Chapter 8: The Walled City
CLAUDE continued to touch Agnes at every opportunity, claiming he needed to replenish his “Agnes levels.” Just holding hands in front of Cesar was embarrassing enough, but Claude’s attempts to hug her were more than she could take. Even though she managed to persuade him to just put his arm around her shoulder, it was still embarrassing.
Agnes was starting to feel mentally exhausted.
However, as Claude wasn’t the type of man to persist after noticing Agnes was extremely uncomfortable, he tried to restrain himself—sometimes even choking back tears.
A few days into the journey, Agnes finally began to relax and even enjoy herself.
“By the way, you said that there are knights permanently stationed by the hole in the wall. Does that mean there’s a settlement there and not a temporary camp?” Agnes asked.
“Right, we just call it the Walled City. No need for an official name, really,” Claude answered while clutching an Entoloma cyanonigrum, which was quite similar in color to Claude’s dark blue hair. It was a little comical, though, to see the dashing prince talking about important military matters while grasping a shroom.
“A Dragonmate who keeps her Crest Bearer in check with mushrooms. I can’t wait to see what Agnes does with her future,” Cesar beamed as he stroked Ciel, curled up beside him. Ciel seemed to be enjoying the petting as he started snuggling up against Cesar, looking every inch the affectionate pussycat.
“The mushrooms are a concession. I can’t cope with being hugged all day,” Agnes sighed.
“Once you’re married, you won’t be able to hold him off with just mushrooms, though…” Cesar warned.
“…Come again?”
Agnes felt like she’d heard a hint of something alarming there, but Cesar just kept grinning.
“No, never mind.” Cesar shrugged. “Anyway, the Walled City is a royal territory, off-limits to the general public. The only residents are knights, and the only proprietors are innkeepers or weapon-sellers.”
So it isn’t really like a proper city, is it?
Claude nodded along to what Cesar was saying, the mushroom bobbing in his hand. “Uncle has been the acting lord there. As he hasn’t been well, inspections of the city haven’t been conducted in some time. There’s been talk of me taking over.”
“So, the acting lord needs to be a Crest Bearer?” Agnes asked.
“In principle, yes. But when there’s no suitable Crest Bearer, any member of the royal family could serve as the overseeing lord,” Claude explained.
“Ah, we’re just about to enter the Walled City,” Cesar alerted, directing Agnes to look out the window. The mountain road scenery from earlier had faded away, and they seemed to be entering what looked like a village. It wasn’t a very big place, but each building seemed to be more steadily reinforced than any in the royal capital. There were a few shops selling wares. On the surface, it looked like a normal town. However, something odd stood out to Agnes.
“There are no children or elderly people,” Agnes observed, noticing the streets seemingly populated with mostly men. She saw a few women who wore swords, but they didn’t look like ordinary citizens.
“In the event of an emergency, this city is the frontline of our defenses. Only those who can fight live here,” explained Cesar.
That made sense. This was a city, but its main purpose was as a breakwater to keep the flood of monsters at bay.
“I had no idea a town like this even existed,” Agnes mused.
Even the people who lived there probably didn’t think about it too much. Monster appearances were so rare, they were almost mythical.
“That’s how it should be. It’s better if the citizens of our land are able to live peacefully, not knowing anything,” commented the duke.
Cesar and Claude gazed out of the carriage windows, their eyes warm and protective.
The royals came to the Walled City to fulfill their duty—as they had done for centuries. Even if the people knew nothing of it.
“…Thank you,” Agnes murmured, to which Claude responded with a quizzical look, mushroom still in hand, and Cesar stopped stroking Ciel. “I think, in the future too, many people will be able to live their lives in blissful peace. Please, at least let me offer thanks on their behalf, as a citizen. For all you do for them…for us… Your efforts to protect your people.”
Agnes lowered her head to show respect, and Ciel let out a guttural roar. The cat began rubbing his head on Cesar’s arm, no doubt also expressing gratitude. Or just asking for more pets.
