This city is on par with the imperial cities of the Imperial Domain and the Demon Realm. Truly, a grand spectacle. In the city, you can see the major sectors that divide the city. There was the Noble’s District, with the palace at the center, in the North. There was the Commercial District, with various shops and the Merchant Guild at the center, in the West. There was the Holy District, with a few churches and a Cathedral at the center, in the East. By the way the local Archbishop resided in the cathedral. Then last but not least, there was the Commoner’s District, with the residence of the commoners and an Adventure’s Guild at the center, in the south.
Speaking of religion, I heard there were two deities that reside in this world. Icaldir and Anelia. Icaldir is a god the humans worship, a supposed god of light. Anelia is the goddess the demons worship, a goddess of darkness I suppose. I don’t think the inhabitants know that Zugrielia was created by the Creator and left in charge of these two. No skin off my nose.
Needless to say, the cathedral here worships Anelia. Of course we do not discriminate so there are a few churches here that worship Icaldir; they were only allowed to only because I asked my parents to be more open minded. Besides being of a high ranking nobility family, helping the religious folks was one of the reasons for being popular here. I was also popular with the Construction Guild for proving a sand/concrete mix was a far stronger building material than wood or plain stone. I was pretty popular due to the fact it was strong but also you could put stones in it to give it a different look. The small number of humans here also thought I was a nice guy for proposing a law of equal opportunity in jobs. All in all, the city had a nice atmosphere with good productivity it had not seen since the founding of Drayasil.
The carriage stopped in front of the entrance of the palace gates. We were let in by the guards when they saw my face. We quickly entered the front door, where we were greeted by all of the palace staff.
“Greetings Young Master Alexander and company.” Everyone made a bow to complete the greeting. I replied with my greeting and sent them on their way to do their chores.
“Hey, Melinda, wasn’t this a mid-sized castle a few days ago?” I inquired to the head maid.
“Yes, indeed it was.” She nodded. “Since your family owns a kingdom sized dukedom for several years, your family had gathered kingdom sized taxes for all those years. Your family’s massive wealth employed all the best builders in all of Zugrielia to build this massive city and palace.”
I knew were rich but not that rich. I guess it makes since though when it was put into perspective. We also didn’t have any nobility under us in this dukedom. They had also died in the Great War. Not only did we receive the taxes for the dukedom but also the baron level and count level taxes as well. However along with more money, we have just as much responsibilities. So much so, I think Dad may die from stress.
The head maid looked pressed for time again and rushed us down a corridor, “Come now, your mother and father waits.”
We hurried until we got to the bed chamber of my parents. Upon entering one could smell the stench of disease. It was bearable so we continued in until my father noticed us. He was intently focused on my mother; even so he motioned us forward. It had looked like all the stress of running a dukedom and my mother’s illness caught up to him. He looked as though he had aged a few hundred years.
His once silky, Jet Black hair had turned Ghostly White, his smooth handsome face turned haggard and full of wrinkles. Mother was even worse shape, but caused by disease. Her forehead was sweating profusely and being continuously wiped by a nearby maid with a damp cloth. She was in her night gown that was dampened with sweat. Her once beautiful Royal Purple skin was now a color of Lavender. All around the bed was purple dust. This dust had originated from Mom’s body. It meant death.
There was an Earth Demon Doctor at the foot of the bed. He was packing his medical supplies in his bag, getting ready to leave the room. He looked at me and said, “Your mother and uncle have been diagnosed with Soulless Anemia. She only has a few days to live. It is only contracted through birds, so she must have gotten it from not thoroughly cooking a pheasant or egg.” I knew that, I knew all of it. What I wanted was him to say everything was going to be ok. I wanted him to say it was going too alright. That he had a cure.
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No such words left his lips.
In fact there was no cure for it. It was a really rare thing to get infected by and it killed the patients all the same. Be they saints or sinners, they died the same. It was impossible to cure with medieval technology. The best thing to do was spend time with the patient. The disease chipped away at the soul itself, turning it into powder that manifest in the material plane, or so it is said.
I think I know why she got it. My mother was a person who loved to bake. She would only allow family to help her. Whenever she made cookies, we would all stand around the kitchen eating the raw cookie dough and laugh the knight away making a huge mess with flour. The maids gave us an earful in the mornings but we would laugh afterwards. Such fond memories can never be had anymore. My mother was dying. Soon I will not have a mother. Remembering fond memories that I’ll never have again, I shed some tears while looking at the ceiling.
I then heard a small voice that called out to me, “Alex, my dear, no need to cry. Mommy is right here.” I looked down to see the frail women look at me with watery eyes. My vision had flooded with tears as walked over to my mother and kneeled down near the bed; getting at eye-level with Mom.
“There is no need to be sad. I am not dead. Even when I do die I want you to be as happy as when you were little. I will be watching you from heaven from the day I do pass. Also you have many subjects that need you. You cannot mourn over me when they need you. The same goes with your Father. I need you to promise me, you will not mourn for me.”
Blinking the tears from my eyes, I nodded my head. She nodded her head in approval. At this time we could here sniffling near the doorway. The two girls were already moved to tears at the scene. My father had already left the room to check on Uncle. My mother looked over at them and made a small motion to bring them closer.
“Ah what lovely ladies you brought here. Is one of you my son’s girl friend? Or is being a trouble maker and perhaps wooed you both?” Mom asked questioningly. Oh, mother.
At this comment, Aria blushed. This didn’t escape my mother’s view. Louise spoke up though, in a humble tone, “I am here to thank your son for saving my slave from my miscreant brothers.”
My mother raises an eyebrow, “Oh, you aren’t interested in a future King? Or the strapping young man he is already? He is quite handsome, so you are here to only thank him?” Louise also blushes. Mother then turns to me, “By the way, you left here so scrawny, but it looks like you picked up some muscle already.”
I examine my body, hmmm, she’s right. I caught her earlier comment about me being a player, but before I could ask about it, she already shifted her attention to Aria. “Excuse me but can I have your name? My name is Duchess Persephone Phendahl.”
Flustered Aria answered, “Ah, yes, m-my name is Aria. It was a name granted to me by your son.” She then glances at me from across the bed and blushes again.
My mother then looked pleased, “Ah, even if the Burnhearts chose to fight against it, since you have caught my son’s attention, you will be freed.”
At this, Louise looked pleasantly shocked. “How do you know of my family’s name?”
My mother laughed and got lost in her memories, “Your mother, Emily Burnheart used to be one of my closest friends. That was back before I was a Duchess and before she was a Baroness.”