Chương 21: Meeting the King
The royal castle of Kingdom of Eldoria was located in the innermost part of the city, surrounded by lush gardens and towering walls. The carriage moved steadily through the winding streets, the cobblestone paths echoing the sound of horse hooves.
As they approached the castle gates, the grandeur of the castle became even more apparent. Guards in shining armor stood at attention, and the gates opened slowly to allow the carriage to pass through. They entered a large courtyard, where more guards and attendants awaited their arrival.
The carriage came to a halt, and Vandar stepped out first, gesturing for Vincent and his team to follow.
"Welcome to the Royal Castle of Eldoria!" Vandar announced, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "Follow me, and I'll take you to the throne room where the king awaits."
Vincent and his team stepped out of the carriage, taking in the opulence of their surroundings. They followed Vandar through the courtyard, their boots clicking against the polished stone path. The castle's interior was even more magnificent, with high ceilings, grand chandeliers, and walls adorned with beautiful tapestries and paintings depicting the kingdom's history.
They walked down a long corridor lined with armored knights standing at attention. As they approached a pair of massive wooden doors with gold accents, and embellished with intricate carvings, Vandar nodded to the guards, who pushed the doors open with a coordinated effort.
The throne room was vast, with towering ceilings and grand chandeliers casting a warm glow over the marble floor. At the far end of the room, the king sat on an ornate throne, flanked by his advisors and nobles. Vincent and his team walked down the red carpet leading to the throne, and took this moment to scan the appearance of the king.
He had a tall, lean frame, accentuated by the deep blue and gold robes that draped elegantly over his shoulders. His hair, a silver mane, fell in waves down to his shoulders and framed his face. His piercing blue eyes scanned Vincent and his team as they approached while stroking his beard, which was neatly trimmed and matched the silver of his hair. The king's crown sat proudly atop his head.
As they reached a certain distance, Vandar signaled Vincent and his team to stop walking. They obliged.
With the hall in silence, Vandar took this opportunity to speak.
"Your Majesty, I present to you these brave warriors who made the Demon King General Telus retreat and secured the safety of Eldoria. They fought valiantly on the battlefield and their extraordinary efforts have earned them this audience with you today."
The king leaned forward slightly, his piercing blue eyes studying each member of Vincent's team. "Brave warriors, you have my deepest gratitude," he said.
Vincent stepped forward first. "Your Majesty, I am Vincent Strider, leader of this group. We are honored to have been able to assist in defending your kingdom."
The King's gaze shifted to the men behind Vincent but none of them stepped forward.
"Why are you not introducing yourselves?"
"Your Majesty, as the leader of our group, the reason why they are not introducing themselves is for the sake of anonymity," Vincent interceded. He can't just let his men introduce themselves with their codenames. That would be stupid. So he came up with an idea.
Vincent continued, choosing his words carefully. "We don't have a country and we only wandered from place to place, offering our services to those in need. We have faced many battles, but none as significant as this one. We are honored to have been able to help Eldoria in its time of need."
"Mercenary you say? Those professions had no honor. Their loyalty is only to those who pay them the highest coin. I apologize for my words but we have experienced bad service in the past from those who claimed to be mercenaries. But since you helped the Kingdom of Eldoria repel an invasion from the Demon King Forces. We shall reward you properly. State it is what you want."
As the King concluded with his words, Vincent pondered for what he really wanted. Well for one his ability to summon military troops and weapons is an overpowered ability. But the only downside is that he can't summon them haphazardly or wherever he wants. He'd summon them when there are no unwanted eyes or possibly in a secluded place.
Those problems could be solved if he only had one thing.
"Your Majesty, I will state our request. In return for our services and the aid we have provided to your kingdom, we humbly ask for a piece of land or territory within Eldoria."
Vincent bowed his head respectfully. "Your Majesty, while we have fought as mercenaries, we seek a place to call our own. A base from which we can operate and provide further assistance to whoever clients that requires it. Of course, those lands must be governed by us for the sake of independence and security. Of course, any land would be deeply appreciated."
The king considered Vincent's request for a moment, his piercing blue eyes studying the mercenary leader. Then he gazed at the nobles that was standing around him. The nobles exchanged glances, some of them shaking their heads subtly, clearly hesitant about granting land to mercenaries. The murmur of disapproval began to grow louder, and the king seemed to be slowly swayed by their concerns.
"Your Majesty, granting land to mercenaries sets a dangerous precedent," one noble spoke up, his voice carrying a note of warning. "We must be cautious about whom we allow to hold territory within our kingdom."
Another noble nodded in agreement. "We cannot ignore the risks involved. These mercenaries, while valiant, are still outsiders."
The king's expression grew contemplative, and he appeared to be weighing the arguments when suddenly, the doors to the throne hall burst open. All eyes turned to that person who intruded, only for them to recognize it being one of the highest ranking officials in the Kingdom of Eldoria. The Minister of Finance, Duke Viktor Claes.
"Your Majesty, I beg your pardon for this interruption, but I have urgent matters to discuss," Duke Viktor announced, his voice resonating with authority.
The king raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden arrival of one of his most trusted advisors.
"Speak, Duke Viktor. What pressing matter brings you here?"
Duke Viktor straightened, his gaze shifting briefly to Vincent and his team before returning to the king.
"Your Majesty, I would like to inform you that these gentlemen are the ones who rescued my daughter from the kidnappers. I owe them a debt of gratitude, and I must insist that their request be granted."
The nobles fell silent, their murmurs dying down as Duke Viktor's words sank in. The king's expression softened, and he leaned back on his throne, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"Very well, Duke Viktor," the king said, his voice carrying a note of finality. "Your testimony carries great weight. If these warriors have proven themselves twice over, first by saving your daughter and then by defending our kingdom, then they have indeed earned a reward fitting their contributions."
The king turned his gaze to Vincent, his piercing blue eyes now warmer and more considerate. "Vincent Strider, you and your men shall be granted a piece of land within Eldoria. You will govern it as you see fit, and it will serve as your base of operations. May it be a place of safety and prosperity for you and those you choose to protect."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Vincent said kindly.
"But…there is one more thing," The King spoke again. "I was told by Captain Vandar that you and your men used a kind of weapon that is different from ours, can we see it?"
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