City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

Margaux Swan

“With this, I hand over the charge to you,” I said as I finished signing the last file.

“It shouldn’t take more than a few hours, right?” asked Della. “It shouldn’t, but anything could happen, and I won’t be unprepared for it,” I replied.

It’s already the afternoon, and I want to take a nap to recharge fully.

At six-fifteen, the swallowing would begin, and nobody knows what could happen, but one thing is clear: it won’t be easy.

“It couldn’t happen at a worse time? People are poaching our girls and staff left and right,” she replied, massaging her head.

She is worried, and I am worried as well.

It had been only three days, and they had approached five madams and over thirty girls. They are very aggressive this time, not only in the way they are approaching girls but also in the money they are offering.

“I know, I am handing you a big responsibility, but I have full confidence in your ability,” I said.

They are not the sweet words; she is more than capable of handling the responsibilities. When I left for the archmage city, she was the one who handled everything.

“Thank you for your confidence,” she replied, and I smiled.

‘She had arrived,’

“There is o” I was speaking, when I stopped mid-way as the voice rang through my mind, while Della sighed.

“I can’t imagine what that girl was feeling,” she said. “It is terrible to bear such a burden,” I replied. We all feel grief, but Ina is bearing the most.

Onaz died protecting her.

We stayed in the office for a few seconds more before walking out and taking the elevator to the ground floor.

A minute later, we arrive at the college gate, waiting.

It didn’t take long before the carriage with the flag of Panar turned to the bridge and rode inside.

Click!

The carriage stopped beside us, and the woman opened the door before she walked out.

She looked noble with every movement filled with grace, but it was her eyes that brought tears to my face.

She walked toward me before leaping into my arms. It surprised me, but I hugged her while tears streamed from her eyes.

“I know, it is painful,” I said to her while gently patting her pack.

It took a while before she let go.

“I am sorry,” she apologised. “You do not need to apologise for feeling what you are feeling,” I said to her before leading us toward my house.

I could see the girls looking. For the new ones, it was the first time they were seeing her.

Their shining eyes are filled with hope and admiration. It is admirable what she has achieved and the effect it is having on the girls.

If it had been any other moment. I would have gathered the girls and made her give a little speech, but right now, she couldn’t.

Though I still appreciated her smiling and waving at some girls.

Soon, we reached my house.

“You go freshen up, then we will eat lunch,” I said, pointing at the room. The governor had an official residence in the city, as well as her own private home.

She also has a suite in the dorm, but I brought her here. I don’t want anyone to disturb her; we have a critical meeting in a few hours.

She returned a few minutes later, and the staff began to serve us lunch.

“How is Panar?” I asked as we began to eat. “Still standing,” she said with a faint smile. “The fighting stayed outside the walls. That spared the city from the worst of it.”

“The people?” I asked. “Scared, but slowly recovering,” she replied.

“That’s good,” I said, and she smiled.

The rest of the lunch went in comfortable silence. “Here, take the charm. Use it if you have any problems with falling asleep,” I said, and handed her one of Caena’s sleeping charms.

She nodded and walked toward the room, and a few seconds later, I walked toward mine.

Caena didn’t mince words when she explained how difficult it was going to be, but I am ready. The Velvet Garden is my home. If I needed to sacrifice my life to protect it, I would do it without hesitation.

…

Caena Aris

“These are your positions,” I said to Barb, Tara, and Gloria as I informed them where to sit in the complex spell I had drawn in the bathhouse.

The Velvet Bathhouse remains open, with people continuing to enjoy it, and will remain active.

It’s important, it remained open through the swallowing. It’s through this spell that we will be swallowing the core of the bathhouse.

It is why those who went to Tranquill Bathhouse will be working at the time of the swallowing, as well as those who came from Tranquill Bathhouse.

I want the strongest connection possible with Tranquill Bathhouse, and this place will provide that to me.

“It looks grand and expensive,” said Tara, looking at the spell. It is grand and expensive. Those herbs, crystals, and dust, I used all of them, which were very expensive.

It needs to be powerful to bear the might.

However, the girls will have the support of the legacy. It is the only way; they will bear the massive pressure without it, the pressure from the core will turn them to ashes within seconds.

“It is,” I replied.

The next moment, I explained a few more things to them before walking away.

There was less than an hour remaining before the process was to begin. I have made all the necessary preparations, and I could start at any moment.

Still, I am double-checking everything.

The legacy is open as it is every day, but what is different today is that nearly every Madam, except for Della, is in the establishment.

Even Della will be in the legacy for the swallowing.

It won’t be just working madams, but also those who have branched out from the legacy. Andrea, Jenna, Varza, and others. Onaz also would have been here if she hadn’t died.

Minutes passed, and I reached the top floor, where I saw Bell. She will play an important part.

She had already played a significant role, providing me with that knowledge. I don’t know where or how she got it. Though I have some idea, I never asked.

