A few minutes later the door to the room was opened once again and a stunning woman in a beautiful white and blue imperial dress walked into the room with small steps. Looking up, Red was once again stunned by the beauty. While he saw portraits of the Empress Aeriel in his memories, those portraits didn't capture even a fraction of her real beauty.
[Host, we have another candidate! This can be your second wife!]
'Damn, damn, damn... This woman deserves another long appearance introduction!'
[Host, please don't!]
Empress Aeriel commanded absolute sovereignty with a breathtaking, ethereal majesty. Standing remarkably tall and poised with an innate aristocratic grace, she possessed an immaculate, luminous complexion that gleamed with the flawless, cool perfection of polished white jade.
Cascading down her back in a heavy, silk-spun river, her hair was a striking cascade of pure white with subtle, shimmering gradients of frost-blue at the tips, secured back by a delicate crystalline hairpin. Her gaze was arresting and serene, defined by light blue eyes as vast and pale as a winter sky, holding centuries of absolute power within their depths.
Her attire was a masterpiece of imperial design - a sweeping, structured white gown tailored from celestial fabrics, featuring a high sheer collar and a brilliant star-burst crystal centerpiece resting at her throat. Translucent gossamer sleeves and intricate silver filigree wrapped her arms, while delicate embroidery and crystalline motifs of icy blue accented the bodice and hems.
The grand silhouette accentuated her statuesque posture, leading down to exquisite custom heels blending porcelain-white leather with deep sapphire-tinted accents that clicked with quiet, commanding authority against stone floors.
[Host, please calm down... You are overdoing it again!]
'Overdoing my ass! Look at her! She is stunning!'
[Ding! Daughter of Destiny detected in host's proximity.]
'Open her profile panel now!'
【 System Status 】
Name: Aeriel Arcadia
Age: 28
Appearance: 9.7/10
Height: 185 (6'1")
Cultivation: Martial Emperor - 3rd Stage (Peak)
Race: Human (True Phoenix - Dormant)
Physique: Human (True Phoenix - Dormant)
Bloodline: Human (True Phoenix - Dormant)
Favorability: 10
Loyalty: 0
Destiny value: 10,000,000 (Rising)
════════════════════
Description:
The Empress of Arcadian Empire and a ruler of clan Arcadia. A reincarnation of the Phoenix Princess from the True Phoenix Clan, located in the Ancestral Phoenix Lands in the world above the God Realm. She ascended the throne at the age of 18.
-See more.
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'!!!??? Reincarnation of a Phoenix Princess? World above the God Realm? Even a Daughter of Destiny? You mentioned once that there are worlds above the God Realm that are created by powerful beings. Are the Ancestral Phoenix Lands created by a powerful cultivator above the God Realm?'
[Yes, Host, a strong Paragon level cultivator from the True Phoenix Clan created the Ancestral Phoenix Lands above the God Realm and that's where that clan lives. The person in front of you was born there and died in the war many years ago, now she is reincarnated. As a Daughter of Destiny she is now protected by the Heavenly Dao.]
'...... What kind of a destined protagonist setup is this!? No wonder she is so strong at such a young age, most people need to cultivate for hundreds of years to reach the Martial Emperor realm in lower worlds and even then, most people never reach it!'
'She is indeed a very good candidate to be my wife. Her appearance, background and talent are worthy.'
[Host, her appearance will receive a boost when she awakens her dormant bloodline, she will probably reach the score 9.9.]
'.... Surprises never stop. Even better!'
Getting out of his inner dialogue, Red looked at the Empress calmly and continued eating slowly, paying no special attention to her arrival.
[Keep pretending, Host...]
'Shut up!'
He addressed her calmly.
"Welcome, Empress, to my humble home. Please, feel free to sit down. Are you interested to join our meal?"
Empress Aeriel raised one of her eyebrows, it has been a very long time since someone dared to display such indifference to her. She was slightly displeased but, remembering the news she just received, she put that aside and calmly walked towards the table and quietly sat down next to them.
"I came here to discuss an important business. I am not interested to have a meal."
Her voice was filled with iciness and indifference, as if wanting only to finish this discussion quickly and leave. Red looked at her calmly, slowly putting down his fork and knife.
"Hmm... I assume you received words about my cultivation realm and you came here to verify it?"
"Indeed. If you are really a Martial Emperor I'll need you to swear your loyalty to me and sign a life and death agreement, and if the news are false - I will personally kill you and disband your family."
As soon as she said that she felt a pair of eyes suddenly staring at her, she turned around to see a stunning woman looking directly at her. From the beginning she ignored Eve's existence and didn't even look at her, now she was stunned to see a woman that was even slightly more beautiful than her.
What surprised her even more was that as soon as she locked her eyes with the woman she felt a terror deep inside of her soul. The feeling was as if she were being stared at by a predator who could erase her at any moment.
Those eyes didn't carry any emotion at all, just a deep and indifferent look, but that look was more terrifying than any she saw in both her lives! She was petrified and couldn't move or utter any words.
Red noticed this and lovingly patted Eve's head, making the woman retract her gaze from the Empress and looked back at him with a loving smile.
"There is no need to feel upset, my dear, let me speak to our guest. You can continue your meal."
"Yes, darling~."
Eve slightly blushed and felt a great comfort from the head-pat she received. She silently continued eating. After that, Red looked back at the Empress.
"My Eve is rather possessive and probably didn't quite like your words, but there is no need to be scared. My apologies."
Empress Aeriel was stunned but quickly regained her composure. She now had a feeling that Eve was much stronger than her which greatly surprised her as she reached a peak of the cultivation in the Mortal Realm.
