The great stone walls surrounding the immense property stood tall and imposing against the early morning sky, creating a clear, definitive boundary between the outer world and the grand estate that had just become our new destination. As our group stood together on the wide approach, a deep, mechanical click resonated through the quiet air, followed immediately by the low, heavy grinding sound of ancient iron hinges turning smoothly under careful, meticulous maintenance. The gate suddenly opened, its massive, intricately designed iron bars swinging inward with surprising grace and fluidity to reveal the spectacular grounds that lay hidden directly behind the outer perimeter. As the heavy barriers parted completely, an incredible sight met our eyes just beyond the threshold, where a large, impeccably organized assembly of household staff had already gathered in perfect readiness to greet our arrival. A bunch of maids and butlers are waiting side to side, standing in two perfectly straight, flawlessly aligned parallel rows that formed a long, highly formal ceremonial corridor leading toward the main structure of the estate. The maids were dressed in immaculate, crisply pressed black and white traditional uniforms with spotless white aprons tied perfectly around their waists, while the butlers stood tall and proud in dark, perfectly tailored formal suits that gave them an air of absolute professionalism, elegance, and dignity. Not a single person among the staff moved or shifted their physical weight, maintaining an incredibly disciplined, upright posture with their hands neatly clasped in front of them as they awaited our entry. The moment our entire party took our very first steps across the threshold and entered the estate grounds, the entire line of servants moved in perfect, absolute unison, lowering their heads and bending forward from the waist in a deep, highly respectful formal bow. In a beautifully synchronized blend of numerous clear and well-practiced voices that echoed grandly against the stone walls of the courtyard, they all said, "Welcome, King Nishighi, Prince Ishighi, Princess Hanashighi, and guests." The powerful, harmonious greeting filled the open air completely, conveying a deep sense of official hospitality and profound respect that immediately established the grand importance of our arrival at this magnificent mansion.
The resounding echo of the household staff's unified greeting slowly faded into the cool morning air, leaving a pleasant, lingering sense of warmth and welcoming hospitality as we proceeded forward into the beautiful property. We all walked in, our heavy boots clicking steadily against the smooth, perfectly laid stone tiles of the grand pathway that stretched elegantly across the wide courtyard toward the front entrance of the massive building. The long lines of maids and butlers remained perfectly still in their deep bows as we passed between them, maintaining their respectful posture until the last member of our group had successfully crossed into the inner grounds of the estate. As we walked together, taking in the spectacular view of the sprawling gardens, the tall architectural pillars, and the sheer scale of the grand residence, the quiet atmosphere of our walk was suddenly broken by a burst of pure enthusiasm. Princess Hanashighi looked up at the towering facade of the massive building with wide, sparkling eyes that were filled with an immense amount of genuine joy and creative anticipation, her face lighting up with a brilliant smile as she contemplated the vast space. Completely thrilled by the grand size of the estate and the incredible freedom it promised to offer for her personal endeavors, Hanashighi said, "I can't wait to do my own experiments without a worry, ahaha." Her lighthearted, completely cheerful laughter bubbled up naturally from her chest, sounding incredibly bright and energetic as she walked alongside her family, clearly delighted by the prospect of having a stable, spacious environment where she could focus entirely on her projects with absolute peace of mind.
The sudden, highly enthusiastic exclamation from the princess immediately caught the attention of her traveling companions, who were walking closely beside her along the wide stone pathway. Her bright laughter and the clear mention of her upcoming projects caused a sudden shift in the expression of one of the prominent figures walking within our close-knit group. Hearing the utter excitement in the princess's voice and instantly recognizing the playful spark of determination in her eyes, Celes suddenly mentioned, "Miss Hanashighi, you must not accidentally destroy the mansion with your experiments again." Celes spoke with a calm, perfectly steady voice that carried a wonderful blend of polite caution and subtle, gentle amusement, her gaze fixing directly onto the princess to deliver the prompt and necessary reminder. The direct comment caused a brief, knowing silence to pass among the companions who were walking nearby, drawing a sharp contrast between Hanashighi's chaotic excitement and Celes's grounded, careful demeanor. The princess simply maintained her joyful expression, completely unfazed by the gentle warning, while Celes kept her posture perfectly straight and dignified as our entire group continued moving forward along the paved path, gradually drawing closer to the massive double doors of the grand entrance.
With the amusing conversation between the companions drawing to a natural close, our entire group finally reached the end of the long stone pathway and stood directly before the spectacular main entrance of the grand estate. We all went inside the mansion, stepping through the massive, heavily reinforced wooden front doors as they were politely opened for us, instantly transitioning into a spectacular, incredibly vast interior foyer. The air inside was completely warm and inviting, carrying the subtle, pleasant scent of polished wood and fresh flowers, while the high ceilings and grand chandeliers overhead gave the entire space an undeniable sense of majesty and security. The polished marble floors beneath our feet perfectly reflected the bright morning light streaming through the large glass windows, illuminating the wide corridors that branched out into the deeper sections of the immense residence. Once our entire party was safely gathered inside the grand lobby and the heavy outer doors were quietly closed behind us, King Nishighi stepped forward to the front of the group to assume leadership of our arrangement. King Nishighi guided us to our new rooms, leading our entire party with slow, stately steps up the grand central staircase and through a series of wide, beautifully carpeted residential corridors that felt incredibly peaceful and secluded from the rest of the world. As we walked along the quiet hallways, following his steady lead as he pointed out the various sections of the residential wing, he also mentioned that our mana exposure coma classmates and teacher are in a room near ours. He delivered this information in a clear, reassuring tone, ensuring that we completely understood that our incapacitated companions and our instructor had been safely transported and settled into a nearby, specialized room within the exact same wing of the mansion, allowing us to remain close to them and monitor their condition easily without any separation.
Just as King Nishighi finished explaining the layout of the residential wing and the reassuring proximity of our resting classmates and teacher, a sudden movement at a nearby intersection in the hallway caught our attention. A maid has suddenly appeared from a side corridor, stepping out into the main hallway with an incredibly graceful, completely silent movement that perfectly reflected her exceptional training and familiarity with the grand estate. She stopped a polite distance away from our small group, neatly smoothing down the front of her spotless white apron before lowering her head and bending forward into a deep, highly respectful bow to show her absolute deference to the royal family and their traveling companions. She straightened up smoothly, looking directly at the three of us with a gentle, polite, and completely professional expression that instantly conveyed her readiness to assist us with the next step of our settling process. A maid has suddenly appeared and said, "Let me guide you three to your room." Her voice was soft, clear, and perfectly polite, immediately offering her personal guidance to ensure that we could find our specific designated quarters without any confusion or unnecessary wandering through the massive, labyrinthine hallways of the grand mansion. We accepted her polite offer without a single moment of hesitation, stepping away from the main group as we prepared to finally drop off our heavy travel bags and inspect our new personal living space. We followed the maid as she turned around and began walking down the wide hallway with steady, highly measured steps, her uniform rustling softly against the quiet atmosphere of the residential corridor as she led us through a final set of gentle turns. We walked closely behind her, carrying our personal packs and quietly appreciating the peaceful, highly secure environment of the beautiful hallway until she finally came to a complete stop before a large, beautifully carved wooden door. We arrived to the front door of our room, standing directly on the threshold of our brand new quarters, completely ready to turn the handle and step inside to begin our stay in the grand mansion.