Chapter 363: Intimidating Zeraphine

The sight of the Emperors and Empresses frightened Charm. The voice that brought her out of her depression caused her to witness a sight that no human being on planet Earth would live to see.

Twenty of the twenty-five descendants of the Everhiss family were walking and talking fondly to the masked old man.

The sight was very strange. None of the Everhiss family were even wearing their mask.

Charm watched in awe and was start struck at the scene. Although the Emperors and Empresses never make public appearances and would always wear masks, their faces, profiles, and pictures were mandatory subjects for all students worldwide.

With how chaotic the world was, Emperors and Empresses could be involved in wars. Several battles and skirmishes between nations were rumored to have involved Emperors and Empresses. It was also rumored that the more eccentric Emperors and Empresses would walk among the common public.

Because of these possibilities, everyone in the world was thought to memorize all existing and known Emperors and Empresses. Pictures of who they were have always been released by the WGP, and this has become part of the curriculum in all schools around the world.

Everyone thought that they could interact with an Emperor or Empress without knowing. A more fearful possibility is that common folk would insult these exalted Dynasties and bring trouble to a nation.

Despite being a pure descendant from the lineage of the WGP Emperors and Empresses, Charm of the Novelty-Blastoise was discarded as the Branch Family of the WGP. As the WGP has rules to limit the Emperors and Empresses each family posses, many other descendants would be assigned outside of the Arctic nations. Most became the soldiers and officers of various fleets of the WGP or assigned in Kranens, Atlantis's, the World Governing Trading Hub, or in the Worlds Helm.

As for Charm, she was a descendant that was assigned in Pangea. Though they have some benefits and secret access to the main family, the advantages weren't that great, which is how even a non-descendant family line like the Dalisay rose to power. Though Charm was of the bloodline, it has been imputed on them that they were mere spies in the respective countries they serve. They could be discarded.

This status of Charm invoked a certain fantasy that she had always dreamed of, knowing she is a direct descendant. 

Around the world, movies, TV series, and the like would circulate and use these Emperors and Empresses as important plot characters. The pictures of these Emperors and Empresses and even some videos would be released for the world to know who the Emperors and Empresses were and became source materials for these shows. After all, who wouldn't want to have a relationship with an Emperor and Empress?

The most daring one was the EAA's television show that was, at first, banned by the WGP. It was a love story between a woman and an Emperor who met in the middle of the battle during the fictional Continental War between the EAA and One China.

'Crash Landing on Emperor' became a hit sensation.

But, because of the illicit nature and daring presentation of how Emperors were, it was attacked by hordes of critics. Most shows before CLOE would create a fictional Emperor or Empress. But CLOE was the first to use the name and identity of a real Emperor. The simps of this Emperor hated how the show used his name and rallied.

The show was immediately canceled after showing on five episodes. But the reason wasn't because of the critics but because the real Emperor bought had secretly bought the rights of the show. The studio was relocated to the Arctic Nations and continued filming.

The show was suddenly announced in the WGP's streaming service, but no trailer was offered.

When the first episode re-aired, it was known as the Day of a Billion Screams. The fantasies of women all over the world reached a level of fanatic worship.

All scenes were reshot, and the real Emperor was playing the role of the Emperor. All with its adorable love scenes with the actress. The actress who played the woman later became the first, and to date, the only non-descendant of the WGP to become the wife of an Emperor.

When pictures of the two surfaced, and the actress was given the impossible chance of becoming one of the WGP, it drove the world to worship and make even more stories. All Emperors and Empresses have been featured in shows across the world in many ways because of this.

Although critics noted that the WGP used this as a tool to magnify their sainthood and create free propaganda that made the masses love them even more than their own country, these claims soon vanished. Those critics were persecuted, canceled, publicly beaten, and in some countries, killed.

Still, among the intellectual groups, such as the Royals of Pangea, the teachers would teach that the marriage of the Emperor and that common actress was allowed because it brought a massive increase in the approval rating of the WGP. This was also why it never happened again. 

Charm was someone who had loved the Emperor and Empress romance genre and watched countless shows. But she had an edge whenever she was watching these shows. She was a descendant.

And right in this very hall was the one Emperor she spent countless imaginary nights with.

Emperor Hercules Everhiss stood right next to this masked old man.

The pull of the voice that brought her out of her depression and heart-breaking fantasy brought her back to reality, and while the old man kept calling out to her, she never reacted.

"Charm? Charm?" Lara finally called out after the old man's several attempts.

Charm's dream was very strange. She fantasized about how Cliff was now locked in combat against this Emperor. Cliff was secretly an Emperor's descendant as well! And, for some reason, Cliff was a vampire that sparkled when placed in the light.

"Is she alright?" Emperor Hercules finally asked as he felt uncomfortable at how Charm was looking at him with a weird smile.

