***
Two days later.
The exhausting journey has finally paid off. Two days of travelling until Robert and I finally arrived in Northrest City. We came in front of the city gate, which seemed to be heavily guarded by several people; they were green censor users.
Our horses were stopped by them. Robert came down with a label that I never knew about. Without saying much, they finally let us in without riding.
"What exactly is that print you gave?" I asked, curious.
"My badge. If you join a group or guild, then they will give you this," said Robert, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a golden iron plate.
"What does it do?" I asked, curious.
"Access to various cities, can also be the kingdom. Although usually, only guild members are welcome to enter, for groups and parties, some are still difficult, "Robert replied.
He put the iron plate sized enough in his palm back into his pocket. Then what about the people who don't join the guild? Are they still allowed in? That will be my next question.
"What about solo? Are we not allowed in?" I asked, curious.
"You only have to pay depending on the entrance fee to a certain city," Robert replied.
He walks, directing me to a palace that is quite large and light blue. I saw several people standing guard with their armour and weapons. Then, from a distance, I saw a blue censor user coming out of the building.
"What do you need here?" the guard asked.
They stood behind the iron gate that separated us from the building. Robert again showed his badge to the two guards, but they still didn't care.
"We would like to see Lady Arya Richardson. Can you take me to her?" Robert asked insistently.
"What's your business with her?" one of the guards asked, looking like things were starting to heat up.
"I have something to discuss with her. It's privacy."
"I can't believe you," one of the guards replied.
I looked to my right and left; several adventurers and locals were gathering, whether they gathered for what I don't know. To be sure, they come with flowers of various kinds.
"We're having an event. Come back tomorrow," the guard said.
I lightly hit Robert's back, telling the man to pay attention to this place. Of course, those green censors gathered weren't on a whim, but it seemed like there was a specific event in this town that was related to them.
"What event is this?" Robert asked.
"Five years memorial of Lord Armine's death," said the guard. I wonder who Lord Armine is?
Robert looks wide-eyed, staring at Arya Richardson who walks in a dazzling dress. She came along with several people who I didn't expect were blue censors users. Their level and experience must be higher than mine.
The gate was opened, and several guards pushed us into the crowd. One of the women distributed flowers to me too with a lovely smile, in harmony with her facial skin and tanned hair.
"How exactly is this procession going?" I asked the lady who gave me the flowers.
"Lady Arya would walk a few meters to reach the water cathedral, sow flowers on the water and say a prayer. Then, the flowers will flow in the river, and we will do the same as her," the woman explained clearly.
"But that would pollute the river," I said.
"Of course not. After being carried away, the guards will sift the flower and burn it somewhere," the woman replied. Now I understand how this procession begins and ends.
Lady Arya was seen walking in the front, and then the people around me began to follow the woman's back. I, who knew nothing, could only follow and act innocently.
We stepped in a balanced way, making the sound of footsteps in rhythm. My position is in the front row among the rows of people. I saw Lady Arya enter the old cathedral, which seemed attached to a cliff.
I noticed on the right side, I could see clear water flowing calmly from inside the cathedral. All the buildings and architecture in this world really amazed me.
The cathedral doors opened, and Lady Arya entered with her entourage of blue censors to support her. I managed to get in and sit in an empty chair, along with the woman who gave me flowers.
"We're lucky to be able to get into the cathedral," the woman replied, I nodded slowly.
My eyes immediately went around, looking for Robert's whereabouts. However, I did not find the bridge of his nose. Maybe he was stuck outside and didn't get a chance to go in and sit inside the cathedral.
"Look. The process will begin," the woman said.
My eyes immediately turned to the front. I was completely stunned, amazed and speechless. Inside the cathedral, there is a small waterfall right in front of Lady Arya. I also saw a spear stuck in the rock in the river just below the waterfall.
"It's so beautiful," I complimented.
Occasionally birds come from the roof of the cathedral, chirping sweetly, making the atmosphere of this procession more solemn. Lady Arya is seen crouching down and starting to put her flowers above the waterfall flows.
Instantly everyone in the place got up, as did the woman sitting beside me. I did the same while holding the flower tightly with my hand. Then, they started singing. I don't know what the lyrics were like, but the pitch of the song they were singing was so low that it was like a ballad.
Piano and violin are accompaniment for their singing. So I just kept quiet and didn't open my mouth to look like I was singing along because that would only make me look stupid.
"…Peace will always be with a good man."
The last note sounded, and everyone sat back down except Lady Arya. The woman beside me again told me that the leader of Northrest needed to do one more procession to end the whole process of commemorating the fifth of Lord Armine's death.
Praying. It was the only procession requiring complex silence. I noticed all the people started to close their eyes, I don't know why, but I did the same thing.
"S-Sire… open your eyes."
I immediately opened my eyes after the woman beside me told me. Directly I looked ahead, and to my surprise, I found a spear flying right in front of me. I looked again ahead, especially the spear on the rock.
There isn't any.
"W-Why is this spear even here?" I asked.
Lady Arya was seen twisting her body. Her face flushed red, and she looked around at her people. Her attention focused when she found the spear that should have been stuck in the rock was now floating in front of me.
"What are you doing with that spear?! Quickly put it back on the rock," said Lady Arya, and I nodded.
Immediately, I grabbed the floating spear and stepped past the people who were sitting down to go to the rock under the waterfall. Suddenly a man stopped my steps; I turned my body and saw he was one of Lady Arya's trusted people, An Adamas.
"Hold on."
The man immediately stood up proudly. Long white hair made him look like an intelligent person, even though his face was still young. So why was his hair white?
"Tell me, what class do you have?" the man asked.
I remained silent without answering, causing the man to suddenly smile while turning his body, facing the townspeople inside the cathedral.
"Every year, we do this procession, but this is the first time a spear has flown over to someone. You may not see it, but I can clearly see that he is a blue censor user," the man said, pointing at me.
Lady Arya looked at me sharply; it seemed she still didn't accept the spear left by her husband now in my hand. I chose not to prolong the matter and began to re-prick the spear into the rock.
But after I stabbed, the spear flew back and continued to follow wherever I went. Finally, I turned my gaze to the white-haired man. He nodded his head as if he understood something I didn't understand.
"Lord Armine is a Paladin of high integrity and responsibility. So we were fortunate," the man explained, again saying something to the rest of the town.
"We have a Paladin, and again he's the chosen one. I'm sure he will bring a meaningful change to all of us!"