Today was the day that Tatsuya and the rest of the gang go to the Pyroignis Empire. Everyone woke up fresh and ready to go, with the only exception being Mr. Urushihara who was currently suffering a mild hangover from yesterday's drinking party. They had breakfast and was now waiting for their carriages to arrive.
The first carriage to arrive was drawn by silver unicorns. Mr. Urushihara, Ingrid, Vajra, and Umi took the first carriage and put their stuff in the back and got in. The four of them would serve as the group's vanguard.
The second carriage arrived and was drawn by beautiful amber griffins. Tatsuya and the princesses put their stuff in the back and got in. It was Mr. Urushihara's idea to have Tatsuya and the princesses ride in the middle carriage for security reasons. Tatsuya was amazed by what he found inside. Despite how small the carriage looked from the outside, the inside was quite spacious. The seats were made of very soft velvet and cushioned the back and bottom like fluffy marshmallows. Tatsuya felt like he was floating on a cloud.
The third carriage finally arrived a few minutes later and was drawn by blue Pegasi. Rocco, Sylphie, and Draupnir put their stuff in the back and got in. They were assigned to serve as the group's rear.
Once everyone was settled, the carriages took off. Tatsuya looked out the window and watched as the familiar city streets began to disappear before his very eyes. The carriages eventually came to a dirt road and exited the city. Vegetation began to appear more and more as they traveled farther down the road. Large trees and dense forests suddenly walled them in on both sides. The sun was still present in the sky and ruled over the trees below, never once losing its authority to their sky-grazing canopies.
Tatsuya felt like he was in one of those of fantasy-adventure movies. The dirt road, the ruling sun, the tall and imposing trees, the carriages drawn by magical creatures, the journey to a kingdom—this was a recipe for a stereotypical fantasy story. He can hardly believe that everything happening right now was real. But he did. After being exposed to and living with magic and dragons and monsters and the like, he has gotten pretty quick to accept these kind of things with little to no problem at all.
"Say, how big is the Pyroignis Empire?" he asked the girls.
"It stretches from the edges of the Balaur Forest in the west to the Jilong Mountains in the east," said Aika. Tatsuya didn't know what to make of that description and wore a very puzzled expression. Aika brought a finger to her chin and thought for a second. "I think a good comparison would be the entire island of Honshu," she told him.
"It's that big?!" exclaimed Tatsuya.
"Well, a little bit bigger," said Aika, holding her index finger and thumb in a 'tiny bit' gesture. "The Pyroignis Empire is the home country of the Draco tribe. We possess the strongest military among the Thirteen tribes and many victories to our name."
Intrigued by the topic of the empire, Tatsuya decided to learn more about it for his own benefit and interest. "What else is there to know about the empire?" he asked.
"Our main economy is steel production," said Aika.
"Steel?" Tatsuya didn't expect this answer at all.
"Because of our tribe's elemental power of fire, we are naturals when it comes to smelting iron ore and steelmaking. Steel and pure iron are our main trading commodities. The other tribes use our steel and iron for infrastructure, engineering, manufacturing, and a whole host of other things," explained Aika.
"Ah, I guess that makes sense," agreed Tatsuya with an understanding nod.
"We also have a huge market for manufactured metal goods," continued the Draco princess. "Of course, it's mainly weapons. In addition to being fierce warriors, we are also experts in forging weapons. Our blacksmiths are some of the best in the dragon realm. And our expertise in war and combat also make our weapons very high quality and some of the most highly sought after commodities of all time!"
"You said that the Draco tribe is a warrior tribe, right?" asked Tatsuya. "What does that mean exactly?"
"Dracos thrive in combat," explained Sunaji.
"They're some of the fiercest and scariest people in the world," added Kanjomizu. "Especially in combat."
"Their passionate nature originated from their warmongering lifestyle," said Takara. "Before, most of their attention was focused simply on war and survival. This focus was the catalyst for the tribe as a whole to develop an extremely passionate disposition. They possessed passion for their family and the desire to protect their loved ones, the passion to fight strong enemies and become the last one standing, and the passion to help their tribe become the fittest in a constant struggle for survival. Eventually, this strong desire grew to become a part of their nature and they've now become naturally passionate beings. Once they find something that catches their eye, they become fierce protectors and ardent fighters for the thing that has captured their heart and fanned the flames of their passionate heart."
