"Mama, I finally see it!"
"Meeeeeh!"
William and Ella were currently on the mountainside admiring the capital city of the Hellan Kingdom, Gladiolus.
The high city walls made William remember the cities in the fantasy movies that he had watched back on Earth. Gladiolus looked like an impenetrable fortress that could easily endure a siege from a Beast Tide.
The sword and shield emblem of the Royal Family were emblazoned on the flags on the city ramparts fluttered in the breeze. It was as if they were welcoming William's arrival and urging him to enter the city gates as soon as possible.
"Let's go, Mama," William patted Ella's neck. "Let's go visit Est first before we enroll at the Royal Academy."
"Meeeeh."
Est had sent him a letter four months ago, asking if he was going to enter the Royal Academy this year. After getting William's positive reply, Est immediately made preparations to welcome him at the capital.
The young boy gave William the address of their manor and told him to drop by as soon as he arrived in the city.
There were still a few days before the start of the enrollment, so William was not in a hurry to visit the academy. He had exchanged plenty of letters with Est, Ian, and Isaac over the past four years and their relationship had deepened since then.
When William and Ella finally reached the gate, they noticed that they needed to fall in line to participate in an inspection. According to procedure, William should have also lined up along with the others, but Est explicitly told him to go to the special entrance that was allocated for noble families.
Est had given him a special insignia that would allow him to pass through the special gate without getting inspected.
William led Ella to the gate located near the main entrance of the city. The guards manning the entrance looked at William with interest.
When the boy was just a few meters from entering the gate, a chubby guardsman blocked his way.
"Boy, is this your first time visiting the capital?" A chubby guardsman asked with a smile. He had already dealt with countless people trying to enter the gates meant for nobles in order to find a faster way to enter the city.
"Yes, Mr. Guard." William nodded his head. "This is my first time visiting the capital. It looks so majestic from afar and I'm looking forward to seeing what is inside the city."
The chubby guard appraised the young boy who was seated on top of an Angorian goat. The red-headed boy was wearing decent clothes, which didn't make him look like a peasant. Even the traveling cloak he was wearing didn't look too shabby.
Because of this, the chubby guard decided to ask questions first before telling William to line up at the main entrance to enter the city.
"This gate is only meant for the nobles of the Kingdom," the chubby man said in a clear and crisp manner. "Do you have any form of identification?"
William smiled and raised the insignia that was given to him by Est. When the chubby guard and the rest of his comrades saw the insignia, all of them stood straight and looked at William in a different light.
"Um, can I now pass?" William asked.
"Y-Yes," the chubby guard stuttered as he stepped aside to allow William to go through.
"Thank you, Mr. Guard."
"No need to thank me. I'm just doing my duty, Sir."
William nodded. He was still doubting whether or not the insignia that Est had given him had actually worked. Fortunately, it was the real deal and he was able to enter the gate without any problems.
"Wow." William stared wide-eyed at the medieval city in front of him. The cobblestone streets, and the buildings made William's heart beat wildly inside his chest. For some reason, he could hear the "background music" of a big battle that was about to take place inside his head.
Several people noticed William's starry-eyed gaze and immediately labeled him as a country bumpkin. There were also others who looked at him with amused expressions. They found it funny that a little boy was riding on top of a goat.
Although it was not unheard of, it was still their first time in seeing such a scene in the city of Gladiolus
"Meeeeeh!"
"Sorry, Mama. I got carried away."
"Meeeh."
Ella broke William out of his daze because she could sense that the people were looking at her baby with amusement and ridicule. If William hadn't told her to behave before entering the city, she might have already charged at those people and kicked their faces.
After William regained his composure, he decided to ask around in order to find Est's Manor in the city. Surprisingly, none of the people he had asked knew the location of Lilac Lane. Since that was the case, William decided to ask a patrolling guard he saw in the distance.
At first the patrol guards snubbed him, but William came prepared. He took out the insignia from his storage ring and showed it to the Guard Captain. Just like what had happened at the gates of the city, the patrol guards suddenly had a 180 degree change in the way they treated William.
"Lilac Lane?" the Guard Captain whom William asked pondered. "The name sounds familiar, but I can't remember where it is."
"Captain, isn't that lane located in the second level of the city?" the Guard Captain's companion commented. "I've been tasked to patrol that area a few times in the past, so I'm very sure that Lilac Lane is found on the second level of Gladiolus."
"Then, can you please tell me how to get to the second level?" William pleaded. "I am visiting a friend and his residence is located on Lilac Lane."
"It can't be helped." The Guard Captain nodded. "Since you are familiar with the place, take this boy to the checkpoint of the second level. Make sure to return after accomplishing your duty."
"Yes, Captain." The patrol guard smirked at William, "Let's go, boy. It's not everyday I escort a shepherd in Gladiolus."
"Thank you, everyone." William bowed.
"It's nothing. We're just doing our duties," the Guard Captain replied with a smile. "If you encounter any other difficulties, feel free to find me. My name is Eren."
"Thank you, Sir Eren." William nodded his head and bid them goodbye.
When William was finally out of earshot, Eren breathed a sigh of relief. He was surprised that a little kid was carrying the insignia of the Knight Order of Gladiolus.
The Knight Order had the highest authority in the city. Only people who had outstanding skills and talent could enter its ranks. Not even nobles could use their money and influence to send their family members to become a part of the Knight Order.
Of course, there are also exceptions. Those who performed meritorious service for the Kingdom could also join their ranks, with the King's permission.
Each Knight that belonged to the order was treated like a celebrity in Gladiolus. It was the position that every citizen in the Hellan Kingdom strived to reach.
'Just how did that boy gain that insignia?' Eren thought. 'Did he steal it?'
Eren immediately rejected this idea because it was impossible to do so. After all, the members of the Knight Order were insanely strong. Each of them were capable of dealing with "S-Level" threats on their own.
That only left one other possibility. The young boy had to have done something well, since no one in the Knight Order would be foolish enough to give their insignia to just anyone.