ARCHDEUS

TRIP TO THE CAPITAL CITY (2)

Merry initially looked at the view from behind the train window enthusiastically. But the more the caravan moved into the business center, Merry became sad. On almost every street corner where the city's transaction activity was running, he saw tens or even hundreds of slaves at all ages. The slaves were forced to carry heavy items on their backs and some were locked in cages like sold dogs.

Merry was no longer a slave, but the scratches on his body and memory as a slave were still firmly attached. He slowly lowered his gaze from the window and looked at his father. Merry was held by her father. On the train besides the two of them, there are two more people, namely the mother of his father, Clara, and an old priest named Feodora. One interesting fact that was accidentally heard by Merry, it turns out Feodora was the priest who helped Clara give birth to Alex. At that time Feodora was still a priestess and now she has become a high priestess, even the Head of Presbhenon.

Merry clasped his father's big, smooth hand. Unlike his father's hand, Merry's hand still has some scratches and scars.

"What's Merry?"

Alex asked after seeing his son suddenly moody. But Merry just shook his head.

"Dad, dad's hands are so pretty."

Hearing his little girl's praise, Alex smiled and stroked Merry's hair.

"Did Merry really like you?"

Alex asked Merry in a seductive tone. If this tone of voice is aimed at teenage girls, maybe 7/10 will immediately scream 'kyaa!' the rest froze with red faces. Fortunately, the train was filled only by a little girl who had not even been pubescent and two old women who had been born.

"Great likes! Dad is the most handsome and kind man in the world!"

The two women laughed off hearing the little girl's innocent answer.

"Yes, you have a funny and honest child."

Feodora laughs. The wrinkle on his face became more visible then with a feeling of pleasure he opened his waist bag and took out a candy bar. He gave it to Merry.

Merry did not take it straight away, she looked at her father until he gave a nod.

"Thank you, Grandma."

Feodora laughed and stroked Merry's hair.

"Son Alex, you seem to have got one new fan" Feodora said.

"Faan?"

Alex is confused, he doesn't remember ever being a concert or being a superstar. How did he get fans?

Feodora did not answer Alex's question but her eyes looked at Clara. Feodora recalls a time when she was still the priestess who cared for Clara during and after Alex's birth. Every time he and Clara meet, believe me if it is made into a journal then from the preface to the bibliography will discuss Alex tok.

Clara just smiled shyly. He's trying to shift the subject. He smiled at Alex before asking.

"Mrs Feodora, is it okay to perform the Initiation Ceremony after Alex's Maturity Ceremony?"

The Initiation Ceremony is a sacred ceremony usually performed after the birth of a baby. This event was used to confirm the name of a child and invoke blessing to the gods. In the religion of Hexatheism, there are four ceremonies that will be passed by humans, namely; Initiation Ceremony, Maturity Ceremony, Marriage Ceremony, and Death Ceremony.

"I don't think it's a problem. The sooner the better. After the Initiation Ceremony, religiously and legally, Alex will be legalized as the godfather of Merry."

Only a person who has been declared an adult through the Maturity Ceremony has the right to propose as a godparent/adopted parent of a child. Feodora knew from Clara that Alex had adopted a child. However, this has not yet been made public because Alex has not participated in the Ceremony of Maturity and has not been declared a de jure adult on the part of the temple.

"Thank you High Priestess Feodora" Alex said, saluting.

"Ugh ... Why don't you thank me?"

Clara pursed her mouth and acted spoiled like a girl. Clara loved her son. Even when Alex decided to adopt a child, even though Clara did not actually approve of the action in her heart, she still supported Alex.

For Alex's sake, he recognized Merry as his son's adopted son. He will support both financially. Even he was willing to be called a grandmother by Merry and sometimes invite him to eat together. But familiar activities such as sleeping together, knitting clothes for grandchildren, and playing with grandchildren will definitely not want to do Clara. Merry's blood is the blood of a slave. He's not Alex's flesh and blood, so why should he actually adopt her as a grandchild? But for Alex's sake, only for the sake of his dear Alex, Clara willingly admitted and smiled at Merry. That is the limit of her tolerance as a mother.

"Of course, Mom, thank you for supporting me to this day."

