CHAPTER 672: CIRELLA MEETS THE QUEEN!

With the promise of full compensation and a wealth of rare jewels, Mr. Crowley, the Royal Mage Corps’ tailor and a second-level Transmutation mage, worked tirelessly to finish the clothes and jewelry Cirella desired.

—Of course, this couldn’t have been done without Garrett’s help. This included lending the Dark Gold Skeleton to cut the polar bear skin according to Mr. Crowley’s designs;

Threading needles, having the Dark Gold Skeleton sew the polar bear skin and add various decorations;

And most importantly, helping to "read the gems":

Using a mage’s mental power to sense, sort, and activate the magic within the gems. Various gems are essential materials for mages, used for casting and recording, as well as storing magic. The first step in recording magic is to sense the internal properties of the gem:

What is the nature of the solidified magic within this gem? In which direction does it lean? Is it lively and warm, or deep and steady, suitable for recording what type of magic?

If you record fire magic on a gem containing solidified ice magic, it will explode instantly! —Not that it’s impossible, but it requires extremely high control, and such a recorded gem can only be used as a bomb...

In short, every gem must go through the "reading" process before being recorded. And after being read and activated, the gems, if nothing else, surpass their original grade in terms of light effects...

Garrett thus understood why the mages in this world don’t emphasize gem cutting. There’s no need! Gems activated by magic power are self-illuminating!

Three days passed quickly, and it was time for the queen’s summons. Garrett, Cirella, and Priestess Joanna rode in the council’s carriage, with Nurse Sally’s carriage following closely behind, rattling towards the mansion.

The other members Garrett brought followed in simpler carriages, also marked with the Magic Council’s hexagram, ready for the queen’s summons at any time.

—Of course, Bernard wasn’t among the carriage occupants. The barbarian, wrapped in a traditional fur vest, carried his precious giant bone club, riding on Lord Appa. He paraded through the streets, drawing everyone’s attention:

What kind of magical beast is this!

It’s so tall and huge, taking up the entire street!

Riding such a beast to the palace is just too... too...

Too barbaric!

The closer they got to the mansion, the more noble carriages filled the road. Summoned for an audience or regularly serving the queen, the nobles formed a continuous stream, soon merging into a flow of carriages.

The tree-lined path outside the mansion wasn’t wide, accommodating only two carriages side by side or in opposite directions. Lord Appa’s presence forced oncoming carriages to carefully avoid...

"Who is this?"

"A barbarian? Is the queen summoning a barbarian today?"

"Let me see... The front carriage bears the Magic Council’s emblem. No wonder, these mages have no respect for nobles!"

"No choice, mages are like that. It’s already good they didn’t fly over for the audience."

"Anyway, letting a magical beast walk here is just too..."

"Shh! Quiet! You can’t beat it! High-level magical beasts are sentient; if it hears you bad-mouthing it and kicks you, you have no place to complain!"

The nobles whispered and cast sideways glances along the way. Garrett didn’t hear any of it, while Cirella’s ears twitched but was soon distracted by Garrett, pointing out the scenery along the tree-lined path. Soon, the carriage arrived at the mansion, and guards quickly came to guide them:

"Master Nordmark? This way, please. Everyone, this way..."

Following the guard’s guidance, they passed through the garden and approached the mansion. Unlike the main palace, the mansion was enveloped in a garden. In early spring, the eyes were filled with tender yellow and green, quickly lifting one’s spirits.

The garden was flat, with hedges and tree walls of varying heights, arranged in a charming pattern. The flower beds, interspersed with green lawns and ponds, created independent small landscapes. Cirella looked around, dazzled:

"Oh my! This little fountain pool is so cute!"

"Oh my! This shade is so comfortable!"

"Turning here, there’s a flower hedge! Too bad there are only a few scattered blooms. If it were in full bloom, it would be even more beautiful!"

Throughout the garden, noblewomen with lace parasols and noblemen in military uniforms occasionally passed by, stopping to watch as they approached, whispering and pointing until Garrett and the others got close, then turning away.

Cirella seemed oblivious to them, happily exploring. For convenience, she wore a light elven ranger outfit while in the carriage and entering the palace, practical and not luxurious. From a distance, anyone with poor eyesight could only see she was an elf, nothing more.

They proceeded, from the guards to the maids, entering the grand castle-like mansion, walking over a thousand meters along a corridor lined with royal portraits, and were finally invited into a small hall to rest. As soon as the people left, Cirella jumped up:

"Hurry, hurry! Where are my clothes? My jewelry? I want to look beautiful! Help me change!"

Garrett quickly opened his spatial pouch, pulling out all the clothes and accessories, then casually created a light barrier to form a changing room. The Dark Gold Skeleton, with a dress on one arm and a jewelry box in the other hand, clattered over, then clattered back.

Joanna, stifling her laughter, stepped forward to help. Two nurses and two midwives also pitched in, dressing, combing hair, and adding jewelry. Amid the rush, the hall door was knocked twice, and a solemn maid entered:

"Master Nordmark? Nurse Sally, Miss Fress Greta, Lady Joanna? Please come with me, the queen is ready for the audience—"

Her voice suddenly faltered. The light barrier rippled silently as Cirella, draped in a polar bear cloak, strode out, adorned with various sparkling jewels on her head, neck, ears, and hem.

"Cirella? You’re ready?"

Garrett smiled, stepping forward to greet her. Cirella naturally stood beside him, tilting her head at the royal maid:

"Ready? Let’s go!"

This audience was neither too formal nor too private. The queen sat in her favorite armchair in the tea room, surrounded by close maids, chatting and laughing:

"Your Majesty, I heard one of the visitors today is an elf!"

"Your Majesty, let us stay and watch! I’ve never seen an elf before!"

"Yes, I heard they wear clothes made of green leaves and vines, and use flowers for jewelry. Just thinking about it sounds so beautiful..."

Before the words finished, the tea room door opened silently. Only the sound of a few spoons clinking on saucers could be heard from the nearest maids, their hands trembling.

The elven lady’s silver hair sparkled with diamond light, blue sapphires glistened like the sea, pearls and crystals adorned her dress, the brilliance of the jewels even outshining the queen’s crown.

* Please take a moment to rate this novel at Novelupdate.