Chapter: 8. Discussion
In the luxurious Aulus Kingdom, the royal castle of the Kingdom of Komir was grand in construction, adorned with jade carvings, and unmatched in its nobility.
A banner symbolizing royal authority, featuring the design of a sword and shield, hung prominently above the enormous main gate of the castle, separated by a winding moat.
On both sides of the gate, soldiers stood guard thick and tight, each clad in armor and wielding a spear, standing ready for any circumstances.
Even though this was not the front line of the battlefield, no one dared to relax even a bit.
The reason was simple: this was Komir, the capital of the kingdom.
The highest leaders of the kingdom were all in the castle behind them, and the soldiers took pride in being able to stand here to guard the future of the human race, thus their demeanor was impressive.
Of course, all of this was superficial talk.
——
The main reason was that the pay was sufficient!
With enough money, risking their lives was worth it; while the frontline outside was engulfed in flames of war, they could enjoy a day of peace guarding the royal city without complaints.
In the distance, a sound echoed as the wheels of a carriage rushed toward the city’s edge, creating a whooshing wind.
The soldiers tightened their grips on their spears, alertly gazing at the approaching horse-drawn carriage.
But when they clearly saw the specific exterior of the carriage, all the soldiers suddenly changed their demeanor.
They planted their spears on the ground, knelt on one knee, and lowered their heads slightly, avoiding direct eye contact with the insignia on the carriage.
As the carriage drew closer to the bridge over the moat, their heads lowered even further.
The carriage, hanging a pattern similar to the kingdom’s royal “sword and shield,” actually showcased a motif of “crossed swords,” representing the family of the Hero— the Light Family.
It was not that everyone born into the Light Family was a hero; there was only one hero.
But the chosen hero must be born into the Light Family.
This had been the case for generations.
This was one of the reasons why the Light Family held such a prestigious status in the kingdom.
Besides the heaven-chosen hero, the other members of the Light Family were not ordinary either; almost all of them possessed combat strength rivaling armies, celebrated by the world, making the “Sword of the Nation” a well-deserved title.
The spirited horses neighed and drag the carriage across the wooden raft lowered over the moat, showing no signs of stopping, charging straight toward the outer gate of the castle.
The soldiers knew that stopping a carriage from the Light Family to check it was meaningless.
If even the carriage of the Light Family was intercepted by enemies, the country would be finished.
Entering the royal capital without inspection and carrying swords into the castle were privileges granted to the Light Family by royal authority, a tacit agreement between the protectors and the protected, naturally a matter between the royal family and the nobility, requiring no further questioning.
On the luxurious carriage…
Xia Lete slightly lifted the curtain covering the carriage window, observing the scenery as they passed through the capital.
—She was just keeping an eye on whether the street vendors in the capital were selling donuts.
Now that they had crossed the bridge and entered the core castle of the Kingdom of Komir.
All along the way, the atmosphere outside the carriage could only be described with the words “naturally lively”.
Indeed… liveliness was to be expected.
From the public’s perspective, it was because she, as the hero of the Light Family, defeated the core forces of the Demon Race, securing a temporary peace, which naturally warranted a lively celebration to dispel the shadows brought by war in recent years.
One cannot always live in the shadows; they must find opportunities to bring some color to their lives in some form.
Even though the people did not know how long this “victory” could bring peace to the world, it still served as a boost to their confidence.
But thinking of this, Xia Lete couldn’t help but sigh.
“Ah…”
The scars brought by war had lasted too long.
Whether for the completely naive public concerning the falsehood of victory or for the country that had suffered grievous wounds and barely survived.
But more than this, what pained Xia Lete the most…
Was the pressure that Xue Fei shouldered.
Oh… Xue Fei, there isn’t much I can do for you at this moment, but I will definitely… definitely bring you back strawberry-flavored donuts!
There was no time for further thoughts as Xia Lete set down the curtain to continue watching outside.
Because, they had arrived at their destination.
The carriage drove straight toward the main gate of the castle, in front of the Council Chamber’s grand hall, toward the square.
Waiting there was none other than the King of the Aulus Kingdom, Aulus III, Celt Aulus.
This elderly man, who had already passed sixty, stood at the forefront, flanked by numerous high-ranking nobles, ready to welcome the triumphant hero.
The carriage came to a stop.
