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Chapter 252: The Luna Palace
🕑 Added 2024-09-27 04:34:24 +0000 UTC"Maikov, Vicki, when did you two get together?" Tylers asked with a mischievous grin, clearly in a good mood amid the lively atmosphere around them. He couldn't help but tease them, noticing the close proximity between the two.
But Klina, who was resting her slightly rounded belly, looked at Tylers with surprise. "Tylers? Are you that out of the loop? They're already planning to get married!"
"What?" Mina and Tylers exchanged glances, both equally surprised.
"I guess I've just spent too much time in the Alchemy Tower! I can't believe I missed something like this!" Tylers exclaimed.
Mina added regretfully, "Looks like we need to get out more often. Staying in the tower all the time has nearly cut us off from the outside world—we might be missing out on important news."
Klina chuckled, covering her mouth. "I think, Tylers, if you want to keep up with your alchemy, that's fine. But maybe Mina could move to Dark Rock Fortress and spend some time with us. Vanessa and I have missed her so much."
"Yes, yes! We've been so bored lately, always reminiscing about the fun stories Mina used to tell us," Vanessa chimed in with a smile.
"This..." Mina hesitated. She missed them too, but she was reluctant to leave Tylers, leaving her in a bit of a dilemma.
"How about we come back and stay for two days every week?"
Just as Mina was hesitating, Tylers wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled. Despite his love for alchemy, he realized that family and life were just as important.
When they first moved into the Alchemy Tower, the loneliness wasn't too noticeable, but as time passed, Tylers increasingly felt that something was missing—family and friends were appearing less and less in his life.
Recently, Tylers had asked himself many times—could he really be satisfied with this life? Was it fair to his family?
The answer was, of course, no.
Alchemy was important to him, but he knew it meant little in the grand scheme of things. However, his family was important, and he was important to them.
It reminded him of the character Delin, who had accompanied Linley through his growth in Coiling Dragon. Only when Delin sacrificed himself did Linley realize how important he had been.
Tylers felt deeply touched by this and decided that he couldn't repeat the same mistake—he needed to cherish these precious moments.
"Will that affect your alchemy research?" Mina asked softly, looking into Tylers' eyes. Living with Tylers had shown her just how passionate and dedicated he was to alchemy.
"Haha, it's fine. I'll treat those two days as time for reflection and a short break," Tylers replied with a carefree laugh.
"Really? I'm surprised you feel this way," Mina said, pleasantly surprised.
"Is that so? Well, here's another surprise..."
As soon as Tylers finished speaking, he turned his head and kissed Mina gently on the forehead.
"Oh my, there are people around," Mina gasped, her face turning bright red like a ripe hawthorn as she lightly tapped Tylers' arm.
"Oh, I didn't see anything! I mean... Vanessa, I'm feeling a bit thirsty. I'm going to grab a juice," Klina said, clearly startled, as she quickly averted her eyes and hurried toward the outdoor barbecue.
"Now that you mention it, I'm feeling a bit thirsty too. Wait for me, Klina," Vanessa said, quickly following her.
Tylers shrugged, realizing he hadn't noticed how much his personality had changed over the past few years. No longer the shy boy he once was, he turned to Maikov and said, "Maikov, Vicki. Congratulations! I wish you both a life full of happiness and joy."
"Haha, I believe it will be as you say," Maikov said, pulling Vicki close. Her face turned a shade of red as she initially tried to resist but soon gave up.
"When is the wedding?" Tylers asked.
"A week from now. You must come!" Maikov replied with a broad smile.
"That soon? I'm even more glad about the decision I just made."
"No worries, I was planning to personally deliver the invitation to you in a couple of days."
"Alright, Mina and I will definitely be there. It's just a shame that Father is still away and won't be able to attend his good friend's wedding," Tylers said with a sigh of regret.
"Ah, that guy Rhett... Hmph, when he gets back, I'll make sure he gives me an explanation," Maikov grumbled, unable to help himself.
