The Distant Trail of Ciara Badvia - 1-1-2 Guided Into the Castle

The Saria Magic Academy
Part 1: The Solzarand Royal Castle

GUIDED INTO THE CASTLE

“Er… Isn’t this the castle? I thought I was going to the school?”

Tyril leaned forward and peered at Theodore’s face as he stood beside the carriage. 

“You are. But first, we need to pay respects to His Majesty the King. After all, it was he who granted this opportunity to you.”

“Ah, that’s true…” Tyril sank back to her seat, convinced. Then, suddenly, it hit her. “Wait, what?”

As Theodore had told her, His Majesty, King Elm the Sixth, certainly did invite Tyril from her rural town to the capital of Saria, and to the renowned magic academy of the Solzarand Kingdom, but…

“I have to go and greet the king now?!”

Flustered, she shot up from her seat, put her hand on the railing, and clung to Theodore. 

“But of course,” he replied, his eyes widening a bit in surprise. As he spoke, he didn’t stop patting and stroking the horse that had guided them on the long journey. “His Majesty instructed me to accompany you to the audience chamber as soon as we arrived at the royal castle. Besides, it is His Majesty supporting your enrollment to the academy. It might be presumptuous of me, but considering your position, I believe it might be best for you to greet him.” 

Before he even got to Lily, Theodore had already sent a letter ahead to the castle. 

“His Majesty must be eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

Theodore went to the side of the carriage and offered his hand to Tyril so she could descend. She accepted it obediently and at last got off the carriage. However, her unease still lingered. In her anxiety, she kept complaining to him, her gaze and footsteps unsteady.

“B-but… I’m completely unprepared for this mentally,” Tyril began with a strained smile. “And I’m a country bumpkin, and I barely know any proper etiquette.”

“It’s all right.” Theodore smiled back wryly. “His Majesty is a very gentle and kind person, so there’s no need to be nervous at all. And don’t call yourself a country bumpkin. Miss Tyril, you have much better manners than any youth in the city.”

Theodore took Tyril by the hand and led her toward the entrance of the castle. She passed by on both sides guards in green uniforms, and Tyril’s shoulder’s shrunk; she couldn’t help but feel afraid about how they saw her. Did she seem like a troublemaker about to make a fuss? 

After a short corridor, they reached a spacious lobby. A long, gently sloped staircase covered in red carpet stretched up to the mezzanine and led to a room concealed by green curtains. The vast hall could have easily fit about ten small shops from Lily. Tyril thought it was a daunting sight and was already regretting coming to Saria.

Theodore escorted her, and they walked side by side along the wide corridor for a while. Tyril couldn’t tell where was where what with the place being so vast. The walls were primarily made of cold-colored stone blocks, the floor was covered in soft carpets, and chandeliers with ornate candelabras were hung at regular intervals from the ceiling. Painting and sculptures lined up the corridors, tastefully arranged but not obstructing the walkway. When they reached the end of the corridor and approached the staircase, the lighting turned slightly dimmer, but the third and fourth floors held the same scenery. Tyril began to get overwhelmed by everything she saw and walked through; her ability to think clearly was starting to grow numb.

It was then they stopped at a room with a luxurious double door made of oak. The chamberlain solemnly opened the door and invited Tyril inside. It seemed to her this was the “audience room.”

“This room is for welcoming important guests. It’s not very spacious, but please, make yourself comfortable.” 

Theodore guided Tyril to sit on the large sofa in the center of the room as he spoke, his head bowed. She looked around the room, which seemed larger than her own house and the land it was on, and pondered whether he was being ironic. She seriously contemplated his words for a moment.

“Well then, His Majesty should be arriving soon. Please wait for a while.”

With that, Theodore moved to exit the room.

“Huh?” Tyril instantly sprang up and clung to him. “N-no, wait. You’re not going to stay with me?”

“I’ll only be a hindrance to His Majesty and Miss Tyril’s meeting. Besides, there are other things I must attend to.”

“B-but, talking to the king all by myself is…!”

She tried to protest, but Theodore didn’t listen to her in the end. He closed the door, leaving only a smile behind. Tyril, now alone, clenched her fists in front of her chest and resentfully grumbled.

“S-so cruel…”

A young maid entered the room with a tray in her hand. She stood before Tyril and bowed elegantly, setting down fragrant tea and baked sweets. Feeling embarrassed about her cries that might have been heard, Tyril quickly thanked her, then decided to sit quietly on the sofa in resignation. The maid left the room immediately, once again leaving Tyril alone in the spacious room. 

Nervous and with her head packed with stress, she put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath to calm herself. She looked around the wide room once again—the audience room had a table with sofas on each side. A large window overlooked the eastern street with a breathtaking view. At the front and back, small sculptures and jewelry-made artworks were displayed in showcases, as well as a bookshelf with splendid book spines behind a glass door. 

It seemed like they had taken care to ensure that their guest would not be bored during their wait.

Tyril was actually curious about the contents of the bookshelf. However, she didn’t have the courage to stand and peek on her own. She sat quietly and stiffly without even reaching for the tea or sweets, instead deciding to simply wait.

In this quiet room, Tyril could hear even her own heartbeat, and when she swallowed nervously, it was just as audible. She also realized at that moment that her throat was parched but, feeling exasperated with herself and still lacking the courage to do much of anything, the tea remained untouched. She struck her chest with her fist, enduring it.

Eventually, high-pitched footsteps coming from the hallway reached her ears. Tyril could hear it even through the closed door.

Tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap… 

Not the footsteps of one person. Two—no, three people. They came to a stop right in front of the audience room where Tyril was.

The door slowly opened, revealing three people.

—————

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