Chapter 22: Gathering of houses

After about twenty minutes more along the rising road, the Kazantria carriage finally approached the castle’s confines. At the end of the city, high atop the hill, the royal citadel loomed above all else, its tan brick towers catching the last of the daylight, its walls veined with banners of scarlet and gold. From the windows of the carriage, the twins caught sight of narrow streets that twisted like veins below them, crowded with smaller homes and shops, all seeming to shrink as the citadel rose higher in their vision. The scale of it all was overwhelming.

The carriage slowed before a set of towering golden gates. Armed guards in polished classed armor stood at attention on either side, spears glinting in the evening sunlight. The escort rode forward and gave the signal, and after a moment the gates creaked open, allowing them entry. The sound of the heavy gates scraping against their hinges echoed across the courtyard like a low groan.

Beyond stretched a wide courtyard. Marble fountains spilled into basins carved with phoenix motifs atop, and neat patches of grass flanked the cobbled path. The faint trickle of water filled the otherwise quiet evening air. To the side stood a long, tan-brick building lined with windows and a large set of double doors. Its façade stretched from the gates all the way toward the base of the main castle ahead, as though bridging the grandeur of palace life with the lodging of the nobles within.

“Here is where you’ll be staying for the remainder of your trip, dear Kazantrias,” their escort announced, drawing his horse to a halt. “The majority of the other houses of nobility have already arrived and await inside. We shall take your belongings to your chambers and your carriage and steeds will also be seen to.”

The family descended from the carriage. After the long day’s travel, they finally set their feet upon stone. The air around them felt cool, the faint smell of burning torches and fresh-cut grass filling their lungs. A poised woman in a dark gown and veil stood waiting at the nearest door; she gave a curt bow before pushing it open to admit them.

Inside stretched a vast entrance hall, lit brilliantly by silver chandeliers that hung in perfect intervals along the ceiling. Gold-framed paintings of Ronayah’s past glories lined the walls. Battles, coronations, heroes, and past monarchs. Their gilded frames gleaming under the candlelight. Polished floors reflected the light so cleanly that the children saw the faint shapes of their own boots mirrored back at them. It was like stepping into a world designed only for grandeur.

“These here are your bedchambers,” the attendant explained, indicating the neat rows of doors along the hall. “Your belongings will be delivered shortly. Now, if you’ll follow me… dinner is soon to be served.”

The family trailed after her, footsteps echoing against the marble flooring as they reached the end of the hall and turned right. Before them, a set of tall double doors was opened. Inside was a grand dining room.

A long table draped in immaculate white cloth stretched nearly the length of the chamber, lined with silverware that gleamed in the candlelight. Servants stood at attention against the walls, hands folded, eyes sharp for any gesture or command. At the table already sat several nobles — strangers to the twins, yet unmistakably marked by their bearing, their dress, and the crests embroidered into their garments and seats. They were the other nobility.

This place is incredible. We had nothing like this back in Japan, Lea said silently in her mind as she looked around in awe at the sheer luxury of the room.

A man in a red guard’s uniform, marked with a golden sash, stepped forward. His short black hair gleamed faintly in the torchlight. His voice rang clearly:

“House Kazantria. Welcome to Thyphos. Please, take your seats.”

Lucina’s hands pressed lightly on her children’s shoulders, guiding them forward. “Look closely, children,” she whispered as they approached the table. “These people are also part of the aristocracy, like us, they’ve gathered here for Princess Luminaria’s coronation. Be polite, and remember your manners.”

The twins slid into their seats near the middle of the long table. Over the top of the towering chairs hung a white cloth embroidered with their family crest. The sun. Solan sat to Leo’s left, Lucina to Lea’s right, the family neatly clustered together.

At the head of the table to their left side sat an older gentleman, his presence immediately noticeable. His short dark gray hair was combed neatly, sideburns framing a face lined by both age and authority. He wore a crisp black suit with a bowtie, and his gloved hands were clasped calmly before him on the table. Beside him sat who the twins assumed would be his wife. A quaint woman dressed in an immaculate white gown, long white gloves covering her arms, her black hair tied up and held with a decorative pin. She sat with perfect posture, and her gaze was quietly watchful towards them.

To his other side was a young boy, maybe the same age as the twins. He looked pale and tired, as if he were about to pass into the afterlife. Is he alright? Lea thought. Why does he look sickly like that? That white dress shirt isn’t helping his case either.

“Well, well, well,” the old man said at last, his voice deep with a magisterial tone, steady, and carrying through the room with ease. “If it isn’t Solan. And Lucina. How long has it been? Twenty years or so? I believe the last time I laid eyes on you both, you were still carrying your eldest.” He chuckled. His gray brows rose slightly. “Tell me, where is that one now?”

