Chapter 139. Crown's Top
"Despite the sparse population on this island, there are still some nobles who live here. And they live atop the cap of that massive mushroom. From there, they oversee the masses of peasants below the mushroom's gills. They also live off the taxes of the lower class," Anna explained to her attendants as they walked along the street dotted with various fungal growth.
"So they profit all the lives of those farmers? They’re people!"
Anna nodded. "Correct. They are quite a nefarious bunch. A place as lucrative as this should be mine to manage."
With her attendants in tow, Anna continued walking down the streets. There were people offering trishaw rides at the harbor district, but she chose to walk. She wanted to measure her potential territory in her own footsteps.
It wasn't all fields under the Crown's gills. While the fields stretched on, modest dwellings were built between fields. They were the humble abodes of the farmers.
Anna entered one of the houses to find the interior desolate save for the mushroom overgrowth in the corners of the building.
The occasional faint coughing from some of the houses was a chilling reminder that the place was not an abandoned village.
Exiting the village area, Anna continued on her path toward the end of the road.
The island was rather large. After about three hours, Anna finally arrived at the base of the Crown. A sizeable wooden basket was attached to the mushroom's cap by a robust rope.
"I need to go up. I have some matters to discuss with your Governor," Anna commanded with an air of authority to the guards guarding the elevator-like contraption. She also presented a badge with the marking of the elite class in Whereto.
Judging from Anna's regal demeanor and the entourage behind her, the guards clad in black uniforms didn't dare to obstruct her. They promptly allowed her onto the elevator.
Several muscular men to the side erupted into a rhythmic chant as they turned the winch. The wooden basket which Anna and her entourage were on was slowly hoisted upward.
Emerging from a hole carved into the Crown's cap, the basket slowly reached the top of the mushroom's cap. The sweet scent that had captivated Anna was absent here.
The Crown's cap seemed to have some sort of arcane power. It shielded the upper realm from the spores, and it also demarcated the poverty and suffering beneath the cap.
A tranquil town appeared before Anna's eyes. Under the illumination of the bright street lights, she saw the denizens dressed in crisp, clean clothes. It was an antithesis to the desolate villages below.
Just then, a fluffy puppy ran toward Anna and stopped by her feet. Its big eyes stared at Anna with curiosity. Soon after, a little boy with a bow tie on his neck sprinted over. He apologized for his pet's behavior before putting a leash on the puppy and leading it away.
"Goodbye, Miss," the boy bade his farewell.
As she watched the pair leave, Anna closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath.
"What a wonderful place with brimming vitality. I'm getting hungry," Anna mused.
Casting her glance across the entire landscape, she pondered for a brief moment before she began walking toward the grandest structure within the town. It was the Governor's Residence.
Anna's aura of nobility achieved her desired effect. She was soon escorted to a lavish drawing room.
She scanned the ostentatious decor surrounding her and shook her head in slight disappointment. "I'm not fond of this flashy design. Martha, note it down. Replace everything in this room."
"Understood, my lady. I've jotted it down," Martha replied in deference.
Their conversation was interrupted by an elderly butler whose hair had silvered with age. "Governor Tucker is available now. I'll bring you over," he said.
Anna was led into a bedroom and was greeted by the sight of Tucker casually reclining on his bed while enjoying a glass of milk.
Tucker was a tall and muscular young man, but surprisingly, his facial features looked rather delicate. Smelling the familiar fishy scent in the air and noting the messy state of the bed linens, Anna's brows furrowed slightly in recognition.
"Which island are you from? If you're here for grain, you can negotiate with my subordinates. What is so urgent that you have to see me personally? Be quick about it, I have other things to attend to, as I’m busy," Tucker said with apparent impatience in his tone. He didn’t spare even a glance at his guest.
He quickly finished his milk and placed the empty glass on the nightstand before sinking back beneath the blankets.
"I'm here to discuss matters concerning Your Excellency's island, not grains," Anna spoke.
Upon hearing the alluring tone of a female, Tucker's interest was evidently piqued as he propped himself up and laid his eyes on Anna for the first time.
Captivated by her seductive eyes peeking above her veil, his gaze intensified with a fiery desire.
"Name your price. I want you to stay on my island," Tucker offered instantly.
A hint of amusement flickered across Anna's eyes. "As long as you agree to my request, I'll agree to yours."
"Oh?" Tucker's interest was further ignited. Throwing back the covers, he boldly strode toward Anna, stark naked yet utterly unabashed. "Interesting. It's been a long while since someone from another island has come to seek me out. Who are you working for?"
"Governor, the matter we will be discussing will be of utmost importance. Don't you think there are too many people here?" Anna commented as she cast a hinting glance at the servants and guards in the room.
With a nonchalant wave, Tucker ordered everyone out. Anna's attendants behind her also exited the room.
Anna's gaze morphed rapidly, and her voice turned stern and unyielding. "Do you think it's appropriate for you to present yourself like this before your elder sister?"
A glint of confusion flickered across Tucker's eyes. However, a red shimmer emanated from the ring on his left thumb seemed to clear his head almost instantly. "Are you tampering with my memories?"
Suddenly, a wooden spike as long as a forearm, shot out with blinding speed from under the bed and impaled Anna in the chest while leaving a ghostly trail in its wake.
Anna's elegant visage crumbled instantly to reveal a giant tentacle monster. Letting out a writhing cry, the creature tried to make a mad dash for the exit.
The next moment, dark silhouettes emerged from the shadows of the room and chased after the monstrous being.
Hearing the clamor of battle and the monster's pained screams from outside the room, a look of disdain appeared on Tucker's face. He turned and made his way back to his bed.
"Seriously, some random nobody dares to come and find trouble with me now. The World's Crown is small, but it's still a habitable island. Did they really think I wouldn't be on guard?"
As his words fell, a rustling sound responded from behind him. He turned around and recognized the face of the intruder. His face twisted into visible annoyance as he roared, "Sis! What's the big deal about me having fun with a woman?! Must you always watch over me like a hawk?"
"Have you forgotten your promise to Father? What have you been doing all these years!" Anna stood rooted, unharmed. She stared at him with visible disdain.
"What of it? Father has been dead for five years!! I'm the incumbent governor of this island now! Now get out!" Tucker roared in rage.
"Continue your ways, and one day, you will find yourself dead in the hands of a woman," Anna spat out and left with a look of resentment on her face.
"That's none of your business! You old, unwed spindler!!" Tucker shouted after Anna as he flailed his hands animatedly. He had failed to notice the fine crack that had formed on the ring he was wearing.
The moment Anna stepped out of the room, she saw her attendants busy moving lifeless bodies. They had been unarmed earlier, but now, they were wielding an array of peculiar relics.
Among the corpses, there were Tucker's former servants as well as some individuals draped in black cloaks. Their eyes were frozen with a mix of shock and fear, a reflection of what they had faced in their final moments.
"Mistress, congratulations! This island is now yours," Martha approached with a radiant smile on her visage.
Anna slightly arched her back to stretch her muscles and shook her head, "Not yet. An island's governor has too many ties with others. To occupy someone's territory completely, we have to take it one step at a time. Sigh. I wonder how things are on Charles' side."
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