The Vallou Earldom was as she remembered: a territory abundant in trades of commodities such as velvet and seasoning, abundant in money and prosperity. The people strolling around were comprised mostly of merchants and business owners. This was because the earldom was seen as the land of the elite, one that only the best of the best could settle in, making the cost of living and cost of goods naturally high. People dressed as if they were nobles, so it was not out of place for Eva to dress as she normally would.
She was in a simple black dress: something not too superfluous or dull. She wore black gloves that almost reached her elbows, wore a thick scarf that covered every bit of her neck, which she regretted the moment she stepped out of the manor. She was no longer in the north, and excess clothing would only add to the heat. The broad hat she was wearing, however, was necessary. After all, her hair was more than recognizable, being a shade of blonde so bright and unique, one could tell at a glance that she was a noble.
“U-um, my lady? What exactly are you planning?” said Sofia.
Eva stopped in her tracks and turned around to her maid who dressed like a merchant’s servant. “Outside, you will call me Lady Nacia.” She then continued forward, going through the streets she still remembered after many years without much effort.
Finally, she reached Lady’s Opal, a rundown bar on the far side of the city where not many were roaming about. Appearance can be deceiving, she thought. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this place was the source of evil, one that was deviously nurturing her fall from grace behind the scene.
It would have been 2 years later when Eva’s influence and power had been reduced to almost nothing. Instead of being revered as the Golden Flower of Vallou, she would be known as one of the vilest human beings to ever exist in the empire’s history. People were aiming for her head, and it became a witch hunt that put the entire marquisate and Minos in danger.
All because of her sister. Lena had been planning for her downfall since they were mere children. When Eva thought Lena went out to play, her sister would disguise and pose as Eva, doing all sorts of abhorrent things from buying slaves in her name to participating in underworld arenas using those slaves. And because slavery was prohibited since the reign of Emperor Aelis IV, when Lena revealed those crimes and pinned them to Eva, all kinds of outrage happened. People’s long-lost families were found either dead or crippled in the arena, having been treated lesser than animals. There was even a noble child included in that list, and thus Eva was branded as the devil, someone who would dispense others’ lives for entertainment. Many people had requested to the emperor to have her before an executioner’s axe, but to everyone’s surprise, including Eva’s, the emperor did nothing. She suspected that Minos had something to do with it.
It was not without a loss, however. People who were close to Eva either had to cut all ties with her or mysteriously disappear from society. Afterward, the marquisate was never the same. People who grew to trust her as the lady of the house started avoiding her, some showing hostility without even hiding. The territory’s relationships worsened miserably; no one but greedy merchants were willing to trade with them. Those avaricious bunches even set the prices of goods at outrageous rates, leaving many starved and cold. Finally, when the barbarians invaded, no reinforcement arrived, and the marquisate, with its under-equipped soldiers, faced its demise.
She would rather end her life than let that happen another time.
“Stay here,” she said to Sofia after settling in the hotel opposite of Lady’s Opal. She put away her scarf and gloves, keeping her hat.
“Where are you going, my lady?”
Eva picked up the jewelry box Sofia had carried. “Do you trust me?” she said, looking at her maid.
“With everything I have, my lady,” Sofia answered without hesitation.
Eva smiled. She knew she could trust her maid. In her past life, Sofia was one of the people who lost their life after the scandals came to light, but unlike others, she stood with Eva until the very end. But since the maid didn’t come to the north with her, Eva only knew that she had passed away through a piece of paper, making it a regret that haunted her to the very end.
“Good,” Eva said, rummaging through her belongings until she found a letter. “Then, wait for me here. I have some business with the bar opposite this hotel. If I don’t come out in four hours, then deliver this to my father.”
Sofia received the letter, still looking hesitant."
Don’t worry. I am quite confident that nothing will go wrong. I’ll be back soon.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
The maid clenched the letter tight and bowed from the waist. “My lady, please depend on others if you need to and take care of yourself.”
“I will,” Eva said before leaving, adjusting the hat so that the semi-translucent brim covered her face.
She entered the bar with the air of someone who frequented the place. Inside was as ramshackle as the exterior suggested, with furniture made of cheap wood, the lighting gloomily lit. There was not one customer in the entire place, which was justified by how dirty and odorous it was. It was hard to believe that such a place existed in the Vallou Earldom. It wouldn’t be for long, though.
“Welcome, miss,” said the bartender behind the counter, cleaning a mug with a dirty rag.
