City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Magda

"It's bigger than I thought," said El nervously, looking at the city that came into view.

"It's growing fast. When I passed by it a few months ago. It wasn't so big," said my brother from behind.

"It's the legacy. Its advancement is bringing businesses and people in front of the city," explained my father.

The invitation from Margaux is for the whole family. My parents and even my brother had come.

I still remember the day when I showed them the invitation. Father thought it was a joke and even contacted the Greltheaven to verify.

Since then, I have found out a lot of things about El's mom.

She is one of the most powerful people in the city and has a lot of influence on the legacy. She is one of the triumvirates who controlled it.

A few minutes passed, and the ship was finally docked before the ramp went down and guards came up, followed by a beautiful half-elf, who seemed to be coming toward us.

She looked to be in her early twenties with really short sea-blue hair, that was even shorter than fathers.

It is my first time. Seeing the woman with such short hair.

She is tall, taller than me with those elvish cheekbones and blue eyes the same shade as her hair.

She is wearing a beautiful cream-colored dress, hugging her body perfectly. Seeing how guards were following her, she seemed to be someone important.

She stopped in front of us and smiled.

"Miss Swan, Pearsons, welcome to Greltheaven," she said to our surprise.

"Thank you?" replied father.

"I am Eryna. Headmistress sent me as your chauffeur," she said and looked at two guards behind her.

Headmistress. El's mom.

They came forward and took the bags from my parents' hands, while we kept watching in befuddlement.

"Please follow me,"

She walked down the ramp with a grace I couldn't help but envy. It was effortless. It looked like she was walking on the water.

It's not a skill.

She had been trained for it. I have also taken the classes, but couldn't manage such effortless grace.

A moment passed, and we hurriedly followed behind her. The guards didn't stop us or even asked to check our documents.

The carriage was close to the ship. They do not let them park so close, but here, nobody is doing anything.

Click!

"Miss Swan, please," said Eryna as she opened the door for El.

She hesitated.

Overwhelmed by such service. Ever since her mom came, she found a lot of things about her, making her question whether it was all a dream.

Noticing we all were staring at her, she quickly entered inside.

We followed after and a few seconds later, the carriage began to move.

"Where are you taking us?" I asked. "First to your hotel, where you will rest for a few hours. Then to the velvet garden," she replied.

Hearing that, the eyes of my parents and brother lit up.

We already knew about the hotel. A letter from El's mom had informed us about it, but there was no mention of the chauffeur and legacy.

"I thought the legacy won't open before tomorrow?" asked Father.

"That is true for most people, but open to special guests like you," replied the half-elf.

Hearing that, a big smile appeared on my parent's face.

Father wanted to come to the legacy. Even had a reservation made, but that is a year away.

It is difficult to get a table. Even in a legacy as big as this one.

I looked around and saw the port bustling, even in the morning. With ships docking and leaving the port, more ships are sailing straight past.

Two years ago, the trade between the empire and merchant states was non-existent.

Now it is growing every month. Breaking the records of trade before the conflict.

Soon, the carriage passed through the gate and entered the city. There are beautiful buildings everywhere.

The city has a strict building policy. Every house needs to have permission from the city and has to have certain aesthetics. It gave quite a charm to the city.

Making it one of the most beautiful I had seen.

"Construction is happening everywhere here," said my brother, looking around.

"The scale of it is quite surprising," added Father, with a surprise in his eyes. I didn't say anything and just enjoyed the view.

There are all types of people here, not just humans, but also orcs, I even saw a couple of elves and dwarves.

It is hard to see people of other races in the Inam or most of the empire.

I had only seen them in Namdar, but here, their numbers seemed more. I had heard about it, but still had a hard time believing.

The empire hadn't changed the policies about the non-humans yet.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the hotel.

Click!

The driver opened the door, and we stepped out. In front of the seven-floor building, with a large fountain in front of it.

The Raxtine.

They have hotels in Inam as well. Bigger than it.

"Raxtine had made a huge investment here. They are building a hotel as big as their flagship in Inam," said Father, and I couldn't help, but be surprised.

It is twice as tall as this one and at least five wide. It is an enormous investment to be made in such a small city.

"It's too big of a risk. The city isn't big enough to handle it," said my brother and I couldn't help, but nod.

I may not have an interest in the business, but I understand it enough to know. That city needs to be big enough to handle a hotel of that size.

Since it is a luxury hotel. It needs to have enough affluent people, which the city does not have.

"The city didn't, but the legacy will," replied father. It surprised us before we shook our heads.

"We are talking about thousands of hotel rooms, Father," said George, and Father smiled.

"Miss Eryna, can you guess the number of people that will enter the legacy daily?" asked Father to the half-elf.

