My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 4- Gifts from the Emperor

I went to find him, where I knew he would be, the "working quarters". Since I had never been there, I had to employ the help of some young maids along the way. They, happy to help, steered me onto the right path.

I headed to the northeast side of the estate, being careful to not get lost in the insufferable amount of corridors and doors. The Rosalinda palace, contrary to the Mountnero primary residence, had a less straightforward layout. And the more I walked, the more I realized the house hadn't belonged originally to the family. The decor, the arrangement of rooms and the feeling of it differed from what I had gotten used to. There was something amiss. Something that made Jenni's mood sour.

Finally, after some time, I reached the door I had been told about. An old and heavy carved door which led to the corridor that separated the wings. With effort I opened it, only to find a gigantic ass hall. Rich people sure love useless space...

My eyes tried to distinguish something in the room, but contrary to the rest of the manor, it had little light. Not because it lacked windows, more because they faced the mountains, which blocked the sun. Adjusting my eyes, I could notice a figure by the end of the corridor.

I walked on the red carpet, and though I made little noise, I was sure I had done some when opening the door. Yet the figure didn't move. And for a time, it stayed just a blurred point until the outline of a brown cape became clear. Then I knew who it was.

I fixed my vision on Emmanuel as I approached him. From my right side, I could hear the leaves moving in the wind. A wind that seemed to have a life of its own. According to locals, a special thing about this city.

When my vision of Emmanuel cleared enough, I saw he was deep in concentration, looking at the wall beside us. His chin was up and his hands clasped behind his back. Curious, I tilted my head to the wall to see what was so interesting.

And then I gasped for air.

To my surprise, from top to bottom, there were several old muskets and pistols hanging. Some simple, made of wood and metal, others a work of a master, using the finest metals and jewels. They were pretty and ostentations, and I hoped used only for decor. In my surprised spur, I reached closer, noticing a leather satchel near each weapon.

These are a finding... I would never have guessed firearms existed in this world... In the book, it was never mentioned, so I assumed... I was wrong, then.

About to quench my curiosity through my already raised hand, a small cough from behind stopped me. I faced Emmanuel, who carried a sheepish smile on his lips. A smile that screamed, "I found someone with the same interest as me".

In a way, he was right.

"Beautiful, don't you think?" asked Emmanuel, walking in small steps to the wall. "They work with gunpowder, a rare material only found in the Beast Land." his voice roared in excitement, while he opened one satchel, taking out a round bullet.

He extended his hand, showing me the object. I looked at it for a long moment, until I took it, feeling its smooth surface in my hands.

"Some say the weapons came from a lost continent. Why they appeared on our land, no one knows. Now they are nothing more than rare and pretty decor." his voice became distant and his fingers wandered on the barrel of a musket. A beautiful piece, made of black steel and with its stock carved in delicate details. Sapphires and emeralds filling empty spots. "Hard to be more on the land of the blessed... or even on the land of magic..."

I, too, touched a musket, this one simpler and closer to me. Made of hardwood and metal, it was cold on the touch and without a speck of dust in it.