Night finally fell. Horse-drawn carriages from various regions passed through the palace gates in neat, orderly lines.
One of the carriages belonged to the Caltheron family.
Inside, Orlan, Syra, and Alicia sat quietly, waiting in the long procession.
"Father, can I play with Princess Eliza and Masha later?" Alicia asked eagerly.
Orlan smiled and ruffled her hair. "Of course, dear. Go ahead—and don't forget to give my regards to Princess Eliza."
"Yay!" Alicia cheered. "I won't forget, Father!"
Watching their interaction, Syra couldn't help but smile.
"By the way, dear," she said, glancing out the window, "I see many carriages from outside our empire. How many foreign guests do you think have come?"
Orlan rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked out.
"I'm not entirely sure, but if I recall correctly, the Holy Empire of Valtanir, the Eastern Empire of Izanagi, and several other powers from distant continents are here."
