Heir Sion Testarosa -2-
“We’ve come to escort you.”
Yoho, hiding her smile behind her fan, pointed to the fully bloomed ice flower.
Sion, flustered by the sudden arrival of these heavyweights, couldn’t move right away.
Overwhelming powerhouses whose limits were impossible to gauge.
She could sense even the twitch of their fingers, the blink of their eyes, every breath.
Why have they come all this way…?
Arhen Blizzard, captain of the White Tiger Palace guard, and Yoho, Tigrova’s top administrator.
Though they didn’t bear the Frozenheart name, they were infamous as the Snow Tiger Emperor’s closest aides.
That’s why Sion felt so confused. What was she, to merit them emptying the palace and greeting her with such ceremony?
“Um…”
As the girl stiffened in tension,
Yoho approached with a graceful sway, rousing her in a rich, velvety voice.
“His Majesty the Great Emperor has been looking forward to this meeting.”
The first reason they’d come: they couldn’t keep their king waiting.
The second: any guest receiving the Snow Tiger Emperor’s favor and attention skipped all formalities for VIP treatment straightaway.
Failing to protect her properly would tarnish the emperor who’d summoned her.
Thus, everyone here was ready to discard their lives like pebbles if needed to safeguard the guest.
Sion snapped to her senses at Yoho’s words.
Recalling what she’d studied, she hurriedly offered proper etiquette.
“Th-thank you. Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
As she finished her greeting, she stowed her rifle back in her bag.
Stepping into the ice flower, Yoho took the seat beside her with a beaming smile.
“Snow Fang Valley has plenty of sights, but its location isn’t ideal, so it takes considerable time to reach the White Tiger Palace.”
A promise to shorten that journey.
Relieved at the thought of saving even more return travel time, Sion felt her mood lift.
Shrrrk—
The ice petals gathered, slowly closing.
Glancing around, she saw ice flowers blooming everywhere, neatly swallowing the guard captain and his soldiers.
“Are you comfortable? Not too cold?”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
Was Yoho controlling this ice flower itself?
It was fascinating. The interior was perfectly temperate, not a degree off.
Are we moving?
Yoho stood still, passing the time, but Sion felt no sense of motion since the petals shut.
No vibrations, no noise.
“Hehe…”
Yoho let out a soft chuckle at Testarosa blood showing something other than expected.
Sion looked so innocently curious, rolling only her eyes without daring to turn her head.
“We’ve arrived.”
“…!”
As the petals parted, Sion’s mouth fell open at the sight of the White Tiger Palace.
From Snow Fang Valley, where the sky train arrived, to right before the capital’s palace. That vast distance, already covered?
Satisfied with Sion’s pure reaction, Yoho perked her fox ears with a twitch! and folded her fan.
“It’s not something I can do just anywhere, you know?”
“Even so, it’s impressive… I didn’t feel a thing.”
“Hoho! If the guard captain reacted like that, it’d make using my power all the more fun.”
Arhen Blizzard, receiving the glance, stood expressionless as his soldiers formed perfect ranks, awaiting orders.
In the blink of an eye, a path opened for Sion to enter the White Tiger Palace.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes…!”
Guided by Yoho, Sion stepped forward with poise.
This was the tiger’s den for real.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Tigrova’s capital remained as it was in her parents’ time.
But the royals’ residence had changed, making the White Tiger Palace a first for Sion.
Vast.
That was her first impression.
To feel it so keenly as an adult meant it dwarfed the palace where she’d played as a child.
At the end of their steps loomed massive doors.
Crafted of unknown metal, frost clung to them like artwork.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll request an audience.”
As the guard captain stepped forward and opened his mouth,
Someone inside, sensing their presence, cut in with a stern voice.
— Enter.
Business as usual. The guard captain glanced at the two gatekeepers.
“Open the gates.”
At his command, the two beastkin bowed and moved.
—Rumble!!! The doors parted, revealing a mountain of a figure on the throne in Sion’s view.
That man…
Father to the lively beastkin girl Noah Frozenheart, current ruler of Tigrova.
One of the strongest, by all accounts.
Snow Tiger Great Emperor Rex Frozenheart.
Was he even the same species?
His mere unconscious presence made her tremble all over.
She was certain: if that man lifted a finger with killing intent, she’d die.
Yet the girl who’d awaited this moment mustered her courage.
In the quiet pause, she offered etiquette and spoke.
“I am…”
“Enough. Skip the tedious formalities. I hate etiquette—make yourself at home.”
The Snow Tiger Emperor propped his jaw on a pot-lid hand, fixing his gaze on Sion beside Yoho.
Judgment made in that brief stare.
He curled his lips, baring sharp fangs.
“True Testarosa blood. Weber’s child, without a doubt.”
Her father’s name from the emperor’s lips made Sion jolt unconsciously.
Yoho signaled it was fine to speak if she wished.
Sion ventured carefully.
“Is it… because I resemble him?”
“My judgment isn’t based on looks. Bloodlines carry a unique hue.”
