Chapter 43: A Letter from the Empire
SEVERAL days after Franz and Elise arrived in the Federation, Bertine acquiesced to Franz’s demands to visit the hotel’s planned site. He said they had rested plenty and were ready to go. So the three of them, plus Dorothée and Diego, boarded a riverboat. As usual, they had a long way to go before they reached their destination.
“Franz, I’d like to use hammocks in my hotel as well,” Bertine mentioned.
“That’s a great idea. Nothing is more representative of the charms of the southlands than hammocks.”
“I’m just imagining how lovely it would be to read while swinging in one.”
“And it’s essential to have a bottle of something strong on the side table next to it, Bertine.”
They exchanged pointed looks then laughed in unison. She wondered why it was so much fun to talk about her dreams like this.
After that conversation, Franz, Elise, and Bertine joined different groups playing poker. They had a secret race amongst each other to determine who would win the most hands. Turns out, Elise defeated the other two by leagues. Her modest attire combined with her fragile appearance and seemingly virtuous personality led her opponents to drop their guard magnificently. Bertine couldn’t help being amazed by her behavior, especially because she had been so confident she would take a commanding lead.
“Well, I certainly learned my lesson today…” Bertine muttered to herself. Or so she thought, but Franz heard and laughingly replied to her.
“Anyone who underestimates Elise based on her appearance has only themselves to blame when they end up burned. I’ve witnessed it countless times.”
Their river journey passed in a blur of poker games and hotel planning before they finally arrived in the Bilva district of the hinterlands. Both Franz and Elise were stunned by the various sights. Trees heavily laden with fruits of the southlands. The rustling sounds made by ball rabbits as they moved through the forests and fields. An elderly man leading a flock of emus. They murmured if they had accidentally found themselves in paradise.
“Bertine, this is a fantastic location,” Franz said. “The imperial aristocrats will definitely delight in this region, particularly the ones from the north. Though the sun beats down strongly, it’s pleasantly dry with low humidity.”
“I’m glad you agree,” she said. “I, too, thought this was paradise the first time I laid eyes upon this region.”
Smiling broadly, Franz continued, “Right, then. When do you plan to open the hotel? We need to hire and train employees accordingly in advance. Also, it will take quite some time to choose wallpaper, flooring, furniture, and the like. Not to mention the general layout of the hotel in terms of rooms, the galley, and more.”
“I’ll contact Evance first and go from there,” she replied. “It hasn’t yet been a year since he moved to the imperial capital to study architecture, so I believe construction is still a ways off.”
Bertine wondered if Evance was working hard in school, accumulating knowledge of his field.