There was no red carpet, no flower petals dancing through the sky, no spirited court band in gleaming uniforms and armor, not even any heavyweight ministers to receive them. Lin Qi's delegation, the envoys representing the Gallic Empire and the Dawn Temple, simply entered the imperial capital of the Great Flame Dynasty under the watch of a large force of Great Flame cavalry and the worried gazes of countless Flame City citizens.
After washing up briefly at their lodging and resting for a little over two hours, court attendants of the Great Flame Dynasty came to invite Lin Qi and his party to a palace banquet. What surprised Lin Qi was that every one of the court attendants sent to invite them was a eunuch.
Apart from the ancient nations of the Eastern Continent, none of the powers, great or small, on the other continents had a habit of employing castrated servants. Yet the Great Flame Dynasty used eunuchs within its court; moreover, the newly enthroned Empress had a name steeped in Eastern flavor, and Great Flame Dynasty was itself a typically Eastern Continent name. All of this gave Lin Qi countless thoughts.
Dressed immaculately, with the Dawn Temple's saint emblem hanging from his chest, two high-ranking Gallic Empire ribbons pinned on, and a small saint-artifact-grade decorative shortsword at his waist, Lin Qi strode proudly behind Alda.
Compared with Lin Qi's plain, understated attire, Alda, the Dragon Mountain Count, still adhered to his flamboyant butterfly ways.
Dark green silk leggings, a brilliant red gold-threaded shirt and vest, a scarlet cloak draped over them, pale yellow boots of spotted golden-eyed leopard hide with golden rings beneath his feet, and a half-foot-wide fine gold belt around his waist, set with no fewer than one hundred and eight blood-red diamonds the size of