Exploring the city

Blaze discussed with Viorica everything that happened between him and Leus last night, So she got up early to prepare breakfast and talk with Leus before they left the house

When Leus got up, He found Blaze and Viorica at the table waiting for him with breakfast ready

He went and sat with them

Viorica was the first to speak

She said with a smile

"Leus, You're all grown up now ... Blaze said to me that you both will be going outside"

"Yes Mom"

She turned to Blaze and asked

"So where will you be going?"

"First, I'll show him around the city and make sure that he knows enough not to get lost.

Then maybe I will take him to the guild? we'll see"

Leus didn't know what the guild was, but he didn't ask

The food was tasty and

'I'll get to know everything anyway'

Soon after, Blaze and Leus were ready to go

Viorica hugged Leus and said

"Be safe Leus!!"

"Sure mom, Don't worry"

She kissed him on his cheek and he went outside

A few moments later, Blaze came behind him

"Always keep your sword on you, And remember the way"

"Yes, I understand"

After they walked for a bit, Blaze began talking about the city

"The city is quite safe for you.

You're strong enough to protect yourself unless you're up against an Elite, and those can't cause trouble here. If they do, the Crimson Guards will handle them.

And while they may not bother with minor issues like injuries, if someone starts killing people on whims, the Crimson Guards or even Duke Ignatius himself will step in to Neutralize the threat."

"Neutralize?"

"Yeah, That's the word they use when they kill someone"

"I see, But isn't that a lot of killing?"

"A lot? People die all the time, especially in the Slums"

"Slums?"

"Yeah, These are places that are inhabited mostly by poor Mortals, Such places are controlled by dangerous gangs"

"What about the Crimson Guards? Can't they take care of it?"

"Of course they can, But they don't"

"Why?"

"I came to know the reason behind this in the Military, after I became an Elite, Do you want to know?"

Leus' interest was piqued

'Dad is creating a sense of suspense'

" ... Yes, I do"

Blaze took a deep breath and then began explaining

"The Kingdom needs people to be powerful,

They need Soldiers to volunteer for the Military, and they need Knights and Mages to increase the Kingdom's overall power.

But there were problems:

While everyone can become a Soldier, becoming a Knight or a Mage is something entirely different, Who has enough time to train?

Most people are busy trying to earn enough money to live.

And even those with the time to train might question why they should volunteer for the military when city life promises safety and comfort. 

So, to maintain a steady supply of Soldiers and stronger, the Kingdom devised a plan.

They decided to create a hostile, dangerous environment that pushes people to become powerful,

The Slums' harsh environment encourages people to become stronger, and not only that but it is also so harsh that sometimes, The only way to survive would be to volunteer for the Military, to guarantee a stable job"

After hearing that Leus stayed silent for a while

"So basically, The Kingdom lets people die to force them to become more powerful and then take advantage of them?"

Blaze thought about how to respond to this and carefully chose his words

"You can indeed paint it black like that, But the truth is:

The people need the Kingdom as much as the Kingdom needs them,

Inside the safety of the City, you can stay alive, The Crimson guards prevent magical beasts from entering, And the law prevents powerful individuals from running rampant.

Also, if you manage to become useful enough then you'll be able to afford a nice lifestyle.

It's true that there are not-so-nice policies, You might even consider it evil, But the Kingdom will never stop you from growing stronger, Nor stop you from leaving the city.

Also, You can become wealthier by becoming a successful merchant or a smith, Allowing you to leave the slums for better areas"

Leus didn't like what he was hearing, but he could understand it

'I guess it's understandable because the Kingdom is basically in a war with the Vice Kingdom ...'

'The nature of the world is cruel'

After thinking about it for a while, Leus replied to Blaze in a serious tone

"I understand, You are right"

'Becoming more powerful is not the wrong decision, Perhaps I even need to

become more powerful than this ....'

While Leus was in his dilemma Blaze was thinking to himself

'Being physically strong is of no use if he's not mentally prepared to use his strength, He must be ready for whatever comes his way'

' ... I need to put him in some tough situation soon'

While thinking about that, Blaze took Leus to the Market Square

"Here you'll find shops for all sorts of things, Wanna take a look around?"

"Yeah!"

The first thing Leus noticed was that there were people buying water

"Is water ... not free?"

Blaze laughed

"Free? No

There are wells all around the city that offer a limited amount for free, But it's ... Well, It just doesn't taste good.

You can buy water that is made with magic, It's clear and cheap, It also saves time.

Many people don't want to stand in line for wells or carry buckets for long, So if you can afford it, You can buy it here"

Leus inwardly smiled, He found a backup plan for his future

'I can get rich by selling water, I have an endless supply!'

They walked forward a bit, and Leus noticed that people were occasionally glancing at his hair

He didn't care, but he didn't find the place interesting, so he said

"Let's go somewhere else"

"Bored already? Well, There's not much to see here unless you want to come shopping, It's just important to know the location"

Blaze showed Leus the location of a couple of inns and restaurants, but according to Leus there was nothing particularly interesting

"There really isn't anything exciting here, Dad"

"Is that so? I see, Then why don't you tell me what you want to see?"

"What about the guild you spoke about? Or the slums? I want to see what it looks like"

"It's getting dark, the Slums will especially be dangerous now, We will meet all sorts of troublesome people"

Leus just shrugged it off

"Dangerous? With you? Dad, Come on"

Blaze narrowed his eyes

'This might be my chance'

"Fine, But with one condition"

"What?"

"You must deal with whatever we face, If some situation occurs I'll just watch"

'It'd be good for him to get in a fight or two'

"Sure, Let's go"

Leus was very interested in the Slums

'I want to see what it looks like to be poor in this world'

'Hearing from Dad and actually seeing it are completely different things'

And so, Blaze took Leus and they ventured into the slums

However, They didn't know that in the Slums, An unforeseen twist awaited them, a Fate they could never have anticipated.