City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Proofread by Thomas F

Orok Uram

I walked through underground hallways, trying to control the emotions I was feeling.

I don’t like the underground. It restricts my freedom, leaving me with few options to escape, but I managed to control my emotions.

I kept walking through the empty hallways till I finally reached the thick iron doors.

There are no guards; never are.

Still, despite that, I felt like there was someone always watching me and this place.

It felt like people would have an easier time breaching the army headquarters than coming here. It gives me the feeling that, if I were to do something untoward, I wouldn’t last even a second.

Click!

I placed my hand on the door and unlocked it, then pulled it open and walked inside.

Immediately, my eyes fell on the young human man. I was about to open my mouth to greet him, but stopped, seeing his focused eyes.

He is not focused on me. He is focused on a wisp of aura that he is turning into a shape.

I could barely make out the shape, but I could tell that, despite its small size, it was complex, and he was destroying and remaking it over and over.

It continued for nearly ten minutes before those focused eyes turned to me.

“Thank you for waiting, Orok,” he said as he got up. “It was my pleasure, Lord Silver,” I replied. Even after months, the greeting felt a little awkward.

It had been over a year since I joined the army, and even now, these civilised phrases feel awkward.

“Shall we begin then?” he asked as he took out the practice sword from the weapon rack. “Yes,” I replied and took out the practice ax.

“Let’s fight,” he said, and came at me.

The aura blazed out of me, and skills roared as I moved toward him.

…

Clang Clang Clang

“Don’t push it, be gentle. Remember, it is not the volume of aura that gives power, but the control, always focus on that,” I said to him as I attacked.

He is responding well, very well, both with the aura and his attacks.

If we had been at the same level. It would be me in his position. Getting suppressed by him.

This man in front of me is very good. Better than any fighter I had fought.

He doesn’t have a natural talent like mine, but he has developed sheer experience and a fighting instinct, which he gained by surviving in the wild.

The forest is a dangerous place to live without the protection of the tribe.

He did, fighting nearly every day to survive. It had honed him, making him the best fighter I have ever seen, and the skills he had turned him into a weapon.

We have been training all our most talented and important hard, to prepare them for what is to come.

I personally train one every day, despite my demanding schedule and my own training commitments. I didn’t have a choice; they are going to face an incredible challenge fighting undead, and we want them to be ready.

Minutes passed, and I could feel him straining to keep the aura active.

“This is not your limit, push yourself. Harness more aura,” I said, and finally brought out my aura.

I didn’t need to, but I want to show him. I didn’t use the aura until now because I wanted him tired and strained. We have observed that he learns well in these conditions.

For each person, the training is tailored. So, we could unearth their maximum potential.

I observe every movement of his body and aura, and

Minutes passed, and we fought; he kept the aura active. Pushing himself at every turn, improving as he does.

Thud!

Finally, he couldn’t, and my attack had made him crash into the wall.

“I think it’s enough for today,” I said before helping him get up. “Thank you, Lord Silver,” he replied.

“Don’t force yourself with aura exercises, everyone learns control differently,” I advised and walked away. He is bad at aura exercises, worse than anyone I’ve seen.

I opened the door and walked out.

“His speed of improvement is quite shocking,” Jon said as he appeared beside me. Yes, he is awful at aura exercises, but he learn very fast during the training.

It had been my eighth session with him, and I had seen him improving rapidly in that time.

He is likely a kinesthetic learner. They learns best through hands-on activity and physical engagement.

“He is going to be a terror, if he keeps improving at this speed,” I replied, to which he nodded.

I walked ahead, with a sliver of aura coming out of me. Forming the fractal of the falling leaf over and over. It is fast and perfect, but it doesn’t have any essence.

Soon, I reached the underground parking, where the carriage was waiting for me. I stepped inside, and it began to move toward the city hall.

It’s afternoon, and it’s my new office timetable. I would have loved to get there early, but there are things.

While the carriage moved, I practiced the method.

Minutes later, the carriage stopped and I got out of it, before walking into the city hall.

