Chapter 17: Experiencing the Capital
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Far beyond the clouds— A colossal pillar of water rose from the endless ocean below like the spine of the world itself.
It surged upward with gentle force, piercing through the sea of clouds before connecting to the underside of an enormous floating continent suspended high above the world and from a distance, it almost looked as though the entire continent was being supported by the endless column of water.
Leon stood frozen at the observation deck.
The sight before him shattered every expectation he had ever held.
Clouds spiraled endlessly around the massive water pillar while waterfalls poured from the edges of the floating continent like rivers descending from heaven itself.
An entire continent floated above the sky.And somehow— The scene felt strangely familiar.
"…Asgard…" Leon whispered unconsciously.
"What?" Balcus asked from beside him.
Leon shook his head slightly. "…Nothing. It's just… wow."
The floating continent itself was so massive that Leon's mind struggled to properly comprehend its scale forests, rivers, roads and entire mountain ranges.
All of it existed above the clouds.
At the center of the continent rested a gigantic lake formed by the pillar of water itself, and surrounding that lake stood the Capital City—the beating heart of the Holfort Kingdom. Beyond it, in each cardinal direction, four more enormous cities stretched across the continent.
White stone buildings gleamed beneath the sunlight while enormous bridges connected district after district across the waters.
Airships drifted through the skies like birds.
Even from this far away, Leon could see canals and waterfalls flowing throughout the cities, weaving together nature and civilization into something almost unreal.
And at the very center— A colossal castle overlooked the entire continent from the middle of the lake, unmatched by anything else upon the floating landmass.
Beside him, Balcus suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Quite the sight, isn't it?"
Leon barely heard him. His eyes remained locked onto the floating capital, completely hypnotized by the view.
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Eastern City — Port.
Omni POV
The airship slowly descended toward one of the massive docking platforms built along the eastern edge of the floating continent.
As the vessel entered the lower airspace, the sheer scale of the Capital became even more overwhelming.
Towering buildings stretched high into the sky.
Massive bridges connected entire districts together.
Waterways flowed through nearly every part of the city while countless smaller airships traveled overhead without pause.
Compared to the quiet islands Leon had grown up on, the eastern city was levels ahead, it was the commercial heart of the kingdom.
Merchants shouted over one another while trying to attract customers. People constantly flowed in and out of shops. While workers hauled cargo through the streets while transport boats drifted through the canals below.
The entire place was chaotic.
But somehow—
It possessed its own kind of beauty.
And above it all, the gigantic central city remained visible in the distance like a kingdom silently watching over the continent beneath it.
The moment the airship fully docked, workers immediately began unloading supplies and luggage.
Balcus let out a tired sigh.
"…Right then," he muttered. "We need to move quickly. Finding lodging's going to become a nightmare soon."
Leon glanced toward him. "Why?"
"There are only a handful of temples in the kingdom capable of performing Grace bestowal ceremonies," Balcus explained. "Which means people from all across the country come here around this time."
"…Ah." That explained a lot.
Leon then noticed something strange.
While he and Balcus prepared to leave the ship, the workers who had accompanied them remained behind.
"…Why aren't they coming with us?" Leon asked.
Balcus scratched his cheek awkwardly before sighing. "…Because I can't afford lodging for everyone."
Leon fell silent. Traveling to the Capital was already expensive but actually staying there was even worse.
The Bartfort household simply didn't have enough money to comfortably support a large group, especially when most of the family income disappeared into funding Zola's absurdly extravagant lifestyle.
In the end, only Leon and Balcus left the ship as they headed toward the western district in search of an inn.
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Western District
Late Morning.
Omni POV
Compared to the restless business atmosphere of the eastern district, the western district felt far more grounded.
This was where most ordinary citizens lived. The streets were lively and crowded. Small market stalls lined the roads while children ran laughing beside the canals. Transport boats drifted calmly through the waterways between districts. Two and three-story apartment buildings stood beside restaurants, bathhouses, bakeries, and inns.
And despite being considered the "commoner district," it still looked wealthier than most places back on Leon's Family's island.
