Chapter 117: ¹¹⁷Astrea’s Night Trail
The brief conversation in the tavern room ended without much delay. Ethan raised a single hand—an absolute gesture instantly understood by the two women before him.
Kaelia swallowed hard, suppressing the lingering tension still coiling in her chest. Valera gave a stiff nod, loosening her grip on the hilt of her sword. Both of them understood perfectly: tonight wasn’t for fighting, but for catching their breath before stepping into the lion’s den.
Ethan rose from his chair. The dark coat fell straight down, perfectly framing his imposing posture. Kaelia stepped closer, pulling up the chair across from Ethan. She shot the still-warm teacup a look of mingled disgust and anxiety.
"Tch... Astrea sure knows how to rob its guests of a good night’s sleep," Kaelia whispered warily, her eyes occasionally sweeping the door Caelum had just walked through.
Valera refused to sit. The exotic knight pressed her back against the marble wall, locking her gaze on both the door and the window simultaneously. Her jaw clenched tight.
"I deserve death, My Lord," Valera growled under her breath, seething with anger at herself. "That man walked in and out without triggering a single alarm in my head. I didn’t detect his Mana fluctuations at all."
Ethan slowly twirled his empty teacup with his fingertips.
"You didn’t detect him because he wasn’t leaking any killing intent, Valera," Ethan replied flatly. "Don’t beat yourself up over someone explicitly trained to be a ghost in his own palace."
Kaelia stiffened. Her hands intertwined tightly on the table.
"Palace? Wait, silver hair..." Kaelia’s breath hitched. "Don’t tell me he’s—"
"Caelum von Valois. The Second Prince of Astrea," Ethan cut in with absolute certainty.
Kaelia’s eyes went perfectly round. Her southern aristocratic instincts screamed in turmoil.
"He came down here personally to meet us? In this filthy inn?!" Kaelia hissed in disbelief. "Caelum is a passive observer who locks himself in his tower! What does he want?"
"He came to read the board," Ethan answered calmly, his eyes watching the fading steam from the tea. "He isn’t a rabid dog like Edward who barks at the front door."
Ethan slowly drew himself up. His dark coat draped straight, framing his tall stature.
"Caelum is the type of enemy who will pour you a warm cup of tea with a smile, then calculate exactly how long it takes for you to drop dead after drinking it."
Kaelia shuddered slightly, reflexively rubbing her arms that had suddenly gone cold. "Astrea... they really are exceptionally good at making you feel welcome right before they slit your throat."
"It doesn’t matter what kind of tea he brews, we aren’t here to drink it," Ethan stated, as cold as ice. "We’re here to shatter the cup."
Ethan’s dark brown eyes locked onto the two women. "Back to the room. When dawn breaks, we have an official invitation to fulfill."
Valera bowed respectfully, slipping back into her role as a protective shadow, while Kaelia trailed behind, her heart hammering wildly in her chest.
The White Rose Suite, third floor.
The moment the door clicked shut, Valera immediately sprang into action. The stiffness in her muscles and the throbbing ache in her right shoulder were completely ignored. To her, Caelum slipping by earlier was a crushing blow to her pride as a guard.
The female knight knelt to inspect the space beneath the sofa, ran her hands along the large window hinges, and scoured the ceiling for any potential eavesdropping runes.
After ten minutes of ransacking the room like a paranoid wolf, Valera finally stood tall. She gave Ethan a slow nod. Clean.
"Haaah..." Kaelia collapsed onto the red velvet sofa. Her long legs dangled limply over the edge.
"What a sickening city," the red-haired girl murmured cynically. Her mask of arrogance had completely slipped.
Ethan ignored her complaints. He parted the velvet curtains just a fraction, gazing down at the streets below.
The Capital of Astrea was bathed in the warm glow of golden-yellow lanterns. The marble surfaces gleamed immaculately. Noble carriages bearing golden crests rolled by slowly, accompanied by the delicate chime of bridle bells.
There were no shouting drunks. No shadows of thieves lurking in dark alleys. Everything was perfectly arranged in a fake, sickening harmony.
A flawless illusion of safety.
"They are far too calm because they feel they are in absolute control," Ethan stated, his voice blending with the rustle of the night wind. "Attacking us outside the palace walls tonight would be akin to insulting the very Crown seal they created themselves."
Ethan let go of the curtain. He glanced at Kaelia, who was already half-asleep on the sofa, then shifted his gaze to Valera, who stood rigidly on guard near the door.
"Sleep," Ethan commanded with absolute finality. "Save your energy. Tomorrow, we will no longer be standing outside the arena."
Valera pounded her left chest in salute, then retreated to the corner of the room. The knight stood guard with her eyes closed, allowing her feral instincts to completely take over.
Amidst the heavy silence, Ethan laid himself down on the bed.
A thin, gray mist hung low over Astrea’s marble rooftops as dawn broke.
The spring air still carried a lingering, icy bite, yet the Capital was already pulsing with activity. The faint sounds of wheat bread cart wheels and street sweepers’ brooms could be heard, grooming the city before the nobles even woke up.
Inside the suite, preparations were underway amidst a thick, palpable tension.
Kaelia stood before the silver mirror. Her dull travel tunic had been replaced. She was now dressed in a thick, dark red silk gown. Intricate gold thread embroidery depicting vines and the Ashford crest adorned its high collar.
Her fiery red hair was tied up, exposing her slender neck and sharp jawline. Her fingers trembled slightly as she adjusted her belt, but she quickly took a long, deep breath.
The mask of absolute arrogance was firmly back in place. Today, she was no longer a student of Zenithar. She was the prideful daughter of the South.
