Knock, knock.

The door in front of me let out a knocking sound, signifying a guest or two have arrived to my office.

“Come in!” I said loudly because the distances between me and the door was far enough to make a normal tone voice sound like a rat’s squeak.

Creek…

“I see that the royal meeting room has been furnished appropriately to be the Lord Protector’s office as well!” It was miss Marie who arrived and she commented my office quite cheerily while inspecting it.

Looking at my surrounding again I still can’t believe after three weeks of our summoning, I have already landed a job with a nice office to top it all off.

From the rows of shelf on the right side of the room filled with books and state documents, two red comfy couches in front of my desk, and of course the star of this room, my desk and chair. The desk I was given was made out of oak, though it’s old, it’s still sturdy as hell, and the chair…

Well sadly it’s not the rolling office chair that I envisioned for my office. But by design it looked okay and somewhat befitting for a higher up, with the tall back and cushioned seat, all in all its great… but the color of the chair could use a more darker brown color.

After entering my office, miss Marie came near me and looked over on to my work. Peaking a bit at her face, I could tell that she was proud of how diligent I am working, but it was short lived as soon as she saw all of the documents and papers, I have laying around my desk unorganized.

“You know it would be easier for you if this desk was more tidy…” she said after looking at my mess.

I could heard her remark, but because I was too focus on inspecting and reviewing the documents, I could only gave her a nod. She of course didn’t like my reply, so… she snap her fingers right in front of my face.

“Mar, take a break, it’s been… what? Three hours of you reviewing these documents? What even are these documents?” As my mind came back to the world after that snap, she asked me about these documents.

I explained to her it’s the new documents and deeds that I got from the recently purchased business and ventures in Londini, they were a couple blacksmith shops deeds, tailor shops deeds, and the other various kind of workshops here and it was thanks to the 80.000 gold that was sent about two days ago by the Soleis.

“Hmm… what’s this?” Miss Marie interest peaked as she saw an interesting document from this mess ridden desk. “The… Deed for Bank of Londini! Huh… so you’re going with Guillaume’s idea?”

“Not quite…” I stopped her assumptions. “It’s a first step of course towards paper currency or maybe just IOU documents, but let’s start small first! Loans and savings account fee wise. Ohh yeah… I’ve already made Guillaume the Director for this branch of the bank if you were wondering!”

“Ohh really?” Though she was surprised, she said it with a sarcastic tone. “Then let’s see how he, your soon to be ‘puppet’, doing!” Miss Marie as usual can see the full picture of my actions.

At the Bank…

As we arrived at the Bank, we could see the merchants with their carts full of gold coins waiting for their turn to make a deposit and entering the bank, our eyes as well were greeted with the sight of merchants handing their pouch of coins, signing paper documents with their assigned tellers, and of course the Director himself.

He was standing there all giddy and full of energy, helping and escorting the merchants to bank tellers and as well as helping the merchants who are confused on the banking procedure.

As he spotted us, we waved at him, and he came to us.

“Busy day huh?” Miss Marie asked.

“Yes, you are indeed right Lady Marie! When they heard that this bank is guaranteed and sanctioned by the crown, a lot of them just flogged here, though a lot of them are just local merchants…” He reported.

“Hmm… it’s still a big feet to garner this many customer! But again, like what I said Sir Guillaume, keep it slow and steady! We need to return the crown’s investment first, then… we could expand this venture outwards and maybe even implement that idea of yours!” As I said that to him, Guillaume's face brightens up and was charged up again.

We parted after that and walked back to the castle.

Arriving back at my office, two people greeted us, the Prince and his BFF, Pere, both of them were standing near my desk and it seems they were trying to inform me of something, judging by the opened enveloped and the letter they were holding, this might be an invitation of some sort.

“Lord Protector!” Pere bowed before me.

“Lord Protector...” Kristof on the other hand only nodded at me.

“Hmm… what do you guys want?” I asked curiously but with a hint of annoyed tone to make them much quicker on telling what they want from me.

“This!” Kristof showed the letter. “It’s the annual Winter Banquet up north, where every bachelor and bachelorette from this realm come to court with one another!”

“Ohh yeah I forgot about that Mar!” Miss Marie from her dress pocket pulled out two letters for me.

As the letters was at my hand, I noticed that it was two different sender but from the same place, one was the Winter Banquet that Kristof mentioned, but the other one was unique, it was given by the Seeress of the North! Lady Ruith Feannag!

“Do you, have it?” Kristof asked.

“Yeah, I got it!” I replied, but then something popped up in my head “Wait… aren’t you already engage?”

“This isn’t mine, its Sir Arthur’s!” He clarified.

“Ohh… yeah you’re already engage… I thought your father cancelled that engagement considering the situation down south!” Pere said.

