City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

Valentina Elar

Click!

The door of the carriage opened, and I stepped out before walking toward the warehouse.

There are police guarding the door, but as I appeared. They saluted and opened the door for me. I nodded my thanks and walked inside.

The warehouse is empty aside from three large crates in the middle, with two men standing beside them.

My eyes focused on a man in his late sixties with long white hair and grey eyes. Seeing me, a smile appeared on his face.

“Miss Elar, you have grown more radiant since the last time I saw you,” said the man. “And you have grown younger, Majordomo Silmas,” I replied to the man.

He is one of the most intelligent men I have met. I had tried to recruit him for Greltheaven, but the man is unwilling to leave his job.

“How is our the Lord Viscount?” I asked. “He is well and going to be a father in a few weeks,” he replied with a smile on his face that widened.

The last time I met him, the viscount was only twelve; he had contacted my firm to build a summer manor for him. It was my first significant project.

“Then, congratulations are in order. You are going to be a great-grandfather,” I said.

He had not raised the young viscount and protected him, but also married his granddaughter to him. It’s not easy for a man of common origin to do that.

Especially considering the Viscounty was quite prosperous, with no dearth of other nobles wanting to marry their children to the young Viscount.

“Yes, it’s the happiest news of my life. It’s why I didn’t want to come here, but for you, I did,” he replied.

“For that, I am thankful,” I said to the man with a smile.

A moment passed in silence before his eyes became serious, and he turned to the crate.

“It took quite an effort to get our hands on these. If they weren’t for the hot potato, you’re offering for them. I wouldn’t have sold them to you,” he said with a sigh, and looked at the man beside him.

Thud Thud Thud!

Who quickly opened the latches on the middle crate, and the sides fell off with a thud, revealing the goods inside.

“The roaring boars!”

Inside the crate are three big blue cannons with runes carved all over them. They are not the biggest cannons, but they will be the most powerful in our arsenal.

We have been trying hard to obtain these cannons, but the merchants weren’t selling them to us.

So, we have turned to the empire; they, too, aren’t selling them to us, as they need them for their own needs. Even if they didn’t, these things are pretty restricted.

So, we had to find alternatives—people who have somehow obtained them and want to sell or dispose of them somewhere.

Everyone is contacting their connections for the things we need to fight the undead. I had reached all my connections, including this man.

It worked. I had one of the things that we need so desperately.

Thud Thud!

The man moved and opened the other two crates. It didn’t have more cannons, but ammunition.

Despite the runes, it is not dual-type. It could only fire physical rounds and needed a specific type of ammunition.

“Colonel,” I said to the man beside me. He moved toward them and began scrutinizing the cannons, while I talked with the older man.

It took over forty minutes before the man finished the inspection and turned to me.

“They are legit,” he stated.

“Thank you, Majordomo Silmas. This will help us a lot,” I said, and handed him the payment. “It is what friends are for, Miss Elar,” he replied.

We paid him, but I am still grateful for his help. Even with money, these things aren’t easy to get.

Everybody in the city is trying their best and reaching out to their contacts. We need every edge we can get, because the battle is going to be very hard.

“I have one more item, I believe you are interested in,” he said and took out the box from his bag.

Just by seeing the box, I knew what was inside and couldn’t help but sigh internally.

Click!

I took it from his hands and opened it. As I had expected, there are two alchfire orbs inside. We have been buying them like crazy. I don’t know how we are going to use them this time.

Since we used them last time, the undead have been very careful.

I have sensed their cautiousness in the battle, and now, despite higher levels, I don’t think I will be able to keep the undead from discovering them.

If we were to use them like we did last time.

Remus seemed to have a plan. Only he and Stone are aware of it. Even Cardin doesn’t know, much less I and others.

Remus is keeping a tight lid on it, but I’m hoping it’s not one of those crazy plans of his.

These things are extremely dangerous. They kill both enemies and allies. It is why very few people use them, but they still produce these things because of the sheer power they have.

“Yes, we are interested in them,” I said, and activated Appraising Eyes and cast a few spells.

I didn’t have to use the skill and spells; I know they are good, but I need to be careful, given how much we are paying for them.

I received a positive answer from both my skill and spell, and closed the box before placing it in my storage. I then took out another box. Filled with emotion essence potions.

I could see the older man’s eyes light up. These are higher grade than what we had agreed on for the cannons.

