Chapter 49:
Competition Begins
It had been over a year since Silas had last entered the Faelfier Palace, but it was just as grand as he remembered. The hallways inside the palace were tall and long, full of ceiling-length windows and intricate dark green velvet curtains. The long rugs under their feet were embroidered with the Faelfier coat of arms, threaded with golden string. All around them servants in all different directions hurried, mixing into a flurry of green and white. Maids with mops and brooms, guards with stern expressions and swords on their hips, and advisors with large scrolls and books gripped tightly in their arms raced all around Adora and Silas, chatting and laughing as they entered through ornate doors and exited through others. Walking with Adora, Silas felt small in the grand palace, and he could only keep his back straight as he feigned courage, anxious to meet the king in person for the first time.
“Don’t be nervous, Silas. King Uther is not worried about formalities. I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet with one of the captains. All we have been discussing lately is war.” Adora said, her cape trailing behind her confidently.
That’s not reassuring, but I appreciate the effort. Silas thought, swallowing the lump in his throat as he stopped just outside the door to the throne room, standing beside Adora as the two knights on each side of the door announced their entrance.
“Attention, Colonel Cailín and Captain Silas request the king’s presence.” The armored knight to the right announced in his booming voice, startling Silas, who had already bowed his head to prepare to meet the king.
After only a short moment, the double doors to the room were opened, and Silas and Adora were led inside by two knights inside the room, staring at them as they entered with watchful expressions. Following Adora’s lead, Silas bowed his head slightly as he walked inside, not daring to look forward at the king until they had reached the end of the long, embroidered carpet at the other side of the room. From Silas’s position, he could see the short stairs leading to the throne chair, followed by two shiny boots resting side by side in a leisure fashion in the chair, attached to what could only be the king of the Faelfier Kingdom, King Bjarn.
“Your Majesty.” Adora and Silas bowed on one knee, lowering their heads in respect as they greeted the king.
“Come now, Adora. There’s no need for such formalities. Please lift your heads.” The king’s voice sounded younger than Silas expected, almost mellow. He could only lift his head as the king commanded and face the man, and when Silas’s eyes met with the king’s figure, Silas could barely hold back his surprise.
King Bjarn, he’s so young. Though Silas had seen the man sitting on the large throne in front of them before, Silas had only ever seen him from far distances during festivals. Now that Silas was a few feet from the king, he was shocked by the wise king’s youthfulness. The king looked not much older than Silas or Adora. His face was unwrinkled, and his hazel eyes were bright with energy. He could not be older than thirty two or thirty three. Though he was wearing the gold crown on his head, his blonde hair was long and straight, reaching just to his shoulders as he smiled at the pair with a warm, welcoming smile.
Adora stood up quickly, motioning for Silas to do the same as she said, “King Uther, this is Silas, the elven captain I’ve been telling you about.” Her hand rested on Silas’s shoulder with a heavy pat as she added, “His skills are unmatched as a soldier and a leader. I’m sure you’ve heard of Silas’s role at the battle at the border?”
“Ah, so you are the famed elf from seven years ago.” King Uther said, gesturing towards Silas with a wide smile. Silas looked down quickly, embarrassed by the attention, “I’ve heard the story dozens of times. The elf who snuck into the enemy camp and used magic to send the enemies fleeing in terror into the night.” King Uther laughed heartily, holding his stomach as he howled, “The Yursinean soldiers never thought they would be scared away by a single elf.”
“And they haven’t returned to the border yet, Your Majesty. I’ve heard there’s now rumors in the Yursear kingdom that the border is a cursed area.” Adora said with a proud smile.
“It is a shame we could not celebrate you more for your courage and intelligence, but if anyone was to find out that the end of our war over lands at the border ended, because of a sly elf with a little magic, it could reignite the war between the kingdoms.” King Uther smiled and drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair, “Still, I think we should have a drink.” King Uther stared at his steward, who frantically shook his head with a pale face, looking terrified. The king sighed and shook his head, “It seems that I cannot today though. The obligations of a king, I suppose. No time to oneself. Still, I request you return to the castle soon, Captain Silas. I want to hear from the soldier himself how he managed to maneuver such a feat.”
