"Tell what you can do? Can you erase from existence once again? You can’t, right? That’s why both of you keep showing up in the mortal world?" I said, frustrated and angry.
Moiroi, the god, looked down at with an air of condescension. "Bernice! You are rely a human. How dare you behave this way? We are gods. We are always prayed to by humans. You should show at least so respect," he scolded.
"Yeah, I would if, as I said, I weren’t going to die, and you all weren’t after my life. I would gladly bow at your feet, crying tears of worry, but not anymore. So do whatever you can. Try to kill again, and I won’t even dare to point my sword at you, even if you are immortal. I don’t care," I said. With a sudden rush, I found myself back in my room, out of the god realm.
The transition was abrupt, and I was startled as Vix, my loyal companion, greeted . "Duchess, where did your mind wander off to? I’ve been trying to get your attention for a long ti now."
I didn’t even notice she was in my room; I had been so lost in my thoughts. "What made you co here?" I asked.
"The Duke asked to check on you," she replied.
"Tell him there is no need to check on . I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m alive. If I’m going to die, I will make sure to inform him," I smiled and said.
"Duchess, how could I?" she hesitated.
"It’s okay. You can just say exactly what I said," I replied, and let her walk out of the door. I then jumped out of the window, once again wrapping myself in the black cloak, even though I knew it was daylight and I would likely get caught.
I took cautious steps, trying not to make any noise. To my surprise, the security was weaker than I expected. There were no other guards around, not even after yesterday’s incident; it was as if soone had intentionally left it this way. I walked further and found that only a single guard was at the main entrance, and he was snoring away in deep sleep.
"What a great security system we have," I mumbled, amused by how pathetic the situation was. I didn’t care anymore and slowly opened the door without making any noise, walking past the entrance without anyone noticing.
I had left the mansion, but then I realized I had no knowledge of the roads in this area. So, I continued to walk forward, hoping to find my way. Eventually, I ca across a carriage that already had three passengers.
"Hey, can I get a ride?" I asked while hiding my face.
"Do you have any coins? If yes, hop in. Otherwise, get out of my way," the driver rudely responded. However, his expression changed when I showed him a gold coin. What a greedy person, I thought, as I sat inside with a family who were already in the carriage.
"Are you a foreigner?" the woman asked.
I shook my head to indicate no, without opening my lips.
"You seem different, though. I don’t think I’ve seen you in Ablia. Are you new?" the woman inquired.
"Yes," I replied.
"Oh, nice. But I don’t think it’s a good decision for you to co here," she said sadly.
"Why? Is there an issue in Ablia?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, don’t you know about the dark side of Ablia? Or did you co here believing the misconceptions spread by the royalty?" she asked, then fell silent.
"Misconceptions? What are you talking about? This is the first ti I’m hearing about it from you," I said.
"Listen carefully. Ablia is not as good as it seems. People are living in poverty, and even animals have better lives than the people here," she explained, shocking .
"Really? Is the situation that bad?" I asked.
"Yes, so people are so hungry that they wouldn’t even hesitate to kill others for food," she continued, leaving even more stunned.
"Can’t you inform the Duke about the situation?" I suggested.
"The Duke? You don’t know that the Duke was at war for a long period, and the others in the mansion care less about us. When so people go to the mansion to explain their concerns, they often get kicked out and called beggars," she revealed.
"People are hoping that if the Duke marries a princess, they will finally receive food in the dowry from the princess’s country. However, that didn’t happen, and the Duke ended up marrying a marquis’s daughter whose family was already in a bad situation, so their hopes were shattered," she explained further.
So, that’s why the people here don’t acknowledge , I thought.
"You shouldn’t stay here, or you will soon die of hunger. We’re going to another place to start a business to make a living. I hope you do the sa," they advised as I got out of the carriage.
Stepping out of the carriage, I saw how desolate this place was. There were a few shops with run-down interiors that would barely attract any custors. If soone did co to these shops, it was likely just for food, to make a ager living. So buildings lay in ruins, making this place resemble an abandoned village more than a city.
"How could he not even know the conditions his people are living in? Is this how he manages this place? People here can barely find food, let alone clothing. Just how dire is the situation in this place?" I muttered to myself.
"Erios!" I summoned him.
"Yes, master?" he answered.
"Is this place always like this?" I asked.
"No, master, this place wasn’t always like this. When the Duchess and the Duke were alive, this place was prosperous. However, sothing happened after their deaths, and it beca what it is now," he explained.
"Sothing happened? What exactly happened? Give a brief overview of the situation," I requested.
"I’m not sure exactly, but as the Emperor ascended to the throne, this place turned into a desert. So say a storm arrived and destroyed everything, while others believe that monsters wreaked havoc on the city," he replied, appearing just as unaware of the situation as I was.
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