Tatsuya listened to the Lindworm princess and found himself agreeing with her every word. He had enough experience with Aika, Mr. Urushihara, and Prince Nobi to know that everything that was just said about Dracos was the truth. "I see," he said with a sage-like nod.
"At least, that's a hypothesis put forth by scholars," said Takara with a shrug of her shoulders.
"You mean none of that was true?!" exclaimed Tatsuya.
"It's not like it's a lie either!" argued the Lindworm princess. She then crossed her arms and added, "It just hasn't been proven yet."
"I've heard that Dracos get their personality from their element," said Arashi. "Just like fire, they're each born with a burning desire and passion unlike any other! Supposedly, they draw their power from their passion."
"Is that true?" asked Tatsuya seriously.
"It could be," said Arashi. "I've only heard of this from friends."
"So you're saying that you what heard was a rumor," concluded Tatsuya in a quiet voice, his face darkening. He then exploded and shouted, "What the hell?!"
Arashi couldn't hold in her laughter and howled like a hyena. The expression from Tatsuya was just too much for her. It has been a while since she played a prank like this on him. Ever since their first meeting, she regularly relied on teasing him with her own body and suggestive comments. But playing around with Tatsuya like this was refreshing and brought back happy memories of their childhood.
"Acchan!" complained Tatsuya.
"This reminds a lot of the time you asked me to help you to take care of your pet fish," remembered Arashi, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Your fish was already dead at that time because you kept on overfeeding him. But before you realized that, you would come to me for advice. I would tell you stupid things like go take a bath with the fish to 'revitalize' him or pour milk into his bowl for him to drink in order to stimulate his hunger. And you did everything I told you too!" She paused to let out a chortle full of energy and satisfaction. "Remember the time I told you to breathe air into him using a straw as way to resuscitate him? You went at it for three days! On the fourth day, you finally learned the truth when your mother told you! But man, you believed each and every word I said! Those were some of the most happiest and entertaining days of my life!"
As the story was being told, the other princesses snickered amongst themselves. But when Arashi got to the part about the resuscitation, the entire carriage became one big laughing machine. Their mirthful voices shook the carriage and echoed to the nearby forests. Meanwhile, Tatsuya's face turned into a tomato. He stayed quiet the entire time, filled with shame and self-pity.
"Only a plebeian would do something as stupid as that!" stated Takara gleefully.
"My, what a mooncalf you are!" laughed Sunaji.
Tatsuya couldn't handle just how hurtful those insults were to his pride. "Shut up!" he demanded.
"Tatsu-kun," said Shurai, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry," she told him.
"Shurai?" said Tatsuya with a growing smile. 'Do you feel sorry for me? I knew I can always count on you,' he thought to himself with relief.
However, that was all revealed to be nothing more than wishful thinking. Shurai held up a thumbs up and said, "I'll never be as dumb as you when it comes to asking others for advice."
Those words stung his pride worse than what Takara and Sunaji had said before. It only stung more because this time, it was Shurai, the last person he would expect to turn on him. His body trembled as anger quickly built up inside of him. "That happened years ago!" he shouted. "I was a stupid little boy who believed everything he was told! There, happy? I said it! But I'm not the same person as I was before!"
"We know," said Aika with a soft smile. Everyone had calmed their laughter by now and peace and quiet returned to their carriage. "Still, I enjoyed hearing a story about your childhood," she told him. Tatsuya blushed after hearing those words come out of the Draco princess' lips.
"It was also a very precious memory for me," added Arashi.
"Acchan," whispered Tatsuya. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"It was an amusing story," said Takara. "I enjoy learning new things about you and I've never been this interested in a plebeian before. You surprise me, Boyfriend."
Their carriage suddenly came to a stop. Tatsuya looked out and realized that they had already exited out of the forest and arrived at a clearing. Beautiful open green fields of grass flanked them on both sides. Now, the sun's bright rays took center stage and made the grass below glisten like untouched jewels.
Mr. Urushihara exited out of his carriage and walked over to Tatsuya's. "We're taking a lunch break," he told Tatsuya and the princesses.
The group had lunch out in the open fields. A blanket was set out by the servants to serve as their dining spot and everyone gathered on it.
Tatsuya took it all in: the warm breeze that ruffled his hair, the beautiful scenery of nature before him, the bright calming rays of the sun shining down brilliantly on his skin, the intimacy of the setting and of his current situation—he felt like he was having a normal run-of-the-mill picnic with close friends. He enjoyed it and it made him very happy to be a part of something great like this. In his heart, he silently wished for moments like these to never end.
