Chapter 33: Moving
Unlike Seraphine, who had arrived at Marissa’s village incognito, King Angus announced his visit formally. This required Marissa to coordinate with the adventurers’ guild staff to confirm the exact date of his arrival. It was necessary because she had to gather all the villagers and have them kneel before the king for the entire day. Hiro was flabbergasted by such excessive decorum. Luna, the king’s daughter, had arrived casually with the trainee royal guard, with no fanfare or ceremony. Hiro didn’t sense such arrogance from the king during their past encounters either.
Cecile’s team arrived two days before the king. Their task was to observe and ensure that the village was prepared to receive him properly.
"Is the king always this vain? He was so casual when we were exploring that dungeon." Cecile sighed as she prepared bundles of leaves and flowers for the villagers to use during the welcoming ceremony.
Marissa, as a noble of Litmus, understood the significance of these formalities. "This is part of an official visit. It’s necessary to line up the villagers. As the king passes, they’ll present their flowers and leaves so he can walk over them. It’s all about showing our loyalty and respect. Uncle is here on official business, and he’s bringing many of his noble retinue. We can’t afford to be casual in this setting."
Hiro couldn’t help but recall a similar tradition from Earth, where a certain figure was greeted with palm leaves out of heartfelt respect. However, this ceremony felt less sincere and more performative.
"Latvin is the same," Rebecca added, pouring water into a basin with her magic. "I apologize; I thought Litmus was more relaxed about these kinds of rituals compared to Latvin. Seeing your brother show up here unannounced twice made me think that. Well, to be fair, the king of Latvin would never bother visiting a remote village like this, so King Angus is definitely better in that regard."
Rebecca then poured water into a basin and put the prepared bundle into it for tomorrow. By dawn the next day, the villagers were expected to gather, each carrying the prepared bundle, and line up to welcome the king’s retinue.
The next day, the villagers knelt as Marissa had ordered with their bundle of leaves. They had lined up perfectly since dawn. On the horizon, King Angus appeared, riding a majestic white horse. He wore a blue mantle and a crown, exuding the regal aura of a true monarch. Unlike his previous appearance as a general of heavy infantry, he now looked every bit the part of a king.
He rode through the village, stopping at Marissa’s manor, where Marissa and her knights were already kneeling in greeting.
"Citizens of Marissa’s village, I come bearing an important decree. Effective immediately, Marissa’s village will merge with Quantora village in Daneswald territory. I understand this news may come as a surprise, but we have received reports of a dungeon break north of Latvin. By relocating to Quantora, we reduce the number of villages and towns that need protection from the Sun Knight," the king declared.
The villagers gasped in shock but quickly bowed in submission.