Chapter 143: Huh? Why does it feel like something is not quite right?

The mages had gone off to converse with the court wizards and university scholars. Louis stayed behind, taking the opportunity to observe the nobles and ministers.

The ministers and high-ranking nobles of Solondo were mostly dressed in double-breasted trench coats with exquisite patterns, paired with high leather boots. The overall look was stiff, formal, and impeccably neat. Some were still using long telescopes to scan the coastline.

This represented the more conservative, orthodox style of Solondo nobility. Meanwhile, the people from the Institute of Engineering wore black top hats, dress shirts, waistcoats, and carried walking sticks, though some opted for punk-style leather jackets or bodysuits. Louis simply ignored those embarrassing individuals.

In truth, the leather jackets and bodysuits were not the real eye-catchers; the foreign nobles and ministers were. They were dressed in a riot of colors, from their flamboyant stockings to the rouge painted on their faces. The ruff collar seemed to be a standard fashion accessory. While such attire might have been fitting for their own eras, it looked rather peculiar here in Solondo—they all looked like wild hedge-wizards. Louis even spotted a few nobles dressed in medieval styles, though he had no idea which countries they hailed from.

As for the noblewomen of Solondo, they seemed more trendy than the petty nobles Louis had seen at the car exhibition, though they still favored tight corsets, giving them a slightly gothic aesthetic. The foreign noblewomen, however, wore long, floor-length gowns with massive hip-padding contraptions, making them look like hens puffed up with their tails in the air. Every time they spoke, powder fell from their faces in clouds. Louis couldn't help but shudder at the sight.

Sakuraring exhaled a delicate ring of smoke and glanced at Louis. Her expression carried a clear message: "None of them compare to me, do they?"

Louis gave her hip a playful pinch.

Bishop John suddenly coughed. Louis looked at him in surprise, and the Bishop gestured for him to look behind.

Louis followed the Bishop's gaze. Behind them were the seating arrangements. In the center sat the King’s throne; the seat to its left was empty—presumably reserved for the Witch Queen—while Princess Occiclis sat in the seat to the right. She wore her princess tiara, with Kate by her side. They had been playing chess, but now they both held their pieces frozen in mid-air, staring at Louis with expressions that seemed to say, "What's going on, little brother?"

Helen and Lilith were squatting on the other side, teasing a young child. They hadn't noticed him yet. The child, seemingly unwilling to tolerate these two troublemakers who kept trying to dress him up as a little girl, caught sight of Louis and came running over in tears.

"Uncle, waaaaaah!" The little prince ran over seeking reinforcements. Helen and Lilith pouted in annoyance, casting hostile glares at Louis—*What's the meaning of this? Trying to steal our toy right off the bat?*

"There, there." Louis picked up the child and kissed his cheek. "My dear nieces, did you sleep well last night?" Crowley’s younger brother, Louis, asked his nieces with a beaming smile.

Occiclis and Kate swayed slightly, nearly fainting from sheer indignation. They exchanged a look—that guy was just too arrogant!

Wait... Huh?

Occiclis blinked and looked at her comrade-in-arms, Sister Kate. She felt as though something was slightly off, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Kate gave Occiclis a "stay strong" gesture, and Occiclis nodded solemnly—they would work together.

...

When the fleet finished firing the salute and the motorboats and gliders traced colorful ribbons across the sky, the King and the others applauded before returning to their seats. Crowley followed the King to the throne and leaned in to whisper an introduction about Louis.

The princes, ministers, foreign guests, and nobles from various nations stood nearby rather than returning to their seats. They cast curious, scrutinizing gazes at Louis, Archie, and the mages in the center. The court wizards narrowed their eyes—they had already seen this student of Occiclis during the previous examinations. *A mere Flower-Card Wizard daring to meddle in the affairs of Her Majesty Delphinia? Just because you made a small name for yourself at the Academy, you think you're something special? Today's youth truly know no bounds.*

However, the Cardinals and clerics were all smiles, and many Great Knights bowed slightly to Louis, hand over heart. As for the Witch Queen, she never once looked at Louis from start to finish, completely ignoring his existence. Most of her attention was focused on the thrones across the viewing stand, or rather, she was busy playing with the Red Queen.

The Red Queen sat on her throne, chin resting on her hand, looking excited. She watched the Witch Queen while flicking her fingers toward the arena, seemingly controlling the contestants below as if playing a game of chess. Delphinia was doing the same, seemingly locked in a contest with the Red Queen, yet she was completely overwhelmed—a state of affairs that puzzled the Red Queen, as the Witch Queen’s strength seemed to fluctuate wildly. The Red Queen suddenly lost interest and began searching for a new toy.

Louis paid them no mind; his focus was now on the Dragon race. Prince Nepha and the Princess were clad in armor, standing guard near their host, the King. Prince Nepha, "Chico," stood near the King, seemingly having heard something from the Witch Queen. He looked Louis up and down, his eyes filled with disdain.

Princess Nepha, "Annabell," stood on Occiclis’s side. Upon closer inspection, Louis noticed the heroic spirit between the princess's brows. Standing over 1.9 meters tall, she truly carried the air of a Valkyrie in her armor, proving that women were in no way inferior to men. She stood beside Occiclis, narrowing her eyes at Louis with such murderous intent that it looked as if he had stolen her lover.

Louis was slightly dumbfounded. He smiled and nodded slightly at the Black Dragon Princess. The princess's heroic brows furrowed, and her murderous aura intensified, as if Louis were provoking her.

*What’s the deal? What’s going on? Such a pretty girl, why does her brain seem a little broken...*

Suddenly, Princess Annabell began chatting with Occiclis on purpose, reaching out to touch Occiclis's hand while glancing at Louis. Occiclis, currently acting out of spite, let the princess hold her hand despite her face turning beet red, and she defiantly tilted her head toward Louis.

The Black Dragon Princess couldn't help but look at Louis with a triumphant expression.

*It seems she has a great relationship with Occiclis?* Louis blinked, confused. Suddenly, he had a realization and nodded to himself: *So, Occiclis is telling me that this is also her dear best friend? We can all be good buddies together? The Princess is so kind to me; her friends are all so beautiful and have such distinct personalities. I love making friends.*

Louis temporarily set aside the Black Dragon Princess who wanted to be his "good buddy" and narrowed his eyes at Prince Nepha, "Chico."

The moment the two "Dragon Overlords" locked eyes, they both smirked, their eyes filled with mutual disdain.

Louis: *You think you can compete with me? Are you even worthy of being called a Dragon Overlord?*

Chico: *You think you can compete with me for my sister? Are you even worthy of having Dragon blood?*

Huh? Wait...

Louis felt like something was off, but he couldn't quite say what.

On the other side, Iggy was nodding repeatedly as she listened to Crowley’s narration, finally connecting Louis to the identity of Occiclis’s student. Student, colleague, Demon-Slaying Knight, ace pilot, Nine-Dragon Sea-Suppressing King—everyone had a different description for this young man. When she first saw him, his aura had been so unique, making her feel a sense of familiarity, only to find out he was an outsider...

Huh? Wait...

Iggy couldn't help but look at Louis, feeling that something was not quite right, though she couldn't say what it was.