Interiors of the Royal Palace - Courtyard
Lemone and Elea enter the courtyard of the royal palace. The scene before them is breathtaking. The courtyard, as large as a small town, is teeming with people: nobles in shimmering clothes, knights in shining armor, and soldiers ready for battle. The air is thick with the excitement and tension that reigns in this place of power.
Lemone: (In Elea's ear) "Look at all these people. This is where everything will play out."
Elea nods, impressed by the magnitude of the task that awaits them.
They head to the recruitment office, where a long queue has formed. Men of all sizes and backgrounds are scrambling to register. Some are tall and muscular, others are smaller but their gaze is piercing.
A guard, looking gruff, signals them to wait their turn.
Guard: "The line is long, you see. Little girls aren't allowed here. You'd better go back and play with your dolls."
Lemone, furious, ignores the guard's provocation.
Lemone: (icyly) "My partner will be waiting here. I'll take care of the registration."
He points to Elea who, despite the guard's remark, remains calm. She sits on a bench in the shade of a tree, observing the scene with some concern.
Lemone joins the queue, eager to start her new life. He knows the trials ahead will be difficult, but he is determined to achieve his goal.
Lemone, patient and determined, moves slowly through the queue. Finally, it's his turn. He appears before the recruiter, a man with weathered features and a piercing gaze.
Recruiter: "Name, age, height, weight? Family situation? Origin?"
Lemone, imperturbable, responds:
Lemone: "Bard. Eighteen years old. Six feet tall. Sixty-seven pounds. Orphan. From the Outlands."
The other recruits, who were listening to the conversation, roll their eyes. "The Far Lands" is how we usually refer to the unknown, even mythical, regions located at the ends of the world.
The recruiter frowns.
Recruiter: "The Outlands? It's vague. Can you be more specific?"
Lemone hesitates for a moment, then replies:
Lemone: "It's a wild and isolated place. I was raised by my sister, Elea, who sadly passed away recently."
He lies blatantly, but his expression remains impassive. The other recruits exchange amused glances. They think Lemone is trying to make them believe a crazy story.
The recruiter, intrigued by this story, asks one last question:
Recruiter: "And why did you decide to join the army?"
Lemone: "I want to fight for the kingdom."
The recruiter nods, satisfied with this answer.
Recruiter: "Very well, Bard. You are recruited. You will begin your training tomorrow. Report to the barracks at dawn."
Lemone, relieved, thanks the recruiter and leaves the office. He joins Elea, who was impatiently waiting for him.
Elea: "How did it go?"
Lemone: "It's in the pocket. I'm a soldier now."
Elea smiles, but she can't help but feel a certain anxiety. She knows that their new life will be full of dangers.
Lemone, once recruited, retreats to a quiet corner of the barracks. He activates his interface, a holographic screen materializing in front of him.
[Notification:]
[Congratulations ! You have completed your first task: Join the royal army.]
A feeling of satisfaction passes through him. He then opens his inventory interface.
[Equipment:]
[Equipped Weapon: Dark Sword]
[Equipment: Boots of Speed (+10% increased speed)]
[Unequipped weapon: Silver Sword]
He focuses on the silver sword. He doesn't remember buying it. A strange feeling of familiarity came over him. He tries to activate it, but nothing happens.
Lemone (thought): What is this sword? She seems special.
He decides to investigate. Maybe there is a way to activate his abilities? He spends hours studying the sword from every angle, turning it over and over in his hands. He whispers incantations, traces runes on the ground, but nothing works.
Lemone (frustrated): What are you waiting for to wake up?
He decides to postpone this riddle until later. For now, he needs to focus on his training. He puts the silver sword in his bag and heads towards the training ground.
Lemone receives her new status with a bit of satisfaction. A simple soldier, for now. But it's a start. A guide, a jaded-looking veteran, accompanies him to his new accommodation.
"Here you go, young man. This is where you'll be living for a while. Try not to get it too dirty, eh?" The veteran hands him the keys to a small room, closer to a cell than a bedroom.
Upon entering, Lemone can't help but raise an eyebrow. A camp bed, a raw wooden table, a chair and a crudely constructed wardrobe: comfort is far from being there.
Elea, who follows closely behind him, frowns. "Dust! But where are the maintenance staff?"
Lemone, amused by his reaction, gives him a smirk. "Welcome to the life of a soldier, my dear sister."
"Sister? You'll never say that to me again!" she retorts, before launching into energetic cleaning. She dusts the furniture, tidies the wardrobe and makes her bed with a thoroughness that would make any maid pale.
Lemone, for his part, sits on the bed and observes his new companion with amusement. "You really have an eye for detail."
"And you really have a sense of humor, when you want to use it!" she replies, looking at him askance.
"Okay, okay, just kidding. Thanks for your help."
While Elea gets busy with household chores, Lemone looks at a map of the barracks that he found in a drawer. He spots the training room, the canteen, and above all, the library. This is where he can find information about the history of this world and perhaps even clues about the silver sword.
"So, my dear soldier, ready to face the rigors of military life?" Elea asks ironically, a quill in her hand.
Lemone rolls her eyes. "More ready than ever."
The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, tinting the sky with warm colors. Lemone, tired but determined, decided to take advantage of the quiet of the evening to relax. He took his fishing rod and headed towards the river which flowed not far from the barracks. Elea, for her part, stayed at the barracks to prepare the meal.
While Lemone was fishing, he activated his "instant memorization" ability. He focused on the royal army guide he had received when he registered. The pages flashed before his eyes, the words imprinting themselves in his mind with disconcerting speed. In just a few minutes, he mastered the rules, laws, hierarchies and combat techniques of the army.
Back at the barracks, he found Elea cooking a delicious dish. The tempting scents made him salivate, even though he had no need to feed.
"You look like you had a good day," Elea remarked when she saw him arrive.
"Yes, and you? Have you finished cooking?" Lemone replied, putting down her fishing basket.
"Of course," she replied, handing him a steaming plate. "Sit down, I made your favorite dish."
They sat down at the table and began to eat. During the meal, Elea mentioned Griselda, the young girl they had met at the Aeternum inn.
"I wonder what's become of her," she said with a touch of nostalgia. "I hope she's okay."
Lemon nodded. He remembered Griselda and her false kindness. "I'm sure she found a way to survive."
After dinner, they retired to their room. Lying on his bed, Lemone stared at the ceiling. He thought about everything that had happened since their escape from Aeternum. He had come a long way, but he knew the adventure was only just beginning. He still had much to learn and discover.