For lunch, the servants had made volask—wonderfully crafted triangular rice balls filed with various meats and pickled vegetables, wrapped in wonderfully scented leaves. Just one sniff of the dish once it was taken out of the basket made Tatsuya immediately water at the mouth. It was warm in his hand and soft to the touch like a marshmallow. Once everyone said their prayers, they dug in. Tatsuya took a bite of his volask and was completely overcome with bliss. He became enamored with the dish's softness and chewiness that reminded him of warm marshmallows, the sweetness from the tender meat inside that filled his tongue with joy, the savoriness of the perfectly salted pickled vegetables that brought tears to his eyes, and the mesmerizing freshness of the dish, courtesy of the leaves, that kept him wanting more. Before he knew it, he finished his rice ball in five large bites.
His hunger wasn't quenched at all. After finishing one volask, he suddenly developed a craving for more. Luckily, the servants made a lot of them to share with everyone. Tatsuya giddily ate away and finished a total of seven volask before finally calling it quits. Now, satisfied with getting his fill, Tatsuya stood up from his seat and stretched his entire body.
By now, the others were finished too. Aika got up and stretched out her arms. "That was a very good lunch, wasn't it?" she asked Tatsuya with a beaming smile.
"Yup," he agreed. "I've never had a rice ball that delicious before in my entire life."
"And you'll be able to enjoy more of it once we get home," said Aika.
Tatsuya turned to Mr. Urushihara and asked, "How far are we from the kingdom?"
"We're halfway there," the teacher told him. He got up and stretched out his arms and chest. "Say, now that we finished eating, how about taking a short break before continuing onward?"
"Can we do that?" asked Tatsuya.
"It's always a good idea to let your body digest your food a little before continuing back to work," said Mr. Urushihara.
"Right," replied Tatsuya slowly with a raised eyebrow, no doubt concerned about how the teacher's words of wisdom didn't make any sense for their current situation at all.
"Darling, what do you want to do?" asked Aika, tugging on Tatsuya's sleeve.
"Do? What do you mean?" came Tatsuya with a puzzled expression.
"Why don't we play a game together?" suggested Arashi. "We'll play a short game before continuing back on our journey." Everyone nodded their heads at the idea.
"Hmph. For once, I agree with you," said Sunaji with her hands across her chest. "Pray tell, what game might you suggest? I hope it is not one of those demoralizing games that which I am sure you enjoy so much."
Arashi felt a little stung by the Python princess' words and replied back in a scary voice, "Oh, be prepared to be demoralized, princess."
Sunaji quickly flinched upon hearing the darkness and danger in Arashi's voice. All of the bravado and confidence she had before quickly left her. Her knees shook a little bit, a sign that she now acknowledges defeat.
"Let's play Sage!" suggested Shurai.
"Sage? What kind of game is that?" asked Tatsuya.
The girls explained the rules to Tatsuya. Sage is a game that is popular throughout the dragon realm, played by children and adults alike. The rules are pretty simple. First, the players are given numbers. The person who is number one goes first and becomes the 'Sage'. They then choose any of the other players to become their 'Disciple' and ask them a question. The questions can be about anything, but it is more common to ask trivia questions and riddles. If the 'Disciple' answers correctly, then they stay in the game. If the 'Disciple' answers incorrectly, the 'Sage' can order them to do anything they want. If the 'Disciple' completes the action, they stay in the game. Otherwise, the 'Disciple' loses and is out of the game. The last player standing is the winner and becomes the game's 'Master Sage'.
The game began and everyone was assigned their numbers: Shurai (1), Aika (2), Sunaji (3), Kanjomizu (4), Tatsuya (5), Arashi(6), Takara (7). They all lined up shoulder-to-shoulder and Shurai walked out in front of them. For her 'Disciple', she picked Tatsuya (5). "Tatsu-kun, what are the names of the three Celestial Dragons that are honored in the Three Lords Festival?" asked Shurai.
Tatsuya…was at a blank. He knew he heard their names before but he was drawing a blank and couldn't remember any of their names at all! "U-Um," he stalled. He quickly turned to the others for some kind of hint or clue, but they simply avoided his gaze. 'I guess cheating is a universal rule,' he thought, defeated. He let out a sigh and, swallowing his pride, he shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"Bzzt-bzzt!" buzzed Shurai. "The correct answers are: Senshi, Shori, and Yunqi. You lost, Tatsu-kun, so prepare yourself."
