38 Recognition

Chapter 40: 38

Although a princess, Qiyana's skin was still the common brown of the Ixialians, but it was finer and smoother than that of ordinary commoners and nobles.

A head of silver-white long hair curled naturally, casually draped behind her head, and on her forehead sat a noble crown of gold and green. Her limbs were slender, and though her height was not outstanding, her pear-shaped figure was astonishingly perfect.

Her waist was slender, and her hips and legs were as full as sweet peaches bursting with juice. Her upper body and calves were well-proportioned and strong, with clear signs of training.

To gain recognition, Qiyana racked her brains trying to prove herself. Whether through magic or combat.

And the result?

Setting aside the meaningless formalities and simplifying the deliberately complex statements, before Qiyana, her request to her Father King to preside over the Elemental Festival ritual was once again rejected.

She felt a deep sense of unwillingness.

The so-called Elemental Festival was just a shorthand. In reality, it was the annual maintenance and restart of the Concealment Spell that protected the entire Ixialia.

A massive Concealment Spell covered the whole country of Ixialia--

This Concealment Spell, covering a quarter of the landmass of the eastern Shurima continent, would be dismissed as a fantasy or some unrealistic ravings by people outside.

Because it surpassed people's understanding of magic.

Or perhaps, since the Rune Wars, there hadn't been such a large, national-level magical spell.

But the fact was, this spell did exist and had protected Ixialia for thousands of years.

From the rise of the first Sun Disc, to the death of the Ascended Empress Zerathka in the Void, to the revival of the Shurima Empire, the destruction of the Shurima Empire, the Dark Descendant Wars, the ruin of Fuguang Island, the Rune Wars, and so on...

This Concealment Spell, which had become one with the land, mountains, and forests of Ixialia, was, in terms of craftsmanship alone, something that other mages in Runeterra could only kneel and cry out "invincible" to.

Because this spell had become a part of this world.

Therefore, the Ixialians were grateful for the protection of the Concealment Spell, and its annual maintenance and restart had become the grandest ritual and festival for all of Ixialia.

In the past, the ritual hosts were Qiyana's sisters. This time was no exception.

As the youngest child of the ruling family, Qiyana knew from a very, very young age that she would never inherit the central tower of Yuentar.

She would never be as good as her sisters.

Until she discovered her extraordinary talent in Elemental Magic.

I'm not untalented, I'm not mediocre, I'm not inferior to anyone!

Realizing this, she could no longer bear this long period of neglect. She also wanted to gain the recognition of the people, the scholars, and her parents.

Even just once, why won't you give me a single chance to show myself?!

A pair of slender hands landed on either side of the desk. Looking at her Father King's arrangements in the appointment, Qiyana could feel that her request and desire had once again been ignored.

One responsible for applauding, celebrating, cheering, and showing the public that the royal family lived in harmony and joy – a "spectator."

Was it ignored?

No... it wasn't ignored.

They never even looked at me... no one.

As her emotions shifted, the dense magic in the surrounding air formed various elements. Growling winds, condensing frost, protruding rocks, growing vines...

The restless elements indicated Qiyana's extraordinary nature, but in the end, Qiyana fell silent.

This wasn't the first time she had felt anger, felt powerlessness. But Ixialia was like this; the old system was bloated and immense, and Qiyana felt only an unspeakable pressure.

A moment later, Qiyana raised her head and said calmly, "Servant, any latest news."

Hearing Qiyana's words, a servant cautiously stepped out from the side and presented the information he had previously gathered to Qiyana:

"The Sage of the Earth, the former Elder of Yuentar, Master Lupe, has submitted an application to your sister, Lady Mara, requesting to travel to Yishuaoken to present a tribute for the Elemental Festival."

Upon hearing this, Qiyana narrowed her eyes, took the paper from the servant, and looked at the information on it. A hint of disdain flashed across her delicate face:

"As expected of my most useless sister. Faced with an application from an Elemental Master, she actually only sent a Road Protector to dismiss him perfunctorily. It's no wonder Master Lupe decided to travel himself, not even willing to share a moment of glory with her provincial town that has no future."

