True to his word, the city center estate was much farther than the duke’s original manse. At a steady pace, I was able to travel the distance between the tent city and the original manse in only an hour or so. At a slower, walking pace, the sun had fully set before the city’s center even came into sight.
When it eventually did, the sight was less than impressive. Just more ruins.
At my frown, Daryl grinned. “Just wait, my lady. You are in for a surprise.” When glanced at Nida, his grin adopted something borderline malicious and for a moment it looked like he wanted to say something. He shook his head, and one of the other knights shoved his shoulder. Daryl fervently whispered something in response and the other knight shrugged with a frown toward Nida.
There wasn’t exactly a gate between the inner and outer parts of Sealrite, but there was a type of fortification I was not surprised to see. Around the inner city was a translucent barrier, and as we passed through it, I realized it was an exact replica, perhaps even stronger, of the barrier surrounding Sealrite as a whole. Cool air jetted against me on the other side, and my eyes widened slightly at the sudden noise of activity and the general non-ruin atmosphere. I’d thought the sole fully intact section of Sealrite had been the upper residential corridor where the Duke’s estate was.
Obviously, I had made another incorrect assumption, and I chastised myself. I should have had Dralos cast a wider net of surveillance.
I blew out a breath, trying to release the thought with it. No, Dralos was doing something more important than that.
Cobblestone roads and busy buildings appeared before us the instant we exited through the other side of the barrier, as if coming into existence from nothing. The cobblestones, however, were haphazardly set with something that seemed like old mortar, making it a constant occurrence to trip over the occasional granite sticking out from the ground. The paths curved and wound through the inner city, flanked by an intensely bustling marketplace of merchants peddling a variety of wares aimed at rebuilding homes, feeding the hungry, and calls or offers to work for a pretty coin. I belatedly realized that I had yet to purchase anything in this world. Hells, I wasn’t even sure how the coins in this world worked.
The air was filled with the hectic sounds of a population desperately trying not to panic, struggling to pull itself back together despite the horrendous and monumental changes from the week prior. Metal clanked as blacksmiths worked, and other tradesfolk hurried along and passed us with their own responsibilities.
I didn’t spot any buildings I’d consider residential as we walked along the cobblestone path. Though I couldn’t really tell a difference between the homes and the work buildings, given the stone framework and thatched rooftops of both. Still, the rush of people coming in and out of the buildings strongly suggested the latter.
I scowled as the first star poked through the darkness, illuminating us with a show of its magnanimous gleam. This could have been time I spent cultivating or creating a unique method to intermingle mana and heart energy. Instead, here I was, trekking uselessly through destroyed ruins and a bland inner city at the call of a man who, by all rights, should have been polishing my boots. I nearly scoffed in sheer irritation. A gold Awakened calling on a Diamond Awakened was absolutely ludicrous. Yet, here I was, trapped in the body of a silver Awakened. It occurred to me that I could have made it quicker by attending myself and not bringing Paragons with me, but it wasn't about how long it was taking. It was about the fact I'd been called at all.
“What is the point of something so far from the walls?” Nida complained, dodging another person clearly in a rush—something she’d been doing since leaving the more ruined areas and entering the still relatively intact inner sections of Sealrite.
“The further away from the walls, the safer for civilians and noncombatants,” Daryl explained, patting the mane of my new mount and his old one. It leaned into his touch with a soft neigh. I was in no need of his guiding hand, but the horse seemed to enjoy it, so I hadn’t objected.
“None of us are combatants,” Nida pointed out. This time, when a young man was about to shoulder past her, instead of moving to the side, she let their shoulders collide and shoved him hard. The man went careening, and Nida sneered at him. “Watch yourself, moron.” She grunted and turned back to me to whisper, “Gods, I’m so fucking sick of this place already.”
“Not used to big cities, I take it?” Daryl asked with barely disguised derision. The three knights still astride their steeds chuckled, and Nida bristled, the hair along her forearms spiking up in aggression. Daryl saw it, glanced at me and, seeing my lack of interest in the entire exchange, seemed to decide it wasn’t a violation of his orders to throw insults at the servant. “You should take care, beastwoman. People here have no love for the beastfolk.”
“I can see that,” she seethed, her fingers itching along the shaft of her spear.
Daryl and the other knights clearly saw her motion and laughed. “Draw it, beast. Your master may have favor with the Duke, but do you dare test the extent of that favor?”
Nida narrowed her eyes dangerously. “You are wrong there, Knight of Alistar,” she hissed. “It is your master that seems to have found favor with the Lady. Do not be fooled.”
The five stared at each other, somehow having forgotten about Ethan and Nasq. The berserker’s expression belied his displeasure, and he growled, snapping the attention of the four knights to him.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
One of the knights, his name was something like Faden or Aiden, barked a nervous laugh. “You would make things even worse, big man.”
“Enough,” I said, letting a pulse of Authority wash over the lot of them. Their motions swiftly halted, and the horses neighed loudly when their limbs locked into place from my overwhelming pressure. “I have no interest in your squabbles. Deal with it later. The next words spoken of any of this in my presence will soon find themselves the speaker’s last.” Still, I did have to show some type of favoritism. I couldn't tie my Paragon’s arm behind her back. “Nida.” She turned toward me, a question written across her features. “Next time, don’t shove them.” Daryl put on a self-satisfied expression until it was dashed by my next words. “Kill them.”
Nida beamed while the knights balked.
