章 29: Trip to Eardoznia
~This is a fictional world, setting is Early 19-Early20th century and fantasy no real events or places are mentioned in this book~
~The Day of Departure: Journey to Eardoznia~**
Dominic walked out of the building, accompanied by guards, while servants loaded the carriage with the belongings he planned to bring along. Some servants stood outside, bidding him farewell. Caleb, his loyal friend, was to accompany him on the journey. Charles shook Dominic's gloved hand, wishing him a safe journey. Dominic's hairstyle today was a low ponytail, neat and practical for the long trip ahead.
Evangeline stood on her balcony, watching Dominic leave. She held a book and a pen in her hand, the breeze playing with her hair. Dominic looked up and saw her standing there. "I'll miss you, kitten. I'll be back," he murmured to himself, a small smile crossing his lips. He then turned, stepped into the carriage, and settled in as it started moving, the guards riding alongside.
Evangeline watched until the carriage disappeared from view, then retreated back into her room, closing the door behind her. She tried to focus on her studies, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Dominic.
As Dominic's carriage passed through the gates, he gazed out the window, sipping tea with Caleb. He found his thoughts wandering to Evangeline—her eyes, her hair, and even her nagging, which he realized he would miss. A wistful smile touched his lips as he took another sip of tea.
Caleb noticed Dominic's smile and cleared his throat to break the silence. "Dominic, what do you think Eardoznia will be like? I hear it's quite a remote place," he said, trying to stir up a conversation.
"I don't know much myself," Dominic replied, "but from what I've read, it's a lively place with a strong sense of community and thriving businesses." As he spoke, his eyes drifted to a small bottle in his gloved hand containing his mother's ashes. He sighed, closing his eyes, and tucked the bottle back into his pocket.
"You miss her, don't you?" Caleb asked gently, referring to Evangeline as he poured more tea into his cup.
Dominic looked at his cup, swirling the tea inside. "Evangeline?" he replied, feigning indifference.
"Yes, the Lady Evangeline," Caleb nodded, taking a sip of his tea.
Dominic chuckled softly. "Pfft... Of course not!" he replied, but Caleb could see through his bravado.
"You mean you don't miss her at all?" Caleb asked, his tone incredulous, hand on his chest in mock heartbreak.
"Please, let's talk about something else," Dominic said, leaning his head on his hand, a hint of frustration in his voice. "It's a new country, and my mother's family lives there. I'll visit them while I'm on this trip. I also need to meet with the stakeholders to choose a site for the next branch of the Serenity Hotel, and I have to wrest that mine out of Edward's hands," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I've been so consumed with work and dealing with Evangeline's objections. I do miss her," he admitted quietly, looking out the window.
The Verdaselles Palace
Evangeline walked out of her bedroom wearing a flowing robe, heading towards the Annex. The guards she passed greeted her with respect. She opened the door to the Annex and stepped inside, holding her book close to her chest. The room was filled with remnants of her childhood—her ballet shoes, toys, clothes, and the piano. Everything was there, except her parents. She sighed deeply, a wave of sadness washing over her.
She moved towards a drawer and picked up a delicate music box, its surface worn from years of use. As she turned to leave the Annex, she gently closed the door behind her. As she made her way back to the main part of the house, a guard approached her with an envelope. "An invitation to a tea party, my Lady," he said, bowing slightly. She took the envelope and thanked him, reading the name on the front. "Louise... It's been a while, dear friend," she murmured.
Evangeline continued towards her bedroom and bumped into Magdalene in the hallway. "My Lady," Magdalene greeted her with a bow.
"Magdalene, it's been a while. I'm sorry I haven't been paying much attention to you," Evangeline said, her voice weary. She glanced at the music box in her hand. "I'm tired. Do you have any suggestions for a place where I can get some fresh air or go for a walk?"
"I understand, my Lady. There's an auction tonight. Would you like to go? You do look a bit tired," Magdalene replied, noticing the fatigue on Evangeline's face.
"An auction? Yes, I think I'd like that. Thank you, Magdalene. I also have an invitation to a tea party from an old friend, but that's for tomorrow," Evangeline said with a soft sigh. "By the way, have you seen Richard? I haven't seen him around lately," she asked, looking around for any sign of him.
