299 The Countdown Begins

\"Are the men ready?\"

\"Yes young master.\"

\"Excellent!

In 5 days time, we'll head out for the Capital.\"

\"As you wish young master.\"

\"_\"

.

William laid on his bed and smiled.

Soon, all his plans would come together nicely.

Freedom... Revenge..... and Justice!

Soon, his family would have their just rewards!

.

--The Capital, The Empire Of Carona--

.

It was a brand new day in this glorious city!

The day was illuminated by a pale winter's sun..... that shone on the city dimly.

The houses, streets and roads were all layered with several heaps of snow.

And the air was cold and heavy.

But surprisingly, this wintery weather.... didn't seem to bother the people within the city.

.

The streets soon became busy, as massive crowds of people soon gathered around several stores.

Yup!

They were there to scramble for more heavenly treasures.

.

\"Store owner..... do you have that cooking oil thing yet?\"

\"Sorry out of stock!\"

\"What about the lavender Soap?\"

\"That we have...\"

\"Store owner!....\"

\"Store owner.....\"

\"_\"

.

Business was booming for many stores within the city.

And since most things were extremely cheap, even the poorest of peasants could afford them.

These prices really shocked the people.

How could a book made out of paper cost just 5 copper coins?

.

One should know that just a single parchment paper would cost at least 1,000 Copper coins.

So what more of a book filled with 200 or more pages?

Was it really okay to sell them at just 5 Copper coins?

Not to talk about toilet papers, packs of pens, soaps and so on.

They felt like everything was a steal!

This Baymard must really be a rich place, to offer such prices.

.

Of course, there were some items that costed about 200 copper coins..... but those ones were larger items like mattresses.

And in truth, it was still somewhat affordable to the peasants.

.

\"Have you slept on that Mattress thing yet?\"

\"Ahhh!!!..... Not yet.

I heard that it's to die for.

Is that true?\"

\"Tsk!... Do you even need to ask?

I bought mine yesterday, with my beddings and blanket.

Bro..... last night, I had the best sleep ever!\"

\"Damn!.... my wife has been nagging me to get more seasonings and sugar!

And I can't blame her for wanting them.

This week, our food has been so tasty..... that I started to look at her as a Goddess.\"

\"Forget about those!

What about those winter clothes?

Wearing them outside, I feel extremely hot instead.\"

\"That's so true!

I've gone to work wearing the gloves and everything..... and do you know gat while sullying those rocks, I sweated like a pig?\"

\"_\"

.

People could be seen carrying their mattresses and other items on their heads, while merrily talking about their purchases.

But of course... for some, they prefered to focus on the city itself.

.

\"This Baymard is really something!\"

\"HmmHmm!.... I heard that the place has magical doors, and carriages that don't need horses to pull them.\"

\"What!!!!

How is that even possible?\"

\"Calm down..... that's not even the half of it!

I also heard that they had buildings made entirely out of glass.

Glass i tell yah!\"

\"Awesome!..... I want to go there at least once before I die.\"

\"Ahh.... you don't need to worry about that!

I have a cousin amongst the royal guards, and he said that soon... there would be something called a 'Transport Route', to take us from Carona to Baymard and back.\"

\"Is that really true?\" One of the men asked curiously.

\"Old pal!... are you doubting me?

I even heard that this route would use only a day or more to get us there!\"

'Gasps!!'

\"_\"

.

Of course apart from the adults, even the children spoke eagerly about Baymard.

Whether from poor and rich homes, those that would soon enroll for the school's next semester..... couldn't seem to keep their excitement contained.

And just like that, discussions about Baymard were now part and parcel of the people's daily lives here.

Heck!... even those within the Royal palace joined in on the gossip.

.

\"You all will die horrible deaths!!\"

\"_\"

The more Duke Samuel (Carmelo's brother) heard about Baymard, he felt like he had missed an opportunity of a lifetime.

His wife, and his children had gone..... and they had come back, telling him about how marvelous their whole experience was.

.

He looked at Carmelo, Adrian and Santa, like a pampered child who had just been denied a trip to Disneyland.

He poured his lips, and hmpp'd at everyone else in defeat.

What could he do?

His family had already gone and come back from the mysterious empire.

.

\"Little Bro... it wasn't like that!

How could we have known that Baymard would be like that?

