Parma, the capital of the kingdom of Parmece, seemed to be always busy. No matter where one looked, its inhabitants were always rushing from one place to another under the watchful eye of the soldiers who patrolled the streets.
The city is a bustling hub of activity, where the sights, sounds, and smells blend into a chaotic yet exotic reality.
Narrow stone streets lined with imposing military-style buildings fill the streets of the city. These buildings are made of all kinds of materials, wood, stone, bricks, and even glass, which change the further you go into it.
Many buildings had flattened roofs that gave the city a new look on both a sunny and rainy day. Houses, mansions, churches, and shops decorate the city, turning it into a canvas of colors for those lucky enough to see it from the highest.
As one walks through its streets one can see people from all walks of life going about their business. Craftsmen are busy in their workshops, shaping metal or carving different sculptures, while merchants shouted from their shops, seeking to attract anyone wishing to explore their exotic wares.
The streets are occupied by people, carts, and animals, dodging other pedestrians, and looking for space to move forward.
But if we had to say which is the place that makes the greatest impression on its inhabitants, they would undoubtedly say the walls of the city. High fortified walls and towers surround Parma, with the sole exception of a few huge gates that in an emergency would be closed to prevent enemies from entering or leaving.
The walls protect the city from a siege, but they also control the people and goods that want to enter it. If you want to enter the city, you will have to go through the gate, guarded by countless guards who scrutinize those who pass through it.
Within the walls, the city is divided into sections based on social class. The higher your status and wealth, the closer you will be to the center of the city, where you will reside in imposing mansions filled with servants, with clean and spacious streets, parks, gardens, fountains, and impregnable security. Conversely, the poorest residents live closer to the city walls, where their shadow renders less favored houses unable to receive even a ray of light.
In the poorest and least secure areas, the lifestyle of its inhabitants varies somewhat from its more fortunate neighbors.
The sun was setting and night had begun to take over. From the horizon, a timid moon began to be glimpsed while the inhabitants of Parma headed toward their homes.
The poor conditions in the area led to the creation of slums where disreputable people conducted even more disreputable businesses to survive, so it wasn't very smart to stay out at night.
Today is a very special day for the people of the slums, an event that happens very rarely, something that some consider rare while others have never seen in their lives. Even so, neither celebrates this event, knowing full well that once it is over their situation will likely get worse instead of better.
The city guards were patrolling the streets. No, it looked more like they were looking for something, and they didn't seem to care how much damage it took to find it.
crash
"AAAHHHHHHH!" The screams of a woman resounded outside as she saw how one of the guards broke down the door of her house while she hugged her children.
After looking at the woman for a moment, the guards ignored her and began searching the entire house, leaving some broken furniture behind her.
"What are you doing? stop!”
"Dad!"
"'Stay away!"
Scenes like this were repeated throughout the area. Guards search house by house without the slightest delicacy. All those who tried to resist inspection were mercilessly attacked, and those who did not end up dead were arrested and taken away from their families.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Armored guards ran through the streets of the slum inspecting every street and nook.
Two guards in more luxurious armor than the rest met while they were searching, and they began to talk.
"Have you found her?" an armed guard asked his partner.
"Not yet"
“Where could she have gotten herself? If we don't find it, we'll get in trouble."
“We are already in trouble! Or do you think that if we find her, everything will be solved?" his colleague reminded him as he set out to continue searching.
The guard clenched his teeth in frustration:
"Shit! How could she have passed? It should be impossible!! How can someone with a tier 1 class kill someone with a tier 2 class? The only time I've heard something similar was in the…”
“Hero Stories?” I finish his partner for him.
The two guards fell silent.
In the first place, they have nothing to do with this matter. How could a couple of tier 3 classes even dare to get involved in something like this?
All this trouble was caused by the same reason that most of your troubles occur: the stupidity of the nobles.
If any of them had been allowed to express his opinion, they would have been adamantly opposed. Unfortunately, no one asks a pair of guards their opinion, no matter how powerful they are.
“We can't do anything about it. The young master is dead and if we find her, the duke will take care that we will be next” said one of the guards with total seriousness.
The other guard's face also hardened, proving that his partner's words might not be crazy. The duke has never been known to be compassionate after all.
…
In another corner of the slums, a hidden figure walked through its narrow back streets making as little noise as possible.
Suddenly, the figure stopped in front of a corner and came up to the stop. Shortly after hiding, footsteps began to sound in the direction he was heading.
The footsteps stopped, and the figure strained his ears to hear the words the guards were saying in the distance.
"Any luck?"
"No, I haven't seen anyone"
"This is terrible. Why do we have to do this job? We are city guards, not a noble's private army” one of the guards protested as he leaned his back against the wall.
“Stop complaining like a newbie. They are orders from above. We both know how things work here. I don't like it either,” the other person said, sighing the last part under her breath.
"By the way. Do you know why we are looking for that girl?” asked the third guard.
"No, I have no idea"
"I do know"
"Oh really? And how can you know? Have you been promoted lately by any chance?” asked one of them skeptically.
They were mere guards without any power, all they do is obey orders. No wonder he was surprised by what his friend said.
"Ahem. It is possible that I heard something when I was resting my eyes in the stables during my shift” the guard answered awkwardly.
"Again? What if the captain find out?" You will be in big trouble" the other two laughed at his expression when they mentioned the captain.
"Please don't tell him" he begged to the other two.
"Forget that. Why have we been sent this time?” asked one of them.
"Apparently one of a noble's slaves escaped while her son was playing with her" Seeing an opportunity to divert the content of the conversation, the guard said it quickly.
“Is that all? a slave? They really don't care about us at all"
While the guards were chatting among themselves, the hiding figure was growing impatient. It was only a matter of time before other guards passed through here and discovered her.
Just when she was thinking about whether another path was worth it, a scream was heard from ahead.
YOU!!! CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING?!!!” a figure appeared in front of the three and began to yell at them.
"Captain! We were just…”
"I DON'T CARE!!! GET BACK TO WORK!!!”
"Yes sir!"
The three guards saluted and went out onto another main street to search the rest of the houses, followed by their captain, who looked at them without blinking.
After a few seconds without hearing anything, the figure came out of its hiding place and continued on its way through another of the narrow streets, now clear of people.
The figure directed its gaze to the ground with each step it took forward. Just when he was beginning to think that he was in the wrong place, he saw something in the distance.
With hurried steps, the figure reached its destination and found what it was looking for. He ducked to the ground and grabbed what was on the ground.
Delicate hands with traces of dirt and blood gripped the manhole cover and pulled with all their might.
The lid moved little by little until there was a space big enough for a person to pass through.
The figure went into the sewers without hesitation and closed the entrance after getting in.
The strong smell invaded the nostrils of the person who was walking through the sewers, empty of guards, without stopping.
The girl clenched her fists tightly as she hurried without hesitating about which way to go.
"You will pay. You will all pay. The king, the nobles, the guards. You will not escape any. Neither are you… Tatsu”
Her voice was only heard by the walls that surrounded her as she constantly moved away from that place.