Feeling the weight of the king’s gaze on him, Silas bowed his head again and said sincerely, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The king waved his hand nonchalantly and rose from his seat, “I must go now. Adora, are you staying in the castle?”
Adora snapped to attention and nodded her head lightly, “Yes, sir. I was planning on visiting my father while I was here.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“I’d be honored, Your Majesty.” Adora said lightly, stepping to the side as the king approached. Silas followed Adora’s relaxed lead, and stood to the side as the king approached. Silas was shocked by how tall the Falfierian king was, towering over Silas’s tall frame.
“And you, Captain Silas?” The king said, his rough voice speaking gently.
“I- Uh- I actually have training to go to, Your Majesty. I apologize.” Silas said with a deep bow, blushing lightly as his tongue malfunctioned.
“It is a pity. Still, you must come visit soon. It is the king’s decree.” The king said with a laugh. Adora chuckled a bit too while shaking her head, “Well come, Adora. I don’t want your father to wait.”
“Of course.” Adora said with a nod of her head, “I will follow your lead, Your Majesty.”
“I will hear nothing of that.” The king said, putting a hand on Adora’s shoulder, “My people stand beside me.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Adora said with a determined nod, proud to stand beside the king. As they began to leave, Silas stayed in his spot, watching them go. It was because of this he saw Adora momentarily glare at him from over her shoulder, which he responded by quickly averting his eyes.
I guess she knows I have no training for a few hours. Silas thought to himself as he refused to return Adora’s blistering stare, Sorry, Adora. It just doesn’t feel right to stay any longer. I’ll make it up to you later though.
As the king’s and Adora’s voices faded into the distance, an attendant, a young boy with an outfit as stiff as his posture, approached Silas briskly,
“Shall I take you to the entrance, Sir?” The attendant said with a short bow.
“That’s not necessary.” Silas said, holding his hands up, as he stepped back, “I remember the way out.” Without waiting for a reply, Silas hurried out of the expansive room, taking no time to take in the decor of the castle as he hurried out, his hat held tight in his shaking hands.
…
Leading his knights, Clarence walked down the hall, his heels clicking against the tile floor as he hurried to the throne room. The small smile from before still lingered on his lips, and there was a strange air around the young prince, making him appear more approachable than usual. Once he reached the throne room, the knights announced his presence, and the double doors opened. Inside, there was only the queen resting in the throne chair to the left, waiting for her son. Her expression lightened as Clarence walked into the room, his cape fluttering behind him as he strode to the chair in the middle of the room and bowed his head, greeting his mother.
“Are you ready to meet your future queen of the kingdom?” She asked, resting her hands on the sides of the chair leisurely.
Clarence bowed his head, his smile bright as he said to the queen, “I am ready, mother.” Lifting his eyes, they were bright, full of energy. Even the small smile on his lips made his handsome features appear warm, highlighting his high cheekbones. With his hair styled back and his tie adjusted, Clarence looked more gentle and refined than usual.
Seeing her son like this, Queen Racliffe motioned for him as she said, “The candidates will be arriving shortly. Come, sit down.”
Following the queen’s directions, Clarence sat down in the middle chair in the king’s absence, making him appear already as the king of the Yursear Kingdom. Seeing him sitting so naturally in the throne chair, the queen felt pride well in her chest. My son is finally claiming his rightful place to the throne. It is good to finally see him embrace his nature instead of running from it. As the queen’s thoughts ended, the knights in front of the door announced the first candidate’s arrival.
“Introducing Duchess Cordelia Bernard from the Southern Mountain District of the Vartien Kingdom.” His voice boomed, echoing through the room as the knights opened the door, and in came a tall, thin figure and her two knights. The duchess’s straight red hair was pinned back behind her head, allowing some of her long red hair to trail behind her neck. Her dress was a similar dark red shade, fashioned much like the dresses of the Yursear Kingdom. The sleeves were long and the front was simple, decorated with light cream fabric ruffles and a single bow on the sweetheart neckline. Her train was carried behind her by two of her maids, who stood tall, respectfully carrying the embroidered train, decorated with expensive gems and rhinestones.