If you want to blame anyone... then blame this brat here for not telling us about it.\" Carmelo said helplessly, while throwing Santa under the bus.

Santa looked at Carmelo powerlessly.

'Real mature, Father-in-law.'

.

\"Uncle.... it wasn't like I was hiding anything from you.

But you know that I'm an idiot, and I can't explain things right.

So I chose to show it instead alright?\" Santa said, while trying to coax this giant baby before him.

He thought that he was childish, but this uncle-in-law of his took the cake.

.

As Santa spoke, Carmelo slowly inched away from them.

His kid brother was like a walking typhoon when he got emotional.

Adrian on the other hand, massaged his temples... as he was slowly getting a headache from listening to his son's rantings.

Why couldn't this child of his grow up?

.

\"Rascal!!..... listen to your elder brother.

Why are you making things so difficult?

What?... do you still think that you're a kid?

You're 38 years old for crying out loud!\"

\"But father...\"

\"No buts!

Look at you!

Do you see our little princess here complaining?\" Adrian said, while gesturing at Penelope.

.

Penelope tapped her fingers on her desk, while listening to her overly dramatic family.

In truth, she too was extremely curious about the place.

But even though she was curious about all the goods from that empire... what really made her eager to visit the place, was their Army.

.

Her father, and the other men who had previously journeyed there... had said that compared to Baymard's training methods, Carona's own was just child play.

This notion alone made her excited.

.

Penelope's blood kept boiling, as she looked at the marked Calendar date before her.

Yes!!.... she was using Baymard's calendars, and even their watches and alarm clocks.

And in all honesty, it was freaking convenient.

Of course, she was also amazed by the other products as well.

In short, everything from Baymard seemed to be like a treasure that had fallen down from the heavens onto Hertfilia.

.

When she reevaluated everything, she quickly realized that signing the treaty with this new empire..... was the right thing to do.

As her people seemed to be a lot more warmer, now that it was Winter.

The reported death rates from the cities, and even the villages, seemed to narrow down drastically during this harsh winter.

It was truly unbelievable, what a little warm clothings, and beddings could do for one.

.

Penelope looked at her calendar in anticipation.

[February 25th]

That was the day she would leave the Capital for Baymard... alongside the chosen knights who would train there.

It would take her 1 month to get to the nearest Coastal city, and another 1 month to get to Baymard... so she should be arriving around the last week of April.

Because on May 3rd, the new Caronian soldiers needed to report to duty in Baymard.

.

\"Just look at how calm your niece is?

Why can't you be like that?

Ah... that reminds me, you'll also be going with our princess to Baymard.

So you better prepare brat!!\"

\"I'm going?\"

Imaginary Happy bells rang within Duke Samuel's ears, as he jumped up and down excitedly.

.

\"Hahahhahhahah...'Muacck!'

thank you father.\"

'Muack! Muack! Muack!

The Duke kept pecking his father multiple times, until Adrain's cheeks started turning red.

\"Ugh... can you stop doing that?\" Adrian said, while hurriedly wiping his cheeks and trying to frown.

What parent didn't feel happy when their child showed them love?

.

\"As I was saying..... we will all stay behind, and you 2 will go there for yourselves.

Penelope, as queen.... it is paramount to see what sort of place you have signed a treaty with.

So, as one of your advisors.... I think you should train there with the soldiers for a month.

And within this time, I'm sure you'll be able to properly judge their king and the people.

As well as know what sort of benefits we stand to gain from forming an alliance with them.

Just treat this trip as one of those 4 or 5 month missions that we used to go to.

And if you don't like what you see, then tell Grandpa.... and we will find a way to terminate the treaty.

You are Queen after all..... and at the end of the day, you have the final say.\" Adrian said seriously.

\"Hmhm... I'll do as you say Grandpa

But I don't think that I'll be cancelling the treaty at all.

Even without me going there, I can clearly see the advantages it would bring to my people.

Plus, you all stayed there for 3 and a half months already.... so my monthly visit wouldn't do much, would it?

I trust your judgments and I believe that we can have a long standing relationship with this Baymard.

But if I do find anything suspicious, then I'll inform you all when I get back.\"

\"_\"

.

While Penelope and Duke samuel kept counting down for their journey to the Mysterious Empire....... Landon on the other hand, was currently at the construction industry within the lower region.

.

\"Your majesty, the workers are ready!\"

\"Good!

Let's begin!\"