Chapter 192: Learning the Details (1)

Godrick sat in the largest chair in the banquet hall, holding a wine cup in both hands that was completely disproportionate to his size.

“Tell me more about him and my mother.”

The Grafted Lord hunched his back, leaning against the table as he listened to Wilden recount stories of the past.

“I couldn’t remember everything…”

…Wilden said.

Even though his memory and appearance had recovered quite a bit, some things once forgotten were simply gone; it had nothing to do with mental acuity.

“Then just tell me what you remember most clearly.”

Godrick highly respected this knight who had once served his father.

And he didn’t blame Wilden at all for his minor ‘betrayal.’

On the contrary, after learning the reason for Wilden’s fealty to Mia, Godrick sighed several times, stating that Wilden had made the right decision.

At the same time, it made him even more convinced that he had also made the right choice.

Wilden knew a lot about Godwyn.

As he told these stories to Godrick…

…Godrick laughed self-deprecatingly.

“As his son, I don’t even know as much about him as you do.”

“It’s not your fault, King Godrick.”

Wilden consoled him.

“Should he be the one to blame then?” Godrick sighed deeply.

Godwyn was the heir to the Golden Order and the eldest son of Marika.

His daily schedule was always packed.

The Godrick of the past might not have been able to see Godwyn at any time, but Wilden could.

As Godwyn’s guard, Wilden spent at least half of his day with his lord.

Godrick might not have known what kind of king his father wanted to be, but Wilden did.

When Godwyn toured The Lands Between, Wilden was by his side. When Godwyn spoke of his ideals to his Legion, Wilden was also by his side.

And Godrick?

He had only one memory of his days in Leyndell—generally speaking, they were happy.

Godrick drained his wine in one gulp.

If he had known more about his father back then, or more about leading troops and governing, would his fate have changed?

Even if it just meant becoming a stronger or wiser Soldier?

But back then, all Godrick did was play the part of a frivolous playboy.

At this thought, sorrow filled his heart once more.

It turned out that even back then, he had already been this useless.

“Good morning.”

Godrick looked toward the source of the greeting with eyes that held a trace of numbness.

Mia had appeared outside the banquet hall door.

“You’ve been talking all night?”

“Prince Godrick wanted to hear about Prince Godwyn.”

Wilden explained.

“Mm.” Godrick looked away.

Mia walked past the banquet table, grabbed a few leftover rowa fruits, and nibbled on them.

She pulled out a chair at random.

She planned to think about what she should do today.

Since Godrick had decided to stand in the same camp as her and was willing to share his power, maintaining this faction, increasing their strength, and sustaining the people’s livelihood was also Mia’s responsibility.

After thinking for a while.

“Godrick—”

“Aunt Mia—”

As it happened, both of them spoke at the same time.

Godrick had been watching Mia since just a moment ago.

When Godrick called her ‘Aunt Mia’ so openly, Mia felt a row of goosebumps rise on her neck.

It seemed she still had to get used to having someone who looked and was chronologically much older than her as her junior.

“Hmm?” Mia looked over in confusion. “What is it?”

“No… you go first.” After hesitating for a moment, Godrick decided not to ask the question in his heart.

‘Will you love me?’

Asking such a question at a time like this would be far too idiotic.

Godrick’s large hand brushed against his cheek.

He massaged his temples.

After listening to stories of the past all night, he was feeling a bit sentimental this morning.

The time when he should have been most sentimental had already passed.

Godrick clearly remembered what Mia had said to him during the battle that day.

‘Stand up, Godrick, you are a scion of the golden lineage.’

The tears that needed to be shed had been shed, and the celebrations that needed to be held had been held.

Things would surely get better and better; they would definitely be able to go home.

Godrick encouraged himself in his heart.

In the future, he finally wouldn’t have to carry everything alone.

In the presence of a gentle elder, Godrick felt his long-dormant passion being activated, as if the youth of the past was slowly opening his eyes.

After Godrick swallowed his question back down.

Mia voiced her thought: “Why don’t you show me around this city?”

