Steel and Mana

Chapter 296 – A Frightening City

The following day dawned crisp and bright for Lyria, waking her early, unaffected by yesterday's long evening, during which she built her very first connections. Fixing her disguise as Eira Shastan, standing in front of the small mirror in her room and getting into her character, she stepped out, heading back into the bustling morning streets of Avalon. The city was already alive, even though the sun barely rose above the eastern horizon. Not that it surprised her; it was a big city, after all, and with the amount of merchants coming and going, it was reasonable.

Today would be a truly long day, as her plan was to walk the city and systematically map it out in her mind, something that would be much easier than anywhere else, thanks to the logically planned, straight streets. She had already picked up on the fact that Avalon was like a drawing yesterday, but now, walking on foot, it was even more evident. The city wasn’t merely different from Atuvia or Ishillia; it was an entirely alien world for her, a stark departure from the courtyards of nobles, the wooden carts coming and going in other cities, and the many narrow alleys of the Capital of Ishillia. For someone from a family serving the noble lineage that was directly linked to the Eternal Emperor, she was used to the rigid system the world had solidified through thousands of years. Every caste had their roles and living quarters… And it was true for any city. It was how you could tell if you were in the part of town home to the workers or if you entered the noble’s domain.

Yet here? Nothing indicated in which part of the city she was in. The streets, for instance, were unnervingly clean. Everywhere. No, not just the city, its people too. There were no piles of garbage in the alleys, no smell of unwashed bodies passing by her, and certainly no beggars jostling for scraps or the mercy of walking by people. No... There were no beggars at all! How can that be?! Were they disposed of? That was what she could only think about, and no other explanation made sense to her mind.

While thinking, Lyria kept walking, her face maintaining the facade of an amazed tourist. The roads below her feet were paved with precision, divided into lanes marked with paint to indicate which lane led where. Carts and carriages were forced to keep to their own lane and not obstruct the others, taking turns only where the road let them, allowing such a smooth flow that Lyria couldn’t help but admire it. It was not just the streets, though. She found signposts at every crossroads, wearing the names of the avenues, guiding the pedestrians, pointing out landmarks and important buildings… the entire city had been built with an orderliness that defied her understanding. Yet… it also made sense why. It made navigating the city so much easier for everyone.

With that in mind, making her mapping the city so much easier, Lyria strolled Avalon with purpose but also with caution, hidden behind her act of stopping here and there, examining the buildings and their decorations. She needed to commit her route to memory, marking the key areas and observing the patterns of its people.

Her first such stop was the central market, which she started at after exiting the inn she was staying in. Unlike the chaotic bazaars of Atuvian cities or the free-for-all markets of Ishillia, Avalon's main square bore the same image of obsessive organization. Stalls were arranged in neat rows, each seller hawking wares under striped canopies. She also noticed that not every seller appreciated it if the buyers began haggling with them. Most of the time, Avalonian people refused to even engage in the act with the Atuvian merchants, stating that the price they put out was the final one. And… whenever she tried to make a quick calculation, she had to agree those were indeed reasonable prices.

While walking, she noticed that a small crowd had gathered near a stall selling… Something she didn’t understand.

“Merch?” Lyria asked herself, reading the sign put on the front of the stall. “As in… Merchant? What? I don't get it...”

Walking closer, she saw the pair of young owners were selling something called a t-shirt. She tried ignoring the weird name, and instead, she was shocked that those clothes had the crude visage of their so-called Sovereign... Or his harem’s individual faces sown onto them. If not that, there were pairs with weird-looking, two-legged monsters on them, or just displaying probably the crest of the city or its rulers. All of it was prosperous. This should be such an offense anywhere else that the two would be publicly executed elsewhere. Lyria wanted to ask so many questions… but if she did, that would start raising suspicion. So, before she became overwhelmed by the bizarre sight, she decided to ignore it and continue her mission.

As she moved on, her ears caught snippets of conversation. Locals spoke of Avalon's partnership with Atuvia in surprisingly familiar terms. How do they know about it this well? Cooperation between sovereign entities was typically dictated by power and ambition; rulers didn’t explain their decisions to their subjects. Why would they? The decision had already been made by those who understand the stakes; people should just shut up and follow their leaders. Yet here, people discussed Avalon's goals openly, almost casually, as if they understood them just as well... As if they believed in them. The gall to think people of such lowly heritage could even comprehend the complexity of ruling...Nôv(el)B\\jnn

To find out more, her steps led her to a stall at the end of the street selling newspapers. After the seller explained what he was peddling, she was shocked by the idea behind it, so she bought two—one to read and one to put away and send back to Lord Barth. Her eyes enlarged after she found a bench, sat down, and began to read. Everything was detailed in it. Everything. Down to the latest decisions of their Sovereign, the cooperation between Atuvia and Avalon, the news of war happening down South… Which meant they had informants or at least spies elsewhere. It was not a surprise… She also knew that Lord Otto’s place had also been infiltrated, although he had caught the culprits early.

“Why does he tell his people this much?” Lyria asked herself, reading the quotes from this… Sovereign. She wanted to understand it, but her conditioned mind just couldn’t accept it. Then, she caught something at the end of the main article. “Hear more about it in the bi-weekly Sovereign’s Sessions… What is that?”

