A few hours had passed since Harald and his knights surrendered to Keiren. After a period of reordering and introduction, they journeyed to the City of Stonehaven to meet with Duke Castell and negotiate the exchange of Tadorion for assets and money.
Having learned more about his new knight, Keiren now had a clearer understanding of the situation:
Harald Thunderlance was renowned as the golden boy of his generation, a talented knight with exceptional skills in all aspects of his trade, including weapon training, horse and beast riding, etiquette, and even music. His exceptional abilities earned him the attention of the princess, and it seemed like fate that their talents and interests aligned so seamlessly. Despite this, the Emperor held reservations about the genius knight due to his minor noble background. This ultimately culminated in his request for marriage, which was met with only disdain and abuse. This situation was the final straw that led to Harald being controlled by Archmage Trekon.
The black knight, Ser Mitum Darkus, was known for his brutal battle style and mastery over the element of darkness, as well as a certain level of proficiency in necromancy.
The golden, handsome knight with god-like features was Regal Solum, also known as the Paladin of Justice, with an affinity for the light element. However, his reputation was tarnished by his promiscuous behavior, as he never declined a woman's invitation to share his bed, regardless of their status, appearance, or time of day. This earned him the hatred of many in the empire, to the point where a criminal group called the "Justice Brothers" was formed with the sole purpose of eliminating him. Regal Solum even had the audacity to smile while mentioning this in his introduction, causing Keiren to feel an urge to punch him. Weirdly, the knight seemed to relish the pained expression of disgust on Keiren's face, further feeding his oversized ego.
The smaller, brown-haired female knight was Mage Knight Musian Serga, with an affinity for water and earth and skills. Her mastery over the two elements had allowed her to develop a new, unknown type of magic - wood element magic. Given her knowledge in the field of alchemy and beast taming, she only lacked the ability to shapeshift into a beast to be called a druid.
Finally, the tall female knight was Knight Isabella Berida, who specialized in archery and was considered unbeatable with a bow. She would participate in every archery tournament, showing off her dominance in the sport. She had even declared that she would marry the first man who could beat her in archery, but so far, no one had succeeded. Her elemental affinities were fire and wind, and she used her wings to perfection in order to triumph over her opponents.
Thunderlance's knight squad was widely recognized as the empire's most renowned and elite knight unit in official duty.
It took the group half a day to reach Stonehaven. Upon arriving at the gate, curious looks were shot their way, but Harald Thunderlance rode at the front, and no one dared to question or stop them. The Valkyrie, Angels, and Eternal Einherjar concealed themselves in the clouds, avoiding detection from both the eyes and formations.
Tadorion was freed from his bonds and sat behind an Eternal Knight as they rode through the city. The archers took the same precautions, while the mages were mounted behind Suran and Keiren to divert attention from them.
The group made a beeline for Duke Castell's mansion, where they were granted entry without any trouble. Once inside, the Angels, Einherjar, and Valkyrie appeared like ghosts in the middle of the group, causing the Castell guards and their own allies to be frightened.
Upon entering the courtyard, everyone dismounted their horses, and Keiren approached Tadorian and signaled for him to walk forward. Accompanied by Keiren, Suran, the Valkyrie, and Harald Thunderlance, Tadorian made his way towards the main entrance of the house where the Castell family butler was awaiting their arrival. The sight of the powerful group caused the butler to break out in a cold sweat, fearing for the well-being of the young master.
"Good day, Gula," Tadorian Castell greeted the butler with a smile, "Could you please arrange for me to speak with my father? I have a matter of great importance to discuss with him."
"Of course, young master," Gula quickly acknowledged the request, bowing deeply.
"I will be waiting in the grand salon with our esteemed guests," Tadorian informed the butler as he hastened away to convey the message to his father. "It would be wonderful if you could arrange for Likia to serve us tea and some light refreshments."
