Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Foin noticed the walls and protective barrier of the town. Foin just stared at the membrane, trying to understand it. He could clearly see that although it was snowing heavily, the snow just slid off of the barrier.
At first, he thought that it was some glass sphere around the walls, but once they got closer and passed through the barrier as if it were nothing, he finally realised that it was not exactly how he had imagined.
Unlike in the previous town they had visited, there was no snow on the roads, and only a few people were walking around the streets carrying large bags or sacks. Non looked in the direction of the cart, they all looked away, and even started moving faster as the carriage passed by them.
"Liyner, is this the destination town, right?"
Foin spoke up after a while without even looking at the girl. He was still looking out the window.
"Yes, though, we still have some time till we truly arrive since the capital is quite extensive, and we just got in."
The girl replied with a slight smile.
"Is there anything you'd like to know about the town? You seem to be looking out the window a lot."
Linyer added after a brief moment as Foin didn't react at all. He was staring at the massive tower located in the centre of the town.
"Yeah... I noticed that the town has some sort of barrier around it; what other purpose does it have other than preventing snow from entering?"
"Well... It is quite an ancient mechanism, so I can't tell you what it was previously used for, but its main purpose now is to keep the cold out, though, in its current state, it is barely functioning. Also, in case of an attack, it can be used to isolate the town."
"Interesting..."
Foin mumbled and wanted to say something else, but suddenly he forgot everything. He had a strange feeling now, which he had never felt before. He felt as if someone was glaring at him. He quickly looked around as fast as he could, but he didn't see anything suspicious.
The only living being he could see was a seemingly elderly person. They were walking a great distance from the cart and were covered with many long furs. And they used a walking stick to move around.
"Is something the matter, Master?"
Énilo suddenly spoke up, dragging Foin back into reality. The tiny girl was sitting on Foin's lap, just like before, and was looking up at Foin's face.
"No, nothing; I just had a strange feeling."
Foin chuckled as he nervously scratched the back of his head. However, he was once again surprised as a new notification appeared before his eyes.
"Notice! The quest had been completed!"
"A reward will be issued shortly!"
Foin was left flabbergasted. He didn't know how or why the quest was completed, as he didn't meet anyone, and the closest person was still too far away. Then he remembered the strange feeling he had previously. He realised that maybe the person he was looking for had actually found him before he could.
Foin took a deep breath and then eagerly looked at the panel, which soon vanished. He was expecting to get his reward, but even after a few minutes, nothing happened.
"Did I just get scammed?! I spent this much time travelling here just to get nothing?! What the hell?!"
Foin thought to himself in anger, as he could not understand why he was not given anything at all. Eventually, Linyer opened the door, which finally made Foin calm down somewhat.
The cold air hit his face once again, but it was so dry this time that he quickly shook his head to make sure this was real. It seemed that the barrier prevented the snow from entering, but over time, the humidity in the town decreased greatly.
"We have arrived, Foin!"
Liyner said as she quickly jumped out and stretched her limbs after the long ride. Énilo quickly did the same, though she instead hovered in place. Foin was the last one to step out of the cart, since he also grabbed his bag and sword.
The outside was not what Foin was prepared to see. Since he was focused on his notification and was not looking out the window, he didn't know where they stopped. He was expecting to be by the side of a larger stone building, but his assumption couldn't be further from the truth.
Before Foin stood the largest building in the entire town, the central tower; only a few meters away from him was a staircase leading to a door of the caste. The stairs seemed to be covered by a robust dark purple coloured carpet.
By the stairs, a dozen well-armed knights stood still in lines on each side. They were standing so still that one could easily mistake them for statues, though since it was so cold that their breath was visible, Foin knew they were alive.
"So... Erm... You said your mother wanted to talk with me... Correct?"
"Yes, that is why we came here."
"Then why are we here by this massive building?"
Foin asked, looking around the area in disbelief.
"Well, the reason is simple. This is where we live. In the tower of the capital."
Linyer said as if it was nothing special. However, it only fuelled Foin's nervousness. Then, with a smile on her face, Linyer stepped over to the stairs and waved at Foin invitingly. Foin took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and finally followed the girl.
He didn't know what to expect; all he could think of was just what kind of status Linyer's mother could have. Based on his observation, the time of the world could be roughly around the feudal times. He didn't quite know how to talk to people of high status; one thing he could think of was to shut it till he was questioned or asked.
As he set foot on the carpet, a new thought hit him. The possibility of him meeting a monarch or ruler was quite high due to the extravagant size and location of the house. As a last result, to calm himself, he activated one of his skills, which had helped him before. Perfect Breathing.