Chapter 64: Cast City

 ……

Nero rose from the bath filled with rose petals, stepping onto the marble steps where a maidservant awaited with a towel. The daily bath always refreshed her spirit, especially when she saw her own reflection in the water—perfect, harmonious, as if blessed by the gods, a sight that even she found irresistible... But at that moment, an owl flew out from the shadowy wall to the side, transforming into a black-haired girl with snow-white skin, who then bowed to her.

"Olga, it's been some time since I last saw you," Nero remarked, her gaze lingering on the girl's immaculate white robe, her snow-white skin, and her youthful, almost childlike body. With a nonchalant gesture, she adjusted the towel around herself before adding, "You are a flawed creation of the Empire, while your acquisition of power always comes with strange sacrifices... Yet, I find this aspect quite charming, as do the elders of the Third Order."

Nero's personal desires were reflected in her fondness for the unique qualities of Olga, while the elders of the Third Order appreciated these traits for their effectiveness in assassination.

Olga slightly bowed her head and said, "I have brought with me the latest research results from supervisor Castivia."

"I must confess, I'm curious —why Castivia did not wait outside for me?" Nero said, her gaze admiring as she looked over Olga. "Your arrival certainly warms my heart, but let's not confuse the two sentiments."

"The new findings are related to our Third Order," Olga explained.

"The Third Order, you say? Hmm, let me think," Nero mused as she took a seat on a nearby bench.

With a gesture, Nero invited Olga to sit on her lap, obediently positioning herself like a docile little servant. Nero skillfully unfastened the girl's robe, revealing beneath it her distinctive snow-white skin—similar to the Empress's, she wore only this single garment, and her skin was nearly as flawless.

Nero had a fondness for beautiful young girls, and especially for Olga—despite being a byproduct of the Imperial mages' attempts to create shape-shifters, Nero was quite pleased with the unique characteristics she exhibited.

"They have successfully discovered a way to incorporate Otataral ore into the composition of firearm ammunition, Your Majesty," Olga reported, briefly meeting Nero's gaze before focusing back on her own palm. "We now possess the ability to neutralize a mage from a greater distance."

"I see... However, I do not believe this advancement is solely relevant to the Third Order of the Hounds," Nero said, her attention shifting away from the girl as she spoke. "The Empire should establish a new unit for this innovation. Even though, after collaborating with the Moranth, the Empire has already formed more specialized engineering and demolition units, the implications of these bullets—I do not think it will be limited to just assassination."

"But our reserves of the ore are quite limited, Your Majesty," Olga added.

"I do not deny that," Nero conceded, lowering her head to inhale the scent of Olga's freshly washed black hair, then speaking with a sense of satisfaction, "Olga, answer me this: What do you think the Empire should sacrifice in order to secure the Otataral ore vein?"

"What's that?" Olga tilted her head, a bit confused. "Your Majesty, you know I'm not really into those kinds of things. Other than my work in espionage, assassination, and the shady stuff the elders throw at me, I'm all about the fun stuff—like brandy, coffee, and catching a good play."

"It's nothing major, just humor me." 

"Hmm... Perhaps expanding your territories to the Seven Cities Continent?"

"Oh! That's quite insightful!" Nero praised with a nod, "Precisely in line with my own thoughts. However, prior to that, the Empire must first eliminate the impediments that are entrenched within the Genabackis Continent."

"The Free Cities Alliance?"

"Indeed," Nero replied, gently stroking the girl's shoulder. "But most importantly, there is the Moon's Spawn, and the dark elf lord of Moon's Spawn."

"I could certainly go and gather intelligence—or even take the opportunity to eliminate some human mages, but the Otataral ore won't be of much use against the dark elves' Shadow Warren, Your Majesty," 

"Rest assured, I have already planned a strategy to address Moon's Spawn." 

Olga shrugged, not inquiring further about the specific strategy.

"For my poetry, for my art, for the Empire to endure for ages to come," Nero whispered, leaning in to kiss Olga's snow-white neck, eliciting a soft gasp from the girl. In a hushed tone, she continued, "To bring all that I behold under the dominion of Rome—this is my solemn duty, my sovereign right, and the grandest epic I shall craft as Rome's cherished gem."  She spoke with unwavering conviction, "I will see to it that Rome's acclaim for my creations echoes through the ages, surpassing even the memory of the rulers of the First Empire."

……

"Welcome to Cast City, Lady of the Holy Cross," the fully armored guard greeted Jeanne with a bow. "As one of the few remaining free cities on this continent, although our city may not have the antiquity of Darujhistan, which predates even Rome, we are still one of the most significant trading cities in this icy tundra. We possess natural gas pipelines that have been designed and improved upon from Darujhistan's model, and we also house a renowned magic school under the watchful gaze of the Moon's Spawn's master, where even the nations of Lether come to recruit graduates. So, my beautiful lady, if you would not mind—"

"She's an Inquisitor," Salser interjected.

The guard suddenly coughed violently, as if dozens of fish bones had lodged themselves in his throat all at once.

He stepped aside to clear the path to the city gate, trying to mask the panic on his face, and said, "Lord Inquisitor! Please forgive my presumptuous interruption!"

Jeanne shrugged, noncommittal about the situation, and said to Salser, "Follow me."

"I'm dying of laughter here; your people reputation certainly has its 'perks.'"

After passing the guard, Salser glanced back at him—he was standing rigidly in place, as if nailed to the ground, not daring to turn his head. "Even the mundane scenario of rejecting a gentleman's invitation is avoided," Salser remarked with another shrug. "How do you plan to resolve your marital issues in the future, marry that bizarre headpiece of yours?"

Jeanne only remained silent and abruptly elbowed him in the ribs.

Salser gasped sharply, steadying himself with a hand on Viola's shoulder to barely avoid falling.

Then they continued on their way.

After leaving the bitterly cold frost-covered tundra outside Cast City, as they climbed the gradually warming steps within the city, moving away from the outer walls, they reached the main street situated between the temple complex and the high-ranking residential district.

At the same time, this area also faces the direction of the Edlos Snow Mountains.

The mid-level streets of Cast City were bustling and crowded. Neatly trimmed coniferous trees lined the streets, alongside orderly houses—adorned with carved facades, conical spires, towering clock towers, luxurious inns, and a variety of shops, all in abundance. Between the houses, slanted white pillars supported arches that were tightly packed together, leaving only occasional narrow gaps. The flat stone-paved roads were flanked by clean drainage ditches, where colorful dyes and wastewater flowed into the sewers, yet it was difficult to detect any foul odors or the pungent stench of sewage, indicating regular maintenance.

Despite the streets being quite wide, they always seemed to be bustling with activity. Countless people emerged from one doorway only to enter another, giving the area the appearance of a bustling marketplace.

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