Chapter 990 — Cecil in Motion
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
Gao Yang has returned.
The blue dragon's vast wings blotted out the sky; the silhouette of that colossal creature came from the north, flying straight toward the imperial capital of Cecil without any attempt at concealment, and everyone dwelling in that region witnessed with their own eyes the sight of the great dragon descending upon the land — in other parts of the world, or in days gone by, such a sight would without question have been terrifying to ordinary folk, and bards and scholars would even have linked it to a regional catastrophe. Yet when the people of Cecil saw that dragon, what most of them felt was jubilation — even the oppressive atmosphere brought on by the sudden outbreak of war was swept away.
For many days earlier, their emperor had departed riding just such a dragon.
Gao Yang stood behind Meitzen's shoulder blades, looking down as the familiar cityscape rushed up to meet his view, and when the great dragon skimmed over the banks of the Whitewater River, he could not help murmuring softly, "Cecil... your emperor has returned..."
His soft sigh did not escape the keen ears beside him; the half-elf lady's long pointed ears twitched, and she at once turned her head alertly. "Hey, hey — why the sudden sentiment?"
Gao Yang hastily composed his face. "...Nothing. It just came over me."
Amber gave him a puzzled look. Though she could detect nothing amiss in that inexplicable sigh of his, instinct still told her the line was worth recording — it might be one of his saucy ones.
The half-elf lady had always been exceedingly sharp.
A moment later, the blue dragon landed smoothly on the plaza beside the Cecil Palace, where the officials of the Council of State led by Hetty, along with the palace attendants, had long since been waiting on the open ground.
The dragon's wings drooped, forming a gentle ramp. Gao Yang was the first to appear at its top, and the instant that tall figure emerged into everyone's view against the sunlight, applause and cheers erupted across the entire plaza.
Hetty, standing at the very front of the crowd, made no effort to hide her relief, feeling as though a great stone had finally dropped from her heart. Then she stepped forward, meaning to extend a hand at the foot of the ramp in welcome of her ancestor's return — but one figure was faster than she. Rebecca, who had long since been unable to stand still at the side, cared nothing for etiquette or "ladylike bearing"; she broke into a jog straight past her aunt, reaching the dragon's wing first, and the moment Gao Yang's feet touched the ground she seized his arm. "Ancestor, you're finally back!"
Gao Yang was long past being surprised by the girl's temperament, and this was hardly a solemn occasion (at least not one requiring any video record for public release), so he merely smiled helplessly, ruffled Rebecca's hair, and turned his gaze to the equally resigned Hetty. "Skip the formalities. The situation is unusual — let's get back on track quickly."
"Of course. I knew you would say that," Hetty nodded at once. "Much as I would like you to rest first, I doubt you would listen — the materials have already been sent to your study. Victoria and Grand Consul Baiyu can be connected at any time, and the military and intelligence departments are ready to be summoned."
"I need to find Anton first and get a sense of things," Amber said hurriedly as she came down behind Gao Yang, the moment she landed. "I hope that boy handled things reliably this time."
Viradel was the last to leave the ramp formed by the dragon's wing. She glanced at the crowd around her, then came to Gao Yang's side. "I need to consult the Grand Patriarch about matters concerning the Church of the God of War. Please excuse me for leaving first."