Chapter 44
Chapter 44
The higher one’s status, the more they despise mingling with those below them. Even in the lower districts, people distinguish between neighborhoods that are merely struggling and those drowning in absolute poverty. The Custoria family, one of the Empire’s prestigious houses, was no exception.
The Custoria estate was located in the outskirts, far from the capital, Akbaran. There wasn’t even a road leading to the mansion, as if land travel had never been a consideration. Surrounding the estate was an expanse of red wasteland, stark to the point of awkwardness.
Our aerial vehicle ascended over the mansion. From above, I could see a garden and a fountain at the center of the estate. Greenery and water existed only within the mansion’s confines, making it resemble an oasis in the desert.
The estate itself consisted of four massive buildings, and the number of smaller annexes was too bothersome to count.
"I only visit the main house once every couple of months myself. Even though I spent my childhood here, I never grew attached to it."
Hemillas, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, spoke as he gazed down through the window.
Whirrrr.
Beneath the aerial vehicle, the propulsion system made precise adjustments to stabilize our descent. The altitude gradually dropped.
Several other aerial vehicles had already arrived at the mansion’s airstrip before us.
"They’re here to meet you. Some of them are my siblings."
"I’ve memorized all their faces and names."