Chapter 25 (1/2)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Even though he only had a dozen soldiers with him, even though the name of Cecil had long been estranged from the politics of the kingdom, and even though the clan’s last estate in the capital had been absorbed by the kingdom a hundred years ago, Gawain still entered the city flamboyantly, going so far as to fly the clan’s colors of seven hundred years ago.
The flag could only be flown in Gawain Cecil’s lifetime. Doing so now was not so much as revealing his existence, but sending a signal to the royal family—
“It isn’t the seventeen year-old Viscountess entering the city, but the Grand Duke of the South.”
Upon hearing this report from his Chamberlain, Francis II immediately understood what this “ancient man” was implying. The old king stepped out onto the terrace of the Silver Castle and gazed in the direction of the entrance into the city the Cecil Clan was taking.
He was unable to make out anything at this distance—this city was now so much larger than it had been before, so large that even standing on the highest point of the Silver Castle could not yield him a view of the city’s limits. Would the ancient man who had been asleep for seven hundred years feel surprised when he stepped into this city?
Would he realize that seven hundred years had already passed and everything was not the same as before?
His Chamberlain was still by his side, waiting for his orders. Francis II looked away and turned his attention back to this ordinary-looking middle-aged man. “Receive him as befit a duke, then tell him that I will meet him tomorrow at noon. Invite him to rest a day in Silver Castle to relieve the fatigue of his journey.”
The Chamberlain received the order, but before he could retire from the room, Francis II called out to him again. “Also, with the exception of rescheduling the meeting, all of the Grand Duke’s requests should be fulfilled to the best of our ability—treat him with the utmost respect.”
The Chamberlain retreated. A handsome young man with short blonde hair and clad in fine clothes walked up to the King, he had been standing beside a pillar nearby all along. “Father, do you think it’s true that the Grand Duke has been ‘resurrected’, or is that a hoax?”
“That’s unimportant.” Francis II looked at his successor. “Although we have received that letter from Andrew, and we have a lot of evidence, whether or not this ancient Grand Duke is for real remains to be determined. For now, I can only say… It doesn’t seem like a hoax. That resurrected ancient one is giving us a big ‘surprise’.”
The young man lowered his eyes and put on an air of humility as he asked, “Why do you think he has come?”
“The purpose of his arrival can only be guessed before the meeting takes place. Judging by the style of rumors he has stirred up on the way here, he will certainly not make his intentions known clearly in advance.” The old King shook his head. “You should find an opportunity to interact with him and judge his attitude, but you must be careful. We’re dealing with an unprecedented situation, and we don’t want to provoke him.”
The young man promised this, and turned to leave the room.
Meanwhile, Francis II turned around and continued his observation of the city, but sighed internally.
This heir of his was still too young. He was still inept at hiding his true thoughts. He had shown so much interest in the man who had fallen from the sky—or rather, crawled out from the earth—that he could sense his eagerness with a single glance.
But it was not such a big deal actually. It was better to present this opportunity to him, rather than letting him get in touch with the man privately.
After watching his Chamberlain ride away from the castle, Francis II nodded and said to the air, “Dark Raven, go and survey Gawain Cecil and his party, and report everything back to me.”
No sooner had the King spoken then a veil at the foot of a pillar stirred slightly, though no one appeared.
“Also, don’t get too close. If he is really that wonder from seven hundred years ago, you will be found out if you venture too close,” added the old King.
The veil under the pillar did not move.
…
Gawain and his party entered the city of St. Soniel from its main entrance, riding on the main road of the city on horseback. Almost half the city had gotten wind of the news, and the party met the procession the King had sent to welcome them before they reached the Silver Castle.
The entourage welcoming them was very ostentatious and steeped in extravagance. A red carpet was rolled under Gawain’s feet from somewhere deep in the Silver Castle. Costumed attendants and maids strew petals along the way, and a trumpeter and a drummer played music from either side. All this seemed like His Majesty the King had taken more than a day to make these preparations—but Gawain was still certain that if he had come into the city in a different manner, or entered it earlier, the welcome reception would have been different.
Only the Heavens knew how much planning this King had done to deal with such an occasion.
Even though Gawain himself had never interacted with nobility or had any experience rubbing shoulders with the nobility, there were much related knowledge and experiences from the memories in his mind. Although Gawain Cecil was a pioneer of the Anzu Kingdom, he had also lived through the glory days of the Gondor Empire—he could not see what Anzu would be like seven hundred years later, but he knew how the Gondor Empire looked like seven hundred years ago.
At its height, the human empire seven hundred years ago was more complex than any of the continental countries could imagine.