Facing Qiyana's words, the servant beside her just stood there awkwardly.

Calling a large prefecture, which was considered quite significant in Ixialia, a small town, and evaluating a noble Yuenale as "useless"...

"What is the tribute?"

"...I don't know." The servant said timidly, "The application only stated it was 'noble,' but didn't specify what it was."

The servant was a little uneasy. Because no matter from which angle one looked at it, Qiyana's behavior was completely different from the traditional ideals of Ixialia. At least, the servant dared not express any opinion on the affairs of the Yuenales.

Sensing the servant's timidity, Qiyana didn't pay much attention – she had long accepted the lack of understanding from others, even her own family.

Thinking this, she shook her head and said, "Bring me my Oretal, don't even fail at this."

"Yes, Your Highness." The servant fled as if escaping. A moment later, several people carried a heavy, giant Ring Blade, about a meter in diameter, with a back edge nearly a palm thick, forged entirely from elemental minerals, to the door.

She placed her slender hand on the giant Ring Blade. The Ring Blade, which originally had a steel luster, instantly displayed colorful geometric patterns the moment Qiyana's palm landed on it.

Heavy earth, cold ice, vibrant wood, gentle water... Unlike in games, as an undisputed master of Elemental Magic, Qiyana had mastered almost all attributes of Elemental Magic.

To be precise, it was all known Yuan Chu Axioms.

Considering the intricate nature of Yuan Chu Axioms, Qiyana was less an Elemental Master and more a master of problem-solving.

Ixialia's prodigies were truly dangerous individuals, and Qiyana was practically a god-level scholar when it came to the Yuan Chu Axiom.

"Organize Master Lupe's route. I need it by the time I leave Yishuaoken."

As she spoke, Qiyana held her Ring Blade.

The incredibly heavy, massive Ring Blade felt light as a feather in Qiyana's hands, as if tamed by a gentle breeze. But even an Element Apprentice could tell this was no mere application of the Wind Axiom.

"Before I return to Yishuaoken, let me see what Master Lupe's tribute truly is!"

A strange light flickered in Qiyana's eyes. Lupe, exiled yet demanding to return to Yishuaoken to present a tribute—Lupe's actions gave Qiyana an intriguing scent.

Qiyana was a woman of action. Once she'd decided on her course, she didn't hesitate. She immediately left Yishuaoken with her attendants, heading towards the path Yuan Chen and his group would take to reach Yishuaoken.

No one in the vast city of Yishuaoken noticed Qiyana's departure. The few who did know, like Qiyana's parents, King Yuen, the controller of Yishuaoken's central spire, even breathed a sigh of relief.

In their eyes, the departure of their unruly youngest daughter was a good thing. At least she wouldn't cause trouble during the solemn preparations for the Elemental Festival.

Lupe's village was located on the southern coastal frontier of Ixialia, bordering the perilous Miasma Jungle. By area, Ixialia wasn't very large, about half the size of Demacia.

In fact, aside from climate, even the terrain was quite similar—both were countries surrounded by mountains, making them strategically defensible.

However, if we discount Concealment Spells, Demacia would likely have stronger defenses—its Inhibitor Golems made mages want to bash their heads against the ground with their magical defense capabilities.

But on the open battlefield... Ixialia was practically a nation of mages.

The protective range of the Inhibitor Golems was negligible compared to the entire battlefield. Moreover, Ixialia's mages didn't just hurl fireballs and water cannons like those in the outside world.

Take Qiyana, for example—her Ring Blade, with an inner diameter of one meter and a back edge a palm's width thick, could easily sever a giant tree with a single throw.

On the path leading to Yishuaoken, Qiyana waited for about two days. Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, Qiyana spotted Yuan Chen's convoy.

The convoy was long. The entire village had loaded their packed Golds and Silvers onto the wagons pulled by Meat-toothed Beasts. Due to the sheer quantity, the villagers had also hastily constructed many sturdy wooden carts, pulled by Pack Beasts.