Alex smiled at Clara.

Clara touched.

Can he make a smile like that?!Ever since she had children, she had been smiling a lot. Ahh .. Yesampun, it seems like having an adopted child is not as bad as I thought.

Clara was of course pleased with the expressive change in Alex's face. This super-cold man has now become friendlier even his mother who has always been patient with the face of her paralyzed son (cool) would never have expected this.

It means that the reason I got down here is of no use other than the holidays, Alex thought.

The caravan continued to move until almost the end of the night. They had long since exited the City of Fertihall and were currently stopping to rest in the small town called Fertiparte City which was still located in the County of Fertiphile.

The entire caravan decided to stay at an inn overnight. It is known that the City of Fertiparte is the nearest city of the county capital and once they leave here, they will likely spend the night outside the next day.

Young Master Alex, Madame Clara, and High Priestess Feodora got the best private rooms.

"Merry, do you want to sleep with dad?"

Merry of course immediately nodded like a drilling machine.

"of course! Merry just wants to sleep with Dad!"

"Hmm ... Then we eat first."

Everyone went to the lounge on the first floor. The inn is not a luxury inn and only has two floors. The food is also not as good and lively at home. But it is still worth eating. Usually most of the guests are traders or travelers. For the innkeeper, this was a historic moment for him as the nobles of the Fertiphile House and the priestess of the Presbhenon of Fertilhall would stay over. The innkeeper thought, perhaps he should write on the notice board that the great people of the county had once stayed here.

"Can I meet the owner of this place?"

The man's voice was small clearly he was just conversing with the person nearby. But the innkeeper who was far away from where that person could hear clearly. Maybe it comes from his instinct that this is very important. The owner hurriedly approached the man who was eating.

"My lord, servant here. Does my Master have something to want?"

This male nobleman had pitch-black hair and had pupils as red as blood. His skin looked white and smooth, clearly he had never worked hard. This noble looked at the innkeeper for a moment before he asked with an indifferent expression.

"Is there a bathroom? Me and my son want to take a shower."

Not only the innkeeper, some people especially the priests were shocked.

Why shower? What's the necessity of that?

It was rare for the inn to provide bathing services for its guests. That is because the public views that bathing is taboo if done regularly and is considered to waste water and can cause fever and flu. There is even one of the small sects of Hexatheism temples that consider bathing is evidence of a person's ungratefulness to hydrodeity (Water Goddess) and almost make it as a heresy.

But the Temple of the One rejects the fatwah on the grounds that bathing is in fact a form of waste but cannot be said to be heresy because of a saint named St. Artesis requires bathing once a week to keep his body temperature stable. In addition, there are some sacred ceremonies such as wedding ceremonies that require both brides to bathe in holy water. If the temple forbade bathing, then their income from selling holy water would go down. That is why if it is not an urgent situation, then bathing is categorized as a serious thing.

Of course Clara, Justin, and the few servants who had served Alex were not surprised by the eccentric habits of Fetiphile's Eldest Young Master. But because this is too unique, they forget to provide bathing materials such as gels, shampoos, and tubs. But they still brought some towels and roots for the siwak.

"Pardon us, my lord. This lowly servant's inn had no equipment needed for bathing."

The innkeeper hesitated with his answer and sure enough, Alex's eyes drooped in disappointment.

"!!!"

The innkeeper goosebumps as he has let down the noble. For him, being able to know and establish relationships with important people, especially nobles, is an investment. He was willing to sacrifice a lot of costs as long as he got relationships with great people because for him that relationship could be one of his lifesaving ropes if he got stuck in trouble.

"My lord, the servant will soon seek all the necessities of your majesty. Servant begs my Lord to acknowledge the duty of the servant by asking my Master to wait."

The owner of the room bowed with all regret.

"Hm ...."

Fortunately Alex nodded and allowed it.

"Ah .. true, please prepare also for the man there."

Alex pointed to a silver-haired man who was eating at a different table. The man seemed oblivious to it and focused only on his food.

"... Okay, my lord."

At night, a group of people known to be the attendants and servants of the inn were seen running around like crazy in the city. They look for all the materials and toiletries as if they were the key to their lives.