Free Web NovelChapter 305: Chapter 293: Old Acquaintance
The carriage moved slowly along the silent streets.
Roland gazed out the window at the receding silhouette of the Royal Palace, his brow furrowing unconsciously.
Everything at the banquet had seemed perfectly logical on the surface, yet he still detected a few unusual signs...
’It was all too coincidental.’
The timing of Sean’s appearance, Lucius’s extraordinarily intense reaction, and even Duke Anno’s perfectly-timed entrance to take control of the situation...
...it all flowed together like a meticulously rehearsed play.
Although Lucius looked old and feeble, his eyes clouded, Roland didn’t believe that a man like King Morne would entrust the affairs of the Kingdom to a true incompetent while he was away on a military campaign.
’Therefore, looking back on it calmly, the Prince’s near-hysterical rage now seemed abrupt and intentional.’
’As for Anno...’
Remembering the enigmatic Duke, Roland’s fingers unconsciously tapped the hilt of his sword.
The Duke’s display of loyalty and patriotism, his impassioned speech, was almost flawless. Anyone who witnessed it would have praised his devotion and composure.
But in the eyes of Roland, who was already suspicious of the Duke, that performance, so perfect and timely, only seemed more unnatural.
’And there was more...’
He was lost in thought when a clear voice from beside him suddenly interrupted his reverie.
"What a splendid farce..."
Turning toward the voice, he saw the Minstrel, Galvis, his quill flying across a blank page as he rapidly recorded the events of the banquet.
A few quick sketches interspersed among the pages vividly captured the guests’ ever-changing mannerisms and expressions.
"Galvis... you think something’s off, too?"
"Of course."
The Minstrel paused his writing and examined the just-completed page with satisfaction, the corners of his lips curling upward.
"Leaving everything else aside, the very timing and manner of Captain Sean’s intrusion into the banquet is intriguing..."
"Logically, if the Palace Guards had truly heard there was urgent military intelligence, why would they simply allow a fully armed officer to barge straight into the heart of the banquet without an announcement?"
’True enough.’
Roland nodded slightly.
This was one of the very reasons he found the whole affair so suspicious.
He knew Sean’s character. Though the man was honest and straightforward, he was by no means reckless or ignorant of etiquette.
’For him to choose such a reckless method of bursting in to deliver a report, he must have either received some sort of tacit approval or instruction beforehand, or...’
’...it was the only way he could see the reclusive Prince.’
At this thought, Roland let out a barely audible sigh.
’Regardless, with Duke Anno vouching for him, Sean’s life should be safe. As for this study tour... we should stick to the original plan, get through the formalities quickly, and leave this place of conflict as soon as possible.’
Having made up his mind, he lowered the window curtain and looked toward his companion on the other side of the carriage.
Teresa was leaning against the carriage wall, her pale silver eyes gazing into the distance with a vacant expression, as if her mind were a world away.
"Teresa?"
The silver-haired woman looked up at the sound of her name, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
"What is it, Roland?"
"I should be the one asking you that."
Roland shoved Galvis—who had at some point picked up his Harp and sat in the middle of the carriage, preparing for an impromptu performance—to one side. He then sat down next to Teresa and asked in a low voice,
"You’ve been distracted for a while now. Did something happen?"
"Mm... it’s nothing. It’s just..."
Teresa hesitated, unconsciously twirling a lock of hair around her finger, before finally speaking in a low voice.
"That woman, Gloria... I think I’ve seen her before. But back then..."
She seemed to recall an unpleasant memory. Her delicate eyebrows knitted slightly, and a clear flicker of disgust crossed her eyes.
"She wasn’t a Princess... but the Saintess of the Fiery Sun Church."
"The Saintess?"
Hearing this, Roland was taken aback for a moment. He immediately recalled the subtle and distant attitude the Golden Valley nobles had toward the "Princess" at the banquet, and understanding dawned on him.
Logically, no matter how little she was favored, Gloria was still of Morne’s bloodline; she shouldn’t have been subjected to such an obvious, collective cold shoulder.
But if, in addition to her identity as a "Princess," she also bore another, more sensitive title—one that even contradicted the King’s will...
Everyone knew that King Morne utterly detested the various Churches, whose power had expanded dramatically in recent years, and had even personally launched several harsh purges.
