"Take care, young man! Come back when you have time!"
The shopkeeper's call came from behind him. Sovell gave a casual reply and headed toward the inner city.
The wooden boxes of pastries were all stored in the compressed space inside his cloak. It was spacious enough that he did not have to worry about crushing either the boxes or their contents.
A beam of light struck his face. Sovell instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes. Looking at the sun already high in the sky, the young man frowned slightly and pulled up his hood.
Seeing someone approach in white robes, a guard at the inner city gate was about to step forward and question him when a flower-shaped badge flew over and landed in his hand.
At the sight of it, the guard immediately lowered his weapon and bowed. The badge flew back into Sovell's hand.
Before long, Sovell reached the main entrance of the Lord's Mansion. The same procedure gained him entry there as well.
Though called the Lord's Mansion, it was essentially a castle with a layout similar to Saynor Manor.
Inside the castle, there were no decorative reliefs on the walls. Their surfaces were smooth and white, bare save for the candles mounted there for illumination.
It certainly suited Sir Ector's style.
That was what Sovell thought.
The first floor housed the administrative hall where Sir Ector handled government affairs, and the audience hall where he received his ministers.
Ah, yes, that was right. Sir Ector had his own civil and military officials.
King Uther had granted Sir Ector that authority during his lifetime, and Sir Ector had naturally lived up to the trust of his sovereign and dearest friend.
Even now, when royal authority appeared to be waning, Sir Ector would not style