Jack-En-Poy (Part 1)

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True to Maddie's words, we immediately set out for the kingdom of Amaranth upon waking up.

Our journey, compared to the one before to Fen, was relatively safe. It took us from the Holy Palatial Gardens' territory, past the lands owned by the Duke of Savoy (an independent duchy which also has jurisdiction over the town of Arles), and into the borders of the Kingdom of Amaranth itself.

Contrary to our previous arrangement, Maddie and Lily were with Eris and Jessica in the Saint's personal carriage to monitor those two. The Beastman Saint, Ruro, decided that she had 'something to do back in her land', and left Holy Palatial Gardens just as we left.

Not wishing to invade their privacy, I took another carriage—a smaller, simpler one. The saint insisted I ride with them, but I refused. I believed I would even be fine in the baggage cart; however, Maddie won't allow it, so she arranged for my carriage.

Well, I also would like to be efficient with things, so I asked that they put their baggage in my carriage to minimize our convoy's size.

The entire travel cost us five 'long sleeps', with Maddie passing by the town of Arles to check on the hourglass she ordered. By the way, just an update, the glassmaker was prioritizing it but said it would still take time. Lily had specified that the hourglass was made human-sized so that anyone could see it, and the master glassmaker proposed that golden sand was used.

And finding golden sand would take a while. So, we left Arles fairly contented with the progress for the creation of the time-reckoning device.

"Your Holiness, the city of Devyere lies ahead." the Marquise of Monfort reported to Maddie as we approached past the border of Savoy and Amaranth, "Shall I send an advance party to welcome your presence?"

"Ah, please do." it was Lily who answered, "We don't want to delay with all the people blocking the road just to see us."

The Marquise then selected a group of four paladins as our advance party. However, it didn't take long for them to return.

The Marquise of Monfort stopped the entire convoy upon seeing them going back.

"What seems to be the problem, Lady Heath? You forgot something?"

"Nothing of the sort, Lady Monfort!" the other paladin replied, "But we met this group coming towards our direction, from the city of Devyere. They claim they are from the city of Amaranth and are on their way to meet and welcome us."

"Oh?" the Marquise looked behind Lady Heath and saw a long yellow banner with a red silhouette of a giant on it. Beside it, flew another banner with a green gryphon imposed on a blue background and trimmed with gold, "That yellow one is the banner of the Margrave of Nocturna, the minister of the right of Amaranth, and the blue banner is for the Ban of Kistral!"

"If I remember, those two nobles are eternal rivals, right?" Lady Heath asked, "Why are they now marching together?"

"I don't know. But we'd rather tell Her Holiness about this." the Marquise of Monfort then sped towards our carriage to do her report.

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By the time the advance party and the other groups arrived, we already alighted our carriages because we're wondering the cause of our delay. Upon learning of the 'strange event', Maddie herself went forward to greet the two parties personally, followed by Lily, Jessica, and Eris.

"Ah!" the head of the House of Nocturna quickly got off from his horse once he saw Her Holiness appear. He bowed, almost kowtowing, on the ground to show his reverence for Maddie, "It has been a while, Your Holiness! As a representative to His Majesty, William, and his son, Crown Prince David, I welcome you—as well as Her Holiness' companions and Her Royal Highness (he's referring to Jessica) to our kingdom."

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