Now, not even one in ten of the sects that had once operated within the Golden Valley Kingdom was still active.
Faced with the King’s clear and brutal stance, the opportunistic nobles would naturally avoid anyone and anything related to the Church like the plague.
’In that case...’
’...why would Gloria, a member of the royal family, become the Saintess of the Fiery Sun Church?’
’What was the secret behind it all?’
’Forget it.’
Roland shook his head, temporarily setting the baffling question aside.
He pressed Teresa for a few more details, but when he didn’t get any more information, he had to let it go.
A brief silence fell over the carriage, leaving only the rhythmic sound of wheels rolling over flagstones.
Before long, the carriage slowed and pulled into the courtyard of their lodging.
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, Roland and his party were led by a Royal Attendant to the Golden Valley Kingdom’s Knight Academy.
Unlike the academy in the nations of the River Domain, which emphasized practicality and was more like an elite military fortress, the Knight Academy of the Golden Valley Kingdom fully displayed the heritage and magnificence of an ancient kingdom.
It was situated on the west side of the Royal Capital, less an academy and more a city within a city.
Towering, grey-white walls of giant stone surrounded it. The magnificent main gate was carved with reliefs of heroes from past generations, and the buildings within were massive and methodically arranged.
The training grounds were vast enough to accommodate an entire cavalry troop for drills, and the air was filled with an imposing atmosphere woven from long-standing tradition and absolute power, far beyond what the somewhat cramped and pragmatic academy of the River Domain could ever compare to.
Guided by a stern-faced academy instructor, they crossed the massive training grounds toward the designated area for the exchange.
A troop of cadets from the Golden Valley Kingdom was already waiting by the side of the field.
They wore impeccably tailored uniforms adorned with gold-tasseled emblems. Their posture was ramrod straight, and their eyes held the innate pride and appraising gaze of scions from a great nation as they sized up the visitors from the "lesser states."
Roland’s gaze swept over the group, then paused on one particular face.
It was a tall, sturdy, blond young man.
Apparently noticing Roland’s gaze, the blond youth looked back. The rote, appraising expression he had worn, same as the other cadets, instantly gave way to incredulous astonishment.
A moment later, he rubbed his eyes—a slight breach of etiquette—then quickly whispered something to a companion, barely managing to maintain a calm facade.
But he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Roland, his gaze filled with immense questions and suppressed excitement.
After a simple welcoming ceremony and pleasantries between the instructors, the cadets from both sides were allowed to mingle freely for a while.
The blond youth finally found his opportunity. He first nodded to a companion beside him, then approached Roland with a stride that, while attempting to be casual, was clearly faster than normal. He stopped in front of Roland and looked him up and down, as if to confirm he wasn’t an illusion.
"Roland?"
His voice was low and tinged with disbelief, but he still maintained the clear accent characteristic of the nobility.
"I never expected... to see you here. You’re actually here representing the nations of the River Domain?"
"Dalko."
Roland replied with a genuine smile.
"Long time no see. It looks like you got your wish and are studying at the Knight Academy."
"Of course. The heir to the Collins family is naturally expected to train here."
Dalko subconsciously lifted his chin, revealing a hint of his natural-born superiority. But that feeling quickly melted away as he looked at Roland, replaced by undisguised concern and a frank question.
"And you? How are you... I mean, now you’re..."
He seemed to be searching for the right words, trying to express his shock without being so inquisitive as to be rude.
"It seems you’ve had some extraordinary opportunities since you left."
Roland smiled but didn’t answer directly, simply saying,
"It’s a long story."
Dalko nodded in understanding and didn’t press for details. Instead, he fell back into their old, familiar dynamic, slinging an arm directly over Roland’s shoulder.
"Well, whatever the case, it’s great to run into you here."
Seeing that Roland’s physique hadn’t changed all that dramatically from when they had parted ways in the Black Water Territory,
he grinned and subconsciously flexed, subtly showing off the powerful lines of his own arm.
"Since you’re here as an exchange cadet... we’ll have to find a chance for a proper match. And don’t expect me to go easy on you."
Roland looked at his friend’s eager expression, not having the heart to burst his bubble just yet. He could only smile and give a vague reply.
"Yeah, if we get the chance... we’ll definitely have to spar."
His smile held a measure of joy at their long-overdue reunion, but also a hint of subtle resignation and sympathy.
