Second Time's a Charm (MxM)✔

Chapter 44 - New Ashbury

Cain stood outside a quaint little inn located near the center of New Ashbury. This little town had once been so small that only three buildings of note could be found, with nothing but sprawling farmlands and fields surrounding it. Now it had exploded, with craftsmen flocking from all around the Empire, eager to build new establishments in the hopes of getting in early on the latest boom town.

Inns, taverns, stables, bakeries, homes, and even a post office had been erected in the past year alone. It helped that many of the builders were part of the same group that had helped build Cain's mansion. Their familiarity with the territory sped up the town's growth overall.

It was odd knowing that he had been the cause of this. Years ago, he thought the only way he'd ever become a Duke was to steal the title from his family. Now, here he was living in the forest while a whole duchy built itself right on his doorstep. It was too convenient for his nerves.

Today was sunny, with a breeze that brought with it the scent of the local bakery. He didn't have his mask on, since that would only cause the locals to flock to him with millions of questions. And Cain Dulcair had 'died' over three years ago, so it wasn't like anyone would recognize him.

Checking his reflection in the tavern window, he made sure his makeup wasn't too obvious. The gaunt descriptions that people gave of the arsonist made it clear that Cain had to be as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as possible to avoid suspicion whenever he went out like this.

That was when a familiar reflection appeared behind him.

"It's good to see you looking so well." Gideon greeted the ex-marquess with a soft smile.

Cain smiled back at his old butler, who was currently wearing casual attire. It had been years since he last saw the man, and noticed that his once-peppered hair was looking grayer. He had stress lines around his eyes and looked more tired than ever. Whether it was from overwork or old age, Cain took pity and gestured towards the Tavern. "It's good to see you again too."

The two took a seat at a corner table and ordered drinks. Sipping on the foam of his mug, Cain leaned back with a sigh. "It's nice to be able to sit and relax for a minute."

"I could not agree more." Gideon took a small drink of his ale, already looking more refreshed. "It has been ages since I was last able to visit a tavern."

"I'm glad to hear that retirement is treating you kindly."

"It's only been a week," Gideon admitted, staring down at his mug. "I always thought I would retire in the capital, but with how things are turning out, I think it might be better to move somewhere safer."

"Is the capital getting that bad?"

"It's worse. Upper and lower class alike are now questioning the Emperor, and the royal family keeps recruiting younger soldiers, all with less and less training before sending them out into the front lines. A few riots have begun breaking out in the districts where shops have started shutting down. At the rate things are going, the locals will be doing the arsonist's job for him."

Cain couldn't help but smirk.

"Speaking of which..." Gideon got more serious. "I'm going to have to turn down your offer."

That wiped the smirk from Cains' face. "Why?" He prodded.

"Simple. I'm retired and would like to remain so. I've decided to move to another kingdom, one that's not involved with this war. I heard the western roads aren't blocked off. Perhaps I can start over? Either way, I would like to live the rest of my life out peacefully."

"You don't think it'd be safe here?"

"This place is certainly up-and-coming, however, it's not what you would call 'peaceful', is it? With new people arriving here every day, it's only going to become noisier."