn't an announcement and the figure of a lady came into view. Her face was masked with a light red veil as the air around her was dead calm but the one looked into it, the more dangerous one felt.
Helped with one of the androids, she took a seat opposite Sevyn which made the air fall into a tense and awkward situation. The demonic queen sat casually among the audience in front of her.
The elven Queen had yet to make her appearance however Andrew wasn't planning on waiting for her implicating that he didn't care that much about her.
"As all of you are aware about the crack, it's only going to get worse with Sablestone the first to bear the brunt of it all thus-"
"Excuse me Andrew but I have a question. Were you the reason behind Miragestia? Given how it was able to fall into silence in a blink of an eye." Leopold mused as he had a look of contempt on his face. Andrew simply looked at him.
"Yes I was. And now it belongs to Sablestone as the new capital. Do you have a problem?" Not just Leopold but the rest of the leaders were shocked. They were privy of how Miragestia became a no go zone seemingly overnight with the possibility of demons running amuck.
But with his confirmation, this complicated the entire premise.