News of the two Prince's return was the buzz of the capital. It was as busy as the Festival of the Sun that celebrated when spring was here.
Merchants set up their stalls and sold their wares from across the continent during their travels.
Taverns and Inn's were filled to the brim despite it being so early in the morning.
But in the castle Aria was having her hair combed by her Head Maid, Shanro.
She was a white wolf beastman who had sought refuge in Tuonku 20 years ago and yet she still looked young and beautiful.
"May I recommend a jeweled hairpin with a hair bun? I think Myaki would find it gorgeous on you my Lady." Shanro said.
The past few days she and the other maids in charge of attending to Aria's needs had to listen to Aria talk about Myaki.
"Hmm... I think it would be too much. The royal family meeting will happen after dinner so perhaps a ponytail will suffice." Aria said as Shanro started to adjust Aria's hair to her desire.
Kentola who always preferred to cut her hair regularly so it never went below her shoulder rolled his eyes and leaned against the side of the mirror.
"Princess Aria, given Myaki's personality and his impression of Nobles I don't think he will be looking for a fiancé." Kentola said.
Kentola could read Aria like an open book, as could Shanro but she was too busy cleaning and styling Aria's hair to listen.
"I-I-Its not like that! It's just been nearly 3 years since Yondl and Dagga were last in the capital to visit. I want to look nice for them." Aria said while her face was as red as a tomato.
Although true that Yondl and Dagga haven't been to the capital in so long to see their sister but Kentola and Shanro knew a small part of Aria wanted to dazzle Myaki.
-Meanwhile with Myaki and Dotcanu-
"I look ridiculous..." Myaki said as he looked into the mirror to find himself looking clean and stylish with a black and gold robe with a horn on each shoulder while there was gel in his hair to keep it pulled back.
The robe itself looked to cost a fortune that even a S-Rank could only dream of buying as the gold was real and the black parts of it were fashioned from the 7th Star Great Wyrm he had killed.
It was as if Myaki was the Great Wyrm polymorphed into a human.
It was the perfect harmony between a man and a beast given Myaki's cold eyes and emotionless face.
He looked ready to kill regardless wether they were innocent or evil.
But that imposing look was also charming as it was intimidating.
Myaki looked like a royal himself which only angered him more.
"It's a tradition of Tuonku Royal Family Meetings that the guest of honor wear clothes fashioned from their latest hunted beast. Just be glad it wasn't a goblin horde or you wouldn't be able to get the smell out for weeks." Dotcanu said.
Myaki didn't know wether or not to believe it as it sounded like something he had just made up. But He couldn't deny it fitted his taste and looked a little cool.
Dotcanu was thinking the same thing as he could hardly recognize Myaki from when he first saw him to now.
Dotcanu himself was called back to the castle in order to prepare for the Royal Family Meeting and to tell Myaki what to expect.
"The first part will be a banquet with the nobles who are also to be summoned. Whatever happens please do not lash out at any of them. We will do our best to control them." Dotcanu said.
Hector was most concerned about the banquet as Myaki would be surrounded on all sides by nobles and high ranking officials in the army like General Salken.
And given Myaki's temperament it was logical to assume they would be on guard duty for Myaki to stop the nobles from angering Myaki.
"I only lash out at people who I deem a threat to both my safety and my privacy. Even now I know the Queen is watching and if I had the power the I would cut off a arm as reparations." Myaki said which caused the tailor, Dotcanu and Margaret who was watching freeze in shock.
Once again they were reminded that Myaki was a Lion in a cave sleeping. If you left it alone you would be safe but if you woke it up then it would be better to run.
It was just how Myaki was.
As Dotcanu was explaining all the events of the Royal meeting to Myaki, Hector and Salken were in the banquet room looking at seating arrangements like a war map while discussing where to seat Myaki.
"Baroness Snow should be seated on Myaki's left while Duke Weiss should be on his right. Neither of them are warriors so they wouldn't ask Myaki questions about his skills" Hector said.
Salken shook his head and pointed at another spot.
"Weiss and Snow are the two most successful merchant houses in the kingdom. The boy would be caught in between the two of them discussing business deals. He should sit next to Marquise Holt and Viscountess Fareem. Their very beautiful and might delight the boy to sit beside two stunningly beautiful women." Edward said while slightly drooling from the corner of his lip.
"Both of them are married you fool and it would only enrage my daughter as well as spark envy from the other nobles. You really need to find someone so that way you could at least have a kid of your own." Hector said.
Edward felt a little embarrassed before the two kept trying to find a suitable place to put Myaki. If they placed him next to the wrong person then Myaki would most definitely explode but it was impossible to decide where.
Just them Margaret appeared and rested her arm over Hector's shoulder.
"Having trouble finding where to put Myaki?" Margaret said as she looked at the seating plan with dozens of pins placed at each of the seats.
Not only did they have to find a seat for Myaki without the risk of him exploding in anger but they also had to make sure none of the other nobles started fights with each other.
"It's impossible to find the right spot. If you have any suggestions then please help us." Hector said.
With a simple wave Margaret used her magic to rearrange the pins until it was perfect.
"Next to Myaki should be Baron Cyrro and Count Luco. Since the boy wants Hollow's Edge he could work with Cyrro to clear the dungeon that was formed and Count Luco is often a quiet man who keeps to himself so I figure he won't bother the boy at all." Margaret said.
All of them had read the letter given by Dotcanu from Baron Cyrro.
