Chapter 70: Second Birthday (4)
"The threads are very durable," he said excitedly.
"I tested them by tying fallen branches together, and they held. I also managed to weave a small net. Prata is producing more and more."
"She is a very talented spider," Aurora commented with a smile.
"Yeah. And very aggressive toward strangers too," Lukas added.
"Tilbo as well. The two of them are becoming difficult to control."
Judite spoke enthusiastically about her flame spells.
"I managed to make a blue flame yesterday!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining.
"Only for a second, but it was blue! Master Thorne said it’s a sign that my mana is becoming more powerful!"
"Really?" Aurora asked.
"Yes! He said blue flames are hotter than yellow flames. That they burn stronger. I still can’t control it, but I will!"
"Of course you will. You’re a Dmond."
Aurora told old stories about the Dmond family that Lukas had never heard before.
"Your grandfather, before he died, faced a herd of giant boars that were attacking the villages," she said with a smile.
"He went alone, with only a sword and a shield. He returned with a new scar on his leg and a story that he told everyone who visited the mansion."
"Did he kill them all?" Judite asked, her eyes wide.
"He killed most of them. The others fled and never returned."
"Was he strong?"
"Very. But not as strong as your father."
Clavor, riding alongside the carriage, laughed from time to time, adding details that Aurora had forgotten.
"He also came back carrying a boar on his shoulders," Clavor said, leaning toward the window.
"It weighed more than a small horse. He carried it for three kilometers all the way back to the mansion."
"Wow..." Judite murmured.
Hours passed.
The sun climbed high into the sky, then slowly began to descend, painting the clouds in shades of orange and pink.
By late afternoon, when the sky had already begun to turn orange and purple, the City of the Great Rock appeared on the horizon.
Lukas pressed his face against the window, his violet eyes shining with excitement.
The city was exactly as he remembered.
The tall walls of pale stone, so high that he had to tilt his head back to see the top. The square watchtowers, with banners fluttering in the wind, dark blue standards bearing Count Hark’s golden emblem.
And at the center, the immense white rock, like a mountain cut in half, with elegant buildings stacked upon it in layers, connected by hanging bridges and stairways carved directly into the stone.
At the highest point, Count Hark’s castle dominated the landscape, with pointed towers, stained glass windows, and battlements where guards patrolled.
The banners fluttered in the wind, and the setting sun reflected off the windows, making the city shine like a jewel.
"It’s really enormous..." he murmured, almost breathless.
"You’ll see what truly enormous looks like when you visit the kingdom’s capital," Aurora replied with a smile.
"The capital?"
"Rhyne. The king’s city. It’s ten times larger than this one."
"Ten times?"
"At least."
Lukas fell silent, imagining it.
The Dmond carriage didn’t have to wait in line.
As soon as they approached the gate, one of the guards recognized the crest on the door, the Three-Tailed Winged Wolf embroidered in silver on a dark blue background.
"Make way!" he announced loudly.
"It’s the Dmond family!"
The coachman cracked the whip, and the carriage passed through the gate without inspection. The guards saluted respectfully, their spears raised in greeting.
They passed merchants, travelers on foot, and other carriages, all watching with curiosity and envy.
The carriage headed straight for the inn.
The same one as before.
The three-story building with its well-maintained dark wooden facade and clean glass windows looked welcoming beneath the evening light. The painted sign swung above the door, depicting a silver bird with its wings spread, gleaming beneath the setting sun.
They got out. The coachman led the carriage toward the adjacent stable.
Aurora, Judite, and Lukas entered.
The same middle-aged woman, with her hair tied in a tight bun, stood behind the counter. She wore the same white apron over a dark blue dress, and her green eyes widened in recognition.
"Lady Dmond!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch.
"Welcome back. And the children are growing so quickly! The last time I saw them, the boy could barely walk!"
"Time flies," Aurora replied with a smile.
"We’d like the best room available for three nights."
"Of course. The master suite on the third floor is available. It overlooks the central square. The same one as last time."
"Perfect."
"I’ll have it prepared immediately."
They went upstairs.
The room was spacious and comfortable.
Two large beds covered with white sheets and dark blue wool blankets. A red velvet sofa with soft cushions. A dark wooden table with four chairs. A large window overlooking the bustling streets. Lukas could see people walking by, carriages moving through the roads, and street vendors pushing their carts.
It was simple luxury, but to him, who still remembered the hard beds of the orphanage back on Earth, it felt like a palace.
They had dinner in the inn’s main hall.
The hall was lively, travelers from all backgrounds occupied the tables, talking, laughing, drinking. The aroma of hot food filled the air.
Aurora ordered a creamy vegetable soup, hot and rich, with soft pieces of carrot and potato.
Roasted meats seasoned with herbs, juicy and smoky, served with a dark, mildly spicy sauce.
Warm bread, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, with herb butter melting across the surface.
Fresh juice for the children, strawberry, Lirium, and a blend of red fruits that Lukas couldn’t identify.
Lukas ate heartily, talking excitedly about what he wanted to do the next day.
"New clothes first," he said, wiping his mouth with the napkin.
"Mine are getting too small. Then the bookstore. I want books about beasts and magic. And I also want to stop by the Adventurers’ Guild to sell Prata’s threads."
"We’ll do all of that," Aurora replied with a smile.
"And sweets!" Judite reminded them.
"We can’t forget the sweets!"
"And sweets."
After dinner, they returned to the room.
Judite fell asleep almost immediately. The girl was exhausted from the excitement of the day, the journey, and the city. She wrapped herself in the blankets, hugged the pillow, and began snoring softly in less than five minutes.
Clavor, who had arrived shortly before, had gone to the stable to check on the horses and then lay down beside Aurora. His tunic was still dusty from the road, but he didn’t seem to care.
Lukas lay in his bed, the light blue blanket pulled up to his chin.
He stared at the ceiling for a while.
His heart raced.
"Clothes. Books. And maybe... selling the threads."
He thought about the silver threads stored inside the wooden chest. Long, and thin, shining with a soft glow. Durable. Elastic. Useful for so many things.
’If I manage to sell them well... it will be the first money I earn in this new world. A small amount out of the great fortune I’ll have to build.’
He closed his eyes. A smile on his lips.
He fell asleep to the distant sounds of the city outside, carriages passing, people talking, and a musician playing the flute somewhere in a nearby square.
