Kismet’s Tale

      Mavin left the hotel with Natalya. He didn’t dally, found a train, and left for Sahus. Sahus City was near the ocean, it was situated on top of a headland and the terrain towards there was mostly fixed after the constant efforts of the Vulcan Machinery that became part of the work force of Greater Lazon.

Greater Lazon is a combination of steppes, uplands and highlands. Most of the paths that they took in the path had to rely on circumventing the mountain or going around them. With the Vulcan, and tech from Holmia. They were able to directly carve the mountain, placing railways in and out of the mountains. Most of the railways are inspected every two weeks by villagers who are closest to said railways. Sahus, although it was near the ocean, was still considered an upland area. They had to shape the land by forceful means, and with the domesticated demifiends and the Holmian Technology. Sahus City became a place of learning, and a designated place where the doctors of Greater Lazon dedicate their lives to further the medical practices of Greater Lazon.

Mavin had not thought out the idea of Sahus before the Princess. To Mavin the greatest obstacle in introducing a place of learning and medicine was the people itself who stuck their heads in old belief. To do that, he had to influence the people, and have his Cousin do most of the paperwork. It involved deception, and causing a few troubles there and there. But they had to emphasize that if they want Lazon to survive, then they need to have the medicine practices of Holmia.

Greater Lazon, as much as it is a melting pot, was quite resistant to foreign ideas until they learned the benefits of it. It was only through persistence, and constant persuasion that Sahus was established. Inherently, people would love to have a comfortable life, and even his people understood that.

To throw away one’s culture to comfort the standard of other nations was the same as abandoning their name. Hence Mavin did not dare to abandon what makes the people of Lazon strong, but just guaranteed that if they failed to defeat the monsters in their baptism, they still have a place in Greater Lazon.

Elders that had lived for years in Lazon would have argued, but the war that had happened would have marked that it was the right choice to do so. Mavin knew he was no ruler, and that’s why he had let his Cousin do the talking alongside his wife, Sister-in-law Elma. Elma had always argued against becoming the ruler of Greater Lazon, though they were competent and skilled. They had always been wanting to settle down and enjoy a good life free of stress. Mavin had thrown the burden to them, and he knew that such a burden wasn’t easy to carry.

The five-year war, the constant battles, the fights in the shadows, and the scheming might have taken a toll in their minds. No, they were strong people, better than Mavin who threw it away after doing what he wanted to have a foundation for his single-minded revenge.

Mavin still found it hard to face them. But he didn’t regret handing the power while he acted as an Enforcer for Lazon, the one who commands the Hounds to do what they must to get rid of any threats.

For the years that have passed Mavin made sure that no one could oppose their seat of power, and with how much Greater Lazon has changed. How it could become an independent region, and even without his ‘memories’ to guide them. It had come so far that Mavin didn’t dare to claim that he was the foundation of success any longer.

For the past years they had allowed Greater Lazon to thrive. Nonetheless, Mavin also knows that even though the Demifiends have been annihilated within the region. There are still nests, and the attention brought by the bomb he used to take out the womb of the demifiend will attract the attention of the Magi and the Nuller. For now, they solely think that the Empire and the Holmians are the ones who have that power to drop a sun on any country or city.

The technology was still on the side of testing. Holmia might be the ally of the Empire, and a close brother of Greater Lazon, but it will not show all of its technology unless Greater Lazon had something to offer that would make Holmia reciprocate. Greater Lazon’s Southern area was filled with resources, an untapped well that was the sole reason why Holmia was friendly. Nonetheless, they also have arrows that could be shot from the continent towards another. The idea was around, but it needed more testing, and the advancement of technology. From his last conversation with the Holmians seven years ago, they were planning to put an eye on the sky to guide such an arrow to the continent they are planning to use the weapon. Mavin wasn’t ignorant, he understood the consequences, and the benefits of having weapons close to them. But at the same time he feared what would happen if someone uses the weapons first? Such a weapon was a double-edged sword, and if used then the consequences would be dire, and they would lose a huge chunk of land, deal with the fallout, and then possibly endure the changes.

The green wind that the Nullers feared. It was nothing more than a product of this weapon that Mavin dared to use against the demifiends. In those memories, it changed the world, and with it how combat was done.

But Mavin had prepared Greater Lazon, and the Emperor, though he was a bastard in Mavin’s mind. He was still someone who wouldn’t let down Greater Lazon. Even if the Crown Prince takes the throne, he was sure that he would understand why people of this region wanted to call his Cousin King. A King just below the Emperor, and a ruler of the West of the Empire.

Mavin didn’t dare to think of the following headache. With the 108th nobles afraid of what weapon that the Emperor had used. Even they would come to realize that if the Emperor who had received gifts from the Holmian people had this, then what about the long-time friends of Holmia?

