Chapter 131 – Distant Status (1)

To his surprise, the areas beyond the fire choking point were interconnected. The cities and towns were connected by long winding asphalt roads. He had expected dirt roads and mountain passes. But the site of carriageways and highways took him by surprise. It was like he was back on a 2nd world nation. Though there are two-legged walking machines run by steam and that will likely shoot him if he wasn’t inside a truck driven by a civilian who cheerfully offered a ride after seeing the refugees arrival.

The soldiers around the road looked like world war one era. They wore combat fatigues and webbings of pouches. Their studded boots were making a sound as they march dutifully on the road. It was a sight that made him wonder. The switch of weapons was outright outrageous. Joshua still remembers fighting with a flint-lock rifle, yet the soldiers he could see were armed differently.

The driver explained that change was suddenly ordered by the Pontiff and Ruler. It was issued as a writ and hard labor from factories allowed the soldiers in the front-lines to be equipped with the new weapons along with the help of the steam-powered machines. The pilots of the machines were still inadequately trained and most of them are just a show of terror to boost trust and morale among the troops.

Most of the nation still wasn’t armed with the new weapons. They prioritize the soldiers and the patrollers that were keeping the whole nation safe from the two nations. The driver of the truck himself was employed fifty times during the week. He carried crates of weapons and was escorted by soldiers. Thankfully, he was one of the lucky ones that didn’t get ambushed. The driver calls the whole affair rushed and a logistic hell. Though the driver told Joshua how the holy writ that was issued help in making the thing a bit of organized. Not to mention there was a threat of being imprisoned or put into the mines and serve their time of digging ores.

The truck traveled through cities and usually would just stop to refuel. The truck driver was rather enthusiastic about carrying them out of Midland and into the walls of Maltius La Fende. It was enough to make Mia asked why he was truly doing it. The driver got angry but explained that it was just an act of being a Good Samaritan. Mia apologized which the driver accepted.

Joshua, Archie, Zola, Barbados, Leiko, Kioko and Mia were not the only ones riding the truck. There were others but they disembarked at villages and towns that they hope would accept them. The journey across Midland was fairly peaceful. There were no accidents and mostly the truck drove his truck in the fringes of the midland, avoiding the capital and the highly secured places that might frown at the sight of Leiko and Kioko, whose appearance might stir some feelings.

The group arrived on the borders of the Maltius La Fende demesne by the first week of the fifth month of the year. When the group arrived they gawp at the border wall that was tall enough to scratch the skies. The truck driver left them at the gates where Mia showed her noble’s right.

The guards of the Maltius La Fende allowed passage for Mia. It took some time convincing them to let Joshua and others enter. But in the end, they were allowed to enter the demesne.

...

The demesne surprised them even more than they should be. The place was far developed and the stone buildings and cement made buildings made Joshua feel like he was back in his modern world. He would have believed that if it wasn’t for the spider-shaped tanks coated in white paint roaming around. The men wore vest and jacket and black pants. The women wore buttoned shirts accompanied by a jacket and wore long skirts. Their appearance was so completely different that the group had to buy clothes. Mia still had wealth so she was able to buy a pair of clothes for the group.

Joshua sported a long coat and a vest and black pants tucked under a pair of boots. He kept his long cape, to hide the bandoliers and pouches that he had. Zola wore a sleeved shirt and long pants that were a bit larger to hide her belt and other possessions. She had drawn her hair into a ponytail and wore a hat. Mia was dressed elegantly like a noble lady she presented herself as. Barbados and Archie choose to wear the same clothes that Joshua wore, though Barbados didn’t even bother to hide his blunderbuss. They look like a pair of three. Leiko and Kioko got new dresses. But since their kind was seen unfavorably by the people of the demesne, they still had to hide their animal features with hoods.

The group traveled to where the mainland was. They hired a vehicle that brought them straight at the heart of the city. The place was surrounded by the tall white buildings. There were many guards and war machines loitering around. The castle was located in the heart of the demesne.

The group asked for an audience and waited for a reply. Normally, the palace guards would laugh at such request. But the following days had them welcoming people from the different places to greet the Princess of Demesne. The group was searched and was stripped of their weapons.

Joshua was obviously reluctant to part with his weapons so he handed them to Zola who stored the weapons in her belt for sake-keeping. The group was allowed to enter through this wide hallway. There were many visitors inside and all of them were headed to the throne room where the Princess of the demesne was allowing visitors to greet her. They couldn’t act like they know the princess, so they lined up like everyone, trying to be calm while the line progresses.

It took a bit of time. But the group was allowed inside the throne room and was permitted to see the Princess that was far different from the way she looked. If it wasn’t for the green brooch then the two wouldn’t have been able to recognize Cyra.

The line moved. Joshua and Zola stepped forward together and kneeled on one knee.

“Greetings, Princess,” they said. The princess turned her eyes to them and widened it as she saw Joshua and Zola’s face.