Chapter 276: Vestia’s Royal Castle

Chapter 276: Vestia’s Royal Castle

TL: SupremeTentacle

ED: Exkalamity

Guendalfa led us out of the Adventurers’ Guild and onto the street after boasting that he would introduce us to Kiara. His massive frame parted the bustling crowd like water, making it really easy for us to follow behind him. We could see the Royal Castle from the Adventurers’ Guild but that didn’t mean it was close by. That was just how big it was; it’s sheer size messed with my sense of distance. It took us twenty minutes to walk from the Adventurers’ Guild to the gate of the Royal Castle. As we approached, we saw that the walls around the castle were just as tall and wide as the walls surrounding Vestia. There was even a moat carved around the castle like a muddy serpent gouged into the earth, complete with a wooden drawbridge featuring a stone gatehouse on top.

“This castle was designed as the capital city’s final bastion,” explained Guendalfa. He seemed to have decided to play the role of tour guide for us. “If need be, the castle can be turned into a fully armed and fortified stronghold. Any enemies that manage to breach the city’s walls will have to deal with a second set.”

As we approached, a guard appeared out of a house next to the drawbridge on the town side.

“Halt,” he said. “You are now entering upon the royal castle. All who wish to pass must first validate their identities.”

Guendalfa approached the guard.

“I am Guendalfa, son of the Patriarch of the Rhinokin. With me is the Black Lightning Princess herself! I vouch for her identity on my honour. I also carry a letter of recommendation from the guildmaster in Vestia.”

He handed over a black card and a sealed letter to the guard. After opening up the letter and reading the contents carefully, the guard looked at us in disbelief.

“You could get an audience with the king with this letter,” he muttered.

An audience with the king? What the hell kind of recommendation did that guildmaster write us? He puts way too much faith into us for just completing one delivery quest.

It would make sense if the guildmaster had planned to give Fran such a recommendation all along with the quest as a pretext to give it to her. The guild probably wanted to build ties with the first black catkin to evolve since the tribe’s downfall. Fran may as well have been a living legend, and because of that, the guild wanted to gain her favor early into her career. Likewise, the Beast Lord had given her a crest with his personal ensignia engraved into it back in Ulmutt right after the tournament. He was probably thinking the same thing.

Actually given his musclehead personality, probably not. But Royce, his aide, had definitely thought that quickly establishing a working relationship with Fran was prudent given her circumstances.

I urged Fran to give the guard the crest. It was most likely a more trustworthy form of ID, and I figured there was no harm in showing it.

“Nn.”

“This is...!” The guard’s eyes bulged from their sockets. Guendalfa also stared daggers into the crest.

After letting out a contented sigh, Guendalfa once again began to speak.

“You really are something, Black Lightning Princess.”

“Nn?” said Fran, sipping on a cup of tea.

“You see, this room was made to entertain people of noble birth. Normally, common folk wouldn’t feel right being in such a fancy place, but you look right at home,” he said. “The food too. What they just brought us was some high class stuff but you scarfed it right down like it was ‘nuthin.”

“You too.”

“Well of course. I am a noble, so this much is normal for me.”

Fran and I stared.

What the hell! He was a blue blood?! How the hell does he still have peerage given the attitude he was going around with?

“What? Why are you so surprised?” laughed Guendalfa. “I know I don’t seem like a noble, but my father is technically the patriarch of an entire tribe of beastkin, so I’m used to all the bells and frills that comes with having status.”

After that surprising revelation, a knock came from the door.

“Excuse me. Madam Fran, Mr. Guendalfa, Lady Kiara will see you now.”

The door opened and two maids were waiting for us. We followed them deep into the castle, passing by large banquet halls and wide ballrooms along the way.

“You used to be able to find her on the practice grounds in the outskirts of the castle,” said Guendalfa. “But lately her health has been getting worse, so she’s been confined to her room.”

“Bad health? Will be okay?” asked Fran.

“I’m worried too,” he replied. “She is getting pretty old. But the fact that they let us see her means she’s alright.”

It can’t be helped. She’s already like 70 years old.

“It’s finally time to meet Kiara,” I said to Fran.

“Nn.”