Nolan only realized he had been lost in thought when the scenery outside changed. The mountains slowly disappeared, replaced by low houses and shops with holographic signs, as well as old, stone-clad city buildings. The bullet train finally slowed to a stop at Dominiq Station.
The station was as large as Athens Main Station, but the atmosphere was different. Nolan looked around, there was a deep sense of history. The station building was made of brown limestone with tall windows featuring 19th-century arches and carvings of unfamiliar plants. The large glass roof appeared to be recently renovated, but the classic black iron frame remained. Even though this was the Earth Realm and not Earth, there was something familiar about it.
As he exited the station, he saw a black flying car waiting. An elderly driver stood beside it.
Selena stifled a chuckle as she approached Nolan.
"You're a prince, Nolan. Of course, everything has to be perfect," she whispered, amused.
Nolan just shook his head slowly. The driver, dressed immaculately in a black blazer, snatched their suitcases deftly and loaded them into the trunk. Selena and Julian jumped into the backseat with excessive enthusiasm. Nolan chose to sit in the front seat. As soon as the doors closed, the flying car sped away from Dominiq Station.
Dominiq was a low-lying city, a fact Nolan had suspected while on the train. The expanse of hills and bridges that the train had passed over earlier gave him a clear picture of the city's surroundings: high mountains surrounded the city like the bottom of a giant bowl.
However, the car did not head toward the city center. Instead, it headed toward the outskirts along roads that wound through hills. The car slowly passed through small valleys and then climbed again. The landscape, which had once been filled with houses and shops, gave way to dense pine forests.
Soon, Nolan saw it—
—the silhouette of a large building perched on a cliff.
It was a majestic castle with tall towers and dark stone that reflected a faint light. In front of it was…
—a vast, glass-like lake.
The Death God Guild, one of the major guilds Nolan knew, stood majestically among the mist-shrouded hills, seemingly separated from the hustle and bustle of the world below. From a distance, the building resembled an ancient castle with tall towers of dark stone, grand arches, and ancient runes adorning the walls.
But the longer Nolan looked, the more modern touches became apparent. Hidden energy panels were embedded in the stone; transparent windows, covered with a holographic surface, reflected a faint light; and the castle walls seemed to change color to reflect their surroundings.
Nolan's car sped across a large bridge connecting the castle to the main courtyard. The wide highway floated securely thanks to anti-gravity technology. Pedestrian paths stretched to the left and right, and lights lined the bridge's length.
Beneath the bridge was a vast lake with clear, calm waters. The scene was far from the gloomy one Nolan had imagined. Instead, the lake was illuminated by a transparent light that radiated quiet beauty.
Nolan was so engrossed in his observations that he didn't notice the car had stopped outside the castle.
Selena and Julian got out of the car after him. Only then did he realize that someone had been waiting for him.
A man with long black hair that reached his waist was standing at the edge of the bridge railing overlooking the vast lake. He wore a black coat with a collar that resembled dragon scales. Strands of his hair that fell over his shoulders waved gently in the breeze. The man seemed preoccupied with the holographic screen in front of him, as if oblivious to their arrival—or perhaps simply pretending not to care.
Standing beside Nolan, Selena leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Who's that strange man?"
Nolan almost answered, but instead took a step closer. Although the man seemed still focused on the screen, Nolan greeted him, "Uncle Vincent."
The man waved his hand in the air. The holographic screen vanished instantly. He moved his hands behind his back, and his purple eyes stared at the three of them, pausing a moment longer on Nolan.
"You're finally here," he said evenly. "Didn't Catherine give you any trouble?"
Nolan simply shook his head slowly in response.
The man snorted briefly and shifted his gaze between Nolan, Selena, and Julian. His eyes were unreadable. Nolan realized once again how difficult it was to understand his uncle's character.
Still, Selena whispered questions in his ear while Julian repeatedly poked his side. Nolan sighed softly and replied flatly, "Vincent Caelthorn, leader of the Death God Guild. He's my uncle."
The words sounded normal to Nolan, but to Selena and Julian, they felt like an electric shock. They both spontaneously jumped back almost a meter and held hands, looking tense and frightened.
Nolan looked back at his two friends, who were now standing stiffly behind him, with a blank expression. "What's wrong with you?" he asked calmly.
Selena and Julian were still holding hands when, suddenly, Selena slapped Julian hard across the face. The young man spun around in a half circle before falling to the ground.
"Don't look for opportunities within opportunities," Selena said curtly. She turned her face away, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You have unique friends, Nolan," Vincent said, the corners of his lips turning up slightly, his tone remaining casual.
