As he swallowed the regret and reluctance that stuck in his throat, Jin and the others boarded the carriages and went toward the capital of the Kingdom, where they would meet the King and celebrate the new year with other noblemen.
The trip itself was rough. They couldn't help but force the horses to move extra hard so that they arrived at the capital within one day, which usually takes two from Duke territory.
Inside the moving carriage, his stiff back and numbed butt tortured his consciousness to take a proper posture to rest his heavy mind.
However, when he caught the silhouette of a white wall stretched far to the right, his eyes blinked in anticipation, watching the things behind the window.
Jin leaned back, exhaled and carried within his sigh the melancholic whisper of a teen who couldn't have a proper rest.
"Lord Midnight, we have arrived". A brief knock echoed within the place, coming from the knight who pulled the horse reins, sitting on the coach.
"Yeah, thank you".
Ryan replied and turned to his son in front of him. He could see a faint trace of dark circles around the boy's eyes. His lips parted in a small smile, and he spoke his mind.
"If you want to become an Adventurer, you should use this chance to get used to this kind of thing".
"Um, that's right, Jin. You have to be aware that Adventuring was not only doing subjugation, exploring, collecting, or even helping quests; there is also an escort quest, which forced you to guard a merchant travelling from one city to another".
Marina paused for a moment, ensuring that she got Jin's attention, "There was a time when your mother and father had to stay awake for two days just to survive in some forest".
"Yeah, I still vividly remember that relentless night that seemed never to end".
Ryan shifted outside, looking at the greenery plain that stretched far and bathed in the golden light of the day. He exhaled sharply, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.
"Hee, you two have that kind of experience".
Jin shot right up and leaned his torso forward. His eyes sparkled with glittering curiosity, prompting his parents to be amused and chuckle. Then, they began to tell him the details.
"Ah, it was when we just recently ranked up into bronze. Your father and I took a quest to escort a merchant to the Dorean Kingdom". Marina placed her finger on her cheek, her eyes glancing up, searching the pieces of memories stored in her brain.
"Wait, Dorea Kingdom?" Jin raised his palm to halt them. He tapped his finger on the lap. "Is that a Kingdom north of this one?"
"Yeah, that's right; at that time, we were still inexperienced and believed everything would be okay if we stayed together". Ryan scratched his cheek, face blushing in pink as he averted his gaze outside.
"Well, it was mostly your fault, right, dear". Marina winked and stared at the adorable sight of her husband.
"Ugh." Ryan's face twisted in the flame of embarrassment. He clutched the fabric on his chest, believing that something had just pierced it a moment ago.
Seeing her husband shrink in size, her lips curled in a sadistic grin, and she opened her mouth, "I still recalled your valour at that time; what was it, again? …Ah, right, It was like this, umph…".
Before Marina spouted one of Ryan's dark past, the man himself grits his teeth and moves lightning fast to cover his wife's moist lips and pull her waist closer by wrapping one hand around.
The room's atmosphere turned pink. Both spouses intently gazed at each other's eyes, talking telepathically with love as their power source.
'They did it again,' Jin exhaled softly. He spit his tongue open, throwing the sweet taste that was lingering in his mouth. He leaned back and realized that the carriage had stopped.
From the inside, Jin could hear the coachmen speak. "I am bringing Viscount Midnight with me".
"The Duke had told us beforehand. You may pass. Thank you for the hard work." The voice was a bit hoarse but deep, coming from a middle-aged man.
Jin caught a glimpse of his figure. The man wore silver plate armour and a sword on his waist. Give the coachmen salute as the carriage resumed its ride.
He looked sideways. The gate was filled with lined-up carriages and people entering the town. Also, the tall walls completely shut down the town inside, stretching on each side. The scale was a bit larger than he saw in the Duke's place.
A shadow covered his entire vision, and Jin witnessed a massive black door stand on each side of the gate, welcoming the people toward the city. Its colossal structure was built on top of the paved stone road that stretched straight toward the centre of town.
Buildings made of white bricks and stone lined the street on each side, and people swarmed over them, walking back and forth. Above, he could see a small triangle flag bearing the Kingdom insignia fluttering gently, tied into a rope that connected one roof to another.
Jin peered through the glass and watched the festive atmosphere that enveloped the street; their cheer and laughter even blew his weary thoughts away.
'Woah, seriously'. Jin blinked upon seeing the centre of town. The round and vast place was packed with crowds, buzzing around in activities.
He caught a glimpse of a tall white building with a wooden plaque that hung on top of the opened wide door that said, 'Adventure Guild'.
'Okay, I will check it later and see what the Guild in the capital could offer'. His eyes gleamed dangerously, but his body stiffened, feeling a searing heat that pricked his skin.
