Chapter 51 50: Soleda

Buildings stretched around like trees in a forest as the rattling four-wheeler now ran as stable as a horse. The brick-laid roads stretched far and wide as the people around in a variety of clothes walked with hearty gaits and merry smiles.

"Claude, look! Water!"

"Hah? Of course, there's water?"

"No, like! Water! A lot of water!" Elric shook his head and grabbed Claude's hair. "Just look for yourself."

Claude leaned out of the window, and a gasp of admiration left him. Amidst the blocks of small buildings held up by lime and gypsum mortars, large canals bordered with white alabaster cut through the city.

"That's like, an indoor river? Artificial?"

"Haha," Puzo's laugh reached their ears as the man slightly leaned out of the window too, his hand still on the wheel. "Isn't it beautiful? Soleda is one of the richer places after all."

"Does this have any significance?" Claude asked, amused.

Elric, on the other hand, was nodding with pride. His opinion of the residents of Soleda had shot through the roof. Anyone who appreciated water was a friend of water types like himself. Of course, this sentiment did not even exist in his wildest imagination before he learned he was a water type too.

"Look, doesn't this place remind you of fields?"

"Does it?"

"They are like canals flowing through your fields, perfect for watering your crops. Maris is all about agriculture!"

It seemed to have been highly stylized to maintain the clean aesthetic of the city, but Claude could see the resemblance.

"Where does the water come from?" He asked. He was about to sit back down, but Elric held his hair and made him stare at the water. "Let go, bitch."

"Watch! Watch and worship."

"Get lost! Sit back down!"

"Such disrespect for water! You trash!"

The two tussled while still peeking out of the windows, earning a laugh from their companions.

And soon, their antics stopped to a sight like none other. The canals seeped through backward and converged into an enormous fountain in the center of the city. With the statue of a beautiful goddess holding a plow and a pot, the canals that tore through the city met at the feet of the city's goddess.

"Is she the god of water?" Elric asked.

"Uh, no. But Maris has a strong relations—"

"I don't care then."

Elric sat back down.

***

Passing through the streets of Soleda were two hatted men donning dark coats. The brim of their hats and the collars of their hangs hid away the sight of their faces as they strolled down the lines of canals.

Carriages would frequently pass by the roads adjacent to the pavements as merchants made their way inside the city to get in time for the festival scheduled just three nights from now.

It was the worst-case scenario. The absolute worst.

Marcus and Tomas, the two hatted men couldn't decide what was worse. The fact that somehow the damned count from Zarak had sniffed up their lord's schemes. Or that he had latched onto their tails the soldiers of Maris, taking them away from the town where their work was.

Just as the two men were biting their lips, a strong breeze of air stroked their skin and their gazes jumped to the sides. Beyond the lines of brick that made the ground and the walls of alabaster that covered the canals, was an automobile running at its max speed.

A max speed that was much slower than carriages, but that wasn't what mattered.

"Marcus, do you hear the sound of bagpipes?"

Who wouldn't?

Peeking out of the window of that very automobile was a wild redhead and a beauty that words couldn't describe.

"I hear it loud and clear."

When the very goal that had been pulled away from your grasp comes running at you, who wouldn't hear the sound of bagpipes?

Smiles bloomed on their faces.

"Oh, those foolish law holders," Tomas muttered, tipping his hat down to hide his smile. "They were taking us away, but only brought us closer to our goal."

"It's fate, Tomas. Fate! That said, isn't the bagpipe getting screechy?"

"It sure is."

The two of them shifted their gaze, and standing right behind them was a man playing the bagpipe straight into their ears.

"Well, it is weird to hear bagpipes I guess?"

"Right? Isn't it usually a trombone or something?"

"I mean…. More like a lightbulb?"

"Lightbulbs make a sound?"

"Marcus…"

"Alright, Lightbulb it is."

"Yup."

***

Near the fountain at the very center of the city were rows upon rows of grand chambers housing the richest of the merchants in Soleda. Where grains flourished, so did trade, not facing a lack of money at all, Maris had more than enough space dedicated to luxury.

And in one very such luxurious hotel where ceilings were lined with chandeliers and doormats were cleaner than a farmer's bedsheets, the group of Mr. Puzo and his escorts had taken their abode.

Puzo quickly divvied them up into three rooms, one for himself, and one each for both parties before leaving out for the city with Kone.

And so, with the sun looming around the horizon, Elric and Claude sat next to the windows while looking down at the fountain from their hotel room five stories high.

"Dun dun dun, dudun, dun dun, dun dun dun dun dudun!"

"Isn't that Hotel Cal*fornia?"

"Damn thieves."

"If you're going to be like this, just tap the percussion and focus on the melody, you have a fine table here."

"You want my, the GREAT Elric's theme song to be played on a table?"

"It's in development, isn't it fine?"

Of course, their conversation was anything but befitting their location.

"You won't get it. It's too dangerous for mortal ears to hear my theme song."

"What's the point of it then!?"

Elric and Claude glared at each other and then sighed. They leaned back into their comfortable chairs padded with the finest feathers and their stiff frowns faded away. Who could be angry in front of comfort?

"By the way, I think Puzo might be someone involved with heroes or something."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah."

"BITCH WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME NOW!?"

There was someone right her who could be angry in front of comfort!

Elric looked at Claude as if he was a child and shook his head.

"Don't give me sass! Haah, why do you think so?"

"Well I changed the shape of my water and he thought I was an archmage. I don't know much, but you did act as if an archmage was a big deal, right?"

"Archmage…" Claude crossed his hands. "It is a big thing I believe. But that doesn't say much."

"People won't throw such words around until they were used to it. It doesn't confirm anything, but I guess there's no harm in being vigilant."

Elric was right. Being exposed as the exiled hero was something Claude wanted to avoid the most right now. If word went out and these fanatics heard of their reputation, then even after escaping that forest they would still be trapped.

He didn't want that.

Absolutely not right now, when he could live in relative comfort.

"We'll have to think of something. But for now, we should avoid being alone with Puzo."

Claude hummed and Elric followed. One thought about how they could hide their identity, and the other about when would be the best time to ring in the cello.

Before either could reach a decision, their doors were knocked on.

Claude moved to open the doors and found the three companions for his journey at the door.

"I have scheduled a drop-off for the item I needed to deliver. Mr. Claude and Sir Elric, I would ask you two to accompany me tonight for the drop off, and then you guys can freely enjoy the festival."

There goes that.