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42. The Magical Beast and the Beautiful Royal Capital 125 – The Magical Beast and the Beautiful Royal Capital #1
Contrary to Vitali’s expectation that they would arrive at the Royal Capital after sunset, they reached the Royal Capital while the sun was still high in the sky.
— Alpha, I really ran hard! Did I do well? I did, right?
Gryphon Chino flapped its wings proudly.
I couldn’t tell if it was eager for praise or just trying not to annoy me so I wouldn’t gobble it up, but it definitely seemed like a useful creature.
‘Is that the Royal Capital?’
The massive walls of Jerusalem, a metropolis with a population of 1.3 million and the king’s city, loomed in the distance.
‘Wow, this city is enormous! How on earth were those walls even built?’
Those towering ramparts were as impressive as the skyscrapers in the world I lived in, and I felt awed. Leaf, who was next to me looking out the window, had his mouth agape in amazement.
— So that’s a real castle! Wow! How did they stack those stones so perfectly?
The carriage soon reached the entrance of the Royal Capital’s walls. The silver-armored soldiers guarding the gate were shocked and trembling.
“Th-That’s a Gryphon!”
“What in the world? Who’s using a Gryphon to pull a carriage?”
Batus woke up from a nap, yawned widely, and stretched. Then he shook himself off like a wet dog and stepped out of the carriage.
“Good day, everyone! I am Platinum Hunter Batus. I’m here on business in the Royal Capital of Jerusalem. This old gentleman here is Sir Shuleiman, and this lovely lady is Lady Vitali, daughter of Baron Gideon.”
Batus introduced everyone who stepped out of the carriage. A soldier, upon seeing Batus’s ID badge hanging around his neck, squinted and said firmly.
“Could you please show me your identification?”
“Oh, ID? Do you need just mine, or should I present everyone’s?”
“You need to provide all of them.”
Batus began rummaging through the inner pocket of his jacket and his pants pockets. Meanwhile, another soldier standing nearby scowled and shouted.
“Hey, are you crazy? That’s Batus and Sir Shuleiman! Forget the ID! Let them through!”
“Sergeant, though we have procedures…”
“Ugh, my words are procedure! Now, move aside. I’ll handle this.”
The sergeant hurriedly threw an awkward smile at Batus.
“Hahaha… My apologies, Batus and Sir Shuleiman. This guy is a new recruit, fresh on duty. There’s been some trouble with those Black Brotherhood characters lately, so we’ve been ordered to strictly control access. By the way, what a magnificent Gryphon you have!”
The sergeant scratched his head while eyeing the Gryphon.
Batus shrugged dismissively, asking for understanding. “It’s fine. So, can we go now?”
The sergeant cleared the wooden barrier blocking the way and shouted inward.
“Guests of the royal family and the count have arrived! Don’t block the way; let them through immediately!”
In response to the sergeant’s shout, all the checkpoints behind the walls that were tightly closed swung wide open. At the end of the road before us, a towering castle, fit for a movie, stood majestically.
I couldn’t help but feel that Batus’s status was quite something since we were getting a free pass without going through the hassle of procedures.
‘It’s nice to have power and status.’
“What is that?”
“Isn’t that a Gryphon?”
“No way… It must be some lion or tiger that looks similar.”
“The upper body is a white-headed eagle!”
As the carriage rolled down the road, crowds of people parted like the Red Sea. I wondered if this was how people felt driving their expensive, high-end sports cars.
I enjoyed the amazed gazes of the crowd as I stared out the window.
‘So many buildings. So many people. Is this what a city looks like in this world?’
The various architectural styles of the buildings, the well-organized roadways, and the multitude of different races all screamed that this was indeed a city fit for a king.
— Look at all those people. There’s a huge crowd!
Leaf seemed dizzy from the throngs of people. Perhaps forgetting he’d been motion-sick from the speed of the Gryphon-driven carriage, he sparkled with interest in everything around him.
“How cute. Are people that fascinating to you? You’ll fall out, buddy.”
Vitali held onto Leaf’s waist as he leaned out of the window, purring in excitement. Batus smiled gently at the sight.
“Hold on tight, Vitali. We wouldn’t want that little one to get hurt before we reach the palace.”
“Wait, we’re going to the palace? Aren’t we heading to the Hunter Association’s headquarters? Didn’t we come to report about the Gryphon and Alpha?”
“No, we are going to the palace because of that girl.”
The carriage continued to the front of the colossal castle. Silver full-plate knights stood in front of the entrance, forming an X with their huge halberds, blocking the entrance.
“His Majesty has ordered that no one be allowed inside today.”
Sir Shuleiman, sitting on the coachman’s seat, scratched his head awkwardly as he smiled benevolently.
“Please, we can’t be refused. We’ve come a long way on urgent business. I am Sir Shuleiman.”
At Shuleiman’s words, the knights’ armor rustled. They shuddered slightly, lifting the faceguards from their helmets to reveal their youthful faces.
“Ah, Sir Shuleiman…!”
“It’s an honor to meet you. I became a knight after hearing your adventures as a child. The story about searching for the mermaid’s tears in the south was the most exciting!”
At the knights’ words, Shuleiman wrinkled his forehead in embarrassment.
“Most of those tales are exaggerated fabrications.”
“What about this Gryphon? Is the story of Sir Shuleiman not over yet?”
“I’ve never seen a living Gryphon before!”
“Long story short, you’ll probably be disappointed because I didn’t do much. So… will we not be allowed into the palace today?”