Water flowed everywhere throughout the city.
Small waterfalls poured from elevated canals into lower waterways while trees and flowers decorated nearly every street, even the air itself felt fresher.
Eventually, Balcus stopped in front of a modest but respectable inn built beside one of the canals.
"Well…" he said proudly. "This place should do."
Leon looked at the building before nodding slowly."…It's actually not bad."
"That's because you haven't seen the central city yet," Balcus replied smugly.
The inn itself was built from white stone and dark wood, with green vines climbing along the walls.
Compared to the luxurious hotels Balcus described, it was simple, but it had its own charm.
And honestly— Leon liked it.
After settling their belongings inside, Balcus immediately collapsed face-first onto the bed with a groan. "I am not moving for the rest of the day."
Leon blinked. "…Wait, you're tired? Weren't you resting on the ship?"
"Rest?" Balcus lifted his head slightly. "I've been working nonstop since the moment we boarded that thing."
Then he let out another groan. "And I'm old."
"You're forty-three."
"Exactly." Balcus closed his eyes dramatically. "Ancient."
Leon stared at him silently for several seconds before simply turning around and leaving the room.
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Western District Streets
Later that
Omni POV
Leon walked slowly through the crowded streets while Luxion floated invisibly beside him.
"This place really isn't bad," Leon admitted.
"With the way you were reacting earlier, 'not bad' feels like a severe understatement," Luxion replied.
"…Okay fine," Leon admitted. "I'm having a great time."
He looked around at the endless life surrounding him.
Street performers entertained passing crowds. Music drifted through the air from nearby restaurants. Merchant stalls lined nearly every road.
"This city almost feels alive," he admitted quietly.
Luxion remained silent briefly before speaking. "…And yet it still possesses its own darkness."
Leon noticed Luxion staring toward a nearby alleyway.
His lenses immediately zoomed in. And there— Two boys who looked around fourteen or fifteen years old had cornered a young girl against the wall.
"Sigh…" Leon immediately began walking toward them.
"Are you truly planning to involve yourself, sir?" Luxion asked.
Leon shoved his hands into his pockets casually. "How am I supposed to ignore that after seeing it?"
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"Please, I already told you—I don't have any money!" the girl cried desperately as one of the boys shoved her against the wall.
"She's obviously lying," the first boy scoffed. "Look at those clothes."
"Yeah," the second added. "We've seen you spending money all week."
"We're just asking you to share a little."
Then— "Wow," Leon said loudly while walking into the alley. "Does bullying a girl make you guys feel strong or something?"
The two boys immediately turned toward him. "Leave us alone kid, we're doing business."
Leon shrugged casually, hands still in his pockets. "…Nah. I don't think I will."
One of the boys immediately pulled out a knife. "I'm pretty sure you are."
Leon slowly took a fighting stance.
"…Why don't you try picking on someone your own size?" Which was honestly hilarious considering Leon was shorter than both of them
.
The knife-wielding boy rushed forward immediately.
Leon tilted his head slightly, letting the knife pass inches from his face and b efore the boy could recover, Leon stepped forward and,
A sharp punch to the stomach.
A strike to the jaw.
And another to the temple.
Then one final upper cut sent the boy flying a bit before collapsing unconscious onto the ground.
"…Huh?" the second boy froze completely.
Leon turned toward him calmly. "You want some too?"
The boy immediately panicked. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" And then he ran.
Leon watched him disappear before letting out a small sigh.
Then he turned toward the girl and offered her a hand. "Hey," he said casually. "You okay?"
The girl stared at him for a moment before slowly taking his hand.
A faint blush appeared across her face. "…Thank you for helping me," she said softly. "And yes… I'm okay."
Leon helped pull her back onto her feet.
"I'm Leon"
She smiled gently. "Thank you Mr Leon, I'm Olivia."
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[Chapter Image]
I am writing my A Levels this year so I'm already stumped and if you add the time I use writing I think I'm entitled to POWER STONES sooooooo give them to me
P.S
Let it be known that the Story is undergoing a Rewrite, hence if you read the unedited chapters its on you, they are no longer part of the story.