The Minister of Heroes Lang Yun contemplated the sorry figure in front of him. Two Immortal Heroes flanked the foreigner, making sure that if he made a move, they would kill him faster than he could do damage. Besides, the descriptors indicated a very low melee adept, or so he was assured. A foreign sorcerer would have been sent to Final Death long before being brought into the Forbidden City. A mere Smasher could be contained easily by a Pillar and a Light Tactician.

The translator kept watching the Minister, as he translated the foreigner’s words.

“The French barbarian empire locked the Great Gate. And they are a threat to everyone. Even the Celestial Empire.”

The Minister took some time to marshal his thoughts.

“And why would that be? The French are far and their only enemies are your masters, who have been removed from their presence in India. Many of the French’s emissaries have spent time in the Courts of the Emperors as friends, and thus, they still are.”

As the translator replied to the barbarian, the man became excited, replying before even the translator had even finished. The Minister felt a slight irritation at the presumption as the translator carefully cleaned the blabber.

“The appetite of the barbarian kingdom knows no bounds. It will turn on the entire world.”

Lang Yun sighed. Trust the barbarian scum to try to bring the Empire into another conflict under any pretence as they were getting kicked out of it. But before he could answer, another voice came.

“You bring mere tales of woes, and words of defiance. Your barbarian wars are of no concern to the Emperor.”

All eyes turned to the newcomer. Princess Zhuangjing, Teaching Spellbender, filled the room with her Presence, the world being a pale shadow against her existence. Her fantastic robe marked her status as one of the Greater Heroes since no mortal could wear that unblemished white silk garb with slightly glowing blue ribbons slowly moving in elaborate patterns across the large sleeves. Lang Yun knew that robe came from the Great Dragon of Banskar himself, just like the Princess’ fabled Dragon Staff that she didn’t hold at the moment.

The foreigner blessedly kept silent as the translator reproduced the Greatest’s words. Mid-point, she interrupted him: “No. The Emperor, not the Empire.”

The translator paused, then corrected himself. The Minister noted that the Princess obviously knew the foreigner’s language, and well enough to correct mistakes. Or dissemblance.

“However, your words will be of interest to the Ministries, and your kingdom’s knowledge will buy you your life.”

She gestured at the guards, who simply grabbed the foreigner and escorted him away. Lang Yun hid his displeasure at the casual assumption of his authority. He might be the Minister of the Seventh Board, but the Princess’ status of Greatest Hero gave her a position on the Emperor’s Grand Council. Besides, he wasn’t an Immortal Hero himself, and the Princess was known to feel doubt about his legitimacy in dabbling into the affairs of Heroes.

“I had already heard those rumours, Minister Lang Yun. I sincerely doubt the French, even assuming their ruler would wish so, could casually infiltrate the Forbidden City and access the Gate of the Higher Planes. Do not worry that much about it.”

She turned and left, leaving the Minister irritated, as usual whenever the Princess intruded into his offices.

Zhuangjing stood to the side of the courtyard, looking at the Gate of the Heavens. A gaggle of potential Heroes was assembled in neat rows, five dozens of youth, waiting as the Hero in front of them gave a long speech.

“That device is handy,” a voice to her side started.

Cautious Wall Zhan Bao was looking at the Hero cadre as well.

“One of our best acquisitions,” she conceded. “Finding Heroes across the Empire is a much more reliable endeavour. Each copy made increases our recruitment rate.”

“Of course, it’s not perfect,” said Zhan as one of the recruits came back out of the Gate, having been turned back by the Heavens. “But we have less than one in ten candidates rejected now.”

“And we are making new Heroes as fast as we can push them.”

Zhan watched as more recruits went into the Gate, vanishing toward the Plaza and their Heroic fates.

“You heard that tale of French closing a Gate?” he finally asked.

“I did.”

She considered carefully her answer.

“I find that hard to believe. It is something I’d expect from the dark ghosts, not the French barbarians.”

“Maybe the French did like we did. They stole it from them,” replied Zhan. “After all, they stole the design of the Potential Scales for us.”