"But there's one thing I do know," Moonrithyll suddenly said with a grin.
"What?" Nolan asked.
"That crazy woman Marika is still just as annoying as ever!"
Moonrithyll grumbled indignantly as she clapped him hard on the shoulder.
"Won't you get beaten up for saying that in Marika's city?" Nolan asked with a laugh.
Moonrithyll shrugged without a care, the corner of her mouth lifting into a faintly provocative smile.
"Sure, saying this on someone else's turf is a little improper, but so what? Our strength is right there for everyone to see. Our fists are much harder than theirs."
Nolan nodded. No wonder the knights and soldiers in the city were grinding their teeth. This woman really was asking for a beating right now.
And fists really were the best reason. The Hornsents had bigger fists, so they could trample the Numen however they pleased.
Nolan's fists were bigger still, so he could put his own will into action and slaughter them.
"Don't pay too much attention to other people's stares." Moonrithyll reached out and patted his shoulder again. "I just don't like that woman. I'll say it openly, and I don't need to hide it."
"If my teacher were here, the two of you would have plenty to talk about," Nolan said with a nod.
"Oh? And who might your teacher be?" Moonrithyll immediately grew interested, curiosity flashing in her eyes as she pressed him.
"The Witch Sellen. You should know her teachers, Master Lusat and Master Azur." Nolan cupped his hands.
"So those rigid research scholars. No thanks, I can't get along with them." Moonrithyll waved a hand.
"Still, it really is unexpected. The young Lord is actually cut out for research."
Moonrithyll's gaze drifted toward Nolan beside her, a faint smile playing at her lips.
"I feel like you're mocking me." Nolan frowned slightly and shot her an unhappy glance.
"What are you saying? How could a knight possibly mock her lord? Though there may be two moons in the sky, my loyalty to the royal family and the Lord Consort is witnessed by the sun and moon."
Moonrithyll said it with absolute confidence, but her tone was so casual that it sounded as if such oaths were already second nature to her.
"Hmm... Why do I feel like what you just said sounded a little familiar?"
As Nolan dismounted, he reached up and scratched his hair, a puzzled look on his face.
Trina, lying against his back, glanced sideways at him with a hint of reproach in her eyes.
The moment Nolan entered the inner city, the flickering torchlight on the walls pierced the darkness and fell across his face. The flame was small, but bright enough.
"Need some Starlight? Or should we just do what you did in Bonny Village and blow this place sky-high with that Sun Punch thing of yours?"
Moonrithyll poked her head out and looked around, as if checking whether someone was hiding nearby. Then the corner of her mouth lifted into a sly smile.
"It's Sunlight... Forget it. I'm here as a guest, not to demolish the place."
Nolan could not help rolling his eyes. His offhand remark made Moonrithyll burst into cheerful laughter.
"Ah, we're finally in. Let me see where that big brother is..."
Trina also poked her head out and stole a glance at their surroundings. "What a huge reception... They're all knights."
"Not only that," Nolan added with a faint smile. "There are champions and Demigods too."
Moonrithyll's gaze suddenly fixed on a red figure atop a distant tower. Her expression instantly grew serious, and she murmured softly,
"Even Messmer has come out. Compared with however many knights they brought, this Demigod's arrival carries far more weight. Looks like that fellow really does value you this time."
"A Demigod personally coming to welcome him. That is the dignity befitting a Lord," Trina said supportively, feeling even prouder of her own discerning eye in choosing a Lord back then.
"To be precise, he's here to welcome 'Marika.' This display is meant for Marika to see, not for us."
Nolan nodded slightly from where he stood, feeling that he had seen through the situation clearly enough.
His experiences over the years had taught him that respect and awe were never things easily obtained. A so-called divine mandate was never something one could claim with words alone.
Nolan quietly observed everyone inside the castle. At the end of the long line of knights, the Kindling Demigod was likewise silently examining their group of honored guests.
At the other end of the red carpet, Messmer, dressed in crimson robes, gazed calmly at the man. From the moment the firelight illuminated that breathtaking face, he had probably already lowered his guard.
The dancing firelight was like a miraculous brush, tinting the man's originally blue-green pupils with a warm, gentle hue.
And as their gazes met, Messmer seemed to see a trace of loving kindness in those clear eyes.
How should one describe it? It was a strange feeling, as though he had spotted his long-lost father at a single glance in the middle of a vast crowd.
Yet he had clearly never even met the man who had given him life and passed down his bloodline.
Strange...
Messmer nodded slightly and spoke in a steady voice carrying a hint of authority.
"Lady Rellana, please go and welcome our honored guest."
"Someone's coming," Nolan said softly.
Moonrithyll, who had still been chatting happily with everyone a moment earlier, suddenly fell silent and stopped speaking.
Everyone turned their eyes forward at once. A female knight in magnificent armor was walking slowly toward them with elegant steps.
Her valiant bearing was like a blade.
As the female knight drew closer, the crowd seemed to be cut open by some invisible force, instinctively retreating to both sides and leaving her a wide, straight path.
The soldiers on either side also bowed respectfully, banners raised high and fluttering together.
"So this is Princess Rellana?" Nolan asked quietly, looking curiously at the approaching female knight.
"That's right. That's my hard-to-serve mistress. She isn't easy to get along with, so give her some leeway later," Moonrithyll whispered.
"Don't worry. I'm very good at getting along with elders," Nolan said confidently, patting his chest. Old Man Gwyn had the most authority to speak on that.
"Haha, as expected of my good brother. Once you're done with the serious business, I'll definitely treat you to a few drinks!"
Moonrithyll secretly gave him a thumbs-up.
"Excuse me, are you Lord Nolan Bethel?"
The Twin Moon Knight looked at the "handsome young man" mentioned in Moonrithyll's letter and asked.
Hearing her question, Nolan nodded slightly. "That's me. You must be Lady Rellana, then?"
***
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