A ruler cannot become a castle in the air with a weak foundation.

To establish one’s rule, one must understand things from the most basic level.

The banquet was held yesterday, and although she hadn’t enjoyed the food much.

She really did need to get to work.

Godrick pushed back his chair and stood up, readily agreeing.

Although Stormveil was situated atop a mountain, the peak was not particularly steep.

Godrick’s palace didn’t have the kind of layout that overlooked the entire mountain or the whole city.

The roads of Stormveil mostly consisted of gentle slopes.

Godrick took Mia to the palace’s carriage depot.

That was no horse-drawn carriage.

It was a carriage frame pulled by a Troll.

It was just like the large coffin-carriages seen in the wilderness, at least two stories high.

As the driver of the carriage, the Troll’s dwelling was right next to the depot.

Like a livestock pen, the large shed with straw spread on the ground was likely the simplest structure in this palace.

The Troll walked out of the shed, the ground trembling with every step he took.

The Troll had a mane and beard like a lion’s, which also resembled the sun in a child’s drawing.

It made the Troll’s head look like a sunflower.

His abdomen was hollowed out, and through the dark, sunken hole, one could see his spine, as dry as the trunk of an old tree.

But he was no undead or statue.

Mia could see the rise and fall of his chest as he stood.

Since Mia had suddenly decided to tour the city, it took some time to prepare the vehicle for departure.

The Troll knelt half-way outside the shed like a statue, bowing to Godrick. His head hung low, and his pure gray eyes showed only whites, making it impossible to tell where he was looking.

Mia approached him, eclipsed by his massive shadow.

Most things in The Lands Between looked like the living dead.

But one got used to it after looking for a while.

The Troll clearly possessed intelligence.

So Mia tried asking, “What is your name?”

The Troll didn’t answer. Mia paused, then raised her voice: “What is your name?”

“Her Majesty is asking you a question!” With a crack, the whip in Godrick’s servant’s hand struck the Troll’s calf.

The Troll’s body remained unmoved, as if he felt nothing from such a lashing.

But at least after being prompted, the Troll spoke.

“You—”

Did all large creatures speak slowly?

“Not— Majesty.”

When the Troll said those words, the face of the driver looking after him changed.

“Wait!” Mia stopped his hand as he raised the whip.

This Troll hadn’t been at the banquet yesterday.

He simply didn’t know.

Besides, Mia wasn’t one to get hung up on a title.

“My name is Mia, I am Godrick’s aunt,” Mia explained, looking up at the Troll.

The driver added from the side: “Lady Mia is a noble Demigod just like Lord Godrick. You must never overstep your bounds!”

The Troll nodded.

“So, what is your name?”

Mia asked again.

The Troll opened his mouth, letting out a sound like a roar from his throat.

The difference from a roar was that the sound coming from his mouth had tonal fluctuations.

Mia didn’t hear it clearly.

Just as she was about to ask again, the handler spoke up.

The driver bowed in a fawning manner: “Your Majesty, his name is Bob. Bob the Troll.”

The Troll’s massive head also nodded.

“Aon—”

The Troll groaned like an animal.

Before long, the inspection of the carriage was complete.

Unlike the massive coffin-carriages.

The carriage frame pulling the King seemed much lighter.

Two thick, curved iron poles were resting on Bob’s shoulders, and chains bound the poles to Bob’s body.

After Godrick boarded the carriage, he invited Wilden to ride along as well.

And this carriage, whose proportions were custom-made for Godrick’s size.

Was like something out of a land of giants to Mia.

This carriage, at least six meters tall, had only one level, and Mia had to use Stardust to jump up over a meter just to reach the seat.

Fortunately, the windows were large, so even though Mia was small, she wouldn’t be unable to see anything.

The driver climbed to the roof using a ladder.

Holding a long whip in his hand, he struck the Troll’s back.

“Move it, Bob, don’t just stand there like a fool.”

The Troll stepped out, pulling the creaking carriage toward the streets outside the palace.