The city of Nalthus was magnificent. Even the well-maintained cobbled roads that branched out from it were filled with carriages. While most were cargo carriers, a few passenger carts could be spotted here and there. The gray-green walls of the port city were impressive, carved for decoration rather than defense. Walking the entirety of the wall would be an endless exhibit of art, featuring delicate stonework and proud iron crafting. The city's walls were designed to keep creatures at bay, for the port city was built on water. Safely nestled into the heart of the kingdom, the only threat lay in the sea.
The city was alive with the sounds of men, women, and children living their best lives, competing with the constant murmur of the sea. The heavily salted air assaulted the nose but mingled with the enticing aromas of cooked and freshly caught food, creating a unique, pleasant blend. Beyond the massive entryway gate, the main road led directly to the iron wharf—a marvel of human engineering. Originally constructed of heavy iron, the wharf spanned the entirety of Nalthus Cove. Though now primarily made of concrete, it used to be a sight of pure pale blue iron.
Nalthus was built in Nalthus Cove shortly after the Sovereignty War, as a display to outdo the dwarven race. Metal and saltwater do not mix, yet humanity persevered, and soon enough, a large iron dock capable of handling three large ships was crafted. The humans invited the dwarves to show off their achievement, a display meant to mock. When the dwarven delegation arrived, they found the dock had turned blue. The dwarves, in turn, mocked them for using copper when they claimed it was iron, but the humans insisted it was iron.
Eventually, it was discovered that in the process of making the iron seaworthy and rust-free, an unusual reaction had occurred. A dwarf discovered this quite easily and even expanded upon it, showcasing that the blue patina was a protective layer of sorts that naturally accrued in the new metal alloy when exposed to saltwater. Soon enough, the initial mockery turned into a collaborative effort. Humans and dwarves worked together to create Seametal, a process lost to time as concrete was soon invented and proved easier to use and make than Seametal.
Still, this monument to the city was covered by massive warehouses that could be seen from anywhere in the city, far too many to count even on a slow trip to their meeting. It was a parallel trip to the Fugu Estate, riding along the road all the way, showing just how much the city was dedicated to the port. Ships, in the hundreds, could be seen lazily drifting in the waters while what seemed to be thousands of men moved quickly to take the cargo. As they moved, the sounds died down, the pace slowed, and soon enough only the sound of the sea could be heard. It was at this moment they reached the ivory black gate of the Fugu Estate.
With a brief interaction with the guard, they were allowed inside, and soon enough, Franklin was finally leaving the carriage, looking up to find a red-bricked manor before him. The two-story place was quite modest, even if it was rather large, but Franklin had dealt with far prouder people before. This made the manor seem quite humble to him, and he nodded at the old architecture, satisfied that the count must be a man who understood value.
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“You must be from the Guerrero Company,” a voice called out to them. Franklin looked around to see an elderly man dressed in a finely kept suit greeting them. “I am Will Barnes, the steward of the estate,” he continued as he eyed the group, finally nodding to Sergo. “I trust the trip was well, young master Guerrero?”
Sergo smiled. “Now that's another five gelds for me,” he chuckled. Franklin tutted as Will Barnes raised an eyebrow. Meanwhile, Varina chuckled softly.
Fishing in his pockets, Franklin pulled out a handful of geld coins and shoved them into Sergo’s waiting hands. “It's quite rude to address someone else with the Guerreros' name,” he spat angrily. “Should I take this insult to mean that Count Fisch doesn't desire to conduct trade with the Guerrero Merchant Company?” It was a useless threat, one made out of annoyance rather than a viable threat.
Still, it had its use. Even if Will Barnes was a noble himself, he could hardly make such decisions for his master. So, empty threat or not, the steward nodded his head. “I see, forgive my mistake, young Guerrero.”
‘Ah, so it's young now, huh? Well, it's not like I don't deserve it for losing my temper,’ he thought, waving a hand dismissively. “It matters little. Please lead the way inside,” he offered. Without care, the steward turned around and silently led them to the parlor.
It was a well-dressed room; opposite the door was a warm fireplace whose crackling fire kept the room warm. To the left was a massive window showcasing the entryway to the port, ships entering the harbor, while behind them the large breakwater held a massive tower, the gatekeeper of the massive port.
Will Barnes led them ahead of this window, where there were two gray leather loveseats and one large white sofa huddled around a burnt black coffee table. “If the young Guerrero would kindly take a seat on the sofa, you would enjoy the view of the harbor while you wait.”
With a nod, Franklin did just that as the steward turned to leave, informing him that “A maid will bring refreshments shortly.” With that, the three of them were left alone in the room.
“Ahh, this is comfortable,” Franklin commented as he sat back on the sofa.
Without waiting, Sergo joined him. “Shit, you're right.” This comment earned the man a slap from his wife.
“Language!” she chastised him. “We’re in a count's home.” She looked around with wide eyes, taking everything in before skipping to the window and watching the ships pass, her mouth releasing sounds of wonder. Sergo watched his wife with a warm smile.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door, and it opened to reveal a trolley filled with a tea set and a maid following behind it.
“A push trolley?” Franklin whispered, impressed. “Well, that's to be expected with the port city.” Rare tools were probably easy to come by here, after all. Soon enough, the maid placed the set on the table and poured four cups of tea.
“Is there anything else?” she asked.
Franklin shook his head. “It's okay.” With that, they were left alone to enjoy the tea and watch the ships sail by.