At a glance, on the relatively wide road, Yuan Chen's convoy stretched for hundreds of meters. Traveling on the road, viewed from high above, it looked like a writhing black giant python. At the very front of the convoy was a group of well-equipped Road Protectors.

The largest wagon was over thirty meters long, covered with thick waterproof canvas. Yet, even so, Qiyana could feel the almost solidified, condensed magical energy emanating from it.

Qiyana recognized these Road Protectors—they were troops belonging to her Royal Sister, Ninth Ailai, Mara.

Upon seeing these Road Protectors, Qiyana realized that Lupe's "noble tribute" might not have been mere exaggeration.

This made Qiyana curious: just how "noble" was this tribute that those offended Yuentar people were so fiercely protecting it?

Otherwise, her Royal Sister wouldn't have immediately dispatched Road Protectors to escort the convoy, clear the path, and protect the villagers after being offended.

A dozen or so Road Protectors were positioned at the front and sides of the convoy. They wielded Ring Blades, constantly clearing the road to facilitate the convoy's passage. Meanwhile, two Road Protectors moved through the woodland, occasionally letting out whistles to drive away nearby Beasts.

An ordinary person seeing this scene would surely move to the side of the road and wait for the convoy to pass before continuing. But Qiyana didn't care; she simply walked towards the convoy.

The Road Protectors at the very front of the caravan spotted the stranger and their eyes filled with vigilance. Raising a hand, they signaled the caravan behind to halt.

But as they drew closer—or rather, as they saw Qiyana's crown and quickly realized who stood before them. Before they could even bow, Qiyana stopped them.

"Continue your mission. Don't mind me."

Hearing this, the Road Protectors looked troubled. According to the instructions from the Tiklas Yuentars, they were to protect this top-secret tribute and Master Lupe's family to Yishuaoken at all costs.

And now, facing an order from a Yuenale...

Noticing the difficulty on the Road Protector's face, Qiyana frowned. "This isn't Tiklas. Do you think I would harm Ixialia's interests? Or do you think, as a fellow Yuenale, my orders aren't important?"

Upon hearing Qiyana's words, the Road Protector finally nodded with a difficult expression. But just as he was about to obey Qiyana's command, Mordas's voice came from the covered wagon behind:

"What happened? Why did the caravan suddenly stop?"

The Road Protector leader froze at the question. He looked up at Qiyana before him, then turned and said:

"Nothing! We encountered a Beast. It's been driven off, and we'll be on our way again shortly."

As he spoke, the Road Protector stepped aside, gesturing for Qiyana to decide whether to stay or visit.

Qiyana merely snorted in response and lowered the comically oversized wheel blade in her hand.

The next moment, a cool breeze enveloped Qiyana entirely. Even the Road Protectors momentarily lost focus, as if Qiyana, standing before them, had suddenly vanished, leaving only an afterimage.

But they quickly recovered. Qiyana had used the wind to conceal her presence. Yet, such exquisite concealment still made the Road Protectors inwardly marvel—as expected of a Yuenale.

Even the lowest-ranking Yuenale.

Qiyana walked towards the largest covered wagon, a connected structure thirty meters long, filled with many covered wagons—

She wanted to see what kind of noble tribute had prompted her Tiklas Yuentars to send so many Road Protectors to assist in its transport, putting aside past grievances.

But as she passed Lupe's carriage, the conversation within reached her ears.

Lupe was the one asking the question. Looking at Yuan Chen, Lupe asked with confusion, "Why aren't we heading to Tiklas? With such a noble tribute and achievement, the Yuentars there would surely provide more assistance."

"It's pointless," Yuan Chen calmly shook his head. "Ninth Ailai Mara is too cowardly. Aside from her bloodline, she can't convince the Yuentars in any other aspect."

"What about Qiyana?"

"She can."

To Qiyana, Yuan Chen was a stranger she had never met or heard of.

But undoubtedly, this was the first time Qiyana had received recognition from another person.