142: Palace

Chasing after Liane, I noticed she vanished as she went through the door to the stairs. Her laughter, however, was not hidden.

“Wait, Liane! What do you mean I’m causing trouble?” I said, rushing down the stairs.

Reaching the foyer below, I stopped, noticing Hari and Jen both wearing the red suit that I had been provided. Milo was wearing a very formal-looking brown-and-white robe that I had never seen before today. Liane was wearing a mostly dark outfit, but there was still the symbol of the phoenix on it.

As I got closer, I heard Jen asking Liane what was so funny, when Hari caught my jacket first.

“Ah. I see now,” Hari said with a chuckle, making Milo and Jen turn from Liane to me.

Milo just put his face in his hands, shaking his head, while Jen was clearly hiding a smile behind her hand as well.

“Someone want to tell me what’s going on? I feel like I’m missing something here,” I said, looking at the four of them. Even Liam was staring at me from behind them.

Milo began, “It’s customary when visiting any royal family member—but especially the King—that you wear the symbol of the kingdom you’re representing. You’ve gone with a very… unique option.”

“Where and when did you even get that? It looks really well made,” Jen asked through giggles.

I was feeling defensive; I really liked the jacket. “I got help from a tailor called Toby, who helped me make it, and I think Crisplet and Lily better represent me than Alira.”

Liam spoke for the first time. “You had the royal tailor make you a jacket?”

This was too much for Jen now, joining Liane in the laughter.

Hari just let out a sigh. “Trev, only you see the phoenix symbol as Alira. Everyone in the capital—no, the kingdom. Just see it as a symbol of the royal family. The only people who generally don’t have it on them are the envoys of other nations from across the seas.”

“Should I go back and change then? I wasn’t trying to make a political statement,” I said.

Milo shook his head. “I’d normally say yes, but let’s see how this goes.”

Liam straightened up. “If you’d follow me then, the carriage is waiting.”

Turning around, I saw Lily sitting behind me, with Crisplet next to her. I had forgotten to grab the brazier, but it should be fine.

Looking up, I saw Micca leaning over the railing above, and after giving her a wave, I went outside to see the same carriage we had been dropped off in.

“Lily, you may need to hide in the shadows till we arrive. It’ll be a tight squeeze otherwise,” I said to her.

A moment later, after we had all climbed into the carriage, it began to move.

Liam did a small cough, getting everyone’s attention. “Am I to understand that this is everyone’s first formal dinner?”

Hari and Milo shook their heads, while Jen, Liane, Crisplet and I nodded.

“Right. Well, for those who don’t know, there are some small etiquette matters to address. When we enter the hall, Trevor will need to be first as he is the guest of honour, and I believe the King will dictate where he is to be seated. Lily and Crisplet might not be able to enter the main hall—” Liam started, but I interrupted him.

“They stay with me,” I said firmly.

“It’s not my choice, unfortunately, but they don’t allow beasts into the grand hall,” Liam started.

I immediately felt a flash of anger. “They are not beasts. They are my companions, and if they are not allowed in, then the King can come out and speak to me outside the grand hall.”

I looked to Liane and Jen for backup, but it was Hari who spoke up. “He’s right. They are with us, and we all go in together or not at all.”

Liam looked fairly nervous at this, but didn’t protest it any further, instead carrying on.

“Well, once you enter the main hall and take your seats, the other guests of the evening will be allowed entry,” Liam said.

“What other guests?” I asked, confused, not realising this would be a large affair.

“I believe this will be a small affair, and only the King’s advisers along with a select few heads of houses will be in attendance tonight,” Liam said thoughtfully.

This didn’t make me feel any better about all of this. The only thing more concerning to me than the King making a request was a group of scheming nobles making requests. I really didn’t trust any of them at this point.

“After dinner, the King may ask for a private discussion, but that I couldn’t say for sure,” Liam said, and clearly the look I sent to Hari said it all.

“We will probably decline any private discussion that doesn’t include the rest of us. Unfortunately, Liam, we’ve not had the best run-in with people of power so far,” Hari said.

It looked like Liam was about to protest, but he seemed to think better of it at the last minute. “I understand. Then finally, at the end of the evening, as per my oath, I will escort you out and to your house safely.”

“Thank you, Liam,” I said, finally looking outside the window of the carriage.

We were moving through some of the most immaculate gardens I had ever seen. I activated Arcane Foraging just out of curiosity, and even when I tuned out all common and uncommon items, I was still shocked at the sheer number of rare items in the garden.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Notifications:

You have 2 available Evolution Quests

…

Congratulations! Your Arcane Foraging skill has 2 available Evolution Quests:

• Discover 3 unique carcasses using Arcane Foraging: 0/3
• Discover a land of abundance, view 20 or above rare items at one time: 0/20

I was a little shocked at seeing that pop up, but I said nothing since Liam was in the carriage. I attempted to look out of the opposite side of the window, but despite there being some rare items there, it didn’t register. There also wasn’t twenty.

The carriage soon came to a halt in front of the largest and grandest-looking building I had ever seen in my life. It was one thing to see it from afar like I had, but now—looking out the carriage window, seeing it before me.

The stone walls climbed high, leading to several towers that pierced the sky itself, it felt like, while the building itself looked so incredibly tall.

Breath-taking.