The Song Of Sword And Magic

Chapter 22: Edra XVII

[Translator — Asuka]

[Proofreader — Karane]

The next morning, they arrived at the castle again. Many people had gathered outside the entrance as the guards verified their appeals. One man, who looked like a knight, leaned his back against the door and kept watch on everything. 

After Stan told of his name and his appeal, one of the guards turned around and nodded at the knight, who immediately walked over and swept a glance over Stan and his three companions. Following that, he nodded at them and said in a hushed voice, “Follow me.” Then, he whirled around and stepped into the castle. 

Stan and the others hurriedly followed. The knight walked so rapidly that Niss had to start trotting to stay close to him. 

The castle, which was surrounded by six towers, slowly magnified before their eyes. In the middle of it was the king’s residence. The architectural style of Doyle was vastly different from that of Deville or Canreto. The top of every building was pointed, and the structures were mostly angular, so they appeared to be more imposing than the buildings in the South. Before Fern even neared the castle, he could clearly feel the impact from the sheer pressure.

At the moment, they were walking along a dark passageway with the knight. The torches on both sides of the wall flickered and shone on their faces. The knight’s cloak swayed along with every step he took, and the disorderly footsteps made everyone feel disquieted. 

Finally, a door at the end of the passageway came into sight, and two knights in silver armor were guarding the door. “They’re the royal knights, right?” Fern asked Stan in a small voice. 

“Yes, they’re the best warriors in Doyle who have the honor of protecting the king.” Stan said longingly.

Fern arched his brow and observed the two royal knights. They were holding their helmets with their left hands on their sides. At the same time, they were gripping two identical spears with their right hands. Their hairstyle was similar to that of Stan—short and energetic-looking. Their silver armor was engraved with intricate patterns and shone brightly under the torchlight. 

The knight, who led them to this place, spoke with them. Following that, one of the royal knights pushed the door open and stepped aside to let them into the hall.

***

Inside the hall were more torches and candelabras, so it was more illuminated than the passageway. In the middle of the room, there was a middle-aged knight in green armor who was seated on a throne. Unlike other knights, he appeared to be authoritative, and the pattern on his armor was even more beautiful, which gave off a regal feeling. 

On both sides of the throne stood two knights who appeared to be military officers. One of them was clad in silver armor with a red cloak. His hair was totally gray, and his expression was calm. The other knight was clad in brown armor who appeared to be middle-aged. There was a relaxed smile on his bearded face. 

The knight who led them into the hall stopped in his tracks and fell on one knee. Then, he placed his hand on his other knee and gripped the hilt with his other hand. “Your Majesty, these are the people who have requested to enter the Source of Magic.”

Stan fell on one knee as well and performed a salute. “Your Majesty, may the Soul of Edra bless you forever. I am Stan, your loyal citizen.”

Fern learned from Stan and performed a salute to the king. “Your Majesty, I’m Fern from Deville. As you can see, I’m a mercenary.”

Niss felt slightly embarrassed, but she still saluted the king. “Your Majesty, I’m Niss from Shawana. I’m a disciple of the Magician’s Tower.”

With a dispassionate expression, Rae fell on one knee and raised her hands to cover her face. “Your Majesty, I’m your citizen, Rae. I’m a magician.”

Upon hearing Rae’s introduction, Fern felt that something was off. If she’s really a Doylan, why didn’t she bless the king like how Stan did?

The king on the throne motioned for them to get up and examined them with his sharp-looking eyes. “Welcome, the brave ones. I’m Edra XVII, Byron Edra. I’m the king of Doyle. I commend your bravery, but first…” After a pause, he said, “You have to tell me your reason for requesting to enter the Source of Magic.”

Stan straightened up and said in a respectful manner, “Your Majesty, our companion, Niss, has to complete her trial in the Source of Magic before she can become a magician.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. According to the directive, my next destination is the Source of Magic.” Niss said. 

***

Byron shifted his attention from Stan to Niss. “You’re still young. Do those archmages really have the heart to destroy you?”

All of them traded glances, for they didn’t understand what the king was trying to say. “Your Majesty, why did you say so?” Niss questioned. The others were surprised by her attitude toward the king. It was as though she was a visitor from another royal family instead of just an ordinary  citizen. 

Fortunately, Byron didn’t mind it, and his expression remained gentle. “Do you know what’s inside the Source of Magic?”

Niss shook her head. “According to the ancient books, the Source of Magic created magic and the Dark Tide. Is there still some residue from the past inside?”

“No, there’s nothing inside now.” Byron replied in a solemn manner. “In Doyle, both magic and the Dark Tide are not the threats. The most terrifying thing is the Source of Magic itself.”

“I don’t get it.” Niss was baffled. “Your Majesty, can you tell me what kind of danger there is?”

Byron leaned to his right side and rested his right elbow on the armrest. “I’ve seen many adventurers like all of you before. Unless you can prove to me you’re stronger than them, or else I don’t want to waste my time any further. Many people are still waiting to meet me.”

“Do you want to test our power?” Fern couldn’t stand it anymore and said. 

Hearing that, Byron shifted his attention to Fern. With the help of the bright light in the hall, he examined the confident-looking mercenary. 

All of a sudden, he caught a glimpse of the sword on Fern’s waist, and his face was transformed by disbelief. Standing up straight, he walked down the stairs and questioned in a doubtful manner, “Why do you have this sword? Where did you get it from?”

“A friend gave it to me…” Fern was shocked by the king’s action. After pulling himself together, he replied, “I know no one will believe it, but it’s the truth.”

Just then, Byron guffawed, which puzzled the others even further. “Barrod is still so willful.” Staring at Fern, the king asked, “Where is he now?”

“Who… Your Majesty, who is Barrod?” Fern asked perplexedly. 

“Didn’t he even tell you his real name? That’s unlike him.” Byron turned around and returned to his throne. After a moment of deliberation, he said to the middle-aged knight on his left, “Morris, are you interested in a fight with Oberon’s successor?”

Rae turned to Fern in shock. Then, she leaned close to Niss and asked in a surprised tone, “Oberon? Is this one of the Swords in the Stones?”

“Yes. I had figured that Fern’s sword was one of the Swords in the Stones, but I wasn’t sure which one it was. I didn’t expect that Byron could recognize it.” Niss replied in a hushed voice.

The middle-aged knight cracked his fingers and inched toward Fern. “Sure.”

“Before I decide to tell you to leave this place, show me all your power.” Byron leaned against his throne and watched what was about to happen in an impassive manner. 

***

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