After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

The party continued and the performances reached their peak. There were fire shows and elemental shows that made people in awe.

Many non-elementalists envied the power of elementalists, and many people enjoyed watching how these ’great beings’ were reduced to performing for them.

However, while many in front of the crowd were having fun, the younger generation behind was a lot more vindictive.

The younger male generation was settled into a zone, seated at a single table. They had plenty of cliques there; some were from this faction, some were from another faction, and there were those like Zinnia without any.

”It’s been a while since I’ve seen the young master Marcus.”

”I forgot he’s still alive, actually.”

In Xeno, royal titles were earned. Just as a City Lord could only become ”King” if they reached an absolute hold of a powerful City, the children born under the King might not necessarily be called princes or princesses either, especially if their maternal family didn’t have any power.

Different nobles might also address a ’prince/princess’ differently, too, and it was an open way to show their allegiances and whether or not they acknowledged the child of ’royal blood’.

Zinnia’s son, the 14-year-old Marcus, was one of those types that weren’t acknowledged by, well, every noble in Hassen.

Theoretically, these kids should be pandering after Marcus, the Lord’s son. However, even from a young age, the mothers of the Lord’s two other sons had made sure to segregate Zinnia from the proper social circles.

When the Lord decided to fake Zinnia’s death to the Golds, anyone who tried to leak the news was either demoted or killed. As such, Zinnia and her children practically became non-existent.

Some people in the inner circle only became aware that Zinnia was alive when she gave birth to a son. However, even then, Zinnia and her children were ostracised.

Marcus appeared unloved (which he was), and becoming friends with him would only lower them in the eyes of the other two—much more valuable—sons.

Speaking of which, there was naturally no ”Lord’s faction” because he was someone who supposedly held all power. Rather, the nobles were divided into two factions, subtly one-upping each other to gain the favor of the royal family.

This was also the Lord’s way of balancing power between them, so he also made sure to give equal power and attention to the wives representing each one. This was in stark contrast with the way Zinnia was neglected.

Zinnia might be from a powerful family from another City, but what if the Lord of that City hated her and her family? Partnering with Bleumrick, Evos made the woman and her brother suffer for decades.

Still, they couldn’t be too open about it to avoid unnecessary trouble, which was why they faked her death in the first place. According to Bleumrick, it was also more amusing that way.

Then...things got worse for Zinnia and her son when the news of the Golds’ fall spread to their City (which was quite fast considering Piddes’ wife was from there too), and in which case people felt free to bully them openly altogether.

Zinnia was once again invited to social events, but it felt like she was invited only to be mocked.

For example, now, her seat was with the low nobles invited, and it was not even close to the Lord’s table. Similarly, her son suffered both direct and indirect insults in another table.

For example, at this time, Marcus was being openly bullied by kids from both factions.

This was exacerbated because the other princes’ people were there, and the noble children were eager to show off their alliance by being creative with how to make the youngest prince suffer.

”Oops.”

Food ended up on Marcus’ shirt. It was white, a sign of humility, and also because the fabric ever delivered to their palace was of the cheaper varieties.

Chuckles and cackles echoed in that table, and the culprit had the gall to appear apologetic, except he wasn’t apologizing to Marcus. ”I’m sorry young master Pierrot! I didn’t mean to dirty your cousin’s clothes.’

”Meh, he should just be thankful I can call him cousin.”

Seeing that Pierrot, Prince Piddes’ maternal cousin, was looking at someone with appreciation, someone else threw food to Marcus.

This went on, and Marcus could only grit his teeth and grip his pants. He did not dare fight back. When he tried, someone tried to hurt his mother in retaliation!

Unexpectedly—

A force appeared that caused the food to fly all over and hit their table, messing up everyone’s clothes.

The lavish food and drinks on their table now doused everyone on their side. The person who had it worse was Pierrot, who coughed because he ended up gargling a good amount of juice on his face. There was also sauced meat on his head.

”WHAT IN THE ORCSHIT!?”

”Hey! What’s that?!”

”Where did it come from?”

Marcus’ eyes widened and turned in a direction, meeting knowing eyes.

Silva.

When did he get here? He was fairly sure that he was standing elsewhere the last time he checked.

That said, Marcus immediately turned away again, not daring to stare longer than a second. He was afraid he’d reveal who was behind the attack.

Because they were at the end of one side, no one was actually watching them. It so happened that the guards on their side were busy gossiping and watching the performances to witness any anomaly.

None of them had any idea who could be behind it either.

They were all just shocked at the sudden chaos, confused, and it took several moments (many of them were inebriated) to react.

Before the guards could go to them and before the nobles could push for an investigation though, what just happened created an unexpected chain effect.

This started with some middle-aged nobles, who were positioned near the performers.

They were just sniffing on drugs a few moments ago. They were a different group from Piddes, but had a connection with a merchant group, so they also had access to it.

Combined with alcohol, they were a bit too easy to anger.

What would happen if a piece of food happened to fly straight to their faces?

Chaos ensued.