"Haha, I bet when Father gets back, he'll apologize with something like free vouchers for the Nightingale Tavern..." Tylers said, spreading his hands.
Maikov's eyes lit up. "Then I’ll certainly forgive him."
Vicki glanced at Maikov and rolled her eyes. "How typical of you..."
As summer gave way to autumn, Rhett crossed into a new season after more than a month of traveling and finally arrived at the royal capital.
The autumn sunset cast a beautiful, soft light over the city, making everyone's faces glow with a rosy hue.
Leading Firegrid through the streets of the capital, Rhett occasionally stepped on the golden fallen leaves, enjoying the unique scenery.
As he passed through the neon-lit streets, the warm hues of the setting sun seemed to blend with the vibrant lights, giving everything a sunset glow.
When he walked by the Dalton Chamber of Commerce, Rhett paused for a moment to glance at the entrance before moving on...
At the entrance, several golden-armored knights watched his retreating figure with expressions of uncertainty.
"Hey, Gunnar, did you get a good look at that guy?" asked one knight with a black mole on his nose.
"Of course. Not only did I see him, but he also had a Firefeather Eagle with him. Judging by his attire, he seemed like a noble," replied a knight with a pointed chin.
"Didn't he seem familiar to you? Or did you already recognize him?"
"I don't think I've seen him before. Are you saying he's some long-lost relative of yours?" the pointed-chin knight joked.
"I wish, but my lost relative is a knight, not a mage," the mole-nosed knight retorted. "I'm saying he matches the description of that Count Rhett from the Chamber of Commerce—his age, build, and the magical beast all match."
"Wait, did you say Rhett... the author of Coiling Dragon?" the pointed-chin knight reacted in disbelief.
"Of course, and not only that, I heard he's being promoted to Marquis. I still can't believe it—what kind of incredible feat did he accomplish?" The mole-nosed knight's tone was both amazed and doubtful.
"I think the real question isn't what he did. You don't have any influence over the royal family's decisions, do you?" the pointed-chin knight asked.
"Then what is the point?"
"Go report this to the steward!" the pointed-chin knight shouted, rushing toward the Chamber's entrance.
The mole-nosed knight stood there, dumbfounded, regretting that he had missed the opportunity to make a lasting impression on their superiors despite recognizing Rhett first.
At this moment, Rhett was already at the end of the neon-lit street, unaware of the commotion behind him.
As he continued walking, the streets became noticeably more spacious, with the ground paved in pale golden bricks. The foot traffic also thinned out considerably, and the number of knight patrols around him increased. They diligently patrolled the area around the palace.
In the distance, Rhett could see the towering, dark golden inner walls that surrounded the royal palace. While many kingdoms' palaces didn't traditionally have walls, the Kingdom of Gelan was an exception.
As Rhett made his way toward the main gate, a large shadow suddenly appeared on the golden ground.
Looking up, Rhett saw a massive Rockwing Bird descending from the sky. Its legs were like pillars, its beak like a spear, and its feathers gleamed like gold, radiating a familiar aura.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Count Rhett. No, after tomorrow, I'll have to start calling you Marquis Rhett, haha." Zelos, his hair streaked with gray, sat atop the Rockwing Bird's broad back as it occupied a third of the street. He wore a smile that suggested he was in high spirits.
"Mr. Zelos, you are as kind and welcoming as ever. Oh, is this your magical beast? I've never seen such a massive Rockwing Bird in my life!" Rhett responded with a smile, admiring the impressive creature beneath Zelos.
"This fellow has been with me for two hundred years. It's currently at the peak of the sixth tier. I hope that one day, with a bit of luck, it might break through to the seventh tier," Zelos said with a satisfied grin. Magical beasts typically had much longer growth cycles than humans, so their growth could not be expected to outpace humans. However, they also had much longer lifespans and greater physical strength than humans, though they weren't as intelligent.
"That makes me quite envious. If Firegrid can ever reach the mid-tier magical beast level, I'll be more than satisfied."
