Chapter 4161: Secret Magus (Part 2)

"Of course." Menadion nodded. "Sewers require a repetitive pattern of open drains that focus on the efficiency of the water flow. They don’t need to be fancy or have any amenities. Also, my arrays didn’t do all the work.

"They created a solid foundation without destabilizing the buildings aboveground. Engineers and building crews did the rest. Still, without suitable blueprints and the work of countless Wardens, it would have taken hundreds of years to spread this system to the rest of the Kingdom.

"Cities like Belius and Derios would have never developed as much as they did if not for the sewers preventing recurring outbreaks of infections. One day, Lutia will have a place like this as well, thanks to the Philo River."

"The Philo River?" Solus said in horror. "What about the woods? What about the animals? What will they drink?"

"Epphy, the Kingdom doesn’t have such problems." Menadion replied in confusion. "It takes a single Forgemaster to craft enough devices to release pulses of darkness magic and cleanse the wastewater before returning it to the river."

"Why does this place stink so much, then?"

"As I said, putting one such device in every home would be too expensive." Menadion replied. "Wastewaters are collected into huge vats where they can be cleansed in one go by a limited number of specialized artifacts."

"So, you’re also the Poop Magus, Mom." Solus poked at her mother’s side, giggling.

"Yes." Menadion sighed. "I asked Valeron to keep that particular title a secret, and now I ask you to do the same. Share it with anyone, and I’ll tell them the story about the time you were six and wetted your bed.

"Especially the part when you almost set ablaze the entire house in an attempt to dry your sheets and hide the deed."

"You wouldn’t dare!" Solus became as pale as a ghost.

"Try me." Menadion replied with a flinty gaze.

***

Later, the group met at the Unicorn’s Pot and ate dinner there. During the following days, they kept a similar routine, spending the morning with Elfiam and the afternoon sightseeing Amrok on their own.

The youth proved to be a knowledgeable and skilled orator, sharing with his guests only the most interesting details about an artist’s life and the history of their pieces rather than just spouting dates and dry facts that Lith could have found in any book.

He also brought them every day to a different establishment frequented mostly by the locals, where the Verhens could taste the traditional dishes of Amrok without being surrounded by tourists and rushed to finish their meals.

On the fourth day of the vacation, Solus’ and Kamila’s stares almost bored a hole in Lith’s skull until he upheld his word.

"You must be tired after all this walking, Elfiam." He said. "Why don’t you join us for lunch? My treat."

"I wouldn’t dare." The youth was flabbergasted and terrified. "I don’t want to intrude, and I know nothing about proper table manners. I would embarrass you."

"Nonsense." Lith pointed at the babies and Solus. "We-"

"We are all of commoner origins." Solus nudged his ribs, cutting him short. "We don’t care about table manners. Also, isn’t it bad for business to turn down a harmless request of your clients?"

"I can’t argue with that." Elfiam sighed, and his stomach grumbled in approval.

During the past days, Solus had noticed that the hardworking youth carried his meals in a small bag and ate while sitting on the nearest stairway, waiting for the Verhens to return.

No matter how much he received as tips before the final payment, Elfiam would pocket everything and spend nothing for himself. Between his thin frame and his dedication to his work, Solus had drawn one parallel with Lith too many.

She had already healed all his ailments by casually brushing Elfiam’s arm the day before and realized the hunger and fatigue he kept hidden beneath his smile.

The thought of Elfiam eating a single sandwich while she stuffed her face with delicacies made her stomach churn to the point of spoiling her appetite.

"I’ll gladly accept anything you’ll offer me, milord, but I have a small favor to ask." Elfiam said, and Lith nodded for him to continue. "Can I please take half my food to go? I’d like to share it with my sister."

His face burned red with embarrassment as he voiced his plea, but he had no other choice. Spending so much for a single meal would have been foolish, and anything he left on his plate would have been thrown away as scraps unless he asked to keep it for later.

Yet doing that would have given the impression that Elfiam was ordering more than he could eat to mooch off his host.

’Even if Verhen says nothing right now, one word from him and all the reputation and network I’ve painstakingly built will be destroyed.’ He thought.

"I have a better idea." Lith said after pretending to mull over it for a few seconds. "Why don’t you call your sister and ask her to join us? This way you two can enjoy the food together while it’s hot."

"That would be too much! I can’t ask you that, milord." Elfiam said.

"You are not asking me anything. I’m offering. The only question is whether you accept it or not." Lith replied.

"Please?" Solus said, destroying every possible argument the youth could come up with.

’Refusing a harmless request is already bad. Making a client beg is much worse.’ Elfiam called his sister, who picked up instantly.

"Are you hurt? Did something happen?" Clila asked in one breath.

Elfiam would never contact her during working hours except in an emergency.

"I’m fine, Big Sis." He had to mute her to be able to speak above the flood of her worries. "I’ve brought a group of clients to the Gladiator’s Spit, and they invited you and me to lunch."

The establishment was famous for its spit roast, its owner claiming that his recipes dated back to the founding of the Great Theater and had turned many upstart warriors into champions.

"That sounds fishy." She mumbled. "There’s no such thing as a free meal. They must be a bunch of perverts. I told you not to brag about my beauty. It’s dangerous and not true!"

"Sis, they are standing right beside me!" Elfiam wished to die a quick death. "And they are not perverts. It’s the family of you-know-who!"

Lith liked his privacy, so he had instructed the youth to call him only by his name.

"And who is that? A wanted criminal?" Clila snorted.

"Me." Lith took the Tablet from Elfiam’s hands. "Hello, Miss. I’m-"

"The Sup-" She bit her tongue to stop herself. "Him! You’re really him! Gods, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. Elfiam told me about you, but I thought he was joking!"

"I can assure you I’m no joke." Lith replied as she bowed like a frenzied parrot. "What about that lunch invitation?"

"It would be my honor." She replied with a bow so deep that her hair brushed the floor despite the hair tie she wore. "But I don’t know if my employer-"

"Clila, how many times do I have to tell you not to waste the time I pay you for with calls?" A querulous voice said. "From now on, leave your Tablet at home!"

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