Hearing the name of the man the yellow-haired woman had just mentioned, the expressions of the four soldiers suddenly became very tense. Their brawny hands trembled slightly, a sign that the name held immense influence in that region.
Calian and Wolvin were no different. The two teenagers glanced at each other for a moment. They were both very curious about this person named Rodaz, who could make the border guards react in such a way.
"What do you mean?" the soldier exclaimed with a hint of fear. A bead of cold sweat appeared and rolled down his temple. "How can you just mention his name so casually? He is not someone you can call upon as you please!"
"Enough, call him here quickly!" Elara insisted. Her voice remained calm, brooking no argument. "I am certain he will be annoyed if someone suddenly calls him away from his comfortable home."
Then Elara leaned in slightly, staring intently at the four soldiers in turn. "If he is annoyed and refuses to come, just tell him this: The flower vase broke, and you cried."
The four soldiers looked at each other with furrowed brows. What kind of message was that? They felt extremely hesitant and were now even more suspicious of the three people standing casually in front of the gate. The message sounded like a joke or an insult that could cost them their heads if they delivered it to their superior.
"Hurry, just deliver my message to him!" Elara insisted again, her tone now slightly urgent as she didn't want to waste any more time. "Do you see? The sun is already in the west. It is late afternoon, and we are tired."
Though his heart was still filled with overwhelming doubt, the soldier finally nodded. The aura radiated by the woman was too intimidating to ignore. One of the guards hurried to take a horse from the guard post, then spurred his horse away from the gate, racing into the bustle of the capital.
A silence fell for a few moments. The afternoon wind blew gently, sweeping the dust from the road.
"Mother, who exactly is this person named Rodaz?" Calian asked, breaking the silence. His curiosity could no longer be hidden from his voice.
The three remaining guards at the gate were suddenly very surprised to hear the purple-haired teenager's words. Their eyes widened as they stared at Calian, then shifted to look Elara up and down. If seen again closely, the yellow-haired woman had very smooth skin and a face that showed no signs of aging at all. Standing side by side, the two looked very much like siblings, not mother and son.
Elara turned, looking at her son's face which demanded an answer, then patted his shoulder very gently. "You will find out later, Calian..." she said soothingly.
Calian only nodded, following what his mother said, even though in his head he was still curious about who this Rodaz person really was in his mother's past life. Is he my mother's brother? Or is that man my mother's childhood friend? Calian thought, still harboring a string of questions about the mysterious man. I hope nothing troublesome happens to me and Wolvin after we enter this city.
On the other hand, one of the three soldiers guarding the gate was also struggling with his own thoughts. He kept stealing glances at the three people who had just arrived in their territory. Why does this woman mention his name so easily? the soldier wondered, still curious yet suspicious of their identities. Are they important acquaintances of his from the Yornvast Empire?
The soldier's gaze then shifted to Calian's face. But the purple-haired teenager called that woman mother. the soldier continued in his heart, feeling that something didn't make sense. The woman's face is still very young and beautiful. The two of them look much more like siblings who are on an adventure.
Although his mind was very curious about their true identities, he held back all his questions and did not dare to ask further. The soldier was very worried that his question might offend the dignified woman who had just arrived.
The sun slowly began to touch the horizon. Elara turned her body toward Wolvin, who was standing quietly beside Calian. "Wolvin, I hope you will feel comfortable once we are here." Elara said softly, a motherly smile gracing her beautiful face.
Hearing that attention, Wolvin's wolf ears stood slightly upright. "Yes, Mother!" Wolvin replied with great spirit and a wide smile. "I hope so too, just like you."
Elara smiled with relief at her son-in-law after hearing the enthusiastic exclamation that came from his mouth. At the very least, the mental burden that had been crushing the beastfolk teenager was slowly starting to lift.
However, the brief dialogue only made the three guards even more confused. They stared at Wolvin in disbelief. This beastfolk calls her mother too? the soldier said in his heart, extremely shocked by what he had just heard. Is this young woman their adoptive mother, or is she just a strange woman who desperately wants to have many children from various races?
After waiting for some time in the shadow of the giant wall, the sound of thundering horse hooves from within the city was finally heard. Suddenly, a luxury carriage pulled by a pair of white horses arrived at the gate. Dust billowed slowly as the carriage came to a perfect stop, accompanied by several fully armed elite soldiers guarding it on the left and right.
Creakkk...
The metal-clad wooden door of the luxury carriage swung wide open. The heavy, steady footsteps of a man were heard as he stepped down from the carriage. Before the man could even stand fully upright, he immediately vented his frustration at the figure waiting for him.
"What do you mean by calling me here?!" the man suddenly shouted, feeling annoyed at being told to meet someone at the gate during his break. "Sister, are you crazy? I still have a lot of work there and I was forced to come see you here just because of your ridiculous request!"
The atmosphere at the front of the gate suddenly became dead silent. The wind seemed to stop blowing. Not only Calian and Wolvin, whose eyes widened in surprise at the words of the sturdy man named Rodaz, but all the soldiers, both those guarding the gate and those who had just escorted him from the city center, were stunned as well.