Chapter 423: Fox Lady

'Huh? Our arrival was awaited by the Empress, she said? How did this EMpress know we were coming to visit?' Elena wondered in her mind.

Elysia was also as clueless as Elena. They didn't know what was going on. And then, they decided to go with the flow because of this bunny girl.

"Sha, please, allow me to guide you toward Her Majesty Empress." The bunny girl's ears were twitching. She returned to face the distinguished guests and gave a polite hand gesture before she guided the way into the palace.

"Hum, excuse me, miss bunny girl. Can I ask you one thing?" Yuuki suddenly started a conversation as she couldn't stand the awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Hm, yes, I'll try to help you. Feel free to ask me." The bunny girl glanced back and slowed her pace a little.

"I don't understand. Our arrival was sudden and without any prior notice. However, why did Her Majesty Empress know that we were coming to see her?" Yuuki asked her confusion because it bothered her quite a bit.

"Hehe, that's because our Empress is a great and extraordinary one. For your information, Her Majesty Empress Luna Evroria has the ability to know what will happen in the future." The bunny girl clasped her hands with a beaming gaze. She wanted to show how much she admired the Empress.

"So, it's like clairvoyance or divination, huh..." Elysia muttered under her breath.

Rhea just nodded in agreement as she also thought so. But, she had significant doubts about the Empress's future divination abilities. She needed to confirm that firsthand.

'Wow, the ability to see the future! If that's true, we can ask this Empress to help us, Ely. However, is that true? There seems to be a downside to this ability.' Elena thought twice and considered the new information earlier.

'Why do you conclude that, Sister Elena. I actually feel this Empress is an individual who needs to be watched carefully if she can see the future. With that ability, ugh, well... That's hard to explain.' Elysia began to doubt the purpose of their arrival.

At first, they just wanted to share some vital information with a supreme ruler or anyone with the highest authority.

However, if the supreme ruler in question could see the future, wouldn't their arrival no longer be necessary? After all, the said future was already known to this Beastkin Empress.

'Let's see later, Ely. We will confirm that directly. If it's really as great as I imagined, then we'll need this Empress' ability to help us, hehe...' Elena rubbed her hands with a small laugh. She had a brilliant idea.

'Un. This crossed my mind. Apparently, this Empress doesn't know about our true identity, Sister Elena. She had no idea that the distinguished guests in question had two Goddesses in the group.' Elysia suddenly realized that.

'Judging from her attitude towards welcoming us, it seems, you are right, Ely. I'm sure, even if she is a great Empress or a divine being, she will still come directly to welcome us.' Elena nodded in understanding.

The bunny girl guided the distinguished guests to a magnificent bluish-white door on the north side of the palace. Then, she stopped and stood beside the door. "This is Her Majesty Empress chamber, please come in."

After saying that, the bunny girl knocked on the door three times. The door opened by itself, and the bunny girl entered first to guide the distinguished guests.

'Let's go in, Ely.' Elena reminded. She didn't know why Elysia was hesitating now.

'I can see, inside this chamber, there is some mist or something like that. Is it just perfume, incense, or something with some harmful effect?' Elysia didn't immediately enter the Empress chamber, and neither did the others.

Yuuki didn't even understand what was happening, but she just waited in silence.

'Hmm, it's okay, we'll put a subtle barrier around us if you're worried, Ely. That way, none of the scent or mist will affect us.' Elena suggested. A precaution was appropriate action to avoid any danger.

Elysia immediately put her thoughts and doubts aside. She erected a subtle barrier to protect her group before she and the others entered the Empress chamber.

*Bam*

The door suddenly closed by itself. Elysia frowned as she could see there was magical interference around the room.

It was an 81 square meter room with a traditional yet sacred theme. The lighting was relatively minimal there. However, the one that caught the most attention was the bamboo curtain that stretched to divide the room in two.

Maybe it was just a glimpse. Elysia and Elena opened their eyes wide to realize that the room resembled something typical of Earth.