“You know I wouldn't do that to Sofía! Even if politically it’s a disadvantage for this kingdom! I still love h er! and besides, her it's five kingdoms against one!” Kristof said sternly.

"I don't know Kris... their up against the Dragon Knight, now called King, you've heard the tales right?"

"But even so, I'll go straight down there when her father's envoys finally came."

Ohh… a romantic, that girl must be very special even if it was an arrange marriage!

Hmm… but down south… ohh yeah, I remembered, Ramon told me about a petty kingdom declaring war against the surrounding petty kingdoms there… the Successor War they called it, kind of a cool name I'll give them that.

After that brief detour, I put my mind back again to the most interesting and pressing concern, the letter that was sent by the Seeress herself! I couldn’t really predict what’s inside of it and the only way to know is to open itself of course.

The letter apparently was about us four, our hero shtick, and she’s inviting us to reveal our connection to the first hero. Now… that piqued my interest, since the start I’ve always been puzzled to why we four were chosen, it couldn’t have been random because Amadela did said the first hero were handpicked by their god.

“What are you reading there Mar?” Miss Marie peek at the Seeress letter that I was reading.

“Call Art and El now miss Marie!” I said in a haste.

“Wait… why?” she confusingly said.

“Just go now, it’s about our hero shtick!” She realized that it was important and went straight out the door. “Ohh and bring the Princess too!” I loudly said and she nodded.

Kristof and Pere were confused after they heard my order to miss Marie, they asked why to call the three of them and I explained that it was for the letter from the Seeress while showing them the letter itself, their interest peaked too as well like mine when they’ve read the part where she would reveal the first hero’s connection to us four, and so… we could only wait until the three of them to arrive here.

A few minutes later…

I was back sitting at my office and was organizing the letters and documents to be put away later, Pere and Kristof on the other hand were sitting in the couch and I believe they were talking about Kristof’s betrothed, her name is Sofía d'Silvaque.

Smack!

As the three of us was suddenly startled by the princess who rammed the door, we saw that three of them has arrived, but two of them brought unnecessary guests… Chloé came with Eleanna and if I am not wrong, she was taking her espionage class, while Amadela brought Sir Fionn, probably was guarding her and I think he is just doing his job.

Amadela then came straight to me, passed the couches, and full stopped in front of my desk.

“Lord Protector! Please show me that letter!!” As demanding as a princess should be, she demanded.

“You know you could just open it like a normal person? Or maybe just teleport at me?” I sarcastically said while giving the letter.

“Sapphire! Is it real?” Sapphire then suddenly appeared on top of my desk, she wasn’t in her human form but in her white cat form.

She then hopped down off my desk and transformed to a human woman, all dressed and all, where she then leans her head towards the letter in Amadela’s hand, observing it obviously.

“Hmm… yep! That’s Ruith’s mana there and, handwriting.” She confirms.

After that some of them sat down at the couch, though some took another approach, like Sir Fionn who is still on duty stood tall and vigilant near door, while miss Marie… weirdly was near him… Amadela on the other hand took one of the chairs from the long tables.

She then explains that we need to go to Tuath where our questions can be explained, she elaborated more that Ruith is not only going to tell about our connection with the previous hero, she would also explain more about who our enemy is, Dubh… That was the first time I heard the name, the person or demon lord that I hope we could defeat in the future.

Amadela then hastely prepared for our journey to the north, where me, Eleanna, Arthur, miss Marie, and Princess Amadela will meet the Seeress of the north, but we got hitchhikers too. Prince Kristof and Pere would accompany us there, Kristof is coming along because he wants to assist Pere on finding his soon to be betrothed in the Winter Banquet and of course because the Prince, the Crown Prince is going off town, his personal retinue would come along with us as well as Sir Fionn as the captain of the retinue, the White Riders they are called if my memory serves me well.

Speaking of the Winter Banquet, apparently Arthur and Eleanna were invited as well, but… yeah… we’re going to bring a lot of attention there, lots of suitors would want a connection with the prophesized second heroes and of course a connection to the crown. Well I am not really looking for one and Eleanna too as well, Arthur on the other hand…

Who am I kidding… wingman mode bitches!!

Next Morning…

“Humph…” The servant put the last luggage at the back of the carriage. “Well, Sirs and Lords, I’ll dismiss myself then! And safe travels for you your highnesses!” He then bowed humbly towards me and Kristof.

We depart from the castle, with me, Arthur, Sir Fionn, Pere and Kristof on horseback and the ladies in the carriage. While waving goodbye to the people around us, I noticed how clunky I was, Arthur was even worse as Sir Fionn needs to lead him. I mean it is our first rodeo on this beast, unlike Kristof who was a master at riding already. Well, considering that he learned riding a horse since a kid, he was expected to be a master or at least experienced on it.

And as we reached and went out of the gate of the city, I felt a change of the aura and pace, like… we are finally about to see what this world really is.