"N-no, it's fine. May I ask who is this lady?"
"This is my wife, Eve Vaelanor."
"You have a wife? Since when? I didn't receive this information!"
The Empress was once again stunned. She prided herself with her information network but it seemed that some details still slipped.
"Since today. My wife is not from this world and she just arrived so it's natural that you don't have information about her."
!!!!!!
"Not from this world? Is she from the upper realms?"
Red slightly smiled, not confirming or denying anything. The Empress was momentarily mesmerized by his smile combined with his handsome appearance. From the information she had, this new Patriarch of the family shouldn't have been this handsome!
"You said you came to confirm the news that you received about my cultivation. Well, that's easy..."
Saying that he released his aura and his Emperor's domain of an Emperor Realm cultivator without putting any pressure on her. Even so, she still felt terrified by what she felt. She opened her eyes wide, unable to speak.
The feeling that she had now was even scarier than the feeling she felt earlier from Eve! Seeing that he accomplished his goal, Red retracted his aura and continued...
"As you can see, I am indeed a Martial Emperor."
Empress still needed a moment to process the information. It took her a moment but she managed to collect herself. Now she felt stupid. Both people before her were clearly much stronger than her and she came here demanding loyalty and giving threats. Then she smiled wryly and continued...
"Indeed, the information was correct. It seems I underestimated you. You and your wife are both stronger than me. I apologize for my earlier remarks."
"No need to apologize, I didn't take offense..." Red rested his head on his hand and smiled. "Discussing with a beautiful woman like yourself is quite pleasant, even while receiving threats."
When he said that Red felt that Eve looked at him suddenly. Her eyes were empty as the abyss and he could immediately guess that she wasn't happy that he was complimenting another woman's beauty next to her.
He felt that she was what people call a "yandere". But he didn't feel any fear from this, he even felt more excited for some reason. The more his woman was obsessed with him the happier he would be!
He smiled lovingly and caressed her head again. Feeling the head-pat again, Eve smiled again and continued to enjoy her wine.
[Host, be careful not to get stabbed by your own wife!]
'Meh, even if she stabs me... so what? She can't kill me anyway. And, isn't she adorable? Hahahahaha...'
[You are crazy, Host.]
It was the first time for the Empress that she heard such straightforward compliments so she felt slightly embarrassed, usually people didn't dare to compliment her so openly out of fear, combined with the embarrassment from her previous threats the result was even greater. But as a powerful cultivator and a reincarnated being she didn't show it on her face.
"I originally came here hoping that you are a Martial Emperor that I can control and, with your help, I would be able to compete more openly with other 7 empires. Now it seems that was only my wishful thinking. Still, I will give you a formal offer. I would greatly appreciate if you could help me and I would naturally reward you handsomely. Please tell me what you think."
"Hmm... There is nothing that you can give me that I can't get myself."
"I... I can give you cultivation techniques from the upper realms."
"And what makes you think I don't already have them myself?"
Empress Aeriel looked at Eve who was still quietly enjoying her meal. In her excitement she forgot that this woman is from the upper realms! Even though Red didn't confirm it, she could easily guess that much.
"Above the Mortal Realm is the Celestial Realm, and above the Celestial Realm is another realm - the God Realm. I can give you a cultivation technique from the God Realm!"
"Again, not interested, I already have them."
Empress Aeriel was once again stunned. He already had cultivation techniques from the God Realm!? She smiled wryly, there might really be nothing that she could offer in the end.
"Then I will excuse myself. There is really nothing that I can offer you. My apologies for wasting your time." She prepared to leave.
"Wait a moment. There are still some things that I want to discuss with you and, I may even be able to help you."
Empress Aeriel looked at him in confusion and with a hint of exasperation. Didn't you say there is nothing I can offer? Why are you saying this now!? This man!
"Okay, please continue."
"First, I am quite interested in you, little phoenix."
!!!!!!
Empress immediately stood up in shock. Nobody ever managed to see through her like this!
"W-what do you mean?" She was unable to calm herself fast and even stuttered. Now she realized that even if the other party was testing her, she already gave it out.
"There is no need to be shocked or afraid. I already know that you are a reincarnated princess of the True Phoenix clan from the Ancestral Phoenix Lands."
!!!!!!
Now she was even more shocked and afraid! He didn't just know that she was a phoenix! This man seems to know everything! How!? She opened her mouth for a moment and closed, opened again for a moment and closed, unable to form words.
"Please calm down and sit. As I said, there is no need to be afraid. I have no malicious intentions towards you and I won't disclose this to anyone."
Taking a deep breath to calm down, she managed to regain her composure slightly and she slowly sat down.
"How? How do you know all this?"
"That is a secret. But rest assured that nobody told me this and only I have this information and won't disclose it, so you are safe."
"What do you want from me? Telling me all this, there must be something you want!"
"Calm down, little phoenix. I am only having a friendly discussion with you while laying some information on the table."
"Hmph! That better be true! If you attack me or threaten me - my True Phoenix Clan will not let you off!" She still felt that there is something this man was planning so she hurriedly threatened with her clan.
"Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHA..." Red started laughing loudly.
Empress was baffled by his response. Was this man crazy? Was there something wrong with his head? Was he not afraid of the True Phoenix Clan!?
Red quickly regained his composure and wiped a tear from his eye.
"First, if you had a way to contact your clan, you wouldn't be here and would have already left to return home, so don't try to deceive me. Second, even if you had a way to contact your clan and even if they all came at me they wouldn't be able to do anything to me."
* * * * * *
[A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! If you have any suggestions, please comment.]
[A/N: Aeriel's image: https://imgur.com/a/lAq8tZE]