The World Dragon's Heir

Chapter 685: Bring The Others

The other Stansia Province Nobles arrived at the gates, and tried not to look like they were staring at the Wistover Manor.

The complex was akin to a proper castle, with its defensive fortifications, and sprawling complex, with emergency farms and shops inside the walls. Plus, it was all newly renovated, nothing in need of repair at all.

That was more than any of them could claim about the estates that they had taken over after the war.

Like Dominic, they were all newly raised Nobles, assigned Noble Titles based on their family’s contributions and reputation. So, they also had to make a good impression. That was why they had agreed to come along on this outing to the Cygnian Capital, despite being on the furthest side of the nation.

Nobody would expect them to come, it was weeks or even a month to get there by ground in the wet season.

By air, with the new airships, they could have collected everyone and made it there in two days. But coming by portal to the city gates, then driving through the Noble district to the Palace would be much more visible than coming to the airship docks, where the airship would be all that anyone noticed, as they were hustled into Royal Carriages.

Once they were in the carriages, surrounded by guards, nobody in the common districts, or the lower Nobility, would know who was arriving.

But if they brought their own vehicles, they could flag them up for the occupants, and let everyone bask in the glory of Stansia Province. On a road trip, you didn’t normally want to put the personal flag of a Noble riding in a vehicle, as it could invite trouble. But within the Capital, that wasn’t really an issue.

"Alright, are we all ready to head out?" Alexis asked as soon as the last of the Nobles had arrived.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Each team can take their own transport, we have enough of them. It might be a bit crowded, but you should be able to fit with your retinue, they’re designed to hold twelve people, plus anyone hanging onto the outside," she explained.

They didn’t actually need to have armed guards hanging on the outside of the vehicles. But two guards in dress uniform standing on the back step would give them a bit of extra stylish flair.

"Did the person designing these not believe in doors?" One of the Barons whispered, a bit too loudly.

Dominic laughed. "The driver’s door is the only one that they have because all the other seats are designed for soldiers to easily get in and out. They’re public transit, but they’re also the primary deployment method for our militia and city guards.

I have passenger doors for the front in storage somewhere, but the windows are open to shoot out of, and because it gets hot here, and they don’t have any other ventilation.

If you put curtains over the windows, they will feel properly enclosed.

The weather in the Capital is supposed to be rather cool today, so you might want to actually close the curtains in advance. Then we will go directly to the city gates by portal. We have arranged it with our mages."

There was a portal travel array outside the city, which they would use as their locator beacon to make the extended portal distance a bit more manageable. But still, with that sort of distance, it would take a group of mages to make a portal large enough to drive trucks through.

It was a good thing that they were leaving Dave here with Jack Merlot to keep the house safe while they were gone.

Even if it would make quite the scene in the Capital.

Fortunately, the converted transports were only a bit larger than two soldiers marching in ranks, in both height and width. The Nobles loaded into the closest transports with their teams, or the Noble who had sponsored them for the trip, and the convoy began to move.

"Your Grace, why are you in the front?" Ella, the Royal Guard who had been chosen to drive the Princess’ vehicle, asked as Dominic hopped in beside her.

"For dramatic effect. Trust me."

Dominic was in his official Royal Sorcerer uniform, with the shiny breastplate that he had made back when he was working in the Palace. It was shiny, decorative, and still useful enough for the situation.

But more than that, it left no doubt as to who was in the convoy after Ella pulled to the front of the line to get the guards to let them in.

"Invitations to the Palace for the King’s Birthday," she informed the guard at the city gates.

"Paladin Ella, good day. Who vouches for this convoy?"

"I do." Dominic informed him, and the guard did a double take, expecting to be handed a letter of recommendation, not to have a Duke personally in the passenger seat of the first truck.

In fact, he hadn’t expected Dominic to be in the first vehicle at all.

At most, he would be in the second, with a load of soldiers in the first truck, in case of trouble. That was standard protocol.

"Understood, Your Grace. Please follow the designated route through the city. It has been flagged and lined with soldiers to keep the crowds from blocking all progress.

Welcome back to the Capital."

Dominic nodded, and the convoy began to move, while Dominic waved at the commoners who had come to see the visiting Nobles.

The people looked somewhat shocked to see him out in the open, as the whole town was at least familiar with the story of Duke Wistover at this point. A rags to riches, lost Prince, reclaiming a Dukedom through pure gallantry in battle type story.

Or so it was told here in the Capital.

Some suspected that the truth was less dramatic, but those who were a bit older suspected that it was actually much more gruesome than they were being told.

Plenty of Noble Sons performed heroic acts during the war, even sacrificing themselves for the protection of the Royal Family.

None of them got a Dukedom.

Only a few of them even claimed a Barony.