"Where do you think you are looking, Jin?" Marina's tone was sweet, like the warmth of the morning summer light, but it slowly rose in temperature and burned his mind away.
"Nope, I just thought this place was so crowded". Jin glanced at his front and leaned his back away.
Marina exhaled as she glanced to the side and witnessed her husband stare at Jin with a solemn gaze and sharp gaze, making her gulp to moisten her parched throat.
"Jin?". His deep voice broke through the atmosphere in the place, turning it into the winter cold.
Jin and Marina stare at him, beads of cold sweat tickling their backs, and witness Ryan open his mouth.
"So, you are saying that my town is less populated than this one?".
Something invisible fell from the heavens, tightening the mother-son duo's faces. They exhaled and averted their gaze to the window beside them, staring at the town with empty eyes.
"Hey, Jin, we still haven't concluded our conversation".
The Midnight family spent the rest of their trip in family banter, deepening their bonds further.
A few minutes passed, and the carriage stopped in the northern district, which had a slightly lower population. Wealth started to expose itself to the world, looking at the building structure and the ambience it gave.
They stopped before a steel gate, exchanged pleasantries with the guards and entered the vast yard. In front of them stood a majestic white building stretched backwards. It had a three-story floor adorned with golden lining and a big entrance door.
On top of the cobblestone road, the carriages drove forward before stopping at a set of stairs that led them toward the entrance door.
Travelling inside the carriage was still a bit heavy on Jin's mind. He clicked open the lock and pushed the door open before jumping outside. He inhaled deeply, inhaling refreshing air to fill his shrivelled lungs.
"Huff, that was better". Jin rolled his shoulders and other joints, not forgetting to stretch his stiffened muscles.
"Jin, mind your manners". Marina's voice broke his loosened mind.
He turned around and felt a firm grip on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, mother".
"Jin!? " A clear bell-like voice rang out, attracting Jin and Marina to turn into the source. They found Silvia, her silver hair fluttering across the wind, approaching their side with a thin smile.
"Silvia, are you alright?". Jin tilted his head, noticing the girl's bright expression.
"Um, I'm used to the carriages, so…". Silvia nodded and turned to Marina's side, and Ryan greeted them with gentle waves.
"I see". Jin wryly smiled and turned to the other side.
"Wait for a moment longer. We still need the carriages to go to the castle." Duke Sullivan gave his order to the coachmen and followed behind him Julia, Silvia's caretaker. They approached Silvia's side, and Sullivan asked, "Everyone seemed together?"
"Let's go and see if we can find accommodation". Everyone beside him nodded, and Sullivan started to walk toward the building entrance, followed by the others.
Jin, who walked in the back, stole a glance at Julia. His Jade eyes skill caught no suspicious murky miasma leaked from her. Instead, he caught an overflowing pink aura whenever she glanced at Silvia.
He shrugged his shoulders and faced his front, entering a luxurious hotel.
The hotel's interior was vast, with a huge chandelier hung above it, its glittering spark reflecting light. A wide staircase ascended forward toward a long hallway, where the guest room was.
In the middle of the room stood a round receptionist desk. Several beautiful and trained women in prepared uniforms stood behind it, moving their fingers tirelessly while holding an ink pen.
At this point, the kids stand back and let the Adults do their jobs. Jin and Silvia exchange glances and nods at each other.
They start to close the distance and share some silly conversation, which garners the other's attention, unaware that they are too absorbed in talking. Both stare at the people around them, who watch them with warmth.
"Haha, you two lovebirds". Duke Sullivan's voice broke the awkward tension, "Let's go".
"F-Father, please not so loud". Silvia, face flushed like a ripened apple, chased the figure of her father.
After the Duke family went toward their room, Jin glanced to the side and saw his parents holding two keys in hand, and one of them flicked by Ryan's, slowly drawing a parabola arc in mid-air, as Jin snatched it.
"Let's go to our room, too". Ryan and Marina turned their backs and walked toward the second floor, following Duke's group.
Thankfully, they received a room close to the receptionist hall and the entrance. However, what made Jin's eyes widen was the number on his key, 'Number 123'.
So, if the number is calculated based on the number, on the first floor, there are mostly sixty rooms divided into two sides. Coupled together, the hotel could accommodate about a hundred and eighty rooms.
"Ah!?". Silvia's voice brought him from his daydream, and he realized they were neighbours.
His emerald eyes flashed, and he saw the number 122 on her key, which means. Jin glared to his left and witnessed his father snickering and his mother smiling bitterly.
'...Huff, I don't care either way'. Jin exhaled, and the exhaustion that disappeared came back at once; it pushed him to the brink of falling asleep, 'I need some rest!'.