The journey to Vodengaard was an uneventful one.
Solomon would ride his new horse, Lavender, through the dirt paths, passing smaller towns and villages, stopping only when he needed rest.
It took him a few days, and by the time he had finally crossed the border into the Valanian Kingdom, he had long since run out of coin.
This meant that he had to push the horse harder, because he couldn't afford to stay in any more inns.
Luckily for him, it seemed that the horse didn't need much rest. If Solomon wanted it to, then the horse would push itself as no other horse could.
"Good boy..."
...
Eventually, Vodengaard came into sight. It was a sprawling city, only slightly smaller than Redsham, the capital of Olaria.
The city was going through an industrial period. Factory smoke blew into the air, tainting the skies with black fog that making it hard to breathe.
Pedestrians rode bicycles rather than horses, though some were still pulled along by chariots if they were noble enough.
Solomon had left his horse in a stable on the outskirts of the village to avoid drawing attention to himself. It was hard to depart from the animal, as he had grown fond of it during their travels. Now, he walked on foot, dressed in his black pants and white, long-sleeved button shirt.
"Coal for sale; Fresh from the south pits! Keep your boilers burning through the night!"
"Coal and cinders! Cheap and hot!"
"Hands needed at the factory; no experience required!"
"Factory wagons coming through!"
The streets were busy and loud. The sound of market vendors and people looking for more workers could be heard wherever you went.
However, what stood out most to Solomon was the gloominess of the civilians. Everyone seemed to carry a depression with them, and Solomon thought he had a solid guess as to why.
The Valanian Kingdom was ruled by King Malagen; however, it was his wife, Queen Claudia and Son, Godrick, who really made the big decisions.
All the problems taking place in the city of Vodengaard, such as poor working conditions and poverty, were thanks to them. All so that they could end up with more coin in their own pockets.
It was all the more reason for Solomon to kill them.
...
Solomon eventually found an inn to stay in and wait until the next day, when Lucy and her father, King Henry, would arrive in the city. It was an Inn located closer to the Vodengaard Palace, which meant that it would cost more coin to stay in.
But Solomon had no money, so he knew that he would have to work for his stay.
Unlike his tavern back home, it wasn't a milf running things here, but instead a man. He wore a messy apron over his bulging muscles and had long, grey hair that framed a wrinkled, yet handsome face.
As Solomon approached, the man's brows rose.
"Eh, that's a beautiful set of hair if I've ever seen one!"
Solomon humbly smiled and said his thanks.
"I'm looking for a place to stay, but unfortunately I haven't got the coin. I was wondering if there was a job I could do to earn myself a night's sleep?"
The grey-haired man stroked his hairless chin and thought. "Well, it just so happens that there is a job that needs doing."
He went to the backrooms and returned with cleaning supplies. Afterwards, he plopped them on the table and spoke with a wide grin on his face.
"My maid is away visiting family, but these floors aren't gonna clean themselves."
"..."
Solomon remained silent for a few moments. He was expecting a monster hunting job, or maybe just something less... Embarrassing.
However, he needed the room, so he took the cleaning supplies and agreed to do the job for the night.
It seems god's must even humble themselves sometimes...
...
Back in the Olaria Kingdom, inside the Library of Alexandria...
A petite girl holding on to a stack of books took a seat in a quiet corner of the library. Her hair was blonde, and she wore glasses, giving her a nerdy, educated look.
She was dressed in a white button shirt and black skirt that revealed black tights that clung to her plump legs.
"Sigh"
The girl, sat herself down on the chair and began to read. However, as she did, she constantly glanced over her shoulder, making sure that no one found her.
As she got the fourth book, she found something strange. It was a prayer, offered to a god that she had never heard of.
"That's strange. How can a god exist that even I don't know about?"
She assumed it was some sort of joke, but couldn't be so certain until she tried it.
So she tore the prayer from the piece of paper and returned to her family home.
At night, she locked the doors so that her mother and father would not interrupt her.
Then, she prayed.
...
Prayer to the Clown, God of Information
"Oh Clown, keeper of knowledge,
You hide truth in laughter.
Guide us to learn and to share the wisdom that you bring us."
...
At first, nothing happened...
...
Solomon lay on his bed at night. His body was surprisingly sore from his job cleaning a tavern. Now, all he wanted to do was rest and prepare for the next day.
However, as he lay to rest, he felt something strange. His eyelids were tinted with a pink hue, despite being closed.
As he opened his eyes, he realised that his room had been covered in pink clouds. Most importantly, there was a door made from the same pink essence, already opened.
Beyond the door, Solomon could see his true home: The Pink Circus tent, and sitting in the stands was a figure shrouded in pink.
Princess Lucy Windelle? He wondered. However, it couldn't be her. This figure was sitting in a different position than Lucy usually was.
So with this, Solomon was able to gather two things. Two things that put a confident smile on his handsome face.
First, the powers of the circus tent followed him wherever he went.
And Second, he had received a new prayer.