City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

Maxor Nemoris

I walked down the ramp of the ship and looked at the bustling river port of this wasteland.

It is nothing compared to the grand ports of Lurentia or even Namdar, the city where I changed ships two days ago, but it is bustling with life.

There are many races here. I am truly surprised.

I heard the Empire is human supremacist, but I could see a lot of orcs, there are elves, dwarves, and even giant bloods.

"Mr. Nemris,"

I was taking in the scenery when I heard my name in an accented voice; he also mispronounced it. I turned and saw the short man wearing a black uniform.

"Mr. Maxer Nemris?" he asked again. "It's Maxor Nemoris." I corrected.

"Why are you looking for me?" I asked. "I was sent to collect you from the office of Lady Carla," he replied, to my surprise.

I had informed them of the arrival time, but I didn't expect they would send a carriage to the port.

It had been half a year since I was released from my term of service at the colosseum, and I had many interviews, but not a single one had sent a carriage.

"Ok," I said, and the man led me toward the carriage, which was not far away.

I thanked him as he opened the door and stepped inside.

The carriage moved while I looked out of the window. Trying to distract myself from the worry I had been feeling in my heart.

It had been half a year, and I had had many job interviews, but not a single one had panned out.

Because of that one mistake, nobody was willing to hire me. I paid my debt, but people are still not willing to forget or forgive.

I am desperate and even agreed to take a lower position, but they weren't even willing to give me that opportunity.

I sighed and pushed those thoughts away, and looked at a small but beautiful city. So different from what I had imagined it to be. It is not chaotic despite the crowd.

Everyone seemed to move as they should.

I am not seeing any litter or drunks on the street, which is a problem that even a big, prosperous city can't overcome.

Still, it is not immune to the problem of classism that every city and town has. I could see the poor and the rich; it's quite easy from the clothes they wear to the way they carry themselves.

I experienced both and once more returned to the state I had been in when I was little.

I had spent the last of my money coming here. I don't even have the money to return to Oton.

I hope it works out here!

Anna had said that they would at least give me a chance. She said she couldn't guarantee a job; that would be up to me, but she would guarantee me a fair chance.

The one that I will get without prejudice of the things I have done.

How does she know this Carla Salt? I couldn't help but ask myself for a hundredth time.

Minutes passed, and the carriage reached a large stretch of open land, where it seemed to have construction everywhere, with a large tower hidden in a mist in the center.

"That is the legacy, right?" I asked the driver. "It is," he replied.

"It's huge," I marveled. I heard about its size, but nothing had prepared me for it.

I am from Oton, the continent with the most legacies and the biggest.

I have spent a decade in one of the biggest Grade IV legacies, but even compared to them, this one is big when one calculates the total square area of all its floors.

I was thinking about where they would put the arena here, but I can see it now.

With a big enough space, they could put it on any floor they want.

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a small building. A moment later, the door opened, and I walked out. "Follow me," my guide said, and I did.

There is high security.

I could see guards everywhere, feel their eyes on me, of those that are visible and invisible.

He led me inside before we walked up the stairs to the grand floor above.

Two guards are standing by the office door, and a beautiful woman sits behind a table. She turned to me as I reached her.

"This is Mr. Neris," stated the driver, once more butchering my name.

"Thank you, Capin," the secretary thanked the young man; the driver nodded with a smile and walked away, while the young woman turned to me.

"Please sign this, Mr. Nemoris," she said, nearly pronouncing my name right.

It surprised me, but a frown soon took its place when I looked at the document she had placed in front of me.

I heard about people asking to sign the contract before the interview. In all the interviews I had, nobody had asked me to sign one.

"It is just a standard non-disclosure agreement," she informed me.

I nodded and took the contract in my hand before activating Quick Mind. It's not a reading skill, but it speeds up thoughts, which helps in reading faster.

It's a short contract and, as she stated, a standard non-disclosure one. It stated that I could not discuss the things that would happen in the office.

I don't like to sign such things, but since I won't be able to meet her without it, I signed it.

The moment I did, I felt an immense power descend upon me for a moment. It shocked me; it is the power of a legacy. That is not what shocked me.

No, what shocks is the sheer weight of that power; it's close to what I felt when I signed the contracts in Masal Colosseum, that is shocking.

The Colosseum is a Grade V legacy, while Velvet Garden is Grade IV. It is also hundreds of years old, while Velvet Garden is not even a decade old.

Not to mention it's closed right now.

"You can go in now, Mr. Nemoris," said the young woman, breaking me out of my thoughts. I nodded my thanks and walked toward the door.

The guards opened them, and I stepped inside.

There, I saw a red-haired woman sitting behind the desk. Her eyes were focused on a file, but she seemed to sense me as she closed the file and turned to me.

"Lady Salt," I greeted with a bow.

"Take a seat, Mr. Nemoris," she said, perfectly pronouncing my name with her accented voice.

"Thank you, my lady," I replied and sat down in front of her. She said nothing and just looked at me. I don't feel her using skills, but it feels like she is trying to look through me.

"Esa had said a lot of good things about you," she finally said. Esa? I didn't know anyone of that name. It is a Nezharian name; it clicked instantly.

"You mean, Anna?" I asked, and she smiled.

"She mentioned a lot of things about you, said you are a friend, and would be a great addition to the arena, which we want to have here in the Velvet Garden," she said.

I smiled upon hearing that. Ann is a good friend; she has always had my back.

"That is kind of her to say that," I replied.

