At nearly 2 o'clock in the afternoon, we reached the entrance of Raymonford, but the entrance was crowded. A lot.
"Why is it so crowded?" I asked from inside the carriage.
"Mr. Darcy, it looks like they are checking pretty thoroughly every person and everything coming in or going out," Joey replied from the outside seat of the carriage, steadying the reins of our Murghoda.
After nearly ten minutes, it was our turn. I peeked outside to see them staring at the frame, the guards inspected the exterior, looking utterly baffled wondering why the hell the carriage was made of solid lead.
They asked for our official documents, and we showed them our Adventure Cards.
After seeing my name, they were shocked. One guard said, "Are you really Darcy ? The one who saved Dunford?"
"Yes, in flesh."
"Oh, we were preparing for your arrival."
"Thanks for that—wait, how did you guys know I was coming?"
"The Mungford officials told us through the spiritual stones," the guards explained.
"... Well, so why make me wait? What's with this huge line and all this careful checking?"
"Actually, we had an accident before you arrived," the guards explained.
"Accident? What kind ?"
"Our Duke went bald."
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"It's actually natural with old age," Joey said.
"No sir, it was an accident," the guards explained.
"What do you mean it was an accident?" Jack asked.
"He went bald last night."
"What?" I asked.
"Let us explain," the guards said.
"Actually, after hearing that you were coming, the Duke wanted to greet you personally and show you around the city. So, to look his best, he contacted a spell master," one guard explained while the other guard took our Cards to verify their authenticity.
"Why did he contact the spell master?"
"Our Duke naturally has long, shiny black hair, but he wanted more hair density and shininess."
"And?" Jack asked.
"And the spell master made him bald. At least that's the story we know."
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After five minutes, the authenticity of the cards was confirmed, and we were guided to the most expansive hotel/inn of the city.
On the way, I noticed Raymonford was far wealthier and more sophisticated than what we were used to. Even normal residential Houses were built from stone and marble, unlike in Dunford where almost everything was timber.
Guards were posted at every corner, clearly hunting down the fugitive spell master.
After parking the carriage in the carriage stop, we fed and hydrated Murghoda and were guided into the inn. It was crowded too. The information that I was in the city had already spread throughout the city.
I could hear many voices calling for us in the crowd.
The guards were protecting us, but there were too many of them.
"Mr. Darcy, can I get an autograph?"
"No, I'm sorry."
"Mr. Darcy help me with my family debt, please."
"Sorry, I can't."
"Mr. Joey, Mr. Jack, can you please allow me to lick your bald heads?!"
"Sorry, absolutely not," the steroid bros replied in unison.
After we were finally inside, the guards dismissed the crowd that wasn't staying at the inn, and further entry into the inn was closed.
After checking in at the reception, we were allocated three rooms. All the expansions were financed by the Duke.
After that, I bathed and took a quick nap.
But I was soon woken up by the knock on the door.
"Mr. Darcy, it's time for dinner," Joey and Jack called from the hallway."
I woke up half asleep and I opened the door.
(yawn) "yeah, I'm coming."
We went down to the ground floor to eat. Now, no one was approaching us. They were all looking at us from far away, and honestly, I hated this, I didn't like this. It was like we were some kind of animals in a zoo.
After ordering the food, as I was about to take the first bite, a lady approached me.
"Mr. Darcy, can you please help me ? It's not something grand. I just want to ask you what I should do now, I'm going through a lot nowadays," the lady said.
Can you all leave me alone ?!? Can't a man just eat in peace? Also, stop treating me like I'm some kind of Messiah or something. All I did was kill a man as I was instructed to, and I wasn't alone on that mission. There were others too!!
Shit, I can't say anything. Many people are watching.
"I mean, if it's just an opinion thing, then I'm alright. What's troubling you?" I asked.
"Yes! Mr. Darcy is a man of wisdom and intelligence. We are sure he will be able to help you!!" Joey and Jack said.
"Thank you. So, Mr. Darcy.. the thing is, my husband… is cheating on me and got married last week," the lady said while crying, tears running down her cheeks.
What do you want me to do in this ?
".. I'm sorry, the thing is, if someone is cheating, it's best to leave them," I said after thinking for a while
"..But he is cheating on me with a crippled person." She added while crying.
"What?!" the three of us said at the same time.
"With a crippled 91 year old human."
"What?!?" We three said at the same time.
"With a crippled 91 year old human man," she added again while crying.
What?!?!" the three of us said at the same time.
"With a crippled 91 year old human man that can't even get it up," she added again while crying. the lady said it all in one sentence!!!
"Just… Why? And please stop crying. It's not worth crying over a man who cheats on his woman with another man who is an old, crippled man," I said, completely lost.
She somehow stopped crying and looked at me before saying, "He said that he is doing it for us… he is rich, and when he dies, all his wealth will be ours. He's just saying to wait a few years. Until then, he keeps sending money every month from that man's mansion"
"And now rich is that old man ?" I asked with curiosity.
"He is one of the wealthiest men in Raymond. Worth over 300 million lochu."
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"I think you should wait," I said.
"What ?" The lady and the steroid bros said.
" I mean he is going to last only a few years, at maximum four or five, and he can't even get it up, so there is no chance of any sexual activity–"
"My husband says the old man is a bottom."
"... I think the old man is going to die within a year."
The lady burst into fresh tears.
" H-Hey, don't cry, is there a law for cheating?" I asked, comforting her with words.
"There is, but I don't want my love to get into trouble with the law."
Your love is making love with a man older than your grandpa, though.
"I mean lady, think about the money!! You would never need to work. None of you would. That's generational wealth, if he is truly doing it for you and him, he will return to you with the money."
"But Mr. Darcy, you just said to leave the cheaters," Joey said.
That was before 300 million lochu was on the table!!
"Yea… I'm not saying to forgive him…just wait until he gets the money and…. divorce him and take half of the money he gets after the old man dies? I don't know what I'm saying. I don't have any experience in this."
She started crying again. We tried to comfort her, but she ran away.
I'm not a psychiatrist. I tried my best.