"This is the Royal Sanctuary."
The King announced as they finally walked towards the end of the hall and Kael's eyes fell on the grand doors in front of him.
These were the Grand Doors of the Royal Sanctuary, the Royal Family's most treasured vault.
Kael was overwhelmed just by the entrance.
The giant double doors were nearly thirty feet high, made of polished black stone, engraved with golden runes that pulsed faintly with a rhythmic glow, as if alive. Strange, ethereal energy coiled around the entrance, forming the translucent shapes of legendary beasts—dragons, phoenixes—all shifting and flickering like living paintings.
The grand display only made Kael's anticipation rise.
Yes, he wanted some time to think over what Beast he would want, but now that he was here, he was having a difficult time controlling himself.
He was barely holding back the urge to rush in and explore the place by himself.
His was already overwhelmed by the large number of possible Ancients behind that door.
The place they call the heart of Drakthar.
A place where countless Magic Beast eggs, each brimming with potential, were safeguarded for future generations.
The King stepped forward and placed his palm against the golden sigil at the center of the doors.
The entire structure rumbled, and the golden runes turned brighter. Then, with a deep, echoing groan, the doors parted, revealing the vast chamber beyond.
The King spoke as he walked in. The Prince and Kael followed.
"It has been a while since I have been here."
Edric commented with a nostalgic smile on his face.
Kael, on the other hand, remained silent.
'What in the hell is this place…?'
He was too awestruck to speak.
The moment he stepped inside, his breath hitched. The place was nothing like he had imagined. The chamber stretched far beyond what should have been physically possible. Its size defied logic. It seemed almost endless.
'How does this thing even fit inside the Castle? Wait, are we still in the castle?'
Kael questioned inwardly as he continued to look around.
Veins of mana pulsed across the ceiling, casting a soft, magical glow over the treasure trove within. Rows upon rows of crystalline pedestals lined the chamber, each holding a Magic Beast egg different from the others.
These eggs shone like polished gemstones, with different colors, sizes, and even shapes. The pedestals they were kept on were inscribed with detailed information regarding the Egg.
'This is… beautiful…'
Kael muttered in awe as he followed the King.
"You may choose any egg,"
The King declared, his voice echoing through the chamber.
And the instant he said those words, Kael, who was barely holding himself back, rushed forward as he read about different Beasts presented here.
Kael had been reading about Magic Beasts ever since he came here, so his knowledge regarding that matter was quite high—or at least that is what he believed.
However, the instant he stepped into this place and started exploring, he realized that he didn't know about more than half of the Beasts present here.
This place was literally a treasure trove, not just of Beast Eggs, but of knowledge too.
The first few minutes Kael spent here were only for the sake of reading about different Beasts. He didn't even bother using .
After all, it was reacting to every Egg present here.
Edric, who saw Kael rushing towards different Eggs, commented with a smile on his face.
"This is probably the first time I have seen a genuine emotion in his eyes."
He commented. Soon, however, he shook his head,
"No, the second time. The first was when he talked about protecting his Igni. He is quite protective of his Bond and only shows his true emotions when he talks about it.
It feels like the Hero is trying to hide something.
Even his outburst back then seemed like an act."
The Crown Prince smiled as he then turned toward the King, who stared at the Hero with an emotionless look on his face.
Familiar with his father's poker face, the Crown Prince continued,
"Yet you still gave in to his act and told him about Lavinia. It was almost as if you wanted him to know about her."
"You will become a Legendary Tamer soon. You are free to go and explore."
The King ordered, not even reacting to the Prince's words.
Edric chuckled as he shook his head.
"I have already memorized this place. Nothing here will surprise me."
The King stayed silent, not denying those words.
After all, he knew it was true.
"It has been a while since we have conversed ."
"How long has it been? Since Lavinia was exiled, perhaps? She truly was the one who held us all together, wasn't she? It's been a year since I last saw mother."
Hearing his daughter's name, the King finally reacted.
"You are taking that name quite freely now."
"You did bring her up."
The King then turned his gaze toward Edric, his purple eyes shining with intense emotions,
Edric stared at his father's eyes and then, with the same smile on his face, he nodded silently.
Not going against the King's orders.
Oblivious to this exchange, Kael continued to scour through the different Beasts. Knowing that he couldn't spend all his day here, he decided to look for a beast he would bond with.
The Egg should have the shortest description. The less description it had, the less would be known about it, and that was all Kael needed.
As for the Beast's strength?
Well, that didn't matter.
All the Beasts here were either Epic or Legendary Ranked, so their strength was pretty much guaranteed.
However, as Kael was reading through different descriptions, his eyes suddenly fell on a 50 cm big white-colored Egg that seemed normal at first glance but radiated an energy that couldn't be described very easily.
His eyes quickly read its description, and the moment he did, a big smile appeared on his face.
The Hero had made his choice.