"It is enough to give you a foot inside the door, but hiring you will be my decision, and Lord Silvers'."

"We want a manager for the arena we are building, which will differ from the colosseums of Oton's. It will be a massive responsibility," she stated.

Colosseums are a quintessential part of Oton, but not so much on other continents.

It's not surprising when she says it will be different.

I didn't forget to notice that she is saying "arena," instead of the Colosseum.

In Oton, they mean different things, and she seemed to be suggesting the same.

"I believe my experience will be very useful in that," I replied, and she smiled. I am good; it isn't overconfidence, but the belief I have in myself.

"Tell me about your experience?" she asked. I didn't answer immediately.

She didn't rush me and waited patiently until I opened my mouth to speak.

"I have worked in the Colosseum since I was eight. I started as the waste cleaner, the absolute bottom of the Colosseum. At nine, I became a water carrier and then a tools assistant at eleven."

"At fourteen, I became an orderly at Colosseum's hospital, while working as a monster staff attendant at night."

Those were some hard days. Especially at night, when I used to assist monster carers and trainers. I desperately needed money, and that job paid much better than my morning job.

Though the people there were sick bastards!

The teeth marks I have on my back are because of one of the accidents. It was where I got my surviving instincts and skills, which helped me evade death hundreds of times in Masal Colosseum.

"At seventeen, I became a passage keeper and at eighteen, an Arena floor coordinator."

Things changed from there: within a year, I became an arena floor coordinator record-keeper, a position that takes people decades to achieve. Some never reach that position.

"In the next five years after that, I rose faster."

While the arena floor coordinator gave me intimate knowledge of fights and the schedule, the record keeper gave me a complete idea of the colosseum.

Then I became the logistics coordinator; scheduling workers, coordinating deliveries, and managing event timing became my job.

Most importantly, it was where I got to interact with the arena's higher-ups and snagged a job as an announcer.

Going from the background to the front.

It is a job I never left, even after I became an operations supervisor. A year after that, at twenty-four, an opportunity came.

"At twenty-four, I became a manager of a Colosseum," I stated, and a smile couldn't help but appear on my face; I was the youngest to get that position on my own in the region without nepotism.

A bankrupt coliseum needed a manager.

If I had stayed in the colosseum where I worked at, I would have had to work there for at least five years, maybe ten, to become deputy manager. So, I took the job despite the significant risk.

It was the hardest job I have ever done, but also the most fulfilling.

It took me a year to bring it out of bankruptcy, three to become the best coliseum in the city.

If not for one mistake, I would still be there, raking in huge money.

"It is quite a rise; few people have risen so fast as you have. I mean, running the arena at twenty-four, you were the youngest in Union Tarbold cities."

She has done her research. I am not surprised at that; even with Anna's recommendation, they wouldn't simply hire me.

I am sure there will be several rounds.

I will have to find a job in the city to survive, because I am nearly out of money.

"The only mark on your resume is the incident of embezzlement." Her eyes became focused on me. It is obviously a question, and my first instinct was to lie.

I am very good at it, but I decided not to. Anna had helped me get an interview; it would be disrespectful.

Not to mention, I feel like I shouldn't lie. It would be bad for me.

"I did it because I got angry and bitter; the owner started underpaying me and even threatened to fire me when I complained about my salary," I stated, feeling the buried anger.

"I had poured my blood and sweat, bringing that coliseum out of bankruptcy, making it the most successful in the city, with meager pay."

"Instead of paying me for my efforts, that bastard threatened to fire me when I had asked for the raise!" I said. I was loud and angry at the end.

Maybe I should have lied!

I tried to calm myself and the furious heartbeat I was feeling. I hate that bastard with all my heart and hope he rots in hell.

I calmed down and looked at her. I know, with my sudden outburst, it is unlikely that I will get the job.

"You clearly have issues; you haven't resolved them. We usually don't hire such people, but Esa swore on your character."

"So, we will give you a chance; the position will be interim until you prove yourself."

"Welcome to Velvet Garden, Mr. Nemoris," she said, while I watched her dumbly. I didn't believe I would get the job, especially after the outburst.

Not with just a single interview, and this one was so short.

The only reason I could think of is Anna. What is her relation with her?

"If you don't mind my asking, Lady Carla, what is your relation to Anna?" I asked. I have to know. It must be great, or it would be some kind of favor or leverage she has over this woman.

Legacies are very picky and never hire people like me.

Here, she made me manager, interim as it may be. People more talented and hardworking than I slough off for decades and don't get such a job.

She looked at me and then laughed; it's a beautiful laugh that makes her look even more beautiful.

"I do not have a relationship with Anna," she replied before shaking her head. "Well, I have relations, but I never met her," she corrected.

It confused me further, and she seemed to see that and smiled.

"It's Lord Silver who has the relation," she answered, and it surprised me.

It might be hard to believe, with the things he has achieved, but he is quite young. Seeing Anna had been in the colosseum for over a decade, he must have been less than ten when she was in Zenid.

"Family friend?" I asked, I shouldn't ask, but Anna had been notoriously private about her life.

If it had not been for one drunken night, where she mentioned she used to work in Zenid. I wouldn't have even guessed she had been here.

I have to know, what is the relation that they would give such a job, just based on her words?

"Mother," she replied, and I felt shock hit me, like I never had before.

Step deeper into the world—read 50+ chapters ahead and unlock exclusive artwork, character cards, and detailed maps that bring the story’s lore to life on Patreon.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!