Ten teams had arrived in Esteria Empire using the Teleportation formation that connected the space to their world.
These ten teams had arrived in advance. Amongst these ten teams, five had asked for permission to roam the city. These teams belonged to the Beastkin Empire from the Beast World, Shia Empire from Lightning World, Gurni Empire from the Windshock world, Eternal Empire from the Eternal Darkness World, and Andria Empire from the Seventh Heaven World.
The other five teams instead opted to stay in the Royal Palace and train for the upcoming trials that were going to be held in the Empire in the coming days.
Each of the five teams was provided with a guide by the Esteria Empire to show them around and to keep an eye on them. The guide was also responsible for making sure that no harm came to the guests.
Even though Emperor Meng knew that the three-person teams were accompanied by an adult from their world whose whole purpose was to guide their youngsters and to make sure that no harm came to them, he still couldn't sit idly. He wanted to make sure that the adults that accompanied the youngsters didn't feel the need to act.
Politics were really complicated when it was not between Empires but between the worlds. Since the premise was his world, it was his responsibility to keep them safe. If it was another world and his team had gone there, he would expect that specific world to do the same.
He knew that even the slightest of mishaps would make the worlds demand an explanation from him. He might even need to give lots of resources to please them if a team from some world was injured before they could even take part in the trials. All the blame would come on him.
Even the weakest of worlds can claim that they would have won if their teams weren't harmed by the Esteria Empire and ask Emperor Meng to make up for it, and he wouldn't be able to give an answer. He knew all that because he would have done the same thing if he was in their place.
He was pretty wary and careful. That's why he had discussed these things with the nobles and all the influential people of this Empire.
"I did all I could. The teams shouldn't be in danger now," Emperor Meng muttered as he watched the last team leave as well.
Nine teams were still left to arrive. He sat on the bed with his back resting against the wall, wondering if the others will come now or on the day of the trials itself.
"In the nineteen teams, only five are of concerns, and none of those teams have arrived. I'm sure they'll come on the last day itself. The weaker teams came first to check things out for themselves to see if they could gain some advantage," He thought as he frowned.
"If it's like this, four more teams should arrive today as well."
*****
"See? That green man? How ugly he looks. Is he even a human?"
"Maybe he painted his skin. There are some crazy people who paint their faces. Maybe he went even farther?"
"No, look behind him. The girl has the hands of a tiger. She is certainly not human!"
"You're right! How tall is that man's neck? He can't be a human! Just what are they?"
The Beastkins were walking in the streets of the Esteria Empire, attracting the eyes of the citizens who didn't know who they were.
It had been thousands of years since the beastkins had left this world, so no one remembered them. People only knew them from the stories about how the Saint killer destroyed them, making them run away to their own world. They didn't realize that these people were the same species.
"Look, Master Fu from the Royal Army is walking with them. Are they guests of His Majesty?"
"Wait, that reminds me, that there was a species a long time ago called the Beastkins. They were friends of our Empire as well. Could it be the same guys? They're back?"
"Hmph, what the hell are you looking at? Do you wish to die?!" The man with a giraffe-like neck scolded the people who were watching them like they were from a circus. He hated this feeling.
These three people were the most desired youngsters from the Beastkin Empire. They only attracted gazes of jealousy and adoration whenever they walked in public in their Empire, but today, they only saw gazes that were way different. It was as if they were jokers.
Even though the citizens were talking in whispers, these people were able to hear the words.
Hearing the shout of the tall necked man, the citizens closed their mouths. Even though they were amazed by these different looking people, they didn't wish to offend them since they could see that the Royal Army was walking with them.
If these people were really the Royal Guests, they could be arrested for mocking the guests of the Royal Family. None of them wished to go overboard and be arrested, especially now that they noticed the anger on the faces of these guests.
While the citizens closed their mouths, a red-haired man who was walking with the different group started laughing. His chuckle was light, and laced with a hum of amusement at the matter
" Hahaha, why are you guys getting so annoyed. What's wrong with watching you people? You look so different; people in our world would have done the same. You should blame yourself for looking like that."
The man was from the Shia Empire from the Lightning World. He was also here to take part in the ranking trials.
The Lightning World and the Beast World were no friends to each other, which was an openly known fact. The leaders of both worlds despised each other.
It was all because of the history between the two.
The Beastkins used to live in the Lightning World, but a conflict of interest arose that caused a great war between the Beastkins and the rest.
After losing the war, the Beastkins were forced to vacate the lightning world or face extermination.
The Beastkins swallowed this insult and decided to leave. The huge population of the Beastkins left the Lightning World. Using the connecting portals between the Lightning World and this world, they came here.
The Emperor of the Esteria Empire didn't create trouble for them since the friendship between the two species was long-established based on the exchange of resources between the Esteria Empire and the lightning world.
