Chapter 33 : War God Art
The Royal Palace is an immense and stunning architectural marvel, boasting countless residences that sprawl in every direction. It is truly a sight to behold. It is evident that the nobility who reside here have a keen eye for luxury and opulence.
The Palace features winding stone paths that are lined with what appears to be precious blue stones, creating a truly enchanting atmosphere.
Exotic and vibrant flowers adorn the sides of these paths, while ornate fountains and statues are scattered throughout the grounds.
The Palace also boasts expansive gardens, with a variety of trees bearing fruits and providing shade. Ponds filled with colorful fish add to the tranquil ambiance, and beautifully decorated pavilions offer a place for relaxation and contemplation.
The main hall stands as the grandest structure within the Palace, surrounded by other impressive buildings that only add to its splendor. In every corner, the Royal Palace exudes beauty and elegance.
Deep within the Royal Palace lies the Inner Palace, a place of unparalleled beauty and elegance compared to the outer Palace. This is where the main members of the Moonheart Family resided, and now it is home to Nexus and his three family members - Kassius, Sora, and Nyx.
Within the Inner Palace, a grand pavilion adorned with exquisite decorations stands in the center of a large pond filled with white lotuses and vibrant flowers. Colorful fishes can be seen leaping out of the water from time to time, adding to the serene atmosphere.
Inside the pavilion, two striking women are seated on elegant couches engaged in conversation. Upon closer inspection, one can discern a difference in age between the two - one more mature than the other.
These women are none other than Sora and Nyx, who have resided in the Inner Palace for three days now, following Nexus's successful elimination of the Nobles.
Despite their presence, few are aware of their existence within the Inner Palace. Nexus has been preoccupied with eradicating criminal elements from the Kingdom, hence his absence from their sight for the past three days.
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"Grandma Sora, what has His Highness been up to? I haven't seen him for a few days now," Nyx asked with a pout, looking bored.
Sora smiled and shook her head. "Nyx, you need to calm down. How many times have you asked about His Majesty? And you know that His Highness has just become the new King and is currently busy."
Nyx slumped on Sora's thighs, her face looking displeased. "But he has to visit us! We've been here for at least three days and he hasn't even come to look for us, hmph."
Sora giggled and ruffled Nyx's hair, her eyes gentle. "You mean he hasn't come to visit you, right? You miss His Highness, don't you?".
Nyx's big purple eyes darted around with a hint of shyness. "Who said I miss him, hmph," Nyx snorted, but the tips of her ears turned bright red.
"What are you ladies talking about?" Suddenly, a magnetic voice sounded from outside the Pavilion.
Sora and Nyx were stunned for a moment. Nyx immediately got up from lying on Sora's thigh and quickly stood up.
Sora also stood up, and both of them looked outside the Pavilion to see Nexus standing there with his hands behind his back and a faint smirk on his face.
"Your Majesty," Sora immediately bowed with her head lowered. Nyx's face turned bright red as she also lowered her head.
Nexus touched his nose, smiled, and walked into the Pavilion.
"So, what were you talking about? I thought I heard somebody saying I haven't been visiting them?" Nexus asked, casting a quick glance at Nyx.
Sora chuckled gently with her hands clasped in front of her and looked at Nyx. "Well, Your Majesty, it was Nyx who was upset that you haven't looked for her in the past few days ".
"Don't listen to Grandma Sora Your Highness ".Nyx quickly said, still with a red face.
Nexus laughed lightly, shook his head, and made his way to the edge of the Pavilion. He looked into the pond, watching colorful fishes leaping out from the water and splashing everywhere.
Turning around, he addressed Nyx and Sora. "Well, sorry for not checking in with you during these past few days. We just freed the Kingdom and its people from destruction, so I've been busy," Nexus said apologetically.
"Your Majesty, you don't have to apologize. Nyx was just being playful," Sora interjected.
"Yes, Your Highness, don't take my words too seriously. I was just bored," Nyx added quickly.
"Ok,how have you all been doing in the Palace during these past few days?" Nexus inquired.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Despite not being able to go out, we've been doing quite well," Sora reassured, with Nyx nodding in agreement beside her.
" Okay, that good to hear " Nexus chuckled and sat down on the couch, motioning for Sora to join him. "Grandma Sora, please have a seat. Nyx, come give me a massage. My neck is really stiff."
Sora nodded and smiled gently as Nyx blushed and began massaging Nexus's shoulders and neck. Nexus relaxed and let out a contented sigh.
After a while, as Nyx continued the massage, Sora asked, "Your Majesty, has everything been going well in the Kingdom?"
Nexus, still enjoying the massage, replied, "We've eliminated all criminal forces in the Kingdom, so it's now free from their grasp."
He sat up, signaling for Nyx to stop the massage, and Nyx sat down beside Sora.
Sighing heavily with a somber expression, Nexus continued, "Although we were able to liberate the Kingdom from the oppression of the Nobles and criminal forces, the foundation of the Kingdom is currently weak. We lack talented individuals to fill various positions, and our army is subpar with only mortal soldiers with no Cultivation base. The citizens are physically weak and unable to sustain high physical labor for extended periods. Additionally, we are facing a shortage of food."
Sora and Nyx's faces fell upon hearing Nexus's words. The internal problems of the Kingdom were daunting, and external threats loomed large due to the weakened state of the Kingdom caused by those greedy Nobles.