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
Shurai gestured with her finger for him to come over to her. Tatsuya did as he was told and was now standing right in front of her. "Get down," she told him. Tatsuya obeyed her command and got down on his knees. With a satisfied smile, Shurai placed her hand on his head and ruffled his hair. "Good boy," she said as she petted and caressed his head. Tatsuya's cheeks became a little flushed with embarrassment.
Meanwhile, the other girls were fuming and foaming at the mouth. They were all caught off guard by this sight before them. Their envy was present on their faces as they couldn't help but remain still as Shurai got to do whatever she wanted with their loved one. But their envy quickly turned into mischief once they came to an ingenious realization. And just like sly foxes, they all planned to use this game to their advantage. With the game serving as a pretext, they could order Tatsuya to do whatever they wanted without protest. 'How clever of you,' they all thought in unison in regards to Shurai. The Druk princess turned to them with her usual lethargic expression, which confused the others because of how it seemed to suggest that she wasn't as clever or ingenious as they had thought. That was until she flashed them a thumbs up. The princesses exchanged mischievous smiles. Meanwhile, Tatsuya felt a little chill run down his spine.
The game proceeded rather smoothly and everyone was having fun. Aika asked Tatsuya to name the two Celestial Dragons responsible for the seasons. When he couldn't, he ordered him to pet her head. Sunaji asked Tatsuya to name the three colors of the Python tribe's coat of arms (brown, yellow, and green). Tatsuya didn't know the answer at all and was then ordered to hold her from behind. Kanjomizu asked Tatsuya to tell her what was the Naga's kingdom main economic source. Of course, Tatsuya had no idea as to what the answer could be. He lost yet again and was ordered to lend her his shoulder, which she then proceeded to rest her head upon.
When it came to Tatsuya's turn, he chose Aika as his 'Disciple', much to her joy. He asked her a question which he himself thought would stump her for sure. He hadn't thought far into what he would want her to do if she loses. He decided to leave that up to when the moment arrives. "Alright, Aika, what were Momotaro's three companions?" he asked her with a smug smile on his face.
"A dog, a monkey, and a pheasant," she quickly answered him with a smile.
'That was too quick!' exclaimed Tatsuya in surprise. He couldn't believe it. He thought for sure that none of the girls would know, given their dragon heritage, but he was absolutely wrong.
Arashi's turn was next and she asked Tatsuya to tell her her three sizes. The first thing Tatsuya did upon hearing that question was turn redder than a tomato. How could he possibly answer such an embarrassing question that he obviously don't know and don't want to know? When he couldn't give her an answer, Arashi shook her head with a disappointed smile and said, "I thought that you might've known since we're childhood friends and all."
"How does that make any sense?!" exclaimed Tatsuya.
"I guess I'll just have to tell you," she said with a shrug. With a wink, she shamelessly told him her exact measurements: "B68-W50-H75."
Those numbers felt like a slap to Tatsuya's face. But instead of making him feel pain, it made him feel something even more horrible—the disgusting guilt of being a healthy teenage boy. Like a magic spell, the numbers had enchanted his brain into manifesting them into reality. The image was enough to make him sprung a leak from the inside. His cheeks had reached their reddest today by this point and his nose couldn't keep the leak from spreading outside. But this wasn't the worse of it.
"And don't you forget, okay?" said Arashi.
Tatsuya couldn't take it anymore. He had completely lost to his childhood friend, both as a 'Disciple' and as a man. His punishment, as given by the Quetzalcoatl princess, was to stand in front of her with his back to her. He did as he was told and Arashi immediately put her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She snuggled with him like a purring cat and held him for a good three minutes before letting go.
The last person to go was Takara. She asked Tatsuya a question that went way over his head: What was the name of the first Lindworm king? When it was obvious that he couldn't answer that at all, Takara gave him his order. She ordered for him to sit down right behind her. Tatsuya did as he was told and Takara sat down in his lap. She then told him to pat her head. He complied with her request and gently patted the Lindworm princess' head. Once she got her fill of being spoiled, she got up from his lap and stretched her arms.
Tatsuya got up to his feet and rubbed his temples. All of his punishments were very embarrassing and anxiety-inducing. He seriously thought that he would explode from being too overstimulated with fear and nervousness. But it looks like he had somehow survived it all. He exhaled a sigh of relief in gratitude that the worst was over.
"Wasn't that a fun game, Darling?" asked Aika.
