Arrival (2)

"We are finally there," Alex said with exaggerated relief, as though the journey had been the most arduous challenge of his life.

They were about a kilometer away from Drisidd, and the carriage was swiftly closing the distance to the city gates.

"Stop exaggerating," Amelia responded with a chuckle, her voice tinged with amusement. "Though the journey lasted longer than expected, it was still enjoyable."

"True," Alex nodded, a smirk playing on his lips. "But let's be honest, it was mostly because you were there. If I had been stuck with just this brat," he gestured toward Maya with a playful glance, "it would've been unbearable."

The "brat" in question, Maya, merely snorted in response, too exhausted to muster a proper retort.

"Serves you right," Amelia addressed the young woman in a scolding tone. "Next time you want to spar match after match, remember the exhaustion you're feeling now."

Maya snorted again, but didn't argue. Amelia was right. If she had stopped after winning her second spar, she wouldn't be feeling this drained. But back then, adrenaline had driven her, pushing her to seek another challenge.

This last opponent had proven to be much more difficult than the other two, largely because he was a man, and thus physically stronger. His attacks were heavier, his defense sturdier, and he fought with a resilience that made Maya work twice as hard to keep up.

In the end, Maya still managed to secure a victory, but she didn't walk away unscathed. She had sustained a few broken ribs and a deep bruise on her left side. Despite the pain she had to endurein that moment, she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment now. It wasn't a meaningless fight—she knew that much. Without even needing Alex to say a word, Maya could feel it in her bones: she had improved in skills.

Amelia noticed Alex poking his head out of the carriage, a slight frown on his face. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.

"There's a line... in front of us," Alex replied, perplexed. "We're still a kilometer from the city, yet the queue stretches all the way out here?"

He gestured ahead, revealing a long line of carriages and travelers, all waiting to enter the city of Drisidd.

"Wait two more days when the auction starts, and you'll see that the length of the queue will probably double or even triple," Maya said, finally straightening herself and stretching her sore muscles.

Hearing this, Alex had to once again appreciate the sheer influence of the Drazen family auction. Being able to gather such a vast crowd for an auction alone was no easy feat. The reputation and allure of the Drazen family was stronger than he had first thought.

"Fortunately, we have the heiress with us, so there's no need to wait in line," Alex grinned as his two smoke-carriages smoothly bypassed the other carriages waiting their turn to enter the city. They moved with an unnatural speed, overtaking the long queue of carriages, which stretched as far as the eye could see.

This bold action was met with disgruntled looks and muttering from the other carriage owners. However, none of them dared to stop or challenge Alex's group. After all, they knew that only nobles had the arrogance and power to blatantly cut the line without fear of repercussions.

Just as they were nearing the city's gate, a guard in full steel armor stepped in front of them, his hand raised to stop their advance.

"Halt!" the guard bellowed, his voice loud and commanding. "Return to the back of the line and wait your turn like everyone else."

Alex barely spared the guard a glance before leaning back into the carriage. "Hey, kiddo, that's your cue," he said nonchalantly.

Maya grumbled a little but quickly composed herself. Straightening her back and brushing down her clothes to appear like the neat and proper noblewoman she was, she retrieved her glasses from her space ring.

"After not wearing them for so long, it feels strange to have them on again," Maya commented, adjusting the glasses on her nose.

It was well known that the heiress of the Drazen family had poor eyesight and typically wore glasses. Maya was forced to wear them again to ensure her identity was unmistakable, as they were a signature part of her appearance.

"If you were more famous, you wouldn't need to wear them to assert who you are," Alex teased with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," Maya waved dismissively, stepping out of the carriage, with Alex and Amelia following a second later.

The instant the guard caught sight of Maya's striking orange hair and vibrant eyes, his expression shifted. He immediately understood that she was a member of the Drazen family, though he didn't recognize her specifically.

"My lady," the guard saluted with a slight bow, his voice now respectful and cautious.

Maya gave a curt nod, wasting no time. "Let us pass through the city gates, my followers included," she ordered firmly, her tone carrying the authority expected of her status.

"Not that I doubt your word, my lady," the guard began hesitantly, "but I'll need some form of identification to verify before letting you proceed."

Maya's brow furrowed slightly, but she complied without protest. Digging into her spatial ring, she retrieved a white letter adorned with intricate golden engravings and the emblem of the Drazen family—a blazing phoenix.

The moment the guard's eyes landed on the letter's golden details, his heart skipped a beat. Without even reading it's content, the letter alone confirmed that she was indeed from the main branch of the Drazen family and not just any member.

