Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 34: The City of Povari - Part 2

Just moments after leaving the twins' side, anxiety wells up in Marlina. Now cautious as she approaches the gate, she is halted by the officers.

"State your purpose." One of them declares.

"I wish to visit the Sullivan mansion to apply for a servant position," Marlina replies, gathering her composure to mask her nervousness.

"Another one, huh?" The officer leans closer to the other, not bothering to conceal his mouth as he whispers to his companion, confident she won't hear. "We've definitely had a lot of comings and goings lately since the new Head took charge."

The other guard shrugs. "She'll likely end up in a brothel once she's thrown out. More for us."

Marlina must suppress any reaction to their words as she waits.

As the first officer looks up and down at Marlina, a hint of approval appears on his face. "The mansion is just beyond the steps. I hope everything goes well for you."

"Liar," Marlina thinks to herself, suppressing her distaste.

Opening the gate to let her pass, she climbs the steps and pauses at the street at the top, glancing to her left when she hears the clop of horse hooves on the pavement as a horse-drawn carriage rolls by on the winding road where she stands. 

Known as the middle ring, Marlina can only speculate that the street forms a circle, with buildings neatly lined along its edges. The contrast between the slums and the middle ring is like night and day. Well-groomed pedestrians, many dressed in trench coats with slacks, bowler and top hats, ruffled dresses with decorative hats, walk along the edges of the street in an orderly fashion. Meanwhile, more carriages travel along the center in their designated paths.

The buildings are structurally sound and adorned with vibrant colors and flowering vines, although the haze sadly mutes their brilliance. Nevertheless, it represents a significant improvement. Many people enter and exit various shops, with satchels draped over their arms as they move to the next destination. The atmosphere buzzes with conversations from the numerous restaurants with patios, where patrons discuss their day while enjoying their meals and wine, with their decorated bags scattered at their feet.

What is new for her is that people briefly glance at her with a small nod before walking past, as if she is just another person. This seems odd to mention, but it represents a significant change for Marlina, since Urushians directed a lot of contempt toward her simply by her presence. Here, she blends in with her Colonial appearance. The atmosphere alone puts Marlina at ease, making her slightly taller and more confident as she waits for a break in the traffic before dashing across the street to another set of stairs.

The atmosphere shifts once more as she reaches the top of the next flight of steps; a wide, singular path lined by slightly varying multi-story buildings. Throughout the plaza, several rows of market stalls showcase goods from all of the Colonies, from unique weapons, crafted armor, and street food with tantalizing savory aromas for those who can smell. While the middle ring is orderly, the area buzzes with chaotic hustle and bustle as Colonials in various clothing styles and armor move about.

As Marlina glances at the buildings, she notices an insignia above each door. At first, they look like random pictures to her until she recognizes one of them. If she remembers correctly, it is the symbol associated with one of the remains that Elek and she found—the Seekers of the Forgotten. She recalls that he mentioned it is a guild. Looking at the symbols, she concludes that each building must be a guild. By her count, there are at least a dozen. 

Marlina's eyes dart all around as she traverses between a row of stalls. Her pace slows as she walks past the vendors, who shout praise of their goods and the bargains they are having. However, she is startled by a loud thud and a groan of aggravation. 

"Damn Construct, piece of shit, broke down on me!" 

At a stall behind Marlina, a man who looks like a seasoned adventurer is furious about what initially seemed like a pile of junk nearby. However, upon closer inspection, it's a stout humanoid automaton made from random items. Contained within its chest is a sphere with markings similar to those of the magic tools Marlina has seen, the markings flickering before they fade. With numerous steel baskets welded onto it and filled to the brim, the Construct appears overwhelmed by the many items it carries for the man. In a futile attempt to get it to respond, he repeatedly struck it on the head, as if that would make it function again. 

"Knew that mechanic was a rip-off artist! Useless scrap."

Nervousness washes over Marlina again as she pulls up the hood of her cloak. She hurries away as quickly as she can, glancing back at the scene with sympathy for the machine before being knocked down by a man rushing out of one of the guilds. Her metal body thuds oddly against the ground, and the contents of her bag spill onto the pavement. 

"Dammit, are you okay, Miss?" a man's voice asks with concern as Marlina starts to rise from the ground, her hair obscuring her view of him as he picks up her belongings.

"Anton, you lummox, where are you heading?!" another man yells from the entrance of the guild hall.

"Sorry, Guild Master, but I got urgent business! I'll be gone for a while, but I'll be back as soon as I can!" the man shouts back, hurriedly putting Marlina's items back in her satchel while she fusses with the wig. "I'm really sorry, Miss; I hope I didn't hurt you."

"No, no, it's alright..." Marlina begins, finally moving her hair aside to get a better look, but all she catches is a flash of orange before the man vanishes into the crowd. "...Sir."

The guild master at the door scoffs and waves his hand dismissively. "The nerve of him, leaving again when I have hungry guild members! I need to find a new cook," he grumbles before stepping back inside.

As if nothing had happened, the spectators who had briefly paused to observe the scene resumed their business.

Marlina, nervous yet confident that the man didn't realize she is hollow, she hurries to the gate at the end of the plaza, where the final flight of stairs await.