“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Nervous, but also excited,” I replied, and she smiled.

She knows me better than anyone. We’ve shared more with each other than with anyone else. Our circumstances are nearly identical—and so are our goals.

Not to mention the families. Both of us have an ancient lineage.

“Good. I would be worried if you had said, You were confident,” Bell replied. To that, I sighed.

I talked to her for a minute before I went to Remus.

“I will be careful. Thank you for being so concerned, Your Excellency,” replied Remus. Given the title, I didn’t have to ask who he was talking to.

Half a minute later, he finished the call and turned to me.

“What did they say?” I asked. “Not to do this in not so many words. After this, I don’t think I will be the golden boy anymore,” he replied with a smile.

He was talking to the Grand Mage of the Archmage Tower. He had called them to inform them as a courtesy.

They already know that the contract was signed with the seal of the synod, but it is courteous to inform the head of the continental synod or the most powerful legacy of the continent before doing so.

“It is indeed risky,” I replied.

If we take a wrong step, then even if we swallow the Tranquill Bathhouse, the future will be doomed. I had made a plan against it, but I am worried.

“Is everything ready?” he asked. “Yes,” I replied.

“Let’s go then,” he said, and we walked out of the office. I had already handed the charge of the tower to Danielle.

Although it wouldn’t have been a problem if I hadn’t done it formally, since management is handled by them every day, with my other responsibilities, I take a hands-off approach to managing the establishment.

Though I looked at their work carefully, and Remus also kept an eye on them, along with a few of our secret agents.

Click!

We reached the door, which was being guarded by Stena herself, with General Stone and others sitting in one of the nearby rooms.

If there is a problem, it will be swiftly handled.

I nodded at her before walking into the room. The small room had become bigger. We had expanded it, but right now it looked small, with every part of it covered in spell, including the wall and the ceiling.

I sat down in the middle of the three concentric circles while Remus sat on the hexagon, before closing his eyes in meditation.

It is going to be dangerous and very painful for him. I wish I could help with that, but he will have to bear that pain himself.

A minute later, Carla walked and sat on one of the four big knots.

When Bell came, she sat on the other concentric circle on the opposite side.

There are four parts of the spell. The master, who is Remus, and the controller, that is, I. The guide, who is Bell, and the support team, which will include Carla and four others.

I was thinking about the others when the door opened once more.

Three girls walked in, and all of them were surprised, both by the spell and the people. It was not Carla, Remus, or I who surprised them, but Bell.

Bell is a little special, but not much is known about her. Only Carla, Remus, and I are aware of her identity.

General Stone and Chief Robin are aware of a few things, but not all of them.

“Governor, take the middle knot,” I said to her. She has an aura. So, she will take the central position on the knot along with Carla, while others will sit around them.

They looked at the last knot, and only one person remained.

Click!

He arrived right on time and surprised many people. More than Bell. They had expected a girl —a madam, to be more precise, Likely Andrea or Cath, but it’s Eudo.

He is a part of the legacy as much as the madams are, and also one of the highest-level people.

He nodded, with some surprise, before sitting down.

Now, all seven people gathered here; more would have helped, but there are only seven slots in Share Authority.

We seven, with the shared authority, have the strongest connection to the legacy, and we will use this and the spell to help Remus swallow the Tranquil Bathhouse.

…

Lord Aardwyn, Tranquill Bathhouse

I felt the water flowing through my body, making me feel calm.

I am sitting inside the Rhidon’s Vitae, the artifact.

The well is the best place, inside the artifact, that has become part of my legacy, and for the first time in decades, I am using it to its full power.

Now at full power.

I have removed the restriction on its use of emotional essence. Making it really powerful.

The inn had an eye on the artifact; I needed to fight with tooth and nail to keep it in my legacy.

Now, after swallowing the Velvet Garden. He could forget about ever taking it. It is mine, and it will remain here as long as the Tranquill Bathhouse stands.

I am not alone sitting here, Prince is here, my son, along with two other people with whom I share the authority.

“A minute,” called Constance. A minute had passed, and in a minute, the inn would break the connection, and we would begin the process of swallowing.

The Prince sitting beside me placed his hand on my shoulder. Immediately, I felt his skill.

He is lower levelled than I, but his skill is more powerful than mine. The next moment, I felt the skills covering the whole legacy.

The skill of the vast power.

“His majesty had acted,” I said with relief. A moment later, I felt more skilled in the legacy, the skills of the Prime Minister, our nobles, and other powerhouses.

In the seconds, the legacy was covered in tens of powerful skills.

The contract only forbids non-members above Level 30 from helping me from the legacy; it didn’t forbid others from helping me outside.

The skills kept covering the bathhouse till their numbers reached over a hundred.

“Ten seconds,” called Constance.

I took a deep breath and prepared myself. It would be painful, but I hope the artifacts and skills will minimize the impact.

“It begins!” announced Constance.

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