Chapter 379
Chapter 379
It was about six in the evening.
Three riders on a mount overcame a large hill and saw something unimaginable and breathtaking far ahead.
«It’s Dantes, girls. The capital of Rosarrio!» – Zosimos announced solemnly.
«So beautiful!» – Eve was amazed at the sight.
«Wow!» – Leila exclaimed enthusiastically.
The gigantic city stretched from horizon to horizon, surrounded by thick fifty-meter walls and a wide moat filled with water. The capital looked especially impressive now when millions of bright lights contrasted with the cloudy evening sky. Next to this pearl of the empire, Boston looked like a stray skinny dog next to a king’s elephant.
Kyon decided to give the girls a brief outline: «Many people call Dantes a zeroth rank kingdom because all the wealth, power and strength of the empire is concentrated here. This city alone surpasses the other seven kingdoms combined! The families living within its walls have tremendous influence throughout the empire, among them the first three: the Valentines, the Clintons and the Hunters. You’d better not cross their path. They are head and shoulders above the Feruzs. However, the Russells rule over them all. It’s the imperial family, headed by Lanatelle, the bloody Empress of Rosarrio.»
«What is she bloody?» – Eve asked anxiously.
«Because Lanatelle is a tyrant. Her methods are brutal, she is adamant and never compromises. Anyone who crossed her path or disobeyed her order signed their death warrant. The Empress has completely changed the empire in one hundred and fifty years of reign, raising it from the seventh to the sixth rank. It’s a huge achievement as the ranks of empires stand as far from each other as heaven and earth.» – Kyon exaggerated a bit to make a point.
«Rank this, rank that… What is a rank?» – Leila asked.
«Rank is a numerical indicator of the family’s, country’s, or even empire’s power. No authority without power. No power without money. No money without authority. The three components correlate with each other and determine greatness and rank.» – Kon said and pulled on the reins.
«How can ranks be obtained?» – Leila went on asking questions.
«In tournaments between families, between kingdoms and even between empires. The family with stronger and more talented representatives will take a higher rank. This world is full of competition for the higher rank, influence, wealth and, subsequently, power. Luck is also an important factor because the family might lose their high rank at the tournament without young talents. The powers that be are usually stronger than their lower-status counterparts. However, the royal family does not participate in family tournaments because they are one level higher. The same is true for the imperial family. By the way, no rebellion is possible because the royal and imperial families are head and shoulders above their subordinates.»
«Can royal families ever be overthrown?» – Eve interrupted.
«It’s possible. But it takes decades of decline until someone dares to challenge the royal family and takes their cushy place. The change of the royal family is a phenomenal event that has happened only three times in this era. As for the imperial family, it has never been overthrown. Any imperial family has a strong hold on power. It is so powerful that even families close to her, like the Clintons and the Hunters, are superior to the royal ones. As you see, this world is rigidly hierarchical, my little ones.»
«Oh gods! Why is it so complicated! I get it, but does it have to be so complicated?» – Leila complained out loud.
«What is our family name, father?» – Eve asked.
Kyon froze for a second then shook his head sadly: «We have no family name.»
«How is that?» – Leila protested. This fact had hurt her pride.
«I am an ordinary person with no family name, and the goddesses are forbidden to have a family. That’s why Lily left. To keep us safe.» – Zosimos said with tears in his eyes.
The girls fell into stunned silence.
«Please be careful, my sweet ones. As we have no family name or status, the noble may consider it as weakness and take advantage of us. Try and avoid problems rather than to solve them by force.»
«What are you talking about?» – Leila winced. – «You keep saying that we are strong, but I see nothing of the kind! How does our power manifest itself? I don’t think that I can kick anyone’s ass! I can only enchant them with my beauty… It’s a snap…»
«We’ll have a training session these days, and I will show you everything.»
When the travelers approached Dantes, Eve exclaimed in amazement: «What beautiful birds! I want to fly on them around the city and see the sights!»
«We can’t fly on them in the city.» – Zosimos replied. – «No one would want to get droppings the size of a watermelon on their heads. Large birds disturb the peace of the city, so it’s forbidden to ride them unless it’s a rare exception.»
«I don’t mind flying outside the city…» – Eve said modestly, tapping her fingers on her knee.
«You will, but now put on your veils.» – Kyon ordered the girls, and they obeyed.
A mount with three riders turned from the deserted path onto a wide road with thousands of people passing them: residents, merchants, travelers, hunters, herbalists and many others. It led to one of the many entrances to the city.
As they mingled with the flow, Kyon said quietly to the girls: «The customs in Dantes is considered the strictest in the empire. It’s almost impossible to get inside without a pass, and you need to register to get it. There are three types of registration: for the noble, that is, for those who have a certain position in the family; for a legal entity, that is, for those who are going to start their own business; and for individuals, that is, for ordinary well-off citizens. Since we have no family name, the first type isn’t an option. To register a legal entity, we will need a lot of documents, including all sorts of permits and certificates, but it’s the only thing that bothers me. They will have to give each of us a tracking formation to monitor business activities! But you are too powerful, my little ones. No one will be able to apply formations on you, and it will cause us huge problems. There is only one option left: to register as individuals, but it is not that simple. The middle and the lower class of immigrants are not welcome here. They prefer the rich. But the wealthy people also get a tracking formation in case they want to start their own business. Why not comply with all regulations at once?»
Eve asked, puzzled: «But what can we do if they apply a formation anyway, and it’s unacceptable for us?»
Zosimos grinned: «There is another group of individuals who can get registered without a formation: active citizens!»
«Active… citizens?» – Leila couldn’t get it.
«Wait and see.»
