It was nearing the afternoon, I saw the border of the capital. I had run without stopping and the result was that I had reached near the capital sooner than I had expected. Since the capital was very large, I had to enter the border and move much slower among people. I could produce unrest while running so It was a good Idea to move fast in the open. but still, using spirit energy inhancement has increased my speed by 2 folds just like that.
[my Miasma could have done the same.]
and it also could have sapped my stamina like it did in the edge of the world.
[hmph!]
I saw the capital as I retorted to Amanori, It had a very intimidating wall covering from all sides. While I was nearing the border gates, I saw many carriage stations. people were getting off carriages and going to the city gates. it seems you have to enter while on foot. though it felt like it was quite heavily guarded.
I went forward and was pretty soon near the gate. I saw some guards checking people's identity. Most of the people have their own reasons for entering the capital, so they have some or the other means as their identity certification. Like for me it was my Adventurers card or the letter that Leila had given me.
I walked forward and it was my turn to enter.
"What's the reason for coming..?" Asked the guard it was probably the main question they asked.
"I needed to deliver this Letter.." I showed the letter since it had Leila's own seal on it, it would be considered a delivery request. But as soon as the guards saw the letter, they all changed their attitudes from none caring to becoming on high alert.
"Get the mail carriage. It's a delivery from the High Miss!" The guard shouted the instructions. I was confused about what was going on.
"Hmm what's up?" I asked the guard.
"You don't have to worry lad, the carriage will go straight to The castle okay? The letter has our High Miss's seal. This is the normal procedure we like to make haste…..but hmmm It's the first time I saw a young man making the delivery?"
The way that he was talking to me, I think the guard was 40 or 50 years old. I couldn't see his face because of his full helmet but the atmosphere was good. It seems whatever this letter was, it must be something good.
I was told that I could get a visit to where I want after I deliver this letter to the Overlord. I promptly agreed after hearing that, while Leila asked, `` Shouldn't I be more stiff about this meeting?' at the time I didn't actually think I would meet the overlord? Besides I had met god for all's sake! I had to at least see a devil or demigod to intimidate me.
The carriage came and it looked much fancier than the normal ones.
Well maybe the carriages going to the castle had to have some style to them.
As I thought about such things, I boarded the carriage.
"Thanks man I appreciate your help.." I smiled at the guard who had got this carriage ready for me.
"This is normal courtesy to give top treatment to High Miss's delivery, don't sweat it, also, let me give you a news, you can eat at the royal castles cafeteria, it serves the most delicious meals. adventurers can't eat there often you know, but this delivery would give the chance."
"Really? well I always appreciate good food thanks for the info.." I waved as the carriage started to go forward. It seemed it was going straight to the castle. I wasn't expecting this treatment, right now I was wondering who Leila really was. She couldn't just be a normal guild master and get this treatment could she? but heck I like the warm welcome. As these things went on in my mind, I rode the carriage resting for a bit in the cozy high class cabin like carriage..
...…
In the Royal castle, the Overlord Lilith Asadeli was lounging around in her throne room. Today wasn't very busy for her and since Alice, her 2nd daughter had left with her Masters, she really had nothing to do. Before, some days, at least Alice would get into some problems for her to look into. Even the war with the empire was on a halt. Stein looked like it was having some internal affairs but nothing that should make her worry for now. She looked back at the past 2 years after the hero's had left..
In a matter of months after their leave, the human countries started to get aggressive at one another. The rough days came to a halt as soon as the heroes entered the country.. She again felt that the heroes presence was truly astounding.. Even if she was able to surpass Merlin the sword saint in power. As the overlord, many things binded her to her position. Thus even while having the power, Lilith had no way to stop the wars that had started to transpire. She did easily save her country from outside forces proving her power as the overlord time and time again but that only stopped the destruction from happening here in her country. Who knows what was happening in other countries. and although she fended of enemies countless times, she was still low on power to overwhelm any other country to completely give up. even the lords under her knew that they were lacking power. still, there was no one apart from the heroes that could overwhelm not only a country but a whole race with just their presence.
While she was feeling bored, she thought about her 1st daughter. Her name was Leila Asadeli. She was the opposite of her 2nd daughter, cool minded, thought about everything going around her and always took control of any situation she was involved in, Alice also did all that but in the opposite way. If Leila made things easier for her, then Alice would definitely do the opposite. although Alice had the upper hand in power and growth, Alice did make Lilith feel more at ease for the future, if nothing else, her daughter may just be able to take the path of the heroes while she grew up.
While thinking about her two daughters, her attendant came in with rather surprising news.
"My Liege, High Miss, has sent a Delivery, it has passed the east border gate and is heading to the Castle, would Liege want to…."
"Hmm yes, send her in. I was just thinking about her, maybe my Daughter sent something regarding current matters since it's 2 weeks early…" Lilith gave her assent to let the delivery man pass when the carriage arrived. Lilith always took these deliveries herself and not by anyone. It was her way of saying her daughters were very important to make their matters handled by someone else. But her Attendant wanted to say something else this time. Lilith understood this by her fidgeting hands. Everyone in the country was like this to the overlord, they had so much respect for her that they could get stimulated just by hearing her voice. that type of respect and popularity would only be limited to this position only.
"Is there something else to tell me then?" She asked in a relaxed tone.
"My Liege, this time the deliverer is a boy not a girl." Said the attendant which brought curiosity in Lilith since her daughter clearly couldn't trust a man to handle her private letters.
"I see, well, send him in." Lilith said just that but her mind was working faster than before. If Leila really had entrusted someone with her letter, could this someone happen to be able to make her want him? as such thoughts went through her head, the time came closer and soon the attendant said the carriage had arrived.