Normally, this would have been more than enough to grant her entry without hesitation, but ever since the mysterious disappearance of the family's heiress, security had been tightened tenfold.

Thus, one could imagine the shock the guard felt when he realized that the young woman standing before him was actually the kidnapped heiress of the Drazen family. His mind raced with the implications of this discovery, but his body acted faster than his thoughts.

"My lady!" the guard shouted, his voice filled with urgency, as he immediately bowed again before Maya, this time going even deeper, nearly dropping to his knees. "I deeply apologize for not having recognized you sooner!"

If before a few curious glances had fallen on them when the guard stepped forward to stop their carriages, now, after the guard's loud outburst, all eyes were firmly fixed on their group. The entire area seemed to shift its focus, and the once quiet buzz of the crowd was replaced by a wave of hushed murmurs.

Not far off, an old man with long white hair and a full beard, clad in a full suit of armor, had been lounging lazily on a chair, overseeing the guards. His attention piqued by the commotion, he stood up and approached them. Upon hearing the guard's words and seeing Maya's distinctive features, he immediately knew she was someone of great importance. The moment he stood in front of her, he bowed deeply, his voice deferential.

"My lady, is there a problem here?" the old guard inquired, his tone humble.

"No, I don't think so," Maya replied calmly, shaking her head.

The old guard sighed in visible relief, taking the letter from the other guard. His eyes scanned its contents quickly, and a wave of surprise washed over him as he realized that the young woman before him was none other than the long-missing Drazen heiress. However, his astonished expression was quickly replaced with one of professional seriousness.

"I do not wish to sound disrespectful, my lady," he began cautiously, "but given the circumstances, could you provide additional proof that you are indeed the Drazen heiress?"

"What? She is the heiress of the Drazen family?!" someone in the crowd exclaimed, disbelief coloring their voice.

"I thought she had been kidnapped?" another one added, their tone laced with confusion.

"Yeah, that's what I heard too, but..." murmurs and gossip quickly broke out among the onlookers, their curiosity piqued as they observed the unfolding events.

Despite the growing chatter around them, Alex and his group paid no mind to the onlookers.

"You want me to prove my identity despite handing you my letter of nobility?" Maya asked, her voice dangerously low, her expression dark.

She wasn't the only one with such an expression. Alex, Amelia, and even Daisy, who was just stepping down from the other carriage, wore frowns on their faces.

The letter Maya had presented was a Letter of Nobility, as she had called it. Despite its name, not all nobles possessed this document. Only the current holder of a noble title and their direct heir were eligible to receive it. This letter was issued by the Emperor himself and was impossible to forge.

Demanding further proof after being presented with a Letter of Nobility was beyond foolish, and in some cases, punishable by law.

"I'm sorry, Lady Maya," the old guard began cautiously, "but according to our sources, the heiress was kidnapped. The Letter of Nobility could have been taken forcibly—"

"Are you calling me an impostor?" Maya interrupted, her tone calm, but her eyes burned with such intensity that it sent a cold shiver down the guard's spine.

"N-No, th-that's not it, my lady. It's just that we've been given strict orders. We can't afford to make any mistakes," the old guard stammered, his composure crumbling. "If you could just summon someone who could testify that you are indeed...you, that would be—"

"Someone like my mother?" Maya's voice was ice, daring the guard to answer.

The guard stayed silent, but the look on his face made it clear that this was exactly what he had in mind.

'This old man is nuts,' Alex chuckled inwardly. Stopping the heiress of the Drazen family after she had quite literally proved her identity by handing over her letter of nobility demanded something more than stupidity. 'It's either that, or he's trying to buy time,' he thought, a frown appearing on his face.

"Sure, you can contact her," Maya replied coolly, but her eyes widened a moment later as realization hit her. 'Today is the first day of the new month... Mother will be unreachable,' she thought grimly.

If Alex had known what was going through her mind at that moment, he might have been even more convinced that the guard's actions weren't just out of protocol.

Before the old guard could suggest that contacting the matriarch would take time, a feminine voice, as elegant as it was commanding, echoed from behind him.

"I can attest that she is indeed Maya."

The guard's eyes widened, and he spun around to see a woman with the same striking orange hair and eyes as Maya. She wore a regal gown, her every step exuding grace and poise. There was an undeniable dignity about her, a presence that commanded attention and respect without a word.

The instant the guard recognized her, he dropped to his knees in reverence. "Welcome, my lady," he said, his voice filled with respect.

'Maya's mom?' Alex thought as he studied the woman.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea when the woman stepped forward and made to hug Maya.

But Maya swiftly sidestepped her, glaring at the woman with cold disdain. "Don't touch me," she uttered icily, her voice brimming with venom.