Estefan wore a formal suit of aristocracy, adorned with ceremonial symbols and the crest of Angeras which was a lion with two swords on its side emblazoned on his right chest.
He looked at himself in the mirror, took a deep breath to settle his thoughts, and then began walking toward the stadium's entrance.
All the civilians had already left, and the streets nearby were mostly clear. "Traffic." he muttered in a jesting manner while glancing at the well-paved roads designed for mana-powered carriages, another luxury unique to this duchy because unlike other regions of the Kingdom, people of Luso could simply afford things others outside may find luxurious.
The Duke had invested most of his resources in the capital city, making it possible for even commoners to afford carriages that required no horses. Estefan gave a half-smirk. "He's still a bastard." He reminded himself, unwilling to forget how poorly his father had treated him and his mother as for him, his father is someone who deserves death by his hand.
As he approached his carriage, a group of officials awaited him.
"Sir, this carriage will take you to Rammstein
" One of them said, holding the door open.
"The palace is being prepared for your arrival. Servants have already been assigned to serve your needs." Added another.
"The city guard has been informed and will provide security." A third chimed in.
Estefan nodded, but his gaze shifted to a group of mounted Angeras Knights in the distance. "What are they doing here?" He asked the group of officials.
"They are here to escort you to Rammstein." One of them explained.
Estefan frowned. "Why? Why do I need an escort when they won't even stay in the city? The Duke deemed them unnecessary in Rammstein, and as the ruler of that city, I say I don't need them either."
"But, sir, it's protocol." One of them said to be met with a sudden approach of Estefan who got near to them.
"Fuck the protocols." He said with a grin while stepping into the carriage.
The officials exchanged glances but obeyed his command, sending the knights away.
"Sir, I will be your coachman for this journey," said a voice from the front. "It will take six hours, so feel free to rest."
Estefan leaned back into the plush seating.
"Take your time." He replied casually.
The coachman raised his hands, and a glowing spell circle formed before him. He placed his palms on it like gripping a steering wheel. With a touch, the mana engines beneath the carriage hummed to life, and they began their journey.
The traffic was harsh but the Noble family was given a separate lane at the very center of the road to drive because of the urgency in their travels and mainly to not get stuck in traffic as even if the road was massive, there were still major traffic blocks.
Inside the carriage, Estefan opened an envelope containing intel on Rammstein. He began to flip through the papers, checking all the information regarding the City.
It was a massive city with a population nearing two million. However, many unregistered individuals had flocked there over the past two decades. Since Duke Gerin's rise to power, the city had gone from prosperous to lawless since he neglected the majority of the places in the Duchy for Luso.
Three powerful crime families controlled Rammstein, manipulating the system through bribery and blackmail. The Duke, at first, ignored them, considering them minor pests. But while he looked away, they grew.
Eventually, when tax revenues from the city began to falter as the Duchy didn't need to pay the Kingdom any tax due to their Autonomy unlike other regions but this made the Duke send auditors to investigate but none returned.
Soon their body parts were discovered scattered across the city. The chief auditor was found buried alive, his eyes gouged out, tongue and lips removed, fingernails ripped off, and individual hairs plucked from his scalp. Hot, melted gold had been used to write gibberish into his flesh.
In a fury, the Duke sent his knights to purge the city of all the criminals residing in it. But corrupt city guards tipped off the criminals, turning the campaign into a fruitless game of cat and mouse.
Thousands died during the crackdown. Corpses littered the streets. The stench was unbearable. Eventually, political pressure from the kingdom's aristocratic parliament forced the Duke to call for a ceasefire as he didn't want to be called a Genocidal Maniac over this fiasco.
Even then, the knights quietly continued their mission, hunting down key figures in the name of the Duke.
Brutal skirmishes happening across the City but kept under the table to ensure none outside would know, this resulted in widespread fear rather than hope for the people who wished to be rescued from the criminals.
Six hours later,
"Sir, we've arrived." The coachman announced as the carriage slowed to make sure Estefan got to see everything of his City before he reached his new home.
Estefan looked out the window. "Looks run down." He muttered. "Expected, especially considering it's my father who is supposed to rule over this place."
The streets were filthy, the city gate unguarded. The outskirts reeked of rot and were lined with slums. As the carriage moved further in, traffic lessened. "They must be avoiding the main roads due to the knights." Estefan speculated after seeing the roadway.
Finally, they reached the central palace of Rammstein which will be his official residence and office as the Baron of Rammstein.
Estefan stepped out and was greeted by an Angeras knight. "Welcome to Rammstein, My Lord Baron." The knight said with a salute.
Estefan chuckled because he didn't expect to hear that, especially from one of his father's lap dogs. "Seems like you'll be leaving now." He asked.
"Unfortunately, yes, my lord." The knight replied. "But be careful. The savages here have eyes everywhere. I hope you succeed in purging them."
"Were you born here?" Estefan asked. The knight nodded.
"Don't worry. I'll clean this place up. And oh.. make sure the coachman gets out safely. I don't want him caught in the mess." He commanded.
"As you wish, my lord." Said the Knight. "The curfew ends tonight. After that, they're free to roam." He meant the criminals.
"Let them." Estefan said, walking forward. "I'll handle it." His confidence struck the knight with hope and pity.
Estefan watched them depart, then turned to face the massive iron gates with the crest of Angeras at the center. They creaked open to reveal the Rammstein Palace, still grand, still untouched and now belonged to him.
[To be Continued]