Episode 502
Thud, thud, thud!
Zeke was on his way to the Kingdom of Thebea in a carriage. Opposite him sat two people, stiff as boards.
They were Rick, a member of the Black Spirit Order, and Arin, a mage.
Jeffrick Solma, a fellow companion and Arin’s lover, was traveling with Zeke to the Solma family estate in Thebea.
Zeke glanced at the tense Rick and Arin and spoke up.
“Relax a bit, will you? Watching you two is making me anxious.”
Rick, still sitting rigidly, replied, “Am I tense? Haha.”
Next to him, Arin was also trying to maintain her composure, gazing out the window.
“Is that the famous Lion King’s Tower of Thebea?”
The capital of Thebea, Karnak, was dotted with ancient relics preserved for millennia. The city was so rich in history and legend that it was often described as a living museum.
Zeke gently remarked to Arin, who was trying hard to react to the sights outside, “Arin, you don’t have to force it.”
At his words, Arin fell silent, her expression once again tense.
Watching them, Zeke reassured, “No matter how strict the Solma family is, they won’t oppose your engagement. I’m here as your sponsor, so don’t worry too much.”
Rick and Arin had come to Thebea with Zeke to announce their engagement to the Solma family.
The Kingdom of Thebea boasted a history of over a thousand years, dating back to the era of the Seven Kingdoms before the Holy Empire. As such, the noble families of Thebea placed great importance on tradition and protocol.
Rick had once run away while undergoing the Solma family’s trials, a prestigious noble house in Thebea. Now, returning to seek their approval for his engagement, it was only natural for him to be nervous.
Zeke gazed at the famous relics of Thebea passing by outside the carriage, lost in thought. In his past life, all these cultural treasures had been destroyed in the flames of the Continental War.
“If Abel regains his power, history might repeat itself.”
He was determined to prevent such a future.
As the carriage neared the Solma estate, Rick and Arin’s faces grew even paler.
In truth, Zeke’s reason for bringing Rick and Arin to the Solma family was to trace the remnants of the Nostra Family’s boss, which were linked to the Thebea royal palace.
Jason had discovered that the traces of the Nostra Family’s boss were connected to the Thebea royal palace. Whether it was a genuine teleportation to the palace or another ruse to sow confusion was unclear.
Regardless, it was necessary to investigate the Thebea royal palace. The challenge was finding a way inside the closed-off palace. The easiest method was through the Solma family.
The Solma family had historically produced knights for the royal guard of Thebea, serving as close protectors and advisors to the king. As the most trusted family by the Thebea royalty, those invited by the Solma family could relatively easily access the royal palace. Zeke intended to use this to search for traces of the Nostra Family within the palace.
“To find his traces, I need the Solma family’s cooperation.”
Zeke planned to use Rick and Arin’s engagement as a pretext to visit the Solma family and make contact with Rick’s brother, Jonathan Solma.
Jonathan Solma had been a key figure in the Western Resistance, fighting against the Imperial forces before being killed by Abel Draker in Zeke’s past life. Known as a prodigy who became a Blue Knight before turning thirty, Jonathan had not gained much attention in this life due to Zeke’s overshadowing fame.
Currently, Jonathan Solma was leading the Solma family as the acting head, in place of the family head who served as a royal guard.
Zeke intended to contact the Solma family head through Jonathan Solma and gain access to the Thebea royal palace.
The problem was Rick, who was supposed to be the connection.
“With him so frozen, I wonder if he’ll be able to say anything at all.”
Rick’s inferiority complex towards his genius brother Jonathan Solma and his guilt over failing the family’s trials made him even more timid.
Zeke watched the tense Rick and Arin, mentally reviewing his plan.
“Welcome! The Knight of Salvation! My savior!”
As soon as they entered the Solma estate, a familiar face greeted Zeke warmly.
It was none other than Aslan Solma, the Cross Sword, a royal guard of Thebea who had been trapped in the labyrinth of Hoshgar’s mansion for thirty years.
Zeke greeted Aslan Solma, “It’s been a while, Sir Aslan. You look much better.”
When Zeke had first found him in the labyrinth, Aslan had been nothing but skin and bones. Now, he boasted an impressive physique that belied his age.
Aslan laughed heartily, “Haha! Just breathing outside the labyrinth put some meat on my bones. Come, come, let’s go inside. We must properly welcome our benefactor to our family.”
With Aslan’s guidance, Zeke found it surprisingly easy to enter the Solma estate.
Inside, a banquet had already been prepared in Zeke’s honor. True to the traditions of Thebea’s noble families, the banquet was elegantly arranged.
Aslan gestured for Zeke to take a seat at the banquet.
“Please, sit here.”
Zeke shook his head at Aslan’s invitation.
“Sir Aslan, I’m afraid I’m not the main guest today.”
He stepped aside to present Rick and Arin.
“I’m here as the sponsor for these two’s engagement. This is Jeffrick Solma and Arin Summer.”
At Zeke’s words, Aslan looked at Rick with surprise.
“My goodness! My nephew, Jeffrick! It’s the first time I’m seeing you!”
Rick had been born after Aslan was trapped in the labyrinth, so this was their first meeting.