"Sure…," answered back Tatsuya with a nervous chuckle and his eyes darting to the left.
"Let's play it again sometime!" said Shurai.
"Yeah! That was pretty fun!" agreed Aika.
"I think the one having the most fun is the Python princess," said Arashi with a sly smile, her eyes gesturing to Sunaji. "Look at her grinning like a fool."
Sunaji was wearing a very dreamlike expression with star-filled eyes and a very pleased smile. Upon hearing the Quetzalcoatl princess' words, she immediately snapped out of her fantasy and returned to her senses. She shook her head and cleared her throat. "I don't know what you are talking about," she said with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Would you like for Tatsuya to hold you a little longer next time?" asked Arashi with raised eyebrows.
Sunaji's face turned red like a dynamite stick about to go off. And just like a dynamite stick, she quickly exploded and screamed, "W-W-Wha yer mean by dat?! Stop talkin' nunsense! Dun think yer know what Ah want!"
Tatsuya was getting a little apprehensive that a fight would break out right now and stepped in between them. "Now, now, girls, why don't we stop this right now and continue on with our trip?" he told them in an attempt to prevent the situation from getting out of hand.
"Shut up!" screamed Sunaji, unleashing a megaton punch across Tatsuya's face and sending him rolling down the field and towards a dip.
"Darling!" screamed Aika. She ran after Tatsuya and was able to grab his hand just before he descended down the dip. She let out a sigh of relief and proceeded to drag him back up. Tatsuya was brought up to his feet once again. He was immensely grateful for Aika's save and humbly thanked her. "I'll do anything for Darling," she told him.
Her words made Tatsuya blush. As they began to walk back to the group, Tatsuya had tripped on his two feet and began to fall backwards. Aika noticed this happening through the corner of her eye and quickly turned around to save him. She leaned forward to grab his hand but missed by an inch. Tatsuya, in a desperate attempt to stop himself from falling, reached out with all of his might and, right after missing Aika's hand, grabbed hold onto the jewel pendant around her neck. The necklace broke and Tatsuya, with the pendant still tightly held in his grasp, descended backwards. "Darling!" shouted Aika.
Everyone quickly ran down to see if he was alright. Tatsuya was lying on his back and breathing hard, but he was nonetheless fine. He didn't suffer any heavy bruises or cuts, but his body did become a little sore after all of the tumbling and eventual impact with the ground upon stopping. He got up and brushed himself off.
"Darling! Are you alright?" asked Aika worriedly.
"I'm fine," he reassured her with a smile. He then realized that he was holding something in his hand and opened it to see a beautiful red necklace with a jewel pendant. "What's this?" he wondered.
Aika saw the necklace in his hand and quickly brought her hands to feel around her neck. Her neck was bare. "That's mine," she told him, pointing to the necklace in his hands.
Tatsuya handed it back to her. When she began to wear it around her neck again, he noticed a little clasp on the jewel pendant. "What's that for?" he asked her, pointing to the object in question. "Is that some sort of locket?"
Aika held the jewel pendant in her hand and smiled longingly with some of the happiest eyes Tatsuya had ever seen on her. This was the same look one would get when they remember something from their past that was currently their most happiest moment of their entire life. "It's something very precious to me," she told him.
The group made their way back to the carriages and resumed their trip. According to Mr. Urushihara, they had a good hour or so before their arrival at the Pyroignis Empire. Throughout the entire trip, Tatsuya noticed that Aika held tightly onto the pendant with a very nostalgic look in her eyes. He couldn't help but be curious about what she was hiding from him.
The group had finally arrived at the Pyroignis Empire. The carriages came to a giant red brick wall and a pair of monstrous ten-feet tall metal doors. Standing guard in front of the doors were large men dressed in black gladiator-style armor and helmets and wielding spears. One of the men walked up to the first carriage and Mr. Urushihara poked his head out of the window. A few seconds later, the metal doors opened with a very loud and resounding metallic creak, and the carriages were allowed access inside.
Tatsuya was amazed by what he saw. The atmosphere and setting was completely different from Jaculus City. The streets were made of stone tiles and predominantly colored red, yellow, orange, and sometimes purple. Every building had metal roof shingles, metal walls, and metal doors. Whatever that wasn't metal was made of stone. Shops lined the streets, with each being about the same size as small houses. Factories with giant metal chimney stacks and huge amounts of grey smoke coming out of them occupied large areas away from the rest of the public, but they were still nonetheless visible to the naked eye. Other buildings such as temples and hospitals and administration offices had pointed roofs like the top of a pyramid and their sizes ranged anywhere from convenience store size to high school building size. On the other hand, the houses that they passed by were like small stone cottages with metal roofs and wooden doors—it was like something out of a RPG game.
