City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 101: Pulled

“Navr is blessed with a great soil, that we can grow nearly everything.”
 
“Even those we can’t grow naturally. We grow it in our domes,” said Necromancer Raihar, pointing toward the energy domes. 
 
They are big and in different colors.
 
They are greenhouse domes with an artificial environment inside them to grow plants that could not be grown outside.
 
We are taking a rest in the middle of a vast farmland in a luxurious tent, with food that is even better than Drev's. It is made of a mix of magical materials and normal cooking ingredients.
 
Drev had asked for permission to cook these fusion dishes. He said he was quite good with some fusion recipes and could do it without burning up anything. 
 
I had flatly rejected it. I am not ready to take such risks with him.
 
“Navr is an agricultural powerhouse, there is no denying it,” said Viscount Atre. He did not like saying those words, but it is true.
 
It is also a truth, that it is a big carrot for us and the rest of the cities of Renwell region. Nearly all our food is imported. Currently, it is the Empire that sent the most food, but merchant cities are rapidly catching up.
 
I don’t think it would take them over six months to export 70% of our food needs.
 
It would be great if we could make deals with Navr. A diverse supply chain is always good. 
 
I looked at the beautiful scenery through the window and couldn’t help, but feel jealous. We are a living, but we live in a wasteland, and these bastards, despite being undead, they are controlling one of most fertile land on the continent.
 
“I heard the Talgek region is where the Talas wine is produced. Am I right?” asked Lancel, to which Raihar’s eyes lit up.
 
“Yes. Talas wine is produced in the Talgek region,” said Raihar proudly. It is a thing to be proud of.
 
Talas wine is one of the hundred top spirits in the world. It is counted in the top ten in the world. It is a very expensive wine and even a decade-old bottle cost over million crowns. 
 
The Undead are one of the best winemakers. They live for hundreds and thousands of years and have time to focus on different things. One of the things they focus on is winemaking.
 
It is not a craft to focus on, but it is also something that brings them great fortune.
 
This is why a fifth of the top hundred wines come from undead kingdoms. Navr had three spirits in the top hundred, and thirty-seven in the top one thousand. 
 
I had planned to buy some of them. I will try for at least one bottle of one of three spirits on the top hundred; it will be difficult seeing how quickly they sell, but I’ll try.
 
We rested for about an hour before we walked out of the tent.
 
“For a while, I had forgotten there are undead around us,” Lancel muttered as we walked toward the carriage.
 
No undead were seen in the tents and in the farmlands, they were far enough to be blurrier. As for a Raihan, he is a mage like High-Mage York, specializing in necromancy. 
 
Soon we sat in the carriages, and they moved again. It is late afternoon, and we will continue till night, before taking another break.
 
We will need to travel through the night if we want to reach Jalrux City in the morning. 
 
Raihan said it wouldn’t be a problem and I really hope so, because no matter how beautiful Navr is. I like to conclude our business here as soon as possible and go back to the Greltheaven, where I feel safe. 
 
Hours passed, and soon it was evening.
 
“That should be Melhax city,” said High Mage York, looking at a cluster of lights at a distance.
 
This might be an undead kingdom, but it has cities and villages. Like all kingdoms, it needs fresh blood.
 
It might seem unbelievable, but Navr accepts a lot of high-level people. Those with death magic affinity will be accepted immediately without any questions. It will also accept anyone above Level 25. 
 
Especially the farmers and miners who are vital for Navr to continue to increase their fortune.
 
Just a decade ago; a level 40 farmer had migrated to Navr from merchant cities. It had caused quite a stir in merchant cities.
 
A farmer of that level is very important. More important than a combat class powerhouse. At that level, they became capable of performing miracles.
 
The merchant cities had gotten quite angry and made a show-attack, to appease the public, but other than that did not do much. 
 
Navr is extremely powerful and one of few kingdoms in continents, whose capital had never been breached since its founding.
 
Not even the Empire and Merchant Cities could boast of it.
 
It is also a cruel kingdom; Its body hunting wars leaves no-one alive. When they are done with it, the villages, cities, and even the entire region do not have a single soul in them.
 
Others could only watch and make a show of retribution; even the archmage of Zenid could not do much against them in their kingdom.
 
Navr is too powerful to do anything to it and also knows its limit. This is why, since its founding, it had never expanded. Its armies would always retreat back into the kingdom after getting what they want.
 
A few more hours passed, and we took our last break. This time, we stopped by the lake, which had a huge lake house.
 
“It is a beautiful place. I would have loved to spend the night here,” said Lancel as he walked to the porch of the lake house after dinner and looked at the beautiful lake in front of us.
 
It is really beautiful is beautiful scenery, but unfortunately, we couldn’t stay here.
 
Twenty minutes later, we sat back in the carriages and our journey resumed. 
 
In just a few minutes, Lancel slept; it couldn’t help but surprise me. He had been sleeping through most of the journey and even had slept yesterday on the journey.
 
I did not notice it yesterday, but today is quite clear that Lancel is a travel sleeper. It might be just a habit or maybe it is a skill. I don’t know, but it is a point I noted.
 
I did not sleep; I had slept earlier. So, I opened the book and begin to read it.
 
The book is about Navr, its history, and its customs, among many other things. Most of the knowledge is not new to me; old Remus’s studies involved this, and I had also read a couple of books about it since coming to this world.
 
Still, I read it as extra knowledge is always helpful.
 
I read for two and a half hours before putting the book in the bag and closing my eyes. In a minute, I fell asleep.
 
It was not a calm sleep, but a nightmare about the undead. 
 
“Lord Lancel, wake up,” suddenly a sharp voice of Mage York rang out, waking me and Robin, along with Lancel.
 
“What happened?” asked Lancel cautiously. “Necromancer had just used a spell.” Informed High-Mage York. It made Lancel alarmed for a moment before he controlled his emotions.
 
“What kind of spell?” he asked. “I don’t know what kind of spell it is, but it connected all the undead with a string of invisible death energy, with our carriages as the center,” High-Mage York informed.
 
Lancel did not say anything, but I know he was thinking. 
 
He thought for a few seconds before turning to me. “What do you think we should do?” he asked me.
 
“We should ask the necromancer. He should have told us about it before casting such a spell. It is a courtesy,” I replied.
 
We are no common people or group of merchants, but the diplomats of the empire. Since the necromancer is responsible for our security, he should inform us if he casts any spell such wide spell around us.
 
Lancel turned his head to High-Mage York and Robin, both of them, nodded.
 
“Stop the carriage, but first inform Viscount Atre of what happened,” said Lancel. “I think, the Viscount should be aware of it,” said High-Mage York, but still closed its eyes for three seconds, before opening them.
 
“Driver, stop the carriage,” said High Mage York, and a few seconds later, the carriage stopped, and with it stopped the undead.
 
“Is there a problem, Lord Lancel?” asked Raihar as he appeared by the window before High-Mage could open the door.
 
“You had cast a spell, Representative Shadowend,” said Lancel, using his displeased voice, and he did not surprise by the question. 
 
“Yes, that was a beacon spell. It is to let know Rome and surrounding cities of our locations,” he replied smoothly with a smile.
 
Lancel looked at the High-Mage, who nodded hesitantly after a second of silence.
 
“I like to be informed. If you cast such a wide spell next time,” said Lancel. “Certainly Lord Lancel,” said the necromancer without changing the smile on its face.
 
A few seconds later, the carriage begin to move again, but nobody slept immediately.
 
We talked for a few minutes before Lancel closed his eyes and slept again. I did the same a few minutes later.
 
This time, when I slept. There were no nightmares.
 
…
 
‘Yes, everything is perfect, my lord. I had cast Ikesai’s Layers as you had asked me to,’ said Necromancer Raihar, through message spells.
 
‘You will soon enter the influence of the temple. So, keep the spell is active, till you reach the Jalrux,’ said the voice on the other side.
 
The influence of the temple is wide, covering nearly a third of the Talgek, and the Jalrux city is near its center. If he had a choice, he would have circumvented them,
but he did not.
 
‘As you command, my lord,’ replied Necromancer Raihar.
 
He thought the message would be cut, but his superior surprised him with another question.
 
‘Has there been any problem in with the journey,’ asked the superior. ‘My lord, everything is perfect. If luck with us, we will be able to reach the city a little earlier than I had estimated,’ informed Necromancer Raihar.
 
‘Hmm,’ said the superior, before cutting the spell.
 
Necromancer Raihar looked around while maintaining the spell. Every few minutes, his eyes would drift to carriages, especially those two carriages, where he wants to release his undead.
 
It would be an understatement to say he did not like them. He hates them with every cell of his body.
….
 
Suddenly, I opened my eyes and felt an uncomfortable feeling all over me. As if something is pulling me hard, but the strange thing is, I am in my place, without shaking or moving.
 
The feeling is strong, and it is rapidly getting stronger, that it started to become painful.
 
Hun!
 
I could not bear it anymore and opened my mouth to call High-Mage York when suddenly I felt a suppressive aura surrounding me.
 
Viscount’s aura. It is definitely Viscount Atre’s aura, and it seemed to be more powerful than what he had used against Commander Dane.
 
It immediately forced High-Mage York to open his eyes. “What happened?” Lancel asked as he opened his eyes and looked at the High-Mage York. Who had expressions of concentration on his face, while the crystal on his staff glowed.
 
“There is something strange going on here,” said High-Mage vaguely, without explaining much.
 
I did not care as the pull on me had increased further, and I was about to tell that when suddenly, the powerful aura of the Viscount disappeared.
 
At that same time, the pull on me increased even further.
 
“I..”
 
I opened my mouth to inform it when suddenly everything in front of me turned black. It had happened quickly and what made it scary was that I could not feel anything, smell anything.
 
I felt like I had disappeared from the world.

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