Chapter 4
I decided to roam around the palace before venturing outside. Familiarizing myself with every corner might help my investigation, and it would also give me a chance to learn more about the staff and servants. My first stop was the kitchen.
“Hello there!” I greeted a woman busy chopping tomatoes. She wore a blue skirt, a hairnet, and an apron—the standard uniform for kitchen staff.
“Hi, dear,” she replied with a warm smile. “You must be new here.”
“Ah, yeah,” I said, returning her smile.
“Where are you assigned?” she asked, clearly assuming I was one of the servants. Given my simple attire, it was an easy mistake to make.
“In the East Wing,” I answered. Technically, it wasn’t a lie. I was staying in the East Wing.
“Oh, you must be serving VIPs!” she concluded. “I’m Geneva, by the way.”
“I’m Aroa,” I replied. “What are you cooking?”
“This is for the guards,” she said, gesturing to the tomatoes.
“Even the Royal Kitchen cooks for them?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes, not just for the guards, but for every staff member in the palace,” she explained.
“Even for slaves?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. In my old pack, I’d had to cook my own meals.
“Slaves?” Geneva frowned. “There are no slaves here.”
“None at all?” I asked, bewildered. “What about the servants? The maids?”
“Oh, they’re not slaves. They receive regular salaries,” she said. “They can quit anytime, but they have to find a replacement first.”
“Does that mean there are no slaves in the Vampire Kingdom?” I pressed.
Geneva gave me a curious look. “The way you’re talking, you must not be from here.”
“Yeah,” I admitted. “I was brought here after being saved from trolls.”
“I see,” she said, her expression softening. “Slavery is prohibited in the kingdom. After the king, there are nobles, and then the common people. Everyone has rights here.”
“Oh,” I said, my heart swelling with an unexpected sense of pride. I’d always dreamed of a world where no one was enslaved because of their status. To see it actually implemented here, under Chaos’s rule, was both surprising and inspiring. He wasn’t just a powerful king—he was a compassionate one.
“Would you like to try some dessert?” Geneva offered, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“I’d love to! Thank you!” I said enthusiastically.
“I’ll get it for you,” she said, disappearing into the pantry.
After enjoying the dessert, I continued my tour of the palace. My next stop was a building that seemed to attract a lot of visitors—the Art Building. It was a three-story structure, detached from the main palace, as if it had been deliberately set apart. Was it open to the public?
“Is this open to everyone?” I asked one of the guards stationed outside.
“Yes,” he replied. “Anyone who wants to appreciate art or pursue their artistic talents is welcome inside.”
“Great!” I said, stepping inside.
The building was filled with stunning paintings, each one more captivating than the last. I recognized some works in the styles of expressionism and impressionism, styles I’d only ever seen in books. Seeing them in person was breathtaking.
Art had been a passion of mine since I first learned about it. It was fascinating to see how mortals and demons had worked together to revive the art industry after it had nearly died out. Thanks to their efforts, painters were once again being given the chance to showcase their talents across all realms.
But one painting caught my attention—a strange, unsettling piece. The subject was unmistakably Chaos. That in itself wasn’t unusual; many paintings depicted the king. But this one was different. It showed Chaos lying in bed, bleeding, with a sword protruding from his chest.
I frowned. Why would Chaos allow such a painting to be displayed publicly? And the technique was amateurish—the strokes were messy, the colors uneven. It was clear the painter hadn’t yet mastered their craft.
I glanced at the tag. There was no artist’s name, but the year painted was listed as 20005—twenty-three suns ago. My confusion deepened. This form of art had been dead until ten suns ago…
How could this painting exist from twenty-three years ago?
Comments
Post a Comment