Early the next morning, the group came again to the gate of the castle, and the entire open space at the gate was already crowded with people. A few guards were checking their demands with the civilians who had come to check their demands, and a knight-like figure leaned against the gate to examine everything.

Stan stepped forward to report his name and the contents of his request, and one of the guards turned back and nodded at the knight, who was lazily leaning against the door just a moment ago. After a quick glance at Stan and the three companions behind him, he nodded at them and whispered, "Please follow me." Then he turned and walked towards the castle.

Stan and his companions didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly followed, the knight walking so fast that Ness almost had to trot to keep up.

The castle grew larger and larger, surrounded by six towers, and in the center was the king's residence. Doyle's architectural style is very different from that of Deville or Canrito, all of which are topped with spires and have an angular shape, which is more oppressive than the castles in the south. Before Fern had even reached the castle, he could clearly feel the impact of this sense of oppression.

Follow the knight through the dark aisle, the torches on the walls on both sides flickering, the light of the fire shining on everyone's faces, flickering and dimming. The knight's cloak in front of him swayed regularly, and the sound of messy footsteps made everyone's hearts turbulent.

Finally, at the end of the walkway, a large gate appeared, guarded by a knight in silver-white armor on each side of the door. "This is what people often call the Imperial Knight. Fern leaned in and asked Stan softly.

"That's right, they're all the best warriors in Doyle, and it's a great honor to be a knight before the king. Stan said wistfully.

Fern raised his eyebrows, observing the two knights in front of him. Both of their helmets were dragged in their left hands, hanging down to their sides, and in their right hands was a spear, also silver. Their hair is similar to Stan's, shaved short, and stands on end, giving them a very spirited appearance. The silver-white armor was polished, and the carvings on it were extremely detailed, shining in the firelight.

The knight leading the way spoke with them, and one of the knights pushed open the door, then gave way and the group entered the drawing room. br />

More torches and candlesticks burned in the hall, much brighter than in the hallway, and in the center of the throne in front of him sat a middle-aged knight in dark green armor. Unlike other knights, the expression of the knight on the throne is full of majesty, and the carved ornaments on the armor are more ornate, revealing a royal luxury.

Behind the throne to the left and right, a knight who looked like an officer stood on each side. One of them was dressed in silver-white armor with a bright red cloak behind him, his hair was all gray, and his expression was resolute and calm. The other was dressed in dark brown armor and looked like he was middle-aged, with a relaxed smile on his bearded face.

The knight who walked in front stopped in the middle of the hall and fell to one knee, holding the crouching knee with one hand and the saber at his waist with the other. "Your Majesty, these are the seekers who have requested access to the source of magic. ”

Stan took the lead and knelt on his knees and saluted with reverence, "Dear Your Majesty, may the Spirit of Edra always be the guardian of you, I am Stan, your faithful subject." ”

Fern follows Stan's example and asks the king for his luggage. "Your Majesty, I am Fern from Deville, and as you can see, I am a mercenary. ”

Nessy felt a little awkward, but she still saluted. "Your Majesty, I am Niss of Shavana, an apprentice in the Mage's Tower. ”

Rui got to his knees with a blank face, burying his face behind the raised hand. "Your Majesty, I am your subject Rui, a mage. ”

As Fern listened to Ray's narration, he always felt that something was wrong. If she was really a Doyle, why didn't she bless their king in the name of Edra like Stan?

The king on the throne raised his hand to signal them to stand up, and then he looked at the four claimants, his eyes sharp and calm. "Welcome, brave man, I am Aidra XVII, Byron Eidra, King of Doyle, you are courageous, but first ......," the king paused, "you must tell me the reason for entering the source of magic?"

Stan stood straight, his expression serious and respectful, "Your Majesty, our companion, Ness needs to complete her trial at the source of magic, which is the path she must have to become a mage. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty, my next destination is the Source of Magic. Ness takes Stan's words.

Byron's gaze shifts from Stan to Ness. "You're still very young, can those mages really bear to ruin you?"

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what Byron meant. "May I ask your Majesty, why do you say that?" Ness's attitude in front of the king surprised her companions, as if she were a visitor to a member of the royal family of another country, rather than a commoner.

Fortunately, Byron didn't really care about this, and his mood didn't change at all. "Do you know what's in the source of magic?"

Ness shook her head. "According to ancient books, the source of magic created magic and the dark tide, and are there still remnants of that time in it?"

"No, there's nothing in there right now. Byron remained calm and majestic. "Neither magic nor the Dark Tide is a threat here, but the source of magic itself is truly terrifying. ”

"I don't understand," Ness wondered even more. "Can your Majesty please explain what kind of danger it is?"

Byron's body was leaning to the right side of the throne, and his right elbow was propped up on the armrest. "I've seen a lot of adventurers like you, and unless I can see where you're stronger than them, I don't think there's any need for us to waste any more time, there are other claimants waiting. ”

"Do you need a test to prove our strength?" Fern, who had been listening and didn't say much, finally couldn't help it.

Byron's attention was focused on Fern, and with the help of the bright fire in the hall, he examined the mercenary in front of him, who spoke confidently.

Suddenly, his gaze was fixed on the hilt of the sword at Fern's waist, and an incredible look appeared on his face. Byron slammed to his feet and walked down the steps in front of the throne, his tone full of doubt. "How did this sword end up in your hand? Where did you get it?"

"A friend sent ......," replied Fern, taken aback by the king's actions, "I know no one will believe it, but it's true. ”

Byron burst out laughing, leaving everyone present confused. "Barrede, this guy is still so spontaneous. The king looked at Fern and asked, "Where is he now?"

"Who...... Your Majesty, who is Barred?" replied Fern with a confused expression.

"Didn't this guy even tell you his real name? Byron turned and walked back to the throne and sat down, pondering for a moment, and then he said to the middle-aged knight behind him on the left, "Morris, are you interested in dealing with Oberon's heir?"

Ray looked at Fern in surprise, "Oberon, is this a sword in the stone?" she asked, leaning over to Ness, her tone full of surprise.

"Yes, I guessed that Fern's sword was one of the three lost swords in stone, but I don't know which of the three it was, but I didn't expect Byron to recognize it. Ness replied softly.

The middle-aged knight loosened his knuckles and walked towards Fern. "I can't ask for it. ”

"Let me see what you're capable of, and show it before I decide to send you out. Byron sat back on his throne and calmly watched everything before him.