Chapter Forty-One: The Black Castle

Mulan had not spent much time in the royal palace. After the brief ceremony of investiture, he was swiftly escorted out, and of course, the Wheel of Light was returned to him as well.

On the way out, led by the chamberlain, Mulan pondered whether the ceremony had been a bit too simple. But then he reminded himself—it was merely the conferral of a knight’s title, without office, authority, or power. Surely the queen would not convene a grand assembly of witnesses for such a modest honor.

“Sir Jonst, upon learning you belonged to one of the Thirteen Great Houses of the empire, Her Majesty has held you in high esteem. Surely your martial fortunes will flourish!”

“Thank you for your blessing,” Mulan replied, expressing his gratitude and bidding farewell. He already spotted the carriage that had brought him, and, as expected, Owen and the others were waiting outside.

Within the palace, Nishelriel remained seated in the hall where she had met Mulan, lost in thought over the recent events.

“What do you make of Sir Jonst?” she asked.

“He seems a spirited young man,” one advisor mused. “But times have changed—there are so many new influences now. Even among the Thirteen Swords of the empire, few strictly uphold their ancestral vows. Your Majesty, perhaps you need not grant him such high honors.”

The queen turned to another advisor, who had remained silent. This man, with a fringe longer than most women’s, possessed not only extraordinary strength but was also a master swordsman.

“It’s his gaze,” the advisor said, meeting Nishelriel’s eyes.

“In his gaze, there was respect for you, Your Majesty, and genuine emotion when you bestowed honor upon him. Judging by his deeds, I believe he is deeply responsible. Yet, before the current queen, that is all he revealed.”

“You mean he isn’t loyal?” the other advisor asked directly, and Nishelriel stayed silent.

“No, that’s not it. Brave, just, self-sacrificing, honorable… Sir Jonst is undoubtedly outstanding, and certainly not a villain. When he looked at Your Majesty, it was brief—not the adoration of a lowly subject gazing up at royalty, but rather a calm, unoffending scrutiny.”

Had Mulan known he was being discussed in such detail, he would surely have been astonished at their insight.

Nishelriel finally spoke. “Perhaps Sir Jonst wishes to know whether, as a newly crowned queen, I am merely a girl thrust onto the throne in tears, or if I possess the courage and resolve to become a true monarch.”

“Time will prove everything, Your Majesty.”

...

Yet Mulan did not dwell as deeply as those in the palace. Once outside, he relaxed considerably. Seeing Mulan’s ease, Owen laughed and said, “Her Majesty the Queen is quite captivating, isn’t she?”

Mulan only smiled, saying nothing. Owen gazed out the carriage window at the receding palace. “Don’t underestimate our new queen. Compared to the aged King Charles, Nishelriel is extraordinary. Otherwise, the throne would have gone to one of the princes. In this respect, the old king wasn’t entirely foolish before his death.”

“Hey, Owen, that sounds a bit treasonous, doesn’t it?” Dolly interjected, prompting Owen to quickly apologize. “Sorry, I spoke out of turn. I’m just confident in you all.”

“Let’s hurry on to our true destination,” Mulan added with a smile, leaning against the window and observing the capital’s architecture. Though Valentine was a major city of the empire, it could not compare to the capital in richness or scale; even the landmark buildings here soared much higher.

A distant rumbling grew louder, and soon Mulan saw a strange machine emitting white steam. Its body was boxy, like an elongated carriage, but with multiple wheels and a chimney atop billowing steam.

“Toot—”

A steam whistle sounded as the vehicle entered another gateway. Its pace was slow, yet Mulan was deeply impressed—and so were Dolly and the two youths.

“That’s the city steam locomotive. It stops at fixed zones to pick up passengers, making travel convenient.”

“But it has no tracks!”

“There are tracks, just embedded in the road—you didn’t notice.”

Steam-powered streetcars were no surprise in the capital. Still, Mulan had seen Bach’s steam tank, which was even more astounding.

After traversing a significant portion of Digo City, their carriage finally arrived at a cluster of Gothic-style buildings. This area felt subdued compared to the rest of Digo, even somewhat eerie. Owen was first to alight, introducing the place with a cheerful grin.

“Welcome to the Black Castle, also known as the Imperial Court’s Department of Magic.”

As if responding to Owen’s words, the air was suddenly filled with the flapping of wings and shrill cries.

“Aaah—aaah—aaah—”

A flock of ravens took to the sky, some flying to other parts of the city, others circling above, and some settling on various buildings.

Mulan glanced back—the coachman had wasted no time in departing once they disembarked. Understandable. Even the two youths instinctively huddled behind Dolly and Mulan.

“A minor episode—we love small animals, so the ravens adore this place,” Owen said with a smile, leading them forward. Around them was a deathly silence, as if the vast complex held only the five of them. Yet the closer Mulan came to the nearest building, the stronger the sensation of being watched.

Gradually, Mulan noticed strange figures lurking in the shadows—some fully human, others with tails and claws. Most looked uncanny and pale, some standing motionless, others pacing restlessly.

Suddenly aware, Mulan glanced up. Elsewhere in Digo, the skies were clear, but this whole district was shrouded in clouds.

“Don’t be afraid. They’re Lord Walton’s little toys, meant to deter intruders. Their only permitted action is to frighten people.”

“But their malice is real!” Dolly pointed out.

Owen nodded to her. “Very perceptive, Miss Dolly, but it means nothing to them.”

Fortunately, inside the entrance hall of the outermost building, things returned to normal—though Mulan suspected it was simply a stark contrast. At least he saw a few scattered people, all seemingly decent.

The Black Castle covered a wide area; besides large edifices, there were many small houses. Yet the population density was low, with plenty of vacant rooms. Owen explained that everyone was busy—some out on assignments, others focused on study and self-improvement.

Naturally, newcomers like Mulan and Dolly would receive some instruction, but this was no school; everyone was merely a colleague. Public materials could be shared, but private ones were not.

Mulan and Dolly were given special treatment, each allowed to choose a building for permanent ownership. Guy and Jenny were granted their own cottage.

Their residences were fully equipped, with gas lamps and every necessary facility. The Black Castle even had a dining hall and a communal bathhouse.

Nearby, just behind the Black Castle, lay a marketplace—not just selling fruits, vegetables, and cookware, but offering unusual shops and stalls with rare goods.

The Black Castle also had offices for handling government affairs, and, in theory, everyone had a workstation.

With this deeper understanding, Mulan’s impression of the Black Castle greatly improved. He no longer felt he had entered the lair of some sinister witch.