All of them knew that a dungeon so close to the Capital could be a very serious problem and one that needed to be handled immediately.
And if they were to hand over the right to own Hollow's Edge to Myaki then they would need to help him clear the dungeon.
"I believe that will work out perfectly." Salken said.
Hector however was still uneasy about giving Myaki Hollow's Edge even more given all he knows of Myaki.
Strength comparable to an S-Rank, mysterious and powerful techniques, eyes capable of rewriting reality and being apart of the Druga Clan.
All of it mashed together along with the news of a newly formed dungeon at the exact spot Myaki has been living in for an untold number of years.
It was all very suspicious to both Hector and Margaret.
The only reason they haven't locked Myaki up for their safety as they investigated Hollow's Edge was because of Aria who had her Emerald eyes of truth that would have detected any hint of deception in Myaki.
Hector had to make a decision and soon before the day was over.
But at that moment the doors to the banquet room were opened before two voices were heard.
The first was to the Crown Prince, Yondl Salazan who was given the name Blind Swordsman.
Yondl's appearance was like Aria's with golden hair and a beautiful face that could capture the heart of any maiden wether they were married or not.
The blindfold over his eyes gave a even more mysterious look about him.
"It's been so long since we were last in the Capital but I see nothing has changed. Seems like we aren't late for the banquet." Yondl said.
Yondl was by all accounts blind but he refused to be limited by this loss of sight and focused all his attention on his other senses like touch, sound and taste.
He honed his skills beyond what anyone could see and could easy become an S-Rank Swordsman if he registered with the guild.
Even Salken could hold his ground against Yondl.
Next was Dagga the second prince who was more care free as he rode on the back of his trust direwolf. He was something else entirety from Margaret, Hector and Yondl.
He was a summoner, someone capable of forming familiar contracts with beasts. He was more attuned to the flow of nature itself then most mages who drew their mana from nature.
It allowed him not only command beast to serve him but to also communicate with them.
Woof!
"I know Genel, once we are finished here we can go see Aria." Dagga said.
Margaret walked over and rubbed Genel's head before embracing both of her son's in a warm hug.
"It has been too long my son's. How have your travels been" Margaret asked while Hector and Edward finished finalizing the seating arrangements.
But much to Margaret and Hector's displeasure neither Yondl nor Dagga spoke of this travels and spoke in sync with nothing but coldness and anger.
"Where is the one who threatened Aria and her knight."
"Where is the one who threatened Aria and her knight."
They had already heard of the events that happened in Aria's private manor and were beyond angry.
Being called protective of this little sister was an understatement in Edward's eyes.
'They would've started a war with another kingdom if they caught so much as a whiff of their plans to marry the princess.' Edward thought inwardly.
To the Salazan royal family Edward was like an uncle in everything but blood. But even he refused to try and get between the bonds of blood.
Margaret however wasn't so reserved and held them both up by their noses off the ground.
"It seems you boys still need to learn when to stop acting like fools!" Margaret said.
Genel just huffed and went to nap on a nearby sofa while Yondl and Dagga felt like their noses were going to tare off.
"That's enough dear, I think they understand. We should let them prepare for the banquet after they visit Aria." Hector said.
Margaret had released them before vanishing to her library.
Hector however still kept both Yondl and Dagga in the banquet room as he grabbed both of their ears with a scornful look on his faces while gritting his teeth.
"Both of you are not going to see the light of day if you cause any problems for the boy or for us." Hector said.
Even together both Yondl and Dagga were no match for Margaret or Hector so there was no choice but to accept.
"Yes father! Please let go before we lose an ear!"
"We promise we won't do anything to shame the family! Please let go of us!"
Hector held on a few more seconds before finally letting go of their ears.
But even as Yondl and Dagga began leaving the banquet hall Hector snapped his fingers before two men entered from the shadows.
They wore the same outfit, sleek black armor looking like it was made from obsidian with a golden cape angled so that it covers the right side of his armor.
Edward had seen them once before and the aura they emitted was vast and yet calm, like a ocean completely still.
They were the Royal Templars of Tuonku. They didn't serve the royal family but the nation themselves. They were men and women of the people.
And yet they still showed loyalty to Hector to this very day.
"What do you wish my king?"
"What do you wish my king?"
Hector was quick to issue the command as soon as Yondl and Dagga left the banquet hall.
"Intervene if the two Prince's disturb the guest of honor. And report back should anything happen worth mention." Hector said.
Once the two Templars left Edward walked up with a worried look as he had never liked the Templars since the beginning.
"Is it wise to involve the Templars? Recently they have grown in strength. I'm worried they might start involving themselves in state affairs. We dont need wolves dressed as sheep in our homes." Edward said.
The metaphor was crude but Hector knew what he meant. Let a wolf grow too much and it might just kill the sheep and the Shepard all together.
Hector however had faith as he knew the Templars would only seek to harm the royal family should they forget their duties to the citizens of Tuonku.
"For over a thousand years the Templars have been the ones to keep our kingdom intact. Even in the rebellion of the first King, Konl'a Von Salazan they Templars helped him establish a new era a peace." Hector said.
Hector knew most of the nobles of Tuonku had their own agendas, no one was immune to the pull of corruption and greed.
Aside from those who had spilled blood or had proven their loyalty, Hector hardly trusted the nobles.
But not even a king could see everything that went on in his kingdom. He needed eyes and ears that wouldn't be swayed by the promise of power or riches.
That was where the Templars came in as they were the invisible blade of Tuonku, ready to cut out any infection to save the body.