On the vast front courtyard of the palace, the scorching morning sun began to sting, yet not a single soul moved from their spot. King Nalvon and his guards stood restlessly, their eyes fixed on the massive structure before them. Impatience filled the King's heart; he awaited the result of Kazien's work with an enthusiasm he rarely displayed.
However, all they could see was a sturdy, towering, and frigid wall of ice. The wall tightly sealed off all activity within, as if separating the outside world from the temporary magical workshop Kazien had created.
While everyone was occupied with their curiosity, guessing at the dull thuds occasionally heard from behind the ice, Alvin and Allen were engaged in a casual conversation that broke the tense silence among the soldiers.
"Allen, you must become an adventurer like us!" Alvin said suddenly, patting the shoulder of Kazien's future second wife with spirit. "The world out there is vast! It would be a shame if you just stayed cooped up in the mansion."
Allen seemed to think for a moment, then a broad smile blossomed on his face. "Adventurer? That's a great idea! Okay! I will ask my mother, who is a guild master, to register me as an official adventurer!"
The casual conversation did not escape the hearing of King Nalvon, who stood not far from them. The King's brow furrowed deeply.
His mother? A guild master? King Nalvon thought.
He had just learned the fact that Elisalva Altavis, Duke Elgard's younger sister, actually served as the master of the central guild in the capital. This information was new to him. However, at the same time, King Nalvon's memory drifted back to a brief meeting he had with a guild representative some time ago. He recalled a firm and charismatic woman who served as the central guild master.
"If I recall correctly, that guild master was named Elisa..." the King muttered softly.
The puzzle pieces in his mind finally clicked together. King Nalvon finally realized that the woman named Elisa, who had introduced herself as the central guild master back then, was actually Elisalva Altavis. She had introduced herself without including her noble family name.
King Nalvon sighed deeply, shaking his head in disbelief. Good heavens, I didn't even recognize Elisalva's face. And what baffles me is, why do all those born of the Altavis family always hide their true identities? Is being mysterious a family tradition?
King Nalvon's reverie was shattered moments later.
Crack! Crash!
A loud cracking sound rang out, followed by the sound of shattering crystal. The giant ice wall that had been blocking their view now cracked in various places, then shattered into pieces, turning into fine snow that vanished into the air.
The cold mist slowly thinned, and in that spot, the scene presented made everyone hold their breath.
Kazien stood there calmly, flanked by three carriages he had just created. In the center sat a very luxurious royal carriage, with intricate gold carvings and a design far more majestic than the King's previous carriage. To its left and right were two special army carriages with slightly different shapes. They were larger and sturdier, yet still radiated an elegant aura.
And what drew the most attention were the beasts pulling them. Each carriage was drawn by two pure white horses. Unlike Kazien's black horse from earlier, these horses radiated a holy and clean aura, even though the King knew they were merely golems.
"Wow! The royal carriage is finished!" King Nalvon exclaimed enthusiastically.
His authority as a king vanished instantly. He exclaimed in awe like a small child who had just received a highly coveted new toy. He no longer cared about his image as the king in front of the soldiers.
He felt utterly amazed that Kazien had managed to create three carriages with such intricate details in less than 20 minutes. For an ordinary craftsman, a single carriage might take months or perhaps even years.
Without waiting any longer, King Nalvon and the others approached Kazien. The King's pace was brisk as they were impatient to see the inside.
Once they arrived near the main carriage, Kazien smiled and opened the door. He invited everyone to enter.
"Please, Your Majesty. I hope you like it." Kazien said.
King Nalvon was the first to step inside. The moment his foot touched the cabin floor, he and his entourage were once again amazed by the interior.
The room was incredibly spacious, with warm, polished wood flooring. The first thing to welcome them was a large round table made of mahogany, surrounded by many plush high-backed chairs.
"That table is used for meetings or simply for chatting with family and other officials during the journey." Kazien explained, pointing to the table.
King Nalvon nodded with a gaze of wonder. Then, the King's eyes explored further. Inside, they saw a lounge with comfortable-looking sofas, a separate dining area, a fully equipped clean kitchen, and a small door in the corner that turned out to be a guest toilet.
King Nalvon frowned slightly as if looking for something.
"Kazien, where is the bathroom? Is it only that toilet?" the King asked.
"Oh, of course not, Your Majesty!" Kazien answered quickly. "Every bedroom has its own private bathroom inside! So, you and the others don't need to bother going up and down stairs or leaving the room just to go to the bathroom at night."
"Extraordinary..." the King mumbled.
"Come, Your Majesty, let us go upstairs." Kazien invited.
Kazien led them to the stairs heading to the second floor. However, upon arriving at the second floor, King Nalvon was surprised again. His eyes caught sight of another staircase leading to a further floor.
"There are three floors?" the King asked with wide eyes. "What is the top floor for?"
Kazien nodded. "Correct, there are three floors, Your Majesty. The third floor is a private area exclusively for you, your family, and high palace officials so you can rest peacefully without disturbance. Meanwhile, this second floor contains rooms for personal servants and several high-ranking officers escorting you!"
That explanation made perfect sense. This separation of areas would provide maximum privacy for the royal family.
They all then walked down a corridor on the second floor. At the end of the hall, there were two large doors facing each other.
Kazien grasped the handle of the left door.
Click!
The door was opened.
The view behind it made the elite soldiers' jaws drop. They were surprised to see that behind that door was not a room, but another long corridor with 10 doors facing each other. Five on the left and five on the right.
"All the rooms within this space are for the soldiers. Meanwhile, the door opposite this room leads to the palace servants' quarters, Your Majesty! Inside every room, complete facilities have been provided. A bathroom combined with a toilet, a wardrobe, along with a comfortable bed."
They entered one of the rooms to prove it.
Upon entering, the soldiers who usually slept in simple barracks or makeshift tents during official travel felt envious. The room was spacious, far more spacious than it looked from outside the door. The furniture was also complete and neatly arranged.
"This is truly great, Kazien! Then, how is the bathroom?" the King asked curiously.
"Please inspect it yourself, Your Majesty!"
King Nalvon and his seven elite soldiers walked toward the small door inside the room. When they opened it, fragrant steam welcomed them. The bathroom was like a private palace bathroom, complete with a ceramic bathtub for soaking and a water shower.
Uniquely, Kazien had thought of everything down to the smallest detail. On every faucet button and sanitary tool there, there was small writing serving as a short guide so that everyone, even those unfamiliar with magic technology, could understand how to use them without confusion.
All the elite soldiers were left gaping with their mouths slightly open at the facilities they saw. They never imagined they would receive such luxury on a duty trip.
One of the army captains ventured to whisper to the King, "Your Majesty, doesn't all the luxury here exceed what the palace has?"
King Nalvon chuckled, not offended at all by his subordinate's honest remark. He stroked his chin while looking around with satisfaction.
"You are right!" King Nalvon stated firmly. "Kazien has truly created the ultimate masterpiece!"