Eva didn’t hesitate and walked up to him. “Blue beer with an extra hint of spice,” she said.
The bartender froze, looking up at her. “How would you like the ratio?” he asked.
“Two to five.”
The bartender silently put the mug and the rag down. He reached into his shirt pocket and slid the content across the counter. “You know the rules. Please enjoy your stay.”
It was a silver key with a snake’s head connecting to the key’s shaft. She pocketed it and headed to the door behind the counter. She pushed it open and headed downstairs into the dark, the torches at the side barely helping her see the steps. Finally, she reached the floor and faced an iron door. She inserted the key into the lock and pushed it open with much effort. As soon as light peeked its way out of the gap between the door, shouts bombarded her ears, making her flinch. She continued to push the door and entered.
She knew what this place was from her past life, but seeing it with her eyes was something entirely different. In front of her were people in seats upon seats, all directed at the arena below where a group of people was caged in with a lion. Above her were private booths spanning three levels, with the highest being decorated with gold.
“Go! Tear them apart!”
“Don’t you dare die now! Survive for two more minutes!”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
People below were running for their lives, fending off the beast with broken weapons, their starved selves barely able to stand straight.
Eva didn’t realize that she was digging her nails into her palm, though her face was as calm as a statue.
“Dear guest,” said a man standing next to the door and Eva. He was wearing a snake mask that covered the upper half of his face. “May I have your key?”
Eva glanced at the man briefly and held the key toward him.
“Silver, I see.” He received the key with his gloved hands, putting it away in his shirt pocket. “Please follow me. I shall take you to your seat.”
Eva followed him to a private booth adorned with silver on the second highest level where a masked servant was stationed outside. The masked men acknowledged each other, and the gatekeeper left to return to the door. She entered the booth and sat in the cushioned chair, beckoning for the servant to come close.
“Yes, lady?”
“I need the list of all… the combatants still alive.”
The masked servant smiled. “Of course. Please wait a minute,” he said before disappearing into the nearest corridor. He later came back with a ledger and chips on a tray. “Thank you for your patience. May I have your name please?”
“Nacia.”
This was the identity that Lena had been crafting for how many years she didn’t know, but her sister left many trails that could be traced back to Eva with the name. It was fortunate that her sister had no use for this identity at this point in time, so Eva could use it without being exposed.
The servant paused for a second before continuing to place the tray down. “I didn’t know I would be meeting the famous Lady Nacia herself today,” he said as he handed her the ledger. “But are you not sending in some… combatants from your side, lady?”
“I would like a change of mood.” She scanned the ledger until she found the name she had been looking for. “Having my properties damaged beyond repair is causing me much monetary loss, you see.”
“Then, who shall you bet on, lady?”
Eva pointed at the name and handed the ledger back. “Him.”
The servant grabbed his chin, smiling. “I see you have a unique taste, lady, but I am afraid that he will not be able to take part in the arena… He is sick and is on the verge of death, you see.”
“No matter. Give him physicians and all the care he needs. I shall take care of any cost that incurs. And inform me through letters if anything ever happens. I will assign a man you can contact.” She grabbed a random ring from her jewelry box and held it toward the servant.
He kept silent for a moment before receiving the ring and replying, “Since it is Lady Nacia who is asking, I shall make sure that your wish is fulfilled.”
“Then, I will trouble you for a bit.”
He bowed. “It is an honor to be able to serve you, lady,” he said before retreating to the booth entrance.
Down below, no slaves were breathing. Their mangled bodies sprawled across the ground, dark blood spreading, seeping into the dirt. The lion was feasting upon a corpse while the crowd cheered. Some audiences were throwing a fit at the staff.
Soon, Eva told herself. Soon this place will cease to exist. She just had to endure for a while longer, and her snake of a sister would also go down with this place.
“Lady,” said the masked servant who entered hurriedly. “There’s a guest who would like to meet you.”
Eva glanced back. “I don’t plan on meeting anyone. Please send them away politely.”
“Lady Nacia… I apologize, but he’s already here…”
Eva frowned. This was more than strange. This guest must have the gold key, then, a generous patron of the arena, to be able to come and go as he pleased. She glanced back, curious as to why such a person would be interested in ‘Nacia’, but when she saw his face, her heart almost stopped. He was a man with black hair and deep crimson eyes, with smooth skin and delicate features. He was wearing a black suit embroidered with gold fabric, the pattern intricate and obviously high-quality. And as no tragedy had happened yet, there were no scars on his body.
Minos Ganakos, her future husband.