Visiting The Capital

Genji's POV:

The next day Brenda took me to that item shop and bought me a magical gem. She said I mustn't lose it at any cost but refused to tell me why so I just thanked her.
Once we went back home, we found Leonard waiting for us with our bags in a cart to leave for the capital.

The trip was tiring yet it was fun with Brenda who brought some books with her.
"Gin! I got a surprise for you!"

She gave me a notebook and once I opened it I found some manga drawings "Brenda how come-" "I drew them myself! Not everyone loved them in the village but Jodie the blacksmith lady liked to read them from one time to another. The art isn't as great as the real ones you used to read but the stories are my own exclusive ideas, so you won't find anything like them anywhere else!"

I took a look at the drawings and dialogues and praised her work "Brenda you did a great job. Btw, I'm sure you wanted me to cosplay some sort of cosplay by giving me a gun and a sword, Who was that?"

Brenda blushed "Was it that obvious?" "It was!" "Sorry to trick you hehe. It was Kirito from the second season of SAO. He is pretty famous for using two swords but in that season he used a gun and a sword-" "When he was investigating the GGO death bullet crimes?"

Brenda shouted in excitement "Right! Are you a fan of the series too?" "I am but not that much. My favorite is Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach. Sadly, I didn't get to witness the end of both series by coming here before they were done."

Brenda's eyes sparkled as she stuck her face close to mine "Gin, you finished the SAO series, right?" "Y-Yeah... Why?" "I died before finishing it, so you have to tell me everything about it, okay?" "You want me to spoil it for you?" "Is there a way to know how it ended apart from this or reincarnating to that world? Even tho it had no magic the technology there was great..."

Brenda acted as if nothing happened last night making me doubt the seriousness I heard and saw in her eyes... We spent the hours of the trip happily chatting about our favorite series and discussing the manga she drew.

The happy moments in the trip made it sound as if the world was all in peace... Yet fate still had more surprises for us.

Author's POV:

Lila Valentine stood at the door looking at her kids leaving. Even though she knew they had to, and the orders of the highest couldn't be ignored, she still hoped to forbid them from going because of her bad feelings.

Once lunchtime arrived she looked at the empty table with sad eyes "I don't know why but I have a bad feeling that I will lose another child..."

She was about to finish washing the dishes when someone knocked on the door.
She checked the door and was met with a young lady "Mrs. Valentine, I brought you a letter from Mr. Valentine." Lila smiled "Thanks for your hard work, Rosa. Why not come in and have something?"
Rosa apologized "I'm in a rush so I have to turn down the request. I don't see Brenda around, is she out hunting?" "Brenda left with her brothers to the capital. They were requested to be acknowledged by his majesty-" "WHAT! Mr. Valentine will fire me!"

Lila got confused by the young lady's reaction and asked "What's wrong, Rosa?" "No time to explain, the letter can do. I have to leave right away to the capital, Cya!"

Lila stood confused in her place before entering the house and opening her husband's letter.

"Dear Lila,
I hope you and the kids are doing well. I received your letter considering the kid our little daughter found and I understand your wishes to keep protecting him. Yet, my family's safety is of a high priority.
That child isn't someone who we can keep by our side and protect, there's more to the story and his background isn't simple so you should send him off to Milya village where I sent a letter to an old friend of mine to take care of him.
As for the acknowledgment thing, it's a trick probably. The high priest is planning something behind the scenes and I am here to investigate it, so please don't let the kids come here for the time being.
Sincerely, Eadric."

Lila held the letter tightly her heart beating fast as she prayed "Please return them to me safely and don't take another dear child again."

Genji's POV:

We reached the capital by the second day of our departure. The trip made me remember when we traveled suddenly when I was a child.
It was a stormy day yet Dad suddenly declared that we had to move out for Kyoto from Tokyo. My parents had a worried and scared look on their faces that I couldn't understand as a kid but now that I think about it, maybe they had some problems or debts with some mafia guys so he had to run away because it happened twice.

We got out of the cart to see a huge city "Wow! The capital is that huge?" Leonard replied "What do you think about a "Capital"? It's clearly the largest town in the whole kingdom.".

The three of us started walking around and Brenda and I kept asking about everything we saw new which gave Leonard a headache. We both only smiled as he kept complaining.
My opinion about Leo is that he isn't a bad guy but he can't seem to accept me as someone closer than him to his sister.

We reached the town square which had a great view. The grass was planted along with many flowers and in the middle, there was a statue of a Tyrant dragon. Leonard ordered us to rest on one of the benches there while he did some preparation and informed the knights' headquarters of our presence.

The capital town is a grandeur city nestled amidst lush green valleys and rolling hills. Crowned by a massive fortress that overlooks the entire town, it exudes power and authority from every corner.

As one enters through the imposing gates, the streets come alive with a vibrant mix of people from diverse backgrounds. Multicolored awnings line the sides of the main avenue, casting beautiful shadows onto the cobblestone pathways. The air is filled with the aroma of exotic spices, freshly baked pastries, and the unmistakable scent of blooming flowers.

Marvelous architecture adorns every street, with imposing marble palaces, towering columns, and intricate sculptures depicting legendary tales. The facades are adorned with intricate carvings, reflecting the glory of the empire's past. Bustling market stalls teem with merchants selling exotic goods, treasures, and rare artifacts from all corners of the kingdom.

Towering above the crowd, in all its mythical glory, is a colossal dragon statue crafted from glistening bronze. The sculpture stands as a testament to the kingdom's history of its tyrant ruler.
With jaws agape and wings outstretched, the dragon statue depicts the ancient creature frozen in a moment of eternal dominance. It serves as a symbol of the kingdom's strength, resilience, and mythical heritage, inspiring both fear and reverence amongst the townsfolk and visitors alike.

Leonard said we should stay here yet...
"Brenda, are you sure your brother won't get mad at us for leaving the place?" "He will, but he can do nothing."

I was walking with Brenda in the garden checking the flowers when she asked "Gin, do you have any knowledge about flowers and herbs?" "Not a great one but I know a little about them. I used to use the flower meanings in the stories I write as a ghostwriter." "You were a ghostwriter? That explains how precise your feedback was yesterday and here I thought you were just an otaku."

I had a bugging feeling for a while and couldn't help but ask "Brenda, don't you think it's a bit odd?"
"So you finally noticed? It's odd that because we defeated a bunch of knights we are going to be acknowledged. Mom said that the magic spell you cast is a lost magic so they should be interested in you, not me. Yet we were both requested here. I have a bad feeling that something is woven behind the scenes. And now we are under someone's watch"

And Brenda's feelings weren't wrong because not long after that, our stuff got stolen.