Chapter Forty-Two: Journey to the Royal Capital

Chapter Forty-Two: Journey to the Royal Capital

Seeing that Shen Ce was about to leave, Shui Linglong idly fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist. As Shen Ce stood, he made no attempt to avoid Xylos, who was standing nearby, but instead gave Shui Linglong instructions on managing the Treasure Pavilion. Shui Linglong listened attentively, her expression growing increasingly serious.

When he finished, Shen Ce left the Treasure Pavilion with Xylos. Xylos glanced up at the three characters of “Treasure Pavilion” hanging from the eaves and asked softly, “So this place is yours?”

“Not entirely,” Shen Ce replied, a hint of doubt in his eyes as he looked at Xylos. “It belongs to both me and Shui Linglong—the woman you just met.” Then he asked, “By the way, how did you know I was here?”

A faint smile played at the corners of Xylos’s mouth. “Zero, did you forget I have an ability to teleport to your side at any time?” Unfortunately, it could only be used once a day.

Only then did Shen Ce recall that he and Xylos were still in a partner relationship. Perhaps because he had just come to terms with it, Shen Ce no longer dwelled on Xylos’s earlier behavior.

Soon, the two of them arrived at the teleportation array in Lingshui City that would take them to the royal capital. Since joining “Heaven’s Dominion,” Shen Ce had only used a teleportation array once, as the system required it for the first transition from the novice village to the main city.

Afterwards, he never used it again due to the exorbitant fee. The distances between main cities were simply too vast to cover in a short time, so Shen Ce and Xylos chose this method of travel only when necessary.

They both stepped onto the hexagram array. Immediately, a system prompt chimed in Shen Ce’s ear: “You are about to teleport to the royal capital. This will cost 500 gold coins. Do you wish to proceed?”

“Yes,” Shen Ce intoned silently.

In the blink of an eye, a blinding surge of light engulfed both Shen Ce and Xylos. Shen Ce sensed an overwhelming flow of magical elements swirling around him, and he couldn’t help but wonder to himself—if all this power were his to command, just how devastating would his skills become?

While Shen Ce’s thoughts drifted, he and Xylos materialized out of thin air on the bustling streets of the royal capital. The avenues were wide and bright, lined with a variety of trees and flowers. The streets teemed with both players and NPCs, creating a lively and vibrant scene.

Shen Ce looked up and immediately saw a cluster of towering white buildings soaring into the clouds at the city’s heart. Bathed in sunlight, they glittered with a radiance that made them the most striking landmarks in all the city.

Because of these iconic structures, the royal capital was also known as the City of Dawn. Not only did the central district house the Temple of Light, but the royal library that Shen Ce and Xylos planned to infiltrate was located there as well.

“Let’s go,” Xylos said in a low voice, glancing at the place Shen Ce had been staring at.

Shen Ce nodded, and the two of them headed to the recruitment site. The interview process proved to be much simpler than Shen Ce had expected; they only needed to state their names and places of residence to the examiner. It was said that the authenticity of each candidate’s information would be verified, for after all, they were to meet the Queen of the Elves. If anyone with malicious intent slipped through, it would bring untold disgrace upon the human race.

Shen Ce and Xylos entered together. The examiner immediately began questioning them in Elvish. The initial questions were casual, and Shen Ce dispatched them in a few brief replies. As the interview progressed, the questions became increasingly complex and obscure. Shen Ce, standing behind, could not understand a single syllable, but Xylos answered each one in flawless Elvish, his tone steady and unhurried throughout.

The examiner grew visibly more astonished, his blue eyes widening to their limit. Shen Ce assumed he was about to pose an insidious question to stump Xylos, but instead the examiner exclaimed in the human tongue, “You actually know the most ancient form of Elvish?!”

“I picked it up by chance,” Xylos replied calmly, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Still in shock, the examiner took a deep breath. “Very well, it’s settled. Get ready—Her Majesty the Elven Queen will arrive in two days. Just don’t disgrace our people.”

Xylos shot a glance at Shen Ce, who immediately stepped forward in understanding. Xylos turned to the examiner and said coolly, “This is my friend. If I am to go, he must accompany me.”

The examiner hesitated, clearly conflicted; only two people could be selected for this audience with the Elven Queen. From this interview, it was clear Shen Ce’s Elvish was barely passable, while another candidate had performed decently—though still a far cry from Xylos’s mastery.

“If he doesn’t go, neither will I,” Xylos said quietly, leaving no room for negotiation.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, the examiner felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the young man before him. Coughing twice to cover his discomfort, he relented, “Very well, I’ll have arrangements made for both of you.” The examiner was certain that, even if more candidates came, none would surpass Xylos’s command of Elvish. If so, he might as well compromise.

Shen Ce and Xylos were assigned quarters in the royal guesthouse, which would also serve as the Elven Queen’s residence during her stay. The difference was that, as hosts, they were relegated to a corner room, while the Queen would occupy the most luxurious suite.

For the next two days, Shen Ce and Xylos dined in the grand hall, which was vast and resplendent, with a dozen ornate crystal chandeliers casting shimmering light over gold and silver tableware. Since the meals here were meant for nobility, they were not only delicious but also exquisitely presented.

Shen Ce suddenly understood why some people were willing to spend real money in “Heaven’s Dominion” for these ephemeral pleasures: the grandeur was unmatched, and the flavors surpassed anything in reality.

On the third day, the Elven Queen finally arrived. The entire royal capital seemed deserted as both players and NPCs turned out to catch a glimpse of her—after all, the elves were known as the most beautiful race in the game, and as their queen, she was surely breathtaking beyond compare.

In no time, the main avenue was densely packed on both sides. As official hosts, Shen Ce and Xylos were spared the ordeal of being jostled by the crowd. They simply stood at the city gate, silently awaiting the Queen’s arrival.

A palanquin approached from outside the city, carried by four elves—two men and two women, all strikingly beautiful. Behind them followed a long procession, though they kept a respectful distance of nearly a meter from the palanquin.

Amid the crowd’s eager gazes, a slender, jade-like hand slowly emerged from behind a gauzy veil, coming to rest gracefully outside the carriage.

Pale as snow, delicate as porcelain—though it was just a hand, it was enough to ignite endless imagination. At last, its owner lifted the curtain. In the brief two or three seconds that followed, the entire crowd caught a glimpse of her face.

In that instant, all sound faded. Every eye was fixed on the Elven Queen within the palanquin—a visage alive with spirit and allure, regal yet untouchable, stunningly beautiful but not overwhelming, the very image of a dream that everyone might long for.

“It’s a pity she’s just an NPC, or I’d go after her myself,” Shen Ce overheard a male player say nearby. The man, who had been laughing a moment before, now looked dejected, clearly disappointed.

“Maybe she’s actually played by a real person?” his companion teased. “Even if not, it wouldn’t hurt to try your luck.”

“Even if she is, who in reality could be so beautiful?”

Xylos glanced casually at the two chatting players, then asked Shen Ce as if in passing, “Zero, what do you think about falling in love with an NPC?”

“A waste of energy,” Shen Ce replied, thinking Xylos referred to the Elven Queen. He offered a cool, detached assessment.

Author’s Note: This chapter is a bit short as I have exams coming up. I’ll do my best to keep updating, but once the driving test on the 19th is over, things should improve. Special thanks to Silent Night for the support! I’ll keep working hard, and by the time you come back, this story should be complete—it’s not a long one.