“It’s always great doing business with you, Miss Elar,” said the old man as he took the payment. “The pleasure is mine, Majordomo Silmas,” I replied and walked out of the warehouse with him.

“Can’t you stay? I will fix you in any place in the Velvet Garden you want,” I asked, and an old man smiled.

“It’s tempting, but I must return to the territory as soon as possible,” he replied and walked toward his carriage, while I stepped into mine.

It is night, and only seven and a half days remain till the undead descend.

It’s going to be a battle that will kill me, but I’m not going to leave.

This is my home, I am not going to abandon it, nor will I abandon a friend who treated me like a person despite knowing my deepest secret.

Forget that, he had even given me these significant responsibilities.

I could hear the whispers of the people, the looks they gave me, but nobody dared to say anything to my face. They all fear him, know how close we are, and how much I trust myself.

The carriage moved through the streets. There are barely any other carriages here, aside from those of the police.

Though when it made the turn, the street became crowded with carriages and people. I’m still adjusting to the stark differences within the city.

The tourists have filled the city to the brim, with many of them staying the night.

They had filled all the hotels and inns, so we were placing them in the homes of people who had left the city.

From small homes to mansions, everything is getting occupied. The city and Velvet Garden are happy for it, despite it stretching them thin.

They are managing it well without compromising on quality and experience.

Though it is putting strain on them and the women who work in legacy, seeing more than half of them have left the Velvet Garden.

If we survive the undead, they will have a big challenge in front of the Legacy.

It isn’t just them, but the whole city.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the five-story building—the office of Elar and Amellus. 

I distance myself from the business since I work for the Dominion, but I have come here for work. There are a few things I had to discuss with him.

I wanted to come earlier, but I was busy.

Since Remus had handed me some of the interior’s responsibilities, I had become even busier. There is too much work, with so many people leaving.

It is late, but I know Ed is in his office.

I walked inside the building and took the elevator to the top floor, emerging several seconds later.

As I had expected, the lights are on in his office. I nodded at his secretary and walked inside. It’s a large office, but it feels like there is barely any spare space.

It will be fully organised by the morning, but it still makes one wonder how one could mess up their office this much every day.

“You shouldn’t have come. I was coming to you in the morning,” he said, turning to me, from the projection in front of him.

“I had time,” I replied. “While you seemed to have too much,” I added as I sat down, looking at the projection of the city.

It’s not the first time I’ve found him staring at the projection of the city.

“It’s frustrating, you know. This is the worst place to build the city. There are many more suitable places within fifty kilometres, good and bad; there are several places to build the city,” he replied.

“Raldin wouldn’t make such a mistake,” he added, and I couldn’t help but sigh.

It’s not the first time he said it, and I had told Remus that. He made Ed scan every part of the city and read through every record, but he wasn’t able to find anything.

“The likely reason is that it was chosen because it’s auspicious. The emperor was into that kind of thing, so was the prince,” I replied, and he just looked at me.

We had argued about it many times, and today, I have no desire to do so.

He seemed to understand that as he removed it. I could see the other icons on the parchment of the academy and the mage tower.

He had finished with the academy over a month ago, but given the state of the city, we had no choice but to let it sit empty.

The people are leaving, and no teacher is willing to come here. It could only be opened after we had dealt with the undead, as for the mage tower, it’s the same.

It is the one project he is more passionate about; he has worked really hard on the design with his partners.

I have seen it and it impressed me, but he didn’t even show it to Remus. There is no use until we deal with the undead. We do not have the money and the people to build it.

Though we need it desperately, Mages asked me nearly every day about it. It is a thing that helps mages a lot, and in turn, it will help the city.

If we survive the undead, I am going to press Remus for it until he agrees.

“I would need the green light as soon as possible. We barely have a few days,” he said, handing me the blueprints.

I looked at it and couldn’t help but nod. It is a blueprint of the bunker. We had created bunkers, and we need a few more at specific places.

“I will give you an answer by morning,” I replied. I don’t need Remus’s permission, I have the authority, but I have to look at it carefully before I give the go-ahead.

A few minutes later, I walked out. It’s nearly midnight, and I’m going home. I am alone and feeling lonely; Lena isn’t in the city, and I miss her a lot.

I hope she comes back soon, if I want to kiss those lips and be in her embrace, one more time, before facing the undead.

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