The golden carriage passed through the final gate of Red Dragon City.
Beyond the towering walls, the scenery changed completely.
Dense forests stretched endlessly beneath the open sky. Ancient trees lined both sides of the paved road, their shadows dancing across the carriage as sunlight filtered through the leaves.
William quietly observed the outside world through the window.
Green.
Untamed.
Free from the suffocating politics of the palace.
Inside the carriage, however—
Silence ruled.
Ashley leaned against the far corner with closed eyes.
Wilson sharpened a dagger absentmindedly.
Gon had somehow fallen asleep halfway across Silver's shoulder despite being shoved away several times already.
Silver herself sat beside William while secretly glancing outside every few minutes, unable to fully hide her excitement.
The journey continued for hours.
Gradually, the scenery shifted.
The dense forests became towering pine-woods stretching across rolling hills like an endless green ocean.
Cold wind brushed against the carriage windows.
Then—
The carriage slowed.
"Your Highness," the driver called respectfully from outside, "we are entering Milky Town."
William lifted the curtain slightly.
A small town appeared ahead.
Smoke curled from chimneys.
Merchants walked along narrow streets.
Travelers moved in groups beneath hanging lanterns.
Compared to Red Dragon City, the town looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
William's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Bring us to the best hotel in town," he ordered calmly.
"We'll spend the night here."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The horses neighed softly as the carriage rolled deeper into Milky Town.
The horses stopped before a towering hotel.
"The Green Vale Hotel is here. Your highness, it's the only five stars hotel in this town." The driver announced.
The group wearing clean and high end silk robes walked out of the wagon led by William.
Ashley and Wilson were reluctantly following William as the cold eyes of Silver was weighing over them.
Plus, they looked all tired as it was already dark. Better spent the night here though modest , it was the best place around here. The time for the trial was still a two weeks away.
Walking inside the hotel, first they were greeted by the receptionist.
"Evening, Sirs and misses!" she greeted with a warm smile.
William smiled back whereas the others remained pompous because of their royal upbringings.
"I want to check in. Give me the best four rooms for a night." He said.
"Please, wait a minute. Let me check if there are any available." She looked into her book and replied, "You're in luck sir. We've the best four still available. It's ten silver coins per room."
William pulled out a golden card. So did all the other princes and princesses.
The receptionist almost gawked her eyes out seeing those rare cards from all of them.
She wondered, 'What a lucky day?! I hit the jackpot today.'
Just as she was about to take the card from William's hand, the troublemaker was in the scene.
The lad was clad in a luxurious looking colorful silk robe.
He spoke, "Venitia, as usual give the best suite."
He ignored the other as if they were just the air.
The princes and princesses were ticked with his attitude.
William glanced at them signaling to calm down.
The receptionist was all nervous. Why does this free loader come at this time? I'm screwed. What should I do? She looked at William with a pleading gaze.
Silver spoke out, "Take the card and give the room keys. We're tired."
The troublemaker seemed to be a pampered son of a noble.
He was not happy and snatched the card from William and tossed it away.
"Stop getting in my way. This is your last warning."
William was thinking to stop but Silver was faster as she already slapped the youth.
The crispy loud sound of a slap chimed in the hall.
The lad almost with red eyes and yelled, "Bitch, I'll get on you. If I don't humiliate you today then I'm not Daniel of the Gous Clan."
He was actually trying to intimidate the group by throwing out the reputation of his famous clan in the town.
Only erupted sneered from Silver, "Gous what? Never heard of it before. Get out of here before I slap you silly again."
Nobody had ever talked to him in his life in this way, this made Daniel so angry that he forgot to make good decision.
He unsheathed the long sword from his waist and dashed toward with the intension to kill.
He swung it down yelling, "Die bitch!"
Silver reached out her hand and caught the blade between her fingers easily.
She then broke the sword using her fingers' strength and raised her right leg landing squarely over Daniel's tummy, sending him flying.
Daniel landed outside the street through the window and coughed out saliva, cried and lost his consciousness.
Suddenly, a lackey came out yelled, "Since you did this to my young master, you all will regret coming to this town."
Anger was seething out of his eyes.
Silver sneered and show her fist making him to carry his young master on his back and quickly rushed out of the place.
William placed the card over the desk of the receptionist and said, "Please make the transaction. We're all tire from a long journey."
The receptionist saw everything that was happening within the last three minutes and she couldn't believe her eyes as this was never happen before.
To her the young master was suppose to win the tussle. But today she saw a lady bitting the hell of the young master. And she liked it.
She was also worried for the group, "Look, that Gous Family is not just any family. I implore all of you to leave this place as fast as possible before the trouble came knocking at here again."
William saw that she was genuinely worried about them.
But, he or his group didn't care about Gous clan as they were the royals from the kingdom and this town was just back water place in the kingdom.
"Don't worry about us. Just do it. And offer us the best foods and wines for the night."
The receptionist knew she couldn't change the minds of the group may be in the corner of her mind she was expecting them to stay here and make a scene and mess out of the Gous Clan which was bossing around this town for decades.
But she learned that they were all young. She then passed five keys to them.
The group quickly walked toward their rooms.