The Meaning Of Eternity (TMOE #1)

Chapter 31: Never alone

It was barely past noon as Lucius stepped into his office again and yet his ears felt as though they were bleeding. Just how many people was he supposed to listen to every day? It wasn't even about anything important most of the time, they were just looking to mingle.

Ew.

"Well, Lady Cromwell, I must commend you," Featherstone said, smiling reassuringly at Lucius as he and two other councilmembers stepped inside the office as well. "Handling the inauguration so smoothly after so little practice was more than anyone could ask of you so early on."

Lucius scratched his wig, wishing dearly he could actually reach the itchy spot underneath it and stifled a sigh.

"The ceremony was... Easier than I'd expected, but honestly? The crowd afterwards was the draining part." He paused, pursing his lips. "... Not that I can't handle that of course."

"Oh, no they're definitely a handful," Viktor Bezek, a tall man with pale beige skin and ruddy hair said with a shrug. "But, you know... Just look pretty and pretend you care. They'll buy it."

Nodding, Lucius couldn't help but sigh inwards.

"I... Do have to ask though, now that we're alone... Did we really need another sanctuary?"

"It's been requested for a long time," Clara Nox said as she sat down in an armchair by the window, trying to comb through curly, brown hair with her fingers. "And we did only have four."

"It's not like it was so far to walk that people would suffer though," Lucius argued, turning towards Featherstone. "Mr. Featherstone, didn't—"

"Please, Lady Cromwell. Bahman's fine."

"Bahman, didn't you say it was just a twenty minute walk to one of the others?"

"Well, yes, but then it depends on where you live in relation to that one."

"It's just... Perhaps something we—Or Lord Hargreaves and you, could have waited with?" Lucius grimaced. "I mean it's finished and now that it's there, great, but shouldn't we start considering spending resources where it's more urgent?"

The other three shared a look.

"... What did you have in mind?" Bezek asked, folding his arms as he leaned against the wall and Lucius could already sense the tension. Perhaps he'd do well in taking a small step back to not step on too many toes. Were they all a religious bunch?

"Cleaning up the eastern parts of town," he still said. It would at least be a start. "Sickness from poor hygiene is a bigger problem than some might realize and will affect more than just those parts if unchecked. If we hire the people who live there to do it we'll also give them a chance to earn a living, and—"

"Are you talking about The Entrails right now, Lady Cromwell?" Bezek cocked an eyebrow in a way Lucius didn't appreciate. "Only having held the position for a week or so, I'm certain you're still aware of us not meddling with those parts unless things get out of hand."

Lucius fought not to narrow his eyes. So poor people existing was enough for a mass execution but Archons forbid they touch the place unless 'things get out of hand'?

"Mr. Bezek... I'm sure you heard me when I said this problem will affect the rest of the town. A better life standard in The Entrails should be in everyone's interest."

"Things are all right as they are though," Nox came to Bezek's support. "People are content, and it's not like the slum people are protesting or anything."

Lucius paused, sucking in a silent breath. The scourge had kept its word and allowed him to always make a pleasant first impression, instantly fooling people into thinking they liked him, but apparently that didn't stop Viktor Bezek and Clara Nox from patronizing him.