We arrived at the kingdom of Taj. It is located in a very dry place where surrounded by sands and huge boulders. It is a wonderful place however; some may not enjoy staying in this kingdom for long. The kingdom of Hana has diverse environment with different geographical features. If I am going to comment honestly, I hate this place because it is freaking hot. I may contradicting to what I said earlier but this is the honest truth. I was raised in a very cold environment and this place is just the exact opposite. I was sweating the whole time and I was force to wear even more thicker fabric.
The envoy came to escort the count's daughter to the mansion of her fiancé. I wanted to leave this place immediately since I am not comfortable. It is so hot that I am starting to a use my mana just to cool down my body.
"Are not getting hotter?" I asked Cayden.
"It is so hot but Eleanor has both extreme weather conditions that's why I am used to it. When it gets cold it will be extremely cold and when it gets hot it goes with the same temperature as this kingdom has." He explained.
"I can't stand the heat. I wasn't expose to this extreme heat. I feel I am about to faint." I complained.
"Just hold on, and as soon we get the money from this mission, we are going to leave." Cayden assured me.
I couldn't stand the heat anymore and I rented a room to rest. Cayden left to get the payment and while he is out, I created a thick ice layer that surrounds the whole room. The room is cooler than staying outside.
Cayden arrived and he was sweating like there is a waterfall dripping from his face down to his body. As soon he arrived, he lay down to the bed.
"You looked like you run into a marathon." I said.
"I did… that lady refused to pay us and demanded that we should escort her back after ten days." Cayden said.
"What the hell! Did she pay us or not?" I asked.
"She gave us only 10 pieces of gold coins and she said that she will be giving the other half when we will escort her back." Cayden explained. I was so angry because what she said is not what we agreed on. Who does she think she is?
"Where is that brat? I should teach her a good lesson."
"You couldn't possibly enter the place where she at. There is a heavy spell barrier surrounding the mansion, prohibiting someone to enter the mansion's ground. I tried to chased her but I failed." Cayden said.
"Damn it! I will get that ten gold coins no matter what! Besides the room fee in this kingdom is so expensive. We have to pay a gold coin a day here." I added. Cayden jumped out of the bed and he looked around the room.
I get him. The room is just a simple room but it cost at least one gold coin a day. Regular rooms in Hana cost at least three pieces of silver coins and eight pieces of bronze coins. The luxury room at least cost of two gold coins. However, the room we are currently staying in here costed one gold coin. That is just too expensive. The currency of the coins is ten copper coins will make one bronze coin. The ten-bronze coins will make one silver coin. The ten silver coins will make one gold coin. It means the room here is so expensive.
If we are going to stay here for ten more days, it means that we didn't even earn for a living. We only have ten gold coins, as of now, and a room per day is worth of one gold coin. I had enough, this place is so freaking hot and freaking expensive.
Cayden and I went out to seek that spoiled brat lady. We are lucky that we saw the captain that escorted with us.
"Captain, may we please seek the presence of the count's daughter. She paid us half to what we agreed on and we cannot wait here longer of what she demanded." I ask while I was bathing on my own sweat. I can see that the captain is also not comfortable in his clothes. He was also sweating.
"The lady is currently having a dinner with the marquis's son. Can you wait here until they are done?" He answered.
"Ok… we are going come back after three hours but please tell her to meet us here or else she wouldn't want what I will do next." I said.
Cayden and I left, and we are heading to a restaurant in the village. When I ask how much a meal cost per person, it actually caused me to jolted out. The price is so expensive that if we buy two portions, it will cost us again one piece of gold coin. What's wrong with this kingdom? In the end, we spend another piece of gold coin. Staying for hear not even a day already cost us two gold coins. Take note, we haven't eaten dinner yet.
While we are waiting, we entered the tavern of that kingdom and we barely see another adventurer inside. The informant in the desk said that it is actually rare to see one during the day. We check the board and the prices are like shimmering. It is three times the pay we usually getting from an A-class mission. It means that if we are going to work here, we will be freaking rich in the future. No wonder, the prices here is so freaking high.
If other adventurers outside of this kingdom knows this, I am sure that they will flood this kingdom in no time. Who cares for being a noble if they can be rich being an adventurer here alone?
The informant notices us that we are not from this kingdom.
"You are not from here, I supposed. Having fair skin in this extreme heat is rare. Where are you both from." She asked.
"I came from Hana and he was from Eleanor." I answered. Cayden looked at me after saying that.
"Hana and Eleanor huh, it is rare to see the conqueror is teaming up with the conquered." She sighed. But then she took her comment back. "I'm sorry, but the news about the fallen kingdom of Eleanor actually reach this isolated kingdom."
I went closer and sat in front of her counter. She was wiping the counter top. She has a build of a man with those popping muscles fitted in her sleeves.
"Tell me about it." I asked.
"Not for a price." She said.
"Common, we only have few gold coins with us and the spoiled brat count's daughter robbed us from the rest of our pay. Can you please at least give us a first timer freebie?" I asked while trying to persuade her from what she knows.
She looked at us and sighed. She told us what she heard from the other adventurer. There is actually a rumor going around this kingdom that Hana is growing drastically and they fear it. Conquering Eleanor is the best approach to warn other kingdoms, since it is known that Eleanor has the strongest barrier and army power compared to other kingdoms. If Hana managed to break that barrier and conquered the kingdom, it is indeed scary to know how much power they have.
She also indicated that the nobles of this kingdom are trying to ask favor from other nobles from Hana. From what I know, they are trying to find a shelter if Hana is planning to attack this kingdom as well. Wise nobles. Now I know the reason behind this engagement between a country count's daughter and a marquis's son from another kingdom. It is tricky yet clever.
"So, do you have other news about Eleanor?" Cayden asked. I looked at Cayden and I see how he is worried about his kingdom.
The informant looked at him and gaze a slight look to my direction. I get it, she is hesitating to tell the truth because I am around.
"Just tell him, our team will not bond out whatever the reason or news is. Besides, as adventurers we are indeed in neutral side unless we accepted the citizenship of a certain kingdom." I said. But the truth is, I lied.
She sighed and took two glasses of beer and gave it to us. She said that she will maximize the freebie since she pities us. She is believing that we don't have a clue what is really going on. She took a deep breath.
"Well, I heard that the nobles from Eleanor actually collaborated with the officials of Hana to take down their own kingdom. I heard from an adventurer from Hana that stayed here three weeks ago that only three nobles' families actually stayed loyal to Eleanor and the rest turned their backs to their own kingdom. Those families were executed to the last of their bloodline, merciless, by who? Not by the soldiers of Hana but their fellow countrymen. Not only that, they say that the nobles who collaborated to the destruction are now higher officials. There is a recent news that this tavern acquired and I am going to give it away for free. I heard that the new appointed acting governor of Eleanor is not the same person who actually beheaded the king and queen of Eleanor. They say that, the real culprit of this treacherous dilemma is the grand duke of the kingdom of Granger." She said.
"Are you sure about it?" I asked. Cayden in the other side is shivering in anger. Of course, he will get angry because his own people are confirmed turned their backs against them.
How painful it must be to here such news?