Mavin was stuck in his mind when he heard and felt the train come to a stop. Natalya poked him on the side, he slid off his booth, took their luggage, and went out of Sahus’s train stop. Sahus City’s buildings were made of either sandstone and adobe, some of roofs were made of red tiles made from clay. The train stop is located on the base of the headland, so they had to climb this asphalt road that had many carriages and horses still climbing up the headland.

Mavin hailed a carriage, and entered alongside Natalya. The carriage driver had already assumed that they were going to Sahus so it started to drive on the right side of the lane. As you climb the headland, you would see the ocean facing the barrier peninsula and stacks that formed this curved coastline.

As the carriage got closer to the city, he saw old forts, and watch towers manned with gatling-gun. On the entrance of Sahus city, on the ten meter wall of brick were trucks and Vulcans that were on standby.

Most of the travelers here had to pass a checkpoint where they were asked for their papers. Though the war had ended, the security of Sahus City remained tight.

“Papers please,” one of the soldiers asked. Mavin reached out to his vest pockets, and gave his papers to the soldier. The soldier had this dulled look on his face, when he suddenly widened his eyes, stood straight, and saluted. “Weclome, First Lieutenant Mavin Tomas!”

The surname ‘Tomas’ attracted the attention of the garrison. The carriage driver, who was giving them a ride stammered, then he saluted as well.

“At ease,” Mavin said calmly. “If you had heard rumors of me, then know that I do not like these formalities. I am here as a traveler.”

“Go for it, Sir!”

The carriage passed the checkpoint. Mavin crossed his arms, and looked around the city of Sahus. There were not many tall buildings, and though the city was packed with travelers, traders, and civilians that had come here to trade.

“Sahus is as pretty as ever,” Natalya said.

The carriage driver remained stiff. Mavin had to pat the driver on the shoulder, and tell them to relax before he decided to sag his shoulders.

“Sorry about that, Sir.”

“No need. I understand that we are quite famous, my family is.”

“Famous!?” the driver exclaimed. “Sir, you are the young master of our Greater Lazon! I may have not seen you personally until today, but my Pa always said that if it wasn’t for you, we would still be living in sticks, fearing about those damn beasts. Look at Greater Lazon now, Sir.”

“You exaggerate,” Mavin said. “The glory should be in the hands of the Patriarch.”

“Perhaps, but Lazon still remembers when you ruled, although brief, had been the greatest days!”

“Maybe, but are we not lacking in great days?”

“Of course not!” the carriage driver grinned. “With the Lord guiding our lands, we have been experiencing good times.”

“I see.”

The carriage driver became talkative. Mavin chatted and listened to the driver as they arrived in the center of the city. With the phones around, it didn’t take long for the city Lord to come and greet Mavin personally.

“Young master!” said the city lord who was rather quick on his feet despite his age. “Aiya, it has been long, Young Master.”

“Caston,” Mavin thumped him on the shoulder. “I see that you have gained weight. How is Sahus City?”

“Prosperous! How can it not be? We have gotten so much wealth in the past years that my ancestors would have estranged me out of jealousy!”

“Haha, I should give thanks to you, Caston. Really, I wouldn’t have done it without you.”

“Still so humble, eh, young master?” Caston shifted his gaze to Natalya who stood there silently. “And who is this lovely flower, my lord?”

“My wife.”

Caston’s eyes froze for a moment. Then he looked at Natalya from head to toe before gasping.

“You have been married?”

“I have, well, reasons.”

“Oh,” Caston was the understanding type of guy. He had been in the Capital, witnessed the disgusting side of the Imperial Capital, and went back to Lazon for the sake of sanity. “But the young lady seems to be fond of the young master, however.”

Caston looked at the hospital father in the city. From where they were standing, they could see the hospital whose main job was to study the disease that the Princess had.

Caston noticed the dull look that appeared on Natalya. Thankfully, it didn’t take much for him to understand that it was a sore point for Natalya. Caston chose to move to a different topic.

“Since you are here, then the young master must be eager to see the hospital, ah, that reminds me, that young lady that you sent to this city. She is doing well.”

“I see, what about Timom Denzel?”

“Mr. Timon had decided to cooperate with the hospital. Although he takes a trip now and then to the south. His daughter, Ava Denzel is rather well-loved among our orphans here. Of course, it isn’t just the orphans who are attracted to Miss Denzel.”

“I see,” Mavin nodded. “It’s good that they are settling in nicely. I wAs worried that they would be unfamiliar with our land. It’s good that they are welcomed.”

“Indeed, but how about we head inside first, young master?” Caston brandished a hand. He then told his staff to take their luggage, warning them to handle it with care “The trip here must be tiresome? I must treat you to coffee or tea alongside the missus. My wife would be pleased!”

Caston led them inside the people’s palace. Mavin thought to himself that five years had really changed this place for good.

karsev

Thank you for reading this far!