Setsuko led Tetsuya, Serrano and Teresa into a corridor beneath the stairs. It was painted a deep green color with gold trimming along its edges. Gold leaf decorated each corner. Why had King Orlin built it on the first floor and not the second? Tetsuya laughed. He bet that it was to throw his enemies off should they rush into the palace. Only Kuroriku nobles would know its location.

At the end of the hall were several doors. One led outside to the patio overlooking the gardens according to the princess; another went to the king's office. And a set of golden double doors led to the throne room.

Teresa came to a stop in front of large doors.

"I'll wait here," Teresa said, smiling slightly.

"What? Aren't you coming with us?" Tetsuya asked.

"I think that Kuroshi wanted you to join us, hence why he gave you those clothes," Serrano said, glancing at the dress.

The country girl lowered her eyes to the floor. "Yeah, but... it's the king's decision at the end of the day who can attend his court."

The crown princess smiled at her. "Join us. If my father says anything, then I'll just say that I'm the one who let you in."

Teresa smiled and stepped forward. "Okay."

Setsuko chuckled and pushed the doors open. A familiar, calming, yet strong aroma spilled throughout the large lobby. It was the smell of lavender.

"Woah," Teresa said as she peeked over the shoulders of the boys. The chamber itself was fancy, having walls of gold and silver. Holding the vaulted ceiling were rows upon rows of amethyst pillars that rose out from the black sea of marble into the orange heavens above.

Setsuko stepped inside, walking through the long purple rug which cut through the pitch-black floor. The boys and Teresa followed her in and continued all the way to the end of the room. At the end laid an onyx and orange-diamond encrusted platinum throne.

Seated on the throne was a man who bore a resemblance to Setsuko and Rosa. He had long messy dark brown hair and a beard which reminded Tetsuya of a lion's mane. Draping the king's body was a large fur cape of unknown origin big enough to cover most of what he was wearing body. Meanwhile, a black crown with orange diamonds adorned his head.

Around the throne were Hideo, Eiichi, and a black-haired youth with a black sheath attached to his belt. Rosalba also accompanied them.

"Tetsuya! Serra! Sis!" Rosa yelled, waving at them.

Tetsuya smiled and waved back while Teresa and Serrano quickly bowed before the king.

"King Osamu. I have returned with the Agnes Knight as well as the Alma Knight in tow," Serrano said as he nudged his cousin to bow.

Tetsuya did as his cousin wished, but when he looked up, he was met with a cold stare. One worse than what Eiichi and Hideo had given.

Why is he giving me that look? Could it be because of my dad? Rumor has it that he wasn't very fond of him.

"You may rise, children," King Osamu said as he also stood up, snapping Tetsuya out of his thoughts.

"So, he really is one of us?" Eiichi said, tilting his head at the Agnes Knight.

"I'm surprised that you're one too," Tetsuya said, giving him a smug grin. "Who would've thought a pompous guy like you would be chosen as a knight. Not much hero material there if you ask me."

Eiichi stepped toward him, red eyes narrowed. "What was that, you insignificant plebeian?"

Tetsuya chuckled as he rose to his full height, towering a foot over the blond. "You heard me, pompous duke!"

Hideo scoffed as his green eyes landed on the Agnes Knight's clothes. "Who gave you those clothes anyway?" he asked. "A man of your stature should be working in the gardens, not in the presence of the throne."

Tetsuya grumbled. This guy sure is unappreciative. Or did he forget that I helped save his little brother?

"Serrano chose him to be the Agnes Knight," King Osamu said, leaning on his hand.

"Why did you choose him?" Eiichi snapped, glaring at Serrano.

Serrano simply smiled back.

The king ignored them. "Knights of Prophecy, step forward and introduce yourselves. At least to our knight of humble origins here."

Well, that's nice of him.

Eiichi took a deep breath and went first. "Hello, I'm Eiichi Kuroichi Raiyama, chosen by Dame Eiko Kuroichi to be the Carlos Knight. We Raiyama are the third house of the Kuroriku clan. I was born and raised in the city of-"

"That's enough, Eiichi," Setsuko said, raising a hand up. "We won't get anywhere if you tell us your life story."

"Setsuko, what have I told you about interrupting others?" her father snapped, his hazel eyes narrowed at her.

Setsuko crossed her arms, pouting in a manner reminiscent of the junior princess.

"That's fine, I'll just save my story for later," Eiichi said, flashing the crown princess a sly grin.

Next, it was Hideo's turn to step forward.

Hideo bowed his head once more to the king.

"I'm Hideo Makkuroyama. I was chosen by Eiichi's father, Sir Eiji, to be the Donato Knight. There's nothing particularly exciting about me, but I guess I'll share it anyway. I was born in the largest city of the eastern lands but since moved to the east when my father, Hideaki Makkuroyama, was named duke. I'm the eldest, so I'm sort of expected to inherit that boring grassland."

