The drive into the capital was a tense but strangely pleasant one.
The city streets were lined with street lamps and packed with cars and carriages, with trams woven into the streets.
The sidewalks were filled with people from all walks of life, from poor beggars to people dressed in business suits.
Buildings were all closely packed together, with neon signs hanging from posts. They held advertising from barber shops to insurance companies.
Woah, this is way more advanced than the Fallen Kingdom, almost to a scary degree.
Alexander couldn't help but wonder how it was all possible, when he first reincarnated into this world he was sure it was a medieval world with a few technological advancements.
But this was truly more than he ever imagined.
Especially when the skyscrapers came into view, they were packed with stone and windows, blocky in shape but stretching high into the sky.
Some of the buildings even had airships mooring on top of them, unloading cargo and people.
As the journey continued the large urban areas began to recede.
Replaced by a calm neighborhood filled with homes mirroring the art-nouveau and neo-classical vibe.
The homes were close together and stacked several stories high, with narrowed streets weaving between buildings alongside large sidewalks and powerlines.
As they passed through the neighborhood, the houses began to grow bigger and were spaced out.
The further they traveled, the larger the homes got, until eventually, they grew to become the size of manors or mansions.
Around this time Walter turned off the main road and began heading down a smaller road that led up to a grand mansion that rivaled the size of Alexander's old manor.
Alexander let out a low whistle as he pressed his face against the glass window.
He couldn't help but stare in awe at the sprawling estate, its white stone walls and tall columns matching elegantly with arched windows.
André smirked happily as he watched Alexander's reaction.
"Pretty nice, right?" He asked, glancing out the window while watching the carefully arranged flower beds pass by.
Alexander glanced over at André with a knowing nod. "Definitely."
André's grin grew wider as he crossed his arms. "You think this is amazing, wait until you see the inside, it'll blow your mind."
Béatrice shot André a glare, "We aren't here for sightseeing," she said curtly, "so don't you dare interfere with anything, understand?"
André sighed deeply as he looked into Béatrice's eyes, his expression soft. "Are you okay?" He asked, "Seriously if you–"
Béatrice narrowed her eyes further, causing André to fall silent and avert his gaze.
Alexander awkwardly looked away as he played with his thumbs, slowly nodding his head.
Yep…
It was around that time the limousine slowed to a halt, and for that Alexander was grateful.
Any longer and I'd be nauseated from the tension.
Both André and Béatrice moved to open their respective doors, allowing Alexander and Louise to exit simultaneously.
Stepping outside Alexander was greeted with the sight of an attendant approaching him, dressed in a black suit.
"Good evening, lord Alexander." The attendant said with a bow and hand to her chest. Her tone was professional and kind.
"Good evening to you too, miss." Alexander smiled as he looked up to the woman, slightly unnerved by her unfaltering expression.
"Don't let the attendants scare you." André teased as he stood behind Alexander, "They're the nicest people you'll ever meet, and they can keep a secret."
André winked at the attendant standing before Alexander, causing her to subtly smirk.
Alexander narrowed his eyes as he looked between the servant and André,
I'm not even going to ask.
"Is everything prepared?" Béatrice's voice could be heard on the other side of the limousine, she was talking to the attendant on her side.
"Yes, lady Béatrice, lord Arno, and lady Céline waiting in the dining hall." A stern and respectful voice replied, "Also, lunch has been prepared and served."
"Excellent," Béatrice replied as she walked past the attendant. She walked towards the large front doors of the estate, with Louie following closely behind.
Both André and Alexander watched the women walk up the marble stairs and into the foyer, their expressions curious.
Damn…
"She just got here and is already bossing around the servants." André joked as he stepped forward, looking over his shoulder at Alexander, "Are you coming?"
Alexander blinked blankly, realizing he was staring at the entrance like a lost child. "Y-yeah!" He replied, quickly jogging behind André.
As the duo stepped up the stairs and reached the door, André took hold of one door from an attendant and held it open. "After you." He replied with a smirk to both the attendant and Alexander.
The attendant bowed as he stepped inside, Alexander followed behind him, his attention immediately drawn to Louise as she rounded a corner.
He followed after her, his boots clicking against the marble flooring as the ornate chandelier illuminated his path forward.
Better not lag, I don't want Béatrice to blow a gasket.
André leisurely followed behind him, hands in his pockets as he looked around.
As the group walked through the lavish corridors of the estate, the faint smell of baked goods filled the air as servants bustled about.
— — —
Eventually, Alexander found himself trailing Louise past a pair of double doors decorated with a diamond pattern.
What was revealed was a grand dining hall filled with a long table decorated with fine china and an older couple sitting at its head.
The man was a tall figure with salt and pepper hair, crimson red eyes, and an uninterested expression. And the woman beside him had a small, slim frame with long silver eyes and hair.
The woman seemed to be happily chatting away while the man listened with a slow nod.
This quickly changed, however, when the man looked up to see Béatrice approaching him. He smiled happily as he reached a hand out to her. "Béatrice, it's been years." He said with a hearty laugh.
Béatrice nodded as she stood before the man, "Indeed it has, Father, but I ask that we skip pleasantries–"
"Nonsense!" The man exclaimed with a chuckle, "Take a seat, let me speak to my granddaughter."
Alexander, who still awkwardly stood at the doorway, expected Béatrice to shoot the man's offer down.
But surprisingly, she took a seat across from the older woman, while Louise approached the man with a subtle scowl.
As she neared the man, his smile grew warm. "Ahh, I see you've adopted your mother's style, but surely your heart hasn't grown too cold yet." He teased, giving Béatrice a knowing look.
The man then scooped Louise into his lap, and let off a gentle laugh as he studied her.
"Oh how big you've gotten." The woman said warmly as she leaned over the man's arm, "You're like a proper lady now, no more baby face."
With how the two fawned over Louise, Alexander didn't doubt that the two were her grandparents, lord Arno and Lady Céline.