I continued up to the steps as security wasn't as tight as it had been inside the palace area itself.
I quickly reached a grand palace and presented them with Hei's token and was quickly granted access. The 8 guards that guarded the main palace entrance didn't seem as loose or talkative as the ones guarding the gates as they didn't speak a single word during the whole process.
I entered through the door only to be met by another. I was standing within a small room with a door behind and in front of me. To my right stood a man behind a small desk, he looked at me as I walked in and smiled at me. He was an old man, ancient in fact, and had a air of wisdom around him. Maybe it was because of the long white hair that drooped behind him or the wrinkles of age upon his face, nonetheless he asked me a question as I walked up.
"Hello young Magus, I am the Imperial Seer. I see you have Hei's token, I assume you are here to seek an audience with the emperor?" Said the old man
"Hello, I am Deus. Yes, I am here to seek an audience with the Emperor and hand him a lett-"
I replied in haste but was cut off halfway through.
"I know why you're here young Magus from the central tower. Lady Silvia has sent you, wait a moment as I notify the emperor." The old man maintained his smile as he seemed to cast a spell, which didn't really create any effect.
"Ho-Wait, you said you're a seer. Did you forsee my visit?" I asked in curiousity.
"Haha, no. Seers don't really forsee small events as someone's visit such as this. I simply heard the commotion from outside and deduced a few things." The seer chuckled. "Also I have very good sensory augmentation spells that allow me to oversee the entire palace area."
"I see."
Then.
"Aether Magus Deus, disciple of The Eternal Guardian of Knowledge, you may enter."
A booming voice echoed in from behind the door as they started to slowly open.
'!!!'
"Let's go in Deus, the Emperor awaits you." The seer stood up as he entered before me.
"Ho-Okay."
I was bewildered at the fact that they knew about my Aether element for a moment but quickly recovered and followed the seer in.
I was welcomed by a very moderately decorated audience room. There were around 20 or so guards, who were all letting off an impressive aura, around the sides and a throne at the end of the small room.
It wasn't as grand or filled with gold like I was expecting but still let out an air of luxury.
A middle aged man sat upon the throne, wearing a set of golden scaled armor with fluffy fur around the shoulders and a cape. He had no crown but his eyes were like that of a predator, chilling to the bones as he glared me down. Though he was smiling, I felt a strange but suffocating aura that caught my breath.
I followed the seer to around the middle of the room where he stopped and started to speak.
"Deus is here to request an audience with the Majesty." He then turned to me and spoke. "You may hand me Hei's token now, I shall return it to him later. Also give me the letter."
"Yes." I quickly handed him both items as he put away the token and held onto the letter. He used a simple spell that was meant for scanning for any traces of mana, one I told myself I should learn as well, before walking up and directly handing it to the emperor.
"So." A deep voice from the man called the Emperor was heard. "An Aether Magus, how interesting. And a letter from Silvia, what a strange day it is haha."
"Hello Deus, I am Dominicus Aragon the emperor of The Empire. Let's first see what Silvia has to tell me." He smiled as he gently spoke to me.
Strange, the imposing aura seems to have lessened as I got closer.
"Yes, my lord." I bowed and awaited for him to finish reading the letter.
A short while later.
"Nothing too important. She wants me to give you a position in the army hahaha. Asking the emperor to personally place a person into the army, how ridiculous." Emperor Aragon chuckled as he read the letter. "And a few other things."
"Wait, the army? I wasn't told about this!" I panicked at the sudden turn of events as I shouted.
The army? What army. I didn't want to be a soldier, that sounded miserable. I just wanted to research and find a way out of this world, not join some army and fight a war against a nation of code lines!
"Well, Deus, your master seems very worried about your lack of experience. She states that going through perilous events and experiences are the fastest way for a person to grow, which is something I also agree with, and that the army will also be a safe place for you to hide in." Emperor Aragon spoke.
"Experience...Sigh. I understand what she means but what does she means about a safe place? Isn't a battlefield one of the most dangerous places in existence?" I rebuted.
"Yes and no. If you were a warrior maybe, but a magi soldier fights from far away. At least most of the time. Also, your 'enemies' won't be able to attack you as easily as they had like last evening." He continued
'!!!'
"And yes, we do have a solution to your poison but you seemed to have figured out a special method that turned it into a boon instead, correct?" Emperor Aragon smiled.
"H-How did you know?" I asked.
The Emperor nudged his chin at the old seer.
"Sorry Deus. I had actually received a letter from Silvia a day before you arrived and had a eye on you the whole time. I was also the one who sent people to take you to the hospital." The old seer apologized as he spoke. "We also know about your multicasting from your master."
'!!!...'
"Ugh... She really didn't spare any secrets did she..." I spoke in dejection. It felt like having one's cards seen through by all the players, it was not a good feeling.
"Haha, don't sulk to hard Deus. The army is actually a great place, especially if you have a high ranking. They provide food, shelter and who knows, you might improve by leaps and bounds. The majority of the soldiers enter as rookie warriors or magi but leave as full fledged 'monsters' you see before you. Guards, show him."
BOOM!
As the emperor spoke those final words, the majority the guards exploded with an intense aura that pushed all the breath out of me. The remaining were magi guards and had shrouded themselves in various elements of their specialty, causing the mana within the air to vibrate intensely.
"Enough."
Psss....
With a single word from Emperor Aragon, everything quietened down.
"Any of the guards inside this room are capable enough to raze an entire city on their own. This is the power the army grants you. If you survive long enough of course." The seer chuckled, seemingly unfazed about the whole incident just now.
'Chances are, the seer and the emperor and even greater monsters...'
And to prove my point, the Emperor's aura started to increase.
"Of course, there are certain individuals who are gifted with talent."
A vigorous but intense aura, similar to the intense feeling of Lady Silvia, started to bear down upon me as the Emperor started to glow in gold.
"Or are of a different race and are born naturally stronger than others." His eyes started to glow bright gold as a slit was formed from his pupils.
"Let me reintroduce myself Deus. I am Dominicus Aragon, the Everlasting sun of the Empire." Golden scales started to appear above his skin as his claws started to extend. "I am also a dragon, like your master, except I am from a different family."
A pair of illusory wings appeared behind the throne. "I do not have real wings, I am not a sky dragon like your master nor can I use much magic."
He then stood up and walked up to me. "However, I have enough physical strength to crush an entire mountain with a stomp. I am of the Aragon Family, the Golden Wyrms of Fire."