We swiftly entered the carriage with everyone else and set off into the castle. David was rather delighted to see me, as usual. However, he was rather surprised we were bringing "an old man" with us.
"Excuse Lady Planta, but who is… this man?" David wondered, tilting his head.
"You damn brat! That you're a Paladin doesn't mean you should just forget about me!" Ambil angrily said. "I'm Ambil Ember, member of the Ember Family of Blacksmiths!"
"Ember Family?" David wondered. "Oh, that Family that was thought to have fallen long ago?"
"Fallen?! Last time I checked I was still alive and kicking…" Ambil sighed. "David, do you truly not remember me? You used to play around my forge when you were a kid! There was once a time you came knocking at my door to play inside the forge and made a huge mess once I let you in! Or the time you came to shamelessly ask me for money. Or when I gifted you your first sword!"
"E-Eh?!" David was shaken, suddenly opening his eyes wide. "U-Uncle?! It's really you?! Wow… How could I forget that?! But I don't remember you looking so old, sorry…"
"Argh, well I was younger back then…" Ambil sighed. "So? Apologize for treating me badly if you remember me!"
"R-Right! Sorry…" David sighed. "I just… Wow, very old memories just opened in my mind. It brings me such a strong sense of nostalgia too."
"Heh, well, whatever." Ambil crossed his arms. "You've gotten pretty famous nowadays… All that training you did back then seems to have paid you well. I remember you always showed up near the forge swinging that shabby wooden sword. Don't you remember when you told me that you were swinging that sword a thousand times every day? Though last time I checked you barely hit a hundred swings! Hahahaha!"
"T-That's… So embarrassing." David laughed a bit, scratching his head. "I didn't knew Lady Planta and her friends were working in your forge, uncle. I thought it was just some random place they rented to craft and sell equipment."
"Of course it wasn't a random place!" Ambil laughed. "You dumb brat… Seeing you reach this high, I can't help but feel I'm quite proud of having helped ye, even if a lil' bit when you're an even smaller brat."
"Thanks…" David smiled gently; his eyes looked filled with emotions.
It was quite a big surprise to learn that David and Ambil knew each other years ago. David was a rather troublemaker kid back then, that always ran around and wandered the streets at a very young age.
Once he learned there was an uncle with a forge making weapons, he never stopped bothering him every day, Ambil ended growing fond of him because the brat, as annoying as he was, brought him company.
He even gifted him his very first real sword, and helped him a bit on his swordsmanship training, even buying materials from him wherever David hunted a monster outside the city, even if he didn't really needed the items.
After all, only people above 10 years old can register in the Adventurer Guild, so for a little while, David's only source of income to help his sickly mother was his uncle, Ambil.
"How's your mother?" Ambil wondered.
"Mother is fine." David nodded. "In these last years, she improved and seems to be able to do most of the things she could. She's living well in the noble district, where I bought a house for us."
"That's good to know." Ambil nodded, smiling a bit. "You worked hard to help her, you're someone admirable, you damn brat."
"Y-You're praising me too much now, hahaha." David felt embarrassed.
It was sure sweet to see how there were so many beautiful relationships even in this faraway city. People living their lives, their lives interconnecting with one another…
Even if I had never learned this world was real, I would had guessed it either way. All of this… It just feels so sweet and real.
"We're here." David said.
We went through several walls until we reached the garden right in front of the Luminous Kingdom's Capital Castle.
The beautiful castle was glistening with white painting and golden linings, the moonlight shining beautifully on its surface.
There were many other golden and silver carriages stationed in front of it, beautiful horses resting while their masters were walking inside the castle's open gates.
From there, I could hear the sound of a small orchestra, there was also the loud voices of many people talking and laughing.
Ding!
[You've arrived at the [Luminous Kingdom's Royal Castle]!]
[You've been invited by the King and the Queen to attend the Special [Royal Banquet] to discuss what you've found out recently, and to be rewarded for your great efforts.]
[In normal circumstances, you wouldn't be allowed to enter the Castle, congratulations!]
Even the System seemed to agree in that being invited here was sure quite an amazing opportunity… I guess this has happened before with Titania and Dainn, we always get invited to meet the Rulers after we do amazing things.
"Wow, this castle is sure huge compared to Queen Titania's and King Dainn's!" Rita said. "So cool! It truly feels like we're walking into a prestigious place. Look, all the noble guys over there!"
"There must be hundreds of them attending today's Banquet." Said Mark. "This is a bit worrisome… With so many people around…"
"Don't worry about it, Sir Titan, our Knights Order will be there watching everything, there will be maximum security!" David said proudly.
"If you say so…" Mark still seemed a bit concerned.
"What are you waiting for, let's get in already!" Lily ran into the gates.
"W-Wait! Don't go so fast!" Acorn ran behind her.
"This is such a huge place!" Brisingra giggled.
"Milady, let's go." Even Nieve seemed excited, even though she was doing her best to hide her excitement.
"Hehe, okay, okay, calm down a bit." I giggled, walking inside the castle with everyone else.
Once we got in, we were greeted by the beautiful sight of the castle's interior, finely decorated with all sorts of paintings, statues and more.
And of course, a huge Banquet, with… many nobles staring at us in surprise.
Ugh… This isn't going to be easy, isn't it?
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