Supreme Magus novel Chapter 3638

"How dare you?" Jala became beet red in embarrassment. "I was just complimenting a first-time client!"

"If that were true, you wouldn't have dragged my name in it." Talso grunted. "Have a nice day with your beautiful, youthful wife, sir."

"Talso!" Jala roared in jealousy.

"See? It's not so funny when you're on the receiving end, is it?" The man baker, serving the clients without missing a beat or his business smile.

"I can't believe it." Meron mumbled in between bites of his jam bread. "This is the capital of the Kingdom. Our city. Our faces are everywhere. Yet no one notices us, and all eyes are on the quarrelling bakers."

"That's because no one really pays attention to our faces when they look at one of our portraits." Sylpha chuckled. "They focus on the crowns, the scepters, and all the trappings of our profession.

"On top of that, no one expects the Royal couple to walk around the city without an escort, so when we do, nobody notices."

"Do you do this often?" Meron asked.

"One moment, dear." Sylpha approached a fruit stand. "Is everything alright, Pima? Your prices have gone down and so did Jala's. Is business going badly?"

"Quite the contrary, Syra, it goes great." The young woman selling fruits and vegetables said. "With three lost cities in the Kellar region gone and the Association making the reclaimed lands suitable for cultivation again, the tax food has gone down.

"We have to pay a lesser tithe in crops to send to the north, so we have more in store left to sell. On top of that, the Trains have reduced the transportation and security costs of all kinds of goods."

Trains were fast and had no tracks. In case of roadblocks or accidents, they could just change their course accordingly and dodge ambushes.

"We make more profit than before, even after lowering the prices." Pima said. "Thank the gods sometimes the Royals remember our poor folks exist. Between a round of dance and a sip of their expensive tea, of course."

'What dance? What tea?' The King was inwardly outraged. 'I bust my ass every day to do everyone's interests but mine. I can't take one bite of food without someone bothering me with this or that issue.'

"That's so true." Sylpha said, making Meron go pale. "Thank the gods for Magus Verhen. Maybe having a commoner-born at court widened the Royals' perspective."

"That's for sure." Pima nodded. "I love reading from my Tablet. Maybe, one day, one of my children will be a Magus too." She chuckled. "You have to try the Train, Syra. It's cheap, safe, and brings you farther than you've ever been.

"I was so excited when I left Valeron for the first time in my life! You should also bring your handsome husband."

"Will do. Goodbye, Pima." The Queen led Meron in an alley and Warped them back to the palace before answering his question. "I stroll through the market at least once a week to check how our subjects live and if our policies make their lives easier or harder.

"Ours is a thankless job, but it's easy to grow detached from everyday life while we live in the luxury of the Royal Palace. This way, I always know how much a loaf of bread costs and how much granting or taking a few copper coins away can change the life of the commoners that constitute the backbone of our Kingdom."

"And they have never recognized you?" Meron admired his wife's wisdom.

"A few times, actually." Sylpha cleared her throat. "Then I said something along the lines of: 'As if that old hag of the Queen would leave her golden palace'.

"Everyone had a good laugh and a few mean words at my expense, and thought I just resembled the Queen."

"I'm sorry to hear that, dear." Meron patted her shoulders. "You are not old. I swear."

"Are you calling me a hag?" The Queen chuckled.

"Your words, not mine." Meron said with a straight face. "Also, you've heard Talso. You're a beautiful, youthful, and slim hag at that. Do you mind if I accompany you on your strolls from now on?"

"Not at all." Sylpha shook her head. "Why? Are you curious to see if someone recognizes you, or do you want to check on our subjects?"