Xia Lete slowly opened her closed eyes.
A faint light flickered within, revealing a certain resolve.
She gracefully took the wide crimson cloak and the sword hanging inside the spacious carriage, draping them over her lightweight armor.
The air of a hero was remarkably free-spirited.
The carriage door opened outward.
At the moment Xia Lete stepped off the carriage with a serious expression, the square erupted in waves of cheers!
Almost all the nobles worth naming from across the Aulus Kingdom had gathered here.
“Welcome back, Hero!”
“Long live the Human Race!”
“Long live His Majesty the King!”
Xia Lete walked her own path, paying little heed to what they said.
She knew these words were certainly prearranged by the nobles, mere formalities for the King to see.
Apart from holding the inherent privileges of the Light Family, the hero had an extra privilege.
That was, when meeting the King, there was no need to kneel.
Members of the Light Family did so, let alone the hero chosen by the Holy Sword [Siletra].
Thus, Xia Lete first approached the front of the square, stopping a few meters away from the King, nodding slightly to show respect, waiting for the King to respond with a wave. Only then did she feel it appropriate to walk to her designated place.
Her place was, naturally, among her own family, the Light Family’s lineup.
The Light Family formed a line.
The unified blood-red cloaks and dazzling golden hair were the family’s hallmark.
They stood in the open area to the right of the King, particularly eye-catching, exuding an extraordinary presence.
Even as a hero, Xia Lete, as a member of the family, should stand among the lineup; it was a rule.
However, as she walked toward her family lineup…
The family members seemed to show her less enthusiastic welcome compared to the others earlier.
Until Xia Lete reached the head of the Light Family, her father, the rest of the family members finally turned to her, expressing their congratulations with inauthentic smiles.
“Congratulations, dear niece Xia Lete. This battle has indeed yielded remarkable results; you are truly the pride of our family.”
“Uncle, you flatter me. This expedition was indeed fraught with danger.”
Just as this exchange was happening, some others nearby began to chime in.
“Hey, cousin Xia Lete, there’s no need to be humble! We genuinely believe you are an example for our family!”
“Yes, if it weren’t for sister Xia Lete, our family would have faced considerable disgrace in this age.”
“Dier, don’t speak too much.”
“Tsk.”
Their words kept coming, while Xia Lete simply frowned slightly in response.
“Thank you all, cousins and sisters.”
Having expressed her thanks, she received no further response.
Xia Lete did not dwell on this; she had long been accustomed to it.
She walked with a proper ceremonious step to stand next to the head of the Light Family and the head lady, her parents.
The head of the Light Family, Ecklight, stood firmly with a great sword in hand, his hands crossed, exuding a powerful aura.
He had a serious frown, his bright eyes sharp; his rugged but resilient face was adorned with a well-kept beard, projecting a frightening pressure.
He stood there like an unmoving pine tree, exuding calm and extraordinary strength.
The head lady, Roni Light, although over forty, still bore traces of the stunning beauty of her youth, with her beautiful golden hair flowing elegantly.
She wasn’t disregarding the atmosphere; seeing Xia Lete arrive, she quickly welcomed her daughter’s triumph warmly.
The head, Ecklight, remained still, gazing forward.
He glanced at the warm exchange between mother and daughter with a serious tone, conveying emotionless yet severe words.
Judging solely by the content of his speech, his tone carried a hint of reproach.
“Xia Lete, why have you arrived so late?”
“Sorry, Father, there were some matters on the road that delayed me.”
“Remember, even though the Light Family is favored by the kingdom, you must never be the slightest bit negligent. How can you keep the King waiting here for you? That’s unacceptable; it shall not happen again.”
“Understood.”
The head lady furrowed her brows slightly, seemingly wanting to say a few words for her daughter.
Unfortunately, before she could say anything, an official responsible for announcing the King’s intent crushed a type of magic crystal capable of amplifying sound briefly, allowing the King’s arrangements to spread throughout the venue.
“Thank you for your hard work in coming from afar. Please proceed inside the castle to the Council Chamber; the King has matters to discuss regarding this war, the upcoming plans, and the fate of the entire human race.”
…………………………..
(Here comes little North Star asking for a monthly ticket! If anyone has extra monthly tickets, could you spare a little for little North Star? It’s really important for my new book! Thank you all for your support!)
