Chapter 29: Ocean Manor City
Nicholas, Chloe, and Derek watched Kevin and Indira fight for an extra 20 minutes, and just like Derek had theorized, they had both stopped because their energy had run out.
Kevin and Indira were drenched in sweat. They were now exchanging weak punches.
They continued until Derek couldn't take it anymore. He stood up, threw his 'beef jerky' pack to the side, and moved towards Kevin and Indira. When he got there, he facepalmed and said, "Seriously, just stop, this is so embarrassing," in an exasperated voice.
Chloe walked over and helped Indira up while Derek moved to help Kevin get up.
Nicholas, who was quietly munching his 'beef jerky,' watched them do all this. As he was watching, Chloe turned to him and said, "Be a darling and help us carry their other stuff, would you?"
"Sure," Nicholas replied with a slight smile as he watched them walk towards the city.
He turned to the stones beside him and picked up a bag that belonged to Chloe and a long white fur coat. He looked around, making sure that there was nothing else, and then stood up and followed the group into the city.
At the city gate, people were lined up as armor-wearing soldiers scrutinized the individuals and their goods. After a thorough inspection, they were let into the city.
The group cut through the line and continued walking until they reached the gate. They were stopped by a soldier. "Why did you cut through the line? Please go back and wait for your turn," the soldier said while raising his head to look Derek in the eye.
Derek didn't even bother to reply as he took out an emblem and showed it to the soldier. When the soldier saw it, his expression stiffened, and he looked down at the ground, as if he had found something interesting on it, while saying, "S...Sorry for the d...disturbance" in a shaky voice.
Derek didn't respond as he continued on into the city. Throughout the whole ordeal, Nicholas watched in silent astonishment. He could acutely sense the fear in the soldier's voice, and nobody in the group seemed perturbed by what just happened, like they were already used to it.
Taking a deep breath, Nicholas followed after the group.
They passed through the arched stone gate and into the city.
Nicholas observed the city,
The city was bustling with noise and liveliness, the aroma of street food wafted through the air, and the shouts of hawkers as they tried to draw attention to their wares.
There were bungalows on the streets and apartment buildings, all made of neatly cut stones. Some houses looked new, while some looked old.
At the center of the city, the imposing figure of the huge clock tower rose majestically. Its intricate spire stretched towards the sky, dominating the skyline with its grandeur. The clock's hands ticked rhythmically, marking the passage of time.
To the north of the city was a massive palace, its gleaming white walls adorned with intricate carvings and colorful banners. The palace stood as a symbol of power and authority, its presence casting a regal aura over the surrounding streets and alleys.
Nicholas continued to look around as he followed the group.
'Hmmm, so there are three gates, one at the east, west, and finally south, which we had just come through. Each one has a sentry tower.
'Security is tight; that will make escaping especially hard, plus the leader of this city should be in that palace.'
While Nicholas was observing and taking note of important details, the group continued to walk on. As they went deeper into the city, the noises began to reduce.
The decrease in noise was enough to bring Nicholas out of his reverie as he looked around.
They had entered a different part of the city. This part was filled with terraces and detached houses on either side of the branching streets, adorned with flower beds that added a touch of beauty to them.
In some of the houses, there were women dressed in long gowns that sat under shades, enjoying beverages and the cool breeze as they conversed.
The group walked past these houses. They had walked for ten minutes straight, and Nicholas wanted to ask where they were going, but he held himself back.
The group came to another part of the city, this part closer to the palace, and the security was even tighter.
The entire place was quiet and peaceful. At the entry point, the group was stopped. Repeating his action, Derek took out the emblem and presented it to the man at the entry point.
He was dressed differently from the soldiers.
The man scrutinized the emblem before nodding and handing it back. With a professional smile, he let the group pass.
The group entered the new neighborhood.
This place was filled with grandiose mansions, each mansion with a beautiful garden, manicured lawns, and a wrought-iron fence and gate surrounding it.
The buildings had ornate figures, showing a glimpse of the opulent lifestyle of the city elites.
There was the occasional sound of children's laughter coming from the gardens, and the women sitting in the gardens looked and wore better clothes compared to those in the previous sections. They were dressed in long gowns, fashionable fur coats, and glittering jewelry.
In between the buildings were exquisite shops.
The group finally came to a stop in front of a mansion. Its walls were white with gold patterns on it. On the front of the wrought-iron gate was the statue of a golden bird with its wings spread out. The statue was welded to the gate.
Derek took the lead as he opened the gate and walked into the lawn of the mansion, followed closely behind by Chloe, who was carrying Indira, who had already passed out, and Nicholas.
Derek arrived at the front door of the mansion and opened it. He said to the half-awake Kevin, "Welcome home, brother. We missed you."
"Hmm... That's good... To... Kn," Kevin gave half a reply and passed out.
"Tch," Derek clicked his tongue and went into the house.
Chloe looked at Derek and chuckled. Glancing at Nicholas with smiling eyes, she said, "Let's go," and the two of them entered the house.
Nicholas passed the door and was given a shock.
Nicholas' POV
'The f**k.'
The opulence of the mansion's exterior was already high, and then that of the inside was just...
I looked at the hall I had just entered. The high ceiling had a huge tinted glass chandelier, the red and gold couches seemed to be made of the softest fur, and the beautiful animal hide rugs and the huge fireplace made the room warm and cozy.
There were three couches, one in the center and the other two by its sides. Opposite the couches was the fireplace, and at the center of the couches was a gold-tinted table, with the chandelier hanging above it.
As I was observing the hall, Chloe, who was coming down from the stairs behind the couch, said, "Beautiful, right? I thought so too when I first got here."
I heard what she said, but I didn't miss the underlying words.
'I thought so too? What did she mean by that?'
"Yeah, this place is really beautiful," I replied with a smile.
"Then welcome to your new home. Go upstairs and pick a room. You have only one week to rest, then you will have to hunt with us," Chloe said with a smile.
Without waiting for me to reply, she continued while moving towards the door, "Also, take a shower. It's very important and change out of that armor you're wearing."
*Bang* She closed the door behind her.
"I... I... I..."
*Sigh* I just sighed and went up the stairs.
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