Chapter 598: Arrival - 598
After another brief moment of silence, Li Youcai spoke up. "Regardless of what is true or what is not true, you cannot stay by Master Skymender without it being verified that you pose no threat. We can either take you on board until we reach the Imperial Capital, but you will be under constant surveillance, or we can let you go here. Choose."
The woman did not need to think for long. "I would like to stay until you reach the Imperial Capital. Perhaps I can even become a servant of your house?"
Li Youcai looked at her weirdly. She spoke seriously. "Our meeting can be considered fate. Perhaps I was meant to be here. It's not like I have a home."
Skymender spoke up. "I don't believe in coincidences. It may be some sort of fate for you to meet me, but you are not qualified for my fate to be meeting you. If you want to be a servant, consider yourself in training."
The woman smiled, although Skymender's words were harsh. This gave her a chance to turn her life around. Skymender was a noble after all.
"Thank you, Master Skymender."
Soon after, the woman left.
Later, Li Youcai asked him a question. "Why let her become a servant?"
"Perhaps she really was meant to meet me here. Who knows, maybe she'll surprise both of us."
Li Youcai shrugged. As long as Skymender was safe, he did not care what happened.
The rest of the journey was uneventful.
Skymender learned that the red haired woman's name was Hope. He did not pay attention to any more information. She would be background checked upon their arrival.
After less than three days, Skymender saw large, white city walls appear in the distance.
There were golden patterns on these city walls, aiding their majesty.
This was the Imperial Capital of the Faceless empire.
Its history was longer than almost any other known empire in the world.
Only the Ancient Empire had outlasted it.
Skymender calmly looked at the walls ahead, but beneath his calmness was excitement.
He was entering the biggest city in the empire, a behemoth where even commoners could have houses larger than his own.
This was a place where everything was more expensive, yet where everyone got more money for their work.
The legends of this place were many, and Skymender would finally see this place of legend for himself.
The carriage slowed to a halt outside of the city gates. Skymender and everyone else with him unpacked and got out of the carriage. A nearby building, which was very large, would house this carriage until they left.
Skymender and Li Youcai entered another carriage, one far smaller than the last. Four people could comfortably fit in this carriage, a luxury given only to the extremely wealthy within the Imperial City.
More carriages followed behind them, forming a line of carriages entering the city.
The crowded streets parted for the noble carriage, but there was no surprise among the people here.
Instead, there was only a slight interest.
"The Sky Barony? What are they doing here?"
"The Eldest daughter of Baron Sky is a potential Sword Master of the Imperial Capital. Perhaps someone from the family is visiting?"
"I suppose we may hear about it. It doesn't involve us, but I am a little curious who has come."
Skymender was able to faintly hear such discussions. His window was open, but a faintly see-through curtain blocked the view, allowing only fresh air in.
Skymender could have looked through the tinted windows, but he enjoyed the air more than the view.
In the air, there were smells of various foods and treats, as well as the smells of wood, concrete, sweat, and a faint smell of perfume.
Skymender was lost in a trance, and only woke up when the smells faded. He briefly smelled a scent of fresh grass and… nobility?
"We are here, Master Skymender." Li Youcai said.
Skymender shook his head and stood up. Walking out of the carriage, he saw a large, elegant mansion ahead. It was white, only slightly less white than the city walls.
Gates were behind him, and in front was a long path with clean bricks inlayed in the ground. To the sides of the path was freshly cut grass, very nice looking.
In comparison to his house, it was a different world. However, the yard was far smaller.
At the end of the path, near the entrance and in front of a fountain, a familiar woman stood. Skymender had seen her a few times.
She bore a resemblance to his father.
Skymender waved, ignoring the fact that he was supposed to be acting "noble" right now. He wasn't dressed in fancy clothes anyway.
Aunt Skyless didn't seem to care, on the surface at least. Who knew what she was thinking. She was a different type of nobility than him, one who had experienced the true faces of so called nobles.
To come this far and have such a status, she was surely scheming and secretive.
She let out a smile. "Skymender. Welcome to my humble abode."
Skymender stopped himself from chuckling after hearing the word humble.
"Come in. I'll show you around."
Skymender nodded and walked towards the entrance. Walking around the fountain with Aunt Skyless, he entered the double doors. Ahead was a long red carpet and stairs that parted to the left and right after going up some.
A classic mansion.
Skymender saw multiple servants, as well as two girls and a boy dressed up in noble attire.
Upon seeing Skymender's comfortable and casual attire, the boy let out an obvious sneer, while the two girls, though well hidden, made a similar face.
Skymender did not care at all. In fact, he looked at them, holding the urge to laugh. Li Youcai silently walked behind him, ignored as a servant.
He saw Skymender's faint trembling and slightly smiled.
'Master Skymender is excited. I would be too if I saw a room of people underestimating and looking down upon me.'
Chapter 599: Market - 599
The boy gave a slight bow and the girls gave a curtsey. "Welcome to our home, cousin Skymender."
