Thud thud thud thud!
Zeke rode in a carriage heading toward the Thebea Kingdom.
Sitting across from him were two people frozen stiff.
They were Rick, a member of the Black Spirit Unit, and the mage Arin.
Jeffric Solma and the fire mage Arin, who were comrades and lovers, traveled with Zeke in the carriage toward the Solma Family in the Thebea Kingdom.
Zeke looked at the rigid Rick and Arin and said,
"Relax a bit. It's making me tense just watching you."
At his words, Rick, still sitting ramrod straight, replied,
"W-What? Am I tense? Haha."
Arin, seated next to Rick, was in a similar state. She stared out the window, trying to maintain her composure.
"Th-That must be the famous Lion King Stone Pagoda of the Thebea Kingdom!"
The capital of Thebea, Karnak, was dotted with ruins preserved from thousands of years ago.
The city itself was often called a museum, filled with famous relics from myths and legends.
As Arin forced a reaction while gazing at the ruins visible outside the window, Zeke said casually,
"Arin, you don't have to try so hard."
At Zeke's words, Arin shut her mouth and reverted to her tense expression.
Zeke watched Rick and Arin and said,
"No matter how strict the Solma Family is, they're not going to oppose your engagement. Since I've taken on the role of your guardian, don't worry too much."
Rick and Arin had come to the Thebea Kingdom with Zeke to inform the Solma Family of their engagement.
The Thebea Kingdom had endured for over a millennium since the era of the Seven Kingdoms, before the Holy Empire, and boasted the longest tradition on the Central Continent.
As such, Thebea's prestigious noble houses placed great importance on customs and procedures.
Rick, however, had wandered off and run away from the Solma Family—a prominent noble house in Thebea—during their family trial.
So, he was naturally nervous about returning to the family to seek approval for his engagement.
Zeke fell into thought as he watched the famous ruins of Thebea flash by outside the carriage.
In his previous life, all these cultural treasures had been destroyed in the flames of continental war.
'If Abel regains his power, the same thing could happen again.' He had to prevent that future somehow.
As the carriage drew closer to the Solma Family 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 track down traces of the Nostra Family's don that remained in the Thebea Kingdom.
The clue Jason had uncovered about the Nostra Family's don was connected to the Thebea Kingdom's royal palace.
Whether it led to spatial transfer to the actual palace or was just another trick to sow confusion remained unclear.
Either way, he needed to enter the Thebea royal palace to verify it.
The problem was how to get inside the Thebea royal palace.
Entering the insular palace required cumbersome procedures, and the easiest method was through the Solma Family.
For generations, the Solma Family had produced knights for the royal guard and served as the closest protectors and advisors to the king in the role of Royal Guard.
In the Thebea Kingdom, the Solma Family was the house most trusted by the royal family.
Thus, those invited by the Solma Family could enter and exit the royal palace relatively easily, so Zeke planned to visit them and search for traces of the Nostra Family in the palace.
'To find his traces, I need the Solma Family's cooperation.'
Zeke intended to visit the Solma Family under the pretext of the engagement and make contact with Jonathan Solma, Rick's brother.
In his previous life, Jonathan Solma had been a cohort leader in the Western Resistance Army and had fought the imperial forces until he fell to Abel Draker.
He had been renowned as a genius knight who rose to blue knight before turning thirty, but in this life, he was overshadowed by Zeke's fame and had not drawn much attention.
At that time, Jonathan Solma acted as the young family head and led the Solma Family in place of the family head, who served as Royal Guard.
Zeke planned to use Jonathan to contact the Solma Family head, a Royal Guard, and gain entry to the Thebea royal palace.
The issue was Rick, who was meant to be the bridge.
'In that frozen state, I doubt he'll even speak properly.'
Rick's inferiority complex toward his genius brother Jonathan Solma, combined with his guilt over failing the family trial, made him even more withdrawn.
Zeke reviewed his plan in his mind as he watched the stiff Rick and Arin.
*
"Welcome! Knight of Salvation! My benefactor!"
As soon as they entered the Solma Family estate, a cheerful face greeted Zeke.
It was Aslan Solma, the Cross-Sword of the Thebea Kingdom's royal guard, who had been trapped in Hoshgar's mansion labyrinth for thirty years. He personally came out to welcome him.
Zeke greeted Aslan Solma.
"It's been a while, Sir Aslan. You look much healthier."
When they first found him in the labyrinth, Aslan had been little more than skin and bones, but he then boasted an impressive physique that belied his age.
At first glance from the estate entrance, Zeke had not even recognized him.
Aslan laughed heartily and said,
"Puhaha! Once I got out of that labyrinth, just breathing made the weight pile on. Come on, don't stand on ceremony—let's head inside. It wouldn't be right not to properly host my benefactor in our family."
With Aslan's guidance, Zeke entered the estate more smoothly than expected.
Inside the Solma Family, a banquet had already been prepared in Zeke's honor.
True to the deep traditions of Thebea's noble houses, the meal was laid out in an elegant, classical style.
Aslan gestured to the seats before the banquet and offered Zeke a place.
"Please, sit here."
Zeke shook his head at Aslan.
"Sir Aslan, I'm sorry, but today's protagonists aren't me."
He stepped forward with Rick and Arin and said,
"I've come as the guardian for these two's engagement. Jeffric Solma and Arin Summer."
