Fire Mage (Web Novel)

Chapter 660: Throne Hall

The meeting ended quietly after that, and every Sage Heroes left the Royal Palace with doubts and confusion.

Charles, Griven, and Elre also walked away from the Royal Palace and approached the House of Melodic Words.

While walking, Elre finally couldn't hide his doubts about the Divine King Phoebe and spoke.

"I think our 'Divine King' seems to be hiding something from us. Although he is doing this to protect us, he should at least try to give us some explanation, right? When I asked him about this matter in the audience, I sensed a hint of shock and surprise on his face. He must have been shocked by my bold decision to ask him directly. But why did he show a surprise look? It was as if he had never expected such a question from me from the very start."

"This actually gives me a strange creepy feeling, Teacher. I'm not sure if I'm thinking right, but something indeed feels off." Charles commented as they walked on the clay-paved road.

"Creepy feeling?" Elre stopped his footsteps and looked at Charles questionably.

"Don't feel offended or angry by what I'm about to tell you, Teacher." He paused while glancing at Griven and Elre and then continued after getting an approval nod.

"I feel like he even knew what Teacher and all the other Sage Heroes were thinking. Your every move, your thoughts, and might be even your future." Charles's voice became low as he finished speaking.

"Taboo Magic?" Elre's eyes squinted.

"Impossible-" Before he could deny it, Charles spoke.

"I have a plan to check if he is manipulating everyone or not, Teacher."

"A plan?" Griven also turned his face solemn and warned him sternly.

"Refrain from jesting, dear Vesryn. Even the esteemed Teacher and other Sage Heroes dare not utter a word of dissent in the presence of our Divine King. Speaking against our monarch is considered the gravest of transgressions in this realm of ours, fraught with solemn consequences and shadows of ill intent."

"What about the outer world? Aren't you guys also curious about what this outer world is? You believe whatever he says is true, but what if the outer world is not a dangerous place but has endless opportunities? What if the outer world has more profound genius poets and could be capable of even manipulating the surroundings with a single verse?" Charles induced their curiosity. Although Karrs were easy to be manipulated and believe whatever he told, he also knew of their stubborn character and their obession for poems, literature, and thirst for knowledge.

"Are you sure there are some poems that could actually influence the surrounding environment? Isn't this a dream for every poet to achieve such a magnificent mastery in poetry?" Elre asked with an excited look.

"I'm not sure if I'm eligible enough to talk about poetry but I really think there is one thing missing whenever we explore the wonders of poetry. Even the mere verse of Sage's poem can cause a deep resonance in one's soul. But what if we add something called music?"

"Music? What's that? Are you talking about our singing style?" Elre asked as if he was hearing this for the first time. The same goes for Griven.

Indeed, when Charles researched the Karr beings in the library, he learned that there was no such thing called musical instruments. Even the word music was nowhere to be found. They only used their vocal to sing those verses and even competed with each other to see whose poetry and voice was more beautiful. They also wanted to sing in a pin drop silence.

"Music is a pleasant form of sound. It can be created naturally and artificially. For example, when we beat a mud pot, it creates a strange noise. When we beat a silver pot, it gives another noise. When someone uses these pots as instruments and makes rhythmical noises, it will produce a thing called 'Music.' The more you explore this, endless amounts of music will be born. And when you combine poetry and music, a miraculous song will be born." His words made Elre and Griven open their eyes wide in shock.

"I know you are tempting us but your words actually make more sense." Elre soon returned to his calm state and continued.

"I'll ask all the Sage Heroes to come to the Royal Palace tomorrow and seek an audience together. Instead of doubting our Divine King, it's better for us to ask him and clear our doubts."

"What if our Divine King still refuses to talk?" Griven asked.

"I don't think he can stay quiet after that. Although we nine Sage Heroes never spoke or acted against our Divine King, we are capable of even stripping him off his throne-" Elre suddenly paused as he sensed a strange evilness in his tone and shook his head.

"What am I even saying? Anyway, he will clear our doubts tomorrow and might even take us to the outer world to show the real truth." Saying so, he stepped forward and continued to walk.

Charles sensed his [Curse of the Overlord] spell was weakening and decided to stop pushing further.

'I need more time to make him completely believe my words. But this is more than enough.' Charles muttered inwardly and followed after him.

That day went smoothly for Charles. Thanks to Griven's hospitality, he stayed in the House of Melodic Words and waited for the next day.

As usual, the morning sun brightened the city and created a wonderful day for all the citizens.

