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Chapter 58: A "Short" Walk
🕑 Added 2024-11-01 13:30:02 +0000 UTCThe carriage I was on continued down the bumpy road to the capital. When it arrived at the south gate, it didn’t need to stop; it just went through.
As soon as the thick wall passed the window, my view changed from the skies to a closed suburban town.
This was a gate different than the one I had passed through as Carine. It was meant for everyday use, which explained the lax security.
I still can’t believe that I was in the capital. Sure, I lived in it as Carine, but I could feel how “new” everything was from Feyt’s perspective if that makes any sense.
The walls were high, blocking any view. The roads were wide, with multiple carriages going every other way. And there were a lot more people on this single road than I had ever seen in my village.
I peeked out the window to get a closer look at the people walking around. So far, not many of them looked that different from the people in the village. Of course, I couldn’t forget about the most noticeable thing for me.
The noises.
From price haggling, cats fighting, and people gossiping all the way to family arguments, kingdom-loathing mumbles, and back alley beatings. I felt like I heard everything this place had to offer already…
I noticed the sounds were a lot more voluminous than it was back in the village. They were starting to pile on each other, but I could still tell them apart with a bit of effort.
I don’t know if it’ll be comfortable though…
“First time to the capital, kid?” one of the knights asked.
I was caught off guard by the sudden question. These two knights were silent throughout the whole journey, why talk now?
“Mmhmm.” I gave a nod as a response, not wanting to leave him hanging. “Things are a lot different than back home.”
“Heh.” The knight scoffed, clearly amused. “If you think this is different… you’re in for a treat when we reach the noble district.”
Hate to break it to you, but I already live there.
Soon enough, the scenery outside the window changed once again. Shadows fell softer here; the buildings weren’t as crowded or tall and a lot more uniform, and space stretched between people walking by. Even the air felt a bit cleaner.
I wouldn’t say the buildings looked awful back at the gate, they still had to keep up appearances for visitors after all. But I could tell this part of the neighborhood was a significant step above, just from the noise alone.
It was rather calm, people talked softer, their steps a lot steadier, and I barely heard the back alley beatings!
From a visual standpoint, outside of the buildings and roads, the people were starting to look like what I’d expect from the capital city. Simple and clean dresses made with fine materials, men walking around in top hats… nothing that stood out much really.
Not long after that, the scenery changed again.
White marble pillars, shiny metal fences and gates, and not to mention, gigantic houses with large gardens in front of them. Things were starting to look familiar.
The sense of amazement and disbelief returned. I guess such a view really was an abnormality to Feyt’s eyes, despite already seeing it thousands of times as Carine. It was strange. Seeing this place as someone who grew up in the boonies, while knowing I lived in one of those mansions…
Both of my bodies lived in far-apart worlds, huh?
It was late at noon when the carriage finally stopped. I peeked out the window to look at the new place I would be staying in.
The Sareid Capital Mansion.
— — —
The gate opened with a loud, ominous creak. The knights opened the carriage door and walked out first, gesturing for me to follow them.
I carefully descended the wooden steps down the carriage until my feet finally reached the hard rock road.
With the gates fully opened, a young woman emerged from behind the gates, her movements smooth and her posture perfectly straight. She had faded green hair that swayed with each step, and though I’d seen her a few times as Carine, I still couldn’t place her name.
The maid’s hair fluttered as she bowed with a smile. “Greetings, my name is Eliza. You must be Sir Feyt, correct?”
Sir Feyt?!
I was a bit taken aback. Getting called Lady felt proper as Carine. But as Feyt? A commoner?!
She probably assumed I was nobility. Should I correct her? "I-I’m not a noble, you know…” I said, trying to gauge the maid’s reaction.
Eliza straightened, lifting her gaze to meet mine with a gentleness I hadn’t quite expected. “I am aware. However, your status does not matter here, Sir Feyt. A student of His Grace shall be treated the same as each other.”
“R-Right…” I breathed a sigh of relief. At least she sounded genuine with her words.
One of the things I feared was being a pariah in this new environment. To think that such a thing existed here, aren’t the nobles in this world a bit too gentle? Or was my family—I mean, the Sareid family—the odd one out? Whichever it was, this played out in my favor, so I shouldn’t complain.
“You got things from here, right Eliza?” one of the knights, the one that talked to me in the carriage, said to her.
Eliza returned a nod. “Yes, please be careful, you two.”
“We will!”
The two knights boarded the carriage and left soon after. I didn’t get the chance to thank them properly, but I had a feeling I would encounter them again someday.
“Right this way, Sir Feyt.”
I stepped past the gate and into the garden, and, well… garden might not even be the right word here.
I’d seen smaller forests.
Flowerbeds stretched out as wide as some of the houses I had seen on the way here, and neatly trimmed hedges lined the stone path, each one perfectly squared off like someone had measured every leaf with a ruler.
Eliza, possibly sensing my awe, glanced back. “The capital mansion has always been known for its extensive landscaping. The Duke takes great pride in his collection.”
I eyed a patch of flowers that probably cost more than everything in my village combined. “Right. Makes sense.”
Although I had this garden as my morning view whenever I woke up as Carine, seeing it from the other perspective really put into place just how rich the Sareids were.
Also, despite already experiencing this a couple of times as Carine, my mind had to ask…
Does this garden ever end?!
I felt like I had been walking forever. I felt like I already walked halfway across the kingdom at this point! But still, there was a hint of progress. The closer we got, the bigger the mansion loomed, with white stone walls and pillars that looked like they could hold up a mountain.
I instinctively gulped, my heart began to grow worried that I might not fit in after all.
Eliza finally slowed as we approached the front steps. “Here we are, Sir Feyt,” she said, as if the walk hadn’t felt like it started an hour ago.
“That’s a nice short walk…”
Eliza smiled and let out a gentle chuckle, either missing the sarcasm or politely ignoring it. She gestured to the heavy double doors that were already starting to open for us.
