Chapter 19: Breaking Ranks: To Benedict, from the Great Scholar Dylan Weedy

Upon entering the Imperial Garden, Dylan Weedy had to admire the Emperor of Southern Radiance's taste. Sublime Lake lay at the very heart of the garden like a flawless mirror set into the landscape. Lotus flowers dotted its surface, and emerald waves rippled beneath the breeze. Stone bridges, pavilions, sculptures, and other architectural features blended harmoniously with the natural scenery. An endless sea of flowers intertwined across the grounds, each bloom competing for beauty in vivid, brilliant...