Chapter 154: Old Walls

Chapter 154: Old Walls

Old Walls

Korimor

Holding on to his wooden crutch, Sir Hugo watched the somewhat formal yet awkward procession as the Lord and Lady departed. A routine had yet to be established for this novel method of transport, and the airship was evidently slow to take off—probably because its coachman-pilot thought the ceremony would take some time to finish. Yet, the Lord and Lady were not big on ceremonials, taking little delight in long speeches or unnecessary social functions.

After some time, everyone finally saw the airship take flight. It was a sight that burned into their memory. A human invention, made of silk and plant materials, took to the sky. The vessel then oriented itself and headed south to Korelia through the vast plains of the northern corridor.

The escorts had begun their march. Men-at-arms were attached to the baggage train, while cavalry and nomads surrounded the vicinity.

The airship, majestic in the sky, silently sailed into the wind.

As Hugo had expected, he could easily see that the people of Korimor were elated, and the reason was easy to understand.

To fly in the sky was nothing short of miraculous. It was simply unthinkable, beyond what people believed was possible. More importantly, flight had been the realm of legends, as only the Ancients in their dragon form were recorded to soar through the skies. And now, this foreigner from nowhere, who had taken control of many cities in Lowlandia, brought a flying ship and soared on it.

Just like the people of Korimor, Hugo too was spurred by this display of power. This was another one of House Lansius' grand achievements. He felt proud to be part of it and let out a smirk.

"What's with the smirk?" asked Dietrich, who was beside him. His hair had grown long, making him look more like a rugged delinquent than a respectable captain and steward.

Hugo chuckled but waved him off. "That's none of your business."

Dietrich chuckled and breathed deeply, enjoying the scenery. "So, when will you depart?"

"Next week or so. I need it to be fully healed; I don't want to climb to Umberland with one bad leg," Hugo replied, then added, "Plenty of time to supervise your handling of the city's many affairs."

"I'm sure Umberland isn't the only thing you're thinking of climbing," Dietrich quipped.

Hugo laughed loudly, clearly enjoying the joke. "Come, let's enjoy some mare wine and duck eggs."

"Isn't it too early for kumis?" Dietrich raised an eyebrow.

"Mare wine and duck eggs aren't considered a drink but medicine," the knight passionately argued.

"With that kind of approach, no wonder you've already got a soft belly," Dietrich countered.

Behind them, Roger stifled a laugh, prompting the two to turn around.

"Oi, oi, don't report this," Hugo protested.

"To be clear, I'm about to reject the proposal," Dietrich added in jest.

Roger burst out laughing at their reaction and then left the scene. It had become a running joke that the squire was the Lord's eyes and ears.

"You know?" Hugo said, returning to the previous conversation. "I've asked Francisca about kumis, and she said it's delightful. A bit on the strong side, but also milky like mother's milk."

Dietrich shook his head while massaging his temple. "Now, what am I supposed to do with that information?"

"She also said, 'I don’t mind messing around, but I promised myself to Sir Harold. If you really like someone like me, you should travel to Umberland; I have sisters and cousins there. Chances are, you won’t be able to tell us apart.'"

Dietrich rolled his eyes at the unsolicited information. The two shared a carriage and headed to the biggest tavern in the city. There, they started a drinking contest to honor the Lord and Lady's departure. And the people there were only too eager to join them.

***

Korelia, Council Chamber

The sound of whistling echoed through the council chamber. It was Sir Justin’s way of easing the monotony as he sifted through a stack of letters demanding his attention. Surprisingly, he had transitioned well from being part knight, part mercenary, to being the steward of a growing city.

His whistle carried a cheerful yet lonely melody today, reminiscent of a shepherd alone in the field. He practiced it because his daughter, Eleanor, liked it. Whistling was one of the ways for this Arvenian-born knight to connect with his daughter, something he had done since she was a baby.

Sir Justin’s whistling abruptly stopped, startling Calub and Cecile enough that they glanced at him. Sensing their gazes, he explained, "I just read that the Lord and Lady are currently in Korimor and heading to Korelia."

"That’s good news," Cecile remarked with a sigh of relief.

"But you seem troubled," Calub observed.

"Well..." Sir Justin hesitated, then passed the report to Calub, who immediately perused it.

"Have you found the words 'air' and 'ship'?"

"Indeed, the report mentions an airship," Calub confirmed.

"And what is 'air' and 'ship' together? A ship sailing in the wind?" Sir Justin chuckled, his laughter rich with amusement. "Is the scribe writing this in a hurry or something?"

"Must be something like that," Calub stroked his chin thoughtfully, while Cecile offered only a shrug when Sir Justin looked her way.

"Well, anyhow, we'd better prepare for their arrival," Sir Justin concluded.

"How soon, do you think?" Cecile asked.

The knight looked at the date on the document. "It was written ten days ago. If we assume that's when the Lord arrived in Korimor, then accounting for resting time, social events, policy-making, and the travel time here, I'd say we still have at least two weeks to a month. However..." He glanced at the two. "It’s the Black Lord we're talking about. He could arrive here tonight. And I have no intention of letting him see me unprepared."

Calub and Cecile smiled, and the three began to make preparations.

...

Seven nights later, in Korelia, rumors swirled about a mysterious white beam of light approaching from the north. Shortly afterward, reports from the city gates indicated that cavalry and nomads were entering the city. Moreover, there were sightings of large objects obscuring the stars in the night sky, as if flying past the city.