The butler entered the office of his master, Duke Castell, in a hurry. On his way, he had stopped a maid to inform the cook to prepare tea and snacks for the grand salon, before sprinting to the office. He announced his presence with a loud crash as he pounded against the closed door, then pushed it open and exclaimed, "The young master has returned, and he's in the company of Harald Thunderlance's squad, as well as a group of unknown knights."
Duke Castell and Lelogas, his personal bodyguard, were taken aback by a sudden noise and instinctively assumed a battle stance. However, the news the butler had brought was nearly as alarming as a possible attack on the mansion.
"The young master has requested to see you in the grand saloon," the butler continued, "and has asked for refreshments from Likia. But as you well know, the late mistress would never serve tea herself."
Duke Castell understood the gravity of the situation. The fact that his son had requested for his dead mother was a clear indication that what was about to be discussed was of great importance and would require difficult sacrifices.
"Lelogas, we must not keep them waiting," the Duke said. "Instruct your men to be on high alert and ready to act at a moment's notice. We do not know what awaits us, but it cannot be good news. The presence of Harald Thunderlance, now controlled by Trekon, only adds to our concerns."
This information was meant to be kept secret, but as a duke, Castell was privy to sensitive information. Despite his former title as Archduke and close confidant of the late empress, he remained aware of what he needed to know. The news of Trekon's involvement had reached Castell and Kebon von Stein almost simultaneously.
The Duke went on to explain that Trekon had taken over Thunderlance's mind after the emperor publicly humiliated him for requesting the princess's hand in marriage. His demeanor was serious and his tone indicated that he was fully prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
In the grand salon, Keiren took a seat in a luxurious chair made from materials he was unfamiliar with. The furniture in Galatris' home paled in comparison, but the comfort of the chair was unmatched after a long night in the forest and a tiring ride to the city. Keiren's training in martial arts, including horseback riding, had prepared him somewhat, but nothing could have prepared him for the intensity of riding Desastro.
A servant entered the room with a tray of tea and pastries, ready to be served. She was a beautiful young woman well-endowed in all the right places. Her most stunning feature was here A+ booty that would make one of his old acquintance back on Earth drool like a starving man that got served free lunch in a high-class restaurant. Despite being married, Keiren's eyes stayed a moment too long on her assets to pass them up as a curious glance.
"Thank you, dear," Tadorion said, taking the tray out of her hand, "You may leave now. I'll let you know if your services are needed again. Be a treasure and bring the men in the courtyard some water and some sandwiches as well."
"Yes, Young Master. I am here to serve," the maid replied respectfully, and bowed before Tadorion, though her face was facing his nether reagions. She then turned and exited the room, her movements so seductive that the young man felt his knees go soft.
Suran stepped in, taking the tray from Tadorion, and shot him a look of disapproval. She then proceeded to serve the tea to Keiren and carefully checked for any signs of poison before serving him a pastry. Tadorion noticed Suran's actions, but given his already awkward situation, he decided against any attempts of explaining his behavior.
Harald took up a position by the door, ready to intercept anyone who might disrupt the room and pose a threat to Keiren. Despite his confidence in the strength of the Valkyrie, Harald kept his guard up, unwilling to take any chances.
The butler knocked and entered the room, followed by Duke Castell and Lelogas. "His Excellency Duke Castell of High Weed, Governor of the Provinces Great Wire and Hunston," the butler announced their arrival. As they stepped into the room, Harald quickly moved to intercept Lelogas and pushed him back a step before closing the door behind him. "You and I will stay outside," Harald stated loudly for all to hear. "This is not a place for soldiers like us."
Duke Castell was taken aback by the scene before him. Despite Thunderlance being absent from the room and Lelogas keeping watch, he couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort. Keiren was seated in a luxurious chair, with the Valkyrie standing guard behind him and Suran serving him. Meanwhile, Tadorion was standing in plain clothing, not befitting of his noble rank, in between them. The Duke's anger boiled over and he erupted in frustration.
"What is the meaning of this?" he exclaimed, gesturing broadly to encompass the entire room.