Nobles are a group of people who truly know how to enjoy life. For a performance they're interested in, they're willing to travel hundreds of miles to Sardinson—and once they saw this newly built city for themselves, they were even more willing to buy a house, stay for a while, and indulge in all its novel attractions.
Unfortunately for the nobles coming from Aldridge, they arrived a little too late. Only upon reaching the city did they realize that, despite it still being largely under construction, there were no homes left suitable for people of their status.
It wasn't entirely their fault for falling behind on the news. While it was widely known that Crown Prince Edward had visited Sardinson and even stayed there through the winter before returning to the capital, the fact that he and a group of nobles had quietly bought properties in the city wasn't publicized. Though some had heard rumors, particularly in the capital and around Sardinson, Aldridge—being a county between the two—had only caught wind of vague whispers. No one paid much attention to a city still under construction with no formal residents. Who would seriously believe that nobles would move in?
But the answer turned out to be—yes, they would.
The first opera performance in the new city wasn't a spontaneous affair. Even before the bridal procession set off for Aldridge, Felix and Wei Wei had already sent out invitations, inviting all the nobles they knew to come witness the show and appreciate the beauty of Sardinson.
They even commissioned artists to paint promotional booklets showcasing the city's unique scenery and the various forms of entertainment Wei Wei had proposed. These were sent out with the invitations, and upon seeing them, many nobles—whose daily lives rarely offered more than horseback riding, hunting, and banquets—were immediately intrigued. One after another, they replied, affirming they would be delighted to visit.
Crown Prince Edward was equally interested. He'd only recently left Sardinson when the invitations were sent out, and was still there during the planning. Unfortunately, spring and summer were peak seasons for asthma, and the flower-filled, bird-chirping environment of Sardinson was not suitable for his condition. Add to that his physician being away escorting his sister-in-law's wedding, and the king's growing impatience with his extended absence—the king had written a letter urging his return. So, with great reluctance, Edward set off back to the capital with his fiancée, unable to return to Sardinson shortly.
But while he didn't come, Wei Wei did bring back Princess Elina and Prince Andrew from Aldridge. They had traveled there to attend their brother Adonis's wedding, and happened to run into Wei Wei, who promptly invited them to Sardinson. If not for the fact that Dolores and Adonis had just gotten married and needed time to adjust to their new life, Wei Wei would've invited them, along with Salina, back to Sardinson too, to witness the city's grand opening.
By the time Wei Wei and her entourage returned to Sardinson, many nobles had already moved in. The city's novelty charmed them. Though they had initially come for the opera, they quickly fell in love with the city's scenery and daily life even before the performance. Every day, nobles would invite each other for strolls, and the most popular destination was the newly completed Chinese-style park.
Completely different from the European-style gardens they were used to, the Chinese park—though not a full-scale classical garden—offered an entirely new world. Walking along the long, decorated exterior wall and entering through the moon gate felt like stepping into another realm.
Winding paths paved with pebbles were flanked by dense clusters of flora. Unlike the neatly trimmed hedges and lawns of European gardens, the greenery here grew wildly and naturally, exuding a casual elegance. The trees, primarily bamboo—something none of them had ever seen before—swayed gently in the wind. Sunlight filtering through the bamboo leaves softened the shadows cast by their density, bathing the area in a mysterious, exotic glow.
Beyond the bamboo grove was a covered walkway extending over a lotus pond. The pond was large and filled with lotuses purchased from foreign merchants, imported from Egypt. Though the climate in Sardinson wasn't ideal, and the flowers didn't bloom in great numbers, during the hottest season of the year, the pond would burst into color—purple, blue, pink, and white blooms rising from a sea of green leaves, surrounding decorative rock formations. The sight was mesmerizing.
When idle, it was the perfect spot to sit and chat with friends beneath the corridor, admiring the flowers. And if you were lucky enough to grab a seat in one of the pavilions along the walkway, the experience was even more enchanting.
If visitors wanted a panoramic view, they could walk past the walkway to a four-sided tower. From the top, standing at any of the open windows, they could overlook not just the entire park but also the surrounding areas. For those wanting a closer look, monoculars were available to rent, powerful enough to spot even birds in the sky.
Another corner of the park featured small courtyard houses available for rent. Guests could book one to enjoy a meal of Eastern-style cuisine and host a traditional banquet. For those who couldn't afford that, there was no need to worry—the plaza at the center of the park hosted numerous food stalls offering a variety of Eastern snacks. While the flavors didn't appeal to everyone, most people found at least one treat they liked.
