NOVPUBIn the Floral City Pariel North Shore District 2, stood the Platinum Sen Palace.
Stalactites dominated the vaulted ceiling; angels carved in relief seemed to dance, ready to fly out from the ceiling, where the colored glass mosaic at the center nearly imprinted its rainbow splendor onto the marble floor.
The two of them strolled through the exhibition hall, flanked by two seven-meter-high sphinxes, facing each other as if they were avatars of the pair.
"I didn’t expect that seeing it in person would be different from the projections in the Artificial Shadow World."
"After all, the Artificial Shadow World is only a man-made artifact; it can’t reach the divine projection where the true shadow intertwines with reality."
After leaving the Pariel Cardmaker’s Association, Lanci and Talia had agreed to spend this morning of their date at one of the largest and most historic art museums on the South Continent, a symbolic landmark of the Poseen Kingdom.
Despite having been at the Platinum Level Card Maker’s third round’s examination projection site at the Platinum Sen Palace before, they both felt the need to visit the actual site.
Or rather, the Platinum Sen Palace itself was an essential checkpoint for anyone traveling to the Poseen Kingdom.
Since the hotel where they stayed was very close to the Platinum Sen Palace, they passed by often without the urgency to visit right away.
It’s like how most residents don’t visit or take pictures at local landmarks; living so close, they feel they could go anytime, which is probably why they would have procrastinated on visiting if it hadn’t been for today’s opportunity.
"Nearly a thousand years ago, it was originally constructed as a fortress to protect against invasions from Alien Races; later, it was transformed into the Imperial Palace in peaceful times. In that period, the Platinum Sen Palace began to collect artworks, gradually incorporating Holy-level and even Epic-level pieces into its collection. As time went on, more Kings expanded and beautified the palace, making it the center of the Poseen Kingdom’s art and culture."
The two wandered through the exhibition, pausing now and then to appreciate or exchange thoughts, the voice of the exhibition’s guide murmuring nearby.
It was only about a hundred years ago that it had been transformed into a public museum, undergoing numerous expansions and restorations to open its rich collection to the public.
The sculptures and reliefs on the dome sketched a lively scene of majestic eagles soaring and Pegasus galloping.
"Tata, which one is your favorite?"
Lanci asked Talia, standing at one side of the central hall.
In the center hung the "Rise of the Eternal Night Kingdom," an ancient Empire’s painting by Stephen Martin. Although incomplete, its formidable aura remained, displaying fiercely swirling spears and dragons roaring across the sky—a scene of intense battles with countless warriors shedding their blood in dark fire that refused to be extinguished.
To the left, a tender and exquisite painting by Isaac Claire, "Gift of the Earth Mother God," featured a woman in flowing white robes cradling a precious jar of Immortal Dew, stepping through a mist to bring her bounty to the land, gently leading an untainted lamb with maternal care.
On the other side of the studio hung the Grimms Brothers’ "The Three Questions of the Magic Mirror," reflecting a mysterious woman’s visage that showed both a sage’s worldly weariness and a maiden’s naive ignorance, as if posing life’s three great mysteries to the viewers.
All of these were highly renowned in the South Continent.
But Lanci did not voice his opinion.
"…"
Talia merely turned her head, focusing on the entire back wall.
There was the historic "Judgment of the Demon Monarch," an Epic-level mural painted by Tolkien, stretching hundreds of meters and vividly depicting an immense force of heroes charging and launching a desperate battle against the tyrannical Demon Monarch.
She looked at the painting without a word.
Yet this was her answer to Lanci.
"Coincidentally, that’s my favorite as well," he said.
This moment alone made them feel a rare sense of matching statuses or shared interests, though neither wanted to admit it.
In some ways, they were both adept at painting, but they never discussed appreciation with each other, focusing more on Magic Card Making and Magical Engineering.
"Did Hugh Hyperion ever talk to you about Esmod? True Night Lord Esmod."
Lanci asked Talia.
The Great Demon Clan did not necessarily excel in painting, each with their own specialties, but during those years in Blood Moon Bad World, Esmod was arguably the best among the Great Demon Clan.
"He mentioned her, said to be a talented woman."
Talia nodded.
"Now that I think about it, you are a talented woman too, after all, you can create Sacred-level paintings just like her." 𝓃𝓸𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Lanci couldn’t help but praise her.
"It’s not the same; when you met her in the Shadow World, she was much younger than I am."
Talia acknowledged plainly.
"…"
Lanci was momentarily speechless, as if someone had stolen his lines.
She seemed to have no sense of rivalry with her kind.
"Speaking of which, if you had been taken into the Shadow World last time, as a Princess facing Hugh Hyperion’s predicament, what would you have done?"
He asked a question he had long been curious about.
Hugh Hyperion was an absolute Conservative, whereas Talia’s approach to conservatism and aggression was binary; she could be both conservative and aggressive, depending on the situation and her mood.
"I would tell them, ’I am the Demon King, and none of you are.’"
Talia responded matter-of-factly.
She did not accept challenges from any member of the Great Demon Clan. Since she sat on that throne, those who followed her would prosper, and those who opposed her would perish.
"So if you were to restore the Kingdom according to your original desire, wouldn’t that make you even more of a tyrant?"