But at that moment, a strange solemnity appeared within the Royal Palace.

Due to Elre's sudden letter, the Sage Heroes and the four Guardians attended this urgent meeting in the House of Melodic Words.

Charles was also seated among the group and curiously looked at the young man in his 30s. He had straight blonde hair, amber eyes, a unique multi-colored third eye, pale skin, and appeared to be around 7.5 feet tall. Unlike the Sage Heroes, he wore a unique black robe like the one he received days ago and even held an hourglass.

He was none other than Esim!

As everyone was discussing, a tall silver-armored Karr man suddenly opened the door with a push and announced.

"His Majesty has approved of your request and invited everyone to come to the throne hall right way." His words appeared stern and cold.

"Let's go." Elre was the first to stand up from his seat and approached the House of Poerty's exit. Then, other Sage Heroes, their disciples, and even the four Guardians stood up from their seats and walked towards the door.

Before long, a group of 30 people arrived before the 3-meter tall metallic entrance gate and waited patiently.

"Enter!" A booming voice came from inside, causing everyone's face to turn grim.

Even Elre showed a hesitant look at first and soon took a deep breath to calm down his heart.

After that, he walked closer to the metallic gate, raised both hands and opened it.

As the metallic gate swung open, the group of poets and Guardians entered the grand Throne Hall, which exuded magnificence and authority. The hall was adorned with intricate designs and opulent decorations, and at the far end, on a raised platform, sat the Divine King Phoebe.

The Divine King was a regal figure with a presence that commanded respect. He had long, flowing hair that shimmered like the stars, and his eyes held a deep wisdom that seemed to see beyond the surface of things. But unlike other Karr beings, his third eye remained closed and showed a sense of mystery. He was draped in a splendid robe adorned with symbols of star and moon, and he wielded a silver scepter, a blackish gems embedded crown on his head, and finally, a unique bracelet with three orb-like beads in his left hand.

As the Sage Heroes and their companions approached, the Divine King's gaze fell upon them, his expression unreadable. There was a tense silence in the air, and the weight of their questions hung heavy on their minds.

Elre stepped forward, his voice steady and unwavering. "Your Majesty, we seek thy wisdom and enlightenment regarding the matter of the missing Celestial Guards and the outer world."

The Divine King regarded them with an air of serenity, though a hint of something unreadable lingered in his eyes.

"Oh, even the other wise Sage Heroes are curious, huh? This is an important matter that I have kept secret to protect our world and keep it peaceful."

He gestured for them to approach closer, and the group moved to stand before the Divine King's throne. Charles noticed Esim, the Guardian, slowly stepped onto the raised platform, whispered something in Divine King's ears, and stood beside the throne.

The Divine King continued, his voice resonating through the hall. "The Celestial Guards are an essential part of our world's protection, tasked with guarding the boundaries between our realm and the outer world. As for the outer world itself, it is a realm shrouded in mystery, a place where untold wonders and dangers coexist."

'Essential for this world's protection? Even though their strength is only so-so, how can they protect this realm? Even the group from the Order Church can easily take care of them. Instead of relying on the Celestial Guards, it's better to send one or two expert-level Legend Rank outside right? And I'm also curious about the Corpse Devourers that Jade talked about.'

Charles felt a spark of curiosity, and he dared to speak. "Your Majesty, may we know more about the outer world and the purpose of the Celestial Guards?"

His words made Divine King to froze. Slowly, he searched for the voice and locked his gaze on Charles.

A faint smile played upon the Divine King's lips.

"Being curious is a good thing, young Karr. The outer world is a different place that exists beyond our own, where there might be other realms and creatures. It's a place of possibilities and dangers, where knowledge and risks come together."

He paused momentarily, and everyone could feel the weight of unspoken truths in the air.

"As for the Celestial Guards, they were created to serve as a bridge between our realm and the outer world, to maintain the balance and protect us from external threats."

Elre and the other Sage Heroes listened intently, their expressions contemplative. It was clear that the Divine King's words held weight and truth, yet a sense of mystery left them unsettled.

"If Celestial Guards can be capable of traveling to the outside world, why can't we go and take a look too? Compared to the strength of Celestial Guards, all the Sage Heroes and Four Guardians are multiple times stronger, right? Your Majesty?" Charles said with a smile, interrupting everyone's thoughts.

"No!" Divine King Phoebe said firmly and slammed the metallic scepter on the ground.

The next instant, the whole throne hall fell into an abrupt silence.