Chapter 175: Delivery
The morning after spending the night.
Ivan and Phonia had already returned their Collars of Subjugation to the House of Marquis Ragloi and received a Completion Certificate from the butler. I was truly relieved that we didn’t have to face that eldest son directly.
Now, we were on our way to the castle to deliver the head of the Sea Emperor Turtle. Of course, Ivan and Phonia were waiting back at the inn. Since we were entering the castle, Nil was also staying behind.
“This castle is massive too,” I remarked.
“It feels even larger than the Royal Castle of the Arclight Kingdom,” Phonia replied.
A tall spire towered at the apex of the hexagonal structure, with the royal castle nestled at its center. Surrounding it were moats and castle walls, and I could see a few people crossing the bridge at the main entrance.
“There’s no point in just staring at it. Let’s go,” I said, massaging my furrowed brow as I crossed the bridge toward the front entrance. Just as we approached, the line of people ahead of us cleared, allowing us to step forward without waiting.
“What is your business?” a guard clad in uniform armor and wielding a spear asked succinctly.
“We have brought spoils on behalf of the Imperial Army,” I replied.
“Hmm,” he said, taking the request form from me and scrutinizing its contents. After a moment, he glanced behind us, then checked the form again, nodding repeatedly, albeit with a look of confusion. He then signaled to a fellow guard, who dashed into the castle.
“Very well. Take the spoils to the Knight Corps Training Ground. It’s that way,” he instructed, pointing toward the eastern side of the castle, away from the center.
“Understood,” I replied.
With no further issues, we entered the castle and made our way toward the training ground. I couldn’t help but wonder what the difference was between the “Imperial Army” and the “Knight Corps.”
“Is that it?” Phonia asked, pointing ahead.
As we walked along the cobblestone path, a facility surrounded by walls came into view. It was enclosed by walls about two meters high, preventing any view of the training activities inside.
After a similar exchange at the entrance to the training ground, we stepped inside. The area was roughly two hundred meters square. There should be enough space to place the Sea Emperor Turtle’s head here… though it might disrupt their training. Well, that wasn’t our concern.
“Ah, you must be…” a voice called out.
“I’m Shuu, an adventurer,” I introduced myself.
“And I’m Rio,” Phonia added.
“We’ve brought the head of the Sea Emperor Turtle,” I continued.
The figure who had addressed us was clad in particularly impressive armor. He introduced himself with a nod. “I am Herbert Jackman, Vice Captain of the Royal Guard. I’ve heard about you. Could you please present the spoils?”
“Of course,” I replied.
As Phonia walked over to the available space, she produced the two heads of the Sea Emperor Turtle. A light gasp escaped the onlookers, but the knights stationed here quickly regained their composure and focused on the heads.
“I had heard about their size, but… this is beyond my expectations,” the Vice Captain remarked, stepping closer to examine the heads. He touched them lightly, tapping with his knuckles to check their hardness. They weren’t as tough as the shell, so I figured cutting them off wouldn’t have been too difficult.
Satisfied after his inspection, the Vice Captain turned back to us with a broad smile. “What a magnificent sight! Thank you.”
“No, thank you,” I replied, shaking his outstretched hand. Phonia followed suit, and after that, we received the Completion Certificate from the Vice Captain.
“With this, your task is complete. Now, regarding the reward for the Sea Emperor Turtle’s subjugation… but before that, may I ask something?”
“What is it?” I inquired, curious about what else there could be to discuss.
“It seems His Majesty the Emperor wishes to personally thank you. Would you be willing to spare a little time for this?”
Hmm. It appeared the conversation I had been anticipating had finally arrived. To be honest, I wasn’t keen on meeting him, but given the Vice Captain’s request, it might be worth it. He didn’t carry himself with the oppressive air I had come to expect from nobles; in fact, he was a stark contrast to the aristocrats I had encountered before.
“…Very well,” I said, exchanging glances with Rio and nodding.
“Thank you. Allow me to guide you. Please follow me,” the Vice Captain said, leading us out of the training ground and into the central part of the castle. After navigating a few corners and ascending a staircase, we passed through a large door guarded by sentinels and entered a room.
“Please wait here for a while. I will come to fetch you once the Emperor is ready,” he instructed.
“Understood,” I replied.
“If you need anything, feel free to call for a servant,” he added before hastily exiting the room.
The chamber was about twelve tatami mats in size, furnished with a table set for tea and a pair of sofas facing each other. The decor was tasteful, befitting a castle’s reception room.
“I’ll prepare some tea now, so please make yourselves comfortable,” a maid said, gracefully beginning to brew tea in the corner of the room.
I sank into the sofa beside Rio, letting out a deep sigh. I had followed the Vice Captain here, but now I was starting to wish I could just go home.