The Golden Throne

Chapter 71 - The City In All It's Glory

Amelia stared out the window, to see the plains in all their glory. The sky was getting dark, but the sun had not set and was still visible over the hills. It was truly a beautiful scene, and Amelia stared at it for quite a while, while Liu Feng stared at her. Thankfully, she was too engrossed in the sun and the scenery to even bother to look at the person clearly staring at her.

After a while, the sun had completely set, but another light was visible from a distance. It was Dilheim. Liu Feng had lights put up everywhere as part of his plans, so that it could accommodate a very vivid, and appropriate nightlife suitable for the young men and women who were expected to come to the city. The city was huge. Maybe huge was an understatement. It was as if new york had come to being in a medieval times world. That would certainly raise eyebrows and open mouths in shock, and so did this. The city's walls were higher than any else's, mostly because this city could work with cement and concrete, which were much more structurally stable than wood and stone, held together by mud.

As for the buildings, they were obviously taller than the city walls, well the inner city walls. The biggest buildings were all in the inside of the city, and it seemed that Liu Feng had done this for security. 

All the students looked outside and gaped at Dilheim's appearance. They certainly did not expect to see a city of this scale. The train slowed down as it entered the city. A voice could be heard in all compartments.

"Hello passengers. Welcome to Dilheim. On the right, you will see the marketplace, and all the shops and commercial buildings. On the left, you will see the residences. As of now, purchases of a residence is restricted to citizens of Dilheim. You will be able to stay at our extravagant hotels that you will see as we turn around."

Because of cement, and eventually concrete, Dilheim could have buildings that were incredibly huge, and were just not possible to build elsewhere. It seemed like a paradise. When the hotels came around, all the students gawked. They were huge, and every window was lit up. Liu Feng smiled, because he knew that this time Dilheim would earn a lot of money from the students.

"Ohh, I must really thank the principal, for giving us this glorious vacation. I should ask them to give the students a lot of smaller vacations and less bigger ones, so that they come here instead of home.", he thought to himself.

They stopped at the central railway station. Everyone got off, and Amelia asked Liu Feng,

"Where to now?"

"Well, we will just put your bags at my place and then go to the market. As for tomorrow and the remainder of the week, put that aside. Enjoy one day at a time. There are a lot of things that you can do in Dilheim that you probably can't do elsewhere. You should always ask an expert to guide you.", Liu Feng said, pointing his thumbs at himself.

"Your place? That is no appropriate at all! Why can't I just stay at a hotel?"

"How would that look? My date staying at a shoddy hotel when I own the whole city?", Liu Feng smiled and said haughtily.

Amelia nodded, and said, "I will murder you if you try anything even remotely funny, inappropriate with me. My shadow guards are more powerful than you."   

"Ah, yes sure. That's why I can sense one right behind me the whole trip. It must have been harsh to sit on top of the train, when there were so many seats left on the second trip. You should have come then. I am feeling really good today, so I will not charge the poor man for his troubles."

Again, a man clad in black appeared next to Amelia, just like last time. He looked at Liu Feng. "How is it that you keep finding me. We take pride in our secretiveness and covert abilities, yet we were found out by a teenage kid twice in a row. Is it that you have an artifact that can find people around you?", the man asked.

"We don't reveal trade secrets to just anyone. For your stay, please talk to your princess and tell her where to go."

"Her Highness, the prince is right. It is better if we go to the Baron's residence, where the security is better. We cannot take the risk of you getting hurt. You are on foreign land, and the throne has many enemies, within, and outside Elvan."

"I said I'll come, so I'll come. Geez, everyone seems hell bent on telling me what to do today.", she sighed, following Liu Feng who started walking.

They started walking towards the Baron's residence. However, being famous had its own implications. All the people on the streets recognized Liu Feng.

"Everyone! The young lord has returned. Didn't they say he would come next year? Well, whatever."

A crowd started forming around Liu Feng. He waved his hand,

"Please forgive me citizens, but I am very tired from a long journey. I will converse with you all in the coming week, so please excuse me."

All the people gave way to the two, and they arrived at a huge mansion that looked eerily similar to the white house. Liu Feng laughed, "They really did it! Now I can reside in the white house. Ah! Everyone home would be so jealous"

"White house? What's that?", Amelia asked Liu Feng, curious about the peculiar name. The manors in Dicain were generally named after mythical beasts, and famous people, or the surname. But nowhere had she seen a manor named after a color. It was one more very different thing about Dilheim that she did not even remotely understand.

"Nothing. It's just a very big house in children's book that I read when I was a kid. I've always wanted to be the master of that house, and you know, rule the world from there. Please, come in.", he said laughing.

"Rule the world? Should I take that as a joke, or should I tell my father that the future king of Aegon wants to conquer all the countries that he can, and 'rule the world'?", Amelia asked concerned. She had taken a few steps back.

Liu Feng looked back and smiled. "Oh, please. You can't possibly hold me true for every word that I have spoken in a jiffy, can you. A children's play book! I got this from that. Why do you elves take things so seriously? Even when I am joking. If this is how you are going to be, then the vacation won't be any fun.". Liu Feng looked wronged, and Amelia looked at him with an unexplainable expression. Then, looking at him again, with another face, she finally cracked up. 

Liu Feng jumped up and pointed at her and said, "See! I just made her smile!"

Disregarding all the commotion, Amelia raised her hand and reminded Liu Feng, "I have to put all my luggage somewhere. I don't want to just stand here. What a horrible host."

"Taking a swing at me, are you? Well then. the princess of Elvan, I invite you to the White House, my personal adobe.", Liu Feng said, in a grandeur possible only to the greatest showmen. He knocked on the huge doors twice, and they swing open, to reveal plain white. Yes, everything was white, except for the long red carpet that was laid for the entrance.

When they entered, all the maids and butlers were in line, and Sir Nicholas was standing at the very end to receive them.

"Your Highness, the prince. Welcome back. Your quarters have been prepared. Your Highness the princess of Elvan. We have been informed of your arrival and have arranged for your quarters. Pity that the information had come terribly late, so we were forced to come up with something very shabby, so please don't take any offense. At the very least, it will be better than those ordinary hotel rooms. I hope that you had not considered them, when the prince had so graciously invited Her Highness to his home. Please let us take your luggage, as the prince has plans for you."

Amelia clenched her teeth. Apparently, she was quite tired of everyone telling her what to do. But, she was born and raised a princess, and was easily able to control her power. She did exactly that, and complied with Sir Nicholas' request.

Amelia gave her luggage to a butler and went outside. Liu Feng stopped her and said,

"You want to go outside? Already? SO curious are you? I thought you said that Dilheim would have nothing to amuse you. But, I must warn you, it is better if no one recognizes us. Here, wear a mask. It is quite common for people who want to remain anonymous."

"Us? You are coming with me? Why? I thought that you had plans?"

"Plans for you! And, you can't possibly want to tour the world's most exotic city without a guide, do you? You won't understand a thing! Here, take these masks."

Amelia nodded and took the rabbit mask, while Liu Feng donned a lion's mask. Quite ironic how the masks turned out. Amelia took one look at Liu Feng's mask and said, "I want to exchange masks with you."

"Nope. So picky though. It will be hard for you to survive in this world if you are so picky."

Amelia sighed and raised her hands in surrender. They set out down the street.