The dragon carriage finally arrived at the main gate of the Royal City and slowly drove in.
Several people got off the carriage and walked towards the direction of the castle's main hall.
Just a few steps in, Priscilla couldn't help but tap her forehead lightly with her folding fan, a look of annoyance appearing on her face that suggested bringing him along might have been a mistake. Conversely, Al beside her burst into laughter.
The reason was that, while waiting at the city gate just now, Tsukasa had suddenly proposed to go "get something."
Although Priscilla and Al were confused, they didn't pay much attention. It wasn't until he returned that the two realized the "something" he referred to was actually a complete set of Royal Guard uniform and a sword.
Al said in his characteristic tone, which carried a mix of admiration and helplessness, "Your guts are too big, aren't they? If it were me, the moment I knocked out a patrolling guard and stripped off his clothes, I would have turned around and ran."
Tsukasa ignored his teasing and lowered his head to carefully inspect his attire. The standard white Royal Guard uniform fit him unexpectedly well. He had also casually "borrowed" a helmet of the same type Al wore, pulling it down to cover his conspicuous white hair and most of his face.
At this moment, unless one looked very closely, it would be difficult to immediately recognize that he was Tsukasa.
Snap!
Priscilla opened the folding fan in her hand, shielding the lower half of her face, leaving only a pair of red eyes visible.
She looked Tsukasa up and down and commented, "Your actions do not match this serious skin you wear."
Tsukasa shrugged, his tone relaxed. "I'm following you to get in anyway. If something really goes wrong, the bill will have to be settled with your Barielle camp."
Al shook his head in amazement upon hearing this. "So that's what you were planning."
"Human hearts are treacherous."
Priscilla, however, didn't care at all. Instead, she closed her folding fan, her red lips curving slightly.
"Hmph. Unexpectedly interesting. I approve of this little trick of yours."
As they spoke, they were already walking along the central passage leading to the Great Hall.
The passage was wide, with huge paintings and various artworks hanging on the walls on both sides. Every few steps, there stood fully armed guards. But the eyes of all the guards were focused solely on Priscilla, who was walking at the very front.
Ahead was a closed, heavy door. Even through the door, one could feel the heavy and solemn atmosphere emanating from within. This made Tsukasa, who never liked being restrained, frown slightly.
"We have been waiting for a long time, Priscilla-sama."
A Guard Captain standing in front of the door stepped forward, raised his sword, and saluted Priscilla.
After removing his helmet, he revealed a face of about forty years old with serious features. Those blue eyes were sharp and rational, sweeping over Tsukasa and Al behind Priscilla.
Priscilla just nodded arrogantly, acknowledging the salute.
Without even turning her head, she introduced them to the Guard Captain, "They are both my attendants. One is my knight, and the other is... my coachman."
Coachman?
Tsukasa's fist clenched instantly, and invisible black lines seemed to appear on his forehead.
Since when had he been reduced to being a coachman?
"A coachman?" The Guard Captain repeated, his gaze falling on Tsukasa.
"That's right, a coachman." Priscilla said with a firm tone, glancing at Tsukasa before turning to the guard. "Do you have any objections?"
It was as if she were saying that Tsukasa, despite being very unhappy, could only remain silent.
The Guard Captain's eyes flickered between the two, but he didn't pursue the matter further. He turned his gaze to the exaggerated sword at Al's waist.
"If that is the case... no problem. Then, Sir Knight, is this sword the only weapon you are carrying?"
"Eh? Ah, are you talking to me?"
Al acted as if he had just realized it, hurriedly straightened his back, and patted the hilt with his remaining right hand. "Yes, that's right, exactly. If I see some suspicious guy, like that kind of... um, extremely dangerous one, I'll use this big guy to 'swish' him in half."
His performance-like witticism was met with a serious nod from the Guard Captain, who accepted it as a formal response.
The Guard Captain shifted his gaze back to the heavy door and gestured.
Creak—
Accompanied by a heavy sound, the door was slowly pushed inward.
"The lords have been waiting for a long time, please enter as soon as possible."
The Guard Captain stepped aside to clear the way.
Priscilla lifted her chin, took the first step, and left behind an arrogant remark that drifted into the hall with the wind, "For mere mortals to wait for me is their honor. Conversely, it is an unforgivable slight."
After saying those willful words, Priscilla strode into the hall without looking back.
Tsukasa and Al exchanged a look and followed closely into the space inside the door.
The view suddenly opened up. The first thing that caught their eyes was the deep red long-pile carpet covering the entire floor.
The hall was extremely spacious. The high walls were decorated with intricate golden patterns and reliefs. Several huge crystal chandeliers hung from the high dome, emitting bright but not dazzling light.
In contrast to the vastness of the hall, there were not many furnishings inside. The most eye-catching part was at the very back of the hall—there was a row of chairs slightly higher than the ground, five on each side, and in the very center, there was an even more striking and taller seat.
If someone were sitting in that central chair, directly behind them would be a huge wall painted with a dragon pattern, as if the person were being guarded by the dragon, or perhaps carrying the dragon on their back. That was undoubtedly the throne of Lugunica.
There were no ordinary guards holding halberds or shields in the hall. Instead, there were Royal Guards wearing white-toned uniforms, with swords at their waists, standing straight. They stood scattered like statues, their eyes sharp.
In front of the Royal Guards, another group of people gathered. They were dressed in formal attire or Civil Official clothing. Judging from the texture of the fabrics and the insignia they wore, they were all nobles or officials of high status.
And in the central area of the hall, at a distance from the knights and nobles, only a few people were standing there. Among them, the most conspicuous one was the half-elf girl with long silver hair and amethyst eyes.
Emilia.
Just then, Emilia in the center of the hall seemed to notice the movement at the door, turned her head, and looked over. Her gaze first fell on Priscilla, who was in the lead, then swept over the one-armed knight Al behind her, and finally, it rested on the strange man wearing the white Royal Guard uniform.
Emilia's brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of confusion flashed in her eyes.
This person's figure and the vaguely revealed aura made her feel a kind of indescribable familiarity, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him.
And just at this moment, a voice with obvious displeasure rang in Tsukasa's ears.
"As my servant, just keep your eyes to yourself and don't look around, especially... don't stare at other women."
Priscilla used her folding fan to tap Tsukasa's arm with moderate force. She didn't even fully turn her head, she just tilted her face, her red eyes glancing at him sideways, her tone full of entitlement.
(End of Chapter)
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