The three of them made their way deeper into the castle. The echo of their footsteps resonated beneath the high arches while the lit torches cast dancing shadows along the corridor. As they approached the throne room, the atmosphere grew increasingly solemn.
At the entrance, the morning light filtered through the stained-glass windows, bathing the great hall in shades of crimson and gold.
Teresa and Lucia bowed gracefully, speaking in unison.
Teresa, Lucia: —"Glory to the Sun of Britain."
King Arthur raised his gaze from the throne, his deep voice filling the chamber.
Arthur: —"I have requested your presence... Miss Ducking, because a matter requiring immediate resolution has arisen. I require your consent."
Lucia stepped forward, placing one hand over her chest.
Lucia Ducking: —"I am at your service, Your Majesty."
Arthur: —"I need you to accompany this young lady on a mission of great importance, one that concerns both the Kingdom and the Order of Light."
Lucia nodded without hesitation, determination shining in her eyes.
Lucia Ducking: —"As you command, Your Majesty. Then I shall make the necessary preparations to fulfill my duty."
The princess frowned, concern evident in her voice.
Teresa: —"Great King, wait... Do we at least know where she's being sent?"
The king turned his gaze toward the cardinal waiting several paces behind.
Arthur: —"As a matter of fact, they still haven't told us. Cardinal?"
Cardinal Velpo stepped forward, his cassock flowing behind him like a shadow.
Cardinal Velpo: —"Well, the matter is..."
Before he could finish, Julia—the young woman with jade-like eyes—interrupted with the calm confidence of someone unafraid of rank.
Julia: —"My sister is heading to the place you call the Dark Lands."
Silence fell over the room like a veil.
Teresa straightened abruptly.
Teresa: —"What?"
The king looked at her before turning back to Julia, his expression hardening.
Arthur: —"Why are you investigating that place?"
Julia: —"As I already told you... I will explain everything."
But my sister must go there.
The princess clenched her fists, her voice trembling slightly.
Teresa: —"Father... I mean, Your Majesty... The Dark Lands are utterly inhospitable. There isn't even a teleportation station there. What happens if an emergency arises?"
The king sighed, resting one hand upon Excalibur's hilt.
Arthur: —"I know that place very well, my daughter. I explored it when I was younger... and what I learned is that it is a land where the weak simply cannot survive."
Julia lowered her head respectfully, though her voice remained unwavering.
Julia: —"Your Majesty, it is imperative that my sister travels there."
Cardinal Velpo intervened calmly, raising both hands.
Cardinal Velpo: —"Please don't concern yourself with the ladies' safety, Your Majesty. They will be protected by our Knights of Light—all Aura users—not to mention that one of our Inquisitors will personally ensure their safety throughout the journey."
The king leaned slightly forward, fixing his gaze upon the cardinal.
Arthur: —"And the other Inquisitor?"
From among the rows of armored knights, one stepped forward. His voice was deep and composed.
Inquisitor Hugo Keaton: —"Your Majesty, both of us were ordered to personally escort the young ladies."
The air trembled.
A current of mana surged outward from the throne.
The runes engraved upon Excalibur ignited, radiating an intense blue glow.
The floor vibrated.
Even the curtains billowed violently.
Arthur: —"Do you truly believe that Miss Solviers would be harmed while under my protection?"
The second Inquisitor immediately bowed, urgency evident in his tone.
Inquisitor Grau Winslet: —"Please do not misunderstand, Your Majesty. These orders came directly from the Supreme Pontiff himself."
The king gritted his teeth, restrained anger flashing in his eyes.
Arthur: —"So... the Supreme Pontiff understands just how important this matter truly is."
Cardinal Velpo: —"He does, Your Majesty. That is precisely why I was instructed to accompany the young ladies here."
Silence lingered.
The king inhaled deeply, gradually suppressing his aura.
Excalibur's glow faded once more.
His eyes, however, remained razor-sharp.
Arthur: —"The Dark Lands lie along the southeastern frontier, near the coast of the Veridies Ocean. The nearest city is three or four days away by airship."
Julia and Julie exchanged surprised glances.
Julia, Julie: —"Why so far?"
Lucia, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke with the calm assurance of someone who understood the danger.
Lucia Ducking: —"Since you two are apparently foreigners, it's only natural that you wouldn't know."
The Dark Lands are a place overrun by monsters.
If I'm accompanying you, proper preparations will be absolutely necessary.
Julia: —"My sister must reach that place as quickly as possible."
King Arthur nodded slowly, his regal tone returning.
Arthur: —"Very well."
I'll contact Marquis Goldman later and have him prepare a suitable vessel for your journey.
Julie tilted her head curiously.
Julie: —"Who is this Marquis Goldman?"
Arthur: —"He is responsible for safeguarding Livingrown, the city from which you'll depart for the Dark Lands."
Cardinal Velpo: —"Then..."
