City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

Valentina Elar

"We have sent you our best people, including a talented confectioner from the famed House of Kandil."

"Of all twenty-one people, you have chosen only one. My lord is not pleased with it," said the middle-aged man, with angry eyes. He isn't angry; he is too intelligent to be.

He is just using emotions.

He was not on the list of people I wanted to meet today, but he had requested it, and since I had forty minutes to spare, I met him. It had been a mistake.

The man had been complaining ever since we started.

He is Marton Grailock, representative of the Merchant State of Varkul based in Owlspring.

So, an important person.

"I had told you, the selection of the stores is solely the domain of Velvet Garden." "I have no power to interfere; they choose the ones that suit their vision," I replied, and I could see irritation flashing in his eyes.

"Then how did cities like Owlspring and Namdar get more stores, while our entire region gets only two?" he asked.

Many people had asked me the same question.

Why did Owlspring and Namdar have more stores in the legacy than their entire region? Many people had asked these questions, and I was tired of answering them.

"We have had good relations with these cities for years. So, it's not surprising that members of legacy found stores here that aligned with our vision,"

"As we have already told you, we will give your regions two slots, but if we find more, we will take them as well," I replied.

He looked as if he wanted to say something, but closed his mouth and nodded.

"How is the reconstruction of the legacy going?" he asked. "At a good pace and once more, thank you for the enchanters. It is helping us a lot."

Velvet Garden's legacy needed a lot of enchanters; Lord Silver had called upon many Lords, Governors, and Council members in the merchant state to get more enchanters for the legacy.

It wasn't easy to get enchanters for the tower, but for legacy's sake, they willingly agreed on one leg.

"Our Lord is more than happy to help," I replied.

"Speaking of legacy, how is our order?" he asked. They have a large order of mist-crafted goods. We rarely agree to such a big order, but it came directly from the ruling house of Varkul.

"You will get it on time," I replied.

It is ready, actually, but there is no need to tell him that, because next time they will want it sooner.

Ten minutes later, he left, and the door opened. A server came and placed a green-blue drink with lemon in front of me, before walking away.

I am in Brock's Brasserie, the legacy.

Since I came, I have met most of the people here. It's a privilege a few have, but we have a very good relationship with its master.

It didn't take long for my next meeting to come, and after it finished, there was still another.

It was afternoon by the time I was finished, and I just wanted to close my eyes and sleep, but I did not have the time.

There are a few more things I have to do before the inauguration this evening. It is my last day here; at midnight, I will take the ship and return home.

I opened my eyes and got out of the room before walking down the stairs.

When I reached the first floor, I stopped in front of the man in his fifties.

"Miss Elar, I hope your time has been productive?" he asked. The man is Brock Berison, master of Brock's Brasserie. "It is, Lord Berison. Thank you for letting me use the room for the meeting." I thanked that man while smiling.

"I hope everything is ready for opening?" he asked. "It is, the only thing required is your presence, Lord Berison," I replied, and the man laughed.

He has a beautiful laugh, the loud and boisterous kind.

"You don't have to worry about that, Miss Elar. I didn't have a choice, even if I was half dead; the ladies of my house would drag me there," he said, and this time, it's my turn to laugh.

A few minutes later, I walked out of the bar into the real world. It took me a few seconds to get used to it.

Legacies are their own worlds. The ambiance, the emotions, nothing could be compared to it.

The new Velvet Garden would create a world within itself. There would be so much in it that even a day wouldn't be enough.

Knowing what incredible thing it would be, it fills my heart with joy and dread. Joy because it will be unlike anything on the continent or even the entire world, and dread because wonders of that magnitude did not merely inspire admiration. They awakened hunger. Greed. Ambition.

It is why Remus had been giving me more and more of his responsibilities.

Now, I handle over 95% of the matters related to Greltheaven, while Remus is focused on the dominion and foreign matters, which are taking up most of his time.

I pushed the thoughts away and stepped into the carriage, which moved toward my next meeting place.

Hours passed, and finally it is five-forty. The meeting lasted more than an hour late. It messed up my entire schedule. I planned to return to the store and get ready there.

Instead, I changed in the carriage, and now my make-up is being done here.

"The crowd is greater than we had thought," said Jony, my assistant, as she looked out the window. I wanted to look, but with the beautician doing my make-up, I could only watch out of the corner of my eye.

Still, I could see the large crowd of thousands, with city guards keeping them in line.

We had not expected it; it's not a public function. There is a large guest list, but all of them are important people. However, we had placed advertisements in all newspapers and used other media to spread the news.

"Done," said the beautician, and I turned to Jony.

"How do I look?" I asked her. "Gorgeous," she replied, but I gave her the look. "With gravitas in it," she added.

I hold a powerful position, and I need to look the part. I must act and wear the clothes that uphold the dignity of it, as I am not representing myself, but the city.

Here, Remus had done me a great honor by sending me to inaugurate the store.

He could have sent any of the triumvirate or Robin or the Governor of any city, but he had sent me. Declaring my importance to all those who are watching.

I am grateful for it, but I am also having a hard time believing it.

If someone had asked me a few years ago if I would be in this position, I would have slapped them.

The reason I came to Greltheaven is that I want to get away. So that my secret would be safe and, so, the church wouldn't arrest and try me.

Becoming such a public personality was the last thing I wanted, but here I am, and it's all because of Remus's support and protection.

