Ren walked beside Amanda, the sound of rough gravel under their feet echoing softly between the tall crimson pillars lining the road. A faint breeze carried the scent of jasmine and old stones.
Amanda let out a small, pleased sigh. "This place," she said, her eyes sweeping over the curved roofs and carved dragon statues along the path, "is always beautiful no matter how many times I come here."
Ren tilted his head, glancing at her. "You come here often?"
"Enough times to remember the roads by heart," Amanda replied, a faint smile curling her lips. "This entire estate is twice the size of Norbata's national park. It's easy to get lost if you don't know your way. This is the biggest real estate in our country even more than our parliament."
Ren whistled low. "Twice the size? That's insane."
"Not insane," she said, "just old money. The Lan family built their palace like a city."
