I alone am the Honoured One!-Chapter 860: Sylmeria Arianwen Everglade

Inside the elven vessel, the hum of energy pulsed gently beneath their feet.

Soft blue light from the runic panels illuminated the cabin, casting a tranquil glow over everything.

Xia Shenyi, sitting beside him, shifted slightly before standing up.

Without a word, she turned and lowered herself onto his lap, her long hair cascading over his shoulders.

A faint smile curved her lips as she wrapped her arm around his neck.

Smiling softly, he hugged her waist, pulling her even closer to him "Shenyi..."

She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Freya, sitting across from them, let out a quiet laugh "You two… You'll make the guards blush before we even arrive."

Xia Shenyi gave her a sideways glance, "Then they'll just have to look away, won't they?"

Freya shook her head helplessly, a faint smile playing at her lips as she turned her gaze toward the viewport.

Beyond the glass, the silver clouds of the Elven Star parted slowly, revealing the shimmering capital below.

Zhao Tian tightened his arm around Xia Shenyi's waist and his expression softened as he looked outside. "I really like your star…"

Freya nodded her head "Welcome to Everglade Citadel, our home and the heart of the Elven Star."

The vessel began to slow, descending through layers of mist that sparkled with ambient yin energy.

When it touched down on a landing platform surrounded by lush foliage and gleaming marble, the doors opened with a soft hiss.

Freya stood up "We've arrived. Stay close to me, some of the guards may not be used to… your kind of company."

Zhao Tian stood, still holding Xia Shenyi's hand.

As they stepped out into the courtyard, the warm scent of blooming spirit-flowers greeted them, and a faint, melodic wind carried through the air.

...

The gentle hum of the vessel faded behind them as Freya led the way across the glimmering causeway that bridged the landing platform and the citadel.

Zhao Tian's eyes swept across the scenery... spires of white entwined with vines, glowing pools where lotus-like lights floated, and elven guards surrounding the place.

At the end of the bridge, two tall doors stood waiting, etched with luminous glyphs.

The moment Freya approached, the runes stirred and the massive gates opened soundlessly.

Inside, the Royal Hall stretched wide and high, bathed in an ethereal glow.

Columns of white crystal rose to meet an arched ceiling.

And at the far end, there was a throne made of white crystal and the one who is sitting there was Queen of the Elven Star.

Sylmeria Arianwen Everglade.

Her silver-blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her emerald eyes carried both warmth and tenderness of a mature woman.

As the three approached, Freya dropped to one knee and bowed deeply. "Mother, I have returned from the Outer Sectors."

The Queen's gaze softened slightly as she looked at her daughter "Welcome home, my child. I felt the barrier stir... so it was you who crossed it."

"Yes," Freya said as she stood up "I brought guests."

Sylmeria's eyes drifted toward Zhao Tian and Xia Shenyi.

A white glint passed through her eyes, and in the next instant, her pupils shrank in horror.

HUH? WHAT?

She hurriedly stood up and stumbled forward "Am... I dreaming? How is this..."

Looking at her mother's face, Freya smiled faintly "I knew with your physique, you can see through Zhao Tian's Honoured One's physique."

Slymeria's gaze trembled looking at the young man standing in front of her "... You really are the Honoured One."

Xia Shenyi also looked at Sylmeria in amusement 'Hmm, we both have the same physique, the 'Astral Constellation Physique' which lets you see through other people's physiques.'

Sylmeria stopped in front of Zhao Tian and her gaze was locked on his eyes.

For a long moment, she didn't speak.

Then, with trembling fingers, the Queen reached out as though to touch his face... but stopped halfway, her hand hovering in the air, afraid that he might vanish like a dream if she truly touched him.

Sylmeria's breath trembled faintly and her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

For a heartbeat, her regal poise dissolved, and beneath the crown, there was just a woman stunned by something she had never thought she would witness in her lifetime.

Her lips parted as if to whisper something, but then abruptly, she sank to her knees.

The sound of her silken robes brushing the crystalline floor echoed through the throne hall and Freya's eyes widened slightly.

"Mother-!" Freya began, but Sylmeria silenced her with a raised hand.

"This…" The Queen's voice trembled as she bowed her head low. "…This feels unreal. For centuries, our ancestors have waited for this moment. The next Honoured One, standing before us once more…"

"I am truly glad that it was during my generation, the Honoured One has finally stepped onto this land."

She lowered her forehead until it nearly touched the floor. "To witness this in my lifetime... truly, the heavens have been kind to me."

Zhao Tian stared at her quietly and his expression softened.

A soft sigh left his lips as he stepped forward and knelt slightly, his hands reaching out to gently grasp her shoulders "You don't have to kneel before me. I'm no god, nor am I your ancestor. Please, stand."

Sylmeria's breath hitched at the warmth of his touch as she looked up at him. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

But she slowly shook her head. "No… this is not worship... it is duty. A Queen kneels not for herself, but for her people. The Honoured One is not merely a being… Our laws, our cycles, our harmony, they were shaped by your first incarnation. If I do not show respect, I fail the very roots of my lineage."

Zhao Tian could sense her sincerity and he exhaled softly, "Then consider your duty fulfilled. I've no desire to see a Queen on her knees before me."

Slowly, she lifted her head, meeting his eyes, and a small smile graced her lips.

Freya, watching silently from the side, let out a faint exhale she hadn't realized she was holding.

Then Sylmeria stood up gracefully, "Freya. Bring the other guest to the Lunar Atrium. Let the attendants prepare her quarters. As for the Honoured One…"

Her gaze returned to Zhao Tian, "…I will speak with him privately. There are things he must see... truths that must be revealed before anything else."

Freya blinked, caught off guard "Privately…?"

"Yes. I know what he must witness first. They are his inheritance, whether he wishes it or not."

Freya's lips parted, but then she sighed softly and nodded "Understood, Mother."

She turned to Xia Shenyi, "Come with me."

Xia Shenyi glanced at Zhao Tian, and he just gave her a faint nod and a reassuring smile. "Go ahead. I'll be fine."

"…You'd better," she murmured under her breath before following Freya out of the chamber.

The great crystal doors closed behind them with a soft hum, leaving only Zhao Tian and the Queen in the vast hall.

Sylmeria turned gracefully as she began to walk toward the great arched corridor behind the throne "Follow me, Honoured One."

"This star was built upon your legacy. It is time you saw the truth that even we barely understand."

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I hope you guys liked this chapter!