As they passed through the streets, Tatsuya caught glimpses of the public. The men were dressed in solid-color short-sleeved shirts and knee-length trousers with steel-toed boots on. The women wore lace blouses and long ankle-length skirts and close-toed shoes. The children either wore simple shirts and shorts (boys) or pleated dresses with belts around their waists (girls). But everyone, regardless of age or sex, wore togas of varying shades of red that attached to their left shoulders by a metal clasp.
In addition to the dragon population, there were also an abundance of lizard-people, kitsune, and lamias. They all wore the exact same dress as the dragons along with specific defining characteristics unique to their race. The lizard people had piercings all along their ears, which looked like underdeveloped human ears, and around their faces, with some having more than others. The kitsune wore sashes around their waists similar to the obi of the human realm and typically had their hairs tied in ponytails (men) or braids (women). The lamias adorned their heads with hair pins and jewels based on flowers and leaves, giving the impression that they were wearing crowns of beautiful blossoms.
"This place is pretty diverse," he commented out loud.
Their carriage eventually pulled up to a large metal gate guarded by two giant men dressed in black gladiator-style armor. Everyone got out and Mr. Urushihara talked to the guards. A few minutes later, the gates opened up and a maid came out to greet them. She had short orange hair in a bob cut and a small scar running down her left cheek. Tatsuya couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by her; whether that was supposed to be intentional or not, there was no doubt that the woman standing before him was strong and dangerous. There was also something about her that reminded him of Ingrid: the same aloof and intimidating character that made others think twice about approaching her half-heartedly.
"Welcome," said the maid with a bow. "I pray that your trip was without difficulty. My name is Helen and I am the palace's head maid. It will be my pleasure to be your host on behalf of the royal family. Please, I will show you to your rooms. We will be having dinner soon." She then turned to Tatsuya and asked, "May you be Owatatsumi-sama?"
"Y-Yes, I am," he told her.
"After you have put your belongings away, may I ask you to follow me to the king's chamber? He is expecting an audience with you," said the maid.
"Of course," said Tatsuya with a nod.
She then turned her attention to Aika and Ingrid and said with a bow, "Welcome home, Princess Ashira. Your humble servant has awaited your return."
"I'm back, Helen!" said Aika cheerfully.
"And welcome back, Big Sis," Helen said to Ingrid. Ingrid simply answered back with a silent nod.
Tatsuya and the others, save for Aika and Mr. Urushihara, couldn't believe what they were hearing. "Ingrid, s-s-she's your sister?!" he exclaimed. Ingrid simply answered back with the same nod. Tatsuya and the others looked back and forth between the two sisters and the resemblance became clear. Everyone's mind exploded.
"Now then, follow me," said Helen.
Everyone followed the maid into the palace. Inside, the palace was huge and had more space than the interior of any government building back in the human realm. The walls were golden and adorned with red jewels and intricately painted images of dragons and fire. The floor was covered with a soft red carpet that cushioned each step like the soft grass of the African plains. Above them, the ceilings were filled to the brim with colorful images of various beings and gods, reminding Tatsuya of the fresco that covered the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. Hanging from the ceilings were beautiful rose-shaped chandeliers filled with hundreds of candles.
They came to a hallway with glass windows on both sides. Tatsuya looked out and saw the giant courtyard to his left. Elegant and beautifully constructed metal statues atop pedestals, painted in shocking and bold shades of red and crimson, stood like metallic topiary hedges along the edges of the carefully trimmed lawn. Along the edges of the lawn and constructed like intricate rivers and streams were paved walkways. The courtyard looked like one big captivating maze.
Helen led them to the palace's East wing, which was where the guest rooms were located. They climbed a beautiful set of stone stairs and eventually came to a large space with five hallways, each protected by a pair of big, burly guards in black gladiator-style armor. Tatsuya remembered seeing them also standing guard in front of the kingdom's and palace's gates. But he also felt like he had seen them before somewhere else too. It didn't take him too long before it clicked in his mind. These guards (not these guards specifically) were also present on the day of Tatsuya's first encounter with Aika. However, instead of being dressed as gladiators, they were dressed in black suits and ties.
