City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

The elevator stopped, and we stepped onto the bottom floor of the spa.

“It’s beautiful,” breathed Eva beside me, taking in the whole floor. It is beautiful, too beautiful.

“How does it look compared to bathhouses in Oton?” I asked. Yes, I had converted the whole floor into the bathhouse.

It took a long time, as making the bathhouse was not a simple task, but rather something entirely different. However, it was completed just in time.

Barb and others are coming tonight, and in three days, we will be opening the bathhouse.

“It’s gorgeous, better than even the luxurious bathhouses I had gone to in Oton,” she replied, looking at the floor with awe before her eyes stopped at the turquoise pool.

It’s the largest pool in the bathhouse, every part made by an expert; one could see it with a single glance.

The whole floor is gorgeous; I have brought in the designers and architects from Oton.

It is built in classical Ototian architecture, with a hint of classic imperial style. It features large columns that reach the ceiling, as well as mosaics and frescoes on the walls.

Not to mention the statues, most of them came from Oton, with three being from Tranquill Bathhouse itself.

There are also the plants; half of these plants were from the bathhouse. They were once common plants, but after nearly two centuries, they had fully transformed into mist plants.

Carla had to negotiate hard to get them.

However, the most incredible thing about it is how much we utilized the Velvet Garden to produce the materials used in the construction of this bathhouse.

The tiles we walked on and the mosaics that littered the wall are all made in the Velvet Garden.

Our ceramicist and glass master had crafted these tiles and carved the pieces of colorful stones.

We ground the stones we acquired from Tranquill Bathhouse and used them to make tiles, glass, and other things. The same applies to the cement we used; it all came together in this very room.

These things contain parts of the Tranquill Bathhouse and the Velvet Garden.

We needed to do it because it would strengthen the spell and make swallowing easier.

“Though, I wonder if it will work as it does in Oton—especially this big communal pool. In the Oton, it is their culture, but it’s not in Zenid; we are a little more conservative,” she said, looking at the large pool.

She is right; the communal pool didn’t work in Zenid.

Many Otonian bathhouses on this continent were segregated by gender. It is much easier that way.

“If it had been any other business, it wouldn’t have, but this is Velvet Garden; here, it will work,” I replied, and she smiled.

“The legacy,” she replied simply.

Yes, the legacy. People want to experience it, and they will do anything to make it happen. The communal pool won’t be a problem.

Like all things, there will be a waiting list stretching for years for this.

I am confident of it.

Aside from this large pool, nine additional pools offer a range of water temperatures, from hot to cold, and a variety of aromas, from herbal to aromatic.

Some of those pools would be designated for specific genders.

The floor doesn’t just have pools; it also has small gardens, baths, and massage rooms, where we will offer different types of Otonian baths and massages.

It is a complete package.

There have already been many inquiries about it, but we have kept everything silent.

We will open the booking on the day of the opening, with the first day being the invitations only.

We toured the whole floor before appearing in front of the pool.

“It’s such a beautiful pool; it would be a shame if we didn’t enjoy it,” said Eva suddenly, and a moment later, the dress slid off her body, leaving her in nothing but beautiful black lingerie.

I watched her body as she walked into the pool, step by step.

She didn’t look at me, but her movement was seductive. Making it impossible to look away from her.

“Are you coming?” she asked as she entered the water.

I wanted to decline it since I have to leave the legacy in a few minutes. I was planning to exit after giving Eva the tour of the floor, and I should; I am truly busy.

“Yes,” I found myself replying, and started removing my clothes. I could never resist her when she did something like this.

“You are really something,” I said tiredly. “You are not bad yourself,” she replied, just as tired.

She had really tired me out in the two hours. She always does. She might look like an elegant lady, but she is insatiable once she begins.

That is why I prefer the night. Then I could restfully sleep.

“I think it’s time. I opened the store in Namdar,” she said. It surprised me that she was not talking about the Charles stores; she already has a flagship in Namdar.

No, she is talking about Eva Cain.

“You do not have enough inventory,” I replied.

I had given over a hundred of her people access to the mist. They work during the day in their workshop, but even more at night after many floors in the legacy close. They use every space they can.

Even the theatre isn’t spared.

We need every space from which they could draw the mist and craft their wares. There is tremendous demand for it, but there is not enough supply to meet it.

People are willing to pay vast amounts of money for them, but we could not meet even 1% of the demand despite that.

“It is why we will do it slowly. Take a year to open it; it should give us enough time to produce the required inventory,” Eva replied.

