The day was bright and sunny, a rare treat in Sylvania. Trixie was taking advantage of the sunlight, reading in her second-floor study when the doorbell rang.
"Who could it be at this hour? How unusual," Trixie murmured, setting down the half-read magic book. She instructed a servant to answer the door. These servants, recruited from the human population of Sylvania, promptly obeyed, not keeping Valred waiting long.
After Valred explained his purpose, the servant hurried back to the study to inform Trixie.
"So, it's him," Trixie said, closing her book and stretching. She walked to the door, seeing Valred still waiting outside, and couldn't help but chuckle.
"What are you waiting for? Come in. From now on, you don't need to knock; just come straight in," Trixie said to Valred, then turned to the servants. "This is Valred von Carstein, the eldest son of the late Count Carstein. Remember that."
"Yes, Lady Trixie," the servants replied in unison.
Valred was then led by Trixie to the parlor. Thanks to the diligent cleaning by the servants, Trixie's villa was immaculate. Valred's hope of finding some weakness of Trixie's through a surprise inspection and using it as leverage was dashed, leaving him slightly disappointed.
Sitting in the parlor, they were soon served tea and pastries. After a brief chat, Valred explained his reason for visiting.
"I see," Trixie nodded thoughtfully. "Four years have passed in the blink of an eye… You're eight now. Time flies." At 136 years old, Trixie was still considered "young," so she didn't dwell on the passage of time.
"Well, we'll still see each other at the academy. Thank you for coming all this way," Trixie said, acknowledging Valred's decision to attend the academy.
"No, I wanted to come. After all, you've taught me so much over these four years," Valred replied.
After nearly two years of cultural education, Valred's speech and behavior had become more refined. Such polite words would have been beyond him two years ago.
"That's thanks to your own efforts," Trixie said. "And I've learned a lot while teaching you." She smiled, seemingly recalling some amusing events from the past few years, her expression tinged with nostalgia.
They continued chatting, with Trixie doing most of the talking, given her century of experiences. After she finished recounting a battle with bandits in the Border Princes, Valred interjected.
"Well, I've informed you of my plans, and it's getting late. I should take my leave," Valred said, standing up to go.
"Wait, it's already this late. Stay for lunch," Trixie offered, standing as well.
"Then I'll trouble you a bit longer," Valred said, turning around with a slightly conspiratorial smile. In truth, he had timed his visit to Trixie's home, knowing that after a chat, it would likely be lunchtime. Though he doubted Trixie would cook herself, a free meal was still a win.
Valred and Trixie went to the dining room reserved for guests. Maya, who had accompanied Valred, was led by the servants to where they ate. Before leaving, Maya glanced back at her master, noticing how happily he was chatting with Trixie. It struck her as odd—she had never seen her master look so cheerful in conversation with anyone else.
"It seems the young master really likes this teacher. He's never been this happy even with the ** or Lady Winsor," Maya thought, feeling a slight discomfort, though it passed quickly, unnoticed by anyone, including herself.
After lunch, Trixie wanted to invite Valred for afternoon tea, but Valred felt that spending the entire day doing the same old things would be dull. After all, he often had tea with Trixie. It was a rare outing, and he wanted to do something different.
"Is that so? Then be careful on your way home. I'll see you out," Trixie said, a bit regretful. She stood, took Valred's hand, and walked him to the door. She watched him board the carriage, waved goodbye, and then returned to her study to continue reading.
After leaving the academy, the ghostly coachman silently inquired where Valred wished to go. After a moment's thought, Valred decided to visit the city. The coachman flicked the reins, and the ghostly carriage moved swiftly and silently. Valred took the opportunity to nap.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the noise outside the carriage grew louder. Valred opened his eyes and pulled back the curtain to see many humans bustling about. They had entered the city, now traveling along a busy commercial street.
This was the only city in Carstein County, located about twenty kilometers from Drakenhof Castle and also named Drakenhof. It served as the economic center of the county, where the hundreds of thousands of residents came to buy and sell goods. On weekends, temporary markets sprang up, as they had today. Many people from the county pushed wheelbarrows or drove carts into the city to make small trades, supplementing their income. The city was lively.
The rare good weather seemed to lift the spirits of the city's inhabitants. These people, who had lived under the rule of Sylvania's vampires for generations, were accustomed to the country's ways. For them, it didn't matter who ruled; filling their stomachs was what mattered. Thus, they paid no mind to Valred's carriage, which exuded an undead aura, and went about their business as usual.
Valred glanced at the shops lining the street. The busiest were those selling food and daily necessities. Bakeries and vegetable vendors were thriving, while salt merchants strutted about with an air of superiority. Shops selling household goods—cloth, cotton, spices, firewood, and alcohol—were also doing well.
Luxury shops, however, fared poorly. Wealthy vampires rarely visited, and in Sylvania, wealthy humans were even rarer. The spice shops, high-end clothiers, and stores selling fine pastries and premium alcohol that Valred passed were nearly deserted.
"The economy is barely holding up, but there's room for improvement," Valred concluded after a while, then let the curtain fall.
He had once heard Trixie describe Marienburg, one of the most prosperous trading cities in the Old World. Goods from as far north as Norsca to as far south as Araby, and even the distant elven kingdom of Ulthuan, converged there. The city boasted its own powerful army and fleet. Though nominally part of the Empire of Sigmar, it enjoyed near-complete autonomy. For merchants and the wealthy, it was like paradise.
"When will this city become as prosperous as Marienburg?" Valred mused, then laughed at himself. Sylvania was resource-poor, not a major trade hub, and even faced trade blockades from the Empire of Sigmar and the Dwarf Kingdoms. How could such a country ever have a thriving trade city? He was being too fanciful.
Moreover, while Marienburg was exceptionally prosperous, that prosperity belonged to its wealthy merchants and ** nobles. It was of little use to its homeland, the Empire of Sigmar, and even hindered the development of the Empire's coastal cities. That kind of prosperity, which benefited no one, was not what Valred desired.