......
Rekka's carriage came and stopped at the castle doors. He had skipped the entrance and that's why he couldn't observe the castle, but he thought that he should do that when his grandparents would take him here.
As a guard opened the door, a maid greeted him and welcomed him inside, without even keeping him waiting, he went straight to the audience room. The room's door looked really luxurious, well the castle was no less too. it was practically shining, the whole castle seemed to be exuding some kind of a force like it was alive.
[the power of the ruler exudes through the castle I guess.]
When Rekka asked Amanori about it she said only that. Finally reaching the audience room, The door opened and in there he saw in the highest seat, the overlord was seated. The first thing he felt was her extreme presence; it would easily blow anyone normal or even an accomplished fighter to the ground. Rekka himself felt that too, but he wasn't a half baked cookie himself, living a not so normal life had made him what he was now. still unfazed by the aura of the overlord, he entered the room when he was told to.
At first while entering he saw no one was near or in the room, the 2 guards at the room's gate also seemed rather in pressure. It was clearly because of the Overlords extreme pressure.
"That boy has to be chosen by High Miss, did you see? He didn't falter at all while he entered."
"I wonder where High Miss has found such a man? Although he is rather young.."
"Who cares, if a man can not stand up in front of the overlord, then he is certainly not worthy of our high miss. Not to mention, with a face like that, he probably would get sharper in a few years."
As the guards spoke of Rekka in the back, they started to spread the rumor of the boy that was daunting enough to come before the overlord without even faltering, those steps that were steady in front of the Treasteins highest authority, made any and all see just how influential the one taking the steps could be. Soon they would come to realize that this boy was none other than the Hero's grandson, making the rumor spread even more.
The overlord was sitting elegantly and her looks were very similar to someone Rekka had a crush on 2 days ago.
His mind worked wonders and he soon made connections.
Leila... you're the daughter of the overlord…! man why didn't I think of that? she didn't even say anything. is this the revenge for what I did in her office….
Well hopefully this overlord is not an overprotective mother or she might even think of me as a potential threat to her daughter.
........
He was standing in front of Lilith, Lilith had thought to intimidate the one who would be coming but when she saw that entering the room had just been a boy, she was going to cancel that plan, but to her surprise, the boy had just walked on like nothing was happening.
She was exuding enough pressure to make any of the lords take a step back, but it had made nothing happen. She still suppressed her dying curiosity to first get the feel of what was happening. Then she saw another surprising thing: anyone living in the country would never be able to just come in and stand there thinking and making rest of their plans for the day in front of the Overlord, but the boy in question was doing just that. she could sense that the boy wasn't disrespecting her. No, it was as if just acknowledging the fact that he was standing in front of someone important. There was no sign of deep reverence in his eye...
"State your Business adventurer." Lilith couldn't help but feel intimidated herself. It's been decades since someone could just stand up to her like that. So even though she knew why the boy was here, she asked first.
Her intimidation tactic seemed to have backfired since she was the one on the edge now. it was even more scary since Leila was the one who sent this guy to her. maybe her daughter finally had chosen her suitor.
"It is an honour to meet you my lord. I have come with a letter from Guild master Leila Asadeli, I was told to deliver it to you." Rekka answered with a polite tone and put in some honorifics too since he was meeting the overlord. while taking a knee and presenting the letter, he wondered if this was the correct way.
prompting the Overlord to take the letter. it was as if the letter just flew into her hands with telekinesis. Rekka was pretty interested in seeing that, he didn't even see his Granny do that.
While he was thinking those thoughts, the Overlord was reading the letter, it was about Merlin and Melinda's grandson and about what he had done also about what Leila herself had thought of him, then came the things that Leila usually wrote to Lilith. While she read it, this time there was a hint about something. Leila had mentioned that she was quite interested in Merlin and Melinda's grandson power, since Leila was much more civilized than Alice, she always took her mother's views into account and this time also the letter was about seeking advice from her mother. Lilith read this with a cool mind until the last part was read.
"You want to take the spirit trial..?" Asked Lilith. Since it was a sudden question, Rekka was caught off guard and said casually. "What's that?"
"You don't know? And still you want to take it?" Lilith was first surprised about this little boy taking the trial, then when she found that the boy himself didn't know what he was going to take, it was even more surprising. but since Leila herself made a request, she agreed to it. In all these delusions, she didn't read the most important part; it was about the boy who was delivering this time. It was in fact the grandson of Merlin and Melinda. Since even Rekka hadn't been given a chance to introduce himself, it had slipped up and as Leila had written that the boy was in a hurry, so Lilith also didn't wait and summoned a maid to take Rekka to that place of the spirit.
"Hey boy, meet me if you could talk to spirits okay..?" Said Lilith. She was thinking that maybe this boy could make a small connection to get the blessing of the spirit residing here. She never noticed the cursed sword hanging on the boy's back. The sword that was ominous from all angles was missed out by the overlord. At times like these, it could be said that the miss of certain things runs in their family.
On the other hand since Rekka's request was fulfilled, he also went with the maid to the spirits place.
While humming a happy tune to himself he went with the maid, then he remembered.
Oooh no, I forgot to introduce myself….hmm well I did get my request fulfilled, so it wasn't really needed…
.....
This was how the Overlord who wanted to assess the cursed sword wielder and was wanting to become sure that the sword was in good hands first, had given the way to Rekka to become more powerful and sadly she didn't even know it.
...
"The boy certainly was cute… I wonder where Leila picked him up from." As Lilith said this while enjoying a tea in relaxation, time flew by and pretty soon. She was going to face the man of the hour.
It really was calm before the strong.