During the night, Darian, Tetoya, and Zelkov headed together to the royal castle. Darian noticed that the princess seemed a bit thoughtful, while Zelkov showed a strange kind of fear toward something.
When they entered the castle, they made their way toward the central palace — a huge, open place built to host grand celebrations.
As they walked through the halls, they saw countless attendants and soldiers coming and going. The movement was intense, but no one dared make even the slightest noise, which made the atmosphere feel suffocating.
"Do they really have to be this serious?" Darian asked in a light tone.
"Shh, keep your voice down!" Tetoya snapped — ironically, louder than him. "This is a State banquet, not a casual family meal between princes and princesses, or entertainment for officials. We only hold State banquets for foreign diplomats. We didn't get any prior notice, but judging by the scale, we'll be seeing more than just a few diplomats this time."