That’s why the escorts hadn’t pried into her background.
“If you’re curious about appearance, Lady Sion Testarosa, you take after your parents a great deal. Isn’t that right, Captain?”
Arhen Blizzard gave a small nod of affirmation.
They both remembered the Testarosas clearly.
“To business.”
The low words seized her attention.
Sion waited quietly for the throne’s occupant to speak.
“Where have you been all this time?”
“…”
“The day I sent Weber to talk with your kin, we found a mass of elf corpses in the coniferous woods.”
Sion’s mouth went dry. Her shoulders grew heavy.
What she revealed here would shape the truth for Tigrova’s elves.
So she chose her words with utmost care.
But tell the facts.
She’d never planned to lie anyway.
Besides, instinct told her lies wouldn’t work before these people.
“I’ll start from what I remember.”
Under the gaze of Tigrova’s ruler and aides, Sion laid bare her recollections.
She didn’t think herself guiltless.
Her past obedience despite doubts was sin enough.
“And…”
Her words weren’t eloquent, but without self-justification, she explained her best and spilled everything—even what the elders had confessed.
Even how friends from Academy City had pulled her from crisis.
“…That’s all.”
The Snow Tiger Emperor and his aides heard her out without a flicker of surprise.
Having lived through myriad events, they accepted it coolly rather than react with shock.
“Reverse Praise Society. Those vermin… a tiresome name.”
The emperor scratched his thick neck briefly, pondering.
Most would fall to Yoho’s toil, but old curiosities resolved meant much work ahead.
Not for discussion with a guest present, though.
He focused on the girl before him.
“Weber Testarosa is my friend.”
“You’ve known my father from the start…?”
The emperor fiddled with his beard and chuckled.
“We met once. That was it.”
“…”
“One encounter. That day sealed it. Still, he’s my friend.”
Did meetings or time matter?
If they clicked, that was friendship.
“Not praising him falsely for his daughter’s sake—Weber Testarosa was an extraordinary man.”
The emperor unwrapped the leather band on his wrist, revealing a scar.
A round puncture, healed over. Unmistakably a bullet wound.
“I’ve never feared guns in my life. Not until Weber.”
“…”
“This deep scar? One of my life’s rare joys.”
The silent guard captain seemed to empathize.
Recalling the time while tracing the scar, the emperor fulfilled his pact.
“Placing a coniferous forest elf in a key post was my promise to Weber Testarosa.”
His gaze shifted to the top administrator.
Yoho bowed to receive the order.
“Yoho. Create a new position if needed. Uphold the Testarosa honor.”
“It shall be done.”
Two sentences launched a colossal process like an arrow.
Sion spoke up urgently.
“P-please wait a moment!”
“Oh? Do you have a position in mind?”
To Yoho’s question, Sion clarified no and voiced her curiosity.
“…Has my identity remained alive all this time?”
As the emperor’s gaze turned, Yoho answered.
“After a certain period of being missing, one is naturally declared dead. But we can restore your status, so we’ll update it immediately after the audience.”
“That’s how it is.”
Sion offered polite thanks to the expectant look.
“Thank you…!”
This solved one major hurdle.
Tigrova was one of the three superpowers ruling Academy City Elysium.
With her status revived, no extra procedures or requests needed for life in the city.
“Anything else to say? Weber was quite the chatterbox. Speak your mind.”
Sion swallowed hard at the emperor’s words.
And voiced the most crucial.
“I’m truly grateful for the position. But for now… I wish to live in Academy City.”
In short, the girl sought freedom.
Seeing her apparent misunderstanding, everyone present smiled subtly.
“A true Testarosa child.”
“Yes…!”
“We aren’t bound by rank here. Everyone sits in Tigrova by choice alone. No intent to burden a key post with tedium.”
With responsibility fulfilled when able, his words ended.
He issued another order to Yoho.
“Better an honorary title than a nominal post.”
“As you command.”
Relief at honoring the promise at last.
The emperor exhaled, eyeing the elf girl.
“Sion Testarosa.”
“Yes…!”
“You’ll want to avenge your parents yourself.”
“Yes!”
Satisfied with her unwavering reply, he nodded.
“From this moment, Sion Testarosa is under Tigrova’s protection. Remember it wherever you go, and live boldly.”
“Thank you!”
“And get along with our daughter. She’s got more to teach than she’s learned.”
As Sion vowed her best,
The emperor gestured with his chin; Yoho drew a book from her sleeve.
Sion accepted the offered tome, puzzled.
Explanation followed.
“A ledger of the Testarosa family’s remaining personal assets, converted to value. Sort what to claim and what not, then tell Yoho.”
“This is truly my expertise—trust me. I’ll handle it at full value, no losses.”
Yoho grinned playfully, urging her to look.
Sion opened the ledger with thanks.
“?”
She froze at the unfamiliar sum.
An unreal number for money.
How many… zeros is that?
No counting by poking fingers before the emperor.
Before looking foolish, she closed it, promising thorough review.
And pictured Rohan and Clara in her mind.