“You’re welcome,” Cesar smiled, continuing to stroke Ciel’s back. The creature began loudly purring—apparently, he wanted more pets after all. Seeing how cute Ciel was, Agnes couldn’t suppress a smile.
“This time, we shall protect the people together, Agnes. Will you lend us your strength?”
“I will!”
Agnes still didn’t know what exactly she would be able to do. Still, she wanted to be useful. She nodded hard, completely determined.
After passing through the center of the Walled City and reaching the top of a small hill, the carriage stopped outside of a dwelling. It was larger than the ones in the city and seemed durable. The windows were small and had solid bars across them, likely to protect against attacks.
Though it wasn’t glamorous, the building wasn’t as plain as some of the other buildings. The bars were laid in a sort of geometric pattern that indicated some design thought had gone into them.
“What’s this place…?” Agnes asked.
“The household for the resident lord. It’s a bit dusty inside, though,” Claude muttered apologetically, but he was right—it wasn’t exactly very fancy.
Inside, the ceilings were coated with cobwebs and the floor thick with dust, to which Ciel started shaking his paws in disgust. It wasn’t exactly what you’d call homey.
All of a sudden, a popping sound sent dust flying explosively off the walls as a series of mushrooms bloomed. An Amanita griseofarinosa greeted the party with its gray cap and stem that appeared to be covered in its own whitish dust. Beside it was a yellowish-brown capped Gymnopilus junonius.
Despite frantically shaking his paws, Ciel couldn’t get them clean. In the end, he resorted to seeking Claude’s legs to help wipe them off.
Claude scooped up Ciel and helped brush the dust off his paws, though no doubt the same thing would happen again the moment he set him down. At this rate, Ciel might as well consider a change of vocation and become a silver tiger instead.
“When I was living here, the place was a little bit more taken care of. But there aren’t any permanent staff, see,” Cesar grunted, looking a little frustrated as he brushed the dust from his shoulders. “I used this place only for sleeping, so my bedroom was the only room I touched. Judging from the state of it, Armand must be staying at an inn in town instead.”
“Well, we’re just here to do a job and then go home. We don’t even really need a residence here,” Claude noted.
Right… Certainly, considering the role of the city, this residence wasn’t really meant for elegant relaxation. No doubt they wouldn’t be inviting any guests over for tea. As long as they had the bare minimum, clean beds, and washing facilities, then they could easily get by.
Even so, Cesar had only just regained some of his health; he absolutely needed a hygienic environment. And how were they supposed to get any good rest sleeping in a dust heap like this?
“This…THIS is where I come in!” Agnes’s emerald-green eyes sparkled.
✦ ✦ ✦
🍄🍄🍄
AGNES immediately rolled up her sleeves and opened the windows. Finger marks were left in the dust on the windowsill, but she didn’t have time to worry about little things like that. There weren’t any dust-free spots anywhere. There was so much to do!
“Agnes, here’s a broom, and a bucket.”
“Thank you, Claude.”
Ciel was dashing about the room, batting mushrooms across the floor and kicking up dust clouds like powder snow. The mushrooms rolling about looked like little snowballs. But maybe these dust-covered Amanitas started off looking like that.
“With the windows open, it should be a little more breathable in here,” Agnes noted. “Anyway, I want to sweep out all the dust then wipe up the residue with a cloth. I’d like to wash the curtains, too. Oh, and we have to air out the duvets.”
“Oh, Agnes, you don’t have to do all that…” Claude reassured her, looking worried as Agnes listed off all the work to be done.
“If we’re going to be staying here a while, we need to be comfortable,” she insisted. “The residents of the city are here to guard the wall, and there aren’t any spare servants around. So, it only makes sense for me, without any fighting ability of my own, to pitch in and do what I can.”
“It’s not like there’s no one to clean and cook. When I was staying here, I had a few people on staff,” chimed in Cesar.
Time was marching on, so Agnes started knocking down the ceiling cobwebs with the broom. Cesar frowned, looking as unconvinced as Claude.