At Shuleiman’s question, the knights tightened their grips on their crossed halberds and opened the way.
“Please, proceed. His Majesty is waiting for you and your party.”
*
— Amazing.
As I stepped into the palace, I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.
Under the towering ceiling hung magnificent chandeliers, and the floors, polished with marble and granite, reflected my image.
As I walked deeper along the wide red velvet carpet, a group of armored knights stepped aside to let us pass.
“His Majesty is waiting for you.”
“Shall I take your baggage?”
“Should we take this beast along?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Batus waved his hand at the guards’ questions.
As we continued down the carpet, a massive wooden door that looked like it could be three or four meters tall appeared before us. Batus approached the waiting maidens.
“Is it okay to meet now?”
“Yes, indeed, Batus.”
Courtiers dressed in black dresses and white aprons, with their hair neatly styled, answered politely. As I noticed their fleeting glances toward me, I wagged my tail.
“Hmm.”
‘Oh, they smiled. Tail-wagging is easy.’
Suddenly, I felt someone grab my tail. I turned to see Vitali looking at me with narrowed eyes, holding my tail and preventing me from wagging it.
The maidens cleared their throats and gently leaned close to the wooden door, speaking softly.
“Your Majesty, Platinum Hunter Batus, Sir Shuleiman, and Lady Vitali de Gideon seek an audience.”
Everyone fell silent, awaiting a response from behind the door. Then a very small voice came from beyond.
“Let them in.”
The wooden door creaked open slowly with a dull sound. As light spilled through the crack, I felt a tingle of nervousness.
Meeting the highest authority of humans was a first in my life, and I found myself a bit excited.
‘What kind of person is the king? An old man with a beard, perhaps?’
Living in a fairy-tale palace made me think he might be kind and approachable. However, as the door fully opened, revealing a red carpet leading up to the throne, a figure leaning casually in the throne shocked my expectations.
An elderly man adorned with rings set with large jewels on every finger and necklaces dripping with various treasures gazed down at us with cold eyes.
His crown, emblazoned with the wings of a great bird, seemed so big that it looked like it might take flight at any moment.
Batus, Shuleiman, and Vitali approached the king and knelt to pay their respects. The king casually waved his right hand, resting his chin in it, to get them up.
“I’ve been waiting.”
The king spoke without urgency or calmness. The red gem embedded in the eye patch covering one eye sparkled like a beacon.
‘He looks more like the boss of an underground organization than a king.’
With his long, flowing white hair and beard, he resembled a secluded monk immersed in meditation in the mountains.
However, the view of his chest and muscular arms peeking from beneath the velvet cloak painted him more as a warrior than an old man.
Holding the king’s scepter in his left hand made me worry he might thump me on the head any second.
‘This is the king of humans…!’
The king’s right eye locked onto my party, specifically right on Leaf.
— Scary…!
Leaf trembled like he did in front of the Gryphon, unsure how to handle the situation.
The king, still resting his chin, spoke nonchalantly.
“Come a bit closer. Bring that girl to my side.”
At the king’s words, Batus nodded slightly and slowly brought Leaf closer to the king.
— Eek…
With sparkling eyes fixed on the palace’s splendor, Leaf now looked like a condemned criminal. The king, grasping Leaf’s shoulder, lifted him to meet his gaze.
Leaf couldn’t handle the fear and let out a heartbreaking cry.
— Save me!
“Indeed… she is remarkably similar.”
The aged king mumbled something, then took the ring off his right hand, embedded with a blue gem that was undeniably expensive and rare.
He extended it toward Leaf.
— A, a gemstone…!
Forgetting his earlier distress, Leaf took the ring and smiled brightly.
“It’s just like me to smile at jewels even while crying…! Now hand it over!”
The king attempted to snatch the ring from Leaf’s hand. But Leaf, seemingly finding his courage, hissed defiantly.
— It’s mine!
“The sassy attitude of not wanting to part with the treasure! That’s just like my eldest son, Steiner! This child is indeed the daughter of Steiner! The lost bloodline of the royal family has resurfaced!”
The old king lifted Leaf high into the air, and his mad laughter filled the room, causing a stir among those gathered around the throne.
“She’s the daughter of Duke Steiner…?”
“No way, how could that be? Is that even possible?”
“But His Majesty’s discerning eye could not possibly be mistaken!”
The knights, maidens, and the court’s dignitaries whispered amongst themselves, astonished.
It seemed Vitali shared their surprise, her legs nearly giving way beneath her.
“Leaf… was a prince?”
It was understandable to struggle with the idea that the girl we thought was ordinary, raised in the wild and possessing some quirks, was actually the daughter of someone incredibly powerful.
Even I was uncertain until the old king confidently announced this fact.
It appears Leaf truly was a princess.
‘How underwhelming.’
I grinned slyly. If I played my cards right with childish Leaf, becoming the hidden power controlling and manipulating humans might not be out of reach.
While I was happily wagging my tail, the old king slowly turned his gaze towards me.
“So, Batus. What on earth is that beast? It doesn’t appear to be an ordinary creature from my observations.”
Batus, who had been bowing before the king, slowly lifted his head at the king’s inquiry.
“Your Majesty, this is none other than….”
Batus paused, dramatically building suspense. Perhaps that was why everyone’s gaze was now fixed on me. Once the atmosphere settled down, the old king spoke again.
“Batus, my patience is wearing thin. What manner of beast is this?”
“It is the legendary magical beast, Behemoth.”
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