The next day, Karen decided to visit the royal palace first.
Karen arrived at the palace. After waiting at the entrance for a short while, someone soon came to lead him inside.
His guide took Karen directly to the king's study.
Along the way, Karen took in the palace's layout. Compared to the High Elf palace in Silvermoon City, the human palace appeared far more grand, with tall plants and enormous rocks everywhere.
There were also lakes and pavilions. Used to Silvermoon City's compact and exquisite palace, Karen found that while the human palace was somewhat rougher, it possessed a distinct charm of its own.
The High Elf palace was steeped in the aura of magic, with magical patterns everywhere.
No magical constructs could be seen in the human palace; everything was entirely natural.
Many servants worked diligently in the gardens, holding crude tools as they carried out extremely meticulous tasks.
Though they lacked the delicate magical tools used by High Elf servants, their hard work and care allowed them to achieve the same level of refinement.
Karen chatted with the king in his office for a while, and the king promptly revealed Karen's identity as an elven prince.
The two then exchanged a round of formal greetings. After their warm and friendly conversation, Karen took his leave of the king.
On his way back, Karen encountered Archmage Aegwynn's husband at a corner within the palace.
Karen remembered that the future king Llane, the future Alliance leader Lothar, and the future Guardian, the Astral Archmage Medivh, had been childhood companions.
So it was hardly strange that the current king, their elder, was good friends with Medivh's father, Aegwynn's husband.
Besides, Aegwynn's husband was the court archmage. There was nothing unusual about him appearing in the palace.
What was strange was