By Zephyria 
As soon as they entered the outer walls of Viper, the group scattered.
The roads of Viper were narrower than Sierren’s. Visibility was poor due to the thick fog, and after much deliberation, they couldn’t have a knight sit on the coachman’s seat when entering a neighboring royal castle. The most experienced worker took the coachman’s seat. Samantha and Biban each took a horse to escort the carriage from both sides.
However, around the time they were to arrive at the royal castle, there was a knock on the carriage window.
“What is it?”
“…Sir. You might need to look ahead for a moment.”
Samantha Andrei’s voice trembled, which was rare for her. We opened the window connected to the coachman’s seat, puzzled. The Royal Castle of Biban was right in front of us. But both of us immediately understood why Samantha was so surprised.
“Caw.”
“Caaaw.”
Dozens, no, hundreds of crows had perched on the castle walls, looking down at our carriage. Was this a den of ghosts or a den of people? A few crows flapped their wings, but none flew up. They merely gazed down from their spots as if they were fixtures.
The fog was so thick that the scenery inside the walls was completely obscured. We couldn’t tell if the castle was low or high, what its architectural style was, or whether trees were planted or pillars erected.
As we paused for a moment, the guards guarding the front of the royal castle walked towards Ikyun.
“We received word. Are you Rubel Anti Sieron, the Second Prince?”
“…Yes.”
“We will escort you inside. Continue straight along the main road in the carriage, and you will soon find personnel waiting to assist you further.”
“Mm.”
Wasn’t he overly composed?
Did this scene not seem strange to them? Or were they simply trying their best to appear fine, performing their duties as instructed from above? Various words swirled in my mind: Black Magic, Black magician, Mana of darkness, Curse, winged creatures…
Didn’t the King of Yulan mention some time ago that he was collecting unknown dark beasts and birds? It was believable that all those beasts had been captured and brought here to Biban.
Regardless, there was no turning back now.
We leisurely proceeded along the main road with the carriage windows open. We tried our best to see as much as possible beyond the thick fog.
The Royal Castle of Biban was fundamentally similar in appearance to that of Yulan, but because they hadn’t applied crushed white sand, the red bricks were exposed. The ivy that must have climbed those walls everywhere had all withered. This made the scene even more desolate.
Including the initial stop, the carriage halted a total of four times.
The guards welcomed us with similar words. We received word. We will escort you inside. Personnel will be waiting to assist you further.
And as the carriage stopped for the fifth time, six attendants approached and laid a long, red carpet before the carriage door. I descended as usual, to make it easier for Ruben to disembark. One attendant, waiting respectfully with a bow, approached and announced,
“We received word. Are you Rubel Anti Sieron, the Second Prince, and your retinue?”
“Yes. We are.”
This time, I answered.
Although I wasn’t accustomed to conversing according to etiquette, I had observed enough to respond appropriately. I confirmed the coachman was sent away to park the carriage separately, briefly stated the identities of the coachman and two knights, and received another bow from the attendant as he stepped back.
“Then, we shall guide you. The King is waiting for Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
And I stepped back half a pace from Ruben.
Ruben waited patiently through all the procedures and followed the attendant, walking ahead on the stairs carpeted with red. The two knights who had been waiting beside me followed behind me. The smile Ruben gave me was so radiant that my heart felt happy despite my anxiety.
Currently, there were no suitable royal descendants in Biban.
If there had been royal descendants of an appropriate age, they would have greeted the guests in the exact same manner as the Yulan royal siblings had greeted us.
However, Biban’s current King was a young man who had just passed his early twenties. He was twenty-three this year, or perhaps a bit older, I couldn’t quite recall.
He had lived his life yearning for marriage with the woman he had admired since childhood. The woman, ten years his senior, had not been able to wait for him to grow up and had arranged a marriage and wedded. Twice. However, both of her partners were murdered shortly after their wedding.
The woman who had spent her wedding night with two men lived alone, raising her two children. Although she should technically be called a widow, she was referred to as a single mother, with the excuse that she had never been married for a long duration. And when Biban’s King ascended the throne at the age of twenty, he took that woman as his own.
The two children she brought with her were not recognized as royal descendants. This was because, on this continent, royal descendants referred to those possessing Divine Blood. Biban’s King treated the two children, who had no connection to his bloodline whatsoever, with disdain, and it was said that they lived as if they had lost their mother, even though she was alive.
In the corridors of the Biban Royal Palace, contaminated Mana pooled so thickly that it could be felt at one’s feet.
At this rate, the Mana Concentration must be around 50 mp.
It was a great relief that I had left the other children behind. Marianne or Benjamin might be able to endure it, but Ivan and his wife would have vomited and fainted as soon as they entered the castle. By what means were they feeling the scent of the Yuil Mountains in the very heart of the Biban Royal Castle?
I wondered if this was why Ruben and the other children had not yet received a Divine Revelation from the Sun God. Just as contaminated Mana had blinded the eyes of the gods in the Indus Canyon, perhaps this fog was blocking the eyes of the gods.
