The Marcquess

Celine ignored the woman for now. She did the laundry with Shira and it was lot harder without brush, detergents or laundry soap.

Judging its pace, it might last her about an hour.

One woman spoke to her. "You're not from the capital, are you?"

Celine gave a nod. She smiled. "Yeah, I'm new here."

"I see. Please forgive your experience here. The Lord assigned Telda to guard the well from being poisoned by his rivals. In reality this well is free yet she charges those of the lower-class men and give free service to those of higher status."

"Huh?!" Celine was irritated knowing this information. She was thinking she would pay someday.

"By the way, which servant are you?"

"Servant?"

"Most of us here are serfs from the kingdom. Thus, we do not need to pay for the well. Washing clothes is a job that was given to us."

Celine was bothered with her words. "Tiresome? This can just take an hour or two right?"

"The prewash will take about 3 candles and a day will be used for the soaking process. Then you will need more time to reheat the lye, rewashing of the soaked clothes, rinsing and drying process."

Celine took a deep breath. "Fine! I'll take it on. So how can we use the urine to clean the clothes."

The kind old woman chuckled. "We don't use pure urine to clean the clothes. We use lye, silly. I'm willing to share it with you."

Celine felt exhausted. She never realized how hard it was to wash clothes in this setting. But thanks to the assistance of the woman, she was given the opportunity to use various washing equipment like wooden tubs.

She was also taught how to wash it properly. Now, she just needed to wait for a whole day since it was being soaked on the lye.

They had various techniques to clean clothes like stepping and beating the clothes, and after using a plunger to stir them. It was a tiresome process. It took about three candles at most.

Celine was also given the opportunity to how lyes were made. Fat and urine were one of their ingredients.

Not to mention, they also had to reheat the lye.

Celine thanked the kind, old woman. "Once I return to my country, I'll give you something better than lye. Something that would only take about an hour to remove the dirt and grime."

She was surprised. "A soap like that exist? I would be amazed if I can get a hold of that thing."

Celine smiled. "Of course Aunt! What do you want, Tide, Surf, Downy or Ariel? The choice is yours, though I prefer Tide personally."

The old woman didn't know how to respond since she didn't understand. "I wonder." She chuckled.

"I think I'll check our clothes tomorrow, I have to return to our room. How about you?"

"We are serfs and we clean the clothes of the nobility. More are yet to come here soon. We can't rest just yet."

Celine was feeling bad after knowing they wash clothes like this for the entire day. Back in her home however, she was just using a washing machine. "I see. Will you be fine?"

"What are you talking about? This is nothing for me. Don't worry, I'll watch your soaked clothes for you, I will protect it with my life." Seeing the old woman had a warming smile, it caused Celine to feel relieved. There was nothing to feel bad about leaving their clothes here.

As of now, their clothes was found on a huge tub, it was filled with lye.

Celine and Shira gave a brief nod. "Then, we'll be off."

***

Since their modern suits were on the laundry, Melvin wore a decent tunic and leather jacket. He would fit in well with the citizens of this city.

At the eastern valley, Melvin and the others went into the mines, it was located at the base of the barren mountain. There were iron carts and rail ways found on its entrance. An old man with ragged clothes and holding a pick axe was seen with an exhausted sigh. "It's hopeless."

Melvin greeted him. He seems to understand Mendovia so this conversation would be easier.

When the old man saw the yellow badge on his suit, he firmed up and was nervous. "Oh a noble man, forgive me for greeting you so casually. Where are my manners?"

"Forget about it old man, you don't need to be formal. I'm here to ask you some questions."

The mines here was managed by Marquess Millford and some of his vassals, which owned the slaves to mine this place. The slaves were only fed twice a day and with a fixed amount of bread and water. They could only get decent meals from the leftovers of the nobility of if their yield was good.

"Worst of all we are doomed. If we couldn't fulfill our quota every month we won't get our food and water. Right now, my companions and I are stuck."

"What do you mean?"

"We couldn't proceed any further in our mining activity since they are going insane."

"Insane?"

Three men left the mines. One is screaming frantically. "The gods have descended, it's our doom! We shall get punished!"

The old man was worried. "Oh my." He faced Melvin and the others. "Well then, I'm off." He went to attend to the three men.

Melvin and his group just stood there staring at them. He took note of this in his mind and jot it down later.

Most importantly, why this country hasn't yet collapsed is beyond him. He went around the city to ask more of the situation. Famine tends to happen after the attack of the giant spiders.

In a week or so, they would experience a shortage of food since they would save it after the next attack.

Melvin was thinking if he could use this card as well. "Well, I need the King's approval just to use the beacon of the church after all."