"I don't know why you dislike it," Tetsuya said, grinning. "I thought it was was pretty cool."

Hideo sighed. "No, it's not. It's so boring. There are no places to visit. The closest city with anything remotely interesting is an hour away, and that's a bowling alley, which we could get built at our place if father weren't so stingy."

Tetsuya laughed. "I see. So, what do you do all day in that big house of yours?"

Hideo took out a black and green portable game system. "Well, for your information, sometimes I do go out to hunt. I was actually doing that on the day we met. Though whenever the weather is bad or I don't feel like going out, I play video games."

"As do I," Eiichi said, glaring at them. "Hey, why didn't you ask me more questions, peasant?"

"Uh, Hideo lives in a more interesting place?"

Eiichi crossed his arms. "You don't even know a thing about where I live, so how can you say that? As for the frontier, interesting? Ha, Hideo just said it's boring!"

"Well, to me, it's interesting," Tetsuya said, scratching his head. What is up with these people?

"So, what do you do daily?" Eiichi asked, before looking away. "Not that I care about a peasant like you."

Tetsuya smiled. "First, let me start by introducing myself. I'm Tetsuya Kuroriku, chosen to be the Agnes Knight by Serra. I-I mean Sir Serrano."

Eiichi glanced over at Serrano and chuckled as he whispered, "Serra?"

Serra shot Tetsu a cold stare.

Tetsu lowered his head. He shouldn't have said that. "Uh, anyway. I'm from the second house," he responded, raising his head.

The blond knight broke out in bombastic laugher. "The second house, you say? Really? Aren't the second house a bunch of losers who went into hiding eons ago?"

The brunette's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean we went into hiding? We've been around for a long time, many of us working in the fields of this country!"

"Farm work, huh?" Hideo said, putting his system away. "Least it's something."

"Let's move on," Setsuko suggested. "I am Setsuko Kuroriku and your future queen of Kuroriku. I was chosen by Dame Rosalba to be the Alma Knight."

So she's Rosa's chosen knight.

The last of the five stepped forward, his head held high. It was another young man who looked to be in his early twenties. Unlike the others, he didn't smile but at the same time wasn't frowning.

He bowed his head before the king. "It's an honor to be in your presence, your majesty," said the tall black-haired boy as his icy blue eyes glanced up at the king. "I'm Hyosetsu Kuroyuki no San Pena. Chosen by Dame Miyuki and Sir Kohri Kuroyuki no San to wield Baldo. I come from the fifth house of the Kuroriku clan, the House of Kuroyuki no San. I am also its future heir."

"Hyo," Rosa said, giving him a worried look.

"Huh?" Tetsuya said, staring at him blankly.

Eiichi also gave the guy a strange look. "You're the future leader of the Kuroyuki? You just called yourself Hyosetsu. I heard it was the younger brother, Kohri Kuroyuki no San, who was named the heir."

Tetsuya nodded. That's what he had heard in the news too, and they barely got information from the outside world.

Hyosetsu chuckled. "I will be the heir. I accepted the Grand Duchess' request to serve as a knight of the newly established order to prove my worth to her. I will show her that she made the wrong choice in naming my younger brother, the branch leader."

That's interesting. Though Takuya is expected to inherit everything Ma owns, we siblings have never really argued for it. Instead, we've shared what little we owned without envy or greed of what the other had.

"Tetsuya," the king finally spoke up, making his presence known. Tetsuya gulped. He had forgotten the guy was even there despite his elegant appearance... Though it appeared that the others had too.

Damn, being king and having no respect must suck. Ah, that must've been why he has a perpetual frown. Though Rosa is cheerful and upbeat despite getting similar treatment.

"Are you listening?" King Osamu asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

Tetsuya gave him a shy nod. Damn! The guy might fade into the background, but he sure is scary when he makes himself known.

"As I was saying," the king continued. "Other than the Raiyama lands being the hosts of... never mind that. We still have time to prevent the worst."

Tetsuya blinked. What had he missed? He opened his mouth to ask but stopped himself. The king likely thought him a slacker already. Still, what did he mean by 'the worst'? Also, why did the branches all have different names from the central family except for his?

"Why didn't my house get another name?" Tetsuya blurted out. He cupped his mouth with one hand. He had allowed his curiosity to get the better of him.

"The second house is an informal branch of the first," Setsuko responded after clearing her throat. "The so-called members of the 'second house' left the clan before the splintering of the clan into the five major branches. The second branch kept the Kuroriku name in case the main branch ever needed an alternative heir. In fact, new members are added to the 'second house' each generation as the new ruler casts away their siblings once they take the throne."

The king held out his hand toward the door and said, "Enough about the various houses. We are here for more important matters. I have gathered a small number of people to serve as your soldiers. Serrano, Daughter if you two may."