Lucina inclined her head, her tone warm but composed. “Greetings Lord Eclestia. My daughter, Linae, she is grown now, and she has decided her own path to take, away from the manor. Living her own life as she sees fit in Liruna.”

“Ah… so the fledgling has flown the nest,” the man replied with a faint smile, though his eyes remained sharp as steel. “As it should be.” His gaze shifted, falling on the twins. “And these two must be the younger ones. Leo and Lea, was it not? I remember hearing from Alten of the altercation you had with these two a while ago.”

Lucina swallowed hard but gave him a nod.

“We’re honored to meet you, Sir,” Leo said abruptly.

The older man gave a single approving nod before leaning back, interlacing his fingers once more. Around the table, many of the other nobles quietly gave polite greetings, their eyes lingering curiously on the twins.

The hall seemed to grow heavier with quiet expectation. The feast was about to begin, yet a few of the others had not yet arrived. Their seats bearing a crest of a black gryphon and two others with a red dragon were left open at the far end of the table.

Somewhere beyond the doors, footsteps approached. Before long, the servants began piling into the hall, carrying trays heavy with dishes that released waves of fragrant steam. They moved with well-practiced grace, setting plates before each guest and laying bowls of sauces and gravy along the table’s center.

The food was unlike anything the twins had ever seen. Platters of roasted meats glazed in dark sauces, vegetables grilled and seasoned with fragrant herbs, golden breads cut into neat slices, and golden goblets filled with red wine for the adults and fruit juices for the children. The sheer decadence of it all left Leo’s mouth watering.

So this is what it’s like to eat like royalty!? I could get used to this.

He lifted his fork eagerly, slicing into the tender steak before him. But as he raised the bite to his lips, he felt something prickling at his side. Across the table, a boy perhaps two or three years older than him stared with an unreadable look. His eyes were dark, steady, almost challenging.

Leo faltered. What’s his problem? Did I do something wrong?

The boy lowered his gaze after a moment, calmly cutting into his own meal as if nothing had happened. But Leo’s eyes caught on the black dress coat he wore, and the embroidered crest stitched onto its breast: the unmistakable image of a clawed bear paw.

A bear? Is that his house’s symbol? Leo wondered silently. So that must mean he’s from… the Bentriets? I think that’s what mother said on our way here when she was telling us briefly of who we’ll meet.

He kept his eyes down after that, choosing to focus on his food, though the look still lingered in his mind.

When the meal was finally cleared away by the servants and everyone had their fill, Lea allowed herself to glance properly around the table. The faces were all unfamiliar, though she tried to piece them together.

At the opposite end of the table sat a striking woman with long, flowing dark green hair with a streak of gray through the middle. And a big forest green hat lay atop her head. The chair she sat in bore the carved sigil of a serpent at the top, and on her finger she wore a silver ring twisted into the form of a coiling snake.

The polished metal gleamed in the candlelight as she moved her hand around while speaking to a man at her side. Everything about her — the way she held her fork, the way she dabbed the corner of her lips with a silken cloth — spoke of refinement and superiority.

Lea leaned closer to her mother, whispering, “Who are all these people? Will we get to know and speak to them?”

Lucina gave a faint smile but her voice stayed low. “In time, perhaps tomorrow. Tonight is not the moment for talk. We will finish dessert, and then head to our chambers to rest.”

Not long after, the maids returned, this time bearing tall glasses that sparkled with frost. Each one carried a circular piece of cake at the bottom, layered with scoops of ice cream, topped with fresh fruit and drizzled syrup. The sight made Leo blink in astonishment.

Ice cream? In this world too?

He gripped his spoon and excitedly took a scoop. The chill spread across his tongue, sweet and creamy, and his eyes lit up instantly.

Memories surged through his mind. The days as Haruka when she’d treat herself to sundaes or cake slices at little cafés, sitting alone but comforted by the sweetness.

It’s been so many years since I’ve tasted something like this… Ice magic, maybe? That must be how they make it. Maybe I can try to recreate it back home with Lilibeth’s help.

The rest of the hall buzzed with quiet conversation as nobles exchanged pleasantries. The Kazantrias ate quietly, the twins too awestruck to do much more than steal glances around the room.

Once dessert was done and a few brief farewells exchanged, the families dispersed to their chambers. The maids guided Solan, Lucina, and the twins to their assigned room within the castle’s guest wing.

When they stepped inside, the twins gasped with awe. The chamber was enormous compared to their bedrooms at home. A tall mirror stood against a wall, a wide bed sat in the center draped in red and gold fabrics, and a carved wooden chest rested at its foot. The air smelled faintly of lavender, as though the sheets had been freshly perfumed.

“Come. Time to sleep, we will surely have an early morning tomorrow,” said Lucina.