We literally just showed up, dude. There was just the one brief, minor interaction with the maid that delayed getting inside the castle.

This is just me, but I don't feel like I was put in limbo. A straightforward "the agents and affiliates were taken to the castle" without wiggle room for characters to take it in is a bit boring. I'm not quite sure where you're getting the "prepared for battle" bit either? I mean, I'm all for action, but I was pretty aware that it wasn't going to be a slugfest immediately off the bat.