As the night progressed, more reports emerged of people seeing the Lord and Lady’s personal banners carried by the cavalry. Rumors of their return spread like wildfire through the taverns and streets, setting all of Korelia abuzz. The Korelians, naturally eager to confirm the truth of these tales, gossiped throughout the night.

Now, it was nothing more than a childish dream. She had grown older and realized that playing God-King over humans was futile. No matter how pure and good her intentions, it would be short-lived and ultimately bring calamity, as the rule would be based on a fragile structure.

This belief was tempered by observing her father's rule and its impact on human society. She had lived among the many different peoples of the Imperium for hundreds of years under the guise of a healer, herbalist, or apothecary.

Sagarius herself harbored no ambitions. She was just happy to finally be free from the burden of inheriting the Imperium. To her, it was a cold and heavy shackle, especially since her brother was returning to the elven lands with their mother and had vowed never to return.

She stopped and sighed, feeling guilty over a lie she had told her father to comfort him. In truth, she had no intention of returning to the elven lands.

Despite all she had said to him, Sagarius felt more at ease living among humans. She found them to be frank, less insidious, and direct, perhaps due to their short lifespans. In them, she saw the beauty of life.

Deep down, she was willing to assist, but only someone she deemed worthy. On her last journey, one House kept popping up. It wasn’t a great house, but a small one that skillfully controlled the province while remaining in the shadows. And for generations, it had continued to produce good talents.

She had been considering assisting them covertly and was hopeful that the head of the house in this generation was as capable as the previous ones. With that in mind, she continued her pace through the monotonous corridors where the only sound was the echoes of her own footsteps.

***

Korelia, Eastern Mansion

Lansius woke up, his eyes bleary from a deep sleep—the kind that makes one forget where they are upon waking. It was a different ceiling, but he recognized the place.

"Morning," his wife greeted him softly, sitting on the bed next to him. Then, with the smirk she often employed before doing something crazy, she added, "And welcome back."

Lansius chuckled as he sat up in their wedding bed, thankfully freshly cleaned and maintained by the staff. To his left and right, the old plaster walls embraced him. "We're truly home," he muttered.

"Indeed. And they won't bother us at least for today," she replied energetically.

"I'm grateful for that. That airship needed more pillows," he commented, feeling an ache in his back.

"But you had extra," she said, surprised.

"It needed a proper cushioned seat," he argued passionately.

"Then commission one," she advised.

"Certainly," he remarked. Now, he had the full resources of a Lord, even holding the baron's patent, likely stored somewhere in the castle.

"Oh, I know that look," she sighed, interrupting his train of thought.

Lansius looked at her, asking, "What?"

"Your eyes are full of ideas. So I'll probably see a busy day tomorrow."

He chuckled, understanding her concern. "Most likely. I need the city to be up and running before winter."

"What's your plan anyway? Can this humble wife hear of it?" she teased.

Lansius stifled a laugh. "Sure, but there's a lot to do and I don't know where to begin or what to end," he revealed, pondering the long list of tasks he wanted to tackle in Korelia.

"You're not feeling fatigued, are you?" Audrey asked.

The question made him look at her amusingly. "Hey, it's me who should be asking that. So, how about you, Drey? Are you feeling okay?"

"Well, I have no more nausea," she answered cheerfully. "Just a little, but it's under control. The old nanny, who's also a midwife, told me that it's supposed to be that way."

Lansius nodded. He wasn’t exactly knowledgeable about pregnant women, certainly not the women of this world.

Audrey got up from the bed and took his cane from the bedside.

"No, no need. I won’t be using it," said Lansius, also getting up from the bed. There was no longer any discomfort in his wound, and the skin had healed, leaving just a subtle mark from the operation that removed the embedded bolt head.

Audrey gazed at him, concerned.

"I feel better. I don't think I need it anymore," he explained.

"It must be because of the duck egg," she declared happily.

Lansius leaned in and whispered, "No, silly. It’s because of you." He hinted at her attempts to heal him with magic while they were flying on the airship.

Audrey was taken aback, unconvinced. "Me? I hardly did anything."

"Didn’t you try to heal me with magic?" he prompted.

Instead of recalling it, Audrey giggled. "That was just a lousy attempt. I’m sure it didn’t do anything; my magic is barely there."

"I'm serious," Lansius said while pulling her into his embrace. "Whatever Ingrid said, you obviously possess the gift. I even saw you correct the airship's heading."

"That was just the wind and only in ideal situations," she countered, pushing him slightly. "Husband, flattery won't get you far." Yet despite her words, she pushed him back onto the bed with a grin and then began to crawl over him.

"Isn’t it dangerous for the baby?" he asked as she began to kiss him.

She looked him in the eye, cheeks reddened. "I asked the nanny, and she said while the nobles don't do it, the commoners do it with no issue."

"Well, since we're of commoner's birth, then it should be fine for us," he quipped, eliciting a giggle from her. They spent their time together, resting in a place they now called home.

On the desk lay drawings and plans that Lansius had made for Korelia. Among them was a simple invention that could transform the entire steppe, much like it had transformed the Wild West. He had completed his study, and it was feasible; it just needed a guiding hand. However, the issue was that once released, controlling it would be beyond his grasp.

***