She didn’t need to wait long to discover what it meant. It was a radio show, whatever that implied. Finding her new contact with the young officer from yesterday, she asked about him and learned that it was a so-called ‘Podcast’ by two of this Sovereign’s wives. It was a show that almost all of the locals attended in the theater to listen to personally or via radios in the inns where they were present.

“Radio…” She muttered, realizing it was the first artifact, the first invention of Avalon, that she had to detail as thoroughly as possible, even more so than mapping the city or learning about the train.

Sadly, she couldn’t buy a ticket to the show to see it in person, as those were already sold out two months in advance. So, instead, she managed to get her new ‘friend’ to invite her to a place in an inn where there was a radio present. Where she could listen to the show. Of course, he was coming along, eager for a date, and Lyria wouldn’t miss an opportunity to solidify her position within the city either.

It was early evening when they arrived, and the place was already packed. After finding a place to sit, her ‘partner’ ordered some snacks to munch on, along with drinks, while she surveyed the place. To her astonishment, the radio wasn’t a big instrument; it was a stylish, wooden box sitting in its own basket, high above the main bar area, the centerpiece of the whole establishment. Her genuine surprise came when it suddenly crackled, silencing the murmurs in the inn like a magic spell… and then a jingle came through, followed by clear voices. If not for the horror she suddenly felt washing over her, she would have been astonished to be in the presence of such… magic. She listened to the Sovereign's Sessions, her jaws hanging open, only closing them when her partner gently chuckled, admiring her supposed innocence.

“Khm…” Lyria suddenly shook herself, blushing, acting as if she was just a young, silly teenager, but her ears remained glued to the radio.

“For too long,” came Sasha’s voice, “we’ve seen Ishillia build walls and make enemies wherever it turned its corrupted head toward. Our Avalon is different, and the railway we are spreading over the world symbolizes that. We are here as people of reason, with our hands reaching out and making new friends with those who are willing. It’s a bridge to cooperation and to a better future, but we can also flex it into a fist if it meets with aggression.”

“Luckily, the Atuvian League accepted our hand and shook it as friends.” Mikan added, her tone softer but no less convincing, “We’ve created a partnership that benefits not just Avalon but the entire region. It’s not about domination; it’s about cooperation for a better future for everybody.”

Lyria’s stomach turned. She wasn’t sure what disturbed her more—their apparent sincerity or the fact that Avalon’s people seemed genuinely inspired by it. A ruler didn’t need to justify their decisions, yet here, the Sovereign did so with calculated transparency. He was sending her bedchamber toys to sweeten people’s perceptions. What a clever move…

The whole experience left her in a mix of shock and disgust. She hated what she heard, and she was overwhelmed by the implications of this technology. Her ‘partner’ couldn’t tell her details about it, or he was trained not to… So she didn't push it either. Whichever it was, the unknown further mystified the radio’s capabilities for her, and she knew it had to be one reason why Lord Otto failed and died. She had to find out more! So, by the time the show ended, she parted with her source, deciding not to appear as an easy catch, setting up a second date for the future. Acting as if she was just a little bit tipsy, she ventured toward the centermost area of the city… to the Palace. A perfect excuse why she lost her way if she got caught.

The transition between the areas was subtle but unmistakable, even in this clean city. The buildings were taller than usual, most having a plaque beside their entryway detailing that they were official government buildings. Passing by them, memorizing their position, Lyria attempted to approach the palace grounds, but no sooner had she crossed an invisible threshold than two soldiers appeared at her side. They wore frightening armor with a skull-like helmet, truly scaring her, and for a moment, she thought she had met Death itself. These were different than who she had seen so far… Yes, they were polite, yet their firm stance left no room for negotiation. Not to mention, she could not see any humanity in those skulled helmets and glowing, red eyes.

“Apologies, miss,” one said, his voice cracking with static before being audible. This alone made Lyria realize they were using the same thing… radio—which meant they could communicate instantly over who knows what distances! “This area is restricted to authorized personnel only.”

Keeping her composure and drunken blush, she kept feigning embarrassment, stepping back with unsteady legs.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I-I… I didn’t realize. I think I am… lost... Hauh…”

The soldiers exchanged a subtle look, turning their heads just enough for her to notice before one escorted her back to a safer part of the city. Despite their cordiality, the soldier walking her was like an executioner. His presence was a chilling reminder of Avalon's efficiency and power. She hadn’t even seen them coming, and they’d appeared as if conjured from thin air. Even though they were such massive creatures...

“Creatures…” She whispered, looking back over her shoulders after her escort disappeared. “Maybe they are not even human…”

By the time she entered her room, she realized that she didn’t see one thing… Where were the manufacturers? The factories she heard about? She only saw blacksmiths, but… Not a place where a train could be produced. Something wasn’t adding up…

“They have to be hidden somewhere!” She whispered, “In the mountains? No. That is impossible. Nothing can dig into it or be built up on the snowy peaks—not even this Sovereign can manage that. So… it has to be outside of the city. I will have to visit it! Maybe I can find someone to take me there. We did bring raw materials with us, after all...”

Letting her body drop onto her bed, she glanced at the clean, empty ceiling above her. Raising a hand before her face, she realized it was still shaking. She was afraid, no matter how well she ignored it—she was terrified, very much so.