As I pondered these various thoughts, we soon reached the end of the corridor.
Two gatekeepers rang a bell three times and pulled open a heavy door.
It was a vast hall with numerous bright chandeliers. On both sides, ebony animal carvings, adorned with gold only on their ears, muzzles, and four feet, lined the hall. A red carpet, similar to the one in the corridor, was laid on the floor, and at the far end, there was a five-tiered platform with two thrones.
Ruben walked with confident strides and stopped five paces from the platform with the thrones. I stopped three paces behind Ruben, and the two knights stopped two paces behind me, waiting for the two leaders to greet each other.
“Rubel Anti Sieron, Prince of Sierren, greets Queion Bis Biban, Lord of the Wide Plains.”
“Queion of Biban gladly accepts the greeting of Prince Rubel Anti Sieron.”
Ruben first placed his right hand on his left chest and offered a light bow as a sign of courtesy, and the other party reciprocated by slightly tilting his head.
The attendant who had been waiting quickly placed a magnificent chair behind Ruben. It was a chair whose adornments rivaled that of a king’s throne. Ruben quietly took his seat without looking back.
Still, I had to look up to see the King of Biban, but it seemed appropriate for the distance between a king of a nation and a prince not yet on the throne.
What was more concerning was the veiled woman sitting beside the King of Biban, motionless.
So that was the Queen of Biban, spoken of only in tales.
She sat demurely, wearing a black dress that reached her neck. A long, black veil, extending from the crown of her head to her ears and down to her chest, concealed her face. It was mourning attire, even among mourning clothes. What were they mourning that she wore such an outfit?
The King of Biban opened his mouth in a somewhat indifferent tone.
“Yes, I heard you had an accident while on pilgrimage.”
“Yes. I originally traveled with many escorts, but I am reluctant to bring them all into foreign territory, so I wish to first obtain permission from the landowner.”
“If you merely intend to pass through, there is no reason to stop you. I permit it.”
“Thank you.”
A brief silence followed.
“I did not prepare a gift, not knowing what the Biban Royal Palace might require. I am considering it carefully now, could the Lord of Biban offer some advice?”
“I am pleased to receive such an unexpected gift. I will take this as an opportunity to deepen my friendship with Your Highness. I haven’t thought of anything yet, so is it alright to speak slowly?”
“Of course. Naturally.”
Another short silence ensued.
What kind of king is so poor at conversation? I was the only one concerned that Ruben might feel uncomfortable. Everyone present held their breath without moving, so I did the same.
Ruben continued in his ever-gentle voice.
“On the way here, I happened to meet a villager who gave me a message for the King. Would you hear it?”
“…Yes. I will listen.”
“Since the thick fog covered the land, the crops in the fields have not grown, and the sickly sheep have given birth several times, causing anxiety. I have come after hearing their earnest pleas for the King to care for his people.”
“…”
“Do I have any words to return to that villager?”
The King of Biban did not answer for about two to three minutes this time.
He replied as if forcing out his seething voice.
“As it is an internal matter of the royal family, it is not appropriate to consult an outsider. The royal family is already paying close attention to this matter in many ways, so Prince Rubel Anti Sieron, please tell that villager that everything will be alright.”
“Yes. I will do so.”
Ruben did not prolong the time any further.
“Thank you for your time amidst your busy schedule. We will be received in the west of Biban and depart towards the east.”
“Yes. If you require a place to stay today, I can offer a corner of the palace.”
“No. Since things have come to this, I intend to fully enjoy the prosperous scenery of Viper. I am grateful for your offer alone.”
“…I will instruct them to escort you comfortably on your departure, just as you were on your arrival.”
“Thank you for your consideration. Then, I will await your letter.”
Despite spending so much time on the journey, the conversation lasted less than an hour. My heart was in turmoil, a mixture of wanting to escape this strange place quickly and feeling upset that Ruben seemed to have been treated poorly.
Ruben did not speak a word even after getting into the carriage until we left the Biban Royal Palace. Neither did I.
❖ ❖ ❖
An employee sent by Ivan was loitering in front of the royal castle, so I put him in the coachman’s seat to guide us.
Our group seemed to have rented an entire high-quality inn. In most countries, there aren’t many nobles with villas within the capital, making it difficult to rent an empty one. Also, our group includes many commoners who need to rest, so it wasn’t a bad choice.
However, I was surprised as soon as we entered the inn.
Usually, the first floor of such an inn has a spacious dining area, doesn’t it? But as I opened the door according to the guide, I immediately saw a large Magic Circle. I scanned the tables and chairs stacked precariously like towers on either side of a Magic Circle large enough to fit eight tables.
Marianne and Boulder, who were arranging things here and there, beckoned me like one would call a stray dog.
“You’re here just in time, Mikael. Stand here for a moment.”
“…What is all this?”
“We’re going to get it done while we’re at it. Make a contract with the Sylph first.”
“…Yes?”