He planned to visit the Marcquess later. The information of the outside world seems to be hidden. Especially, he wanted to know more about Heart Mad Fleet.

Vahenna looked at him in the eye. She was concerned. "My Lord, I prefer if you don't meet him."

"What do you mean?"

Vahenna gulped. "Marquess Millford is the worst noble I know."

"If you're concerned about my safety, you don't need to."

"No, that's not what I mean-- err, forgive me for interfering with your decisions." She loosened up and bowed to him.

Melvin smiled. "You don't need to apologize. I'm even more curious about this guy."

The local businesses, revenue system, foreign affairs and the mines were handled by the Marcquess, though he had a bad reputation even from the other nobles.

In the middle city district, various commoners were seen walking around. As Melvin walked on broad daylight, he walked with confidence. He then hit someone, causing him to slam on the stone-slabbed road. "Ugh!"

"My Lord, are you okay?" Vahenna attended to Melvin with a worry.

A little girl was also crying, she sat on the road. The soup she was holding seemed to have spilled. She was surprised. "Our only food, I wasted it! Sorry mom, dad."

Rederick offered his arm at her. "Geez you were so small we didn't see you. Be careful next time okay?"

The girl was shivering. "Sir, will I get punished?"

The other people on the sides of the street were looking concerned for the girl's safety. The girl looks like she was a serf or a slave with a brown badge on her tattered dress.

Rederick forced a smile which weirded out the girl even more. "Of course not."

"Eh?! Something tells me I would."

Melvin was holding his forehead as he stood up. He looked pissed but calmed himself. "Red, your smile is scaring the girl."

The girl then kneeled in front of him. "Please my Lord don't punish me and my family."

"Punish?" Melvin was staring at the soup on the road. He scratched his head and offered a gold coin at her. "You must be sad that you spilled your soup right? Here's some replacement."

The girl couldn't believe her eyes. She was stunned for several seconds. "A-a-are you sure?"

Melvin gave a nod. He rubbed her hair. "Of course. Make sure to give some to your siblings as well."

The girl shoned a smile. "I-I- don't know what to say."

"It's all yours. No need to thank me."

"Thank you so so so much!"

Later, the girl left while holding a gold coin in her palm. She waved goodbye as she ran cheerfully. "Bye bye kind noble."

Melvin had no problem of giving out gold coins since he had plenty of it after winning the bet from the coliseum days ago.

Rederick raised his eyebrows. "You've been awfully kind to little girls, it's suspicious."

Melvin got annoyed. "And? What are you implying?"

Rederick laughed as Melvin tried to clear up the misunderstanding.

Vahenna was puzzled as well. For him to just spend 1 gold to help a random girl. Nothing surprises her now since he seemed very random and odd. She then smiled. "Looks like I have to stay by his side for a while."

Reaching into the office, they were disappointed to know that the Marcquess wasn't there. They planned to return back to the apartment, but they got surprised when they saw a crowd on the distance.

It was a voice of someone crying for help.

Melvin's face turned serious in that instant, he jogged to see it for himself.

His eyes widened when he saw the girl from before was getting whipped by a fat nobleman. He was sweaty, had a puffy lips, and a creasy face.

"Damn you little worm, how dare you get in my way!"

There were several lashes on the girls skin and she almost lost her voice since no one was trying to help her. There was a man and a woman getting forced to watch the little girl. Melvin could assume they were her parents.

The noble spoke to the girl's parents. "Hey make sure you discipline your child!"

"Bea, you have been a bad girl." Her mom said while crying.

"Th-that's right, if only you've been more careful this wouldn't have happened." Her father said nervously.

The girl kept on weeping. "Yes." She sniffled.

The noble man noticed a gold coin inside her palm. It irked the noble even further. He lashed it at her harshly that it tore a portion of her clothes. "You wench, where did you steal that money!"

"So-so-someone gave it to me."

"Liar! You stole it! There's no way a serf like you can get a gold coin!"

"Please no, I'm telling the truth."

The nobleman was ready to swing his whip and he halted when Melvin stood in front with a sneer. "Yo, nobleman, I don't care what reason you have to torture her. Let's all calm down and step aside and then get on with our lives."

"Who are you?! You have no business here!" The noble spat.

Melvin chuckled. His eyes were sharp. "And if I don't? Would you hit me as well?"

"Tsk." The noble was about to whip Melvin, then Rederick came forward and knocked him out with his fist, causing him to fall flat on the ground. "Ugh."

"Oops, forgive me, Mr. President, it was an involuntary response."

Melvin face-palmed with a sigh. "Red, we could get executed you know."

The noble's guards sheathed their blades. They quickly surrounded Melvin and his team. "How dare you hit Lord Valm?!"