’Good morning,’ I greeted Caelia via telepathy to avoid disturbing the sleeping Cathiel.
’Good morning,’ she replied, her tone as calm and gentle as ever.
I took a small breath, cutting straight to the reason for my early visit.
’The invasion will start today. We’re going to see Teacher off for his departure.’
’I see,’ Caelia replied, her expression unchanged as she gave a small, graceful nod. ’Then I will wake Cathiel up and prepare her. Could you... leave us alone till then? Please.’
’Alright, I’ll be waiting in my room,’ I answered. ’...Take your time.’
Then I just teleported right back into my own quarters. As the air settled around me, I couldn’t help but wonder if she had realized something. Her tone hadn’t changed at all, remaining perfectly placid, which made it incredibly difficult to tell what was actually going on behind those eyes.
It gave me that familiar, frustrating sense of ’I know it, but I can’t prove it.’
She was far too perceptive to be entirely oblivious, but she was playing her cards incredibly close to her chest.
Shaking my head to clear the probably-not-useless speculation, I sat down at my desk and immediately started planning.
An hour or so later, the door to my room opened, and Caelia walked in carrying Cathiel.
Although I had already sensed their presence, I still couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned. The mother-daughter duo looked like true royalty: a queen and her princess.
Their matching ceremonial robes were incredibly gorgeous, woven from an exquisite midnight-blue and obsidian fabric that perfectly complemented their striking features.
They radiated an aura that was equal parts regal elegance and disarming cuteness.
Well, although Caelia’s appearance differed from that of a human, I was already used to Nemure’s standards of beauty. Even then, she was still a top beauty.
Recovering my composure, I offered them a genuine smile. "You both look absolutely stunning."
Hearing my compliment, Caelia nodded elegantly, while little Cathiel practically beamed. She wriggled out of her mother’s arms and jumped straight into my hands, giggling happily as I caught her.
Caelia chuckled softly at her daughter’s antics before looking at me. "We prepared something for you too."
With a graceful flick of her finger, a set of layered, pitch-black clothes materialized in the air right in front of me. It looked incredibly cool, featuring a crisp, dark high-collared undershirt paired with a sleek, fluid outer robe cinched by a wide belt. The fabric caught the light with a subtle, premium sheen, accented by sharp silver borders along the edges.
I nodded in genuine appreciation. Passing Cathiel back into her mother’s arms, I teleported away to change. A few minutes later, I teleported back, now donning the new attire.
The fabric hugged my frame, tailored precisely to my measurements. Smoothing down the front of the jacket, I flashed them a confident smile. "Well? How do I look?"
"You look very handsome," Caelia praised with a soft smile, her eyes scanning the robes with approval. "The color suits you well."
Hearing her mother’s words, little Cathiel practically exploded with excitement. She broke free again, jumping up and down around my legs with wide, starry eyes.
"Papa! You look so cool! So handsome!" she shouted, her tiny hands clapping together as she circled me like a little cyclone of pure adoration.
For a moment, her excitement almost made me forget what kind of day this really was going to be.
"Haha, you too!"
Still, I couldn’t help but laugh, bending down to catch her before she tripped over her own royal robes.
"Alright, my little girl. We need to calm down a bit, or you’re going to wrinkle those beautiful clothes."
"Ah, no~ Let’s play more!"
Right then, a firm, respectful knock rattled the door frame.
Carrying Cathiel, I walked over and opened the door.
A servant stood outside, bowing respectfully. "Lord Amon, Lady Caelia, and Her Highness. The Sovereign requests your presence in the Grand Hall. The hour has come."
"Alright, you may leave. We will be there shortly," I said, giving the servant a brief nod.
The servant bowed once more and walked away down the corridor. Closing the door, I turned back to face Caelia.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes," she replied smoothly.
"Good. But... let me change first," I said with a slight smirk.
Wanting to look a bit cool, I gave a sharp flick of my fingers and activated Nemure Assimilation. Instantly, my human skin washed out into a stark, pale complexion, and the whites of my eyes bled entirely into a pitch-black. A faint, wispy void aura leaked from my pores, wrapping around my new clothes and completing the transformation.
To add a touch of careless charm, I casually ran a hand through my hair, sweeping it back completely.
Caelia looked surprised, while little Cathiel reacted far more strongly.
"Woah!" she cheered, her eyes sparkling.
"Now, shall we go?" I asked.
I led them out of the room, and a few minutes later, the entrance of the Grand Hall came into view.
Guards were lined up on each side of the massive doors, standing like imposing statues. Walking past them felt like a celebrity making an entrance on a red carpet, with every eye immediately locking onto us.
Even so, I kept my expression completely calm, ignoring the intense stares coming from all directions as I led Caelia and Cathiel inside.
My gaze swept across the powerful figures gathered within the hall. Each one radiated an immense, suffocating pressure, a deliberate display of power clearly meant to intimidate or test us. The aura in the room was thick enough to make even a 6th Tier Resonator collapse, heavy with the raw might of Nemure’s elite.
Yet, compared to what I’d faced before in Master Virion and Teacher’s training sessions, they barely qualified as a warm-up. Their combined pressure washed over me like a harmless breeze, failing to slow my stride or shake my composure in the slightest.
Chuckling inwardly at their silent "welcome," I looked straight ahead, completely unbothered by the psychological warfare.
My eyes locked onto my Teacher, the Sovereign of Nemure, seated regally upon the grand obsidian throne. He watched our approach from his high seat, his presence effortlessly towering over everyone else in the room.
Meeting his gaze, I stepped forward into the center of the hall, stopped before the throne, and bowed my head in respect.
"I offer my humblest greetings to the one who rules the Nightmare Realm. Greetings, Your Highness."