In the market of Azert castle.
While they riding in the carriage, Theo always watching the outside through window to enjoy the view that different to his previous life.
Before they can go outside of Azert clan castle they need to go to the central marketplace because that’s the only way to the exit gate.
Theo was internally shocked and surprised to the artistic and classical architecture of the houses.
The house is built by brick and stone with excellent artistic architecture and he saw many shops with different goods and service.
He was amazed and his eyes was shining like a star.
The people he saw is very energetic and lively, many people are chattering and conversing to their own group. He also amazed to the appearance of the people that didn’t have in his past world, like you can see some people had red eyes and also some people also had blue hair. And he also amazed that there no discrimination to the color of skin you have here, he saw many people with different skin color that walking freely and conversing each other.
For some time, his attention was caught when he saw the alley side of the street, he watched as many people sitting while begging for money or food with tattered and torn clothes. They looked like a refugee that didn’t eat for a few days.
Theo was shocked a bit, he thought that even in the different world or different century, famine and homeless is always been issue for a long time and still have no solution or maybe no one wanted to try and find a solution to fix this issue.
Ulrich saw that Theo was looking intently, his eyes fixed to the place where Theo looking and he saw many homeless people begging in the street and many people was sleeping in the ground of the alley.
“That people came from our neighboring kingdom, Hadden kingdom. 4 months ago, the king of Hadden kingdom died for unknown reason and he had no successor in line. Currently, the 3 major faction of Hadden kingdom had internal strife and had been fighting for almost 4 months and because of each faction had a prince that the same blood of the late king even though the late king had many children, only three stand out that has power, connection, money, and influence to become king. Because of internal strife of Hadden kingdom, many people migrate to another kingdom including our kingdom to stay away far from the war.” Ulrich said the current event happening to the neighboring kingdom that affect them also.
“Grandpa, what do you think when it will end and who will be the one taking the throne?” Theo probe for more information if his grandpa has idea and knew more information.
“I only knew the general news that even normal people knew but at this moment they had been stalemate and only been fighting secretly behind the curtain than before and while amassing people to join to their cause” Ulrich said. He told to Theo what he knew.
“I think why they changed their tactics is because the three faction is balance and if someone initiate to start war, that faction will fight the two faction and they will only get losses but also losses to the kingdom of Hadden itself, the biggest winner of this internal strife if it happened was the surrounding kingdoms” Ulrich said.
“Even though the three factions had scheme for their personal benefit, they also looking to the bigger picture because only ruin kingdom they will only get if they start a war while countless tigers surrounding them that also want to get slice of part of their kingdom” Ulrich said.
“They holding back and only fighting behind the curtain because they wanted to minimize the damage of their own faction and their kingdom while they’re not thinking to their own people that had been suffering to their action” Theo said. he found it very funny how they disregard the life of their people.
‘How laughable for them to be called as the people that can see the bigger picture when their own people suffering to their own benefit’ Theo thought.
Ulrich knew what Theo implying to his words.
“That is the world of political my grandson. It’s dirty and unpleasant to take but you need to swallow it because you will also be that field in the future as a successor and you will frequently experience that situation, that you will become numb” Ulrich said.
Theo didn’t say anything because he knew that mind thinking of this world is different than him. to them it’s pretty normal that they can see the people dying because of starvation. This world is based on hierarchy and the people is only a tool for their cause and benefit.
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Theo again set his eyes to the people that begging on the street and the people in the alley while the carriage is moving. He sighed, he felt pity to the people living in this world.
Their carriage was moving until they already on the gate. Red showed the pass card to the soldiers that guarding the gate. The soldier only looked to the carriage and didn’t inspect because of the authority of the pass card. They began start moving going outside.
Theo lifted the curtain on the window, a dazzling light of sun gave him a little bit of surprise and he closed his eyes instinctively. He opened his eyes slowly, to his surprise a view of many different flowers, grasses, and trees that gave breathtaking view to him. He will remember this view like photo stuck in his mind for the rest of his life.
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In the unknown forest, a carriage driving by a woman and a man riding a horse was moving to this road.
Ulrich saw that it’s starting to get dark and night will come. He knocked the front of carriage and he instructed something to May about what they needed to do.
“We will be staying here to camp for today night and build a tent, find a good safe place for us stay to camp” Ulrich said.
