Bear School Astartes

Chapter 438: 438. Sintra’s Lioness

It’s hard to say if they were escorting prisoners or inviting guests. In any case, after stepping out of the domain of the Royal Mausoleum, many well-equipped soldiers surrounded them.

They gathered around the three Demon Hunters and led them toward the Royal Palace.

Lann’s expression was calm, which was not unusual. After all, there were only a dozen or twenty people altogether.

Kohen and Ged also appeared unfazed.

This wasn’t because they had ample confidence in themselves, but because they had experienced such situations many times.

When working for nobles, large merchants, or trade guilds, it’s inevitable to get tangled in some secret the employer wants to keep hidden.

In cases where the posted notices are ambiguous, such developments are all the more reasonable and common.

Based on past experience, Demon Hunters are brought before the employer after completing the task.

At this moment, the high-ranking gentleman or lady would often express their authority and anger.

Their threats, laden with great fury, would warn the Demon Hunters to keep their mouths shut and conduct themselves properly.

Generally, at this point, there would be one or several knives pressed against the Demon Hunter’s back to enhance the credibility of the employer’s words.

For any seasoned Demon Hunter traversing the continent and making a living, this process is common and nothing new.

However, unless the secret truly pertains to life and death, the employer rarely dares to really harm a Demon Hunter.

Who can tell if they won’t encounter monsters in the future?

Who knows what means are hidden beneath these Mutants’ cold exteriors?

Even for the sake of precious reputation and renown, Demon Hunters usually still get their rewards in such situations.

This court commission has already plastered numerous notices, causing quite a commotion.

And according to the complaints of Rogner, who has turned into a Demon Spirit, this matter isn’t that malicious.

Therefore, the likelihood of killing and silencing, in the eyes of Ged and Kohen, is quite low.

At least in terms of danger level—it’s far less threatening than confronting a group of Water Ghosts and Wicked Ghosts in the dark.

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The Demon Hunters turned their heads.

Beside the garden of the castle, the sounds of children playing echoed from a dried-up ditch. More than a dozen children shouted excitedly with young voices, piercing the eardrums with their cries. They ran up and down the ditch, resembling a school of fish gathering but constantly changing direction.

Kohen and Lann watched this scene nonchalantly, with a hint of relaxed leisure.

However, Ged’s brows furrowed slightly, as if these lively, active, and innocent children reminded him of something he wished not to recall.

Fortunately, the path wasn’t long because the Royal Mausoleum was built right beside the Royal Palace.

The three Demon Hunters, accompanied by twenty Full Armor Guards, arrived at the castle’s entrance.

In this era, any castle prioritized combat effectiveness, and the Royal Palace was no exception.

The gate first consisted of a gridlock gate made of thick steel bars interwoven, followed by two solid wooden doors that opened outward.

Such heavy defensive structures wouldn’t normally remain open at all times; regular entries and exits relied on a smaller door beside the main gate.

”Dodger! Open the gate!”

Upon reaching the entrance, the leader among the twenty guards lifted the visor of his helmet, looking up to shout at the gate.

From above the gate came the sound of hasty movements, followed by a soldier seemingly just finishing putting on his helmet, nervously peering down.

After scanning the surroundings and exchanging a glance with the leader, he let out a long sigh of relief, then appeared irritated.

”Divine! What the hell is wrong with you? The small gate isn’t closed, why are you shouting? I thought I’d forgotten some big event today!”

”We can’t use the small gate; there are twenty-three people here, we can’t go through one by one!”

The leader continued to shout upward.

His words almost made the soldier above the gate laugh.

”Ha? Twenty-three people? From the way you said it, I thought it was twenty-three Knights!”

After laughing, he immediately shouted obscenities.

”This morning, peasants delivering vegetables and meat lined up outside the castle for two miles, have you seen me opening the main gate for them? Do you know how much effort it requires to open this gate? Are you out of your mind, wanting to rush in all at once?”

Faced with the shouting from above the gate, the leader persisted.

”Dodger, I said: Open the gate! We cannot enter one by one! Don’t worry about why!”

While speaking, the leader discreetly glanced at the three Demon Hunters.

”This is an order from Marshal Visegrad! I’m giving you a friendly reminder; don’t make me get the command letter! You wouldn’t want to see it!”

”Wh...” The soldier above the gate heard the name of the Marshal, instinctively adjusted the misaligned helmet on his head, and looked down in shock.

Immediately, he began beckoning to those behind him.

”Understood! Open the gate!”

The heavy gate slowly opened, and the leading soldier pulled down the visor of his helmet again, nodding to the three Demon Hunters to follow.

Inside the castle, there was a small hill, covered with fine grass and flowers, vegetation.

The soldiers were moving toward that small hill.

At this time, the sun had already tilted towards the west, and under the dim yellow sunlight, the vegetation of the entire little hill glowed warmly.

A large tree was unexpectedly growing in the grass, and a wooden bench was chained to its branches, turning into a swing.

A woman was sitting on the swing, and the Palace Steward responsible for issuing tasks was already standing in front of the soldiers and Demon Hunters.

Hacksaw retained his meticulously dressed appearance, with every beard and hair styled neatly, enveloped in a strong scent of perfume.

He carefully glanced back at the small hill behind him, then hurriedly approached the leader of the soldiers.

Lowering his voice to inquire, ”Why are you so slow? You’re more than ten minutes late! No one can make...”

Before the Palace Steward could finish questioning, the leading soldier responded with unease.

”We went through the main gate; the Marshal wouldn’t let us elongate the lineup when walking with them... The Marshal says Demon Hunters are very formidable, especially the white-haired ones, he saw it himself.”

”I saw it myself too!” Hacksaw retorted defensively, silencing the leader.

”No matter how you say it, you’re late! No one in Sintra can make the Queen wait! They’re just three Demon Hunters only; look at you...”

”’Three Demon Hunters’? ’Only’? Hacksaw, when did you become so brave?”

The female voice coming from behind the Palace Steward instantly made him tense up, and the soldiers also snapped to attention.

”Your Majesty!”

The Palace Steward smoothly turned and lowered his head deeply, half-knelt in greeting.

And the owner of the voice walked past the half-kneeling Hacksaw and the erect soldiers without hesitation, heading towards the Demon Hunters who stood quietly from the start.

”Do you know who is included in ’only’ in your mouth? My dear Hacksaw, the old fool with a brain the size of a walnut?”

The woman’s voice was suggestive and inexplicable.

Just three Demon Hunters.

Hacksaw naturally thought in his head.

But he wasn’t silly.

”No, I don’t know, Your Majesty.”

He cautiously and humbly replied.

”Indeed, you don’t know, Visegrad doesn’t know either, which is why he dares to send only twenty youngsters to bring them to the Royal Palace...”

At this point, the woman’s voice—[Sintra’s Lioness]—seemed as though she heard a mildly amusing joke, chuckled lightly.

”To bring this renowned Demon Hunter, to bring [Hunting Marquis] to my palace!”