«Why can’t we just bribe them?» – Leila snorted and added, gracefully tossing her hair. – «If you have no money, then you can pay them with my beauty. I don’t mind showing off my face, and I am one hundred percent sure that no one will ever resist such a bribe.» – She flashed a dazzling smile that could outshine the sun.
Kyon shook his head: «Bribing the customs is punishable by death for both sides. Nobody will take risks. Besides, your smile can bring us only trouble, honey.»
Leila narrowed her brow at him: «How come?»
«Dad is right. Our beauty won’t help here.» – Eve interrupted.
«Not you too!» – Leila got angry. She immediately decided to prove to everyone that beauty could bring something more, but she didn’t say anything. It would be a surprise.
Lovr was very sorry he hadn’t made contacts in the customs in Dantes. He was planning to arrive in the guise of Dick Baker, but the “daughters” who had literally fallen out of the sky made him change plans. However, he had made some preparations in Athens.
«Well, it’s going to take some effort to get citizenship. Eve, Leila, please, be good girls. Do not draw attention to yourself or remove your veils until I say so.»
«Uh-huh.» – Eve nodded obediently.
«I will try…» – Leila grumbled.
The three of them soon found themselves on a wide and long drawbridge. After standing in line for half an hour, they approached the checkpoint, where they met a couple of imposing guards.
«Prepare your documents.» – One of them demanded.
«We’re first time here, moving to Dantes from Athens. Here are our papers.» – Kyon handed over the documents that he had secretly made in Athens with the help of the crown prince. He had made sure that no one would see or remember anything.
«Zosimos with daughters Eve and Leila, right?» – The guard asked.
«That’s right.»
«Go to the check-up building.» – He gestured to a small square house in a well-guarded area with a high fence. Next to it, there was a menagerie.
Kyon left the mount in the stall for ten pennies, entered the square registration building, stood in line with the girls for almost an hour (Leyla could hardly control herself), and finally, the three of them entered the office.
«Your documents.» – A woman in a business suit demanded sternly.
Zosimos handed her the papers. When she made some records, the customs officer asked: «What is your purpose of coming here?»
«To start a pickle business and find a place to live for my daughters and me!»
«A pickle business?» – The customs officer was surprised. She had never heard anything weirder in all her long career. Wasn’t it too presumptuous to open a whole store to sell pickles?
«I’m very serious about getting rich! Pickled tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms!» – Zosimos took out one jar after another from the ring, commenting on their contents in a loud rural dialect. – «My father taught me how to make the best pickles in the world! They are finger-licking good! Here, take them as a gesture of good will! I bet my business will flourish inl Dantes!»
The two girls giggled softly, covering their mouths.
The customs officer gasped, pulled herself together and slammed her fist on the table: «Take them away, now! It’s a registration centre, not a wet market counter!»
Zosimos took the jars away: «I am sorry. It’s just… I follow my dream, and my dream is to sell my pickles and make my daughters’ and my life better.»
«I am happy for your dream.» – The customs officer wrote something in the paper and asked. – «What is your start-up capital?»
«Almost twenty thousand.»
The office raised her eyes, surprised: «A father’s heritage?»
«No way! My father died ten years ago. I’ve been saving for years to collect as much as I said!»
«I see.» – The customs officer nodded. She asked some more questions and finally said. – «You get the status of active citizens. Pass the final check and wait for registration. All the best.»
Kyon felt relieved. It was over! He had received the desired status. Only every thousandth of applicants was granted the active citizen status. This status was quite convenient because, on the one hand, it was far below a businessman level and it wasn’t worth the trouble to monitor, and on the other hand, it was above a middle-class level that wasn’t welcome in the city. Simply put, everyone would benefit from Zosimos’ presence in the city.
To achieve success, Lovr made his business look unpromising while showing his motivation (to struggle for his daughters) and start-up capital. Such an ambitious man wouldn’t stop at anything, but he wasn’t going to thrive, either. Pickle business… seriously? Each jar took months to prepare!
«Thank you very much! By the way… You didn’t ask me, and I didn’t tell you… My little one is afraid of men. Can a woman do the final check, please!» – Zosimos insisted.
Kyon folded his hands, seeing the officers’s angry grimace: «Please! My girl will scream hysterically at the touch of a man… I don’t want to see her cry! She is my little angel, the flame of my soul! I am begging you!»
«Go already. I will inform them.» – The customs officer waved her hand, visibly displeased. The last thing she wanted was to argue with this bald, pot-bellied, persistent man.
«I am grateful to my core!»
Eve’s heart felt warm at Zosimos’ words. Daddy was caring about her. His attention was worthy of her respect and admiration.
The three of them entered another office where they met a sullen, plump lady who usually worked with a male partner. She asked them to remove all objects, including the spatial ones, after which the officials searched them with special devices. They couldn’t find either the ring or other formations under the impenetrable cloth.
As for the formations in Eve’s and Leila’s heads, even his Synergy couldn’t get there, let alone some weak devices.
Next, the official asked Zosimos to use his elemental energy to make sure that his cultivation corresponded to that indicated in his documents. The girls hadn’t allegedly connected with their spirit. This information was confirmed. In fact, Eve’s and Leila’s cultivation was so strong that it was beyond the reach of any devices or the customs officers’ sensing.
The last step was a passport photo. When the two girls took off their veils, the customs officer fell into a stupor for a long time. She had never seen such beauties in her life. They were like mythical creatures from another reality. She muttered something unintelligible and activated the formation that would create a photo in a while.
While the documents were getting ready, the customs officers checked the contents of three rings filled with pickles and some other things to the brim. They didn’t find anything interesting. That’s how Zosimos, Eve, and Leila received citizenship in Dantes, the capital of the empire.