Hidden behind their tones was obvious disregard and a faint hint of disgust. A normal person his age would have never caught on to it, but Skymender was not a normal person his age.
He could tell in an instant.
They underestimated him because of his age, but that would only benefit him.
Skymender nodded. "Hello, cousins. I hope all of you have been well."
They smiled. "We have indeed been well. I assume you have too."
Skymender nodded again. "Of course."
Aunt Skyless gestured for Skymender to come. "I'll show you around."
Skymender followed his aunt, and his cousins followed them as well.
This house was much larger than their house. There were nearly 30 rooms, just as many bathrooms, and various other rooms, most larger than a normal bedroom.
Skymender was led to a guest bedroom, which was far more elegant and fancy than even his parents bedroom back in the Sky Barony.
It wasn't that his parents couldn't afford it, it was just completely unnecessary.
"You can put all of your stuff in here. This is where you will be staying while you're here." Aunt Skyless said.
Skymender nodded and Li Youcai left to bring his bags. Only Li Youcai would be his servant in the house. The rest would do other things while at the capital, though most of it involved him in some way or another.
"When will I see my sister?" Skymender asked.
Aunt Skyless donned a troubled expression. "Just a few days ago, she said that she had to leave for some surprise issue. She also said that she will return within a month."
Skymender inwardly groaned. In other words, he would be on his own for a month in the Imperial Capital.
Of course, his Aunt and his cousins would be here, but it almost felt as if they were enemies instead of family.
'I guess this is how families in the Imperial Capital are.' Skymender thought.
It wasn't necessarily that they were actually enemies, but that Skymender was unused to such inner coldness towards family members.
Regardless of their inner thoughts, they were still family, and everyone here recognized that.
Of course, that did not stop anyone from looking down on Skymender.
Eventually, Aunt Skyless and his cousins left. Li Youcai eventually brought all the bags to his room. He then set up in the room next to Skymender's. It was much smaller, about the size of the Servant Quarters at Skymender's house.
There was a door leading outside of the room, as well as a door leading to Skymender's room.
For the rest of the day, Skymender stayed in his room and read, with only a brief interruption during dinner time.
Eating, he seemed like a true country bumpkin. He did not even recognize half of the utensils.
It had to be admitted that the Sky Barony almost completely ignored the teachings of elegance imbued into most nobles, even those outside of the Imperial Capital.
Wait, no. Skymender seemed to remember these utensils before. Perhaps they had tried to teach him, but he simply ignored them. Yes. Probably that.
It was an awkward sight, seeing Skymender eat so inelegantly.
Nobody could even keep a facade when he grabbed a chicken leg with his bare hands and ate it.
You'd think they were watching a murder.
Well, Skymender was indeed murdering the chicken leg.
Aunt Skyless and his three cousins seemed to lose their apetite as he got up and left.
Skymender called this Dominating the Battlefield.
Or perhaps a hit and run.
Regardless, they would look down on him even more now.
Night passed and morning came.
Skymender was awoken by the sound of Li Youcai entering the room.
He looked up and saw him carrying a tray of breakfast.
"Am I not eating with them?" Skymender asked.
Li Youcai was speechless. He had been there when Skymender had eaten that food. It was an interesting powerplay. Eating the chicken leg with his hands was one thing, even Baron Sky occasionally did that.
It was when he began to eat mashed potatoes with his bare hands that Li Youcai had to look away.
"No, Master Skymender. They seem quite fearful of you after yesterday. I imagine that you will not be attending any more meals with them for the rest of your stay."
Skymender sighed in relief. "Good. All of those utensils were really terrifying. You know me well, Li Youcai."
Li Youcai looked down at the tray of breakfast. There was only a fork, a knife, and spoon.
The spoon would not be used, nor the knife.
After that day of rest, Skymender was ready to go out.
His fatigue from the long carriage ride had been washed away overnight.
He put on some clothes. They indeed showed his nobility, but they were also much more casual than what anyone in this house was wearing. More importantly, it was comfortable.
Skymender stepped out of the house with Li Youcai behind him. "Let's go make a fool out of myself."
Li Youcai heard him mumble, but did not make out the words.
He was, however, curious as to why Skymender had said to carry a sword.
Stepping out of the carriage, Skymender found himself in a large market. Thousands of commoners moved around.
This was the biggest open market in the Imperial Capital. It was said that if you could not find something here, it was almost impossible to find it elsewhere.
He instantly stood out among the crowd. His clothes bore the crest of the Sky Barony.
A path cleared for him and he received some stares, but the traffic never stopped moving.
After walking around for a moment, Skymender bumped into someone.
The person was far heavier than him, but unbalanced.
The person fell over.
Skymender looked at the person as he got up.
"How dare you bump into me! My father is the owner of the Fugui chamber of commerce. You better apologize rig…h…t…"
The words slowed to a stop as the person looked at the crest on Skymender's clothes.
"A noble. Heh heh. My bad. Forget what I said."
Sweat appeared on the person's face as he moved to the side.
Skymender pointed at him.
"Show me around, Fatty."
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