The association's staff said they had been expecting their arrival, as it seems Grandmaster Kiren was kind enough to inform them beforehand. When the staff told Ivy and Arthur the earlier events when the first group returned, they were relieved that the grandmaster had held them back.
Shortly after the contestants returned with their supervising runes masters, still shocked at the events, a military emergency has been issued. The Ilios Empire attacked the south-eastern border of the Yalveran Union, in sync with the approach of the Iron Dome.
The royal family has already been informed, and the Council was having a meeting at the moment to determine the next course of action. All military personal and awakeners of the rei-rank and above were called to duty.
Not all awakeners worked for the government, but they still had the duty to lend their power when the need arises. As Arthur remembers, there was a law that the government could summon the awakeners if a dungeon break or an attack by another nation happened.
As the staff explained, Arthur and Ivy were led through the association to a different hall. The vice-president of the Yalen association was waiting for them there.
"Greetings, Arthur," The president was courteous toward him. "I'm very proud of your achievements in the Runes Apprentices Cup, although it saddens me that it ended in such a way."
"I feel the same, sir."
"I'm sorry, I don't recognize your friend?" The vice-president turned toward Ivy. She introduced herself as Arthur's friend who had gone to cheer for him. The vice-president said some pleasantries and praised Arthur a bit.
"We have been asked to support you if there is anything you need." He said in the end.
It was then that Arthur realized that the closest people to his ability were the association, not anyone else. It was the gathering of all runes' masters except for those who secluded themselves. By extension, they should be the one to value his abilities more.
However, he would never allow himself to foolishly reveal too much. He can be a genius, but not an abnormal genius who can create genuine artifacts. Until he gets stronger, he would let them treat him as valuable. After that, even the association would choose to follow him willingly.
"Thank you, vice-president. For now, I simply wish to leave since I have some matters to attend to."
"That won't be possible, I'm afraid." The vice-president shook his head. Seeing Arthur frown instantly, he began to explain. "His majesty has requested to meet you as soon as you're back. The royal guards are already waiting in front of the association as we speak."
'Well, shit.'
Arthur rubbed his temples as he realized that it was clear they wouldn't allow him to walk away even though he was the person who knows the most about the current situation. He glanced at Ivy who chose to remain silent throughout the exchange.
"It's alright, they can't do anything to you." Ivy shrugged and Arthur knew she was right.
Doing anything against him would not only cause their prestige to fall among other nations, who would harm their already ruined image but would also turn the people against them. After all, he was the person who had stepped up to stop the calamity. If he was punished simply because the traitor was a prince, then there would surely be public outrage.
In the end, Arthur agreed to be escorted by the royal guards to the palace. Ivy didn't come with him as she, privately, told him that she would meet with Si for now. As for Arthur's situation, they would send some help.
Arthur had no choice but to believe in them for now. Luckily, the people who had seen him end the trial weren't ones from Yalen, as far as he knew. For now, he was safe and he also had an extra layer of protection of the jade the grandmaster has given him.
The royal guards, led by a captain who was a tall man in his thirties, were standing in front of the association not daring to venture inside. They all wore platinum white armor with the Yalen Royal family's crest on it. As if he had recognized Arthur, the captain stepped forward.
"Arthur Silvera, you have been summoned by his majesty to the royal palace. Please allow us to escort you."
'Well, they didn't say arrest.' Arthur nodded his head without saying anything and followed the group after bidding the vice-president, who had seen him out of the association, farewell. A guard opened the black SUV's door for Arthur and he boarded the car.
The drive to the palace was not long, as it wasn't that far from the association itself. A grand and majestic building it was, Arthur thought as he saw it getting closer.
Three high towers surrounded the main palace, but they weren't that much higher as the palace itself was shockingly grand. Its white and golden shingles glistered beautifully in the sunlight as statues of ancient gods served to give it a grandiose vibe. Lavish gardens could be seen from afar as several arbors beautifully filled them.
The SUVs, three of them exactly, stopped in front of the gate where some guards inspected the car and asked for documents. They were let inside but not from the front gate of the palace. They took a road that went around the palace and stopped in front of a smaller and more convenient entrance.
A butler was waiting for them and he bowed when Arthur and the captain walked to him. After asking them to follow him, the captain and Arthur left the rest of the guards and made their way through the palace.
The thing that grabbed Arthur's attention was the frescos on the walls of every corridor and hall they went through. Paintings of ancient monsters, beautiful maidens, and ancient trees made the whole place look magical.
Arthur was asked to wait in a room where even the wainscotings were adorned with golden engravings. As he sat there waiting for whatever that would happen, he felt a slight disgust at how much they have taken time to make the palace look luxurious.
The door opened and Arthur stood up thinking it was time for the butler to take him to meet the king. However, someone else has entered the room with who Arthur was familiar.
"Princess Nera." Arthur felt she was like a ghost that would appear to him every time he went somewhere. She still wore the same clothing he had seen her in earlier, as did Arthur himself. There was no time to change, after all.
The princess, with her short height, walked over and stood in front of him. There was a mix of sadness, disappointment, and other unknown emotions on her face. After all, her brother has just betrayed the kingdom. When Arthur thought of this, he noticed her eyes were a bit red.
'Was she crying?' Arthur expected her to shout at him or interrogate him, but she did nothing of that sort. Instead, she bowed her head deeply to him.
"I'm sorry for what I did." She said with her head facing downward. "I didn't know your reasons, yet I interfered more than once foolishly. I just never thought," She slightly paused and Arthur waited for her. "That there would be traitors in our kingdom."
"Please lift your head, princess." Arthur sighed. Her thinking was naïve, but he was the same a while ago. He had a blind faith that people were good by default, but he learned otherwise the hard way. "It's in the past. We need to focus on the present."
The princess lifted her head and thanked him; her eyes again blurry as if she would cry. She excused herself and Arthur was left alone again until the butler came in, saying the king was ready to meet him.
His hands were slightly sweaty, as this was the first time that he would meet someone of such a high position. The king of a nation, how many ways would he have to get rid of Arthur?
'Calm down, you can always run away. Furthermore, he wouldn't do anything of that sort. You did well.'
Arthur calmed himself down as the butler opened a double door leading to a grand hall. It was almost fifty meters in length and almost thirty in width, with a single raised platform where a throne sat there prominently.
The throne and the entrance were connected by a red carpet that divided the hall in half. Each half had three tables where many people sat, a few feet apart from each other.
"Arthur Silvera is here, your majesty." The butler declared as he stood on the side of the double door and dared not enter, a subtle message for Arthur to walk alone. The hall turned quiet as all eyes were focused on him.
Taking a deep breath, Arthur walked inside under the gazes of the most powerful people in the kingdom.