Manchester

The road to Denil was long and tiring. During the trip, they encountered the indigenous people of the land, and twice they had to reroute because of bandits. But after a week of traveling, they could see the city from a distance. It was beautiful even from afar. As they got nearer to the city, they met many other travelers; some were departing, and some were arriving.

Near the gate, there was commotion; many curse words were being thrown around, and many people had gathered to observe.

A man dressed in fine clothing stared at the gatekeepers angrily, his cane pointed towards one of the gatekeepers.

"How dare you? How dare you accuse me of theft? Do you know who I am? Do you? I demand to see your superior, now!" the man angrily yelled. Most of the observers sided with the well-dressed man. After all, how could such a well-dressed aristocrat be a thief? The crowd stood with him, and the gatekeepers could not do a thing. In the end, they decided to let him go in fear of him being an actual aristocrat and the punishment they would receive from their superior. Josh observed the commotion from the coach's window with a smile. Derrick and his mother were among the supporters of the man, voicing their concerns.

"Do they not have eyes? They can clearly see he's an aristocrat; what use would he have for stealing?" Derrick asked, his eyes still on the scene. Josh shook his head at the boy's simple understanding.

"You see, Derrick, Denil is a big city compared to our beloved Moonridge, and here scum of all kinds can be found. Denil is called the city of dreams for a reason, and many people are willing to do anything to achieve their dreams," Josh explained, but both Sarah and Derrick appeared confused. Simon seemed to have gained interest in the topic at hand. Everyone waited for Josh to continue. Josh sighed, not really willing to explain but feeling he had to soothe their curious minds.

"Look at the man now. Tell me, what do you see?" He asked. They looked at the scene outside and saw the man leaving with a smile on his face and heading in the same direction as them.

"Happiness?" Sarah answered. "His elegance," Derrick answered, still firmly believing that the man was innocent. Josh nodded.

"I see, but did you also notice that the man is on foot? Aristocrats have personal coaches and carriages, and they would not be seen dead walking on foot. So ask yourself, why?" Sarah wanted to answer but paused. Derrick, being a child, hurriedly answered, "Maybe he left it and wanted to take a stroll. After all, even aristocrats need to relax their bones." Sarah also nodded. Being simple-minded folks, they looked up to aristocrats.

Simon kept quiet, observing the conversation between the three with a smile. Josh, for a moment, thought he should let go of the topic, but then Simon decided to save him. "Look at the man now." They all turned towards the man, who had bumped into an old lady. He politely apologized, but since the old lady was a common folk, she apologized plenty of times, seeing the man's nice clothes and refined demeanor. The old lady thought she had offended an aristocrat. The man politely accepted the apology and left. This scene further proved to Derrick that he was right. But then the man did something unexpected: he took out pieces of jewelry from his pocket. Derrick's eyes widened, realizing these were the old lady's jewels. He now understood what Josh had been trying to tell him.

"Do not judge a book by its cover," Sarah spoke very slowly. Simon chuckled and shook his head, leaving the young boy Derrick to ponder this new revelation.

They entered the city right after showing the law officials their identification documents. The coach dropped all of them off at the nearest inn. Having nowhere else to go, Sarah invited the two young men to come to her father's house, which was located in the residential district, ElderMoore. The cities in the kingdom followed the same structure: central districts, residential districts, industrial districts, and the outskirts. The central district is composed of courthouses, city hall, administrative offices, the cathedral, religious schools, and seminaries. There are also museums, antique shops, shops, stalls, and merchant transactions. But all of these are found in different sections.

The residential district is where people stay, mostly aristocrats and rich people, but it also has its sections, each with a different level, starting from the affluent living to the working-class neighborhood. These levels show a difference in status and wealth, with only the wealthiest being at the top.

The industrial areas are comprised of two areas: the Iron Works, including factories, foundries, and warehouses; and Dockside, featuring docks, shipping yards, and fish markets.