"Hrm... She's daydreaming. Oh boy. It must be that show you are on, Emperor Hercules. Tell me, young girl. Which Emperor do YOU fancy?" The old man teased Lara.

Lara turned red in embarrassment and finally slapped Charm.

SLAP!

"Emperors!" She shrieked once more as she awoke from her great shock.

"Oh? It looks like you're out of your depression already!" The old man laughed.

"Emperors. Empresses." Lara greeted as she pulled Charm to stand properly.

"Hello, young ones. Emperors... may I know who these two are?" The old man asked.

"These two are our guests from Pangea. They joined Harker's team to get here to trade with us. This one is Lara Diamon of the EAA, and that one is Charm Novelty-Blastoise. She is the winning head of the Novelty-Blastoise clan." Hercules said.

"You... know my name?" Charm was stunned.

"Don't say anything, Emperor. She may faint. Please move on ahead." The old man ordered.

Hercules shook his head and moved on.

Charm's gaze was glued on him.

"Intriguing. I have heard of the Diamon clan. To think they would be with Pangea! Aren't you of the EAA?" The old man turned to Lara and began to disperse the awkward air.

"I've established an alliance with Harker with hopes to know more about the Progenitor and fight the Lost Primordial." Lara answered. Although her answer was simple, it was designed to probe the old man.

"Youngsters these days... It's GENERAL Harker. Be more respectful to those in power. Especially as someone as prominent as the Light of Pangea."

Zeraphine was caught off guard. Of everything she just said, the old man focused on this? 

"Well, it's not that I don't blame you. You aren't from around here anyway. I guess your upbringing and real identity are hard to disregard." The old man laughed.

It was then that Zeraphine realized her mistake. She said Harker because regardless of who the Light of Pangea was, he was just an Earthling. The double meaning quip of the old man made Zeraphine realize that she just gave herself and her identity away.

"It's alright, young child. I do understand your scenario. I tend to forget and call these youngsters by their names and not by their Emperor or Empress titles." The old man chuckled.

"In any case, I have great respect for General Harker. It's what led me to nominate him to my father in the first place."

"Father?" Lara and Charm asked together.

"I am the son of the Progenitor." The old man answered calmly.

Lara was stunned at the Old Man's admission.

"You didn't know?" The old man looked at Lara, but he asked Zeraphine.

It was as if Zeraphine felt that a large monster was staring at her. Zeraphine felt so small and helpless at the giant that was standing in front of him. It was like Zeraphine was standing in front of a large dragon bearing its fangs to her.

"I... am not that close with the Progenitor." Lara reluctantly answered. Her heart began to beat so fast from the fear that she felt, but Zeraphine refused to show any weakness.

"That makes the two of us. In my hundred years of existence, I never really spent more than ten minutes with them. I don't even know which of them are my real parents." The old man sighed.

"I am Seeker's fiance. Are you related to Seeker?" Lara asked.

"Oh? Seeker swings that way?" The old man asked.

Somewhere in the sealed chambers of the Everhiss's Many Mansions, Seeker punched and roared as he heard Nogard's answer.

Lynd, who was still in the arena, had used Wind Whisperer, and with the help of Peals of Thunder, he sent a secret message to Nogard.

"Good job, Uncle Nogard!" Lynd approved.

Lara's expression grew dark as she heard these words. Her greatest fears were proving to be true.

"I'm just joking. Well... Partly joking. But Seeker may or may not be my relative. Why are you asking? Shouldn't you already know... Being Seeker's fiance, he should have told you." Nogard asked back.

"Things... aren't that simple."

"Then I have no business straightening out whatever it is you do or do not know." Nogard then turned to Charm.

"Now... What's curious is this little child over here. Your emotions... It's very, very intriguing. My soul can sense it from here."

Despite her best attempts to do so, Zeraphine trembled. Those words seemed very metaphorical, but Zeraphine knew that this old man didn't mean it in that way. She herself has felt the strange anomaly of Charm. The emotions she felt was so painful that it was mixed with deep anger, regret, and abysmally low self-esteem.

"Might I ask, what your problems are, young lady?" The Old man asked.

"Sir... The meeting... We are supposed to bring you to Emperor Phoenix." One of the Emperor explained.

"Yes... I know. It's about the Throne Wars. But I'd rather that this little girl will tag along. Since they are of General Harker's group, these two should be trusted?"

"One is a Programmed Slave..." An Emperor pointed at Lara.

"Oh? I doubt that." Nogard gave a mysterious smile.0

Lara avoided the gaze of Nogard. But her fear didn't stay with this old man. What she was thinking was how someone else has a technology that surpasses hers.

"This is insane! The Progenitor... isn't a Presider! I'm being toyed by a Principal!" Zeraphine cursed.