Trudy jumped excitedly upon the reveal.
"Wow, Serafina, is that really your hometown over there?"
"Town? That city is larger than Loro!"
Shanny said after her, observing the huge walls in the distance with bulging eyes.
"I have heard the beauty of Seraphold even all the way in Mala. Those rumors definitely failed to do the city justice."
Darius said in admiration.
Jonah walked up to me with an eager smile.
"I can't wait to see the place where you grew up."
The shepherd said.
"To tell you the truth, Jonah, I spent a good portion of my days growing up in the magic academy in the Taga region. But I do have many fond memories here."
I started walking toward the city. I went on.
"Come! We should not forget that we're on a mission to explore. I don't think it'll be necessary, but exercise caution. We don't know what awaits us in the city. Even if it's my city."
My comrades turned tensed upon my instructions.
Well, even though I was very glad to see my homeland, it was still a fact that the entire region was destroyed at the end of Dunia.
What we were seeing in front of us at the moment was a recreation of Damai through the forged land's mysterious powers. Just like Loro on the tenth floor.
We needed to investigate just how different this 'Damai' was to the 'real' one where I came from.
Our party followed the streams of people flowing toward the grand Slatan Gate at the south side of the city. One of the seven gates of Seraphold's outermost walls.
The Slatan Gate was a giant portcullis comprised of several layers of dark iron grilles. It was wide enough to fit five ogres abreast, or ten carriages with some space to spare still.
As expected of a grand city's entrance, dozens of soldiers were inspecting the people going into Seraphold.
Their black and white uniform showed that they served the Zeref Household. The silver bands wrapped on their shoulders indicated that they were part of the city guard, tasked to man Seraphold's walls.
As my comrades and I approached the inspection line, a guard took notice of our party.
Apparently people and soldiers were able to see us in this dungeon. Unlike in Loro where we were invisible except to the monsters.
The man in black and white calmly approached us while carrying a pen and a writing board.
He observed each of us with a studying gaze, determining whether we meant to bring trouble, no doubt.
Eventually he stopped his eyes at me and propped the base of the writing board on his stomach, his pen at the ready.
"Forgive me, my lady, due to the time of crisis, Viscount Zeref has ordered the guards to record the people coming into the city."
He said to me, ignoring the rest.
The guard probably thought the four others with me were my escorts.
"Time of crisis? What happened?"
I asked.
"Hadn't you heard, my lady? All the cities on the eastern border of the empire were invaded by monsters. People were displaced all over. That's why the viscount gave the order. To keep track of the flow of refugees entering the city."
He must had been referring to the tenth floor trial, where Loro, a border city in the east, was besieged.
So this Exploration Dungeon we were in took place sometimes after that.
But did this dungeon actually followed the history where Loro fell or did it followed the altered events of us saving Loro?
"When did those invasions took place? And what happened to the cities in the end?"
I asked again.
"About a month ago. Forgive me, my lady, but we must not hold the line here. If you wish to know more, you must continue your enquiries in the city. Now, if you would provide me with your name, your servants' names, the purpose of your visit, and where you intend to lodge during your stay?"
A month ago. That was how long it had been since the invasions.
In the lobby, however, we saved Loro barely two days ago.
I still did not know whether the city was saved or not in this dungeon's world.
No matter. We could always ask around and we had plenty of time to investigate.
But what did the guard just say to me? Did I mishear it?
I must had misheard it.
"Did you just ask for my name? Don't you know who I am?"
I might not know every soldier who served the Zeref Household by name. But every soldier was made certain that they knew the faces they pledged their allegiance to.
Despite my words, though, the guard stared at me with a confused frown.
He suddenly bowed slightly to me.
"Forgive me, my lady. Are you a guest of the viscount? If you could show me the viscount's signed invitation or a seal of your House, I could inform the guard station and provide you escort to the Zeref castle."
I would very much like to reveal him who I was right there and then and be escorted to my OWN house, but I sensed something was off from our exchange just now.
I shook my head and leaned toward his writing board.
"Never mind, sir. My name is Serafina Magda. I'm just stopping by in the city while I'm journeying to Orlion in the Taga Region. I plan to look for somewhere close to stay the night in, perhaps the Traveler District or the Merchant Street."
I studied the guard's face as he wrote down my name.
Strangely, he did not appear flustered at all.
He did frown a bit, but only when he was writing I would be staying in one of the outer wall quarters used mostly by commoners.
The man did not even blink when he filled my identity on his writing board.
I was aware that I did not include 'Zeref' to my introduction, but surely he would had realized who I was by the two-third of my name alone.
Not to mention, the color of my dress which resembled his own uniform. And, of course, the symbol of the clouded sun which was embroidered in both of our--
"…And finally there is Darius Mare on the furthest left. All four of them are my personal guards, employed by the Magda Household."
I told the guard as he recorded my comrades' names.
Once he was done, he performed another bow befitting for a noble.
"Very well, Lady Magda. Welcome to Seraphold, the domain of the Zeref Household! May your short stay in the city be pleasant! And safe travels to you all the way to Orlion!"
I simply nodded to him as I gestured my comrades to follow me.
After we walked past the gate and strolled onto the cobbled streets of Seraphold's Traveler District, my comrades rushed to join me by my side.
"Serafina, why didn't you tell the guard that you're the daughter of Viscount Zeref?"
Jonah asked.
"It was very odd that he didn't recognize her, though."
Trudy said with a disapproving frown. Understandable considering her previous employment.
Shanny nodded eagerly.
"Yeah! Everyone in Kirus knew the baron's entire family I served. The baron's wife, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, his mistresses, his bastards! Everyone knew all of them! For a servant not to know their master is like asking themselves to be flogged."
"The first thing new recruits of a noble house's army were supposed to learn is the faces of the lord and lady they serve. The second thing they learned is the faces of the sons and daughters, the heirs."
Darius told the others, recalling his experience as a knight.
He went on.
"Then they began learning how to hold a sword. I would severely discipline that guard earlier if I was his commanding officer."
I ignored all what they said to me of what I should had done and led them through the bustling labyrinth streets of the Traveler District.
"My late mother, Lady Marla, had a tradition of planting a cherry tree whenever she gave birth to a child. She had three children. My twin older brothers and me."
I said as we were approaching a large square ahead.
I continued as I found my comrades listening.
"She planted the cherry trees in the Lightland Square of the Traveler District so that every visitor to the city would be reminded of the heirs of the Zeref Household. The pride and the symbol of prosperity of the family. She hoped the travelers would spread the news of how prosperous our House was."
My comrades and I entered the paved Lightland Square and strode to the lush garden at the center.
The greenery arrangement made it look as if a patch was scooped from a forest and plumped right inside the city of stones.
We all stared into the garden decorated with beds of flowers, trimmed bushes, and flowered vines.
All centered around the towering and sprawling pair of cherry trees.