The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Sixty-Four

I stare at the town's light as we approach. We enter on the main road as we ride downhill.
I quickly notice the rain flooding the streets, the water flooding up to the sidewalks.
"Oh shit! What the hell is that!" Cethin shouts.
Cethin covers his nose gagging. The heavy grotesque smell rises.
I slightly gag, covering my nose.
"It's why we're here, come on. Hiya!" I snap the reins as we gallop through the streets.

We approach the main street of the middle district where most middle class nobles shop and live.
The cafe's filled with people trying to stay out of the rain.
We pull over, tying the horses to a railing. A few middle class nobles walk on the sidewalks, umbrellas over their heads but a handkerchief covering their noses.
"Go to that store and ask about previous floods regarding the streets, their houses, and shops. Meet back here later." I tell Cethin.
He nods, quickly running across the flooding street.
I approach a busy cafe, the coffee scent overpowering the stench outside. I step in and an even stronger coffee scent tickles my nose, covering the smell from the sewers fully.
The middle class nobles quickly look towards me, staring in awe at the duke's crest.
I clear my throat, approaching a shop worker, still wearing my headgear.
"You there." I call out.
"Yes? May I get you a table?" The worker smiles.
"No, I have some questions for the owner. It's an order from the duke." I show the crest to the man.
He nods, escorting me to the back.
I sit at a table in a private lounge, the shop keeper entering with coffee.
"Please, help yourself." He kindly smiles, setting the cups down, "Now what's a knight of the duke's, doing here?"
"I'm here to ask about the smell." I reply.
"Oh, I see, is the scent too strong?"
"Well, yes. Isn't that why everyone hides in here?"
"Oh you mean outside. Yes, when it rains heavily like today it does cause a pungent smell."
"What scent were you speaking about?" I cock my head.
"The coffee of course! My family trades and sells fine coffee beans, but this empire has a popularity for tea. Tea is very mild but the scent of coffee is much more potent, so it's a bit peculiar. Although on rainy days, coffee drowns out the smell from outside."
"I see... Does it often smell bad outside?"
"On normal days, no. Only when it storms outside it does. We also have occasional floods too, it's quite troublesome. Some nobles send people to fix it, but it never lasts."
"Have you never filed a report to the palace?"
"Of course! But we would need a higher noble such as the marquess or duke to accept the proposal. We've submitted for meetings with them, but they're too busy to meet us for the next few weeks."
"I see... Where's the hospital?"
"Closest one is just a few streets away. First left, third right, go straight until you see the dragon egg statue, and take a right again. The hospital will be right there."
"Thank you." I stand, ready to leave.
"Oh, you're going already?"
"I have business to finish. Thank you for your assistance, it's been helpful."
I place a few gold coins on the table, leaving the back lounge quickly.

I walk outside, running to the horses. I take the reins off the railing, jumping onto the horse.
"Let's go." I exclaim to the horse.
I snap the reins and she takes off.
I ride down the streets, approaching the hospital.
A silver dragon egg statue glistens in the rain, momentarily enchanting me with it's beauty. I continue past the statue, approaching the hospital.
I jump off Adonia, tying the reins to a post before running inside, my boots splashing in the mucky water.

"Hello." I call out to the nurse at the desk.
"Hello! Are you here for a check up?" The nurse stands and smiles.
"No, I need to speak with the doctor that's been here the longest."
"Dr. Fallon? He might be doing his rounds right now."
"Get him here soon. Tell him it's the duke's order."
The nurse looks confused for a moment before she nods, running to quickly look for the doctor.
I look around the quiet waiting room.

"What the hell?"
I jump as a voice shouts.
I turn to see the nurse return with a doctor.
"I've already finished giving the duke all the files, so why are you disrupting my schedule?"
"Files? Excuse me, this is regarding patients admitted to this hospital from the previous years of monsoon season."
"Yes, I already gave the duke all the past files."
I cock my head confused.

"Ah, hello. Come, join me."
A voice calls out from behind Doctor Fallon.
I look to see Duke Oslo waving.
"Duke Oslo?" I call out.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, removing the headgear.
My hair slips out of the headgear, slightly damp from the rain.
We stand in a quiet empty office, surrounded with files on the tables.
"I'd like to ask the same from you." Duke Oslo picks up a folder, skimming through it.
"I didn't think you'd show up here!" I exclaim.
"It was quite humorous to see that letter. You wanted to borrow my authority, but it would make no sense if the man in question wasn't here."
"Your grace, you send knights to do work for you all the time that don't need you directly present. Why is it that you're here?"
"Someone rummaged my office, stole my knights uniforms, and sent a letter to use my name without permission. How else was I supposed to react?"
"I-I apologize, I've just been concerned and wanted to investigate."
"Investigate?"
"Yes. I saw how bad the rain was coming down, which made me curious about the sewage systems in the empire. Surely the empire would be perfect, until I read that the systems the empire uses is old and outdated."
"Outdated?"
"Yes! The empire rapidly grew the past few years which means more people live here. The sewage systems weren't designed for a largely populated empire, it was meant for a kingdom with roughly one-hundred thousand to five-hundred thousand citizens. I thought about flooding and began to worry about the health of the citizens." I dry off, wiping my hands with a towel.
"What worried you so much?"
"The sewage, keep up your grace." I playfully scoff, "With the wrong sewage systems it can flood, potentially infecting the pipes for drinking water, and can cause a disease to spread. I need to find out if my theory is correct."
I quickly grab folders, reading through them.
"You did all of this, just because of a theory?" Duke Oslo scoffs, amused.
"Well yes. A theory is just a theory if not proven. If I'm right though, it will save the empire." I shrug, grinning.