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Unless you are planning to do it with non-mist goods,” I added.

Mist goods are the signature of the Velvet Garden and Greltheaven. There are a few legacies that can be compared to ours in that regard.

It is something only my city has, and I will not move them to another city.

The mist goods not only brought me a lot of money but also brought people to the city. People with money, I will not let mist-goods move to another city.

Greltheaven needs them here.

“Eva Charles needs more stores,” she said, tilting her head cutely.

 “I agree with that, but mist-goods stay here,” I replied firmly.

When the store opened over half a year ago, less than 5% of the inventory was mist-crafted, but after over half a year, it is around 90%.

It had elevated Eva Cain to an entirely new height, above that of the luxury boutiques.

The only thing that can be compared with them is store-type legacies, and not all of them. Even among them, a minority produces their own goods.

In a year or two, that number is going to decrease. A Grade IV will be dying.

The point is that mist-crafted goods stay here.

“Please, I am not asking for all. We will only take 25% of what we produce here to the new boutique,” she begged, bringing her lips closer to mine.

“No,” I replied straight.

I like Eva and might even love her, but the city and half a million people are more important. I can’t do that, even for the person I love.

She wanted to say more, but when she saw my eyes. She just sighed.

“Your designs are exquisite. Your store will succeed without mist-goods,” I said. To that, she shook her head. “I will give you a few showpieces,” I added, but her expression didn’t change much.

“Do you know the waves Eva Cain had made?” she asked.

“Everybody wants our pieces, the rich merchants, nobility. Just a week ago, we got the order from the Princess of Mahal,”

“It is all because of the mist-craft,”

“Eva Cain became synonymous with mist craft. Without it, there is no Eva Cain,” she stated, looking directly into my eyes.

I smiled at that. Of course, I know.

Everybody is talking about her store, not just in merchant states and empires, but also throughout the entire continent and beyond. Many wealthy and powerful people only come to the city to shop in her store.

This fame is helping her other business.

While businesses in the empire focus on shoring up and cost-cutting, she is expanding her ‘Charles’ stores.

“I will not press you further, but I hope you will let me open more stores when Velvet Garden becomes a throne,” she said. I couldn’t help but smile at that.

“It will take years or decades. It might not even happen,” I replied.

“Maybe, but when it does, I want you to let me expand with a full mist-crafted collection,” she asked, with her eyes boring into me.

“I can’t promise you that, but I will let you do that if conditions are favorable,” I replied.

To be honest, I just wanted to say, ‘I promise,’ but I am a lord, and I need to think like a lord whenever I deal with important things that could affect the city.

I cannot let my emotions guide me. I need to be rational.

“I guess that is the most I am going to get from you,” she said with a smile and kissed me.

It was a slow and gentle kiss that lasted for a while.

When it ended, she got off me. We stepped out of the pool and changed into our clothes.

I stepped into the elevator but didn’t go to my office. The elevator went down toward the lobby.

A few seconds later, I stepped out of the lobby and stepped into the carriage, which was waiting for me in front of the tower.

“Anything?” I asked Zela as I sat down.

Since the four kingdoms had launched their renewed offensive, things were changing every hour, and not in a good way. Every day, those bastards are capturing more and more of the empire’s territory.

The only good news I got in the past few days is the retreat of the Yressor’s Armada.

It was massive and powerful. They had destroyed the Crown Prince’s defensive fleet in less than an hour.

Indeed, it was not at full strength, but it was powerful.

However, an hour after that, they retreated as the lightning clouds appeared.

The armada was powerful enough to take Haltav but not enough to go against the person who was warning them.

Soon, I reached the city hall and got busy immediately, so much so that I skipped lunch and had only practiced my aura once.

At eight, I left for the legacy.

“They have arrived,” said Caena, sitting in front of me in my office while we viewed the ship in front of us, with its ramp lowered and four people walking through it.

We are using the spell. It makes it much easier. However, it couldn’t be compared to the Velvet Domain; there, I could see everything.

The three look good, but Rexy is pale.

“Safely,” I replied.

It makes my heart tighten when I look at Rexy. She was vibrant when she left, but now she could barely walk on her own.

The healer has healed her. However, she will need to rest in bed and receive some care to recover fully.

I turned to Barb and could feel the change in her. This trip had changed her. It is not just level-up and the aura, but something more profound.

It seemed like she understood herself on this trip.

“They had done their job, and now, I will start with mine,” said Caena as their carriage passed through the gates and charms appeared in her hands.

She didn’t even wait for them to come to the tower. She just took them the moment they entered the domain.

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