Nexus explained, "Currently, Grandpa Kassius is the only one with management experience, and he has been tirelessly working to keep things afloat. Unfortunately, he is the only one I can trust with certain tasks at the moment."
Sora and Nyx listened intently, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Nyx nervously asked Nexus, "Is there anything we can do to help, Your Highness?" Sora's eyes sparkled with determination as she awaited Nexus's response.
Nexus reassured them with a bright smile, "You don't need to worry. I can handle things." Nyx and Sora nodded, though Nyx's expression showed her desire to contribute in any way she could.
Nexus then turned to Nyx and said, "Actually, there is something you can do to help me." Nyx eagerly asked, "How can we assist you, Your Highness?"
"Okay, so here's the deal - I need you two to take care of the Royal Palace. Basically, it's all yours now,you can handle all the matters in the Palace. Can you handle that?" Nexus asked, looking serious as he addressed Sora and Nyx.
Both of them were surprised by the sudden responsibility.
"Yes, Your Majesty, we can take care of the Palace. But how exactly do you want us to do that?" Sora asked, looking puzzled.
Nexus nodded and explained, "All I need you two to do is recruit some maids and train them properly. The Palace is pretty empty right now, aside from a few guards. I want you to keep it clean and running smoothly. You both have experience with this kind of thing."
Back in the Blue Moon Kingdom, Sora and Nyx had been maids who took care of Nexus's personal belongings. Nexus believed they could handle training new maids for the Royal Palace.
After a moment of contemplation, Nyx looked Nexus in the eye and said confidently, "Your Highness, we can definitely handle this task, right Grandma Sora?"
Sora agreed, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, we can recruit and train maids. We've got this."
Nexus smiled in relief, giving them some instructions. "You can also hire some talented cooks and offer everyone a monthly salary of ten silver coins. Discuss the details amongst yourselves, and if you need money, just talk to Grandpa Kassius."
Looking at the setting sun, Nexus realized it was getting late. "Let's go rest up - we've got busy days ahead of us." With that, he left the Pavilion, followed by Sora and Nyx. The three of them cast long shadows as they disappeared into the Palace buildings.
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Moments later, Nexus appeared in front of a grand three-story building within the Royal Palace grounds. The building was expansive, boasting a large front yard, back yard, gardens filled with vibrant flowers, fountains, small hills, and a serene lake with an elegant bridge leading to the main hall. Encircling the building was a towering white wall, punctuated by a massive golden gate.
As Nexus pushed open the gate, he marveled at the vast expanse of the property, spanning thousands of square feet. Situated at the heart of the Royal Palace, this building served as the core of the entire Royal Palace.
Stepping inside, Nexus maintained a composed demeanor, though he couldn't help but compare the elegance of his current residence to the grandeur of the Blue Moon Kingdom Palace.
Crossing the bridge over the tranquil lake, Nexus entered the main hall, a smaller replica of the Royal Palace's grand chamber. Without hesitation, he ascended the stairs to the third floor, where his master bedroom awaited.
The room was adorned with opulent furnishings, including a plush bed, exquisite vases brimming with flowers, and comfortable couches. Additionally, the third floor housed a secluded Cultivation room where Nexus could focus undisturbed.
After a refreshing bath, Nexus settled onto the bed, closing his eyes as his consciousness drifted into the depths of the Origin Tower.
Nexus is currently on the second floor of the Origin Tower. Lately, he hasn't been coming into the Tower much, just chatting with Jade through telepathy.
The layout hasn't changed much, except now there are books of all sizes scattered everywhere.
Some are in piles, some are thrown around. Nexus looks around, speechless. He slaps his forehead and shakes his head in frustration.
"Jade, Jade, where are you? Come out now!" Nexus shouts, but gets no response. He walks along the bookshelves, calling out for Jade.
"Hey, hey, stop shouting, okay? I'm right here," suddenly Jade's childish voice sounds from above Nexus.
Nexus looks up to see Jade in her baggy dress and oversized glasses sitting on top of a bookshelf, engrossed in a huge black book. She swings her legs in the air.
"What are you doing up there? And what's all this about?" Nexus asks, puzzled.
Jade closes the book, jumps down, and pats her dress, fixing her glasses. She looks at Nexus proudly.
"I've been researching something, that's why it's a mess here," Jade explains.
"So, you're still looking into that? It's been two months, and you still haven't found what you're looking for? What exactly are you searching for anyway?" Nexus asks, rubbing his temples.
"I've been looking for information on the Heavenglow Continent. Ever since I heard the name, it feels familiar, but I can't remember why," Jade replies seriously.
"Nexus, have you found anything yet?" Nexus asked.
Jade nodded, "Yeah, I've found some pieces of information, but they're not important. I need to keep looking. I have a feeling I might discover something shocking."
"Okay, enough of that. Have you found what I asked you to find?" Nexus asked eagerly.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. Wait, let me bring it to you," Jade said as she slapped her forehead and dove into a pile of books on the side.
Nexus shook his head, thinking to himself, "This little girl is really something."
A few seconds later, Jade emerged from the pile of books, holding a book with a red and black cover. "Here it is," Jade said as she threw it to Nexus.
Nexus immediately caught the book and read the title written on it.
" War God Art ".