It was really dark.
I sat in the carriage alongside my mother. We had departed around 1 PM, and now it must have been somewhere between 9 and 10 PM.
However, for us, the capital wasn't that far away.
Then finally, we arrived.
The carriage was stopped at the gates. Even with the Astrea insignia clearly displayed on the doors, the guards thoroughly checked us.
Every corner. Every compartment. Every document.
After that, with our invitation letter verified, they respectfully escorted us to our assigned mansion.
On the way there, I was completely lost.
Lost in awe.
This late at night, and the whole city was shining with light.
Lanterns. Crystals. Some kind of magical illumination that made everything glow like it was noon.
It felt so lively. So luxurious. So utterly different from the backwater town I had grown up in.
I was cursing my father internally.
'Why didn't he ever bring us here before?'