“M-my lady?” one of them stammered, this one having sunken cheeks where Daryl’s were sharp. I hadn’t asked for his name.
I shrugged, giving them a single sly grin. “It is punishable by death to assault a noble lady and her entourage, is it not?”
Daryl bowed his head and at least had the awareness to look guilty, even if he wasn’t. “I apologize, Lady Lilliana. It is an old hatred. We have yet to truly… grow out of it.”
Before I had the opportunity to ask what he meant, the silence of the late evening broke to the booming voice of a man with a powerful bearing about him. As if the man had used Authority, the people parted like the sea after a great strike.
This was another man in golden armor. My senses screamed, and as we approached, I quickly understood why. The man could not have been anything less than one of the duke’s right-hand men. After all, the power of his Core was silver-tiered with a ring or two. His was a tall frame, though at least a head and a half shorter than Ethan. The man was bulky but not overly so, with wrinkles adorning his weathered face and deep-set eyes of gold.
Just like the others, there was something particularly unnerving about the gold shade of his eyes and the way they shone. It reminded me of something… something from Ordite.
I couldn’t quite place it.
In terms of purity and the expectations of Ordite, his silver core was below mine, only a negligible difference. I would win, but only at great cost. It seemed whatever was in the duke’s core doctrine wouldn’t disappoint if I managed to get my hands on it. My curiosity peaked, I tilted my head in his direction while glancing at my Paragons.
“Do you think you could take him?” Instant and vigorous headshakes from all three.
“He gives off the same aura that you do, my qu—lady,” Nasq said, quickly correcting himself, eyes darting around at the knights to see if they’d noticed his near slip-up.
Nasq need not have worried. The knights, like they’d done the entire trip, paid him no mind.
Daryl led our group through the throng of parted people who now flowed around us like ants. He bowed deeply before the powerful golden man, then gave him the salute I’d come to understand as standard among Lysorian soldiers: an open hand cupped symbolically against the chest to arc around where their heart was.
“My lord,” Daryl said, and the man grunted.
“I see you have brought the duke’s guests intact,” he stated and then swatted Daryl on the back of his head like a child. The knight didn’t resist or flinch. “You didn’t think I would hear the conversation earlier?” Daryl didn’t answer, and the other knights dismounted, taking their place behind Daryl with their gazes cast toward the ground. “You should know I have ears everywhere.” Then he turned on me and Nida. “That applies to both of you as well. There will be no killing under my watch. Is that understood, Lady Lilliana?”
Needless to say, his words fell on deaf ears. To me, the man was no more than a barking pup who would pose no threat to me in a matter of weeks. To Nida, well, she didn’t listen to anyone anyway. I cast a bored look at the knight. “Who are you, sir knight?” I asked, not bothering to even give him the respect of confirming his order.
“Apologies, my lady. I am Lord Boyle of the House Alistar subordinate, House Dramas.” He smiled. “It is similar to a branch family, though I hold no blood relation to His Grace.”
“I see,” I said. “Have the Holy Knights arrived here yet?”
“Aye, my lady. They have. A few hours ago. We were expecting you back quite a bit sooner… and alone.”
“You are expected wrong then. How about the ambassadors?”
Boyle lifted his shoulders and then let them sag. “I am not aware they have, though it is possible they have recently entered the city and a report is underway. In any case, that is not for you to be concerned about, Lady Lilliana. Duke Alistar has placed your safety under my command until the Caelians depart. He cannot, after all, risk his prized prodigy in danger’s path.” I opened my mouth to argue, but Boyle had already raised a hand in mock surrender. “His Grace also instructed that if you were to become displeased with the arrangement, to remind you that while you may not be his ward yet and are of rare strength, it is only in relation to your age. A third ring bronze core is not as powerful as you may think, especially when pitted against many other Holy Kingdom bronze and silvers trained to combat higher-tiered cores. Despite what you may think, you are at risk.”
I closed my mouth and scowled. Even if I told them I had the strength of a Graedon gold tier, they wouldn’t believe me. And if they did, I doubted the orders would change. At the very least, it was true that many lower tiers could take out a higher tier, but I was finding the quantity of Awakened cores implied in the message to be more exaggerated. Since I’d arrived, I’d only seen a handful of Cores, and they were all nothing to me.
Except Alistar’s, I supposed. Gold, even weakened, was still strong. Especially a high-tier gold with three heart rings and knocking on a breakthrough.
Still, I might as well continue letting them think I was only at the bronze stage. I scowled again. “When will I meet the Holy Knight?”
Boyle seemed taken aback but covered it quickly with the quick smile of a veteran. “There will be peace talks in the morning, once the ambassadors arrive with the Holy Kingdom representatives as mediators.”
I squinted at that, but Boyle seemed under the impression I was more concerned about the ambassadors. “Oh, do not worry. The Holy Kingdom is known for being unbiased, even toward nonbelievers.”
“Why even have these peace talks?” I asked, risking a glance at Ethan’s luggage. “Seems to me like a needless risk.”
“The Holy Kingdom requires peace talks when a country claims violation of the Holy Treaty. The Caelian King has claimed Duke Alistar had no right to invade his lands,” Daryl responded, his voice still carrying the same odd overlay. It was unnerving, to say the least, and the fact no one else seemed to notice made it all the more so.
“What’s that?” Nida asked, her tone innocent enough to disguise the barely contained murderous intent waiting to ignite.