Shira city

[AN: This Story is a work of fiction, that will and has no attachment to reality. Any similar place, character, name… please know that's just a coincidence.]

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"Get up, you freak!"

Opening the prison's gate with the key, the guard shouted at the sleeping slave trapped within. It was an unhealthy skinny slave with pale complexions imprisoned in the prison box.

"I SAID GET YOUR ASS UP!" The guard gave him a hard kick in the back with his armed foot.

"Yhgr!"

The slave crashed hard to the metal bars, but not even a scream left his mouth. Not even caring about pain, he eventually got up and looked at the guard with fierce eyes.

"Damn slave, you dare look at me like that?"

Before the slave could react, the guard held him from the neck and tossed him out of the prison crashing to the ground. And being pissed with the slave, He clenched his fists and started grinding the slave down with punches.

"I TOLD YOU BEFORE TO NOT LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!"

Blood started to gush out from the slave's arms that he used to defend his face.

"FEEL IT! FEEL MY PUNCH YOU SCUM!!"

As the guard kept bombarding him with pouches that spilled blood, the slave gave no reaction except the grunting that escaped his mouth.

"Before the show starts, LET ME HAVE FUN WITH YA! ORA!"

—

The snow slowly fell from the foggy white sky while a gentle wind swayed it along in the air, until it landed on the snowy road. Despite there not being that much snow covering the large dirty road, the marks of human feet and a carriage were planted along the road.

A short distance ahead, 20 armed people accompanied a mid-sized carriage drawn by two horses, which is a mediocre looking carriage with a sealed roof.

The armed escort chatted while on their march, with steady steps and discipline.

"I tell you, It had huge walls."

"Never been there but I heard that they're building more fancy houses."

"Yeah, we just have to wait until we arrive and see."

"Oi! Don't just chat guys, we need to stay vigilant!"

"Shut it, Ranz. There's nothing around, just snow. Besides, who would dare attack us?"

"Are you looking for a fight, Rey? I mean, we are nearing the city, you dumb!"

"What did you say?"

"A bald dumb."

"Ahahahaha"

However, this light and joyous atmosphere is contrary to that inside the carriage, where two people were seated across each other.

A man holding a sheathed fancy sword with a blue hilt, and wearing light blue armor. Blue hair strands merged with his black hair, and sharp black eyes that gazed outside the window on his side.

"Sigh, who would have thought they would dare do this? I am truly sorry for my incompetence, Lady Shily." He said to the veiled woman sitting across him as he lowered his head.

"You don't have to be sorry, Benso." Shily replied with a helpless voice.

She wore a coated blue dress that covered her figure, which adorned white and blue embellishments. Her uncovered eyes radiated with helplessness as she kept looking at Benso.

"You have done your duty and even more, it's me who is incompetent. I can't even decide on my own." Her voice sounded sad and filled with frustration.

It can't be helped, as she just now acknowledged her weakness and that she has no power to control her destiny.

Benso, being her mentor and also her guardian, couldn't help but feel sad for her.

'Oh, my lady. As young as you are, I am impressed that you're still holding in. But I can't say this to her, she will just feel more sad.' He thought before he spoke again.

"It's not your fault, Lady. I just couldn't bear their gazes at you and how disrespectful they were to you."

"We have no choice but to bear for now…" Shily said afterwards.

She was just a 19 years old lady, with only a handful people that she can trust, including Benso. She was having a hard time with her family affairs, and she was forced to be on this trip.

'It's so frustrating! I hate this state I am in! but…I have no choice. That's why I need to get stronger! With strength, no one can force me to do anything! I just need to bear with it for now.' She grumbled internally.

"Oh, by the way, how long before we arrive at Shira City?" she asked Benso.

"With our speed, it's like an hour or so. We should see its walls soon." He replied immediately.

"Hm." Shily nodded her head before turning into the window.

There is still a long time, so they'll just sit there until they arrive.

The group continued their march with steady pace, while the atmosphere started to get less foggy as they neared the city.

Their destination is Shira City, the famous musical city situated in the northern lands of the empire. And also the second biggest city in the northern region, with a population of five hundred thousand inhabitants.

After half an hour of traveling, a big wall shot into the sky appeared amidst the snow falling down. The foggy sky from before now was a clearer one as only the white clouds remained floating, while the white snowy road turned a bit green as grass and flowers filled the surrounding lands.

A soldier came to Benso to inform him, who already noticed it from inside the window.

"Sir, The city walls have come into sight. Half an hour before we reach the northern gate."

"I know. Pick up the pace now, and be more on guard." Benso ordered the soldier who gave his acknowledgement and left after that.

"Lady Shily, should we go directly into the hotel to get rooms for the night?" He then turned and asked Shily.

"We only have three days to stay in the city before we return, so I would like to walk around the market a little. Maybe I can find something to buy for those two." She replied after giving it some thought.

"As you like, lady. then I will arrange the rooms for us afterwards." He nodded.

Another half an hour passed before they stopped in front of the huge gate of the city, with a line of people going in and out.

As they marched their way with the line of people entering the city, the group attracted the attention of the crowd.

"Hey, look. Who is that noble?" One asked his fellow.

"I don't know, but it should be some important figure." The other shrugged.

"Wow! That's the venerable Norwen family Emblem!" A female shouted in excitement when she saw the emblem etched into the carriage and the soldiers armor.

"The Norwen family?"

"That's a sub branch, Ely. Don't just shout." A male came beside the woman who shouted.

"Ah… But why's just this small number of soldiers? They're still the Norwen family even if just a branch…" She remarked.

"Hah! You know nothing! That's called cold war, these big family affairs are just trouble." He answered.

The crowd continued their murmurs as Benso just gazed from the window at them, clearly not happy.

'They just want to humiliate lady Shily, But I won't let them succeed, never!' He Thought as clenched the hilt harder.

"Don't think of it, Benso. Even If they ruined my reputation, I don't care. I will make them pay the price one day." Shily's determined voice made Benso smile proudly.

'That's my lady for you!' He thought before he nodded.

"Yes, I will do whatever it takes to assist you, Lady Shily."

Not long after, their turn came to enter the city when two armed soldiers came to do their checking routine.

"We're sorry for the wait, you may enter." They both bent their heads with clasped hands as a way of respect.

The group made their way through the gate without any checking or resistance, instead, people even made a way for them to pass.

Even if they were just a sub branch of the big Norwen Family, no one would dare provoke them, unless, having a death wish. Well, this peaceful city is not a place to look for trouble, as it is heavily guarded and monitored.

The scene that welcomed them after passing through the gate was mesmerizing, or rather, fitting of one of the biggest beautiful cities.

Fields of all kinds of vegetables and flowers stretch as long as the eyes could see, added with the touch of the falling snow made it breathtaking. Farmers patrolling their lands while the visitors walk along the way and absorbing the scenery into their eyes.

"Wow, look guys. This scenery made the bald Rey a bit handsome!" Ranz Jokes.

"What?! You" Rey's red embarrassed face failed his irritated expression.

"AHAHAHAHA~" The other started laughing at him.

Inside the carriage, Benso wore a passive expression as he looked out the window.

"As befitting the city of music, really impressive."

Shily looked stunned, as this was her first time being here. Even if she heard the stories about the famous City of Shira, this is just… Otherworldly.

'Wow! Wow! Wow! This is wonderful! I mean, AMAZING! How did I even miss such a place before? Damn those geezers, I wanna live here!' She was freaking inside that her eyes were shining.

"This is just the outer area, lady. You sure will like the interior more, especially the castle." Benso smiled as he was amazed by her reaction.

'I guess it was a good thing she came along, a good opportunity to relieve stress and forget about hardships.' He thought.

"You should enjoy this time, lady. I will take care of everything."

"Of course I will, who would be dumb enough not to. But it would be even greater if Mom was with us…" Her enthusiasm died down when she remembered her ill mother.

Benso could only sigh.

"But now's not the time, So, I'll be in your care." She regained her excitement and that made Benso happy.

"It'll be my honor, lady Shily."

"Um."

It was a well built way with hard brick and beautiful engraving on the surface, and a long road that split the fields.

As the group made their way, people made way for them to pass, while some started gossiping.

After a long time, nearly another half an hour, The group finally reached another checkpoint. This time, it was another huge wall but smaller than the previous, with more guards at the gate.

"Please, you may enter."

To no one's surprise, the guards just showed their respect letting the group pass.

"They made way for me, good!." Rey's puffed his chest.

"Not for you dumbass." Rey got enraged when he heard Hanz's voice.

"Hanz you s-" Before Rey could complete his sentence, the scene that greeted him when they passed the gate made his jaw drop!

"Wow" they exclaimed in awe.

Before them, was the main northern street of the beautiful city, Shira.

On both sides, store after store stretched along the main street, with all kinds of goods sold.

The huge road was packed with people chatting or walking around mixed with patrolling guards, and some people were just looking at the goods.

Beautiful flowers, Swords, beasts hide…

"Amazing, it's so crowded here." Shily amazed.

"This is just the start, this place is just the northern street." Benso informed her.

"It has wonderful architecture." She noticed the beautiful building mixed with the stores and deep into the city.

Benso just nodded.

The deeper the group went into the city, the more crowded it got.

After some time, they heard shouts a short distance ahead.

"Go for it! Kill him!"

"Here is a silver coin, beat him up!"

"Hahahaha!"

Inside the carriage, Shily asked Benso.

"What's that commotion?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good."

They both looked out the window to see what was happening, and sure enough, not a good thing.

Circle made of people surrendering two figures, A muscular man wearing only his pants beating up an unhealthy skinny man. The people around shouted their desire, and threw money for the muscular man to entertain them.

"Here's five silver coins, break his arm!"

"Yeah, do a face kick!"

"Sucker! Don't push!"

"..." Shily was speechless, "Isn't the city guarded, why is he beating that bum?"

"That's not it, lady Shily." Benso answered, "That's a slave not a bum, and they aren't breaking the city rules."

"Huh? But why in public?"

"That's a kind of entertainment here!" Benso replied, "he won't last that long, though."

The muscular man suddenly picked a pincer from the ground, and then walked over and held the slave's hand.

"That's it! Cut them all!"

"Yeah, do it!"

"Seven coins for each finger! Do it!"

The muscular guy clenched at the slave's nail, and then, he pulled!

"Ughr!" The slave grunted.

Shily's face darkened when she saw blood gush out.

Benso continued looking with calm expression.

"Hahaha, another one! Do it!"

The guy again clenched another nail, then pulled!

"Ughr" The slave just groaned with no reaction, his eyes fixed on the big smirk that pulled his nails.

"..." Shily was shocked.

'Can't he feel anything? He's beaten up yet he's standing? No struggle? How long and he's tortured like this to not even flinch… wait, those eyes…'

Shily noticed the unfazed eyes that stared at the world like black hole, ready to consume everything on its path!