(XIX) Renia

"Is something bothering you, Count Leon?" Earl Dromund asked.

"Oh, not at all!" He replied, smiling, holding Bella in his arms, "I'm happy with my time here and look forward to returning."

He laughed and stared fondly at him, "It's a shame I didn't have time to speak with you for long."

"Same." Leon nodded, his grin fading slightly, his disappointment palpable, "I was really looking forward to it, so it's quite disappointing."

"The Ascencion Ceremony isn't for another two days, you could stay longer." He replied, but Leon immediately shook his head.

"No, I don't think that's a wise decision..." He turned, looking back to the bustling streets of the city, "You probably know why..."

"Indeed, Callum has been acting differently than normal..." Dromund nodded, his understanding evident in his tone.

"You're not angry I disciplined your son?" Leon asked, turning back, shocked to see the smile on the Earl's face.

"No. Why would I be?" He asked, "He's simply facing the consequences of his actions."

'Now I see why he's so desperate for his father's attention...' He thought before sighing and raising his hands, "Ya know, he's quite the talented Mage... If you taught him..."

"No." Dromund replied bluntly, his gaze hardening, "I know of his potential better than anyone... It's simply not enough."

"What do you stand to lose by teaching him a little?" Leon challenged, his frustration barely concealed. "He may have the potential to become as powerful as you someday, but he cannot thrive under all this pressure."

"Wha-what?" He asked, taken aback as Leon pointed at him.

"It may be all your fault, my Lord!" He proclaimed, "He may have taken the wrong path because you belittled him for his lack of talent, but he honestly has great potential!"

"Are you..." Dromund said, his eye twitching from this child's audacity, "Telling me I simply didn't recognize his talent?"

"I'm just saying cut him some slack, my Lord." Leon replied, closing his eyes as he smiled softly before he shrugged, "Who knows, maybe you both will experience a breakthrough?"

"Count Leon!" Mikaru called out, waving him over, "The array is ready; it's time to go!"

"I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, Earl Dromund, but I must depart." Leon said, bowing.

"Don't worry, Count." Dromund replied, smiling as he slightly bowed in return, "We will have plenty of time for many discussions at the Academy."

Leon nodded, spinning on his heels as he walked away, leaving the Earl alone with his thoughts as he returned to his manor.

As Leon stepped onto the glyph of the teleportation array, it glowed brightly, seemingly coming alive, pulsating with a vibrant energy that filled the air. The air around it began to hum with a low frequency, and the sound grew louder as the glyph started to spin faster and faster until it was a blur.

Suddenly, Leon's entourage standing on the array was enveloped by a bright light. The light was so intense that it felt like it was consuming them, and for a moment, everything went white.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the light vanished, and the group found themselves standing in a similar yet different gazebo-like structure.

"Welcome to Renia!" An attendant exclaimed, walking over to greet everyone with her arms extended wide, "We have been expecting you, Count Leon! His Royal Highness, King George, is looking forward to your appearance later this evening!"

"Thank you." He stepped forward from the teleportation array and asked, "Is there any transportation available?"

"Of course!" She beamed, "Your brother, Duke Alec, has already arranged everything for you before the Ascension Ceremony. Please, come this way."

She led the group out of the building to a fleet of carriages, "They are hired for the entire day, so please enjoy seeing everything the city has to offer."

"Thank you." Leon bowed as he approached the carriages, and a servant opened the door for Bella and him. Everyone began loading into the carriages, which were packed with dozens of pieces of luggage, before lurching forward.

Renia, a sprawling metropolis, stood majestically near the ocean at the southernmost point of the continent. Even from the tallest tower in the city, the edge of the city was a mere speck in the distance.

Hundreds of thousands of buildings were packed together, housing the millions of residents within the city. The city was segregated into four sections, each housing particular amenities.

The Residential District was the northernmost part of the city and housed the middle and lower classes, strictly prohibiting their movement into half of Renia.

Nestled near the entrance of the northern gate was the Teleportation Array. A large part of the district was the slums, with shanties springing up faster than they could be torn down and the homeless hiding from the guards as they drank their lives away.

The Mercantile District was located in the eastern section of the city and had its own gate, allowing caravans and merchants to come and go as they pleased.

It had the second-largest marketplace on the continent and offered a vast array of goods, from fabrics and foods to exquisite jewels and even weapons, armor, and skillbooks. Many taverns and pubs were nestled throughout this portion; rumor has it that it is also home to a red-light district.

The Adventurer's Guild, Mercenary Headquarters, and Guild Manors were also located within the Merchantile District, which was home to the widest array of services available in the city.

The Restricted District was located in the city's western portion and housed the military barracks, mystical pagoda, Piedmont Library, Astrahart Monastery, and finally, the Exvius Academy.

Lastly, nestled in the deepest part of Renia was the Noble's District on the southern portion, besides the mountain cliff, which housed each Noble's manor and the King's massive castle, which dwarfed every building in the city.

People crowded the streets constantly throughout the day, whether it was bums panning for copper coins to live to see another day, adventurers looking for work, or residents traveling on their daily commute.

Leon's convoy of carriages struggled to pierce the flood of pedestrians and stopped every couple of minutes before he had enough, opening the door and leaning out, "Deliver them to the manor. My vassals and I will continue on foot."