The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?-Chapter 96 - Behind the scenes of The Ball

[The day of Ball - Morning]

Empress Celestia - POV

The morning sun filtered through the stained-glass windows of the Imperial Palace, casting long beams of gold and crimson across the marble floor. The once serene hall was now silent, as if holding its breath for what was to come. A faint tension hung in the air — heavy, sacred, and undeniable. Today was not just the day of the Imperial Ball. It was the day fate began to stir.

Empress Celestia sat upon her obsidian throne, adorned in golden armor, a red cape flowing on her back, a golden crown shining on her head. Her light blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight like threads of silk, cascading down her back in gentle waves. A cold, unreadable expression veiled her face — the face of the strongest woman in the world, the sovereign of the Empire.

Before her stood an old man wrapped in simple white robes, his eyes hidden beneath a hood. His voice was slow, calm, and filled with millennia of quiet knowledge.

"Are you certain, Sir?" Celestia asked, her voice low but unwavering.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the old man replied, his tone laced with eerie finality. "For there to be even a sliver of hope... your union with him is the only path. This world was fated for ruin. The anomaly he brings... it shifts the tide. Even if slightly, your union raises the odds of salvation."

Celestia’s fingers curled against the armrests of her throne.

"You expect me... the mighty Empress, bearer of divine blood, known across continents as the strongest... to stand together with someone else? I do not need a man’s help. I will slay the Devil Emperor myself."

A low chuckle echoed through the chamber.

The prophet lifted his face slightly, just enough for Celestia to glimpse the curve of a knowing smile beneath his beard.

"The thread may struggle, yet the loom still spins.

The hawk may scorn the wind, but rides it still to hunt.

Even stars must align to change the tide of fate...

And you, oh Empress, are no exception."

Then, with the whisper of rustling cloth, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing like the tolling of a bell through the great hall.

Celestia remained seated, her brow furrowed.

"Anomaly...?" she murmured, eyes narrowing.

She rose from her throne with a flourish of mana, her robes lifting like wings around her.

"Let’s see what makes this boy so special."

The echo of armored footsteps rang through the grand throne room, breaking the still silence.

A guard knelt at the foot of the dais. "Your Majesty," he said, his tone respectful yet urgent. "The leaders of all Great Powers have arrived. They await your presence in the council chamber."

Empress Celestia, rose from her throne with a silent nod. Her eyes shimmered with a glint of resolve.

"...It’s time."

In the next moment, her form dissolved into streaks of light, vanishing from the hall in a blink.

She reappeared within the grand conference chamber—an ancient room built of obsidian stone and enchanted glass that overlooked the celestial skyline of the capital. At the center stood a round table of carved crystal, glowing faintly with magic. Around it sat five of the most powerful beings in the realm: the regal Elf Queen Sylvaria, stern Elder Thrain of the Dwarven mountain clans, Saintess Aria draped in white and gold, the enigmatic Magic Tower Master in flowing robes, and an elderly man whose calm presence exuded wisdom—if Luca had been here, he would have immediately recognized the man as Dean Erion Asterhold, the revered head of Arcadia Academy.

As Celestia entered, each of them rose to their feet in a sign of deep respect. She moved with silent grace to the head seat, taking her place as the chair of this dire summit.

"Thank you all for coming," she began, her voice calm but edged with gravity. "As you know, we are gathered here today to discuss a threat we all hoped would never return—the resurgence of the Devil Cult."

The air grew heavy. Each leader’s expression turned solemn.

Saintess Aria lowered her eyes briefly before speaking. "His Holiness the Pope is unwell. I will be representing the Holy Kingdom in his stead."

Elder Thrain gave a scoff, folding his thick arms across his chest. "Hmph. And where is that shrewd businessman?"

Celestia didn’t deny it. Her gaze was steady. "He’s likely lurking behind the scenes, as always. But whether we trust him or not, we must all stand together. I’m certain you’ve all felt it—the weakening seal on the Devil Emperor’s prison."

The room fell quiet, each of them nodding gravely.

Dean Asterhold broke the silence. "The academy has already suffered. The spies we sent have gone silent. Someone has been targeting us... again and again."

Queen Sylvaria, her ethereal lime silver hair cascading like a waterfall over her shoulder, added, "Even the Mother Tree has spoken. The vision she gave us was vague, but chilling. She said the loss this time... will be without precedent."

"The Imperial Prophet has echoed the same," Celestia said softly. "We are on the cusp of an age-defining calamity. But we will not wait for it to consume us. This time... we will fight back, and end it for good."

Her words carried weight—both as sovereign and as a woman who had seen centuries of struggle.

"If anyone holds further information," she said, scanning their faces, "share it now."

The leaders exchanged a few more reports—locations of cultist sightings, odd disappearances, arcane anomalies. A map was conjured midair, and territories were marked. Plans were debated, agreements were forged, and for a moment, hope flickered in the shadow of the gathering storm.

At last, Celestia rose from her seat. "You’ve all done your duty today. Rest, for now. Enjoy the ball tonight. We will need strength for what comes."

"I have no taste for politics and pretense," Dean Asterhold muttered as he stood, smoothing his robes. "I’ll be returning to the academy."

With a curt nod, he turned and left, followed by the others one by one. The room slowly emptied—until only two figures remained.

"Mage Tower Master," Celestia called gently.

The robed woman stopped at the doorway. She turned, her hood falling slightly to reveal the gleam of piercing amethyst eyes.

"...Yes, Your Majesty?"

"There’s something we must speak of," Celestia said quietly, stepping away from the table and walking toward the windows where the twin moons hung above the horizon.

The Tower Master followed in silence.

Celestia’s crimson eyes studied her with calm intensity. She finally broke the silence.

"Your daughter attends Arcadia Academy, correct? With the boy who played a major role in subduing the Beastridge Dragon?"

The Tower Master tilted her head slightly, caught off guard.

"Oh, you mean Luca?" she said, a flicker of amusement in her voice.

Celestia’s composed face shifted just enough to show a hint of surprise.

"You know him?"

The Tower Master gave a faint smile.

"He is my disciple."

Now that surprised Celestia. Her posture straightened just slightly, brows narrowing in thought.

"Disciple...?"

The Tower Master nodded, her voice gentler now.

"Indeed. And in some ways, he is... connected to you as well, Your Majesty. I thought you would have been briefed already. Hasn’t anyone shown you the recent reports?"

That gave Celestia pause. Her mind raced.

Connected to me...?, she thought, her curiosity deepening into something sharper. She didn’t like gaps in her knowledge—especially when they concerned an anomaly.

"Tell me everything you know about him."

The Tower Master stepped away from the chair and began to slowly circle the table as she spoke. She told everything from the 1st time she met Luca, his involvement in dungeon incident, then the attack of moonslayer slaying the devil cult member, how he gets this vision from childhood because of his time and space affinity.

She stopped walking, her expression softening.

"That poor child."

A moment of silence passed between them—thick with implications and unspoken fears.

Then, the crystal attached to the Tower Master’s belt glowed sharply. She picked it up and listened.

Her smile vanished.

Her brows furrowed as she turned toward Celestia.

"There’s something I need to take care of immediately. I may be late to the ball tonight, Your Majesty."

Celestia nodded slowly.

"I understand. Do what you must."

The Tower Master vanished in a blink, leaving only a faint ripple of magical residue in the air.

Left alone, Celestia slowly stood and looked toward the tall stained glass window, the symbol of Astravia casting colored light across the floor.

"Luca..." she whispered.

She turned toward the window, the stars just beginning to shine outside.

"Let’s see what face you show at the ball... anomaly."

***

"I didn’t expect this to happen though..."