Chapter 91: The Royal Palace
It took the coach a few hours to guide the beasts towards the royal Capital’s center and the moment they were close enough, the Royal Palace came into view.
Even from a distance, its presence was overwhelming.
It had towering spires made of white stone that seemed to reach the sky. Surrounding them were massive reinforced walls that went all around the Palace.
And stationed on each wall was a spirit mage guard ranging from C to A ranks. Each ensuring that no danger got within a hundred feet of the Castle.
In the Ardent carriage, Renelle looked at her father’s face before she felt someone gripping her hand, pulling her attention to the side.
Her mother, the grand duchess, had a smile on her face as her green eyes locked with her daughter’s blue ones.
"You look so much like your father now that you’re all grown up," She said with a chuckle before looking at the grand duke, "but I guess that’s not a bad thing, after all, my husband is quite handsome."
Boreas pretended not to hear, but if one were to look closer, they’d notice that his ears were completely red.
Something that the Grand Duchess definitely noticed and she chuckled again, she then turned towards Renelle who was still looking at her smiling mother.
"I missed so much," she said quietly, "your childhood, your growth and all the little moments in between."
After all, she had insisted on contracting an ice spirit just a year after Renelle’s birth and things did not go as well as planned.
She ended up almost freezing to death, which she would’ve if it wasn’t for her daughter’s butler.
The Grand Duchess gripped Renelle’s hand tighter and muttered, "I promise I’ll be present in every moment of your life from this point on."
Renelle silently continued looking at her for a while.
This was how her mother always was, wasn’t it? She might not remember much, but she at least remembered the warmth she always provided.
"I’ll hold you to that," she finally answered with a genuine smile on her face.
That’s right, this life wasn’t the same as the last, right now, things were different and it was all thanks to a certain obsessive butler.
Speaking of which, Renelle glanced at the bracelet on her wrist as she thought, ’maybe I should’ve let him come along?’
She wouldn’t say it out loud, but she truly did miss his presence. Renelle couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as she recalled the face he made when she ordered him to stay back at the academy.
He looked like some type of abandoned puppy, fortunately, the desire to not embarrass herself in front of him was a lot convincing than the way he looked.
The Grand Duchess noticed the smile on her daughter’s face and was about to ask, but the carriage soon stopped.
Looking outside, she noticed that they had reached reached the Castle gates.
A guard soon approached them, clad in polished armor with the royal crest etched into his chest plate.
His presence alone suggested he wasn’t just any ordinary soldier.
"State your identity," he called out firmly.
Before anyone could say anything, Boreas opened the carriage door himself.
"I believe my family’s crest is visibly engraved on the carriage, no?"
The moment he stepped out, the guard’s expression changed.
"G-Grand Duke Ardent!"
The man immediately straightened, lowering his head.
"My apologies, Your Grace," the guard started, quickly realizing his mistake, "we were instructed to increase security due to the Academy’s headmistress’s vision."
"I see," Boreas replied, glancing at the the nervous guards at the gate, wondering exactly what that troublesome woman had seen this time.
But without saying anything else, he walked into the carriage again and the guard also turned around and shouted,
"OPEN THE GATES!"
Without question, the heavy gates were pulled open and the carriage was allowed into the castle grounds.
"It truly is as fascinating as I remember," Grand Duchess Anna Ardent said, the moment she exited the carriage.
It had been years since she was last in this place, and yet, it didn’t seem to change at all.
It was just as fascinating and at the same time, overwhelming as she recalled.
Renelle, on the other hand, looked at the building ahead of them. It had been a few weeks since the royal ball and she hadn’t expected to return here so soon.
Still, at least this time, she was here for a reason other than seeing the prince.
Besides, with how sudden the Grand Duke’s visit was, Renelle was certain that the prince was still at the academy, unaware of this meeting.
Sebastian walked beside them without an ounce of emotion on his face as they continued up the stairs that led to the main entrance.
Although their visit was sudden, he still didn’t appreciate the lack of a proper welcome, which was very clearly a disrespect to his master’s title as a Grand Duke.
He knew that the king had been made aware of their presence from the moment they reached the Royal Capital, so him not properly welcoming them was a delibrate choice.
But he chose to say nothing, not until they outright insulted his master.
After all, making a move right now would not serve in the Grand Duke’s favor.
The family of three and their head butler soon reached the main door that led into the palace.
Standing there waiting was a man dressed similarly to Sebastian without the monocle. He approached and gave a small bow before saying.
"We apologize for the lacking welcome but his majesty has been on edge since yesterday," the man said, "so we hope the grand duke understands."
Boreas just simply looked at the bowing man without saying anything. It seemed the years he had spent avoiding conflicts and focusing on healing his wife had helped painted a different image of him.
Maybe it was time to start reminding them exactly why he was a Grand Duke.
The man, probably a butler, then looked up at the Grand Duke’s face before adding,
"His majesty will see you, in the main hall."