The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Upon receiving Sotha's signal, everyone in the hall immediately retreated, including the Phoenix Guard.

Following this, the maids at the front parted the curtains, and Dorlar's two daughters emerged, turning to stand on either side. A few seconds later, Veronica, dressed in an elegant light blue gown and exuding a dignified and noble aura, walked out, supported by Loreena and Luvia Gritta, smiling at Sotha.

“You may all leave as well.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The maids also quickly retreated, and all the doors closed. Sotha walked over, gently put his arm around her waist, and carefully lifted her up, ensuring she was at eye level with him.

“What brings you here so suddenly?”

Veronica placed her hands on Sotha's shoulders, playfully winking.

“Does a wife need a reason to see her husband?”

With that, she gently kissed Sotha's lips, and the couple, who had been separated more often than together in recent years, enjoyed a rare moment of togetherness.

After a long while, when they parted, Sotha gently brushed his nose against his wife's snowy neck, savoring her scent as he whispered:

“It's too dangerous here. The Menak just attacked this sector. Their scouts might still be nearby.”

Veronica's cheeks and neck flushed crimson from Sotha's warm breath. Giggling, she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and replied in a sweet voice:

“With my invincible husband in the galaxy here, what do I have to fear? Isn't this the safest place?”

“Alas, I cannot accept even a one in a million, a one in a billion chance of danger.”

Sotha turned and carried Veronica to the throne, gently placing her on the velvet-cushioned seat. He knelt on the ground, gently stroking her noticeably swollen belly, and said in an exceptionally tender voice:

“Your safety and the child's are the most important things, above all else.”

Veronica's fingers gently traced Sotha's face and forehead, as if sensing the trials and tribulations he had experienced over the years.

“I've heard everything. It seems you encountered some trouble while fighting the Necrons. You always take such risks. How can I not worry?”

Sotha said nothing and offered no explanation, simply resting his head against Veronica, as if trying to listen to the heartbeat of the being connected to him by blood.

“You, think more about yourself, more about me and the child. You've already done enough, been more than generous to them, to those with ulterior motives, and to those who have been using you all along.”

After a moment, Sotha nodded slightly and whispered:

“Yes, I understand.”

“You, I wish you really understood. Running around all day, amidst gunfire and explosions. Look, your complexion is much worse than before.”

Sotha looked up and gave Veronica a heartfelt smile.

“Seeing you makes it all worthwhile.”

With that, he embraced his wife, and Veronica rested her head on his shoulder, the couple enjoying a rare moment of warmth and affection.

Their tender moment was interrupted by a clear cry. After separating, Veronica's face showed a look of surprise.

“What powerful energy! Could it be…?”

Sotha nodded.

“Yes, it's the world spirit of this place. It must have sensed your presence and awakened. Let's go see it.”

With that, Sotha offered his arm and carried Veronica in his embrace, heading towards the back of the hall.

After passing through a corridor filled with crystals, the two arrived at a huge open-air altar. The altar was located on the summit, hexagonal in shape, and covered with various ancient runes. At its center was a frigid spring over a hundred meters in diameter. From afar, one could feel the biting cold, yet it was also churning, as if intensely hot.

As the two stepped onto the altar, a mist rose from the frigid spring, followed by a huge ice diamond. As it completely detached from the spring, it quickly dissolved, revealing the astonishing and magnificent being within.

With a whoosh, wings that blotted out the sky suddenly unfurled, countless icy dust falling from the straight, sword-like feathers. The slender legs ended in a pair of terrifying claws capable of picking up a tank. The elegantly stretched body was surrounded by a mysterious aura, and one could vaguely see a huge, mysterious rune on its chest. The long tail feathers, like a curled tail, slowly unfolded, the feathers on them burning with a pale blue flame, extending hundreds of meters away, yet without a trace of heat. Above the chest was a long neck and the head of a bird, with a beautiful iridescent crest, two emerald-like pure eyes, and a deep red single eye on its forehead. The downward-curving beak resembled an exquisite scimitar.

When this behemoth with a wingspan of over two hundred meters let out a high-pitched cry, countless echoes reverberated from all directions, and then flocks of ice crystal birds gathered, almost miniature versions of it, but not as magnificent.

Veronica blinked and then softly uttered two words.

“Phoenix…”

Sotha nodded gently.

“Yes, its energy entity is an ice phoenix.”

The world spirit, Anivia, the Eternal Winter Phoenix, is the true reason why the Herlo Kingdom has been able to continue for tens of millions of years. It can even be said to be one of the oldest world spirits. According to ancient myths of the Herlo Kingdom, Isha herself planted it in this world. It is for this reason that it possesses certain unique abilities that ordinary world spirits do not have, such as having its own material energy entity, capable of briefly detaching from the maiden world to actively attack approaching invaders. This is its main difference from its 'juniors'.

In addition, Anivia also uses pure webway energy to nurture guardians, which are the small phoenixes (relatively speaking) circling above it.

More importantly, it has a more active state and a more agile mind than ordinary world spirits, capable of intervening in the specific affairs of the barbarian kingdom. Under its protective wings, the Herlo Kingdom has not experienced internal strife, nor has it experienced ideological distortions, and has adhered to its isolationism. In other words, it is actually the true ruler and manager of this world.

This explains why the Herlo Kingdom has not been discovered by humans for so long, because Anivia's power, at least in Sotha's view, is stronger than or on par with Greater Daemons. Those reconnaissance ships or accidentally approaching colony ships were destroyed by it before they even arrived. In a sense, it is much more powerful than those demons, because it does not require very complex rituals or very large amounts of energy to come to the mortal realm.

However, its attitude towards Sotha was quite strange. Initially, when Sotha first saw it, it seemed very happy, but then it disappeared without a word, and did not communicate much with Sotha, only allowing the Hunter Kings of the Herlo Kingdom to acknowledge the authority of the Eternal Court.

Sotha speculated at the time that the other party might be waiting for someone.

Now it seems that this is indeed the case.