He didn't seem bothered at all by the ridiculous scene between Selena and Julian. He took her in with a narrowed gaze before shifting his attention to an elderly man in a black suit standing behind Nolan.
"Take their belongings to the dormitory," Vincent ordered.
The elderly man immediately bowed respectfully. A sizable trolley appeared, carrying all of Nolan's and his two friends' belongings into the majestic castle.
The giant black gates swung open automatically. Nolan stepped inside, walking behind Vincent with his hands still behind his back. His long black coat nearly brushed the stone floor. Selena and Julian followed behind them with awe-stricken faces, clearly captivated by the place where they were about to live.
"Selena Fortner and Julian Dante, correct?" Vincent asked with a quick glance. "The Sequence 1 Sentinel Master recommended by Nolan."
The two of them responded with short mumbles—"Yes" and "Oh"—which, for someone of Vincent's standing, sounded awkward and almost impolite. However, he simply snorted softly and ignored the comments.
They entered the spacious castle grounds and climbed the stairs to the tall tower where the dormitory was located. As they walked, Nolan finally spoke. "From what I see, there are quite a lot of guild members here," he said.
"That's right," Vincent replied without looking up. "To be precise, there are one hundred and twenty Sentinels registered with this guild. Therefore, the Death God Guild has a fairly large membership."
Vincent continued climbing the stairs while Nolan listened intently.
Upon reaching the top floor of the tower, Nolan noticed a short hallway lined with classic wooden doors. Although they appeared ancient from the outside, the doors were powered by modern technology. As soon as he touched one of the doors with his wristband, it beeped and slid aside automatically.
The room was much larger than he had expected. In the center of the room was a large bed, and a modern sofa faced the glass balcony doors. Outside the balcony were lounge chairs for enjoying the view. On the long table sat a flat tablet. When Nolan touched it, a holographic screen came to life and emitted a soft blue light. A large wardrobe was built into the wall and opened with the push of a red button. The bathroom also used a similar automated system.
Nolan looked around with a blank expression. To him, this was nothing special; the rooms at the Blue Lagoon Palace were even more sophisticated. Selena and Julian, however, were not so unimpressed. Their cries of amazement could be heard clearly in the next room. Nolan could even imagine their excited expressions from here.
Vincent leaned casually against the doorframe of Nolan's room and shook his head slowly.
"Meet me in the backyard in two hours," he said with a wave. Then, he faded away, simply disappearing from sight.
It didn't take Nolan long to pack his few belongings. Meanwhile, Selena and Julian seemed busy exploring their room, trying out every feature as if they were entering the modern world for the first time.
Once he was ready, Nolan put on his black-and-white striped jacket and left the room. Selena and Julian quickly followed, looking as excited as if they were on a lavish vacation.
"My apartment isn't even this luxurious. Not to mention, the rent is going up," Julian said with a satisfied laugh.
"Julian, you're such a country bumpkin. You're making a fuss over nothing," Selena grumbled, snorting.
Julian narrowed his eyes. "Selena, aren't you a country bumpkin too? How could you press the wrong button and make the cold water hot in the shower?" he said, holding back a loud laugh.
Selena stopped walking and glared at him angrily. "That's because the button is too small!"
The small argument continued down the hallway, drawing curious glances from several passing Guild members. Nolan heard whispers about him, his status as a prince, and how he had finally joined the main guild. Such attention was commonplace but still tiring.
As far as Nolan knew, most of the Sentinels in the Death God Guild were Sentinel Master Squeance 2 or higher. Meanwhile, Selena and Julian were still in first place, which could pose a significant challenge.
"Nolan, why do we have to meet Vincent?" Julian asked with a clearly disrespectful tone.
Selena immediately slapped him on the back of the head. Slap!
"Watch your attitude!" He's the leader of the Death God Guild! Call him Mentor Vincent...or, if you want to be cool, just call him Teacher."
Julian stroked his head, grimacing. "Okay, okay. Teacher Vincent, yeah. But he's still scary."
Selena smacked Julian on the head again, harder this time, as they exited the backyard. Before them lay a vast field that ended in a dense forest.
"You, where did Mentor Vincent get so scary?" Selena grumbled in annoyance. "He's cool. I can feel it—he's definitely one of the strongest Sequence 9 Extreme Sentinels."
Nolan silently agreed. He had once seen Vincent fight Catherine in the Throne Hall. At that time, Vincent had pressured his mother into using the Lotus Flower Formation. The memory was still vivid in Nolan's mind.