These stalls were the main source of income for this ticket-free park. All daily maintenance and regular repairs were funded through this revenue. As long as operations remained steady, the park was entirely self-sustaining, without needing any additional funding.
From the day it opened, the park received overwhelming praise. Although some nobles grumbled about the fact that commoners were allowed in, the entrance sign clearly stated it was a public park for the people. Nobles who didn't wish to mingle with the lower classes were advised to visit the adjacent Equestrian Park, which was strictly off-limits to commoners—there, they could act as high and mighty as they pleased.
And what could the nobles do about it? They had no choice but to accept it.
It's worth mentioning that although the new city had officially opened, not many commoners were eager to purchase homes here, at least not yet. Most of the people moving in were either merchants eyeing the city's commercial potential or workers temporarily renting homes for job-related reasons. As a result, the residential areas for commoners were still primarily rental-based.
However, some residents, after living here for a while, found that the environment was genuinely pleasant. And since housing prices were still relatively low, and the bank had recently introduced an installment-based home loan program, many renters started to waver. After visiting the bank to inquire about this installment plan and being skillfully "persuaded" by the staff, many realized that perhaps they could afford to buy a home after all. So they signed purchase contracts and became proud new homeowners—well, mortgage-holders, at least.
Of course, not just anyone could buy a home this way. First, a down payment was required. Second, applicants had to pass a credit check, with proof of a clean background and a stable job that could support monthly mortgage payments. Locals could buy directly, but for outsiders, there was an extra step: they had to register as residents of Sardinson. That said, the previous benefits—such as allocated housing lots and rented farmland—were no longer available. Whether or not to settle here was left entirely to the individual.
All the terms were written clearly in the agreement. Anyone who met the conditions could apply for a loan. However, the concept of loans was still new, and people instinctively associated it with usurious debt. So for now, few dared to proceed, and most were still watching from the sidelines. Only those with some business sense, who had already sensed the potential, had quietly bought multiple homes, planning to become future landlords.
Sardinson was visibly on the rise. Even without mentioning the excellent housing, the array of public facilities alone was enough to attract well-off commoners to settle here. Moreover, the rumors had already been circulating for some time—that the Duke planned to relocate his factories to the outskirts of Sardinson. Anyone with foresight and a bit of money could easily see: once the factories moved, the workers would follow, and housing demand would soar. That meant one thing—property values would rise. Those who bought in early would win big.
The commoners loved the residential areas designed for them. But for the nobles, those homes were far too basic and crude, completely unworthy of their status. The nobles from Aldridge who had come along with the Duke and Duchess were dismayed to find there were no suitable noble residences for sale. They couldn't bear the thought of living in the small, modest houses of the common district and were growing anxious about having nowhere to stay.
But of course, such a problem had long been anticipated. Wei Wei promptly introduced them to the Sardinson Hotel, located beside the opera house.
This five-story building spanned a massive area and housed more than 300 rooms. Each room was furnished to meet the standards expected by the nobility. The penthouse suites were especially extravagant, matching the luxury of a presidential suite—luxurious enough to host even royalty without a hint of shame. Naturally, the pricing matched its opulence.
The hotel had been constructed entirely according to the standards of a modern five-star establishment—opulent, dazzling, and full of surprises. But the most shocking feature of all was the two elevators inside.
The elevators were located in the hallway off the lobby on the first floor. They were the old-fashioned kind seen in early Western films, with iron gates that had to be closed manually. And while they were called elevators, they weren't powered by electricity—they were operated by trained animals pulling ropes, using a pulley system installed at the top of the hotel.
Wei Wei had discovered the concept in a technical manual, sketched the design, and worked with Master Raymond to connect with experts from the Royal University of Pradi. After a lengthy period of research and multiple safety tests, the elevators were finally built.
When the nobles saw that small metal cage could go up and down on its own, they gasped in awe. But despite reassurances from staff—who emphasized that the elevators were inspected daily and completely safe—very few were brave enough to try.
That said, fear was no match for curiosity. As the days went by, and the nobles grew tired of trudging up flights of stairs, they watched enviously as hotel staff rode the elevators with ease, sometimes even nodding politely to the nobles through the iron gates. The resentment grew unbearable until finally, one or two bold guests gave in to temptation. Accompanied by elevator attendants, they stepped inside to experience this new and slightly terrifying way of moving between floors.
And wouldn't you know it—after that first ride, those pleasure-seeking nobles never wanted to use the stairs again. It soon got to the point where, whenever the elevator was moving, there was always a crowd waiting for their turn. Even those living on the second floor would rather spend several minutes—or more—waiting for the elevator than tire themselves out walking.