The Queen's Procession

Without warning, Luther found that everything around him had suddenly become pale and monotonous.

It was like stepping into a black and white photograph, where color suddenly vanished. On the dance floor, gentlemen and ladies continued to dance; in a corner of the hall, the band continued their immersive performance; the food on the long table remained exquisitely arranged...

However, everything lost its vitality, as if stripped of its original form, merely continuing its original actions out of habit. Even the Dixi Roast Meat in his mouth had no flavor, as bland as air.

What happened?

We've been pulled into a strange place?

Luther thought to himself. But he soon realized that others besides him had also noticed something was wrong. One of the musicians in the band was still playing, but he looked uneasy; a waiter carrying a tray of drinks, Audrey in the noble group, the guards behind the prince and princess, and even Sophia in the main seat... their emotions were all slightly fluctuating.

Those who are extraordinary can detect anomalies...

"Buzz-"

Just then, an illusory door formed in the center of the dance floor and slowly opened.

"Cecilia, don't look! Look down and pretend nothing happened!"

A sense of danger pierced Luther's brow like a needle, and he shouted to his sister in a suppressed voice.

"Crunch!"

The girl obediently did as she was told. Just as she looked away, the invisible door opened completely, and someone rushed out.

He was a handsome man, but he looked rather disheveled. His sharp, high-class suit was now tattered, and his neatly combed hair was a mess. He practically stumbled into the hall, as if being chased by something terrifying.

Perhaps due to a minor injury, the man's body uncontrollably exuded a terrifying aura.

An ineffable sense of Order and chaos coexisted around him.

The melodious music continued, and most people went about their business as before, ignoring the person who had suddenly appeared.

"Hehe."

The handsome man looked up and around, then gave a wry smile after realizing where he was.

He straightened his posture and bowed slightly to the Royal Family members at the head of the table. Although the two princes were pale and empty, completely unaware of his presence, his movements remained proper and graceful, without any faults.

Such a powerful aura...

Luther peered into the shadows, his Shepherd's instincts screaming a warning that the other was Lamb he could not control.

After bowing, the handsome man was about to say something, but his expression suddenly changed, and he pointed to the air beside him.

"Crunch-"

An invisible gate emerged once more, opening inward to reveal a phantom-like, transparent world within, shimmering with a clear and bright light. The handsome man rushed through the gate without looking back, his figure vanishing swiftly into the illusion. The gate closed behind him, disappearing without a trace.

Is he being chased by something?

Luther thought to himself.

Who could possibly chase such a powerful figure so relentlessly...?

The next moment, his doubts were answered.

"Cross, listen..."

Joyful music, accompanied by lively drumbeats, rose from somewhere. A troop of toy soldiers dressed in red uniforms appeared out of thin air, marching in unison. They were the same size as normal people, holding Firearm with gleaming, sharp bayonets.

What the heck is this?!

Just as a similar thought popped into Luther's mind, he saw more and more strange beings appear one after another.

Little Mermaid, singing merrily as she floats in the air; a donkey carrying an old dog, an old cat, and a rooster; a large ginger cat wearing boots; Wolf walking upright in a red hat... These strange creatures, seemingly straight out of a fairy tale, emerge one after another from the void, forming a peculiar procession.

Yellow paving stones appeared beneath the feet of the parade participants. Stepping on the yellow stones, accompanied by cheerful music and drumbeats, they chased after the direction the handsome man had just left in. The Yellow Brick Road stretched into the void, and they disappeared into nothingness along with it.

In a pale and empty world, these strange beings imbue everything with a dreamlike quality.

Countless fairytale creatures surrounded a pumpkin-made carriage, protecting it at its very center. Through the carriage window, Luther could vaguely see the beautiful profile of a woman; her black boots extended from the front of the carriage, resting on the footboard.

It's that Queen!

Isn't she investigating MI9?

So, that handsome man who just ran away is probably also connected to MI9.

So that's how it is. She instructed the members of the party to create chaos throughout Backlund, actually to lure out the real power MI9... But Queen, you're being far too audacious...

Moreover, these things gave Luther a strong sense of déjà vu, like certain characters from his fairy tale books in his previous life.

Before Luther could figure it out, the grand procession swept through the hall and disappeared completely.

A few seconds later, the atmosphere changed, as if invisible glass had shattered, and everything regained its color. The music became clearer, and people's expressions became vibrant.

They returned to the real world.

Everyone was busy with their own things, completely unaware of what had just happened, except for a few extraordinary individuals who showed a slight sense of relief.

Fortunately, these important figures were just passing through and were not affected by the fighting.

"It's alright, it has nothing to do with us."

Luther breathed a sigh of relief, then whispered to his sister, "Don't act strangely; it wouldn't be good if others noticed."

He could remind his sister, but no one could remind the red-haired girl above. The princess of Feysac looked rather pale, as if she had been frightened by what had just happened.

"Your Highness Sophia, what's wrong?"

The eldest prince, noticing the other's unusual behavior, asked with concern.

"Sorry, the air in the ballroom is a little stuffy."

Sophia quickly recovered and responded with a flawless smile.

"Indeed, it's a bit noisy here."

Third Prince Edessak nodded.

"Your Highness, there is Lounge in the back..."

"Your Highness Princess Sophia, you may take your guards to the Garden for some fresh air..."

The nobles who had gathered around spoke up, saying they hadn't noticed what had happened earlier.

What is that...?

Among the nobles, Audrey tried her best to conceal her emotional fluctuations and continued to communicate with several members of the Royal Family as usual. She did not make a fuss, but maintained her etiquette until the exchange with the Royal Family ended, and then returned to the hall below to meet with Luther and others.

What just happened?

Audrey asked in a low voice.

She seemed more curious than afraid.

"It's just a contest between two important figures."

Luther's voice came from the shadows, "Don't worry."

He sensed that the two had been quite restrained just now, perhaps because they were both wary of drawing attention and not wanting to attract the attention of other forces.