The circle of nobles was not large; they were either acquainted with other nobles and could visit their homes directly.
Conversely, Sir Karl's shameful behavior would be seen by them as an act beneath his station.
A dignified noble without a fixed residence, actually having to stay in an inn, was simply ridiculous.
"Dalton, do you know where the Royal Palace is?"
"Of course, Sir Karl, follow me. The inn we are currently at is only about a ten-minute walk from the Royal Palace."
"However, I do not recommend walking, as that would lead the Royal Palace Guards to believe you are a commoner."
Before long, Sir Karl and Dalton arrived outside the Royal Palace castle. On the towering city walls, many Guards could be seen patrolling through the embrasures.
Two Guards, fully armed, wearing half-plate armor and holding halberds, stood on either side of the main gate, their eyes fixed on the approaching duo.
"Halt! State your identities."
"The audience list is full. If you wish to see His Majesty the King, please register with the Herald in advance."
The two Guards crossed their halberds, blocking the path of the duo.
Sir Karl remained on his horse, while Dalton dismounted first and explained to the Guards.
"Behind me is Sir Karl, and I am his attendant. This is his crest."
"We are not here to see His Majesty the King, but to deliver a letter to the Royal Advisor."
Upon hearing this, the two Guards exchanged glances, then one stepped forward to take the crest and examine it.
The other carefully scrutinized Sir Karl's attire and the warhorse he rode.
Soon, the Guard finished verifying Sir Karl's identity and exchanged glances with his colleague.
"Sir Karl, it is an honor to meet you. As you are not here to see the King, there is no need to inform the Herald in advance."
"However, the Royal Advisors often accompany His Majesty to offer counsel and are quite busy."
"Therefore, if you wish to meet a Royal Advisor, we still need to announce you. Only if they agree to see you can we grant passage."
"But I can deliver your letter for you first. What do you think?"
Sir Karl urged his horse forward, then dismounted and approached the Guard.
He took out the letter, placed an oren beneath it, and handed it to the Guard, saying with a faint smile, "In that case, I'll trouble you, Guard."
When the Guard took the letter, he felt the oren beneath it, and his eyes immediately flickered, but he quickly composed himself.
"No trouble at all, Sir Karl. It is my honor to be of service. Which Advisor would you like me to deliver the letter to?"
The Guard took the letter and lowered his hand, secretly rubbing the coin in his palm.
Especially after confirming that the coin was embossed with the King's likeness, his smile grew even brighter and more enthusiastic.
That was an oren, almost equivalent to two months of his income, and he could receive such a generous reward just for delivering a letter.
He wished he could deliver more, so what if he was a bit more polite?
"Please deliver it to Advisor Keira. If she asks for my identity, just say I am the son of her old friend, Elisa."
At once, upon hearing Sir Karl's instruction, the Guard paused. For a moment, he didn't quite understand the Knight's intention.
However, since the other party specifically requested it, he would simply comply. It wasn't an excessive demand, and he had to consider the oren's value.
So, the Guard nodded and said in a deep voice, "I understand, Sir Karl. Regardless of the outcome, I will return as soon as possible to report to you."
He then waved to one of the patrolling Guards passing by behind him and called out, "Hey! Brother, please cover my post for a moment. A Knight needs help."
Then, the Guard, holding the letter, quickly ran towards the interior of the Royal Palace.
His desperate speed was as if he feared Sir Karl would not let him deliver the letter.
At the same time, one of the patrolling Guards who heard his shout approached the gate with a helpless expression.
The Guard initially ran frantically, but as he moved deeper into the Royal Palace, he merely walked quickly and did not continue to run wildly.
Because running wildly at this point would cause others to misunderstand, thinking that an emergency had occurred.
As he neared the Royal Palace, the Guard, drenched in sweat and panting, briefly paused to compose himself before meeting the Advisor.
Unexpectedly, at that moment, people who had finished their audience with the King began to emerge from within.
Seeing this, he understood that the audience had concluded.
Not many people had an audience with the King every day; sometimes, it was only members of the Royal Council.
Among them were representatives of merchants, the church, or nobles. In short, there were people from all walks of life, but commoners were undoubtedly the fewest.
Since the audience was over, he didn't need to enter the great hall and report under the King's scrutinizing gaze. He could simply wait for the Advisor to come out on her own.
Several minutes later, a petite woman with long, light blonde hair draped over her shoulders slowly walked out of the great hall.
Her attire was extremely bold: a low-cut dress, with the neckline generously open almost to her abdomen, and she wore two strings of amber necklaces or amulets around her neck, walking barefoot.
"Advisor Keira, please wait a moment. There's a letter for you here."
"Oh? Is it a love letter from some unknown noble or merchant's son?" Keira turned around, hands on her hips, and asked teasingly.
"Uh... He is the son of an old friend named Elisa. You might know her." The Guard, without changing his expression, respectfully bowed and presented the letter with both hands.
There were a total of three Advisors in the Royal Palace: Advisor Fercart, Advisor Triss, and finally, Advisor Keira, whose conduct was bold, even a bit promiscuous.
During her time as an Advisor, she had no shortage of scandals with certain Knights or powerful figures.
The flowers, gifts, or love letters she received were simply countless.
In recent years, it seemed she had grown tired of it and gradually reined herself in.
"Hmph? Son of an old friend? Most of the old friends I knew are rotting in the ground."
Keira smiled playfully, a hint of curiosity in her heart, as she took the letter from the Guard and opened it.
As soon as the envelope was opened, it began with, "My dear friend, to Keira Metz."
"Keira, it's been a long time. It's Elisa."
"Since you went to the academy, I haven't stopped missing the days we played together."
"Unfortunately... I've fallen gravely ill and cannot travel long distances to visit you."
After reading only the first few lines, Keira frowned, a look of displeasure on her face, and flames erupted from her hand, igniting the letter.
In an instant, the letter turned to ash, drifting from the air to the ground.
"Elisa? Hmph. Who is that? I have no impression whatsoever."
"She's just a commoner who saw me enter the academy to become a sorceress, and even a Royal Advisor, and now wants to cling to connections!"
"Guard, if anyone else sends such a letter in the future, tear it to shreds midway. Don't bring it to me and spoil my mood!"
Keira scowled, coldly said a few words to the Guard, then turned and left.
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