"It will be at least twenty-five to thirty thousand."

"Nine thousand would be from the theater, ten to twenty thousand would be from the store floors and a few thousand would be from exclusive floors,"

"The roof and the casino will increase the traffic even further," replied the elf, surprising us all.

The way she replied. It's clear that she is aware of it, more than casually.

"What will be on the roof?" El asked. I wanted to ask the same question, but she asked it before me.

Since the invitation, I have consumed everything about the velvet garden. I know the details of each floor.

The roof is said to be restricted. Only Silver and the madams are allowed there.

"That you will have to ask your mother, Miss Swan," Half-elf replied.

"Only Master Silver and the triumvirate are aware of its purpose. The rest of us could only guess," she added, looking at El, before stepping through the gates.

We followed behind, entering the lobby. She collected our keys, and we stepped into the elevator.

Soon the elevator stopped at the sixth floor, and we walked out.

"Have a rest, dear guests; I will come to pick you up at eleven and a half for the legacy," said half-elf and handed us keys to our suites before walking away.

The guards didn't leave. Two of them positioned themselves at the door of the suite that El and I were going to share.

It's clear, they are here for her.

My parents went to their suite, while my brother went to his and we went to ours.

We stepped inside a beautiful suite with a great view of the city. El looked at the suite, before walking toward the window.

"It feels like a dream," she said softly, looking at the view. "Well, it's not," I replied.

I still couldn't wrap my head around El's mom being part of the powerful triumvirate.

"Will you be showering first, or will I?" I asked. "You go," she said.

Twenty minutes later, I returned feeling refreshed. All the tiredness of the trip had gone away.

Afterwards, El went and came back.

We rested a while before going to brunch with my parents. It was all paid for by El's mom like the hotel.

We came back and I took a small nap. It was hard, with all the excitement about the legacy, but I calmed myself and rested. El did the same.

Knock!

We had just woken up and freshened when a knock rang out our door.

"Ready?" asked Eryna as I opened the door. My parents and brother were already beside her.

"Yes," I said while El nodded and stepped out of the room.

A few minutes later, we were in the carriage. Nobody is talking, but excitement could be seen in everybody's eyes.

We are going to the legacy. The biggest legacy of Grade III and below and one of the biggest legacies in the whole continent.

Since I got the invitation. I am dreaming about it and now, I am going to be in it.

Soon, our carriage took a turn and the tower came into view.

Surrounded by a huge park.

The carriage took another turn to bridge on the canal, with crystal-clear water.

"It looked empty," said my brother as we entered the park.

"It is normally filled with thousands of people, but today, it is closed. There are a few things that are being added to the park," replied the half-elf.

I could see a group of people in a few places across the park. Working on things.

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the tower, and I got out. Immediately, smelling the most wonderful mix of fragrances I had ever experienced.

If it wasn't for the half-elf, I would have stayed and enjoyed these wonderful scents.

I followed her and stepped inside the tower into the massive lobby.

As I did, I stopped. More like, frozen in my place.

I knew immediately that Vanis's Tavern couldn't compare to it.

The first thing I felt was the wonderful feeling of legacy and with it came the fragrances.

The wonderful fragrances of the flowers I had smelled before seemed pale compared to what I am covered in right now.

These fragrances seemed to enter, my very soul, with the power of the legacy. It makes me feel like I am in heaven.

I looked around and saw beautiful plants everywhere. In the lobby.

They looked beautiful with colorful mist dancing over them.

I looked at the plants, before focusing on the things that were covered in the dense mist. There are tens of such things, with the centerpiece being truly massive.

I can't even see the silhouette of it.

"My god, look how big you have grown!" I heard and saw a beautiful woman behind a huge reception platform getting up and walking toward El gracefully, before hugging her.

"Sister Lorle," said El to the raven-haired woman.

"You have really started to look like your mother," said the woman. It made El smile before a slight disappointment appeared in her eyes.

"Is mom here?" she asked, and the older woman shook her head.

"No, she is at the college."

"It is unlikely you will be able to meet your mom today. She is very busy with the opening tomorrow," she replied.

The letter from El's mom said. It would be hard for her to meet her, given the responsibilities she had.

She has a lot of things to do for tomorrow.

"Don't worry, after the opening. You will have all the time in the world with you with your mom," she added, and El smiled faintly.

They talked a little before she introduced us to the beautiful woman.

"Miss Lorle, if you don't mind me asking. Why are so many things covered in the mist?" I asked, and the woman smiled.

"They will be revealed tomorrow," she replied with a mysterious smile.

"Can you show us now?" I asked. "No," the woman replied simply. It made me a little disappointed, but I will see them tomorrow.

We have an invitation to the party.

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