"He mentioned wanting to go for a walk," Magdalene replied, bowing her head.
"Oh? Well, if he doesn't come back soon, we'll go to the auction together. Let's take some guards with us. It's been so long since I've been to an auction. My father used to take me when I was little," Evangeline said, a hint of sadness in her voice as she held the envelope and music box. "I'm hungry. Please have some food sent to the greenhouse. I'll be there," she added as she walked away. Magdalene nodded and hurried off to make arrangements.
~Eardoznia Country~
Dominic arrived in Eardoznia, where officers stopped the carriage for an inspection. Caleb introduced himself and presented Dominic's credentials, which satisfied the officers. As they passed through the gates, Dominic was struck by the bustling town filled with people and the impressive display of steampunk technology—gears turning in massive clock towers, steam-powered carriages moving swiftly through the streets, and intricate mechanical devices displayed in shop windows.
"Oh wow... This country is unique, far more advanced than Lumeria. The technology here isn't like anything we have in Verdaselles. Perhaps I should inform the king about it. We could upgrade our military weapons with such advancements," Dominic said, his voice filled with awe.
"That's a good idea, but Evangeline was planning on doing that before she married you," Caleb replied, adjusting his glasses with his gloved hand.
Dominic was taken aback. "Evangeline? How does she know about Eardoznia or its technology?" he asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"You've forgotten that Evangeline's father was a general in Rovensth. He made an alliance with Eardoznia to supply weapons, given that the country was under military rule. And our late friend's dream was to be a soldier. Evangeline, being next in line to govern, visited Eardoznia and studied their technology to protect Verdaselles and provide advanced military weapons. This was all before you met her. If you want to learn about Eardoznia's technology, you should talk to her. That was supposed to be her role until you came along," Caleb explained, flipping through some documents.
"But you said earlier that you didn't know much about Eardoznia!" Dominic raised an eyebrow, a hint of annoyance and suspicion in his voice.
Caleb laughed nervously. "I learned to be a bit mischievous from you, boss. I can't help it. You're my mentor, after all," he replied, smiling.
Dominic laughed and shook his head. "Never mind. I'm grateful I married such an extraordinary woman. She's too young to handle all this responsibility. She needs to get better first, then I'll decide what she should do. But for now, she can be quite annoying," he chuckled, reflecting on the details Caleb had shared. "I can see why she's not fond of me and as a Brusward, it's no wonder. And her criticisms during our meetings don't help," he added, admiring the view of the town.
"I understand, my Lord. She can be impulsive at times. She's just trying to protect her family's honor in her own way. We're headed to Riyue Estate in Eardoznia. I've made arrangements, so they're expecting us," Caleb said, sipping his tea and reviewing the documents.
"Perfect," Dominic said, snapping his fingers in excitement. The coachman whipped the horses, and the carriage sped up, the guards keeping pace as they headed toward the estate.
**Back at Verdaselles**
Evangeline and Magdalene arrived at the auction house, escorted by guards. Upon entering, they were given VIP cards and shown to their seats. The auction house was filled with noble families, all eager to see the items up for bidding. Evangeline wore a small veil that covered her nose and mouth, observing the people and the surroundings. As she entered, she could hear the whispers and gossip about her rumored crisis with Dominic.
"My Lady, there are some interesting items today, and with so many people here, something valuable must be on the block," Magdalene whispered to Evangeline.
Berlington, a member of one of the noble families, waved at Evangeline. She returned the gesture with a slight nod. "You're right, Magdalene. I am interested in today's items. I wish Richard were here," Evangeline sighed, her voice tinged with longing. As she spoke, Magdalene turned her face away, clenching her fists tightly at the mention of Richard's name from Evangeline.
クリエイターの想い 
Joeclaire
Joeclaire Eardoznia was called the Heart of Engine. It was a city where many things were advanced, and there were many restrictions, even for moving around or going out, unless you had a resident permit. This was to ensure that the technology was not shared outside unless an alliance or friendship had been formed and proof of business an intruder will come in.
With the city's setting, they were known for never losing a battle, ranking second to Verdaselles. Third was Rovensth. After Norman died, the country Rovensth suffered a huge loss until it eventually recovered it's alliance with Eardoznia brought a lot of support
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