They just followed behind, a long and tiring journey. It was autumn, so they felt the beauty of Moonatoria. The leaves on the trees were yellow and red, but the trees here were not thick and abundant. The trunks of the trees were also white with black lines or smeared black. In spring, these trees bloomed pink with some white, and their branches were dark.

They had also passed by mountains that were white and still covered in snow from the heavens. It was raining small amounts of ice with a cold breeze. They saw a large, white wolf with a touch of gray. It was dead, being eaten by vultures. When they got close, the birds flew away and perched on the branches, waiting for them to leave. The wolf had an arrow in its head, and five more were stuck in its body and thighs. Perhaps if they were to be killed, that’s what would happen to them as well—riddled with arrows or other weapons. Bad thoughts ran through their minds, but the king paid no attention to them. He even told his companions, “Don’t mind the things you see.”

Gallexe’s companions coughed non-stop. He was the only one without an illness among those Laniro had chosen; everyone else was suffering from some ailment. They had been traveling for five hours without a long rest or a single stop.

Even from a distance, they could see the white wall that enclosed the kingdom of Moonatoria. It was thick and taller than the trees. It was made of a concrete clay and hard limestone, mixed with other materials and elements to form the pillar called the ‘White Wall’ of Moonatoria. It had been a hundred decades since construction began; many kings and ancestors had continued the project to ensure the safety of the Moonatorians. According to the stories, they were once attacked by fierce creatures that were ready to kill and destroy the kingdom. Monsters that have now disappeared!

Loud trumpets sounded simultaneously, a signal that there was danger and everyone needed to prepare. Even though Matar was still far from the white wall, it was clear that everyone was in a state of commotion and on high alert due to their arrival. Matar’s companions were nervous and flustered, terrified just by the noise of the Moonatorians, even before they were harmed. The king stopped them because he didn’t want the Moonatorians to see his companions’ fear.

“Calm down! Can you please! Don’t show any kind of panic or trouble,” he ordered them. “Laniro, calm them down, or we’re all in trouble here,” he whispered, because the Moonatorian soldiers could already see them.

The gate of the White Wall was still closed and was blocked by four soldiers. The four leaders were Wadroth, Esthanef, Yttmirh, and Kinchith. The soldiers faced them with their hands on their swords, ready to attack and kill at any moment if anyone made an inappropriate move or looked like an enemy. But Matar knew that the four standing in front of them were leaders.

“What are you doing here?” asked Yttmirh, a tall man with a broad build. He looked at Matar’s companions and laughed. “Are those your soldiers?”

“They’re hilarious!” laughed the second man, who was bald with a long beard. He was Wadroth. “Are you going to make our king laugh?” The four of them laughed.

“Why didn’t you bring your whole town?” asked Esthanef, who was to Wadroth’s right.

“I don’t need the likes of you! I have no time to waste talking to your kind,” Matar said angrily, but they just laughed at him.

“True, you are the king of Ossibuz, and you won’t be able to enter this wall until the king has decided. It’s difficult to trust you,” Wadroth said seriously.

“Now, explain to us your reason for being here,” Kinchith asked, who was to Esthanef’s right. “Why are you worthy of being let inside this wall? Only people who have a specific need and purpose are allowed in, unless your reason for being here is for the king!”

“I want to speak with the king!” Matar replied. “We have a signal to give to his kingdom. It’s important!”

“Just give it to us, and you can leave,” Yttmirh said.

“I will not agree!” the king defied. “How will we know if you truly handed it over? I need to speak to him face-to-face, king to king!”

“Do you want to die?” Esthanef asked angrily. “The king forbids letting enemies into his kingdom!” he explained further. “So if I were you, it would be better to leave. Don’t hope that you’ll get inside.”

“Why don’t you first talk to the king and let him know that I am here and have something to say,” Matar said. “We’ll leave immediately if he doesn’t want to speak with me face-to-face. You can see that I only have a small number of men, and even if you search them for weapons, they have none hidden, because our only desire is to speak with your king. That’s all! Are you going to be so stingy about that?”

The four soldiers looked at each other, clearly deliberating carefully. But in the end, they seemed convinced.