Last but not least, the outskirts, home of the common folk, the laborers, and backbenders. The buildings there are all worn out, and the air is stale. Most citizens here are either farmers, mine workers, or factory workers. The outskirts also had levels: at the top being the meadows where they farmed; secondly, the residential development where suburbs were being built for the business owners in the outskirts; thirdly, the small fish trade businesses; and lastly, the homesteads where the poorest folks lived. Every city in the kingdom was built in this structure, but the economy of the cities also played an important role in determining the welfare of the city's housing. That is why the kingdom introduced identification documents so that the cities could keep track of everyone inside and for national security.

Sarah got a carriage for them to get to ElderMoore, which was a forty-minute distance from the central district. The journey was beautiful and refreshing. Denil's Gothic architectural design was beautiful and eerie at the same time. It gave the city a somber mood, a contrast to its title: The City of Dreams. On the way, besides the architecture, they also saw many street performers, including bards and violinists who played beautiful pieces of music. Josh couldn't help but close his eyes as he listened to the sound. The people here, mostly the men, all wore hats, and their sense of fashion was different from Moonridge. Here the dressing was not too formal, just like Moonridge, and many young artists adopted a strange sense of style, which Josh found interesting.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sarah asked, staring outside. Josh nodded and turned to her. "The architectural design is perfect; it creates a sense of mystery and intrigue. The more I look at the city from this carriage window, the more I feel the need to explore. But sadly, I am here for different reasons," Josh explained with an unreadable expression. Was it regret or longing? Sarah didn't know, but she could only agree with him. Denil was really beautiful, just like when she had left it. The city never lost its charm; in fact, it seemed as if its charm was ever-growing. But sadly, the purpose of her return was a sad one. Her only remaining family member, her father Arnold Manchester, had died of heart disease a few days ago. And her being the only family her father had left, he left all of his wealth with her. But first, she had to bury her father. "It really is beautiful... this is where I grew up, Derrick," she whispered the last part since Derrick was already fast asleep on her lap. The journey had exhausted him, and he could only find solace in his mother's lap.

Before they knew it, they had arrived. In the heart of Eldermoore, a carriage stopped in front of a huge house—no, a manor—atop a small windy hill. The manor stood tall, overlooking the valley of Eldermoore like a guardian. The walls were made of grey stone and dark brick, giving the house an old and sturdy look.

Tall towers and spires pointed towards the sky. The windows were long , decorated with fancy designs and pointed arches, similar to those found in old churches. Ivy plants climbed up the walls, adding a touch of nature to the already beautiful Manor.

The front door was large and arched, with stone gargoyles on both sides. The oak doors were old and heavy, also covered in iron decorations. Above the entrance, a colorful stained-glass window showed scenes of knights and legends, casting eerie shadows on the steps.

A gravel path led to the house, passing through the carefully tended gardens. The gardens were full of neatly trimmed bushes and roses, opposing with the imposing house. Marble statues stood among the plants, their cold faces covered by the vines and flowers.

A high stone wall enclosed the property, with an old but beautiful iron gate that creaked open reluctantly. Beyond the wall, the estate stretched for acres.

Next to the manor, a stable and carriage house were there, built with the same care and style. Even these practical buildings had Gothic features, with similar roofs and decorated windows. Simon whistled, and Josh's eyes squinted. They all had the same question on their minds: "Why was she still in Moonridge?" Sarah seemed to come from a wealthy—no, an aristocratic family. Sarah, who had been coveting aristocrats earlier, seemed to be one herself, and a top one at that.

"Are we there yet?" Derrick asked, rubbing his eyes as he had just woken up from his nap. Opening his eyes slowly, the boy's mouth went agape. Words couldn't come out as he read the bold words on the gate, "Manchester." His mom's surname was Manchester. "Ouch!" The boy pinched himself to check if he was not dreaming, and he was not. Rubbing his cheek, he stared at his mother grudgingly, his eyes relaying a deep message, "You have some explaining to do, birth-giver."