The journey to the capital city of Masan went without any trouble. Sylvester was provided a horse and ordered to remain beside the Princess's carriage to protect it.
Marashia City Region was the capital's official name, as it was just too massive, or perhaps calling it massive was also an understatement. It was a mega-city built on the western shore of the Masan Empire. The city was exceedingly protected with the ocean on the west, the Primal River on the east, and the south being cut off by the river meeting the ocean.
It was divided into three major parts. The central part was called the Hundred Castle City. It was a colossal landmass covered with towering and exquisite castles, all close to one another. If looked at from the city walls, it would appear the entire area was one colossal castle.
Made of sandy bricks, domes and pillars rose all around, with some lush vegetation adorning the place. The roads were clean and well-paved with stones; no commoners or shops were allowed there. It was the place where the Emperor, his concubines, and his children lived.
With castles named according to their purpose, there were many solely for housing the Concubines. While the largest castle at the center, near the artificial canal, was the true Royal Castle.
Then, beyond the strong and protected walls that guarded the Hundred Castle City from the north and south lay the rest of Marashia. The south was the most densely populated area, with closely built, tall, and robust houses, accommodating a vast population. At the same time, north of the Hundred Castle City was the administrative city, hosting the housing for the affluent and influential.
The two regions were also ultimately guarded by gigantic thick walls at the edges. The massive Marashia could be called a small Kingdom in itself, as it was just a colossal amalgamation of three cities. With a total population of nearly two million, it was by far the world's most populous and densely populated mega-city.
Of course, that also meant it was the epicenter of world trade and art as the city boasted the finest school of studies, specialized workers from painters to engineers, and, of course, wizards.
Sylvester was baffled and amazed at the sheer size of the mega-city when he arrived in Marashia. Entering from the Northern gates, he first saw the administrative city with its clean and beautiful buildings. But that was merely a tease for the main course—the Hundred Castle City.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Princess Fernis proudly poked her head out of the carriage. "Do you know why this city is so big? It's because the construction never stopped since the day the first stone foundation was laid. Even to this day, expansion and maintenance continue, and the city grows larger. With the increasing population, I even heard the eldest brother is planning a new fourth-walled city north of the administrative city."
'Good God! The Holy Land may be vast and magnificent, but it still primarily retains its natural beauty. But this...this is an astounding feat of engineering!' Sylvester was truly in awe of the sheer magnitude.
"Eldest? Crown Prince?" Sylvester asked, his voice filled with confusion.
"Big brother Zedd? Oh yes, he is the Crown Prince. I, Brother Zedd, and Brother Jinn are all legitimate children of the Emperor and Empress. The others are my half-siblings." She passionately explained everything, her hands gesturing animatedly. Clearly, she enjoyed the role of Sylvester's teacher.
"How big is your family, Princess?" He nonchalantly inquired.
Princess Fenris pouted and gazed at the sky, rubbing her chin. "Hmm...It's difficult to count, as the numbers are ever-changing. The last I heard, Father had six hundred concubines, and most, if not all of them, had borne at least one offspring."
'All the Eastern Kings pale in comparison to this level of debauchery.'
"How many siblings do you have in total?" He asked.
"I don't know. Probably more than a thousand."
Sylvester, based on his knowledge of history, knew for a fact, 'Considering there are so many concubines, and the King is not exactly a handsome figure in his prime, it's hard to believe that all the concubines truly gave birth to a royal prince. Instead, soldiers, merchants, or even slaves might have been their heat quenchers.'
"HALT!"
Just as they entered the Hundred Castle City, the entourage was halted for a thorough inspection.
"You! Who allowed you to enter?" The gatekeepers asked Sylvester, their spears pointing at him.
"I did!" Princess Fernis declared from the carriage window. "He is my new bodyguard, named Jack. He will be examined by the Royal Knight Commander and join the noble service."
"But he lacks the necessary written permission or token to enter. Therefore, we cannot permit him unless he receives permission from within the city. Please forgive us, Princess. We cannot break the rules," the gatekeepers humbly explained.
Of course, Fernis wasn't just some random princess. "Then I will take responsibility for him. This man saved my life at the risk of his own. I believe that is sufficient proof. But if you still insist on keeping him here, then I shall remain as well."
Her assertiveness left the two gatekeepers flustered, rendering them unable to argue. They simply retreated to fetch a senior official.
However, when the senior official arrived, he faced the same outburst from the Princess. Consequently, he went to summon his own superior. Yet, the cycle continued endlessly.
"What is happening here?"
Suddenly, a new voice resonated through the desolate road. Another group was departing from the City of Hundred Castles, led by a man exuding an air of authority. He was tall and strong, dressed similarly to the previous prince. With a beard and a stern countenance, the man exuded an aura of power.
"Big brother!" Fernis leaped out of her carriage and rushed towards the man's horse.