Serrano and Rosalba walked out of the room. Though, the two quickly came back in, this time leading a group of brown armor-clad soldiers. Because of their helmets, one couldn't easily find distinguishable features other than their height and width. The armored soldiers stopped a couple feet away from the throne as the King returned to his throne.

"My lord," they all said at once.

"I gathered you here today to serve as soldiers of these five knights. Young knights, activate your weapons, and display them for your future soldiers," the king said before snapping his fingers.

Tetsuya's heart pounded as he rose his right arm. Would it activate again?

"Go ahead," Serrano said as he walked up to him. He nudged him, giving him a supportive smile. "Have some trust in your own abilities. I'm sure that you can do it!"

The Agnes Knight felt his face warm. His eyes closed. "Alright... Here goes!" he whispered. Five massive pillars of light covered the entire room simultaneously. Once the light cleared, all five knights stood in front of the king with their weapons on hand.

Eiichi smiled as he spun the golden spear in his hands around, causing the air to crackle, yellow sparks dashing around him.

Hyosetsu drew out his sword from its sheath. The blade was as black as the darkest night and had strange blue markings running across the middle.

The raven-haired knight suddenly glanced up at the king.

"Pardon, sir. I would like to ask, why did this weapon render my other angel tools useless and overheated on me when I got it?" he asked, his words formal but with a tinge of anger.

"I forgot to tell your brother that you can only use this one tool," King Osamu explained. "All previous tools will hurt you."

Hyosetsu glared at the king. "Did you truly forget, Your Majesty?" he said in a cold voice.

King Osamu smiled. "You have ambition in your eyes, I like that. I should've thought of offering you the hand of my rebellious daughter instead." His eyes shifted toward my cousin. "Though I could still take it back."

"Your majesty!" Serrano interjected.

Teresa and Tetsuya's jaws dropped. "What? Ya fiancé was the princess all along? No wonder ya hadn't told anyone!" Teresa said.

"Now I see what you meant when you said that you couldn't simply-" Tetsu said before he stopped as he felt the glare of the king on him.

King Osamu sighed before he glanced back at Hyosetsu. "Anyway, your experience with your previous tools has been transferred over to your sword. That's why those old weapons became dull."

Hyosetsu made his way toward the other four. "What about them?"

"This is my first angelic tool," Tetsuya said, raising Agnes before his head.

Eiichi tapped the marble floor with the pole of his spear. "You mean you're a newbie?" the noble asked, trying not to laugh as he previously had done.

"Yes," the neophyte responded. "Well, the first one that I can actually use at least."

"You have one that rejected you?" Setsuko asked, raising a hand to her chin.

Tetsuya nodded. "Well, more like it wasn't meant for me."

"What about you three?" Hyosetsu questioned the others.

Hideo took out several angelic tools. "They are dull, but Donato didn't burn me when I accepted it from Sir Eiji."

"That gun absorbs mana better than the other weapons, as such, it doesn't overheat," the King pointed out, leaning back on his throne. "I gave my oldest daughter her tool when she was Hideo's age. I didn't allow her to have any other weapon in her life. Eiichi meanwhile gave up his when he was handed Carlos over. He was the second to receive it two years ago."

"Yes, I've owned Alma for about four years now," Setsuko said, raising a pair of diamond-like balls attached to one another by a platinum chain. She swung the weapon around slightly, causing the ground to tremble. She rounded over toward the king. "Father, allow me to explain these weapons to my fellow knights."

The king raised his eyebrows as if perplexed by something. He nodded. "Fine, go on ahead. Serrano, Rosalba, Kohri, come with me. We have another meeting to attend to."

A red-haired young man with icy-blue eyes emerged from the crowd that had entered the room. "Got it! Uh, your majesty," he said, grinning.

So that's Kohri.

Rosalba, Serrano, and the true heir of Kuroyuki no San walked up to the king.

"Meet upstairs as discussed," the king said, staring at his oldest child.

Upstairs? Tetsu sighed. I should've paid more attention to what he had been saying.

Setsuko nodded. "Worry not, Father. I'll take care of it."

King Osamu smiled slightly. "Alright, just be sure not to begin without us. We'll be back in a bit." He snapped his fingers and faded alongside the three Seven-Hill Knights.

Begin what?

"Let's head out," Setsuko said, walking toward the golden doors. "I'll tell you more about your weapons on the way."

"Where are we going?" Tetsuya asked as he kept up with her pace.

"To this castle's angelic dome," the princess responded, grinning. "Hope that you're as tough as my little sister described."

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed reading this chapter. This is the first of several chapters I'll be publishing back to back this week to celebrate 18 months (the actual anniversary is two days from now on the 15th, but I've decided to spread out the updates) since I first posted the original draft of this story on Wattpad :3**