NOVEL NEXT Chapter 64: News!!
The Dusk City truly lived up to its name. When Aegon reached it, he witnessed the sun dropping below the horizon, yet the memory of it remained etched in the beautiful sky.
The twilight sky was filled with the colors of orange, red, pink and even violet, while the eastern side of the sky was painted in a mesmerizing blend of dark and blue.
The city itself was highlighted in this breathtaking moment as it stood facing the dying sun. The tall spires of the buildings could be seen beyond the towering terracotta walls. The bricks seemed to absorb the surrounding light and diffuse it softly into the atmosphere.
While he was admiring the view, they reached the thick metal gates, and that was when he heard that familiar yet annoying voice, making him groan in frustration.
"Sister!!!"
He rolled his eyes upon seeing Xavier jump off the carriage with clearly fake tears in his eyes as he ran to hug his sister, not caring at all about where they were.
Aegon also got out of the carriage and smiled at her.
Standing before him was a young woman in her early twenties. She was a head shorter than him, with a wolf haircut that perfectly complemented her beautiful blue hair.
She had grown into a noble beauty, but the way she carried herself certainly didn't match those refined noble ladies. Wearing boyish clothes, she looked more handsome than beautiful.
"Hey, Cali, been a while," Aegon waved his hand and said. "Xiu really left an impression on you, huh."
Cali had been a big fan of Xiu, so it wasn't hard to see how much she had been influenced by her.
"Why are you being so stiff?" Cali said as she separated from Xavier and then pulled Aegon into a tight hug before he could escape her clutches. "Don't even try!"
Aegon sighed, admitting defeat and letting her hug him. "You're creating a scene," he said.
"Are you telling me you have eyes for someone else even though we're meeting after such a long time?" Cali gasped in disbelief. "I'm hurt!"
Aegon rolled his eyes at her terrible acting. There was a reason he always berated Xavier for spending too much time with her, his entire dramatic side came from her.
If he had to describe her in simple terms, then he would say she had inherited Xiu's reckless and independent nature while mixing in her own overdramatic flair.
"Cali," he sighed again. "I'm glad to meet you again."
"That's better," Cali grinned and said, "Also, call me Elder Sister. I'm the oldest among us."
"I'm sure Sister Luna has a say in that," Xavier pointed out.
"I don't care about that dimwit's opinion," Cali waved her hand dismissively and said as she stepped back from Aegon.
'She has more brain than you,' Aegon wanted to say, but he knew that would only anger her further, so he changed the subject. "Are you planning to keep us standing here forever?"
"Oh, I almost forgot because of the excitement. Let's go! I'll show my little brothers the whole city," Cali said, overflowing with energy. "First, we'll go to my house."
"You have a house here?" Aegon asked in surprise.
"Yes, I don't like living in the Academy much, so I bought a small house," Cali said, averting her eyes. "Anyway, let's go and settle down first."
Aegon nodded and turned toward Jason. "Your mission is completed."
"Understood, Boss," Jason smiled and tapped his feet against the carriage, making it sink into his shadow before he, too, was swallowed by it.
"They're as weird as ever," Xavier muttered.
Then, Cali led them inside the city through the metal gate. They had to pay a few coins since it was Aegon's first time entering, but the other two had identity stones that allowed them in without any issue.
'Woah!'
The Dusk City was vast, filled with tall architecture that matched the beauty of twilight itself. The glass windows were crafted in such a way that the light constantly reflected and shimmered across them.
The streets were paved with white limestone, likely enhanced with enchantments, and on each side of the street were rows of shops selling all kinds of items.
As this was the Commercial Capital, Aegon noticed many stores selling magical goods as if they were everyday commodities.
Artifacts, weapons, potions—everything seemed common here.
It was like a dream city.
'This will be my home for a while.'
Aegon thought as he observed everything with a smile on his face.
While walking around, he also noticed the people—the way they dressed, the way they talked, and even the way they walked. It was quite different from the Moonrise Kingdom since they had their own unique culture.
Before he could focus too much on them, their northern accents drifted into his ears but what surprised him was what they were talking about.
"Count Wanderwalt was publicly executed? Woah!"
"Yes, it happened overnight."
Cali noticed the change in their expressions and said, "You just got here, so you probably didn't hear, but something unexpected happened last night. Count Wanderwalt, who governed Thornspire, was publicly executed this morning."
Aegon and Xavier were dumbfounded. They could clearly see the shock reflected in each other's eyes. Meanwhile, Cali, completely oblivious to the tension, continued talking.
"Apparently, one of the secret informers of the Imperial Court reported to His Majesty that Count Wanderwalt was involved in slavery and even running it himself. His Majesty was furious and sent some of the King's Guard members to that county to confirm the authenticity of the report."
Aegon calmed down slightly and said, "Information like these can spread quickly, so the Emperor decided to take action immediately."
"Oh, that might be the reason," Cali nodded thoughtfully. "Anyway, they found a lot of things there aside from slavery, which infuriated His Majesty even more, and he ordered a public execution of Count Wanderwalt and everyone involved in it."
'That damned old man… his reach all the way to the Emperor, or maybe he even works for him. The secret informer, huh.'
Aegon wanted to facepalm as he remembered how Grandpa Sam had been insulting the Emperor so much while working for the same man.
'His head would be rolling on the ground if the Emperor ever learned about this. Damn old man!'