At Zeke's words, Aslan looked surprised and finally turned his full attention to Rick.
"Good heavens! My nephew, Jeffric! At last, I get to see you!"
Rick had been born after Aslan was trapped in the labyrinth, so this was their first meeting.
Rick bowed to Aslan in proper etiquette.
"I greet you, Uncle."
Aslan laughed heartily and pulled Rick into a hug.
"That's enough. What need is there for such formality among family? I'm truly glad to see you."
He turned to Arin.
Arin, tense, tried to greet him with proper etiquette as well.
At her demeanor, Aslan let out another hearty laugh.
"Lady Arin, it's an honor to meet you. I am Aslan Solma, Jeffric's uncle." Aslan bowed to Arin, who was his junior.
Arin, startled, hurriedly returned the greeting.
"I-I'm Arin Summer. Sir Aslan, please speak comfortably to me." Aslan shook his head.
"It wouldn't be knightly to speak casually to a lady upon first meeting. Come, let's all sit. The kitchen has prepared a feast, but I should tell the head chef to make it even more delicious."
Aslan winked with a joke, and the tense expressions on Rick and Arin's faces eased a bit.
Soon the food arrived, and Aslan naturally led the meal by sharing tales of his exploits.
Once the atmosphere had warmed up, Zeke quietly broached the subject with Aslan. "Sir Aslan. Actually, my visit to the Solma Family this time isn't just for the engagement." Aslan looked surprised at Zeke's words.
"Is there another reason?"
"I need an invitation to enter the Thebea royal palace." Aslan's expression turned serious at Zeke's request.
As a former royal guard, he knew that outsiders not of the kingdom were not easily invited into the palace.
He looked at Zeke and asked,
"May I ask why?"
"The traces of the one I'm pursuing lead to the Thebea royal palace."
Zeke lowered his voice further and said to Aslan,
"If I can't catch him, the entire continent might be engulfed in the flames of war."
Though he did not know the exact details, the quick-witted Aslan realized it was no ordinary matter.
After some thought, Aslan nodded.
"Since it's a request from my benefactor, there must be good reason. I, Cross-Sword
Aslan, pledge on my honor as a knight to aid you."
"Thank you, Sir Aslan. Then, the first thing I'd like to ask is..." It was then.
Thud!
The door opened, and someone appeared.
The attendants behind tensed, froze in place, and straightened their postures.
Rick, who had been eating, also froze upon seeing the man, his expression hardening.
The one who entered was none other than Rick's older brother and the young family head of the Solma Family, Jonathan Solma.
Dressed in traditional Thebean attire, Jonathan Solma had the quintessential noble appearance.
Blond hair, blue eyes, a chiseled jaw, and an imposing stature and presence that exuded intimidation—it was flawless.
Aslan waved at Jonathan.
"Oh, young family head! You've finally arrived. Today is truly a joyous day. Our nephew Jeffric has brought his fiancée..."
"Jeffric, what nerve do you have to show your face here?"
Before Aslan could finish, Jonathan glared at Rick and spoke in an intimidating tone.
Rick paled and bowed his head to Jonathan.
"B-Brother. It's..."
"The Solma Family does not consider a weakling like you one of our own. If Father were here, he'd have you flogged on the spot."
He shot Rick a cold glare and continued,
"Out of brotherly affection, I'll spare you punishment this time. Get out now. And never set foot in Thebea again."
Rick and Arin's faces turned ashen at Jonathan Solma's icy words.
Aslan looked quite embarrassed at Jonathan's outburst.
At that moment, Zeke, who had been watching, stood from his seat and slowly spoke.
"I didn't realize the Solma Family treated guests this way." Jonathan Solma turned to look at Zeke.
"Only a true Solma can decide who is a guest of the Solma Family." "Then you're saying Sir Aslan, who welcomed me, isn't a true Solma." Jonathan Solma furrowed his brow at Zeke's words.
Aslan Solma's position was ambiguous after he returned to the family after thirty years.
Despite adapting quickly thanks to his affable nature, his exact status remained unclear.
Thus, as young family head, Jonathan treated Aslan as an elder but did not fully acknowledge his authority.
The situation left Aslan awkward as well.
He had not known his nephew Jeffric was in such a position.
Jonathan looked at Zeke, who had raised his voice against him within the Solma Family, and said,
"Even if you're a guest of Sir Aslan, that doesn't make you a guest of the Solma Family." "Is that so."
Zeke glared at Jonathan and said,
"Then I can assume the Solma Family does not welcome the visit of Draker's guardian knight and has decided to eject me."
Jonathan's eyes wavered at Zeke's words.
Only then did he realize the identity of the man before him.
'Draker's guardian knight and youngest black knight. The Knight of Salvation, Zeke Draker...?'
He recalled that it was Zeke Draker who had rescued Aslan from the labyrinth.
Zeke stood between Jeffric and Arin and said,
"I've come to the Solma Family officially as the guardian for these two's engagement. We surely sent the formal letter. Are you saying the Solma Family finds me insufficient as their guardian?"
Jonathan had no retort.
In fact, he had torn up the letter about Jeffric's engagement without reading it properly and had not checked who the guardian was.
Moreover, he knew Zeke Draker's face but, angered by seeing Jeffric, had made an uncharacteristic mistake.
After a moment's hesitation, Jonathan bowed his head.
"Sir Zeke Draker, forgive my rudeness."