“Peros Pines had resigned,” said Bell as I entered, and my expression turned bad. He was the head of sanitation, and I thought he would stay, but it seemed like he wouldn’t.

“Promote his second in command,” I replied. “He, too, had resigned,” she replied, making me want to slam my hand on the table, but I managed to control myself.

“Then Benson from planning and zoning, the interim head,” I said. There was surprise in her eyes.

“The third in command is good,” she replied, but I shook my head.

“He is, but it had been only a week since we shifted him from housing. He lacks sufficient experience in sanitation. Benson has it,” I stated as I sat down in my chair.

Since so many people are leaving. We are left scrambling to fill the spaces they left behind.

Many of those we chose are making mistakes, while others are doing a good job. No one is surprised by that; these positions are essential, and many people barely have any experience in them.

Still, some of them are learning quickly, while others we had to fire or transfer to a different department.

“It wouldn’t have been much easier if we could stop them from leaving.” She said. Yes, it would be amazing, but we could not.

If it had any enemy other than the undead. We would have done that. With the Undead, it’s not only job security on the line; here, their lives are at stake.

Undead won’t simply kill them, which is an easier pill to swallow, but turn them undead.

The churches had preached it as eternal damnation. So, they are running away, and if we try to stop them, it would make things difficult.

As is happening in other cities.

“Commander Dane, agreed for the seven pm call,” informed Zela a few minutes later. I am in contact with both the Dane and the baronies.

I need reinforcement from them.

The numbers I have are painfully small compared to what I will be facing.

Even if the two in Ashton Harbor didn’t personally lead the horde, they are going to send enough undead to drown all the resistance here.

Their number would be massive enough to swallow us without any resistance.

Four hours passed quickly as I signed off the files and attended the meetings. There are numerous meetings; half of them are about meeting with people who are considering leaving.

‘Lord Silver, Lord Rutto is here for you,’ informed Jill. “Send him in,” I replied.

Click!

Soon, the door opened, and the man walked in.

“Lord Silver,” he greeted. I nodded, and he took a seat in front of me.

“How are things in the empire?” I asked. “Bad,” he replied, shaking his head. I had sent him to the Empire to assess the situation and secretly recruit people.

He failed in the second. It’s no surprise; nobody wants to come here

“It’s not like things are not much better here,” I said with a smile, but the man shook his head.

“Things are much better here; those who are staying seem to have faith in you. There is no such thing in the empire. Both of camps and others are recruiting left and right, while abuses and corruption become rampant,”

“Things are still in some control in the territory of the princess, but in the crown prince’s, it is simply bad,” he replied with a shaking of his head.

The Empire was never a model of good governance, but it wasn’t worse; the emperor at least made sure that.

The current conditions have only exacerbated the flaws in the system.

That’s why, since I took the reins, I’ve come down hard on corruption and clearly defined the powers of officials with restrictions.

Just two days ago, I had arrested three officials of the city hall, despite my need for people.

I can’t let the scourge of corruption set in. Once it did, it’s tough to get rid of it.

“I have a few things for you to do in the city. Till you leave for Namdar in a few days,” I said, and forwarded the file toward him.

I was planning to send him to Fort Renin for the function, but now it wouldn’t be possible.

I need him to attend those things. Something fruitful might come out of it.

He took the file and read through it; it contained a few pages.

“Forgive me for saying it, my lord, but these things are a waste of time; nothing will come out of it. I should stay in a city and help,” he said.

I couldn’t help but smile at that. People are trying to leave the city, while this man is willing to stay.

“Don’t worry about the city, Lord Rutto. Focus on the job, it would be tremendously helpful if you could recruit, even a single noble or their men,” I said to the man.

There is a large gathering of nobles who have lost their territories. I was able to get an invitation to it.

Most of the nobles there are useless to my current circumstances, but there are some that are powerful and have fought the battles.

I know, it will be extremely hard. It is a fool’s hope, yet it remains a hope. I need to try everything, including this, and I will till the undead reach my doorstep.

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