Chapter 26 - Stonefort City

The next three days passed in a blur of preparation and her usual routine. Seraphina continued her training, but her mind was preoccupied with the upcoming trip to the city. When the morning of their departure finally arrived, she was already ready to leave.

After ensuring she had everything she needed, and getting dressed in a simple but nice outfit for the outing, Seraphina made her way to the main house where Davanai was waiting.

He stood near the entrance and she spotted him right away. To his side were four others who he was conversing with, she assumed those were the friends he mentioned going with.

As she approached, Davanai noticed and waved her over.

"Seraphina, just in time. Come meet my friends."

Seraphina joined the group and Davanai introduced them to each other, one by one.

"This is Lucy and her brother Adrian, Adrian goes to the Royal Academy. He's quite smart."

Lucy was a cheerful-looking girl with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes, standing next to her brother Adrian. They both shared a similar appearance, however Adrian's hair was short and neatly combed.

"And this is Annabeth and Gunther, good friends of mine since we were kids."

Annabeth had long, straight black hair and a calm demeanor, while Gunther was tall and broad-shouldered with blond hair and green eyes.

"Nice to meet you all. I hope you don't mind me intruding."

Seraphina greeted all of them with a polite smile.

Lucy was the first of the group to step forward and take Seraphina's hand, shaking it with a smile on her face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Seraphina. Davanai already told us about you joining us, we don't mind at all."

"Likewise. We've all been looking forward to this trip."

Adrian added with a simple nod, keeping a more reserved approach. Annabeth was similar, she didn't show much expression on her face as she spoke lightly.

"It's nice to have you with us, Seraphina. I'm sure we'll have a great time together."

Gunther's grin widened as he glanced Seraphina up and down; his eyes lingering on her body before he spoke.

"Yeah, it should be interesting."

Seraphina noted the oddity in Gunther's actions and the edge in his voice but she chose to ignore it for now. Instead, she turned her attention back to Davanai.

He was giving instructions to the two knights assigned to protect her by her father. Of the knights, one was a stage one knight, while the other was an apprentice knight.

"Let's get going then. We should reach the city before noon."

Davanai announced, leading the group toward the waiting carriages. The group split into two; the males taking one carriage while the females took the other.

The two knights rode on horseback and followed after them from the sides. This ensured that they were safe during the trip.

The journey to the city was uneventful as nothing interesting happened along the way. The carriage was also rather silent, aside from Lucy's cheerful chatter.

Annabeth was mostly silent, she only chimed in from time to time to make a comment, and Seraphina wasn't close enough to either of them to feel comfortable talking too much.

So for the most part it was Lucy rambling on.

The journey came to an end rather quickly, and the group arrived at the city gate: Stonefort City.

The name of the city came from its location and the way it was built. Being near the border of the Empire, and being completely made out of stone with towering walls and fortress-like defenses—the city has stood as the frontal defense against invading forces.

Due to that, not only is the city a popular location for merchants and travelers to pass through, but it is also one of the most fortified locations in the Empire—falling under the Willow family rule.

As they arrived, the group gathered in front of the city and began to walk down the streets. Seraphina, having never left the estate before, was very animated about looking around.

She peered from side to side—looking at the stalls and buildings that lined the city street. The buildings reminded her of medieval western-styled buildings, made out of stone and wood for the most part.

As she looked around she also noticed that the people walking the streets weren't all human. She could see some people with pointed ears, some with animal-like features, and even some that had large bodies with multiple arms.

These were some of the more common races in the world. Half-elves, beastmen, and buki.

"Tell us more about your training, Seraphina."

Adrian asked as they walked, drawing her attention to him.

Seraphina hesitated for a second but she saw nothing wrong with telling them what she was doing.

"I've been training to be a knight with Sir Aldric. It's been challenging, but I've learned a lot so far. Of course, I'm nothing compared to my brother."

Lucy leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity since she wasn't allowed to train as a knight.

"That sounds amazing. I've always admired knights, maybe you can show me some of your moves later?"

Seraphina nodded, as she had no reason to deny the girl's request. In fact, saying she wasn't pleased by the girl's interest would be wrong—Lucy was a lovely girl, and Seraphina was no monk.

"Of course. I'd be happy to, of course, I can't say it's much."

Gunther, who had been quiet for a while now, suddenly spoke up.

"I hope you can handle it. Training to be a knight isn't for the faint of heart. It's hard work, weak people might never be able to become a knight."

Seraphina realized that the man didn't like her, so she had no reason to like him either. Meeting his gaze she replied with a cold tone.

"I'm well aware of that, Gunther. That's why I'm training hard, and why I've already begun weapon training."

He smirked but said nothing more. instead, he turned his attention back to the passing scenery as if he didn't care.

The place was bustling with life; vendors, townsfolks, and colorful stalls selling all sorts of goods filled the air with a sense of life. It was a vibrant contrast to the serene estate she was used to.

But she liked it.

Davanai guided the group to the central plaza before addressing them.

"I have some business to attend to, so I'll be leaving you all for a bit. Feel free to explore the city. The knights will stay with Seraphina to ensure her safety."

"When will you be back?"

Seraphina asked. Even though she wasn't close with her brother, being left alone with strangers she met today was not something she wanted.

"Let's meet back up here in 2 hours, that should be enough."

With that, Davanai departed, leaving Seraphina and the others to their own devices. The group looked at each other unsure what to do, they had come here with Davanai and now he had left them alone.

Lucy quickly linked arms with Seraphina and smiled.

"Let's explore together. There's so much to see here."

Lucy suggested as she tugged the girl along; with the group following them.

Seraphina went along with the girl and they wandered through the busy streets, stopping at various stalls and shops to browse what they had. Lucy's enthusiasm was infectious, and soon enough even Seraphina found herself enjoying the experience more than she had anticipated.

As they browsed, Gunther followed at a slight distance, but he occasionally made snide remarks at the girl.

"Careful Seraphina. Don't get too attached to the city life, it's not for everyone."

Seraphina chose to ignore his comments, focusing instead on the pleasant conversation with Lucy. Adrian and Annabeth eventually joined in their conversation and they all chatted about various topics.

Gunther, however, continued to needle Seraphina with off-handed remarks, trying to get a reaction out of her.

"Are you sure you can handle all this movement, Seraphina? It might be too much for someone who's been cooped up for so long."

Adrian shot Gunther a warning look as he was growing tired of the man's constant remarks.

"Cut it out, Gunther. We're here to have a good time, stop acting like a fool."

Gunther raised his hands in a mock surrender pose and playfully replied.

"Just teasing. No harm meant."

Seraphina decided to respond calmly, refusing to let Gunther's words get under her skin. She knew the man's type, he was just a weak rat that only knew how to hide behind words.

"I'm enjoying myself just fine, thank you. It's nice to see the city, and spend time with all of you."

As she spoke, she glanced over at Lucy, who responded.

"Ignore him, Seraphina. He's just being a jerk."

With that said, the group went on with their exploration, with Gunther now silent to the back.