'Are we in Japan? Nee, look at the floor. It even uses straw mat, err, tatami. I really feel this chamber and several other place in this city has some resemblance to a city in Japan. Perhaps, the ancestor of the beastkins was a human from Earth? A human who has a large harem of various species of beasts!? That was how the beastkins were born!?' Elena exclaimed in surprise. She was horrified to imagine what she had in mind.

'Shoo, shoo, please put your wild thoughts aside, Sister Elena. I'm also imagining inappropriate things because of you. If we recall it, Saint-level beast or above can also have their human form.' Elysia was affected by what Elena imagined in their shared senses.

'Oh, right? But, we don't know the details. We don't even know why the Beast Race hates their human form and is also hostile toward Beastkin Race. What's going on? Isn't that absurd? I wonder about that, what is the human form of the Beast Race like?' Elena stroked her chin and tried to imagine.

'We'll ask Theo and Leila to prove the truth, Sister Elena. But, please stop imagining strange things.' Elysia tried to stop Elena from imagining strange things as it was conveyed to her mind as well.

At that moment, the bunny girl knelt before the bamboo curtain. "I've picked up the distinguished guests, Her Majesty Empress, what's your next order?"

"That's enough, Yusagi. You can go. I would like to speak to the distinguished guests in private." An authoritative yet soft voice came from behind the bamboo curtain.

"As your wish, Her Majesty Empress." Yusagi gave a slight bow of respect and hurriedly left the chamber.

Now, only silence remained. Yuuki, Rhea, and the little beasts just stared at Elysia as if waiting for something.

"Good morning, distinguished guests. I was looking forward to your arrival. Why don't you come and enjoy this green tea with me? I was looking forward to having a chat with you." A voice that was gentler than before came from behind the bamboo curtain.

"Before that, please tell us. How much do you know about us?" Elysia didn't just obey. She didn't even understand why it was so quiet there.

"Hm? Ah, are you worried that I know more than what can be known?" Luna answered calmly.

"Your answer?" Elysia emphasized her request as she didn't want the topic of conversation to just change.

"Unfortunately though, I only know that some beautiful light will come to visit me at eleven o'clock. Would you mind talking to me here? I know you came for a reason, beautiful light."

Elysia had a short discussion with Rhea and Nell. Then, she asked Elena for advice on some decisions.

When the decision was made, Elysia walked closer to the bamboo curtain. Yuuki and the little beasts followed suit.

Elysia and Elena knew that the one behind the curtain was Empress Luna Evroria.

"Excuse me." Elysia took off her shoes and opened the curtain.

As she saw with her advanced perception, a bluish-white fox lady clad in traditional kimono-like clothes held a long smoking pipe. That lady exhaled a puff of bluish smoke, but strangely, it was not the ordinary one.

"Ara, you know quite a bit about beastkin's customs, even though you're not really a beastkin? I see... A human, an elf, a beastkin, and a bunch of beasts? Your group is indeed an unusual, distinguished guests. Please have a seat." Luna put her pipe and pointed her palm to the cushion seats on the other side of the table.

At that opportunity, Nell decided to come out of her invisibility state because she thought it was no longer necessary.

"Oh my, there's a fairy too? I'm surprised at how your group got along so well considering the hostility between races." Luna covered her mouth with a hint of surprise.

Elysia and her group went to the cushion seats. They sat down to imitate Luna's way of sitting in the seiza position.

"You already know that I'm a human, hmm? Your ability to see the future can be both dangerous and useful." Elysia gave a short compliment. She became a representative for Elena as well to investigate this bluish-white fox lady.

"Thank you for your compliment. That's what people often say about my family and me. And because of that, too, the Evroria Clan is highly respected but also feared. It's new for me to see you so casually in front of me.

Aren't you afraid your secret will be revealed to me?" Luna closed her blue eyes and smiled mysteriously.

"If it's exposed, then it's exposed. However, we need to take a precaution for you." Rhea responded flatly. She felt there was something odd about this bluish-white fox lady.

"You want silence me? Maa, I still want to live for a while longer. The future of this world, what is it like, mm? I want to see that." Luna opened her eyes again, but she glanced at Elysia's purplish-blue eyes.

"Mother?"