Elena stood amid several fancily dressed individuals from different walks of life, from nobles to boisterous rchants.
So were couples, others seed part of a family unit and a few were alone like her with one particular man standing out to her as he held a notebook and pen in hand.
Their eyes t for a mont with Elena quickly looking away in embarrassnt.
All those about her were here for a similar purpose to her which was embarking on a tour of the inner city.
But regardless of the number of people which neared an astounding 100, Elena found herself detached from the crowd, almost like she didn’t belong with them.
However, try as she may, she was unable to find reasons for such a thought to gnaw at her continuously.
Placing a hand over her head, she sought to massage her temples but then a distant echo resounded in her ears, causing her expression to distort painfully.
Just as she was about to let out a scream, a sudden tap on her shoulder jolted her from the inconvenience.
She glanced to the side to find that it was the green-haired man from the bar
"Is everything okay?" The man asked.
Nodding softly, Elena replied. "Yes."
"I see, that’s good. Aren’t you taking part in the tour?"
Elena glanced over to find that the tour guide had already arrived and was leading the group of tourists toward the gates leading to the inner city.
"Are you feeling unwell?" The man couldn’t help but ask, noticing Elena’s expression.
Faking a smile, Elena answered. "No, I’m fine. Thank you. I’ll get going now. Thank you."
"Mn, okay and you’re welco." The man seed quite nice as he helped Elena walk due to the latter still being a bit disoriented.
Soon enough, they caught up to the tour group and the tour officially began.
***
The Kingdom of Thebes was one of the few nations that had survived the scourge of the Dark Ages.
They did so by making concessions to the Vampires and Hyenas, providing sacrifices to keep them satisfied.
It was a classic case of giving up a few to save the many.
Unfortunately, that was the only choice that era afforded them.
After the Great Purge, they turned out to be incredible powerhouses, making sufficient strides in the aspect of biological evolution.
However, according to legends, a few of those strides were said to be faked.
Regardless, the Kingdom, or at least, the city which served as its capital was a testant to the opulence that the citizens of Thebes once enjoyed.
High hanging walls with several ornantal plants for beautification as well as stone structures caused many to wonder just how advanced the nation was to have buildings rivaling what was in use today.
The city was divided into three parts; the outer section, the middle section, and the inner section.
According to the tour guide, the division was a way to divide the classes in Thebes at that ti.
The outer section was for the commoners, the middle was for the nobles and the inner was for the royal family.
One could imdiately tell the difference as they went further into the city with the buildings becoming grander and larger with several aesthetic pieces that were quite eye-catching.
Of the many pieces, one that stood out was the alabaster statues that beca prominent as one traversed the middle section.
Of course, in the current age, the difference in who occupied which section was done, not by class, but by race.
With the Kingdom of Thebes under the jurisdiction of Aragon, it was understandable that their rchants and in truth, quite a number of their people were active in the middle section with humans forced to set up stalls in the outer section.
Very few humans were let into the middle section with most consisting of incredibly wealthy rchants and nobles seeking to purchase things from the Beastkin.
It was common knowledge how aggressive Beastn were to humans and so, it was for the benefit of humans that contact was reduced to a minimum.
Of course, the tour guide was well aware of this which was why a predetermined route was followed, one which was devoid of Beastkin to avoid any form of conflict.
But even at that, the sight of humanoid figures with furry ears and bushy tails ca into view occasionally.
Finally, the tour group arrived at the gates to the inner city which was currently closed and guarded by two large alabaster knights that looked to be more than just ornants.
Taking the opportunity, the tour guide paused to give the group a preview of where they were about to enter.
According to her, the inner city wasn’t always open and in fact, most tis remained closed.
Rumors had it that a few of the abominations that were created during the Kingdom of Thebes’ deep dive into biological evolution still existed within the royal palace and sought to devour those that got in their way.
But of course, those were just rumors and the real reason was because it was a good location for tourism, what with its amazing sights that left one wondering just how far ahead the people of Thebes were in terms of developnt.
So, to preserve the heritage of the inner city, people weren’t allowed in unless under occasions such as the current tour.
Most tours into the inner city happen yearly with most people having to book spots in advance to get a chance to explore.
With the overview finished, the tour guide headed over to speak with the guards who were in the building adjacent to where they stood.
anwhile, the group engaged in excited conversation, leaving Elena to gaze wordlessly at the alabaster statues.
They seed strangely familiar and gave her a sowhat nostalgic feeling.
Just then, soone tapped her shoulder, jolting her from her deep introspection.
It was the green-haired man yet again. "You were dozing off again."
"Oh, sorry. Uhmm, do I know you?"
"Ah, not at all. My na is Douglas." The man said with a smile as he extended his hand for a handshake. "Nice to et you."
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