Chapter 49

As I walked out of the training room, the idea of becoming the heir of Silverglade still lingered in my mind. However, the practicality of it was far from feasible. The Royal Family would never allow one of their biggest military fortresses to merge with an economic powerhouse, and it would cause a conflict between my father's county and Silverglade. Perhaps installing a puppet heir for the future would be the best solution.

Andrew followed me to my room where I sat down at my desk, exhausted from the training session. I turned my chair to face him as he stood at the door.

"Go to the bishop and get a full report on the trade deals, financials of Silverglade, and anything important about the lower families," I instructed, writing down the specific details on a paper. I handed him the paper, and he took a quick glance before looking at me with curiosity.

"Is there any reason for this?" he asked.

"Silverglade doesn't have an heir, so it would be beneficial to know who is next in line," I replied truthfully.

After Andrew left, I found myself sitting alone in my room with my thoughts. I contemplated whether I should continue exploring the city or check on the progress of the armor. Then I remembered Ezekiel, and thought to myself, 'I wonder what he's up to?'

Without further hesitation, I made up my mind and left the estate to head toward Ezekiel's Inn. As I walked through the bustling streets, the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the city. The air was filled with the scents of various foods being cooked by street vendors, making my stomach grumble in hunger.

"I'll take two" Going in front of the street vendor I looked at the delicious and aromatic grilled kebabs, with juicy pieces of marinated chicken or lamb, served with a side of fragrant basmati rice and tangy tzatziki sauce.

I reached for my pocket and fished out a few coins to pay the street vendor for the mouth-watering kebabs. As I continued walking, I savored every bite of the succulent meat and the exotic blend of spices that tantalized my taste buds. The meat was tender, juicy, and slightly charred on the outside, giving it a nice smoky flavor.

Continuing my walk, I spotted Ezekiel heading towards his inn. With a sudden burst of energy, I quickened my pace, calling out his name. He turned around, surprised to see me.

"Lucas! What brings you here?" he asked, his face looking tired.

"I just wanted to check on my dear friend and see if you had popped the cherry yet," I teased him with a wink, knowing that he was a man of God who would wait until marriage.

Ezekiel blushed furiously and replied, "I would never! Not until marriage, just how the Lord intended."

"Relax, I was only joking. Anyways, let's go inside, it's getting a bit cold out here," I suggested, giving him a reassuring smile.

Apologizing, Ezekiel opened the door to his inn and we walked inside. The interior was spacious, with only a few patrons scattered.

As we walked into the inn, I handed Ezekiel a kebab, which he gratefully accepted. "You didn't have to," he said with a small smile.

"It didn't cost much," I replied with a shrug. "So, how's it going with Lady Cecily?" I asked, taking a bite of my own kebab.

Ezekiel let out a sigh. "We're getting along," he said, looking down at his food. "But why do we always talk about me? I want to know how you're doing."

"That's sweet of you, but you should use that on Lady Cecily. I'm sure she'll love it," I chuckled. "Not much has happened for me. I've been training every day and running my business, nothing worth talking about."

Ezekiel scratched his head and took the final bite of his kebab. "I guess there isn't much going on in our lives right now," he said, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair.

"You know, you're my first friend," he suddenly said, opening his eyes to look at me. I knew this already - when he had first arrived in the city, he had been all alone.

"Really? I thought you would be the social type, especially with women," I joked, putting my feet up on the table and relaxing.

"I wish women would even look my way," Ezekiel said with a sigh. "Probably because of my father's reputation. How about you? You seem like the classic Playboy. I'm surprised you aren't engaged yet."

I grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment instead of an insult. But I simply haven't gotten the right offer yet. I am in talks, though," I said, taking another bite of my kebab. Marriage was a tool for me, not a way to find love. I was already leaning towards marrying Duke Vigar's daughter, but I wanted to decide in the future rather than now.

"An offer? Is that how you view marriage?" Ezekiel asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"What, is that a bad thing?" I scoffed.

"No, not at all," Ezekiel replied, looking a bit sad. "It's just how noble society has influenced us. Even I, who believe in God, can't go against the pressures of nobility. Like my current engagement - it's only natural that we see marriage as a way to make our lives easier, instead of love."

"It's a shame, isn't it?" I remarked, looking at Ezekiel. "If we were born as commoners, we would have the freedom to marry whoever we wanted without restrictions like household economy or political power. But at the same time, being nobles has its benefits. We gain more power, more influence, and if we're lucky, some great sex," I joked, earning a laugh from Ezekiel.

"You're starting to sound like a sex fiend," he teased, before his expression turned serious. "My father was one of those nobles who raped commoner women. He wouldn't care if they were married or single. The only thing that mattered was how good they looked. And he's not the only one doing it. There are many nobles across the kingdom doing the same thing, and nobody keeps them in check."

"I could keep them in check," I stated confidently. I had made agreements with a few of them in the south, promising to stop their 'activities' if they received my funding. It wasn't out of the goodness of my heart, but because my image would be tarnished if I sponsored rapists.

Ezekiel looked at me with thankful eyes. "Not possible, but I admire your sentiment. Those nobles will never disappear."

"Maybe a change in king is needed. Someone who would be tougher on these types of nobles," I suggested.

"Someone like you or me is rare to find. Most nobles don't care, and the royal family even less," Ezekiel said, sounding frustrated.

"The royal family can't always stay in power," I replied, lowering my legs from the table. "There comes a time when someone says enough is enough and boom, they're out of the picture."

"Are you that someone?" Ezekiel asked, surprised. I didn't answer his question, instead, I looked directly into his eyes.

"If that 'someone' took power and brought meaningful change to this twisted kingdom, then they will have my full support until the end," he said with resolve, leaning forward.

"Wonderful," I said, checking my pocket watch. "It's getting late, you should go to sleep, and I should be heading back to the estate." With that, I bid goodbye to Ezekiel and left the inn, the moon shining its beautiful glow.