Book 18: Chapter 8
Irina looked up at the city before her with a hint of fear in her heart. Time in the North seemingly froze when winter came to the North, thereby engulfing the North in the darkness and bleakness that it once was with the snow. Even the most prosperous city in the North was enshrouded in a smoke screen from flames used to keep warm ascending into the air. The new city walls, which looked particularly pretty underneath the sunlight, appeared dark due to the scattered snow and black smoke.
Irina felt confused. She observed the group of people and horse carriages gathered near the city. She wasn’t too sure if she was at the Imperial City of the North. The Imperial City was supposed to be the liveliest city in the North, yet there was no sign of life in the city– courtesy of the smog.
Lots of people were gathered outside the city. In fact, people had set up count on both of the expansive spaces and set up fires. All of them wore warm clothing and covered their face with woollen masks, rendering only their eyes visible. There was an odd lonely and tense atmosphere there.
Irina pondered, “They must be humans from the South. Why are they gathered here instead of entering the city if they’re so cold?”
The path into the city wasn’t sealed, while the doors were still open. The guards with white coats and square hats – a sign that they were in uniform – checked everyone’s identity when they wanted to enter. That was became a custom in the city.
Irina couldn’t figure out why the people didn’t enter and why they gathered there. Also, the city guards didn’t drive them away despite them gathering there. It was as if Troy implicitly approved of them staying there. From an outsider’s perspective, however, they didn’t give the vibe of ordinary folk.
Irina gently moved took a whiff. She smelt an irritating smell. She said to herself, “I’ve smelt this scent before. I once chased the smell to find the hot spring. Nonetheless, these people couldn’t have come here for a hot spring, could they? If they were after a hot spring, they should go to Troy City or farthest north in the North. There’s a hot spring there.”
Irina followed the group toward the city interior. The closer she got to the city, the more her nervousness heightened. As a matter of fact, she was so nervous she stopped paying attention to the group of strange people.
It was her first time at the Imperial City. She didn’t come to the Imperial City in the past due to her dragon nature, which could spell trouble for the man she liked. This time, though, she had something important to notify the man she liked, who was also her child’s father. He never allowed her and his child to lack anything on a materialistic level, but he never fulfilled any duty of a father. Nonetheless, she still wanted to tell him about his child’s future.