The Flower in the Sky was the honorary name of Leila.
The name had been given to her by a famous poet, who composed a verse upon first laying eyes on her, comparing her to a peony blooming atop a snow-clad mountain, its tempting beauty irresistible against the cold white backdrop.
Ken had been looking for a way to complete Tutorial Quest 1, and today that chance had finally come.
If he failed to win this contestation and be the first man in the entire firnament to sleep with her, it would be hard to survive in the future.
Thus, he went all out, speaking with such flair that everyone's attention was drawn towards him, articulating the foundation of the Heavenly Moon Empire and the birth of the HavenHold city with the passion of a patriot and the clarity of a historian.
"Hear now, good folk of Havenhold, and drink deep of the tale I sing!"
"Over a century ago. One hundred and ten years, to be exact. A great number of rifts tore open in space. These rifts connected our world to countless realms scattered across the firmament.
"From these realms came foreign races, not with friendly smiles but with deadly intentions. They invaded our world in hopes of conquering it!
"They wielded power beyond mortal comprehension. Our strongests were no match for them. We lost one territory after another, helpless against their might.
"The people in those lands that fell to the invaders were enslaved. Some were taken as sex slaves. Some were used as beasts of burden. But there were also those who faced a far worse fate.
"At that time, we lacked the strength to stop these atrocities from taking place. We lacked the strength to fight back against the invaders who were ravaging our lands.
"In very little time, we lost much to the invaders, and it seemed like we would lose everything."
"But then. They emerged, turning the tide of war in our favour."
His voice was stable and his words were articulated thoughtfully, drawing the attention of everyone who listened.
Many ears perked up in interest, showcasing that they were interested to hear the next part.
_____
"Look."
Seeing the 7th young master of the Blackmont noble clan compete with others in order to pop her cherry, Leila craned her neck like a proud swan and said to the maid massaging her shoulders jovially,
"Even the son of Lord Blackmont, who is renowned for his literary talent and handsomeness, is competing for the chance to be the first man to embrace me."
Ken's hair was the color of fresh snow under moonlight, soft and lustrous, cascading down to his waist like a silken waterfall, and his eyes were a beautiful blue.
All traces of baby fat had long been shed from his face.
Standing at least 6 feet tall, he was slim and fit, his jaw was sharp, and his skin, free of blemish, was smooth like polished jade.
He had yet to grow facial hair, and that, combined with his natural poise and background, gave him a pristine charm that many young women found dangerously irresistible.
'With such a man fighting for her, it's hard for the young lady to not feel proud,' thought Leila's maid.
"Do you like him?" The maid asked.
Leila nodded without a hint of hesitation, "I felt attracted to him at first sight. It's unfortunate I can't decide who I will end up serving tonight. No matter who it is, they have to win the competition fairly to be the first man to sleep with me. If that wasn't the case, I would have definitely chosen him. He is totally my type."
Leila was from a village that suffered a terrible drought, which took many lives.
She was just a child then, but she could still recall everything clearly.
No help came as her people grew thinner and thinner until they could no longer hold on, dying of thirst and starvation.
In the Heavenly Moon Empire, slavery was legal. Instead of being discouraged, it was actually promoted!
Thus, when the news that there was a business buying young girls for a decent sum of goods and money, her parents sold her for a few bags of rice and some pieces of silver in order to ensure their survival.
Since then, Leila had become the property of the Jade Phoenix Pavilion.
She had no say in what happened in her life.
She was raised to be whored out the moment she came of age, and that moment had already arrived.
She sighed heavily.
The maid seemed to know what was on her mind.
She leaned down, brought her lips close to Leila's ear, and whispered something softly.
Leila's eyes gleamed thoughtfully. "I understand."
_____
On the stage, Ken continued, "They called themselves Force Masters.
"They are mighty warriors of our race, born from despair, driven by resolve. With every battle they fought, they grew stronger. With each life they saved, they burned brighter.
"Eventually, they became too powerful for the invaders to withstand.
"They pushed the invaders out of the Great Lantern World and reclaimed all of our land. We humans became the masters of the Great Lantern World once more!
"After the war, the Force Masters gathered to restore the tears in space. But they failed to fully sever the links between our world and the realms the invaders came from. They became certain then. The battle wasn't over. It had only just begun.
"They founded the Heavenly Moon Empire to defend against the foreign races.
"The greatest of the Force Masters. The hero who gave the most in the war against the foreign races! was chosen to become our Emperor. In total, our empire have seven founding fathers. The other six were granted the title of "Heavenly Skies."
"Five of them went on to establish the Five Great Noble Families. The last Heavenly Sky founded the Force Master Association, under the direct command of the Emperor, to supervise all Force Masters and hunt down any who went rogue.
"For the past hundred years, the Empire has protected us from the schemes of the foreign realms! And it will continue to do so, ensuring our days of peace and prosperity endure!"
The crowd toasted over this claim. Ken has spoken like a true patriot and they liked it!
Ken cleared his throat to garner their attention.
He was not done yet.
"During the war, there came a time when the lowlands teetered on the brink of destruction."
The founders, protectors, and inhabitants of the HavenHold city all originated from the lowlands.
"When the lowlands were days away from being invaded by the foreign races, the kings had fled with their families, soldiers, and gold, abandoning their people. Our ancestors! to be slaughtered or enslaved, and we wouldn't be here if not for the benevolence of Queen Victoria!
"A woman of iron will and radiant heart. She rallied the abandoned and desperate people of the lowlands. She led them up the mighty Evergreen Plateau with her army.
"There, she founded a fortress in the skies!
"The plateau was easy to defend, nearly impossible to invade. Thanks to her wisdom, courage, and sacrifice, our ancestors survived the ten year long war. And thanks to her, they lived to enjoy time of peace and prosperity and see the world become a better place under the rule of the glorious Heavenly Moon Empire!"
His words stirred the crowd.
They stood up and respectfully cupped their fists toward the direction of the royal palace, where Queen Victoria resided with her family.
"All hail Queen Victoria!"
"All hail!"
Many scholars had stood on the stage before Ken, telling the history of the Great Lantern World, but not a single one of them had managed to invite such a response from the crowd.
Those who came after him were no better.
It was safe to say that Ken performed the best in the contest.
He deserved to be crowned the winner and be rewarded with the golden opportunity of sleeping with Leila.
However, he couldn't help but feel tense.
After all, nothing was certain yet.
As the competition drew to a close, a petite maid with with big breasts and a perky butt got up on the stage, marking the arrival of the moment Ken and many others had been waiting for!
"Hello, I am Emma," the petite maid looked at the crowd below the stage and said. "I will be doing the honor of announcing the name of the person who've won the competition. The lucky winner is."