Though very soon Zhao Chen discovered the reason for it.
He looked at this palace's pure white walls.
"You have found it out too, I see. This Holy Temple uses a rare ore, and that ore has a marvelous property: it can bring a man's spirit into a very good state. Everyone who comes near the Holy Temple feels a lightness and a joy of heart," Tilia explained; and as she looked at the Holy Temple's open doors, there was nothing in her eyes but the look of a pilgrim.
So that was how it stood; Zhao Chen had truly begun to wonder whether the Angel Race had some manner of bonus from faith.
"One moment, if you please." Tilia first had Zhao Chen halt and wait.
She advanced several steps, knelt upon one knee, and set her right hand upon her breast. "The Angel Guard Tilia, by order, brings the Owl Dragon's lord before you for the conference."
"Enter."
A melodious woman's voice came from within the palace.
Tilia rose, turned aside, and pointed with her arm toward the doors. "If you please."
Zhao Chen walked into the palace, Tilia following close behind.
Walking into the palace.
Wherever the eye fell within it, all was in the main a keynote of white, with here and there a little golden line-work to be seen.
White beads, white walls, white angel statues.
And upon the steps at the far end, those three thrones wrought of pure white.
Of the three thrones, two stood empty; only in the middle one a woman sat straight.
Zhao Chen looked at that woman seated upon the chair, and at the first glance was struck to the heart by her.
This was an Angel King: her form and face like jade, her spirit beyond the common, floating and free of the world's dust, the pure white wings behind her folded, with something of the ethereal about her.
Upon her was worn a gown of pure white gauze, with no ornament whatever set upon it — plain, and yet holy.
Hers was an aura that left a man daring to hold no profaning thought at all.
Within that pair of eyes Zhao Chen seemed to see a sea of stars; there was simply no seeing through this woman.
"This is our Angel Race's Holy Angel King, the lady Angelia." Tilia, standing behind Zhao Chen, made the introduction in a low voice.
"Are there not three Angel Kings?" Zhao Chen looked at those two empty angel thrones.
At this time he found that these three angel thrones seemed somewhat unlike one another.
The difference lay in the line-work upon them.
The throne of Angelia, the Holy Angel King, he could not make out clearly.
But upon the other two, Zhao Chen noticed, one throne was carved with a sword and a shield; the other with a balance set upon a book.
Tilia had no time to explain.
Two beams of light came down from above, lighting those two empty thrones.
Thereafter two figures appeared.
Two angels, one male and one female, appeared upon either side of the Angel King Angelia.
"I make my obeisance to the lord Wells, the War Angel King; to the lady Renee, the Judgment Angel King." Tilia knelt upon one knee, and her words gave the standing of these two besides.
So they were holographic projections.
Which was just as well.
They did not know much of the Owl Dragon at present, and could hardly come all that way in person for the sake of a man like Zhao Chen.
While these two Angel Kings looked Zhao Chen over, Zhao Chen was looking at them as well.
That male angel sat upon the throne of the sword and shield, which answered exactly to his title.
The War Angel King.
But his looks were much like the other male angels', of that softer beauty, without the majestic bearing of a god of war such as Zhao Chen had imagined.
Though from that proud and coldly cruel pair of eyes, Zhao Chen saw this was a man who had been through many an interstellar war.
That female angel sat upon the throne of the book and balance.
The Judgment Angel King — that seemed to answer well enough too.
Though she likewise was a female angel, there was nothing whatever about her of that aura the Angel King Angelia had.
And her eyes were wound about with a layer of white gauze.
Which gave one a feeling of great mystery, but her aura was very weak.
Set these three side by side, and no one would likely believe she was an Angel King.
"You are that Owl Dragon lord from that stretch of the universe?" The War Angel King put the question outright.
"I am."
"You wish to ally with us?" The War Angel King said it with a cold smile.
"Just so."
The War Angel King propped his chin upon one hand, with a trace of a contemptuous smile. "Do you know. In the whole history of our great Angel Race, we have never allied with any interstellar civilization or race. They are only permitted to join our Angel Race."
"It is only a pity that this great Angel Race history of yours now stands in the utmost peril, and is on the point of being destroyed entire by the Demon Race." Zhao Chen smiled, and struck back without the least ceremony.
The War Angel King showed no such rage as might have been expected; he laughed aloud. "The state of our Angel Race's war with the Demon Race is indeed nothing to be sanguine about. But I hear that your side too is suffering the Demon Race's threat. Why is it I feel that in coming this time you are not here to ally with us at all, but to seek our shelter!"
He laid a heavy stress upon that word.
Zhao Chen shrugged, and said it as lightly as a passing cloud. "Since that is what you hold, then it seems your side has no notion whatever of the alliance and cooperation we have put forward. That being so, there is no need for me to waste your several lordships' time here any longer. Good day."
So saying, Zhao Chen turned clean and direct and walked toward the door of the Holy Temple, without the least change of look or expression upon his face.
But in fact, within, Zhao Chen was shouting one thing over and over.
Call me back, quick!
Call after me, quick!
Why do you not call me!
On account of the System mission.
In fact Zhao Chen had never thought of leaving at all; but the other side had put on this show of overawing him at the outset.
Were Zhao Chen not to show an attitude of his own, he would stand at a disadvantage through the talk that followed.
"Wait." A soft and gentle woman's voice came, and entering Zhao Chen's ears gave him the feeling of a spring breeze bathing him.
Without turning his head, Zhao Chen dared be certain this voice was the Holy Angel King's.
Zhao Chen halted his steps, turned back as lightly as a passing cloud, and looked at the Holy Angel King seated in the middle throne. "Was there something further, if I may ask?"
"What Wells said just now may have been somewhat unfitting; I apologize to you on his behalf. But if our two sides are truly to work together. We need to see the value of that cooperation," the Holy Angel King said gently.
Zhao Chen looked toward the War Angel King; at this moment he said nothing, but only sat there in silence.
"By what I understand. The pressure the Demon Race puts upon your side at present is very great. Which has brought the Angel Race's front-line fleets to an average loss of 100,000 interstellar warships a month at the least. Though the Angel Race's own military-industrial enterprises are very strong, at present they can make up only half of that monthly gap in starship consumption. At this rate, within half a year. The Angel Race will collapse along the whole line."
When Zhao Chen had said this, none of the three Angel Kings broke in.
Which showed that all he had said was fact.
"If I were to say that our Owl Dragon is willing to contract-build these interstellar warships for the Angel Race. Do your three lordships think that value enough to let us establish a relation of allies upon equal terms?"