Rick bowed respectfully to Aslan.
“Greetings, Uncle.”
Aslan laughed heartily and embraced Rick.
“Enough of that. What use is formality among family? It’s truly good to see you.”
He turned to Arin, who was also trying to greet him with proper etiquette, her face tense.
Aslan laughed again, “Lady Arin, it’s an honor to meet you. I’m Aslan Solma, Jeffrick’s uncle.”
Aslan greeted Arin with the respect due to a lady, despite her being his junior.
Arin, taken aback, hurriedly returned the greeting.
“I’m Arin Summer. Please, Sir Aslan, there’s no need for such formality.”
Aslan shook his head, “A knight must never be informal with a lady upon first meeting. Come, let’s sit. We’ve prepared a delicious meal, and I’ll have the chef make it even better.”
Aslan’s wink and jest eased the tension in Rick and Arin’s expressions.
Soon, the food was served, and Aslan regaled them with tales of his exploits, naturally leading the meal.
Once the atmosphere had warmed, Zeke quietly spoke to Aslan.
“Sir Aslan, my visit to the Solma family isn’t solely for the engagement.”
Aslan looked at Zeke with surprise.
“Is there another reason?”
“I need an invitation to enter the Thebea royal palace.”
Aslan’s expression turned serious. As a former royal guard, he knew how difficult it was for an outsider to gain entry to the palace.
He asked Zeke, “May I ask why?”
“I’m tracking someone whose traces lead to the Thebea royal palace.”
Zeke lowered his voice further, “If we don’t catch him, the entire continent could be engulfed in war.”
Though he didn’t know the specifics, Aslan, quick-witted as he was, realized it was no ordinary matter.
After a moment’s thought, Aslan nodded.
“I trust there’s a reason for your actions. I, Aslan the Cross Sword, will assist you, pledging my honor as a knight.”
“Thank you, Sir Aslan. First, I need to ask you to…”
At that moment, the door swung open with a thud.
The attendants behind froze, standing rigidly at attention.
Rick, who had been eating, also froze, his expression tense as he saw the man who entered.
It was none other than Rick’s older brother and the acting head of the Solma family, Jonathan Solma.
Dressed in traditional Thebean attire, Jonathan Solma had the quintessential appearance of a noble. With golden hair, blue eyes, a chiseled jaw, and an imposing presence, he was the picture of perfection.
Aslan waved at Jonathan, “Oh, the acting head! You’ve finally arrived. Today is a joyous day. Our nephew Jeffrick has brought his fiancée…”
Before Aslan could finish, Jonathan’s voice cut through, addressing Rick with authority.
“Jeffrick, what nerve do you have to show your face here?”
Rick, his face pale, bowed his head to Jonathan.
“Uh, brother… about that…”
“The Solma family doesn’t consider weaklings like you as one of us. If Father were here, he’d have punished you on the spot.”
Jonathan Solma’s cold gaze pierced through Rick as he spoke.
“Out of brotherly affection, I’ll spare you any punishment. But get out of here, and don’t ever set foot in Thebea again.”
Jonathan’s icy words left Rick and Arin pale and frozen.
Aslan looked quite uncomfortable with Jonathan’s harshness.
At that moment, Zeke, who had been watching the exchange, stood up and spoke slowly.
“I didn’t realize the Solma family treated their guests this way.”
Jonathan turned his head to look at Zeke.
“Only a true Solma can decide who is a guest of the family.”
“Are you saying Sir Aslan, who welcomed me, isn’t a true Solma?”
Jonathan frowned at Zeke’s words.
Aslan Solma’s return to the family after thirty years had left his position somewhat ambiguous. Despite quickly adapting to the family thanks to his natural charisma, his exact status remained unclear. Thus, Jonathan, as the acting head, treated Aslan with respect but didn’t fully acknowledge his authority.
Caught in this situation, Aslan was equally at a loss. He hadn’t realized his nephew, Jeffrick, was in such a predicament.
Jonathan, observing Zeke’s defiance, replied, “Just because you’re Sir Aslan’s guest doesn’t make you a guest of the Solma family.”
“Is that so?” Zeke shot back, his eyes fixed on Jonathan. “Then I take it the Solma family isn’t welcoming the visit of a Draker Guardian Knight and has decided to throw me out?”
Jonathan’s eyes wavered at Zeke’s words, and he finally recognized the man before him.
‘The Guardian Knight of Draker, the youngest Black Knight, the Knight of Salvation, Zeke Draker…?’
He recalled that it was Zeke Draker who had rescued Aslan from the labyrinth.
Zeke stepped between Jeffrick and Arin and spoke, “I came to the Solma family as the official sponsor of their engagement. I even sent a formal letter. Are you suggesting the Solma family finds me inadequate as a sponsor?”
Jonathan was at a loss for words. In truth, he had torn up the letter about Jeffrick’s engagement without reading it thoroughly, missing the part about who the sponsor was. Moreover, he knew Zeke Draker by sight, but his anger at Jeffrick had led him to make an uncharacteristic mistake.
After a moment of contemplation, Jonathan bowed his head.
“Sir Zeke Draker, please forgive my rudeness.”