Chapter 297
Chapter 102: Double Silence
The Wing Emperor quickly regained his original grandeur and composure, shaking his head lightly with a gentle smile.
“It’s nothing, just some meaningless grumbling. By the way, since Edwina, you’ve come to the Sky City as a member of the Holy Empire’s divine lineage, why aren’t you with the Holy Kingdom’s envoy group, but instead traveling with the United Kingdom’s team?”
Aistini narrowed her eyes, half in inquiry and half in confirmation.
“Can I take it that the United Kingdom and the Holy Empire have intentions of mutual alliance, and it’s you, Edwina, who serves as the medium for this?”
“？？？”
Cold sweat instantly bead down the temples of the Holy Knight Miss.
The Wing Emperor truly lived up to his title; compared to this superior, who had lived for over three hundred years, Edwina was far too inexperienced in both knowledge and maturity. Even though she had grown since the beginning, she still couldn’t hold a candle to him.
Just a couple of sentences had already put the Holy Knight Miss in a tight spot.
After all, the decision to meet the Wing Emperor in this capacity was made by Edwina herself, and it was also true that she had been mingling with the United Kingdom’s envoy group from start to finish.
Most importantly, Edwina was unaware that the envoy group from the Holy Empire had already arrived at the Sky Island. As such, the significance of representing this identity was completely different now.
The stakes were high; even the thick-skinned Holy Knight Miss wouldn’t dare answer carelessly. Just as she was hurriedly trying to organize her words, Leila and Renée also anxiously wanted to say something when suddenly, hearty laughter erupted from the Wing Emperor’s throne.
“Hahahahaha! Alright, alright, just kidding! Don’t be so tense. Regarding your situation, Miss Fleidetrika, the leader from the Holy Empire’s envoy has already informed me. Traveling around, I did similar things when I was younger too~”
Upon hearing the Wing Emperor say this, Edwina finally let out a sigh of relief, but she quickly seemed to catch on, her face suddenly lighting up with surprise.
“Wait, this time it’s actually my sister leading the group personally?”
“Yes, she just arrived a few days ago, not much earlier than you. You can ask the person in charge from the United Kingdom later for the specifics.”
Having just mildly intimidated and taken revenge on the reckless Holy Knight Miss, Aistini turned her satisfied gaze toward the two sisters standing like obedient little children with their wings slightly drooping.
“You are Leila and Renée, correct?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, I am the elder sister, Leila Kurk.”
“I, I’m Renée Kurk, Your Majesty…”
Looking at the obviously somewhat tense Winged People sisters, Aistini’s smile softened a bit, and she adjusted her sitting posture, leaning toward the right armrest.
“Don’t be so tense; as fellow White Wings, we are all from the Kurk family. I’m just a bit older and have experienced a little more. In essence, we’re all just two-winged people, so relax, relax; I just want to have a chat with you.”
Seeming to sense the friendliness and kindness emanating from the Wing Emperor, coupled with Edwina timely giving them a gentle pat on the back, the pair of sisters, who were meeting a monarch for the first time, also loosened up a little.
“Yes, may I ask what Your Majesty would like to discuss?”
“Well… a lot, actually. First, your situation. Sigrid has already reported to me, and I’m glad that despite the circumstances, you both managed to survive and eventually returned to your homeland. However, there is one thing I don’t quite understand.”
Aistini gently stroked her smooth chin with her fingers, unceremoniously propping one long, fair leg from under her robe, her face displaying curiosity.
“How did you move up two tiers in just a few short years and witness a legend? According to the information retrieved from your kin, at the time of your disappearance, Leila Kurk and Renée Kurk should have only just reached adulthood, right?”
“……”
To think it would start with such sensitive content, the Wing Emperor really knew how to hit the key points.
The sisters showed difficulty on their faces.
The secret of their heritage was specifically instructed by Miss Vilyric to be kept under wraps, and even Edwina wasn’t entirely clear.
Not that there was any taboo surrounding it; on the contrary, if the secret of their lineage, tracing back to the original bloodlines of angels and divine beings, were to be made public, their value would soar far beyond being merely “two young legends.”
It was an opportunity to purify the entire clan’s bloodline and significantly elevate the overall strength of the Winged People.
Even now, the Wing Emperor had already summoned them the day after their arrival; it was hard to imagine what would happen if they were to expose even deeper secrets.
Especially since if too many people learned that their transformation stemmed from just one of Miss Vilyric’s spells, no matter how things unfolded, it would inevitably bring endless trouble to her.
So, they absolutely couldn’t reveal a single thing.
“Is that so… unwilling to speak, huh?”
The astute Wing Emperor Aistini, upon seeing the sisters’ expressions, already understood their stance and immediately showed regret.
“Sorry, Your Majesty…”
Though Leila quickly apologized in fear, Aistini didn’t force the two to speak. Instead, she just smiled and naturally switched the topic.
“It’s fine, I respect your privacy. Whenever you’re ready to share, you can tell me. Now, let’s talk about something else.”
“When that disaster struck, you two should have been participating in your coming-of-age trials, and most of the siblings who passed the trials would become part of the Free Wings, engaging in various aspects of national construction and combat. Since you both managed to return alive under such conditions and even witnessed a legend, I presume the trials no longer serve a purpose.”
In a rare display of seriousness, the Wing Emperor straightened her posture, extending her hand toward the sisters with the authority of a monarch.
“So, I want to ask, are you willing to join the Free Wings, to serve me, your clan, and the nation?”
“……”
Once again, silence.
The sisters exchanged glances, and they hesitated to respond.
The unsettling quiet and awkwardness persisted for quite some time, to the point where even the usually gentle Aistini couldn’t help but frown slightly. Standing behind her, the obviously high-ranking maid Xiao Mo openly reprimanded.
“Leila Kurk, Renée Kurk, why do you hesitate?! The Almighty Himself has personally invited you; how many in our clan yearn for such an honor?! Do you think witnessing a legend allows you to disregard His Majesty’s authority or to secretly blame your kin for not rescuing you in time? Understand, it wasn’t just…”
The Wing Emperor remained silent, simply waving her hand. Immediately, the front maid was cut off, her breath catching, as she closed her mouth indignantly, but her gaze towards the sisters had clearly shifted from gentle to slightly hostile.
“Alright, Mo, that’s enough. I said, the Free Wings are free; no one is forced to join or stay. You can regard it as an honor, but it has never been an obligation. Your thoughts are misguided; take a moment to reflect.”
“……Yes, sorry, Your Majesty.”