Arthur: —"You are dismissed... Except for the young lady who volunteered to remain. May I know your name?"
Julia: —"I am Julia Solviers."
The princess regarded her curiously.
Teresa: —"Don't you have another surname... or another name?"
Julia: —"No."
I was not born the way humans are.
I inherited only the surname of my blood progenitor.
Teresa: —"What do you mean?"
Julia: —"You'll understand once I explain everything."
Julie stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly as she embraced her sister.
Julie: —"Wait for me, big sister."
I'll return as quickly as I can.
Julia returned the embrace, her expression peaceful.
Julia: —"I'm sorry I can't accompany you."
Julie: —"I'll be fine... But why didn't you tell them your second name?"
Julia lowered her voice, her eyes taking on a colder gleam.
Julia: —"Julie... what's gotten into you? You know our traditions... And you know exactly what our second names mean."
Julie lowered her head.
Julie: —"I'm sorry... It's just... They don't seem like bad people."
Julia gently cupped her sister's cheek, both tender and firm.
Julia: —Don't assume anything yet. And remember... Only those you trust with your life may ever learn your second name."
Julie nodded.
Julie: —"I'll remember, big sister."
After receiving the king's permission, the knights departed from the throne room.
The massive doors closed behind them with a deep echo, as though signaling the beginning of something inevitable.
Out in the corridors, the metallic rhythm of the procession blended with the murmurs of servants and the distant tolling of bells.
Meanwhile...
From the palace's upper balcony, Britain's Second Prince silently watched their departure.
His gaze settled upon the golden-haired young woman marching among the knights.
For a brief instant...
His breathing stopped.
Something about her—
Perhaps the way sunlight danced across her armor.
Or the purity of her bearing.
Captured him completely.
When he asked one of the knights about her destination and learned they were heading toward the Dark Lands...
A mixture of unease and fascination stirred within him.
Silently...
The prince made a decision.
He would keep watch over that mission...
And over the young woman who had awakened something within his heart that he couldn't yet understand.
...
The Royal Palace's great doors slowly closed behind them, leaving the king's overwhelming presence behind.
Outside, the air was colder, carrying the lingering moisture of dawn.
The Knights of Light marched in disciplined formation, their armor gleaming with golden reflections beneath the rising sun.
Julie walked beneath her dark veil, flanked by the Inquisitors and the Order's knights.
Yet her eyes betrayed impatience.
Her pace was slightly quicker than everyone else's, while her fingers nervously toyed with the edge of her veil.
Lucia Ducking followed close behind, her crimson cloak fluttering in the breeze.
The fire mage kept her eyes fixed upon the horizon, her expression resolute, though inside her chest curiosity and foreboding churned together.
Beside her marched the apprentice, Vivian Crosgrove, struggling to keep pace while the light of mana pulsed across her armor.
In the distance, the rhythmic pounding of the royal horses' hooves marked the convoy's advance.
Soldiers cleared the path while civilians traveling near the castle stopped to watch.
The banners of the Order of Light fluttered solemnly overhead.
Julie leaned slightly toward one of the Inquisitors as they walked.
Julie: —"I don't like the way they're looking at me..."
The Inquisitor sighed, remembering the mission entrusted to him.
Hugo Keaton: —"Miss, it isn't every day that so many members of our Order mobilize at once. Their curiosity is only natural."
Julie: —"Curiosity or suspicion... It makes no difference. It makes me uncomfortable."
The Inquisitor turned his head slightly toward her, a protective smile appearing on his lips.
Hugo Keaton: —"Miss... I don't know who you truly are. But I advise you to walk with dignity."
Lucia observed the exchange from the corner of her eye.
There was something...
Different about that young woman.
An elegance that felt almost innate...
Yet somehow foreign to this world itself.
The very air surrounding her seemed to shimmer with restrained power.
Vivian, meanwhile, could barely conceal her fascination.
"It's just like the legends from the Ancient Eras... I'm actually escorting an incarnated spirit..."
she thought, nervously adjusting her gauntlet.
When they finally reached the teleportation station, they paused for a moment before the enormous portal gates through which people continuously came and went.
Beyond them, the Domain Gates released an endless stream of airships.
The massive stone frames were engraved with intricate runic circles carved into black stone.
The mages responsible for maintaining the portals rotated shifts constantly to ease the tremendous burden, while fresh groups already stood ready to take over.
The wind swirled around the station, carrying shimmering particles of mana that drifted through the air like glowing fireflies.
Cardinal Velpo stepped forward, inspecting the portal seals alongside the two Inquisitors.
Cardinal Velpo: —"The route to Livingrown has already been established."
Everyone stood ready to enter.
However...
The station's chief mage raised a hand in warning.
Ruffer: —"Please enter one group at a time. If everyone passes through simultaneously, the dimensional portal could collapse... So one group at a time!"