Immortal Kingdoms

The moment Lexus took to the stage with his large scroll, the crowd began to shift once again, each individual seeking their circle of connections properly. Around this time, Veronica joined with the royal children of House Sylvia, whilst the royal children of the other two ruling powers also joined up in their respective camps.

Behind these groups were the vassals of the seven kingdoms who supported each ruling house respectively, while a chosen minority stood to the side, taking a neutral stance.

Other than the groups of princes and vassal kingdoms, the lords of the remaining provinces also split up into five factions; some of them chose between the ruling powers and House Erudite, and the rest took a neutral stance.

Out of everyone present, only Leonardo stood there with Juvia by his side. Other than being alone, what drew everyone's attention was Juvia's identity as an elf. However, Leonardo didn't seem to mind at all, in fact, he waved his hand and summoned a crimson high throne from his spatial ring and sat upon its chair, Juvia climbing to stand behind him respectfully.

Lexus was about to open his mouth and speak when he saw this, his words were swallowed back into his throat from shock and anger. The gathering has yet to start but Leonardo placed himself in a higher position than everyone else, save for the Three Emperors.

It was like stating that he was below the emperors and above everyone else, declaring his position. Moreover, while everyone is supposed to be standing on a level of equal ground, he went ahead to sit on a personal throne.

Seeing that dumbfounded expression, Leonardo quite generously waved off his left hand, crossed his right leg over the left, and then rested his right cheek over his right hand's knuckles.

With a lazy smile, he seconded King Austin's command, "Don't look at me like that, you may already begin this meeting as this seat doesn't have all night to wait for you."

The gestures, tone, voice, and look in Leonardo's eyes as he didn't refer to himself with the appellation of a Prince but rather as an independent seat of power made Lexus' eyes turn red. However, Lexus didn't need to say anything for two reasons; first, it's useless, and second, other people who foolishly jump into a fire pit would do the talking instead.

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"How preposterous!"

"Young man, have a sense of propriety and behave yourself. You're a fledgling prince with little to no territory under your name, let alone any ancestral heritages. You're being way too disrespectful to the high crowns and their vassals."

"Get down here this instant, stop fooling around!"

"This is what happens when you indulge children too much, it gets to their heads."

"You can't say that- look at the royal children; reserved and humble. That's how it should be."

"I mean yeah, they have enjoyed imperial education since young, it only makes sense to be so."

Leonardo only met up with the pampered bunch of the royal children, as the more capable ones are delegated to their own regions to oversee its industrial and agricultural development while engaging in politics and border defense warfare. Hence, while the royal children Leonardo met back then could be considered a group of immature brats, this group is the fine elites that climbed their way through unseen struggles.

It could be seen from their comprehension and tacit understanding of the situation, calm disposition, and reserved saint aura.

Leonardo looked at the subordinates of the third-rate powers and their factions clamoring like dogs, but he wholeheartedly ignored them.

Young and old, wise and fool, ringleaders and yes men, all of them were ignored as he continued to lazily eye Lexus. As the ruckus grew louder and louder, things almost got out of hand, but Leonardo remained as nonchalant as ever, not planning to grace them with as much as a second glance, let alone a reply.

Lexus finally waved a hand and said, "You all must remember that Prince Leonardo's origins are his own, and he might conform to traditions unknown to us, what do we have to criticize Prince Leonardo for?"

He then looked up at Leonardo on his high throne, albeit reluctantly, and continued, "You're fortunate that we are a benevolent folk, and we can tolerate this much at least, regardless of your intentions."

Lexus didn't care to elaborate his meaning to the masses. Those who understand, understand. Those who don't understand, may never understand.

Following this, he glanced over his scroll once again and spoke, "We have multiple agendas that will bring a monumental change to the Human Domain as we know it, and by extension, Arcadia as a whole if not sorted out efficiently."

"First, it is an open secret by now that the rights of ascension to sovereignty lie in the hands of whichever ruling power to claim the newly discovered energy vein in the Forbidden Domain. However, what should have been a covert operation indulging a handpicked group of businessmen somehow escalated into a war that impacted the harmony of every faction stationed in the Forbidden Domain."

"Second, putting aside the internal strife and conflicts of interest regarding the energy ore mine excavated on site, news leaked to the Elven Domain and Beastkin Domain. Fortunately, the Elven and Beaskin are united under the rule of a supreme power due to lineage and traditions, reducing their eagerness to fight for benefits, hence decreasing their contribution to the war efforts. In a sense, those drawn into the conflicts are individual lords forming temporary alliances and not the full might of their respective domains."

"Third, the war only intensified when a party of organized saints and a troupe of competent mortals interfered and committed a brutal act of undisguised, indiscriminate slaughter. Capturing the women of both humans and elves to satisfy the desires of their flesh. However, this also links us to the fourth agenda."

"Fourth, we revived reports that their entire party was wiped out by elven forces, with but only one survivor who happened to be in Valdmor at that time. For some inexplicable reasons, the elves believe that we are trying to protect this saint from fair and just retribution. This person's background is as mysterious as Prince Leonardo's, so I hope to get your full cooperation when it comes to the fourth agenda or segment of this meeting."

Lexus looked over at Leonardo with a faint smile, only to receive one of a kind accompanied by a lazy response, "I'm starting to feel like the protagonist; all of your aforementioned segments somehow revolve around me. Ah, do continue, I'll walk with you."

No one else spoke a word in-between the exchange as words were meaningless at this point. Well, of course, Leonardo should feel like a protagonist.

Did he think he could kick up a storm of chaos and wipe his butt clean from the karma involved? How laughable.

To be fair, even Leonardo didn't expect things to spiral so out of control.

Lexus continued, "The fifth and final agenda, which is something although internal, is of utmost concern; Prince Leonardo's recent campaign and war efforts. Those inhuman campaigns were a crime against humanity, not an act of war. If we don't remedy Prince Leonardo's methods of conquest and expansion, we look forward to a future Arcadia bathing in the blood of its natives."

Lexus' eyes grew sharp as he declared "The final segment is a vote on how to condemn and punish Commander Bloodthirsty for his conduct!"