Chapter 10: Guardian Royale

General Summary

The party wasn't going to get in, and the soldiers on the steps knew that. They instead guided the party down the steps, where they could talk without the interference of the rulemakers. The somewhat eccentric Rei and the more grounded Jill had a lot of back and forth about the state of the Office and what the arrival of the Guardian entails exactly.
The soldiers turned out to be Royal Guards, serving under the Late Emperor, the previous Acting Guardian, and guard the royal family. Their inability to enter the castle has prevented them from verifying the Guardian for themselves, and so they seem more amicable to Samantha's claim.
Ga Rei, the Royal Guard to the Princess, as scatterbrained as he is, invites them to meet the royal family. Shi Jill on the other hand, keeps the conversation somewhat sane, providing more substantial information.
The Royal Guards seemed to know about the destruction of Luanshi's home, though they regard the matter as an 'incident'. The Emperor's sudden death afterwards has officially been attributed to a sparring accident, blamed on the Emperor's Apprentice. Neither of the Royal Guards buy this story, as the only witnesses around had scattered stories. The accused party had recently escaped captivity however, and Ga Rei hinted that Luanshi would know who they're talking about.
Arriving at the Manor on the Hill, the party is barely able to get a seat before Jill manages to inform Prince Aran of the arrival of the Guardian. Aran then swiftly flew off to introduce himself, and Jill walked off to go retrieve him at her own pace.
Rei went to retrieve Princess Jae Di, allowing the party to talk about the sudden shift of pace they experienced. After a brief delay, the party was allowed to meet the Princess in the patio. The Princess required proof of Samantha's status, which she presented in the form of the Empire's Seal. Sadly, the Princess herself seemed unable to verify this, instead indicating that one who has witnessed the original Guardian personally can vouch for her. These same people once claimed the title of Spirit, and seemingly have lived on Medius as long as the Guardian has gone missing.
The Flower Spirit in the Great Wood, the Koi Spirit on the Rocky Isle, the Fox Spirit in the Phantom Forest and the as of yet missing Owl Spirit could grant Samantha the authentication she needs to become Guardian of Medius, or at least as far as the royal family is concerned.
In the meantime, the party could stay the night in the Manor, living in the lap of luxury. As Jill returned, she mentioned that the Prince was let into the castle, but she was still denied entry after the fact. The party was given accommodations and leave to do whatever they wish within the manor.

"Always prepare for the most unlikely outcome."

Ga Rei, Royal Guard.
So he proclaimed right before the Emperor's project reached completion. The Dragonslayer, a giant airship, took to the sky.

Report Date

17 Oct 2021