502
Chapter 502
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Zeke was heading to the Kingdom of Thebea by carriage.
Across from him sat two people, stiff as boards.
They were Jeffrik, a member of the Black Specter Corps, and Arin the mage.
Jeffrik Solma and Flame Mage Arin, colleagues and lovers, were traveling with Zeke to the Solma family estate located in the Kingdom of Thebea.
Zeke spoke while looking at the tense Jeffrik and Arin.
"Try to relax. It's making me uncomfortable just watching you."
Jeffrik responded while maintaining his rigid posture.
"M-Me? Nervous? Haha."
Arin, sitting next to Jeffrik, had a similar demeanor as she tried to maintain her composure while looking out the window.
"I-Is that the famous Lion King's Stone Tower of Thebea?"
Karnak, the capital of Thebea, had ancient ruins preserved for thousands of years scattered throughout.
The city itself was said to be like a museum, with many famous ruins from myths and legends throughout Thebea.
As Arin forced herself to react to the ruins visible outside, Zeke casually remarked.
"Arin, you don't need to try so hard."
At Zeke's words, Arin closed her mouth and returned to her tense expression.
Looking at Jeffrik and Arin, Zeke said.
"No matter how strict the Solma family is, they won't oppose your engagement. Don't worry too much since I'm acting as your guardian."
Jeffrik and Arin had come to the Kingdom of Thebea with Zeke to announce their engagement to the Solma family.
The Kingdom of Thebea boasted the longest tradition in the Central Continent, having continued for over a thousand years since the time of the Seven Kingdoms before the Holy Empire.
As such, the noble houses of Thebea placed great importance on tradition and procedure.
However, Jeffrik had run away while taking the Solma family's test, one of Thebea's prestigious noble families.
It was understandable that Jeffrik appeared nervous, returning to the family to seek approval for his engagement.
Zeke was lost in thought as he watched Thebea's famous ruins pass by outside the carriage.
In his previous life, all these cultural heritage sites had been destroyed in the flames of the Continental War.
'If Abel regains his power, the same thing could happen again.'
He had to prevent such a future somehow.
As the carriage got closer to the Solma estate, Jeffrik and Arin's faces grew even paler.
In truth, Zeke's reason for bringing Jeffrik and Arin to the Solma family was to search for traces of the Nostra Family's overall boss remaining in Thebea.
The traces of the Nostra Family's boss that Jason had found were connected to none other than the royal palace of Thebea.
It was unclear whether they had actually teleported to the real palace, or if this too was a deception meant to cause confusion.
Either way, they needed to enter the Thebean royal palace to verify.
The problem was finding a way into the palace.
To enter the closed-off Thebean palace required going through troublesome procedures, and the easiest method was through the Solma family.
For generations, the Solma family had produced knights for the Thebean palace guard and held the position of Royal Guard who protected and advised the king from closest proximity.
The Solma family was the most trusted noble house by the royal family in Thebea.
Because of this, those invited by the Solma family could enter the Thebean palace relatively easily, which is why Zeke planned to search for traces of the Nostra Family in the palace through them.
'I absolutely need the Solma family's cooperation to find his traces.'
Zeke planned to use Jeffrik and Arin's engagement as a pretext to visit the Solma family and make contact with Jeffrik's brother, Jonathan Solma.
Jonathan Solma was someone who had died by Abel Draker's hand in the previous life while fighting against the Imperial Army as the standard-bearer of the Western Resistance.
In his previous life, he had been a renowned prodigy who advanced to Blue Knight before turning thirty, but in this life, his reputation was overshadowed by Zeke's fame.
This Jonathan Solma was currently leading the Solma family as acting head while the family head served as Royal Guard.
Zeke planned to enter the Thebean palace by contacting the Solma family head, who was the Royal Guard, through Jonathan Solma.
The problem was Jeffrik, who needed to be the point of contact.
'I wonder if he'll even be able to speak properly when we arrive, frozen like that.'
Jeffrik's feelings of inferiority toward his genius brother Jonathan Solma and guilt over not properly passing the family's test were making him even more timid.
Zeke looked at the stiff Jeffrik and Arin while mentally reviewing his plan.
* * *
"Welcome! Knight of Salvation! My benefactor!"
As soon as they entered the Solma estate, a familiar face greeted Zeke.
It was Aslan Solma of the Cross Sword, a Thebean royal guard knight who had been trapped in Hoshgar's mansion maze for thirty years, who came out personally to welcome him.
Zeke greeted Aslan Solma.
"It's been a while, Sir Aslan. You're looking much better."
When first found in the maze, Aslan had been nothing but skin and bones, but now he boasted an impressive physique that belied his age.
When first seen at the family entrance, Zeke almost didn't recognize him.
Aslan laughed heartily and said.
"HAHAHA! Just breathing outside the maze put meat on my bones. Come, let's not stand here, let's go inside. It's only right that we properly host our benefactor who has come to our family."
With Aslan's guidance, Zeke was able to enter the family estate more easily than expected.
Inside the Solma estate, a banquet was already prepared for Zeke.
Befitting a noble house of Thebea with deep traditions, the banquet was set in a classical style.
Aslan offered Zeke a seat at the banquet.
"Please sit here."
Zeke shook his head at Aslan.
"Sir Aslan, I apologize, but I'm not today's guest of honor."