“Yes sir” May said respectfully.
They searching a good place in the forest to rest, they find a good spot far from the road. They set up a tent, took their food supply for the dinner, and lighting up bonfire to have a light in this darky night. Red arranged the cooking pot and May was also helping up and they cooking the food for the dinner on the bonfire.
Theo and Ulrich sat near at the bonfire. Ulrich said something to Theo.
“My grandson Theo, be prepared yourself because your training will start tomorrow. Even if the carriage was moving your training will still continue until we arrive to our destination” Ulrich said.
Theo was bit shocked and surprised because he was already informed and prepared mentally.
“What training will I do?” Theo asked curiously.
“You will know tomorrow. I will only tell you that in the morning you will do physical training. In the afternoon, I will teach you how to use sword or weapon you want to learn. After that in the evening i will teach you about everything I knew, the knowledge I accumulated for the rest of my life and it will depend on you to understand the teaching that I will impart in you” Ulrich said with solemn face.
“Yes grandfather, i understood. But I have a question, how long it will take this training? because I forgotten to ask to mother and father about this” Theo said.
Ulrich was surprised because his grandson is not well informed to this training that he wanted to facepalm himself for the irresponsible of Theo’s parent.
“Are you kidding me?! They didn’t tell you personally that it will take 4 years your training?!” Ulrich said.
Theo was a state of shock and surprise for how long this training will took be. He thought that it will only take many months to finish the training but he didn’t expect that it will take 4 years to be done. Now he knew why they looked very worried and very concerned when he left. Theo took it back what he said earlier, now he pretty sure his family is pretty irresponsible, their thinking is not normal to what level normal standard should be. They don’t know how to take care their child as a parent. He felt complicated when he thought his parent to this second life.
“No grandpa, it’s my first time I heard the training will take 4 years and they didn’t tell me about it” Theo said.
Ulrich was very embarrassed as a father of Eliza. He thought that maybe it was reflecting his parenting because he also an irresponsible parent that only adventure he did as his first priority on his list.
Ulrich sighed. “I’m sorry grandson if your parent is thoughtless as you thought so. When we back, I will kick their butt for you and scold them” Ulrich said, he put his hand to the head of Theo and he felt guilty.
‘To begin with, never in my mind that I thought they’re thoughtful parent” Theo thought and didn’t say anything what on his head.
“Don’t worry grandpa, maybe they just forgotten to tell me and I didn’t take into my heart. And i knew already because you already said it to me. Stressing a small matter make it bigger matter than made you inaction to do things and think” Theo said casually.
Ulrich smiled because he saw how really mature his grandson to the same age as him.
“What a lucky Eliza and Heiner that they gave an intelligence, matured, and thoughtful child” Ulrich said.
“You flatter me grandpa” Theo laughed awkwardly. Ulrich saw that Theo appeared embarrassed. He laughed loudly.
Red and May heard the laugh of Ulrich not far from them. Their eyes set to the two, they saw that the two looked happy and joyful atmosphere. After that May and Red looked to each other and smiled.
Red took a two bowl and put the food on it, after that he went to the place where Ulrich and Theo were sitting.
“Lord, the porridge we made is already done. Please take it” Red gave the bowl to Theo and Ulrich.
“Theo be mentally prepared because starting today we ate food like this normally every day or less than what you eating in the house of Azert” Ulrich remind Theo for him to be mentally prepared.
Theo already predicted this will happen when going to unknown place so he was already mentally prepared. Theo looked to the bowl with porridge on his hand. He saw that there is a beef included. He was very happy that he was not eating a bland food.
‘It was a little bit better than I expected’ Theo thought.
Ulrich was grinning when he saw the reaction of Theo. Ulrich stared to Red and said “You and May come along with us to eat, it’s not good eating separately, right Theo?” Ulrich said and asked Theo.
“But lord that is improper to your status and we have no right to eat along with you” Red said respectfully.
“Grandfather is correct, I also don’t have a problem eating with you guys” Theo said. Ulrich was satisfied to Theo good character to his subordinates.
Red didn’t have no choice but to comply when both agreed to eat along with them and to him it was a command.
“Yes, I understood my lord” Red said. He called May and explained what happened. they sat next to them and they began eating and talking to each other in this dark night while a sound of eating, a crackling of fire, and the sound of animal from a far can be heard.