"I believe it will," Zelos said, stroking his beard. "By the way, Prince Hogus asked me to prepare for your arrival a week ago, but I didn't expect you'd wait until the last day to come. So we should head to the palace immediately. Besides the banquet Prince Hogus is hosting tonight, there are many details about tomorrow's promotion ceremony that you'll need to be briefed on."
"I understand. I have no objections," Rhett replied.
"Then please follow me. You won't need to enter through the main gate, where you'd be subjected to a series of checks and questions," Zelos said, patting the Rockwing Bird's back. As Prince Hogus' bodyguard and confidant, as well as a key member of the royal mage corps, Zelos had considerable privileges that made entering the palace much easier.
Rhett gladly accepted, knowing that carrying a space ring might draw attention if he had to go through a royal inspection. It was best to avoid such troubles.
The Rockwing Bird's back was as hard and smooth as steel, with a cool surface. The ride was not particularly comfortable, but Rhett found some solace in stroking Firegrid's warm and soft feathers, realizing that his own magical beast had its merits.
Within minutes, Zelos led Rhett deep into the palace.
Unlike the oriental palaces of Blue Star, the heart of the palace here was a large castle at the far end of a vast square, with no separation between living and working areas. The main structure was a long, horizontal bar, with the overall layout forming a short "T" shape when viewed from above. The prominent area housed a spacious palace hall on the ground floor, while the upper levels of the long bar were the living quarters for the king and his family.
As they arrived, Rhett noticed that the square was essentially a large garden, with various rare plants trimmed into neat geometric shapes. Flying over the area on the Rockwing Bird provided a clear view of the vibrant colors, arranged in a way that was aesthetically pleasing to those observing from the palace's upper floors.
The palace's exterior was a simple white, exuding a sense of grandeur. The walls were adorned with exquisite metalwork, and the balconies were filled with bright potted plants.
Zelos ordered the Rockwing Bird to descend and pointed toward the palace. "Here we are, Count Rhett. This is the most important place in the Kingdom of Gelan—the Luna Palace."
"Oh, the Luna Palace is indeed magnificent. I'm honored to finally see it," Rhett said, feigning amazement as he scanned the exterior of the palace. The knights stationed around the perimeter were numerous, nearly encircling the entire palace.
Aside from the guards, Rhett also noticed several groups of nobles gathered around flowerbeds a hundred meters away. He assumed they were there to attend tomorrow's promotion ceremony or perhaps the banquet hosted by Prince Hogus tonight.
Among the crowd, Rhett spotted Gelsen, who was engaged in an enthusiastic conversation with two noblewomen in white gowns. The women were clearly captivated by him.
As Rhett's gaze met Gelsen's, Gelsen noticed him as well and greeted him with a friendly smile and a polite nod.
Zelos glanced sideways at Gelsen and shook his head. "No need to guess—Gelsen is either looking for women or on his way to find women. I still don't understand why Prince Hogus holds him in such high regard..."
Rhett raised an eyebrow and smiled but chose not to respond. Instead, he continued to follow Zelos toward the palace.
As they walked, Zelos offered some advice. "On the surface, things may not seem too strict inside the palace, but no one dares to break the rules. You must always be mindful of your behavior. Remember, there are Sanctuary powerhouses within these walls, and every move you make will be under their watchful eyes..."
This is probably the most stringent rule, Rhett thought. With the king and Sanctuary mages around, who would dare act recklessly? Rhett nodded solemnly. "I'll be careful."
"Good," Zelos nodded. "In reality, you don't need to be overly cautious. The king doesn't appear in public frequently unless it's absolutely necessary.
Prince Hogus resides on the fourth floor, in the left half of the corridor. The rooms and banquet hall in that area belong to him."
Rhett took note of this as he continued to follow Zelos into the palace.
He had heard that the Luna Palace contained over eight hundred rooms, not counting the spacious halls and public areas. As soon as he stepped inside, Rhett was captivated by the opulence of the grand hall. The luxurious lighting, intricate murals, and the various gold and silver artifacts decorating every corner exuded a sense of grandeur.
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