The secret I ran here to hide is now whispered at soirees, but nobody dares to say it out loud. Even the priests of the God of War, who arrested me once, now talked to me with smiles on their faces.

"We are here," informed Jony, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I realized the carriage had stopped, and a moment later, the door opened.

"You are late," said Cath Arga.

She is looking at me with a smile, but she is irritated and a little bit angry. People may not realize it with her smiling face, but this woman is intense in her responsibilities.

Her responsibility is the Velvet Stores, and she takes it seriously.

"Sorry, the meeting ran late," I replied, and her eyes softened.

She nodded, and we walked through the crowd toward the grand entrance of the store. Thankfully, it is barricaded and has a heavy guard presence.

Finally, we reached in front of the store, and I have to say, it's beautiful.

"It's incredible what they have achieved in seven months," she said, and I nodded. I am an architect and understand how difficult it is to build something this big and incredible in such a short time.

It isn't just about building, but also about delicate work on it and the interior. It wouldn't have been possible if not for the skill of Lord Caelus; it is like Remus's, but more powerful.

We have achieved the same result in Namdar, but unlike here, in Namdar, with the aid of Storm Towers, builder mages.

They are incredible.

I pushed those thoughts away and looked at the grand building in front of me.

The Velvet Store stood in the center of the district like a palace of black stones. They are Varro stone, local to Owlspring; the black ones we used are the rarest and most restricted.

The store spread out in grand, cathedral-like wings beneath a towering spire that dominated the skyline.

Unlike the other stores in the district, Velvet Garden stood alone at its heart, surrounded by open marble courtyards, ornamental fountains, and beautiful gardens, illuminated by violet lanterns.

In the lower floors, endless gold-tinted arched windows revealed glimpses of beautiful dresses, enchanted jewelry, tailored coats, statues, and paintings arranged with museum-like precision.

Golden filigree traced the edges of the windows and balconies, casting lantern light like veins of fire against the black exterior.

Tall banners hung between the spires, displaying the emblems of Velvet Garden, Greltheaven Dominion, and Owlspring.

It's a grand design; one could feel the ambition through it.

Remus is very ambitious about the stores; two are just the beginning, as there will be more.

I pushed those thoughts and smiled as I felt the hundreds of eyes on me. In front of the store are guests, dressed in finery, many wearing mistcrafted dresses, jewelry, and other items.

People loved mist-crafted stuff.

Like in the Twilight Hall, Velvet Garden, the stores will have restrictions; people cannot buy as many things as they want. We have put a limit on the amount and also a limit on certain things they could buy.

Starting today, a new system will be used in the two stores, and a legacy—the membership and points systems.

"Miss Valentina, Miss Arga, you both look like two moons walking in a sea of stars," said the blond man in his early sixties as he stepped in front of us.

"Thank you, Guildmaster Altus," I replied.

He is the new guild master of the merchant guild; the last one was a little too close to Lord Verulus's wife.

"The store looks magnificent from the outside; I can't wait to see it from the inside," he said. "You will in a few minutes," I replied, with a smile.

A minute later, I moved to the other important guests. I had to talk to them before I cut the ribbon.

'Has she arrived yet?' I asked once more telepathically, and Cath shook her head. The chief guest, it wouldn't look good to inaugurate without her.

We would have waited if it were only one store, but we are opening two stores simultaneously.

We were talking to another guest when I suddenly saw Cath freeze. I looked at her before turning to the person she was looking at.

A brunette is coming toward us, and a frown appeared on my face.

She is beautiful, but that's not the reason. There are many beautiful women here. She has a familiar grace and a particular kind of self-confidence.

It took me a few seconds, but I finally recognized the woman. No wonder she felt familiar.

"Cath, it's been a while," she said, moving to hug Cath, but stopped as Cath stiffened, anger appearing in her eyes.

I thought she would say something and was about to warn her. Seeing so many eyes on us, when she the storm in her eyes disappeared.

It didn't calm down; she suppressed it.

"Revanna," said Cath with a smile. It's more like a spat. This beautiful woman was once a member of Velvet Garden; she is the highest-level member who has left it.

"It's a beautiful store; I know you will run it successfully." She said, looking at the store. For a fraction of a second, envy and regret flashed into the woman's blue eyes before they became calm as water.

"Thank you. It's all to Lord Silver, who has given me the opportunity," Cath replied, and there was a sharpness in it.

It hit.

If I remember correctly, this woman handled the stores. If she had stayed, she would have had the responsibility that Cath has.

"My mistress had asked me to thank Ma…Lord Silver for the invitation and wishes that stores would find success,"

"Thank you," replied Cath through gritted teeth.

The woman smiled and walked away; it's a good thing she did, because I don't think Cath would have been able to hold herself back anymore.

"Are you ok?" I asked. Hoping that the other woman didn't affect her too much. The store opening is important; we need to be at our best here.

She opened her mouth but paused and turned.

"She arrived," she informed with clear relief, and relief appeared in my eyes as well.

There are fewer than two minutes left for the inauguration. If she hadn't arrived, we would have needed to do it without her; it's not something I wanted to do.

"My apologies, Miss Valentina; Sareth started crying when I was about to leave. I had to put him down to sleep before I could leave," said the half-elf, looking genuinely remorseful.

"There is no need to apologize, Miss Tylcharise, your child comes first," I replied, and the woman smiled gratefully.

A moment later, we walked toward the grand door of the store; it's time to open it.

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