Immortal Kingdoms

The journey from the settlement of convicts to Grace Imperial City is quite long as one would have to traverse mountains and seas, cities and barren lands, forests and deserts, and even more dangers in the form of ferocious storms and monsters.

Actually, the journey from any of the four domains to another domain is just as difficult, and unless absolutely necessary, undertaking such a voyage is quite foolish.

Honestly, not every sane person would be willing to take on this half-year-long journey of hardship. However, some are insane enough to brave these difficulties even while fully aware that they're marching onwards toward a certain death; an eternal rest.

Everyone acknowledges these insane groups as members of either the religious fanatics or the elven royalty. Of course, other than foolish, their convictions are also admirable.

Still, just because their drive is admirable doesn't make it less foolish.

A wise man once said, "One decision makes a brave king, another decision leads the king to an early death."

Leonardo liked to believe that the Elven Emperor's decision to march on Grace Imperial City to be brave, whilst his decision to actually attack it to be an early ticket to the grave.

The flight from the Sylvian Imperial Capital to Grace Imperial City consumed a week from Leonardo's time. Thanks to the convenience of communication bracelets, the migration efforts were already underway and meeting the final phases.

Since the entire territory was occupied by five moderate-sized towns in the past, there was plenty of empty space and available plots of land for industry, agriculture, and residency. Under Misaka's guidance, these lands were fertilized and cultivated into sustainable housing and agricultural projects that bloomed into a bustling city.

Within a short period of half a month, the framework for Grace Imperial City was concluded. Now, no one would believe that this massive stretch of land was empty, containing a mere five towns and a lake.

Today, closely knitted buildings of concrete were everywhere within eyesight and beyond. Intricate white pavements diced down the blocks, and each of the former five towns was now like giant metropolises bordering one another with the massive lake and the Grace Imperial Palace at their center.

The compact formation was further enhanced by a dome-like barrier; the Ode of the Elements, sheltering the city from the harmful weather outside. Moreover, each street was engraved in strict formations to reduce shockwaves in case a fight broke out in the streets, while these formations functioned to periodically extract worldly energy from the intersecting energy veins underground to enhance the ambiance of the city.

Although it was far from a city like the capital which was founded on the heart of a main energy vein, being second only to the capital wasn't that bad. In fact, many people would kill to live here.

After the final batch of immigrants, Grace Imperial City went on full lockdown. Not even communication bracelets could transmit or receive signals from the outside world. But of course, this was further reinforced by Aria behind the scenes, but only a select few were aware of her involvement.

Other than the energy crystals currency, Leonardo had his subordinates print a new currency of copper, silver, and gold with his personal imperial crest as a face for the coins. The royal treasury is filled to the brim with treasures and pure energy crystals.

Thanks to Miko's experience as a mercenary and a bandit, he was able to accurately appraise the worth of every valuable that belonged to the various families and factions now occupying Grace Imperial City. Hence, everyone exchanged their treasures and valuable possessions for the new currency, and a new economy was born.

For the lack of a royal family and a royal court per se, Misaka, Miko, Sitri, Pandora, and Juvia worked as new district mayors reporting directly to Leonardo at the end of the day. As for Leonardo, he would spend his days experimenting with the thunderforce and how to blend his sword arts into the martial intent. Furthermore, since he was unable to progress his cultivation base, he decided to steer his cultivation in a new direction.

For example, experimenting with the various martial intents on how to utilize them individually, in duos, and/or in trinity. At first, it was quite troublesome, and self-harming even. However, as days passed by, Leonardo became even more accustomed to it, and his combat prowess increased by more than two folds. However, that's a thing for the future, not today.

As Leonardo spent his days on cultivation and nights on pounding Pandora and Juvia senselessly, everyone else was occupied by their own tasks, leaving the children with quite the free time to bond together.

Just like now, three children and a fluffy white fox occupied a spacious room with an open view of the sky in the ceiling. The warm skylight sprinkled down on Leona who sat on a small table with an even smaller little girl who seemed both happy and shy while playing with a wooden figurine.

This wooden figurine was a replica of Miko, crafted by Kieran as both a side hobby and a way to practice his martial intent.

Kieran's martial intent revolves around accuracy and precision. Hence, Leonardo assigned him the task of crafting wooden figurines from all sorts of wood.

Tough wood, flexible wood, fragile wood, sharp wood, and countless variations of energy-infused wood. Since Kieran wasn't a young lad of many words, nor did he particularly enjoy group activities or silent meditation, this hobby worked wonders.

Leona's cultivation was even simpler; a walk around the city during the day, and she was tasked with understanding people's hearts without speaking to them, deducing their troubles, and tasking the royal subordinates or maids to fix that problem the very next day.

As for the little girl? That was Razor's little sister who accompanied Miko back from an Arcadian Church within the Regalian Borders. Although introverted, Leona's martial intent allowed the two to grow exponentially closer over time, and Kieran's wooden figurines allowed the process to progress even smoother.

"Big sister Leona, which big brother Miko is more handsome?"

Nagi held up five different figurines of Miko in different postures and presented them to Leona who was browsing through a pile of history books from the higher realms. This was a collection Leonardo brought down with him and was supposed to read during his tempering experience, and he was almost halfway through finishing them.

"Shouldn't you ask big brother Kieran about that?" Leona chuckled before placing her book aside, she then reached over and took the figurines, closely and meticulously examining them.

Nagi blushed, fidgeting with the hems of her floral dress as she stuttered, "Big brother Kieran is an idiot! Who cares what he thinks?!"

Leona rolled her eyes, acting ignorant to Nagi's heart which was beating out of control while suppressing a chuckle. After being silent for a while, she seemed to talk to herself, "Hm, they're almost as good as the Nagi figurines I saw the other day…"

"What?!" Nagi jumped, her face flushed to her ears.

"Oh? Nothing, nothing, this uncle Miko looks the best!"

Leona picked a random figurine and passed it over to Nagi, who absentmindedly took it and sat in her chair with a red face. Apparently, she never expected that Kieran made a Nagi figurine, but whether she would muster up the courage to ask for it or not remains as a thing for the future.

Aria rolled her eyes at Leona's mischievous acts, caught between laughter and tears. Then, she looked over at Kieran who was absorbed 120% in crafting a Leonardo figurine. However, this one was special as it had a round wooden plate as a foundation, while Leonardo was carrying Leona in one arm and holding Kieran's little hand while advancing forward.

There was even a lean hunting dog sitting with three puppies following behind Kieran, spiking Aria's curiosity.