He brought Jeffrik and Arin forward and said.
"I'm here today as the guardian for these two's engagement. Jeffrik Solma and Arin Summer."
Surprised by Zeke's words, Aslan finally took a proper look at Jeffrik.
"Goodness! My nephew, Jeffrik! I'm finally seeing you!"
Jeffrik was seeing Aslan for the first time since he was born after Aslan had been trapped in the maze.
Jeffrik bowed his head formally to Aslan.
"Greetings, Uncle."
Aslan laughed heartily and embraced Jeffrik.
"Enough, enough. What use are such formalities between families? I'm truly glad to see you."
He turned to look at Arin.
Arin, with a nervous expression, also tried to give a formal greeting.
Seeing this, Aslan again let out a hearty laugh.
"Lady Arin, it's an honor to meet you. I am Aslan Solma, Jeffrik's uncle."
Aslan formally greeted Arin, his junior.
Startled, Arin hurriedly returned the greeting.
"Ah, I'm Arin Summer. Sir Aslan, please don't be so formal."
Aslan shook his head at her words.
"A knight cannot speak informally to a lady at first meeting. Come, let's all be seated. We've prepared delicious food, and I should tell the chef to make it even more special."
As Aslan winked and joked, the tense Jeffrik and Arin's expressions softened.
Soon food was served and Aslan naturally led the dinner conversation while sharing tales of his exploits.
When the atmosphere had sufficiently warmed, Zeke quietly spoke to Aslan.
"Sir Aslan. Actually, my visit to the Solma family isn't just about the engagement."
Aslan asked with a surprised expression.
"Is there another reason?"
"I need an invitation to enter the Thebean palace."
Aslan's expression grew serious at Zeke's words.
As a former palace guard, Aslan knew it wasn't easy for outsiders who weren't kingdom citizens to receive palace invitations.
He looked at Zeke and said.
"May I ask why?"
"The traces of someone I'm pursuing are connected to the Thebean palace."
Zeke lowered his voice further and told Aslan.
"If I don't catch him, the entire continent might be engulfed in the flames of war."
Though he didn't know exactly what was happening, the perceptive Aslan realized this was no ordinary matter.
After considering, Aslan nodded.
"If it's my benefactor's request, I trust there's a good reason. I, Cross Sword Aslan, swear on my knight's honor to help you."
"Thank you, Sir Aslan. First, what I'd like to ask is..."
Just then.
THUD!
The door opened and someone appeared.
The servants behind tensed up, freezing in place with rigid postures.
Jeffrik too tensed up, his expression hardening at the man's appearance.
It was none other than Jeffrik's older brother and the Solma family's acting head, Jonathan Solma.
Wearing traditional Thebean clothing, Jonathan Solma had typical noble features.
He was perfect with blonde hair, blue eyes, a chiseled jaw, an imposing physique, and an intimidating presence.
Aslan waved at Jonathan.
"Oh, Acting Head! You're finally here. Today is truly a joyous day. Our nephew Jeffrik's fiancée..."
"Jeffrik, how dare you show your face here?"
Before Aslan could finish, Jonathan spoke to Jeffrik in an intimidating voice.
Jeffrik bowed his head to Jonathan with a pale face.
"B-Brother. That is..."
"The Solma family does not consider a weakling like you as a member. If Father were here, he would have struck you down immediately."
He glared at Jeffrik with cold eyes and said.
"Out of brotherly love, I'll spare you punishment, but leave at once. And never set foot in Thebea again."
Jeffrik and Arin's faces turned pale at Jonathan Solma's frost-laden words.
Aslan wore a very uncomfortable expression at Jonathan's harsh words.
Then Zeke, who had been watching this, slowly rose from his seat and spoke.
"I didn't know 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 Solmas."
"Are you saying Sir Aslan, who welcomed me, is not a true Solma?"
Jonathan Solma furrowed his brow at Zeke's words.
Aslan Solma's position after returning to the family after thirty years was quite ambiguous.
Though he had quickly adapted to the family despite his thirty-year absence thanks to his characteristic friendliness, his exact status and position were still unclear.
Thus Jonathan Solma, as acting head, treated Aslan as a family elder but did not acknowledge his authority.
Aslan too was troubled by how the situation had developed.
He hadn't known his nephew Jeffrik was in such circumstances.
Jonathan, seeing Zeke raise his voice within the Solma estate, said.
"Being Sir Aslan's guest does not make one a guest of the Solma family."
"Is that so?"
Zeke glared at Jonathan and said.
"Then I'll understand this to mean the Solma family does not welcome the Draker Guardian Knight's visit and has decided to drive him out."
Jonathan's eyes wavered at Zeke's words.
And only then did he realize the identity of the man before him.
'The Draker 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 maze.
Zeke stood between Jeffrik and Arin and said.
"I have formally visited the Solma family as these two's engagement guardian. I'm sure an official letter was sent. Does the Solma family perhaps think I'm inadequate as an engagement guardian?"
Jonathan was speechless.
In truth, when he received the letter about Jeffrik's engagement, he had torn it up without properly reading it, so he hadn't confirmed who the guardian was.
Moreover, though he knew Zeke Draker's face, his anger at seeing Jeffrik had caused him to make an uncharacteristic mistake.
After brief consideration, Jonathan bowed his head.
"Sir Zeke Draker, please forgive my rudeness."