In another corner, Valera checked her gear like a seasoned war veteran. Her black leather armor had been polished clean. Her right arm was still bandaged, but her movements remained absolutely lethal. She tightened the straps of the Zweihander on her back.
Click.
Ethan stepped out from the inner bedroom.
The young man wore no plate armor or gaudy, oversized noble cloaks. He merely wore a high-collared black tunic with a row of silver buttons, draped in a dark, calf-length coat that seemed to absorb the light around him.
His dark brown hair was left slightly disheveled. There wasn’t a single trace of gold on his person, yet the crushing, absolute Aura he exuded forced the air in the room to thin out.
Ethan slipped the thick parchment scroll, bearing the dark blue wax seal, into his coat pocket. His eyes swept over his two retainers.
"It’s time," Ethan stated softly.
A single phrase that locked down the atmosphere. Kaelia raised her chin arrogantly, and Valera gave a stiff nod.
They descended into the inn’s courtyard without exchanging any pleasantries. The black wooden carriage of the Valen family was already waiting. Its two black horses stomped their hooves, exhaling plumes of white steam into the morning fog.
Valera vaulted nimbly into the driver’s seat, her right hand resting ready near the hilt of her sword. Ethan and Kaelia climbed into the cabin.
Hyah!
The wooden wheels rattled monotonously against the marble paving, leaving The Gilded Dove behind and carving a path through the Capital toward the center of power.
The closer they got to the heart of Astrea, the more sterilized the city felt. Classical buildings with magnificent carvings completely dominated the view. Crown Knights in blue-and-gold plate armor began patrolling every intersection with steel spears in hand.
Astrean banners fluttered arrogantly everywhere. The rotting wooden carriage belonging to the Valen family stood out like a sore thumb—like a mud stain on a pristine white canvas. Local nobles sneered from behind the silk curtains of their carriages, shooting them looks of both condescension and utter bewilderment.
Kaelia stared straight out the window. Her fingers squeezed the hem of her gown so tightly that her knuckles turned stark white.
At the end of the main road, piercing through the morning mist, Veylor Castle slowly took on a tangible form.
The gargantuan fortress was built entirely of pure white marble. Its slender towers with dark blue roofs soared arrogantly, tearing into the sky. Black stone gargoyle statues perched along the thick battlements, looking as if they were scrutinizing the sins of every human below.
"Veylor..." Kaelia murmured bitterly, her voice sounding hollow. "The most beautiful place on this continent. And at the same time, the grandest graveyard for fools who don’t even realize they’re being hunted."
Ethan stared at the fortress with his eyes narrowed sharply. He didn’t see architectural magnificence; he saw the blueprint for a slaughterhouse. Watchtowers, wall patrol routes, and the sheer thickness of the gates.
"Graveyards are only for the dead, Kaelia," Ethan shot back coldly.
The carriage slowly decelerated as it entered the castle’s massive outer courtyard. Access to the main gate was completely blockaded by a squad of Crown Knights.
The posture of these fully armored knights was significantly more intimidating than the city gate guards.
"Halt!" barked the squad commander. His baritone voice echoed loudly across the square. "Sterilized area! Only those with official Crown invitations are permitted to pass! Identify yourselves!"
Screech. The Valen carriage braked hard.
Valera immediately stood up from the driver’s seat. Her golden eyes glared fiercely at the iron-plated knights, her hand resting aggressively on her sword belt.
"Our Lord holds the invitation you’re looking for, Knight," Valera hissed, her voice heavy with a lethal threat. "Stand down, before you block an official envoy of the Palace."
The commander narrowed his eyes. He scoffed dismissively at the sight of the dilapidated wooden carriage and its defiant driver. He gripped his spear, preparing to issue an order by force.
Clack.
The carriage door opened slowly.
Ethan’s black boots stepped onto the marble paving of the courtyard. His dark coat billowed slightly in the cold, rustling morning breeze. He walked calmly, striding past the side of the carriage until he stood face-to-face with the barricade of steel spears.
Ethan’s dark brown eyes locked onto the commander. An Aura of absolute domination seeped out, instantly making the air around the barricade feel overwhelmingly dense and suffocating.
Without saying a single word, Ethan reached into his coat. He pulled out the thick parchment and raised it high. The dark blue wax seal of the Astrean Crown reflected the early morning light.
"My name is Ethan Valen," Ethan stated calmly, yet his voice sliced through the air like a razor blade. "And I have come to answer the Crown council’s summons."
The commander’s eyes bulged completely upon seeing the absolute seal. Every last ounce of his arrogance evaporated into nothingness. He hurriedly pulled back his spear and slammed his steel gauntlet against his chest, delivering an incredibly rigid military salute.
"F-Forgive our insolence, Lord Valen!" the commander stammered, his voice trembling violently. He shot a panicked look at his troops. "Open the barricade! Clear the path for Lord Valen!"
The elite squad of knights immediately split their formation, lining up neatly on both sides while bowing their heads deeply.
At the end of the marble path, the gargantuan black iron gates of Veylor Castle shuddered. The screech of heavy metal and the grinding of magical chains echoed loudly in the air. The gates opened agonizingly slowly, like the gaping maw of a dragon, revealing a long, dark stone tunnel leading to the inner courtyard.
From behind the carriage curtains, Kaelia swallowed hard. Her heart raced even wilder as she stared into those gates.
Valera stood on high alert, gripping the leather reins as she awaited her Lord’s command.
Ethan Valen stood silently in place, staring straight through the cracks of those black gates. This time, he wasn’t stepping into an academy.