The rouge on her cheeks warmed her tan complexion, and her dark brown eyes danced sweetly as she walked forward with her eyes lowered, smiling with her lips the color of rose. Her gait was light, slow as she walked, stopping just at the stairs to the throne. Lowering her body, she curtsied and greeted the royals with a bow of the head, “I am humbled to be in your presence, Queen Racliffe and Prince Clarence.”
Queen Racliffe nodded in response, smiling as she turned to Clarence, who looked at the duchess as she raised her head. Feeling his mother’s burning gaze, Clarence held his expression as he spoke to Cordelia. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Bernard. I hope you enjoy all that the Yursear Kingdom has to offer.” His tone was light on the end, sounding casual.
Cordelia curtsied again, her eyes lifting to the prince and the queen as she responded, “I will, Your Majesty. Thank you.” Clarence bowed his head in response, as did the queen as Cordelia finished her greeting and was led to stand to the side of the room by her guards, her maids trailing behind her as they held her dress up from the ground with delicate movements. The queen watched Cordelia’s departing figure with a watchful eye before she turned her gaze back to the doors, looking as if she were anticipating something.
“Introducing Marchioness Philomena Lambros of Maarit Country.” The next name was announced, grabbing Clarence’s attention not only due to the candidate’s unique name, but the name of the country. Clarence recognized it as his mother’s homeland. It was a small country in between the Bethell Kingdom and the Khymal Empire, bordering the ocean and the Yursear Kingdom to the north-west. Queen Racliffe was very proud of her heritage and often would describe the country to Clarence as a child. These thoughts emerged fresh in his mind as the young marchioness carefully walked into the room.
A short woman emerged, wearing a light blue floral-inspired gown styled much like the first candidate’s, inspired much by the Yursinean Kingdom’s dresses. The dress’s long sleeves had modest ruffles of lace decorating the edges, and the square neckline was innocent looking on the young woman. Her blue eyes were lowered as her mahogany-colored hair fell forward slightly, covering the sides of her face with the full, curly hair. As she walked, the white sash of her dress moved with her, and behind her approaching figure were two maids holding the dress up in the back with their heads lowered and their hands full of fabric.
As she stopped in front of the stairs, she lowered herself and curtsied, her knights standing nearby behind her lowered their heads as she looked up with her large, round eyes and smiled at the queen. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty and Your Excellency.” She smiled warmly at the queen and then turned her gaze to Clarence, her pale cheeks flushed in excitement at seeing the prince up close. After exchanging some short words, Marchioness Philomena moved towards the side of the room, standing close to Cordelia. The two exchanged some pleasantries, looking friendly with one another.
The next candidate was announced with rapid succession. “Sagara Naceri, Second Princess Sovereign of the Kyhmal Empire.” A young woman entered, surrounded by a small entourage of servants dressed in long, draping robes decorated with gold embroidery and silk pants underneath. The princess herself was dressed in an intricate Yursinean dress. The fabric was a rich gold color, and it had ruffles decorated in the front, lifting the dress lightly as the train of her dress was carried by three of her maids. The gems in her dark hair shone under the natural light.
Her long black hair was tied back behind her head in an elegant braid, and she curtsied to Queen Racliffe and Clarence with a smile on her dark reddened lips, accentuated by her dark skin tone. “Greetings to the Yursinean royal family. It is an honor to be in your kingdom.”
“We are pleased to have you here, Princess Naceri.” Clarence responded pleasantly, smiling politely at the princess.
Once the princess had taken her place next to the other candidates, the next candidates arrived one by one, accompanied by their servants and knights. All of the women wore different Yursinean-styled gowns, attempting to make a strong first impression on Prince Clarence as they introduced themselves to the queen and prince together.
“Countess Annmaria Reid from the Wheatland District of the Vartien Kingdom.”
“Duchess Ophira Carrillo from the Eastern Plain District of the Yursear Kingdom.”