"Who are the guards?" he whispered to Aika.
"They're the Praetorian, the palace's personal bodyguards," she told him.
"Their responsibilities include protecting the palace from intruders, escorting members of the royal family, and carrying out special missions," explained Helen.
'So that's why they were there,' concluded Tatsuya.
Helen led them to the hallway second from the left. Each princess-servant pair were assigned their own rooms. Mr. Urushihara was given the room closest to the hallway's entrance and Tatsuya's room was located right in the middle of the hallway. Once Tatsuya entered his own room, Helen excused herself and led Aika and Ingrid back to the entrance hall. From there, Aika and Ingrid walked on to the North wing where the royal family's rooms were located.
Tatsuya had his breath taken away by the room's spacious interior and classy atmosphere. It was about as big as a politician's office back in the human realm. The floor was covered by a spectacular carpet with intricately designed images of flames and flowers. Above, a lotus-shaped chandelier hung down from the ceiling. At the end of the room was a giant glass window that overlooked the grounds below. The bed was crimson like fire and its size was that of two sports cars! Tatsuya, mesmerized like a little child in a toy store, touched the bed and could feel its godly softness. It was soft to the touch like cotton candy and puffy like marshmallows and smoother than silk. This was something one can only find in a fantastical world like this. Next to the bed was a small wooden desk and chair. On top of the desk was an oil lamp.
He set his stuff down on the bed and walked over to a pair of wooden doors on the side of his room—the closet. He opened it and was surprised at how spacious it was inside. It wasn't just a walk-in closet—it was a live-in closet! As he walked inside in awe, he could imagine a million things he could fit inside here: stacks of comics, a couple of bookshelves, bikes, an entire drum-set, a grand piano, even a horse! He began to start questioning whether this was a closet or a storage room.
He heard a knock from the door and turned to see Helen standing in the doorway. "Please forgive my rudeness, Owatatsumi-sama, but it is time for your audience with the king," said the maid with a bow.
"Of course," said Tatsuya. He followed the maid down the hallway and down the stairs and to the palace's North wing. They came to a wide door with a giant stained glass window, the image of which depicted the Royal Draco mark, and Helen tapped on it.
A very powerful and intimidating voice from inside asked, "Who's there?" Tatsuya got the chills from just hearing the first word. He had never heard a voice carry that much weight and power before. He felt like he was in the presence of a god or divine being of some sort instead of a king.
"My sire, Owatatsumi-sama is here as you've requested," said the maid.
Tatsuya jumped at the sudden sound of a loud thud coming from inside the room. The sound of hurried scurrying and murmuring could be heard through the door. And then, there was silence. The king cleared his throat very loudly and said in a grand voice, "Come in."
Helen opened the door and gestured for Tatsuya to enter. Once he did, she closed the door behind him and left him alone with the king. Tatsuya glanced at the king and his heart jumped. The king was a very brawny man with well-defined muscles and the natural physique of a warrior. He had long flaming crimson hair and a very fiery chin beard that gave him a very leonine appearance. His skin tone was of a lighter shade of crimson than his hair but still added to his intimidating figure. He had blazing orange eyes like a pair of smoldering suns.
The king's attire consisted of a bold crimson fur coat with elegant swirling flame designs over a lighter red silk shirt, a scarlet satin cape that draped down to his ankles, yellow pleated pants held up by a sparkling jeweled leather belt with a golden buckle in the shape of the god Draco's head, and heavy black boots that covered his shins and clung tightly onto his pants. His hands were covered in black gloves and around his neck was a precious golden necklace with a pendant in the same shape as his belt buckle. Atop his head was his crown: a beautiful golden crown with five protrusions around the base that were topped with flame-shaped tips. If Tatsuya didn't know any better, he would've thought he was in the presence of some kind of sun god.
The king cleared his throat and bowed. "O Great Hero Dragonborn," said the king.
"Y-Yes!" yelped Tatsuya in surprise. He felt like a little kid before this great and imposing giant of a man.
"I pray that your trip was devoid of trouble?" asked the king.
"It was alright," answered Tatsuya nervously while sweating buckets.
"That is great to hear!" announced the king grandly. Tatsuya jumped back at the king's announcement. He couldn't help but feel antsy being around this man. The king cleared his throat again and bowed gracefully. "I am King Rexus Draco of the Draco tribe," said the king. "And I welcome you, O Great Hero, to the Pyroignis Empire."