"Look at how beautiful the moonlight is tonight. It is rare to see such a beautiful night sky. Let us stay here and admire it a while longer."
His head tilted slightly upward. Beneath his feet were hard stone slabs; not a wisp of cloud drifted through the sky, stars scattered across it, leaving only a brilliant expanse of night.
The moon hung high in the heavens, its cool light continuously spilling down upon the world below.
The old king of the Aisk Kingdom wore an air of profound vicissitudes on his face. Within the solemn, magnificent palace, this weathered quality showed not at all, but once he stepped out of the Royal Palace and into these vast open lands, it became strikingly apparent.
A steady tap-tap sounded across the stone-paved ground beneath his feet. It was the sound of the old king moving, his boots knocking against the ground.
Behind him stood a group of fully armed elite guards. Among them were not only Knights, but also mages, Druids, and priests.
In the Aisk Kingdom, protecting the king could be called the highest honor for a guard. Many took great pride in it, and so every guard standing behind the old king was intensely focused and utterly serious.
Their faces bore solemnity, duty, and a sacred light.
"I need time. Give me only a few more years, and I can raise the governance of the Aisk Kingdom to a new level. Give me only a few more years, and I can expand my kingdom's territory a little further. Time—what I need most is time. I only hope that I still have time to do these things, the things I wish to do."
His breathing was faintly labored. His body still seemed weak; the illness from some time ago had