Without hesitation, the man dismounted and joyfully embraced Fernis in his arms. He carefully examined her and nodded approvingly after ensuring her well-being. "Good, no injuries this time. You gave me quite a fright when you arrived all bruised the last time."
Fernis giggled and hooked her arm with the man's, leading him towards Sylvester. Then, she introduced them to each other.
"Jack, this is my eldest brother, Zedd Ha'ul Mirmasan, the Crown Prince of Masan. Big brother, remember when I informed you about assassins tracking me? Jack was the one who saved me and even sustained injuries. Thus, I decided to bring him here and appoint him as my fabulous permanent bodyguard."
Sylvester stole a quick glance at the man's face. He sensed it—The man was far from being as simple and affectionate as he appeared at that moment. He was destined to become the next Emperor. If anything, he had to possess extraordinary qualities.
Thud!
Sylvester knelt down on one knee and bowed his head, paying his respects. "I am honored to be in your presence, Your Highness."
Crown Prince Zedd chuckled softly, approving of Sylvester's proper etiquette. "At least he possesses proper manners. Where do you hail from, my bald friend?"
Sylvester weaved a story that could not be verified. "I come from Sandwall County, Your Highness."
"Ah! You must be a formidable warrior, then. Great Sandwall County, truly a tragic fate they suffered. You must be one of the survivors," the Crown Prince murmured, seemingly admiring the County.
'I smell lies and joy—So he knows what caused the County's destruction. Being the next Emperor, he's either close to the Shadow of Masan or learned it from the Emperor.' Sylvester immediately got to work and created a character profile of the man.
"Fine, you may keep him, Fernis. But take him to the Royal Knight Commander first and let him test his abilities. I won't allow incompetent soldiers with you." Zedd ordered.
However, this time, surprising Sylvester, the man didn't emit the scent of lies. Additionally, there was an aroma of familial affection and worry.
'He truly adores his sister.'
"Understood!" Fernis saluted her brother and jumped into the carriage again before slapping the door. "Let's go! Let's go! Jack, you must defeat the Royal Knight Commander quickly for two reasons: I'm hungry, and I dislike him."
Sylvester silently nodded his head and mounted his horse, following the Princess into the castle city. Once again, he was overwhelmed by the city's beauty and cleanliness. The thought of ensuring the city's survival in the event of war crossed his mind at that moment.
He followed until they stopped at the entrance of the grandest castle. Heavily armored knights and even some men in wizards' robes stood guard there, appearing serious and imposing.
Fernis was not stopped or questioned as she skipped her way into the castle. They made their way to the terrace of one section of the castle, which served as the training ground for knights and the residence for the Royal Guards.
Thud!
"Princess!"
"Your Highness!"
The moment Fernis strolled into the hall where shirtless muscular men were training, everyone knelt down to show respect.
She ignored them and approached an elderly knight with a bald head, brown skin, and a long, white bushy beard. The man was tall and muscular, as evident from the shape of his leather armor and thick arms.
"Commander Tarnak, this is Jack, my new bodyguard. Please evaluate him and provide him with an identity token and armor." She requested, although it sounded more like an order.
The elderly knight glared at Sylvester's face and bald head before giving a firm nod. "Only if he passes the tests. Come with me, fair-skinned boy."
Sylvester followed the bald man to a massive wall with metal cases containing peculiar items. There was even an attendant next to the wall, meticulously cleaning everything.
"Give me a grip checker."
Immediately, the attendant handed a metal rod the size of an average arm. Then Commander Tarnak passed it on to Sylvester. "Bend it with your hands."
Sylvester casually took it with one hand and applied some pressure.
Creek!
The rod was smoothly bent with just a single hand. However, it was not a simple rod; it had some runes on it.
'This Commander is, at best, a Diamond Knight. I need to show abilities at least of that level to rise in the ranks faster.'
Following that, the commander led Sylvester to select some dumbbells that had gravity runes on them. Once again, Sylvester easily cleared the challenge, regardless of how much the weight was increased.
Finally, it was time for a practical test. One bald man stood against another, although one was cursed to be unable to grow a beard, while the other had a big, bushy, majestic one.
"Kid, come and strike me with all your might," Commander Tarik confidently ordered, assuming a battle pose. "I need to assess your strength first."
Sylvester swiftly walked forward and swung his right hand while holding back.
Pa!
Boom!
The hand connected, but the result was unexpected. Many jaws dropped, and eyes widened in shock. Instantly, all the soldiers rushed to the collapsed wall to check on the unconscious commander.
Furious, they turned around and glared at Sylvester.
"Y-You! You slapped him!"
Sylvester was quick to shrug off responsibility.
"It was Princess' order."
"..."
[A/N: See the Crown Prince and the Marashia City Region map]
Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.
