Curiosity Beyond the Castle Walls

On the rest of the journey to the palace, I checked Sir Henri's bandages a few times, noticing that the soldiers accompanying us glanced at me with admiration. The coachman's wounds were almost healed, and I realized that prosthetics in this world were not mere pieces of iron, as I had assumed, but rather advanced robotic parts enhanced with magic.

When the carriage came to a halt, I understood that we had reached our destination. The breeze stirring the curtains hinted at the cold, unfamiliar environment outside. As the city gates opened, I observed everything from my window. The streets were beautiful, uniquely decorated with blue and green tiles. When we passed a fountain, I saw children playing happily alongside small metal animals.

A young boy watched me curiously, with a touch of hostility in his gaze. Some people waved to Rafar, but most shot me pointed glances. I noticed nearly everyone wore some form of robotic ornament on their bodies. So this was what Rafar had tried to warn me about.

"You look sad," he remarked, observing me. "Great leaders are born from challenges."

"I know. But I’m glad to see they love you," I replied, trying to lift my spirits.

"They haven’t started to hate me yet; that’s how I see it," he commented as he stepped out of the carriage, offering his hand to me.

As soon as my feet touched the ground, I was dazzled by the enormous castle before me. Unlike the palace in Lacordia, this one boasted multiple towers and a vast courtyard, with creeping plants that seemed to embrace it.

A massive army gathered in formation and saluted Rafar, all of them looking at him with respect. I noticed that much of their bodies were made with robotic parts, and I wondered why Rafar already commanded such respect, given that he was not yet fully robotic, as he would be by the end of the novel. "Could there be a chance he might change his mind and choose to remain partly human?" I thought as I observed my surroundings.

I felt someone staring intently in my direction. I looked up and saw a shadow in the highest window. It was probably just my imagination.

After everything that had happened, I was tired and lost in thought about so many things. Being mistreated by my father, managing to undergo surgery… all of it was consuming me in deep thoughts.

"Welcome back, bocchan!" A maid hurried toward Rafar. "I received the news this morning! Come, miss, we must hurry," she said, tugging me by the arm. Before I could say anything, Rafar had already become a distant figure.

***

My room was entirely black, with minimal decoration. The vanity table was gilded, and it was there that Matilda, the maid, combed my hair.

"What are the king and queen like, Matilda?" I asked as she styled my hair into a bun.

"Miss, they are…" she hesitated, a troubled look in her eyes. "I’m sure they will like you…”

"They won’t like me, will they?" I asked, sadness in my gaze, and she quickly shook her head.

"That wasn’t what I meant to imply…" she said, but we both knew that my path ahead would not be easy.

When she finished preparing me, Matilda left to attend to her duties and to discuss my arrival with Rafar. I glanced around my room once more, frowning. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t to my taste.

I went to the window and noticed the army training on a dirt field. The military was the strongest asset of the southern kingdom, so I wasn’t surprised they were practicing even in the bitter cold.

I glanced at myself in the mirror again. I wore a dark blue dress, and my hair was pinned up in a way that made me look severe. This wasn’t who I was.

After waiting some time without Matilda's return, I decided to take a walk. A short stroll wouldn’t hurt anyone.

The corridors mirrored the dark tone of my room, with the occasional solitary piece of furniture tucked into a corner. Many rooms appeared to be guest rooms, while others seemed to serve as storage. In one of these rooms, several intriguing devices caught my attention.

I entered cautiously, checking to see if anyone was watching. On a desk lay a broken lantern and a set of screwdrivers. Next to it, pieces of metallic arms and legs shimmered with a pink glow.

"How beautiful," I thought, picking up one of the pieces and sensing the magic within.

"What are you doing here?" A tall woman with robotic eyes and arms suddenly appeared. Her commanding presence left no doubt: this was Safira, my mother-in-law.

Anxiety took hold of me. What if I returned to my father’s home? Or worse, became a prisoner? All I knew was that dwelling on these thoughts would not change what was about to unfold.