This chapter follows the lives of several noble families in the Kingdom of Celestia. Lord Yidi Chen and his wife Tanishi host many gatherings to increase their social standing. Their children, Ichigo and Rukia, are growing up. A dressmaker named Vanessa enjoys running her shop to escape her distant husband Jacob. Her daughter Lyanna befriends members of noble families. Later, Vanessa welcomes a new baby boy but continues to receive little attention from her husband. The chapter ends teasing the start of the next round in Celestia as Prince Ocean comes of age.

1. THE KINGDOM OF CELESTIA
CHAPTER 3

2. “DID THE KING REALLY ASK YOU TO INVITE THE NEXT GUEST SPEAKER TO THE
AMPHITHEATER FATHER?”
“HE DID INDEED ICHIGO. IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR.”
“YOU MADE A MOST EXCELLENT CHOICE, HUSBAND. EVERYONE IN THE
MARKETPLACE TALKED NOTHING OF IT.”

3. LORD YIDI CHEN CERTAINLY SEEMED TO BE DOING ALRIGHT FOR HIMSELF.
HE WAS STILL A LESSER NOBLE COMPARED TO THE LAMPRIGHT AND
HASHMI FAMILIES, BUT WITH HOW WELL HE’D CHOSEN A WISE MAN TO
INSTRUCT THE PEOPLE, SURELY HIS FAMILY WAS ON THE WAY UP. BUT
EVEN IF HE WERE NOT HIGHER IN THE KING’S FAVOR, HIS LITTLE GIRL
RUKIA STILL THOUGHT THE WORLD OF HIM.

4. HIS WIFE TANISHI VISITED THE LOCAL TEA HOUSE
WEEKLY. SHE TOOK HER YOUNG SON ICHIGO WITH HER.
IT WAS ONLY PROPER FOR A YOUNG MAN TO BE WELL
VERSED IN SERVING TEA.

5. HER DAUGHTER RUKIA WOULD SOON BE OLD
ENOUGH TO JOIN THEM. SHE WAS GROWING
QUICKLY. TOO QUICKLY IT FELT LIKE SOME DAYS.

6. TANISHI FREQUENTLY INVITED THE OTHER NOBLE HOUSES OVER
FOR MEALS AND PARTIES. SHE’D ALWAYS BEEN PRAISED FOR HER
HOSTING ABILITIES GROWING UP, AND SHE INTENDED TO USE
THEM TO FURTHER HER HUSBAND’S HOUSE.

7. SURE ENOUGH, IT WASN’T LONG AT ALL BEFORE
RUKIA HAD GROWN INTO A LOVELY YOUNG LADY
WITH SHIMMERING GOLDEN HAIR.

8. RUKIA WAS RATHER QUIET AND
ENJOYED WRITING IN THE LIBRARY.

9. RUKIA AND HER ELDER BROTHER ICHIGO WERE STILL
VERY CLOSE THANKS TO TANISHI’S CAREFUL
UPBRINGING. SHE’D ENCOURAGED HER SON FROM A
YOUNG AGE TO SPEND TIME WITH HIS SISTER.

10. IN FACT, HE’D OFTEN PLAYED WITH HER IN
THE EVENINGS. HE SEEMED TO QUITE LIKE
BEING AN OLDER BROTHER.

11. AND OF COURSE, RUKIA WAS STILL A DADDY’S GIRL. SHE HAD YIDI
WRAPPED AROUND HER LITTLE FINGER. THOUGH TANISHI, WOULD MAKE
SURE HER DAUGHTER DID NOT TURN INTO A SELFISH AIRHEAD. SHE
REFUSED TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE LIVING UNDER HER ROOF.

12. TOWARDS THE END OF WINTER, YIDI SURPRISED TANISHI TO THE NEWS
THAT THEIR FAMILY HAD BEEN INVITED TO LADY HASHMI’S WINTER
BALL. THE TWO ENJOYED THE FESTIVITIES IMMENSELY! ICHIGO HAD
EVEN GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO MEET THE CROWN PRINCE AND THE
HASHMI HEIR PRANSHU.

13. THE FEAST HAD BEEN HELD IN THE QUEEN’S HONOR AS
SHE AND THE KING WOULD SURPRISINGLY SOON BE
WELCOMING A LATE SECOND EDITION TO THEIR FAMILY.

14. TANISHI HAD LEARNED THAT LADY LAMPRIGHT’S GOWN HAD BEEN SEWN
BY VANESSA PETERS, ONE OF THE MERCHANT VASSALS IN THEIR HOSTS
SERVICE. HOW THE WOMAN COULD MAKE SOMETHING OF SUCH FINE
QUALITY IN HER DELICATE CONDITION HAD BEEN ADMIRED BY ALL THE
WOMEN AT THE FEAST.

15. VANESSA FOR HER PART LOVED RUNNING THE STORE.
HONESTLY, IT WAS AN ESCAPE FROM THE STUFFING
CONFINES OF THE APARTMENT SHE SHARED WITH
JACOB.

16. HER HUSBAND, HONESTLY SHOWED HER ANY REAL INTEREST. HE
WAS USUALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HIS OWN WORK TO NOTICE HE
HAD A WIFE AND DAUGHTER. PERHAPS, IT WAS THE FACT HE HAD
NO SON THAT MADE HIM SO DISTANT.

17. WELL AT LEAS SHE HAD THE SHOP
AND A LITTLE GIRL TO KEEP HER
COMPANY.

18. HER DAUGHTER LYANNA HAD BEFRIENDED MILDRITH
NOBLE. MY THAT GIRL SEEMED TO MAKE CONNECTIONS!
WORD HAD SPREAD ABOUT HER INVITATION TO THE
PALACE DESPITE HER CLASS.

19. HER DAUGHTER NEVER CEASED TO PUT A SMILE ON HER MOTHER’S FACE. THE
GIRL DIDN’T SEEM TOO BOTHERED AT ALL SPENDING HOURS ALONE IN THOSE
CRAMPED APARTMENTS WHILE HER MOTHER WORKED JUST UP THE STREET. WHAT
THE GIRL POSSIBLY GOT UP TO ALL ON HER OWN, WELL VANESSA DIDN’T REALLY
PRY TOO MUCH. THOUGH PIRACY SEEMED TO BE A COMMON TOPIC!

20. AS SPRING BEGAN, VANESSA WELCOMED A LITTLE BOY INTO THEIR
HOME. PERHAPS, NOW JACOB WOULD SHOW HER AT LEAST A BIT MORE
ATTENTION NOW THAT HE HAD AN HEIR. THOUGH, HONESTLY VANESSA
DIDN’T HOLD OUT MUCH HOPE WHAT WITH JACOB SHOWING NO
INTEREST EVEN IN NAMING DAVOS HIMSELF.

21. HOWEVER, VANESSA’S SPIRITS HAD LIFTED SLIGHTLY A FEW WEEKS
LATER BY THE SURPRISE VISIT OF PRINCE OCEAN WHO HAD HEARD OF
DAVOS’ BIRTH AND HAD COME TO OFFER HIS CONGRATULATIONS. WHAT
A SWEET AND CONSIDERATE GESTURE! WELL, THE PRINCE WOULD
FOREVER HAVE HER ALLEGIANCE.

22. AND SO ENDED ROUND 2 IN CELESTIA. WELL, RATHER PRINCE
OCEAN HERE GROWING UP INTO A TEEN DID, BUT YEP IT’S TIME
FOR ROUND 3, AND SOME POSSIBLE MATCHMAKING. HOORAY!
THANKS FOR READING! HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED.