Chapter 3: Golden Claw City

The woman that appeared before them dressed in a skintight black dress that left little to the imagination. Marilyn Rosalind the fifth wife of the duke, having the appearance of the girl next door and being the richest and most influential of all the wives. But also the complete opposite.

Contradictory to what most would expect, the duchess didn't hail from a noble bloodline but rather she came from a family of merchants. The only significant other of the duke that is a commoner, even Edil's mother came from noble blood despite her complicated identity.

Marylin prior to marrying Leonard was in charge of the talent agency her family ran and presently uses her expertise to aid in increasing profit for Dragon Claw City.

"Hello honey what a wonderful morning it is, but isn't a little too early for our little Elizabeth to run off to god knows where without saying goodbye?" She asked playfully, rubbing her cheeks against the captive Edil.

"I told you not to call me that!" Cried the boy, adamantly against the gender swap name. Trying to escape her grasp.

"Oh, my bad, I just can't seem to stop calling you that whenever I see you. What about we go shopping as an apology?" Marylin seemingly apologetic, offered gifts for the young boy.

"I refuse, you always try to slip in clothes that are meant for girls!" angrily replied Edil, attempting to push her face off his with his hands.

"Ahhhh but I would really love it though, it would make my day. I will give you all the presents you want ha?" She pleaded desperately.

"I said no! it was a mistake back then." Failing to escape, Edil gave an imploring look for help towards his loyal maid and his manly father.

"I'm sorry young master, I wish I can help but it goes against my principles." The maid refused with a deadpan face, with tissues up in her nose that were dyed red.

"I can't aid you my son, it goes against the marriage contract." Leonard shamelessly shook his head and walked away.

"….." The boy was left speechless. ("You traitors! You are hoping I accept her offer, aren't you? You shameful maid! And since when was that in their contract!? How come this the first I heard of it... wait a minute is this why I barely see them together, just for this?") the boy cursed innerly.

A question surfaced, a question he feared of asking but can no longer stop himself from asking, even knowing the answer.

"They're actual girls in this family that enjoy those hobbies of yours, what about you go and ask them."

"I don't wanna, you are much more beautiful than them." The duchess outright refused.

"…. I knew it…. That would make them cry, if they heard that." Edil said under his breath, feeling pity for his sisters.

. . . .

"I said I am sorry young master; can you stop pouting back there?" The maid tonelessly pleaded while looking at the child from the rear-view mirror.

From those words, veins appeared on Edil's forehead and he reflexively yelled back "You don't sound sorry at all! Anyways I was thinking about something else."

"That doesn't matter young master…. have you thought of her proposition?"

("Doesn't matter….?") *Sigh*

"No, I haven't thought of it, I need more time."

("I want to say no but what she offered is too valuable to refuse. Something I never considered due to my identity.")

Edil tirelessly thought, growing a headache. Needing a distraction he looked out the car window.

He watched the scenery speeding pass, some familiar and most foreign but the familiarity is what struck him… he never been on this path before.

He rarely left the estate.

He refused to leave it, for a long time, how would he know of? -

Edil body started quivering, his breathing quickened, hyperventilating. His head started spinning.

The world darkened and morphed to how it was the day he was born. Cries were heard everywhere, asking for help, damning him and wishing he was never bor-

"Young master!"

The cry from his maid awoken him from his nightmare, sweating he lifted his head to see his maid's worried look.

Recognizing that predicament that may have transpired if his episode continued, Edil felt goosebumps all over imagining the consequences.

Edil closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his mind. Finally he opened his eys and once again looked at his maid.

"…. I'm ok Lilith, thank you for worrying."Edil replied trying to reinsure the maid, grateful for her intervention.

"Ok please tell me if you are feeling unwell." She hesitatingly accepted his denial and started the car once more.

Seemingly the episode he had experienced appeared much longer than he had felt, as Lilith was able to enter a parking lot while he was lucid.

("A lot has changed since then.") Edil thought sentimentally.

. . . .

Dragon Claw city is situated on top of three mountains in a form of a claw. Each mountain reaching 10,000 ft. The roads that connect to each mountain and the ground that the city has been built upon has been carved by the ancestors of house Rosalind.

Each base of the mountain top forms a circle with a slope that gradually rises.

In the center mountain, the tallest of the three is named the Zao Jun Mountain otherwise called the residential area. On the very top of the mountain is where house Rosalind resides.

As one's descending the mountain the importance of the individual's home lowers. From nobles, government staff, the rich and finally the poor.

After the destruction the city immediately went into repairs and now 12 years later, nothing noteworthy can be seen within the city that indicates it was previously magically bombed. Even in the most poverty-stricken areas underwent improvements that has long been ignored.

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately the damages centered around the Zao Jun Mountain. Sparing the Caishen, the commerce mountain. It being fully operational allowed the necessary funds to effectively accumulate for the restoration of the city.

The last mountain left of the center, is called Wade Mountain and is where all information, education and politics are centered.

There are two main routes to travel in-between mountains, one for nobles and the others for commoners.

Having taken the commoner route to pass time, the two eventually arrived in front of the entrance to the academy.

Equivalent to the Rosalind estate, the academy that Edil will attend is situated at the center.

The car came to a stop in front of a golden gate with a dragon's head at its center with its eyes close. Immediately the eyelids opened and flashed a red light upon the car and its occupants, scanning for identification. Once it was done with its task, the eyes closed once more.

It took only a second to process the information. The gate opened starting from the middle of the dragon, splitting in two in a zipper like pattern.

"Welcome to Elite Wyrm Junior High Military Academy, Young Master Edil." The separated dragon head announced.