“Marchioness Olicia Hallan from the Sea District of the Faelfier Kingdom.”
Countless candidates entered, many from smaller districts within their respective kingdoms attempting to raise their statuses as well as the statuses of their families. The idea of a royal marriage was very attractive to them. Standing side by side, they felt like competitors rather than friends, setting a heavy atmosphere around them. It was not until the appearance of the last of the twenty candidates, a familiar candidate to Clarence.
“Princess Charlotte Dupont of the Bethell Kingdom.” The knight announced with the last arrival.
With the doors to the room opened, a petite figure entered the room, dressed in a unique Yursinean gown, decorated with flowers around the lace trim, leaving a trace of a natural floral scent to dance around her. The train of her dress was long, adorning the white colored dress with hand-embroidered flowers and other gems sewn into the delicate fabric, most likely sewn by Charlotte herself. Her long brown waves were curled around her face, and her green eyes were lowered as her maids followed closely behind her, carefully carrying the train of the dress.
Charlotte’s imposing knight was not far from her side, following her closely from behind with a stern expression on his face. When it came time to face the queen and prince, Charlotte lowered herself into a curtsy as she said respectfully, “I am honored to return to the Yursear Kingdom, Your Highness. Thank you for your warm welcome.”
Queen Racliffe smiled, “Thank you for returning to our kingdom, Princess Charlotte.”
Charlotte’s gaze moved to Clarence for a moment, and their eyes met. Charlotte’s green eyes narrowed as she smiled brightly, her dimples deepening as she looked up at the prince. Clarence’s cheeks flushed slightly at her gaze, and he smiled shyly, his expression changing slightly. As the princess stood up and was led back by her knight, some of the other prospective candidate’s expressions shifted slightly, many of them feeling jealous and angry at Charlotte’s familiar attitude towards the prince.
Led by her knight, Charlotte stood back up carefully and walked to the side of the room, standing tall with her maids as the queen stood up from her chair and walked towards the center of the room, preparing to speak to the candidates as they were all gathered together.
“Welcome to the Yursear kingdom,” The queen said, her thin hands embraced in front of her, her stature stiff, but her smile warm, “We look forward to meeting you all individually and deeming the most worthy woman to stand beside the future king of our kingdom, my son Clarence.” She gestured to the prince, who had already stood and began to walk closer to the queen’s side, smiling gently. “In the meantime, we have prepared rooms for you all to rest in after your long journeys. Please allow our servants to lead you to your rooms.”
As the queen smiled warmly at each young woman standing in front of her, others began to whisper to their companions, looking determined. Though Queen Racliffe had not said it, everyone in the room already knew what would happen.
The war of candidates had begun.
Thanks so much to Hunny for her hard work. I’m feeling light headed today, so I had to update a little late ;; This is 7 pages, a little longer than our usual updates, but there’s so much world building to be done for now. If you are wondering when the romance will start, well, I can say with certainty that this will ease us right into it ;D Please read the novel description again for tag reminders and such.
If you are wondering how to pronounce all these names/ who all these people are… please see the character guide and the pronunciation guide. I finally got around to updating these! I did a lot of research for their backgrounds, cultures, and countries that will hopefully show in the near future. I already have some favorites though!
And thanks so much to you all for reading! I’ve been getting messages asking if this is a translation, and I’m flattered y’all think my language skills are that good, but no, this is all original, written by Hunny and me! Feel free to shoot us questions anytime, and if you see any mistakes, please let us know \(^ヮ^)/ Thanks again, all!
Edit: My dumbass self forgot a sketch I drew of Silas here.
I had been wondering if Charlotte was going to be one of candidates that came. I’m excited that she made a reappearance! 😊
Why does it feel like an opening episode of The Bachelor? I wonder who will get a rose… 😏🌹🥀🥀🥀
Ahaha I really enjoy this arc! (˘︶˘).｡.:*♡ Clarence is definitely a bachelor you won’t forget! o(≧▽≦)o Thanks so much for your support!! ♡＼(￣▽￣)／♡