“Alright, but just make sure—because you probably know where you’ll end up? Death!” Kinchith hissed.

The four left and re-entered the gate of the White Wall. Upon entering, they immediately got on their horses and rode quickly towards the kingdom. The kingdom was still a mile away, so an hour was wasted. Matar and his companions watched their surroundings; soldiers on top of the wall were waving their bows, observing them and monitoring their every move. Matar’s companions were getting cold because they had been waiting for a long time, but there was still no response from the king. Laniro whispered.

“My king, we’ve been waiting here for an hour, but they’re still not back? Do they really need to take so long to decide?” Laniro whispered. “It looks like we need to leave because I’ve noticed those soldiers have been intently focused on us for a while now.”

“Don’t be afraid, Laniro. That’s just the job of soldiers, to watch and fight. I’m tired of it! It’s so boring!”

“M-my king, it looks like the gate is opening?” Laniro gasped.

“Get ready!” Matar said. Because Matar and his companions thought they would see the king right then and there, they stood up straight and were clearly trying to muster their courage. Matar’s soldiers let out heavy sighs, which meant they were fighting their fear and anxiety. When the gate opened, they saw the four men with some other soldiers. The soldiers they saw were muscular, and they felt small because of the number of men. But when they saw that the king was not among the people who arrived, they breathed a little easier, but Matar’s companions were still scared.

“You’re lucky, Matar, because our king agreed,” said Wadroth, with a somewhat grumpy tone. “Follow us! But before that, get on the cart pulled by a large ox.” He commanded further. “We still have a long way to travel.” Wadroth’s companions just glanced at them.

Laniro whispered to the king. “That’s why they took so long to come back… the palace is so far…”

“We’ve only passed the wall, so don’t think Moonatoria is that simple,” Matar responded calmly.

The four men traveled on while other soldiers were helping them get on the cart. It started moving. They all squeezed onto one cart; it was a little cramped, but the tightness was manageable. They could see the four men talking to each other, followed by the soldiers who were walking. It was obvious that they were the subject of the four’s conversation because they would glance at them and smile, as if it meant something, and with a hint of condescension. The speed of the horses and the cart was the same, so the distance between the four and Matar’s group was not too far. Matar tried to ask a question to get their attention, pretending to clear his throat.

“Ahem!!! May I know what your duties are here in Moonatoria?” Matar asked. The four looked at each other first, their faces seemingly communicating with one another.

“We are the administrators of the gates of Moonatoria. It is our duty to ensure that no enemy or guest can enter without passing through us first,” said Esthanef.

“When you arrive at the second wall, we will strip you of your weapons and any sharp objects on your body, even if it’s just an ornament,” said Yttmirh. “That is also one of our roles.”

“We don’t just manage the gates; we are also the messengers for both outside and inside Moonatoria,” Kinchith replied.

“That’s all you’re allowed to know, because you don’t need to know what else we can do,” Wadroth said with a scowl in his tone.

“So secretive!” Matar exclaimed.

They were now close to the kingdom of Moonatoria. They could see the kingdom’s wall, which was also white. Upon arrival, they saw soldiers on top and below looking at them. They were stripped of their gear, but not much was found. Except for the signal that Laniro was holding; it remained in his hand, but it was inspected first before being returned to him.

“Start walking!” said the soldier behind them.

When the second gate opened, they were met with the incredibly beautiful and tall palace of Moonatoria. Just the pathway was eye-catching, with the clear water that surrounded the kingdom, divided only by the wide road and where white geese swam. There were fish there. There were many ornamental plants and flowers around. The front of the palace was vast, and its beautiful facade was an attraction. It was so beautiful on the outside; what more could it be like on the inside? If you were to compare the beauty of this palace, it was far superior to many. The most prestigious!

When they arrived in front of the palace doors, they were met by new soldiers who would escort them to the king. The soldiers who had been accompanying them stayed behind, but many new soldiers took their place, guarding them the entire time and ready to kill them at any moment. So Matar and his companions had to be careful with their movements, in case the king didn’t like them; a single snap of his fingers could wipe them all out.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep