City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

 Proofread by Thomas F

Alina Lindgren

I took a deep breath and stepped into the Grand Ballroom.

Immediately, the light focused on me, and over a thousand pairs of eyes turned to me. Looking at me, with all kinds of emotions, from envy to joy to contempt to desire.

We love emotions! I said, trying to calm myself.

Legacies feed on them, and with so many emotions coming in, they’re going to be a lot for the core.

I don’t know whether the core of Twilight Hall will be able to absorb it all. It is not Velvet Garden, which is an absolute monster, but it has a part of the Velvet Garden core.

The core of Twilight Hall had become far stronger, but absorbing the emotions of thousands of people was going to be a challenge.

I pushed those thoughts away and focused on the people. There are over a thousand people here. I barely know three of them, but I recognise most of them.

I force myself to remember their paintings and information.

Though currently, I focus on the people I know. It is the only thing keeping me from fainting under the weight of a thousand eyes. I have been under people’s gaze since childhood, but it hasn’t made it easier.

Everyone I know and love is here. My grandfather, Marla, Delia, Arnal, and more.

The only one who is not is Lord Silver and mentor; I wish she had been here. I had talked to her a few minutes ago, but it couldn’t compare to her being here.

I stopped and turned to all the people, calming the jitters I felt in my heart.

“Ladies and gentlemen, lords and masters, thank you for gracing our establishment with your presence,” I said, activating Clear Voice.

There are powerful enchantments here to spread my voice far, but using my skills to address the crowd had become a habit, and it also makes me feel at ease.

“Today, we are celebrating Twilight Hall. It’s a legacy that was produced from the fusion of Vanis Tavern and Mariha’s Inn and blessed by the Velvet Garden.”

“It is not just a fusion of legacies, but also of visions,”

I took a pause, and a glass of crystalline champagne appeared in my hand, while my eyes moved toward the people I know and love.

“Tonight, we celebrate that with the hope that this legacy will last for generations, bringing joy and prosperity to the city and the empire,” I said, and raised my glass.

“To Twilight Hall,” I tossed, and they repeated, before taking a sip from our glasses.

This is a new beginning for Twilight Hall and me. I made a promise to myself: I will not hold back, I will move forward with the vision I have, and this time, there is no guardian to stop me!

Lord Silver had promised me his complete support with that.

“It was a great speech, peach. I am proud of you,” said Grandfather as I stopped beside him. “Thank you, Grandfather,” I replied, and we turned to Lady Carla.

…

Vanis Lindgren

As we mingled, we stopped in front of a handsome man, who had arrived barely a minute ago.

“My Peach, you know Lord Artur Salazar,” I said, looking at the handsome man. “Lord Salazar,” she greeted, Helena Salazar’s son. I don’t like the man.

He rubs me the wrong way with his entitled attitude. His sisters are much better to deal with.

“Lady Alina, congratulations on your ascension,” he replied, taking her hand and kissing it. “Thank you, my lord,” she replied.

“We were expecting you to come much earlier, Lord Salazar,” I said, while the man sighed. “That was the plan, Lord Vanis, but something came up,” he replied, with a tone of regret.

“I hope it’s not something bad,” I said. “It’s not something I couldn’t deal with,” he replied, before his eyes turned to Lady Carla, not far away from us.

“I hope I will have good news while I am here,” he added, before turning back to us. “I am sure you will,” I replied.

I know something about the agreement he is hinting at. I was in Namdar at the time, Lady Carla had negotiated with them. They will allow high-level artists and craftsmen to leave for Greltheaven.

In exchange, Greltheaven will do something for them.

“I hope so, because mother can be impatient,” he said. It’s a clear hint that I will talk to Silver about it.

We talked to him for a few more minutes before walking away, while he went directly for Lady Carla. Avoiding everyone else, moving to talk to him.

He is very important. Well, his mother is.

Not even the Crown Prince would dare to mess with the most powerful powerhouse of the empire and one of the most powerful of the continent.

“He didn’t have to be impatient, Velvet Garden had promised him, and they would do it,” said Peach.

“He knows that, but he is applying a little pressure,” I replied.

The man may be brash and entitled, but he is also very smart. He knows how to use the power and influence of his city and mother to get what he wants.

We were moving toward one of our old friends when three people appeared in front of me.

People, I don’t like at all.

“Lady Alina, Lord Lindgren, congratulations on this magnificent legacy,” said the middle-aged, blond, handsome man. Beside him is his wife, wearing excessive make-up.

She is a beautiful woman; she should lean into her age, not try to look younger with the makeup.

At her age, she will never be able to compete with the woman her husband prefers.

Beside him is a young man, in his late teens. Handsome like his father, charming as well.

“Thank you, Baron, Baroness Galtmore,” replied Peach, before her eyes focused on her boyfriend. I don’t like the young man; he feels like he was cut from the same cloth as his father.

“Lord Lindgren, can I take Alina to meet a few of my friends?” asked the boy.

Lady Alina. I wanted to correct him, but controlled myself.

“Don’t take too long, we have a lot of important people to meet,” I said to her, seeing her desire to go with the boy. “I won’t,” she replied and went away with the boy.

“The children, they are quite fond of each other,” said Galtmore in a clear, suggestive tone. “They are young,” I replied, with a clear uninterest.

His expressions changed for a fraction of a second before the smile returned to his face.

“They are a good match, both come from a great pedigree,” he expressed, and I wanted to slap the man. He is a noble and cowardly one at that; he sacrificed his allies to run away and save his own life.

Many good people lost their lives due to it, including a friend of mine.

“Let them be, Baron; there is no benefit to force our intentions on them,” I replied and walked away. The man opened his mouth, but closed it a moment later.

“I really don’t like Galtmore,” said Mariha as she appeared beside me. “Who does?” I asked back, to which she laughed.

“I had already asked you before, but keep an eye on him and his son,” I said to her. I have connections, and I have asked them, but I have also asked Mariha.

I comprehend the type of connections she has, and it would be idiotic not to ask for her help.

“You know, your granddaughter is wise enough to know the things that are good and bad for her,” she said. “I know, and I trust her, but that doesn’t mean I will not keep an eye on things that could harm her,” I replied.

It is why I have not said anything against the boy aside from a few words of caution.

She is an adult; she can make her own decisions, but I will keep an eye on her. She is the only one of my blood that I consider family, and I will not lose her.

…

Remus Silver

“…this is an end, but not the finale. It is the end from which a new beginning will rise,”

I was standing on the top floor, addressing the people, with my voice reverberating through not only this floor, but also through the rest of the galaxy.

There is no closing party or farewell of any kind. I decided to keep things simple.

“A year from now, Velvet Garden shall return, larger and grander, in both scale and ambition.”

“Until then, I urge you all to remain steadfast—be patient and diligent. Let us strive to build the city that will be worthy of Velvet Garden’s.” I finished.

A moment later, applause rang out through all floors of the Velvet Garden.

“The legacy will close its doors at dawn; until then, please enjoy to your heart’s content,” I said and walked out, my eyes moist. A few people got up to talk to me, but I didn’t give them a chance.

I am feeling a little emotional right now. Even the tears have started to stream out of my eyes.

I do not want to close the legacy for a year; no one in this era has done so for this long. I wouldn’t have done this if I had a choice. I do not.

If I didn’t close the legacy, I wouldn’t be using it to its full potential, which means I’d be doing something I find unacceptable. Only once it is at its true size can it help me and the city a lot.

It would also bring trouble, but I will deal with it when it comes.

I returned to my office and sat down before closing my eyes, watching the legacy, which is filled with people. Knowing this is the last day, a massive number of people have come to visit the legacy.

I had relaxed the crowd limit a little, letting more people come in.

A few minutes later, I opened my eyes, and immediately, everything turned dark. The core of my legacy appeared in front of me; it had grown larger and denser since its advancement into Grade IV.

Currently, it is absorbing a massive amount of emotions from the thousands of people.

I turned to the plant with the lamppost orbiting the core of my legacy, and a smile couldn’t help but appear on my face. I have to say, I am surprised.

I looked at it for a while before everything disappeared, and a moment later, a party appeared in front of it.

One day, I will be there. I thought, before coming back to my legacy.

The party is in full swing, but in a few hours, the environment will be completely different.

I mean, the number of high-level criminals appearing in Inam is quite staggering. Even after arresting and detaining many of them, there are still many roaming free, and they are going to create quite a bit of chaos.

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